Little Rascals | Minneapolis Child Photographer

Every night between dinner and the kids' bedtime, there is a golden hour of happy kids and beautiful light. It is the time of day that I am the most relaxed and my kiddos are the dirtiest (and I'm often not willing to trade this time of play for a bath). I love the dirt on them. It is childhood at its finest.

Here are a few of my favorite photos of my favorite time of day with my favorite little rascals.
(with special appearances by Grandma Peggy :) 

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Month #12 | Minneapolis Baby Photographer

Has it been a year already? My baby girl is growing up so fast! She is almost running and has, in just the last few days, been trying to jump (a skill that takes an incredibly long time to learn, but is a process that is thoroughly entertaining to watch). She spends her days playing in the dirt, eating sand, meowing at the kitties, climbing, "chasing" with Daddy, and studying everything her brothers do. She loves to give kisses, wave "goodbye", spot airplanes in the sky, and point at things.

She is a girl who has places to go, knows what she wants and don't try to stand in her way! I recently realized that I haven't really taught her any baby sign language. I haven't felt the need. She is so very clear about her needs and desires (ex. leaning in and pointing, going to her highchair when she is hungry, etc.). We could have some major power struggles ahead of us.... ;-)

I am completely smitten with this age but, seeing how fast she is growing and learning, I am constantly reminded that motherhood is chalk-full of bittersweetness. The excitement of watching your baby take their first steps is tainted by the realization that they are moving out of the baby phase. The thrill of hearing "mama" for the first time is swiftly followed by the desire not to hear "mama" every five seconds. The satisfaction of seeing them become more independent is filled with the all the worries that that very independence brings. But, as sad as it is to know that my baby isn't going to be a baby much longer, I can't wait to see what lie ahead of us. 

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

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Month #11 | Minneapolis Baby Photographer

Genevieve is 11 months old! I can't believe how fast it has gone....although, I'm convinced that she thinks she's at least 3, seeing as how she expects to do everything her brothers are doing. She's even started trying to take care of them by wiping their backs with the washcloth in the bathtub and the like.

Some of the new developments this month are: puckering up and leaning in for kisses, an interest in books/magazines (she loves flipping through the pages and pointing to animals and faces), and walking. Yep, walking. She's been taking steps for a couple weeks now. A little cold slowed her down a bit, but she is currently up to about 6-8 steps at a time and her confidence is building quickly. She LOVES being outside and we are extremely thankful for the warmer temperatures in order for her to fill her dirt/sand quota each day. It promises to be a busy summer of chasing after and hosing kids down. ;-)

Have a great week!
Gretchen

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Month #10

This month its all about personality and will! Genevieve has spent a lot of time this month using her voice, dancing (aka. baby head banging), and climbing on EVERYTHING. She has become very effective in letting you know exactly what she wants and when she wants it and, of course, letting you know when you're wrong. She has two teeth now and is working on a few more. She's still a friendly little thing (smiling and flirting with everyone), but due to some stranger anxiety, definitely prefers to be with mommy. Until next time...
Gretchen

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Month #9

It was a bit of a rough month for Genevieve with a scratched eye, a cold, two ear infections, and cutting her first tooth, but she's a trooper and is feeling much better. These days she is spending most of her time exploring the house with push toys, finding any and all pieces of food that her brothers drop on the floor, obsessing over going down the stairs, pointing her chubby little finger at anything and everything, swinging, and trying to crawl into the dishwasher. She enjoys being outside and playing in the snow....well, as much "playing" as one can do in a baby straightjacket (a.k.a. snowsuit).

She is saying "da-da-da" and what often sounds like "mom" and I like to believe she really means to refer to her doting parents, and (although it usually isn't) sometimes it even seems to be in the appropriate context. Love you too baby girl!
Gretchen

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Month #8

Our babe is 8 months old!

These days she responds equally to "Genevieve", "GV", "Vivi", "Baby", "Bubs" (derived from the original nickname: chubba bubba), and "Baby Genevieve June Pruett", as Arthur likes to call her...apparently "Genevieve"just isn't long enough. She is officially able to walk with push toys and is using her voice a lot more to babble, "sing", and protest when her toys are taken away. She is mastering her fine motor skills by constantly picking up tiny pieces of carpet and putting them in her mouth (awesome.) and I am getting pretty good at the finger sweep method of removing said carpet pieces.

I just LOVE babies this age.... and not just because they usually have such squeezable cheeks and thighs, or because they are sturdy enough that you don't have to worry so much about breaking them. I love them for their intense desire for discovery and their all-consuming excitement. They find joy in all the "right" things....things that the rest of us take for granted too early and too often. Like how she just can't smile big enough when she wakes up in the morning and sees all her favorite people. Like how she squeals with delight when the cat runs through the room. Like how she belly laughs at a game of peek-a-boo.

This kind of joy is contagious and I am so grateful to be constantly reminded of the really important things in life. To an 8 month old, the "simple pleasures" are not so much "simple" as they are "pleasures". We should all be so lucky to be able to take that perspective...

Enjoy today.
Gretchen

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