So the twins are technically 6 weeks today yesterday.  I meant to do this post two weeks ago, but I seem to always have something more pressing to do.  Imagine that!

I survived the first month with twins.  It has been as awesome as it is exhausting.  I’m not going to lie, when I first found out I was having twins, I was scared, I mean how do you take care of two newborns?  Well, I still don’t know how it’s done, only that you do it, and every day is a victory.  I’m already getting nostalgic about those first weeks home.  They were SO hard.  So very very hard.  We didn’t sleep.  We walked around like zombies.  Our patience was tested.  We had a little bit of help, but for the most part, day in and day out, it was Ian and I, in the thick of it.  We had to learn how to go from one child to three, and what that means for the first child.  We are still trying to figure out how to balance everything, and not traumatize Henry in the process.  Wish us luck.  I’m probably making it sound awful to have twins, and it’s definitely not. In between the exhaustion and hormonal meltdowns and the questioning myself as a mother, there were moments of wonderful.  The first time I put the babies next to each other in the pack n play was one of them.  I cannot describe to you how completely amazing it was to see those babies staring at each other.  Kind of like they knew each other but they didn’t.   I squealed when their belly buttons fell off, I celebrated the one time they slept 4 hours at night instead of three, and I cried while staring at them too many times to count.  I thank God every single day that I am lucky enough to have them.

Ian was off of work for almost 4 weeks, and it was perfect.  We took walks, hung out with our kids, and were able to bond with these two new people.  I was so sad when he had to start working again.  Not because I was going to miss the help, but because I loved sharing every single second of these new lives with him.

The first month went by so fast, but it was so full.  And, there are so many things to look forward to!  I don’t want time to pass too quickly, as I know it does when you are a parent, but I’m also so excited to see their little personalities develop.

So here they are, two thirds of my heart, Georgia & Miles.

and from the “session” I did at one month.  It was really 15 minutes of them in a crib with G crying most of the time.  I told them, they better get used to it!  But seriously, they are holding hands.  Does it get any sweeter than that?

July 18, 2010

My due date.

Georgia & Miles are already here, laying in their bassinets, and not sleeping, I might add.

I feel like I need to start at the beginning.  The very beginning, when Ian and I decided, “Hey, lets have another baby.”  That was Fall of 2008.  Henry had just turned 2, and we felt like we had left behind all of the “baby” work with him, and we were eager to do it all again, and most importantly, give Henry a sibling.  I got pregnant very easily with Henry, and the thought never crossed our minds that it wouldn’t happen that way again.  Well, Fall turned to Winter, which turned into Spring, and I wasn’t pregnant.  Summer was when I started to get worried. I had a chemical pregnancy in August, which basically means I was pregnant for a few days.   At that point we decided to get a fertility work up to make sure everything was okay with both of us.  Everything was okay, and by Fall, we got the “unexplained secondary infertility” diagnosis.  So where does one go from there?  They say good things come to those who wait.  I say good things come to those who take fertility drugs.  I took the drug Clomid, just 5 little pills you take at the beginning of your cycle.  My dr explained that a woman normally has a 1.5-3% chance of naturally conceiving twins.  This drug would raise my chance to 7%.  Ian and I thought about it for a month, and decided that there was still a really good chance, like 93%, that if I got pregnant, it would be with 1 baby.  And besides, twins just mean you have two babies to love.

You can see where this is going.  Of course I got pregnant the first month, on a very low dose, and at 6 weeks, 3 days, we saw two beautiful heartbeats.

Twins.

Two.

More. Than. One.

My pregnancy went perfectly.  I had a lot of preterm labor scares, but they were only scares.  My body likes to hold onto babies you see.  At 36 weeks, we had an ultrasound, and Baby A was breech.  This meant I had no choice but to have a c-section.  I opted to wait until week 38 instead of week 37, because I know that whatever my body was doing to grow these babies was way better than anything anyone could do for them on the outside.  It is better for them to be born a little early though, after a certain point, the placentas start to break down, and it becomes a less than perfect environment.

At 37 weeks, Baby A flipped back to vertex, so I could choose to try to birth these babies vaginally.  We scheduled my induction for the following Tuesday, I would be 38 weeks, 2 days.

On Tuesday, July 6, I said goodbye to my baby boy, who after the next day would be my big boy, even more so than I could have imagined.  We got to the hospital at 10, and began the induction process.  I had another ultrasound to make sure Baby A (Georgia) was still head down.  She was, and Baby B, was still transverse (sideways.)  My dr didn’t have a problem with this, he felt comfortable either flipping Miles around or delivering him breech.  At that point I was checked for progress, and I was 1cm dialated.  I couldn’t believe that’s all I was.  I’m thoroughly convinced had I not been induced, I would have broken some sort of record for being pregnant with twins for 44 weeks.

Pitocin was started at 12:15.  I labored through mild to moderate contractions throughout the night.  I didn’t get any sleep, the babies kept kicking off their monitors so the nurse was in a lot to monitor their heart rates.  My dr arrived the next morning at 6am, and said he would be back to check on me.  At 7:10, he checked me and I was dialated to 2.  He then broke my water, and that’s when the fun started.  At 7:45 my epidural was placed.  At 9:15 and 10:15 I was only 3 cm, and getting a little discouraged.  I remember looking at Ian and telling him, “I’m not going to get the chance to push these babies out.”  My Dr came back at 11:35 to once again check my progress.  I was dialated to 4cm, but Georgia was in a terrible position for a vaginal birth.  Instead of coming down head first, she was coming down face first.  She even bit my dr’s finger when he was checking me.  The decision was made then that I would have to have a c-section.  I made it to the operating room around 11:50, Ian was at my side by noon.  They began to up my epidural for surgery.  The only problem was I still had feeling in my stomach.  The dr kept pinching me from behind the curtain, and I kept saying “Ow!”  I remember feeling really tired, and telling Ian that I felt like I was going to pass out.  The next thing I know, I wake up, and hear babies crying.  Ian said to me, “We have two beautiful babies.”  Apparently I had to be sedated because the epidural was not working. I’m a little sad that I didn’t get to see them over the curtain, or here the “It’s a girl!” and It’s a boy!,” but I’m happy that I didn’t have to feel the surgery.

Georgia Alice was born at 12:12, weighing 5lbs 3oz and Miles Adam was born at 12:13 weighing 6 lbs, 6oz.  Both are perfectly adorable, and wearing us out.  I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I forgot to add this to my original post, but it’s one of my favorite parts of the twin’s story.  On Sunday morning after they were born, my OB was on rotation, so he was the one to discharge me.  He came into my room very early, around 5:30, and explained the no lifitng, take it easy, see you in 6 weeks normal c section instructions.  He also said that he was sure I could have delivered those babies vaginally if Georgia would have cooperated.  He also made sure they were just in the normal nursery and didn’t need any NICU time.  As he was leaving, he said, (and I’ll never forget this) “Alright sweetie pie, it’s all over.”  Then after a pause he said, “Either that, or it’s just beginning.”  Boy, was he right.

Poor Georgia’s face is swollen from being stuck face first.

Okay, so I have a slight, completely overblown obsession with cloth diapers.  I don’t know if it’s the shopping aspect, or the cuteness factor, or the part about doing what I truly believe is better for my babies and the environment.  I just love everything about it.  I’ll never forget saying to Ian for the first time, “I think I’d like to cloth diaper.” Of course he was not as enthusiastic as I was.  I thought about it for a few months, but never pulled the trigger.  When Henry was born, I used disposables (sposies) and didn’t really think anything of it.  Then one day I left his diaper on a little longer than I should have, and when I went to change him, there were these little silicone balls all over his diaper area.  I was so grossed out.  (They are what keeps sposies so absorbent.) Then I started thinking about the chemicals.  I did a tiny bit of research and learned that there are tons of chemicals in sposies, some are even being investigated for potentially causing fertility problems.  About the same time, I had started shopping almost exclusively at Whole Foods.  Henry’s allergies were being discovered daily, and I had begun my search for suitable substitutes for milk, wheat, eggs, etc etc.  I came across some bumgenius! diapers and gdiapers.  I bought one of each.  I came home and began researching cloth diapers like mad. I figured that not only would it save us money, but it would be better for Henry.  The rest, as they say, is history.  From 6 months, until he potty trained at a little over 2, Henry was cloth diapered.  I was the only person I knew that did this.  I’m sure our families thought we were absolutely insane, but I’m not one to let that stop me.  Now cloth diapering is becoming more mainstream, and we don’t seem like such freaks.

When I found out I was pregnant with twins, one of the first questions I asked myself, besides how the hell am I going to take care of two babies, is what will I have to do differently?  Two very important things to me in mothering a newborn/infant are nursing and cloth diapering.  I have been told the first one, while difficult, is definitely possible.  The cloth diapering however, gets a lot of “good luck with that,” from most twin moms that I’ve talked to.  If you know me, you know that the one way to get me to do something is to tell me that I can’t.  And now we know where Henry gets it from.

So here is my newborn stash for twins.  If you are planning on cloth diapering one baby, you will need about 2/3 of what I have.  This list is stolen from diaperpin.com.  An excellent resource if you are just jumping into cloth diapering. (CDing)

To cloth diaper one baby, you will need:

• 24 to 36 cloth diapers.
• 0 to 3 all-in-one diapers.
• 4 to 6 cloth diaper covers.
• 1 or 2 polar fleece or wool covers for overnight. (optional)
• 12 to 24 doublers. (More if your child is a heavy wetter)
• 1 diaper pail.
• 2 to 3 dozen cloth diaper wipes.

I HIGHLY suggest sticking with prefolds and covers for newborns.  They are very economical, and have a great resale value.  Plus it’s hard to say what will fit your baby at first, and you wouldn’t want 20 expensive pocket diapers that don’t fit.

Okay, on to my stash, (disclaimer: these pics are not very good.  I’m having a hard time getting the proper angle for a shot, my equilibrium is a little off.)

The changing table:

top row is covers, all in ones and fitteds, and g cloth with an emergency pack of sposies. bottom row is prefolds, and then misc. supplies, babylegs, hemp inserts, etc. The Ikea trofast system holds cloth wipes, larger sized diapers and misc baby supplies.

On to the goods!

Covers:

clockwise are are Thirsties xs, Bummis Super Brites in newborn,  preemie size prorap, Bummis Super Whisper Wrap and a Thirsties Duo size one. These will go over prefolds and fitted diapers.

Prefolds:

These are organic newborn sized orange edged and regular bleached preemie sized from greenmountaindiapers.com.  Prefolds are the most economical cloth diapering option.  They are trifolded for easy stuffing into covers, like so:

You can also use a snappi, which I will happily demonstrate on Henry’s Curious George. First, you start with a trifolded diaper, and fan out the top edge:

Next you lay your baby, monkey on the diaper:

Then bring the bottom up through the middle of the monkey’s legs:

Then you fold down the front and fold in the wings.  You can use diaper pins or a snappi to hold the diaper on.  I like snappis the best.

Finally, slap a cute diaper cover on, and you are all set! (This one is the thirsties duo size 1, in blackbird print.)

Next is fitted diapers and all-in-ones.  Fitted diapers require a cover, think of them as an already folded prefold.  These are from Clovers, an Ohio business for you locals. These will probably be our night time solution, and they are organic!

fitteds:

I have 4 velour and 4 interlock knit for the babies.  The velour is more absorbent, the knit may be a tad more breathable, and they are less expensive than the velour.

All-in-ones are exactly as they sound.  The diaper is all there, you just slap it on like a sposie, no cover required.  I plan on using all-in-ones in the diaper bag to cut down on the shear amount of baby paraphernalia that twins require.

all in ones:

I have 6 of these.  I could probably use a few more, but I’m waiting to buy some cute gender specific colors.

Next up is gdiapers.  These get very mixed reviews in the cloth diapering community.  (I bet you didn’t know there was a cloth diapering community, check out diaperswappers.com if you want to check it out.)  You can get gdiapers at babies r us and whole foods.  They are considered a “hybrid diaper” since you can put disposable liners in them.  We have decided to go with the gcloth, since the disposable liners are a little expensive, and of course reusable is always better. I like this option because they are really trim, and the gpants can be washed with regular laundry.  (Less diaper laundry = good) I think these are a good option for twins, since you do have the dispoable liner option if the laundry gets out of hand.  These won’t fit them for a few weeks, but they will bridge the gap between prefolds and One sized diapers.

Here is a cover:

g cloths:

gpants with a gcloth:

Also in my stash is a few fleece liners, some CD safe diaper cream, 2 wipes warmers and some cloth wipe solution, and a bunch of doublers and other inserts for different diaper needs.

After the babies outgrow their newborn stash, I plan on moving to pockets, g diapers, and all in ones.  I’m really hoping to like the bumgenius! organic all in one.  They are one sized, so they will fit from about 8-30 lbs.

I used Fuzzi Bunz with Henry, they are a pocket diaper, which means there is a micro fiber insert that slides into the diaper.  They dry faster than an all in one, which is the main draw for me.  I’m trying to stay with mostly natural fibers this time, so I’m not sure if we will use these again.  I did like them a lot with Henry.

So that’s that.  I can’t wait to finally try some of these on the babies in about a month. (Not sooner babies!) I guess what I really want everyone to know about cloth diapering is that it’s really not as daunting as most people think, and it really can be a lot of fun.  I didn’t even get into wool, which is an addiction all by itself. I didn’t really get into it with Henry, but I plan on trying some this time.  I’m thinking I’m going to need some sustainable babyish for sure.

For more information on cloth diapers, check out nickisdiapers.com, diaperswappers.com and diaperpin.com.  Or leave a comment below and I will gladly answer your questions!

One more thing, don’t forget to nominate Amber Campbell Photography for a Nickelodeon’s Parent’s Pick award!

http://www.parentsconnect.com/parents-picks/cleveland-oh-usa/best-cleveland-family-photographer

Fall 2010 sessions!

Starting June 1, I will be booking for Fall 2010 sessions!  I will be shooting a very limited number of sessions for the rest of 2010, so if you are interested, please book asap!

Hi Party people!  I know things have been so quiet around here, but I promise I’m still a photographer!  Parent’s Connect from Nickelodeon has chosen me as a potential nominee for best family photographer in Cleveland!  Please take a moment to vote here,

Thank you!!!

I know it’s been a loooong time since I’ve shown my face around here!  It’s hard to get around these days, and the weather has been less than cooperative on the days I actually feel like waddling around with my camera.

Here’s a few from Friday, when the weather was beautiful, and I could get some shots from my chair.

Mine are on a hard drive.  And about 35 DVDs.  Ask my friends, they will tell you what a horrible mother I am, because none of my son’s pictures are printed out past 6 weeks old.  I just don’t know what to DO with them all.  I cringe at the idea of them sitting in an album getting dusty.  Yet, I don’t want to cover my walls with them.  (Well, actually I do, but I know how annoyed people get with tons of pictures all over the place.)

I came across this blog post today (my google reader is as neglected as this poor blog!)  and decided that I’m going to start displaying my pictures in cool ways.  I got two really awesome cameras for my birthday, so I have no excuse to think outside of the box.  I’ll report back when I actually finish a project.

And of course, I want you to display your pictures too!

http://thecreativemama.com/an-art-gallery-of-your-very-own/

Well, let’s face it, I’m never actually OFF line, I do have an iPhone. But, my little iBook g4 died a sudden, but expected death last week.  I just got her replacement today, and let me tell you I’m EXCITED to work again!  I can’t wait to start editing on this bad boy.

Hopefully soon I’ll be back with pics, and a little giveaway.  Stay tuned!

I’m a blog-a-holic.  I have about 50 blogs in my google reader.  (Googler reader is a MUST if you want to be a professional blog stalker like me.)

Here are my top ten,

1. ohdeedoh – I know I’ve posted this blog before, but I seriously LOVE it.  I can’t tell you how many awesome ideas I’ve gotten for kids rooms from this blog.  (Apartment therapy is awesome too, if you need grown-up space ideas)

2. purlbee – This blog is from the awesome purl soho in NYC.  I dream of visiting there in person one day.  Great DIY ideas.

3. soulemama – This blog is from an author, she has written 2 great books, “Handmade Home,” and “Creative Family.” Check them out, and check out the blog.

4. simplemom – this blog has many off-shoots as well, simple organic, simple kids, etc.  All awesome.

5. re-nest – another apartment therapy blog.  Awesome advice about being green.

6. sesame ellis – a commercial photographer, and mom who shares her work and life.  She also has “beyond snapshots” which is great for anyone wanting to get their feet wet in photography.

7. design*sponge – LOVE this blog.  I like to save up a bunch of posts on my reader and read them over the weekend with a nice hot beverage.

8. make & takes – another DIY blog.  great kids crafts.

9. sew liberated – another great blog with DIY ideas from a montessori mom.

10. green baby guide – says it all.

and I have to add two more, because these have the most awesome projects!

11. prudent baby – I’m making many of the things I’ve read on this blog for my bambinos.

12. under the sycamore – another photographer and mom.  She is very talented, and has awesome craft ideas!

My ever growing self is making it less and less possible to run after toddlers, or get down on the ground to shoot without the help of a very strong person to help me up. So, until further notice, I’m on a break.  I’ll be back in action once I get to sleep more than 2 hours at a time.  I’m really missing doing sessions, I can’t wait to “get back on the horse.”

I’m NOT going to neglect this blog, (like I have been) but it’s going to be a little different around here.  I’m working on a bunch of DIY projects, so I will be sharing those, as well as sprucing this place up.  I’m also going to post something “green” every week, since that’s one of my many passions in life.

I want to thank all of my past clients for letting me into their lives to capture their families.  Stick around, there are lots of big changes coming for Amber Campbell Photography!

Only one month left for sessions until September 1!

Yeah, that’s how old I am.  I never thought it would happen to me, you know, real adulthood.  I had a wonderful birthday, and documented it all with my new favorite obsession, shake it!  Shakeit! is an iphone ap that makes your pics look like super cool Polaroids.  I had already been obsessed with my iphone camera, since I don’t have a point and shoot, just my big clunky DSLR.

So here it is, my first day as a 30 year old,

There are a limited number of mini sessions available, please contact me ASAP if you would like to schedule one.  A $50 deposit is required to book your session. Sessions must take place between March 1 and March 31, 2010.

Here are the mini accordian albums.  You get 3 of them, and they make perfect Mother’s Day gifts if I do say so myself!

1. I haven’t forgotten about this little blog of mine, it’s just life has been a little hectic.  We decided to get the boy out of the house more, so little gym, and basketball and stuff like that have been keeping us busy.

2. I also haven’t forgotten about my organizing installments.  I have about 5 organizing projects started, just none of them are finished.  Oh, and I forgot to take before pics, of most of them, so you will be spared looking at just how out of sorts this house was.

3. I found the greatest cups for toddlers.  Henry is at the in between stage where he can definitely drink out of a regular cup, yet I don’t trust him drinking out of one on my light beige sofa.  I found a “more mature” sippy cup.

pic from kaboodle.com

you can buy them here.

They are more expensive than the regular sippys, but these things really don’t leak!  I don’t recommend them for kids under 3, because you have to press a button at the same time you drink to open the drinking spout, which can be tricky to do.  Best part is they are BPA free!

4. Speaking of sippys (well, sort of) I bought a Brita pitcher and Ian and I some of our own Contigo bottles. (The grown up version of course.)  No more water bottles in this house!

5. On the green track, I’m leaning towards not using paper in the kitchen.  We bought some micro fiber towels and let me tell you, they are awesome.  I’m afraid to put them in the washer for fear that they will suck up all of the water. One day we will venture to cloth napkins, one day when fruit punch isn’t spilled at the table on a daily basis.

6. We sent in preschool applications for the fall.  I haven’t been this nervous since I was trying to get into college.  We are between 2 schools, and I will honestly be happy with either.  The problem would be not getting into either, but I’m not going to think about that.

7.  I’m obsessed.

I didn’t start cloth diapering the monkey until around 7 months, so these little newborn diapers are new territory for me.  No one can believe I’m going to cloth diaper twins.  I can’t wait!

8.  I can’t stand the winters here.  Seriously, every year Ian and I swear we are moving.  Then Spring comes and we decide it’s not so bad.

9. I’m turning 30 this month.  I really don’t know what to say about that, as I still don’t really believe it.

10.  The boys made food allergy friendly chocolate chip pancakes this morning.  They are a family favorite

I’ve been in a photography funk.  Northeast Ohio is so dark in the winter, and dark=not good photographs without a flash.

Today the sun came out.  And so did my trusty 40 D.

That’s how I’m saying it.  Not like my husband who says, “twenty ten.” That sounds too space age to me.  I like “two thousand” much better.

I would like to thank all of my clients last year for a spectacular year!  2009 was a wonderful year for my business, and I can’t wait to see what 2010 brings!

Speaking of 2010, things are going to be a little crazy around here.  See, there are 2 people who are going to make it really hard for me to take sessions for most of the year.

That’s baby A and baby B Campbell, set to make their appearance this summer.  That means that I will be out of commission here really soon.  Twin pregnancies are considered high risk, and my activity will be restricted in the coming months.

I will be taking sessions in January, February and part of March, and then I will be on maternity leave until September 1, 2010.  I know it is a long time, but as those of you with families know, family is first, work is second.

I have a few special packages that I will be offering this winter, I will be posting those later on today.

So, if you would like to schedule a session for this winter, please email me ASAP at amber@ambercampbellphotography.com.

Happy New Year everyone!

PS.  I’m still planning on posting my home organizing journey.  I have recently purchased many plastic organizational containers and a fancy new label maker that prints in different sizes, colors and fonts.  This could be dangerous.

It just can’t wait until Spring.  With Henry’s birthday, and the busy season for my photography business, and last but not least, Christmas, the Campbell abode is quickly becoming a trash heap we wade through instead of the nice cozy space I always strive for.

So, I’ve decided to Winter Clean.  I just can’t go into another snowed in season with all of our belongings in disarray. Trying to entertain a toddler indoors for days on end is hard work, and when your house is in shambles, the winter months are all that more depressing.

I will be chronicling my daily endevers on the blog, so that I can keep up with my number one resolution for 2010, to blog more.

I expect you all to hold me accountable, because God knows, I like to start projects and not finish them!   (My next project is to actually print out pictures from the last 3 years and get them into some sort of book for my son, so he has some evidence of his childhood.)

I’m using a lot of tips from simplemom.net, and their “ten days of spring cleaning.”

I also just ordered this book from Amazon, Real Simple: The Organized Home

UPDATE:

I found another nice blog post to motivate me, I thought I would share it here,

The Organized Home

I usually only show the precious sleeping baby pictures for a newborn session, and I did get some great ones of this guy.  I just couldn’t resist this eye contact, so here he is, Mr Bright Eyes.

May your days be merry & bright.  Merry Christmas!

This session was a week ago, and I’m just now posting the sneak peek.  I’m so bad at blogging.  This little guy was so good! His parents behaved too.

It doesn’t hurt that he has the cutest little face ever.  His hair is pretty rocking too.  I’m almost done editing these ones, and it’s hard to pick a favorite.  I had a hard time narrowing it down to 2 for the blog.  I love when that happens!

I had a session with this little girl and her older brothers on Thursday.  I intended on taking off from posting sneak peeks during the busy season, but I couldn’t resist posting this one.

Don’t forget to book your holiday session soon!  Only a few more weeks left to order Holiday cards!

(I’ll have the gallery up soon.  I have some awesome cards this year, I can’t even decide which one I want to use. )

I get this question a lot, especially with family sessions.  “What are we going to wear?”  It’s very tempting to put everyone in white or black because it’s easy.  But, you don’t normally always wear the same color as your family, right?  I like to see people express themselves with their clothes.  The most important thing to remember is not to use colors that clash, or patterns that compete with each other.  This does not mean boring though!  Patterns and bright colors are my favorites, it just takes some time and a good eye to figure out what looks good.  I’m always willing to help, I love to get a picture of what people plan on wearing, and I love to shop online!  Let me know if you need me to raid a closet, or send you some ideas.  Shopping is one of my passions!

I love this outfit collection.  There is a lot of the same color, but see how it’s broken up with accessories, and none of it looks too forced?  Love it!  Special thanks to pinkletoes photography for the awesome outfit look!

Just a reminder, only a few dates left for Holiday Sessions!

Last day to have a holiday session: November 8, 2009

Last day to place your holiday order: November 23, 2009

I just love this.  She smiled a lot that day.  Lots of people say that newborns smile when they have gas.  I think they are dreaming about their mommies.

This is the last call for holiday sessions!  I have 3 weekend days left in October.  The last day that a 2009 session can take place is November 8. After that I’m closing up shop for the holidays to focus on my family and get the NEW name and website up and running.

Please contact me at ambercampbellphotography@gmail.com to book your session.

Since I did 2 sessions today, I’m only going to post one pic from each session.  I’m gearing up for a busy weekend, I may be back with more once my head stops spinning.

The first session of the day.  This baby was the most well behaved newborn ever.  I wish I could have taped her to show all those unruly non sleeping babies how to act.

Evening session,

Downtown Willoughby + ice cream=A nice end of the summer evening.

I got home late tonight, so that is helping me keep this to a sneak peak, instead of a full on gallery of this little cutie.   I got lots of cute ones, and her nursery is adorable!  Maybe I’ll post more tomorrow if you are all lucky.

Look at her cuteness!  All she needs now is a chi chi rodriguez band.  (Her mom will understand.)

As you may or may not know, Henry has multiple food allergies. (dairy, soy, egg, wheat, barley, potato, turkey, chickpeas, peanuts & tree nuts.)  Next Saturday, the 19th, we are walking in support of Families With Food Allergies, an organization here in Cleveland that raises money for food allergy research.  If you have a few dollars to spare in the name of charity, you can donate here,

http://www.firstgiving.com/henryshomies

Thanks!

I’m a little sad about the end of summer, but I’m going to suck up every last drop.  This session was so fun.  This little girl cracked.me.up.  She cracked herself up too.

Okay, they aren’t really carnies, but I couldn’t think of another title.  I had lots of fun this morning not having to chase anyone.  I can’t wait to edit the rest of these, I got some good ones!

Another stop at the Popcorn Shop in Chagrin Falls.  Something about kids eating icecream just makes my heart smile.

Aren’t they cute?

See that cute little girl?  She doesn’t sit still.  Well, I’m told she sits still, just not for me.  I’m going to blame it on the camera.    Her older brothers are very handsome, and I’m sure someday they will be breaking hearts.

Win $100 in Tea Collection merchandise!  I LOVE Tea Collection!  Cute Cute CUTE!

http://www.tangledandtrue.com/2009/07/tea-collection-giveaway.html

The first person to buy this outfit and email me at amber@ambercampbellphotography.com wins a FREE session ($100 value!) and a free 8×10.  {Not available with any other offers!}

Click on the picture for link to purchase, or visit www.teacollection.com.

Fine Print: Not valid with any other offer.  Only the first person to email me will win the free session!

I’m looking for willing tweens and teens to grace my website! (Ages 11-18)

Here’s the deal~

-Free Session ($100 value)

-Free 8×10 ($45 value)

50% off all prints or digital packages

Fine print: You must be between the ages of 11 and 18.  Parents must remain at the session at all times.  A signed model release is required to receive the discounts.  Cannot be combined with any other offer.

The boys and I have been scouting out some locations for photo sessions this week.  Here are my 2 favorite so far.

#1  – Little Italy

I’m a sucker for bright colors, and Little Italy has lots!  I love the urban background, and there are plenty of little nooks and crannies to put a toddler in to keep them contained.

Close second is Shaker Lakes.  This is  nature location.  Perfect for runners and tree climbers.

I will be dragging bringing them along to a few more locations this month.  I’m giving my little model a rest for now.

I really really REALLY want to photograph a birth.  I’m going to do something crazy.  The first person to email me at amber@ambercampbellphotography.com wins a FREE birth session.  F.R.E.E.  This is huge people!

I’m announcing my last call for portfolio building prices!  As of July 31, 2009, I will no longer be offering my portfolio building discount.  Any sessions booked before then are eligible for the discount.  (The session just needs to be booked by then, it does not have to take place before then.)

Contact me at ambercampbellphotography@gmail.com to book your session!

Patti and I have known each other for a looong time. She and her hubby to be have an awesome destination wedding planned, but I don’t know if it will beat her graduation party!

Congrats Russ & Patti!

Love you sis!

Hey everyone! Become a fan on Facebook! I’m not really sure what I’ll do with the whole Facebook thing, but incase it’s something good, you don’t want to miss it!

ACP Fan page

1. I may just be the worst blogger in the world. Seriously, I can’t even keep up with my Five on Fridays! I think I’ll switch to Saturdays, since it’s the very last day of the week, and maybe I’ll have more to talk about.

2. New obsession=mini boden. My poor debit card is probably going to catch on fire.

3. I think in my next life I’d like to be a baby & child stylist. I know that it is absolutely ridiculous and unnecessary to style a baby, but look how good I am. Yes, those are toddler skinny jeans!

4. I have something to do every weekend day in May. Between graduation, showers, and mostly SESSIONS! I am booked solid. If you are thinking of a session in June, email me ASAP, I’m starting to fill up already.

5. Obligatory Henry pics. The first was taken with my new lens, the 85mm 1.8. I love it so.

Happy Spring!!!!

Hey everyone! I have spent the day re-evaluating my “greeness.” I try to be green, we cloth diapered Henry, (not anymore, cause he’s potty trained, WOOT!) we recycle, use reusable bags, and buy organic. There is still a lot more we can do. This is what I’m going to work on this year
~ Buy reusable food containers, no more ziplocks! We go through lots having to bring Henry’s food everywhere.
~ Cut down on the paper towel usage. I have to admit, I love Viva paper towels, and I double love Clorox wipes in the kitchen. I’m going to buy some more reusable towels and less paper towels. Maybe by next year I’ll be paper towel free!?
~ use less chemicals. I try to buy Method or Seventh Generation cleaning supplies, but we still do use some chemical cleaning supplies. I’m going to get nice and cozy with my vinegar and water.
~ Switch the rest of our light bulbs to led or cfl bulbs.
~Plant a garden. Then start liking vegetables.
~Waste less.

Any other ideas for me, while I’m feeling sentimental about mother Earth?

Here’s a link to some coupons for green products,
Oprah Earth Day savings

It IS easy being green!

Easter was a week ago, and I haven’t posted any pics of my handsome boy in his grandpa sweater. I have a good excuse though, we’ve been potty training! I have to say that I made it much worse in my head then it actually was. Today is day 8, and it is going really well. The first few days were a little rough, you know it’s hard to stop running around and getting into trouble just to sit on the potty. He’s got the hang of it now, and today we are actually going to venture out of the house. Hopefully we don’t leave a puddle at Target.

These are definitely “snapshots” but I love them just the same. I made Henry some “safe” chocolate bunnies, and that’s all he cared about. They were really good, you couldn’t even tell they were allergy free.

And finally, Lulu and her new glasses,

So, the plan was, I was going to get the opportunity to photograph this baby’s birth. There was only one condition, she could not come 2 weeks early because I had no one to watch Henry. Guess what happened?

She’s really cute, so I forgive her.

Since I forgot about 5 on Friday, I’ll make it up to everyone and do 6 on Saturday. Don’t get used to it, I’m not coming up with something extra every week.

1. For the past few weeks, I’ve been lost in the world of design blogs. There is so much wonderful information and inspiration out there. I’ve added some of my favorites to the blog roll. Check them out.

2. I finally decided what I’m going to do with Henry’s room. After a little trip to Ikea, I’ll be finished. Stay tune for pics!

3. I love love love this one.

4. I hate allergies.

5. But I still love Spring.

6. My computer is acting up. I’m already hyperventilating at the thought of being without it for a week. It’s randomly turning off for some reason. I replaced the power supply, AGAIN, and it’s still doing it. My battery no longer holds a charge, so I think that may be the problem, but my warranty is almost up, so I might as well get her a tune up.

Since Ten on Tuesday is obviously too much for me to handle, I’m going to make up my own little list, and call it Five on Friday.

1. I LOVE Etsy. There is so much awesomeness there, I’m not sure how I even have any money left!

2. We moved Henry into a bigger room, and got him a bigger bed. I’m currently gathering inspiration for some new bedding for him. Any suggestions? I’m thinking orange.

3. In light of the above, I’ve also been obsessed with this blog, ohdeedoh, a shoot off of apartment therapy. For example, I went to get the web address to link it in this post, and I spent 20 minutes reading the blog, and now I’m on the hunt for this robot cabinet.

4. Another artist’s blog that I’m stalking checking daily is Sarah Jane Studios. I’ve got my eye on her rocket launch print for Henry’s room.

Here is a link to her etsy store. Her stuff is SO cute.

5. I’m thisclose to registering for the Cleveland Rite Aid Half Marathon in May. I’m not sure what’s stopping me…….besides the 13.1 miles.

Okay, that wasn’t so bad. Five things are definitely easier than ten.

I got the chance to photograph the cutest family today.  They are expecting the 5th member of their family soon.  I can’t wait to meet him or her!

And for my favorite part of the session, I was taking pictures of the beautiful mama to be, when she started laughing at something behind me.  I turned around and saw this,

(I had been previously standing up there.  I doubt I looked that cute.)

I think you guys have a little photographer on your hands.

It was quite a Tuesday.  Henry managed to write on the dining room table, dump flour on the floor, write on his new stove with crayon, and spill an entire container of Purex on the living room floor, all while looking like an adorable 2 year old of course.

I have pictures, but I didn’t have the energy to edit them.  I’ll be back tomorrow, I promise.

I have a secret.  I’m DYING to photograph a birth.  If you have ever seen pictures from a professional photographer taken during a birth, you can back me up that they are the most beautiful images ever.  Now I know some of you are thinking, “WHAT?  I could NEVER!”  But let me tell you, they can be done tastefully, and still show so much emotion.  One regret I have about Henry’s birth is that we don’t have a lot of pictures.  I don’t have the classic “baby on the scale picture,” or “Dad cuts the cord!” picture.  Henry’s birth was very stressful, and Ian didn’t even get to cut the cord, but if he had, there would have been no one there to document it.  I have already told my sister that when I am lucky enough to have another baby, she will be there with my camera, to document it all.

If anyone is interested in more information on birth photography, please email me at ambercampbellphotography@gmail.com.

So this is going to make at least one blog post a week so easy.  I just have to talk about 10 things.  I think I can handle this.

1.  I LOVE belle & boo, http://www.belleandboo.com/ Look at this cute print!

2.  Henry still has his paci.  It’s starting to stress me out, but I don’t think I have the strength to take it away.  I told him we were going to send his pacies to the babies that need them and he said, “I need them.”  How do I argue with that?  Plus, his mother sucked her thumb until she was nine, so it’s in his genes.

3.  I finished all of the squares for Henry’s blanket.  I just need to do the border, hopefully it will be done by Christmas.

4.  I bought the cutest pair of jeans on Sunday.  I hadn’t bought jeans in a really long time, and mine are literally falling apart.   They are great mommy jeans, I can bend over and not moon everyone!

5.  Henry has discovered The Wiggles.  After 2 years of strict avoidance of that show, I slipped up the other day and left the t.v. on and The Wiggles came on.  Henry has not stopped talking about them, and wants to watch it all.day.long.   I wish it was acceptable to drink before noon.

6.  I made myself a cleaning schedule.  How sad is that?  I just can’t keep up with everything, with starting the business, a two year old, and a house, so I spread everything out over the week, hopefully this helps.

7.  Scrubs is on tonight, so is Nip/Tuck.  Yay for good t.v!

8.  I went to the gym today after a week hiatus.  I was doing so well with my resolution, but then Ian went out of town, and I had no one to watch the Bubs.  It sure caught up with me though.

9.  Why does it have to be SO cold?  We need to move.

10.  For your viewing pleasure, a picture of Henry and Ian having a jam session,

Lots of very cute kids, I can’t wait to edit the rest of these.

I’m currently looking to photograph newborns for my new website.  (Coming Soon!)  Newborns should be less than 14 days old.  If you are currently pregnant, due between now and the end of March, and are interested in a session, please email me at ambercampbellphotography@gmail.com.

The sessions include,

~ No session fee! ($125 value)

~ $25 print credit

~ 30% off all digital collections and additional prints

This offer is valid through March 31, 2009

I’m attempting a really cool project this year.  It’s called “52 weeks-My Kid(s) and I.”  (It originated on flickr, I believe.)

Basically it’s a way for me to make sure that I have lots of pics with my little dude.  I have lots of pictures with the boys, since I’m always the one behind the camera, but very few of Henry and I.  I plan on getting creative with these, and I will post the good ones.  (You’d get sick of seeing them every week anyways!)

Here’s week one,

Stay tuned for more fun stuff!

I had to share some more, I can’t decide on a favorite from this session, and that’s a first for me!  Although, I think this one is up there,

okay, one more,

I better stop before I post the whole session!

I got to photograph the happiest baby ever.

There are tons more, I can’t wait to edit the entire session!

I’m going to blame it on the holiday season, there is just so much to do!   For now, here’s Henry and the tree (that has fallen over twice.  No Campbells were injured)

What a lucky boy Henry is, he got 2 parties for his 2nd birthday.  The grandparents came over on his actual birthday, and Saturday we had a fun little friend party. I haven’t gotten around to the birthday-birthday pics, but here are some party pics.  I got a photo canvas from pottery barn kids that produced some hilariously bad images.  I need to edit those as well.

I don’t think I ever posted the invite,

I took some really bad snapshots of Henry’s day, I’m hoping to take him outside tomorrow and get some good shots with his new tricycle.  We all had a wonderful day, and I’m still in disbelief that this baby is 2.

This is an excellent article about the cost of custom child photography.

the cost of custom child photography

I promise I’ll have some more pictures soon.  I am currently brainstorming some Christmas card ideas, lets see if Henry will cooperate.

Snowy Noel

More card choices can be found here.

Shouldn’t they be on a magazine cover?

This wedding was a little over a week ago.  I’m finally almost done with the post processing.  It was the most beautiful October day ever.  I think everyone should get married in their back yard……

Just my little guy.  I love this location, there is a lot you can do in downtown Willoughby.

She is just so cute!

I totally forgot about four square.  It’s really fun, even for grown adults closing in on 30.  You’ll notice that the one person that is 30 was in the game the whole time.  Thirty isn’t slowing him down.

I believe this is called “smack talk.”

I only got a few more, as it was my turn to rotate in of course.

I think four square went on for over 2 hours.  When there are 7 kids in your family, and 3 son-in-laws, you can have a nice little tournament.

A few more….

It’s a work-in-progress.

Holiday mini sessions!

I am renting the Canon 24-70 L glass lens. I still need a lot of practice with it, but oh my goodness, it’s sharp. It weighs about 45 pounds though, so you should see it on my little camera. Actually, it looks like the camera is on the lens.

Here’s one, hopefully I will be back with more.

These are showing up fuzzy for some reason, they should be sharper.

I know he has chalk all over his face, but I don’t care. I love this picture.

I decided to play around with custom white balance on my camera. I set a custom white balance for each new light situation I was in.  My pictures turned out awesome. The joke was on me though, I was doing it wrong, I was using a custom white balance, just not the one I was trying to set. Oh well. (If you don’t know what CWB is, google it. Fascinating stuff I tell you.)

Shannon’s two beautiful girls! I’m getting a little better with my post processing. No more blue faces.

But it’s been pretty boring around here.

Except for

HENRY POOPING AND PEEING ON THE POTTY!

I know, I know, he’s too young. But we use cloth diapers on him and supposedly those babies potty train faster. (We use Fuzzi Bunz.) He has been asking about the toilet a lot lately, and talking about “peeping” and “poopah” but I was kind of ignoring it. My friend Kelly has a son that is 2 months older than Henry, and she said that he was the same way, and she got him a potty. So, then I decided I might as well get Henry a potty, even if it just sits there for 10 months, at least we would have one. I brought it home last Friday, and on Saturday Ian sat him on the potty and Henry sent him out of the room so he could do his business. Every time Ian tried to go back in, Henry would point to the door. I guess he likes his potty. So cute. I think only I think it’s cute, but I don’t care.

I can’t find any undies small enough for his skinny bum, so it will be diapers for a while. He doesn’t really tell us when he needs to go, he did once but that was a week ago. We are just going to take it slow. I still think he is a genius.

So, here are the mandatory pics. (No, they aren’t my usual awesome (ha ha) photography, I was excited. )

So it just occurred to me that I don’t write much about the namesake of this blog, Henry. There is a lot to write about these days, it’s just that all the stuff to write about is what makes me too tired to write. Henry is a ball of energy. He’s crazy but in a good way. I know that his tenacity is going to take him places in life, and that alone gets me through the trip to the dr’s office where he is screaming at the top of his lungs as he runs back and forth the length of the waiting room.

He is learning new words every day. Today he learned “mess.” Or as he says it, “mah-ESSSSS” See, while trying to eat his rice for dinner, he made a mahessss on the floor. I was sweeping it up, and telling him it was a mess, and he was telling me it was a mahess, all the while trying to get in front of the broom to pick up rice to eat. After I finished sweeping up the mahesss, I turned around to Henry dumping more rice on the floor, saying “mahesssss, mahessss.”

I got really sad tonight while I was nursing him. I was thinking about him growing up and leaving us. I know it’s inevitable, and of course I want him to grow into a beautiful, caring & compassionate, contributing member of society, but part of me wants to keep him this way, making messes and chasing me around the living room.

So, I have no idea if anyone reads this thing. If you do read my little blog, can you please leave a comment? If no one leaves a comment, I will just cry and cry. No seriously, I’m going to focus my energy elsewhere if it’s just Ian and I reading this friggin thing.

Henry didn’t outgrow any of his allergies. He is now allergic to almonds, cashews, pecans and walnuts as well. That brings our list to: dairy, soy, egg, wheat, potato, barley, peanuts, almonds, cashews, pecans and walnuts.

And people wonder why he is so skinny.

I really suck at blogging apparently. I need to get better. I always think about posting things, but then I tell myself, “no one reads your lame ass blog anyways,” and I end up reading Us Weekly instead.

Last week I came across this blog, and I decided that if this guy can find time to blog every day, I should be able to. The blog is about this awesome dad who is raising his baby girl alone because his wife died 27 hours after giving birth. Yeah, I know, sad, sad, sad. But, it is a very inspiring blog. He is doing it, and the baby is adorable. Check it out.

So, I PROMISE to update this blog more often. Like at least a few times a week. I wish I could do it every day, but most days as soon as Henry is in bed, my mind goes on sabbatical. (I had to google sabbatical, to see how to spell it. How sad is that?)

And, since I know everyone just wants to see pics of Henry, here ya go.

I have good excuses though. I promise!

1. We moved! Our new house is awesome. Henry is loving the space, lots more rooms to mess up.

2. I ran the Cleveland Rite Aid 10k yesterday. I have to give myself mad props because I finished in 58 minutes and 28 seconds. I placed 1061 overall, and I was the 333rd woman to cross the finish line. I’m still trying to figure out how many people ran the 10k, but I can only come up with the total number for all three races. (marathon, half marathon and 10k) which is around 10,000. Ian and I think there were at least 3,000 in the 10k, so hopefully I finished in the top 3rd. Not bad for my very first race. It was an awesome experience, and I can’t wait to do it again. The training was rough, but it was worth it to cross the finish line.

We miss you!

PS. Check out my teeth Daddy!

Did you know that? You really can. Henry was kind enough to show me last night.

I took s decent picture! Alert the presses!

Well, since I only have about 3 readers, I’m sure I haven’t been missed that much. Lots going on here. Ian starts his new job tomorrow, and we found a house to rent! It has a big back yard for Henry to run around in which I’m really excited about. We are quickly outgrowing our little apartment.

We had a nice Easter. Henry got a note from the Easter Bunny saying that when it gets warmer he is going to make a special trip back to bring Henry a sand box. The Easter bunny may be rethinking this decision since he discovered just how messy sand is. We’ll see what he comes up with.

Henry and I braved the cold today and went to Alex’s house. Lucy is getting SOOOO big! She is so pretty.

Henry was so happy to see Gramma Lunatic again. He always points to her and starts smiling and yelling when he sees her.

I almost forgot! Henry signed “more” today. We learned that sign from Little Gym, and I always show him, and he looks at me like I’m crazy. Today he was pointing to a rice cake, and I looked at him and said, “Do you want more?” and he did the sign! He did it again at dinner for Ian, which makes me happy, because now there are lot’s of witnesses to his genius.

So, yeah, it’s been a while. Is it almost March? Yesterday was my birthday. I decided this is the year I will start lying about my age, so yesterday was my 27th birthday. (take 2)

Ian got me a new lens for my camera! It is pretty sweet. I hope to be posting a lot more pictures now that I have a good lens. I just need to learn how to photograph a moving target!

Henry is doing well. He decided to start the “terrible two’s” a tad early, so the days have been filled with excitement! He is climbing all over the place, and running circles around us. So basically he is a normal little boy.

We are patiently awaiting Spring, as our little apartment is getting quite cramped this winter. I long for days of playgrounds and swimming pools, and lots of space for Henry to run around.

I am finally learning how to use my camera! It only took me 8 months to find the time. I also have been tooling around in photoshop, I’ve been learning some pretty cool things! Henry isn’t a very willing subject lately, hopefully it’s just a phase.

These aren’t edited, and they are all on auto setting. I’m just now learning how to actually use this camera, so it may take a while for a really good picture to be posted on here. Henry is still the cutest though, so enjoy!

P.S.
Can someone please tell me what happened to my baby? He looks like a little boy!

Little Gym
So, Tuesday I took Henry to our free introductory class at “The Little Gym.” He friggin loved it. You see, for an ADHD toddler (not yet diagnosed, except by me) a big room with things to climb on is heavenly. Henry ran around the whole time clapping and smiling. I guess this means Ian and I have to come up with the crap load of money it costs to sign up for a semester. (Good bye designer jeans!)

Big Gym
I started training for the Cleveland 10K this week, which marks my triumphant return to exercise. (I had been on sabbatical) I’m up to a mile and a half. Yes, I know only severely out of shape people need to train for a 10K. Did I mention that I’m currently training for a 5K to get enough endurance to train for a 10K?

is how I measure a year without cheese. I have been dairy free for an entire year. Henry started reacting to diary (among other things, lets not get into that right now) through my breast milk. His pediatrician told me to cut out dairy at Henry’s one month check up if his questionable poos weren’t better in a week. Well, they seemed to get better for a while so I kept eating cheese. Around 5 1/2 weeks, the runs were back, so I decided that I would stop eating it after Christmas. (A girl needs to have fudge. I remember fudge…….) The pediatrician told us that I would probably be able to add it back in a few months. “Okay,” I thought, “How bad can it be?” I started looking through every aisle of the grocery store for things that don’t have dairy. Did you know that Oreos are dairy free? That my friends is the reason I am not currently the size of Nicole Richie. Well, it was a downward spiral from there, and Henry and I are currently dairy, soy, peanut, wheat, barley, potato & turkey free. “What do we eat,” you ask? I eat my weight in tortilla chips each week, and Henry lives on fruit. Yes, I am one of those dreaded “extended nursers.” Shudder. I never thought I would breastfeed to 12 months, let alone after. Parenthood really teaches you a thing or two, doesn’t it?
So, here I am, nursing a toddler and not eating cheese. If anyone would have told me that a year ago, that I would still be doing this, I would have kicked them in the crotch and slapped them across the face.

Here’s to cheese in 2008!

PS, If anyone can find “Rice Slices” that are diary and soy free, please let me know. The only ones I can find have milk in them. No, the irony is not lost on me.

What ever happened to the Oh Henry! candy bars? Ian and I had planned on passing them out after Henry was born. (We think we are so witty, don’t we?) If anyone can find them, please kindly send us one, we will save it for Henry and tell him we passed them out at his birth.