Baby Crites Is Here!

It's always sweet to watch families grow and be a small part in documenting their stories. It's even more precious when those families are dear friends, and you know the prayers, love, and hope that will be infused into those babes.

I photographed the first Crites baby two years ago, and it almost seems like a dream or a blink when I think about that.

Time flies.

The little pristine feet get stinky, the squeaky voices get deeper and more confident, and the snuggles in your lap become snuggles beside you on the couch (I'm told those stop eventually, too). The need for your help turns to a need for you to let them do it on their own, and I'm not sure any momma, no matter how relieved they think they'll be to receive a little break from being depended on 24/7, fully grasps that monumental shift until it happens.

It starts slowly, with the small things..from not needing a hand to get down the steps to pouring their own milk on their cereal (into the bowl that they climbed on to the counter to get themselves). Then you notice a trend begin to form. You get to sleep in more often without little people crawling in your bed in the morning, instead preferring breakfast and a tv show. The nightly routine starts to get easier, fewer people need you to tuck them in for 30 minutes each, and before you know it, you can get to bed in about 10 minutes instead of 100.

Time flies.

We're well past the baby stage in our home, and I LOVE where we are. I look back on those days though, and I can't help but smile. Mommas, soak in EVERY moment. The hard stuff passes. The sleepless nights end, and they eventually learn to blow their own nose and take out the trash. Your babies are going to grow, and that will happen fast. You'll blink, literally, and they will change before your eyes. So even when you don't feel like it...soak in EVERY moment.

Time flies.