Heavenly Peach Photography

I checked the mail, opened the card, and then cried… for at least 15 minutes… before I was able to leave our mailbox.

What kind of Christmas card would cause those kind of tears? The kind that included 7 memories… 7 photos of a friend I haven’t seen in 3 years… 7 photos of that friend and her husband, who she lost in Afghanistan on August 6th of this year. She included a lovely note honoring his memory and saying thank you for the outpouring of support she has received, which of course only intensified the tears.

Were there professional photos on that card? No. Did there need to be? Of course not. Those 7 snapshots were more powerful than any professional photo I have ever seen, because there was meaning behind them. A professional photographer isn’t always around when you’re in the midst of a meaningful moment or memory. So it’s up to you to be the record keeper for yourself and for your family and friends.

You don’t have to lose 10 pounds first, you don’t have to have makeup on, heck you don’t even have to had showered first. Who cares what anyone looks like in a fleeting moment that you want to remember. 20 years down the road you’re probably just going to be making fun of your ridiculous clothing choices anyway, so the rest is irrelevant.

I take photos of other people for a living, but often times forget to take plenty photos of my own family and life. When I was trying to pick our photos for our Christmas card, I had so few of me, my husband, and my son all together.  And practically none of just me and my husband! I mean, we’ve had this brilliant relationship for the last 13 years, yet almost no pictures of just the two of us in 2011? So sad! So I’m going to change that this year. I’m making it a point to at least take one photo a day (doesn’t matter with which camera!). I’ll keep a running record on my Flickr page if you’re interested.

While today’s latest smart phones have pretty great cameras, I suggest still at least keeping around a good point-and-shoot to help record your life. And do something with the photos you take… print them for a change instead of just keeping them on your phone or computer. Maybe put them in an album. And do yourself a favor and print them BIGGER than a 4×6 to frame. Photos look more and more beautiful the larger you print them… Get out of your comfort zone and try at least an 8×10 next time! And don’t let your intimidation of fancy cameras (or maybe just laziness? Hey, we have ALL been guilty of that!) keep you from preserving the moments that mean the most to you in life. Life passes by so quickly and you never know what tomorrow holds, so do what you can to remember what puts a sparkle in your eye, and enjoy every last drop of love and fun and happiness that you can.

As for that friend I mentioned in the beginning of this post… what would she be left with without those photos to look back on and remember her husband? Her own memories, yes, but as time passes memories fade… so take photos, print them, and hold them close forever. She took the time to capture those precious moments, and now not only does she have those photos to look back on, but she was able to share them with others who may have not been there in that moment… and now I have that Christmas card attached to my refrigerator, among other memories, where I can honor them daily.

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.” -Kung Fu Panda

What’s your most recent favorite snapshot? Here’s mine.

Jose and Max. First morning snuggle of 2012.

I lived overseas in Oberarnbach, Germany with my family when I was younger. My dad is a German-born Serbian, so he couldn’t have been a better ‘tour guide’ during his time in the Air Force that we spent in Europe.  Yesterday was St. Nicholas Day (a day when we would put our shoes out overnight and hope to find goodies in them in the morning!), so I couldn’t help but me reminded of all of the fun we had in Germany!  I’m so grateful that I was just old enough to have so many fond memories of our time there, the beautiful sites, the cultural immersion.  And I’m so fortunate to have had the opportunity to experience so much of the world as an Air Force brat.  It snowed so much every year that my dad would pull me on a sled around the neighborhood and town, he would build me igloos (wish I could find a picture of this!!), and I, of course, would make snow angels.  I live in Texas now, so not quite the same sites or winter snow, but those memories that I hold onto are what encourage and drive me to want to provide just as equally memorable times for my own family. Max needs to experience igloos and snow angels, so we need to go to the snow!  I asked my dad to dig up a few photos for me so I could share them with you.  The first is from 1989, and the rest from 1991. Enjoy.

Zugspitze DE - 1989 - with mom and dad... what was that kid on the right doing!?

Oberarnbach - 1991 View From Our Balcony

Oberarnbach - 1991 - me and my sister going sledding near our house

Oberarnbach - 1991 - sledding!

Oberarnbach - 1991 - me making a snow angel

A wise friend once said, “Be where you are.” It’s genius. If you’re hanging out with your family, don’t surf your iPad. If you’re in class, don’t text friends. If you’re on vacation, turn on your email vacation responder. Just enjoy life, live simply, don’t multitask, and take a deep breath while you take in every beautiful moment as it unfolds before your very eyes.

I was in REI a few days ago, and they had a giant mural that said, “Be where you belong.” I love that version of the saying, too!!! If you’re not super happy about some particular aspect of your life, like where you live or what job you have, then take action to be where you want to be. Then maybe it’ll be easier to be where you are.

I missed out on blogging yesterday because I was enjoying quality time with my boys.

Max is the best at leading "Be where you are," always focusing and enjoying on one thing at a time - 08.02.11

So, be where you belong so you can be where you are… Are you?

Life throws curve balls at you 24/7, it seems. This is where patience and going with the flow come in handy.

This fellow yoga mama is now living through an amazing journey in Palestine with her husband and two small children. She definitely wins the award for dealing with the most curve balls one mom could possibly be thrown in a single lifetime. The post I linked to on saluting fellow struggling yogis says it all. This mama is amazing, and she inspired this entire post tonight.

In addition to all of her excellent points, there’s somehow even more happenings on a day-to-day basis that can throw us for a loop (disclaimer: some of the below are about me, and others just inspired by others).

Whether it’s strange changes at work that make you question if you’re even in the right industry or if you might be there for the wrong reasons.

Or wondering where your favorite shirt is, only to realize it’s been sitting soaking wet in your washing machine for a week.

Or your dog(s) nearly ripping your arm out of socket on your morning walk as they try to drag you behind them while still attached to their leash in pursuit of a rabbit.

Or when your photography business suddenly picks up ten fold and you have to immediately start learning how to better manage the influx of clients.

Or the spider you find hiding out in an old box of comics.

Or when you tear your house apart trying to find the title to the car you’re trying to donate to the Children at Heart Ministries… only to find out your dad (a whole state away) had it all along.

Or when your kiddo wakes up from his nap when you’re only two minutes into your yoga practice.

Or when you hear your kiddo start to waking up at 10pm in the middle of writing a blog post (ah hem)…

Or better yet when your kiddo wakes up the instant you finally fall asleep for the night (hmmm… I’m starting to see a trend with this waking up thing).

Or when you realize just how important family is to you and how desperately you want any and all of them to live closer to you… but they don’t want to make the sacrifice(s), so you wonder if you should bite the bullet and move closer to them.

Or wondering when you’re ever going to have enough money to pay off your student loans since so many other unexpected bills insist on popping up, and just hoping your student debt will be paid before you take on your own children’s student loans.

Or when you find out a relative has cancer and not many family members talk about it, but you’re pretty sure he’s not getting better, based on your own deductive reasoning.

Or when you plan to spend a year abroad because you’ve been wait-listed for an academic program, only to find out after a couple of weeks in that you’ve been accepted after all and now have to travel back (for better or worse).

Or trying to find a babysitter you can trust with your child’s life while you and your husband get some much-needed alone time… getting so close to yet again finding someone… and then they stop returning your calls/emails… so you once again need to start from scratch… and you once again have to wait even longer to reconnect with your soul mate.

Or trying to conceive month after month (whether it’s your 1st child or your 5th) with no luck or unexpected loss(es), wondering if there’s something wrong with you or if it’s just not meant to be.

Or when you intend to blog in a timely manner everyday and learn something new and insightful to share with your readers, yet you forget to do so until you’re laying in bed for the night ready to fall asleep! Sorry…

Or even just watching your kid try to drink their bath water, wondering if they have already peed in the tub or not (see below ).

Mmmm bath water 07.25.11

So is there any use in planning things out when we can’t control anything anyway? Why get uptight over things that are out of our control? What’s the easiest way to deal with the unexpected?

I frequently meditate on the expression, “Everything happens for a reason.” When life throws you a curve ball, I guess all there is to do is just keep swimming.

I feel like one of the biggest causes of burnout is not taking care of yourself… not doing things for yourself… not making sure you’re in your best emotional, physical, and mental state of being.

With so much happening on a day-to-day basis in everyone’s lives, sometimes it’s just plain hard to remember to do things for yourself. But this is one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received after becoming a mama. It’s easy to forget you’re a human being, too, who needs nurturing, especially when you have one or more kids who need your attention and care (or a demanding job, and so on). So it can take quite a conscious effort to make sure you’re not last on your own list.

When you take care of yourself first, you’re so much more clear headed and capable to perform under the many other hats you wear. Your family, your child(ren), your marriage, your job… every other aspect of your life will benefit from you taking care of yourself first.  Now, I’m not saying to be selfish and put yourself before other people. There’s a fine line there with how to interpret this. I’m just saying to make sure you are in optimal health… mentally, physically, and emotionally.

You might have to hire a babysitter or take a day off from work or drop the kids off at their grandparents’ house. Whenever you feel like you’re starting to get burnt out from all that life demands of you, take a step back and evaluate what you need as an individual to feel up to par again, and then find a way to make that happen. Some of my favorite “me time” activities (some I actually do and some I just dream of doing ) are going to the spa, going to a yoga class, having a personal photography outing, maybe a little bit of shopping, connecting with nature, traveling…

The other part of this equation is (if you have a significant other) to make sure you and your partner are able to spend time together (alone) to work on your relationship. If you’re relationship isn’t in optimal “health,” that can also take a tremendous toll on the rest of your life.

I think sometimes we forget that relationships do take work. Jose and I (unfortunately) rarely get to go on dates (and when we do, our fave date by far is a meal and a movie at the Alamo Drafthouse!!!) and I think this does take it’s toll at times. Because we recognize that rarely spending time together can have a negative impact, we’re now in the process of trying to find a great nanny/babysitter to help us out so we can spend some more time together (and maybe even so I can have a little more time to myself during the week when Jose is at work and Max’s needs feel like a bit too much to handle all alone). I think that’s the only way that we, as individuals and as a couple, will be able to thrive and prevent that feeling of burnout.

All in all, there’s nothing wrong with admitting you need some personal time and taking time to do something for yourself so that you simply feel human again. This is why support networks are so important. Why I feel like it’s so crucial to have family nearby, or at least really good friends that you can really count on to be there for you through thick and thin. If you have this kind of support network, I feel like you are much more likely to thrive as a human.

Do you easily feel a sense of burnout? How do you make sure you’re taken care of first so other areas of your life don’t suffer? What are your favorite “me time” activities or favorite dates with your significant other?

One of my favorite mugs that reminds me, even when I'm feeling the burnout, everything will be okay 07.20.11

“I love you more than love. We need a new word for it.”

That’s what my amazing husband said to me last night before we fell asleep. Swoon.

I feel like most other mornings, there is something plaguing my mind, something I could rant about, or feel a little lost exploring. Today I’m just in love. Maybe I’m simply happy because it’s the weekend. Who knows. But what I do know is that I just lovvvve my family and I love love. I already did a post a while back about all the things that I love, so I won’t repeat them all here.  I just want to talk about it a little differently now. And hopefully I’ll get some time today to focus on it during a yoga practice or at least some meditation… I tried for my favorite Saturday morning Vinyasa class, but once again Max woke up mega early, so I’m in the process of trying to get him to go down for an early nap and missed out on the class. Such is life.

I think The Beatles had it spot on when they said, “All you need is love.”

Love is something in my life that I don’t feel I’m lacking at all. It is surely plentiful. From my parents. From my dogs. And of course from my husband and son. Jose and I have been together for nearly 13 years, and I’m amazed at how our love just continues to flourish and grow and change and expand… and, everything.

And just when I thought I couldn’t fit anymore love into my heart, Maximilian was born. And at first sight of him when I figured, “Ok, now I feel the most love I’ll ever feel,” I was wrong. It GROWS, every single day. And I always ask Jose how we’ll ever be able to fit even more love into our hearts for another child if we’re blessed with one, and he assuredly responds, “We just will.” He’s right. Anything is possible with love.

I did an engagement session for the sweetest couple ever a few weeks ago, Adria and Timothy, and I’ll be shooting their wedding next year (as well as doing Adria’s bridal portraits). I met Adria in 2008 when I started my PhD at UT Austin (see, so much good came out of my short time in that program!). Adria and Timothy are those types of clients where you think, “If all of my clients were like them, I’d do my job for free.” Not only do they have an enormous amount of love for one another that just radiates every which way when you’re in their presence, but they share an amazing amount of love with so many people around them, too. And they expressed a crazy amount of love and gratitude for the pictures they received from their session, the kind of thankfulness and love that truly makes me blush. This is why I love my job. And if I wasn’t lucky enough just to be chosen to use my camera to capture so many of their intimate moments, they’re coming over today for a BBQ! Soooo excited just to be in their presence again.

Adria & Tim: 06.18.11

Love can be extremely joyous, but it can also be incredibly painful at the same time. I’m betting that most people have experienced one or both of these sides to love (as I continue reading Eat Pray Love, I’m amazed at her journey (and battle?) with love and her willingness to share the pain (and joy) she experienced). Or can you not experience one without the other? Losing love or someone you love can be tremendously hard. But as ‘they’ say, “It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” Or is it?

Where do you stand with love? What does love look like? What does it mean to you? Is love ‘enough?’ Interpret that last one how you please…

One of my favorite paintings by Jose: 07.09.11

My favorite tattoo on Jose 07.09.11 (also a sacred heart, like his painting, but with a little something extra special)... Tattoo by Greg Colligan

So, yesterday I had to trade in a yoga practice for a few minutes of meditation instead. Max’s sleep schedule has been super out of whack, waking up before 5am, then waiting to go back to sleep for a couple of hours, then catching up on that lost sleep early in the day, and then not taking a nap (which is when I plan for my yoga practice… and to get work done for my photo business), thus making him too cranky to stay up late enough for his usual bedtime. Repeat. Which is why I’m writing this blog post at 9am, while he has his morning catch up session… And I’m dreading the fact that he probably won’t nap again today like yesterday!

Which brings me to today’s point of focus: balance. I apologize now if this post gets a bit long… But finding balance in my life is something that is always a constant struggle for me. When we live in a world where so much is expected out of each individual person, how do we balance each of those “hats” that we wear? How can we devote enough time to each facet of our life to make it worthwhile and something to be remembered for?

I feel like I wear more hats than I can count. First, I am a daughter (and granddaughter, and niece, etc……). I care deeply for my family and wish to do everything I can to make sure my family is happy and taken care of. Then I became a wife. I am thankful that I am not in the 1950′s stereotypical marriage where all household responsibilities, cooking, and child rearing falls solely on the wife. Jose is an amazing husband. He makes my life easy. After I became a wife, I became a grad student. And boy did that rule my life. For years.  In 2009, a year after I started my PhD program in Interpersonal Communication, I decided that wearing the hat of student wasn’t for me anymore. It was taking a toll on so many aspects of my life and it wasn’t making me happy. So I finally decided to “retire” from grad school, with an M.A., a few conference papers, and a couple of publications in hand, and continued on my way.  I was also a college instructor the entire time I was in grad school, and still am. Yet another hat.  Then I became a mama!!! Best. hat. EVER. Shortly after becoming a mama, I really dove head first into my photography business, even though I had already been a photographer for nearly 15 years. Those are probably all of the “main” hats that I wear… Being a stay-at-h0me-mom in itself encompasses a zillion different roles.  I’m also a pet owner (rescued two dogs in 2008!), a friend (although I know I could be a better one), a yogini in the making, and many more.

So how does one balance every hat they wear? And, here’s the catch, still find time to devote to themselves!? Simply saying “schedule it in” doesn’t quite do it for me. Especially when my “schedule” changes every single day, to accommodate a very exploratory and ever-changing toddler. I feel like these days I all too easily loose site of myself and who I am, desperate to engage in the activities that make me feel alive (like yoga), but rarely get the opportunity to.

Out of that entire list, there are probably three things that comprise the majority of my daily activities and thoughts: photography, yoga, and family. All of these are at the center of my thoughts and inspiration for this journey.

My photography business has been rapidly picking up, which is awesome. I am so grateful for my clients and their referrals, and I am crazy in love with being a part of each person’s life by being selected as the person to capture their precious moments. But now I’m trying to find ways to properly schedule it into my life so it doesn’t take over my life. Especially when I can easily check and answer client emails on my iPhone at any time. ShootQ and Pictage have certainly helped with my organization and time management.

I’m also very into yoga (started in 2007), but that’s something I have the most difficulty finding time for. I prefer to actually GO to a yoga class (trying to get better at developing a practice at home), with Yoga Yoga being my favorite in Austin since they offer sooo many different classes at sooo many different times and locations. They really do make it quite easy to squeeze a yoga class into your day… yet I STILL have a hard time going more than a few times a month (and 90% of the time I’m going to a class WITH Max… Not super relaxing)… Yet I’m happiest when I have a regular and consistent practice… *sigh*

Making sure my family is happy and taken care of certainly requires most of my time and energy, and it’s really what I place as priority #1. So much so, that I often find myself feeling overwhelmed and wondering how I can better handle daily tasks. We really want to expand our family and have more children (more on this later), but at the same time I’m scared shitless (which everyone says is “normal”) because if I already feel like I have a hard time balancing life with one child, how will I do it with two (or more)? How do I find the time to eat healthy, exercise regularly, attend yoga classes, have a little alone time, take pictures for pleasure (instead of just business), read a book, travel, shop, explore nature, go to the movies, get pampered at the spa…… The list could go on.

I find it really hard to take time away from my family to do something for myself, because my family means sooooo much to me. I will say, however, that I don’t regret for one second retiring from grad school and starting a family.  Freedom from school has opened up a million more doors that I never knew existed. I know that I would have never been able to devote enough time to both to make me happy and let each thrive. And retiring from school has not only allowed me to focus so much energy on my family, but it has also enabled me to follow my dreams and start my photography business! Best decision ever.

Anyway, this post could go on forever. I realize I highlighted a lot of issues I struggle with on a daily basis but really have not provided any solutions. I’m sorry if you were also seeking answers. However, the solutions are a part of this journey. What I’m going to try to especially focus on today, whether through yoga or meditation or expressing these issues through my photography, is balance. Maybe another facet of Buddhism (like I explored yesterday) can help me figure things out. Am I alone in this? Why do most of the other people in the world seem to be so much more “put together?” Do they have the secret to balance? Or are they struggling, too, silently? Why do we insist on adding more to our lives if what we already have is too much to balance?

What are the main “hats” that you wear? How do you find balance in your life?

My Lonely Yoga Mat - 07.08.11

…watching Maximilian fall asleep in my arms.

…or rather, spending hours trying to get Maximilian to fall asleep in my arms and then not wanting to let go of him or leave his side once he’s finally asleep.

…art… especially Jose’s! And, the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC is one of my all time faves.

Jose at the Hirshhorn way back in 2005

…a good blog like Zen Habits that transforms the way I live and helps guide me toward my real purpose in life… which is always ever-changing and being rediscovered.

…my new website!

…watching Maximilian learn and grow every single day.

Maximilian, December 2010

…the fact that Jose makes me (and Max!) laugh all day, everyday, so hard I could cry… but sometimes it’s even more awesome when I can make him laugh.

…inspirational stories like that of Kelle Hampton, a fellow mama + photographer, that make me want to be a better person or donate to a good cause.

…folding baby clothes fresh out of the dryer because they’re so adorable tiny.

…the mountains…. especially around Yosemite National Park and Whitefish, Montana, or the tropical version in places like Maui, Hawaii.

Glacier National Park, Montana, 2009

…the ocean and seeing how much Max is intrigued by it when he watches movies like Oceans. I can’t wait until he sees the real thing! Looking forward to one day taking him to the Monterrey Bay Aquarium.

…the desert… sometimes. Or maybe just the solitude of it.

…dessert– always! Especially German Chocolate Cake on my birthday… and then eating it everyday for breakfast until it’s gone. My mom makes it the best.

…waking up next to the love of my life… everyday… with at least one dog at our feet… in what now feels like a tiny queen-sized bed.

…the fact that one of our dogs is a light-haired Golden Retriever named Leona (after a fave Millencolin song!) and the other is a Black Lab named Chewbacca (self-explanatory?), so no matter if we have light furniture or dark floors (or vice versa), their hair is always going to show up… and there’s not a whole lot I can do about it.

Leona and Chewbacca, Halloween 2010 (photo by Jose)

…photographers that ridiculously inspire me.

…a simple, clutter-free life (always working on this one!!).

…traveling.  Sometimes that’s when I feel the most alive. The Tedeschi Vineyards in Maui is one of my favorite places ever.

Tedeschi Vineyards in Maui, 2009

…hot showers on cold mornings.

…monogamy.

…love stories.

Our wedding: June 3, 2006. Photo by Bronson Pate of Bauman Photographers

…yoga… especially prenatal yoga when there’s a little babe growing inside of me.

…watching Max do his own version of downward facing dog… using just his head.  Too cute.

…baby butt cheeks… especially Max’s.

Max’s too-cute-for-words butt cheeks

…laughing at funny movies (like Despicable Me… for the 357th time…) with both of my boys.

…going to movies at the Alamo Drafthouse.

…comedies… and dramas… and thrillers… and romance… and action movies… and spy movies…..

…the sky… especially when it’s painted with white clouds on an always lovely blue backdrop… or when it’s a fiery sunrise (which I now feel like I see everyday!) or sunset.

Sunset in Maui, 2009

…long walks in cool, crisp air that help reinvigorate the soul.

…goooood food.

…great company.

…amazing musicians like John Mayer and their songs that really speak to me like Jimmy Eat World’s A Praise Chorus.

Strung Out playing at the Vans Warped Tour, 2005

…family, most importantly. It’s what makes my world go ’round.

Max on his first birthday with my mom and dad

I literally spent the last 2 years or so trying to come up with a unique photography business name.  It felt almost as significant as trying to name your own child! Haha.. I’ve always just used the generic name, Ciceraro Photography… which is fine, but, it wasn’t really me.  And everyone does that… just uses their name as their business name.  Again, that’s fine for most people, but it wasn’t right for me.  It didn’t let anyone see who I am.

While I’ve been taking photos for the last 15 years or so, I really started diving into the business world of photography in 2009 when I was pregnant with my son, Max, and then even more so during his first year of life.  He has brought more motivation and inspiration to my life than anything I could ever imagine, so it was hard not to focus at least some of that energy on following my passion.

Around Max’s first birthday (Oct. 31, 2010!), my hubby and I really started working on my new website and trying to come up with a name that represented my work and myself.  He was concepting up some logos for me, and just put in this name without even consulting me first… and it was perfect.  Heavenly Peach Photography.  And the logo he created is so perfect and gorgeous.  The instant I saw it, I knew it was the one I wanted, and it embodied everything that I am and strive to be.  And, let me just tell you about my new website too, that hubby also created.  It’s STUNNING.  I am sooo in love with it!  (And on a side note, I have a new Facebook page as well that I’d love for you to check out and “Like”).

Where did the inspiration come from, you ask?  From Kung Fu Panda. Yup, that’s right… an animated flick.  Why?  Because that has been one of Max’s favorite movies from the start. Here is the proof (Jose and Max on his first birthday/2nd Halloween… in costume as Po himself; followed by proof of Max’s love for the movie):

And, check out this clip from the movie to see where we came up with the name:

I put a lot of heart and soul into my photography.  For me, taking photographs is the easy part… well, sort of.   I still get nervous when I’m about to do a shoot because I just always really hope the client will like the results.   The hard part of all of this is the business side of it.  It’s really hard to get a successful business up and running!  In a recent PPA article written by Kimberly Wylie, she notes, “Just because someone loves photography doesn’t mean he or she is ready to run a photography business.”  So true.  It took me a LONG time to get the point of feeling ready.  And it’s still an ever-changing challenge and huge learning curve every single day.  Thank you to all of the clients and friends who have thus far hired me and trusted me to be their photographer.  You have been a huge part of my personal and professional growth.  I couldn’t do it without you.

2011 brings new and exciting possibilities, as well as lots of uncertainty.  Not only for my business, but for my life.  It feels like one of the first years where I didn’t know what life would be like in 365 days.  Every other year, it’s either been me trying to get through another year of school, or graduating from high school or undergrad or grad school, or having a baby or raising that baby through his first year.  But this year, I just have no idea.  I’m going to dive head first into my business and start working on things like my business cards and packaging to deliver clients’ photos, etc.  I also want to shoot more weddings, engagement, and maternity sessions.  Aside from my business, I’m going to support my hubby in his career growth and endeavors and continue to enjoy watching him grow as an artist.  And, while Max keeps us plenty busy, we’d love to see our family grow.  Let’s see where we are on December 31, 2011.  I’m excited for the uncertainty and promise that this year holds!

I just wanted to do a quick post to get back in the swing of things, before I blog on my next photography lesson (which I’m working on!).  I was a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM) all summer long, and it was a dream come true.  Maximilian is flourishing and is already nearly 10 months old!  Watching him grow, both physically and mentally, is amazing.  Babies are a true miracle of life!  I can’t believe how quickly time has passed.  I love spending every second I can with him, and he truly is the “other love of my life,” next to his daddy of course.   I started teaching again last night, and it was so painful to be away from him for just those 3 hours!  I love motherhood so very much, and plan on continuing to be as much of a SAHM as possible, working minimally outside of the home.

Aside from teaching part-time, and being a wife and mama full-time, I’m currently accepting portrait photography session appointments for the Fall!  Book early to reserve your spot, especially if you plan on having photos taken for the holidays (i.e., Christmas cards, prints or photos on canvas to give as gifts, etc.).  AND, if you book and prepay for your session by September 15th (payment plans available), you will receive a FREE 8×10 3/4 inch thick gallery wrapped canvas with your photo of choice from your session ($100 value!)!  Here are my remaining available appointments: September 12, 18, 19, 25, and 26; October 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, and 24; and November 6, 7, and 14 (NOTE: no sessions for Holiday photos will be booked after this point, to ensure an ample amount of turnaround time for editing photos, and placing orders for photos, gifts, Christmas cards, etc.).  As always, prices are on my website: www.CiceraroPhotography.com

I’d like to close with a few photos of my adorable lil’ man…   I’d like to call these, “Can’t a kid get a little privacy???”