I know I’m doing a LOT of personal posting lately but we’ve squeezed in a ton of family stuff in between all the senior shoots I’ve been doing lately.  This was our local Balloon Fest that usually happens the weekend before school starts.  I remember going to the Balloon Fest when I was 12 and it was about 2 blocks from our house in a field where a Middle School now stands.  It has since been moved to the lake and it’s still the same as I remember it when I was 12.

Anyhow, here were some fun pics I took…nothing perfect except it’s perfect because my family is in them.

Okay, so perhaps I did really well that first day of Kindergarten and perhaps I was thinking to myself “This growing up stuff isn’t so bad…it’s what God intended for us to do anyway.”  And then….

And then my son goes and decides to have another FIRST this week, a mere 2 days after he started Kindergarten….he lost his first tooth.  I knew it was coming since he told me about his first loose tooth a week or so ago but I was kind of hoping for the “first-ness” of Kindergarten to wane before this happened.

You can not imagine the utter joy that shouted to the rooftops from this little boy after school.  He walked out of school and then the moment he saw me, he broke out into a full-on sprint shouting so that everyone could here “MOMMY, I LOST MY FIRST TOOTH AT SCHOOL TODAY!!!”  I felt paralyzed for just a minute because I wanted to break down crying like a baby because my baby truly was beginning to be a big boy but I saw all of these faces staring at Lawyer (and myself, since of course everyone wanted to see who MOMMY was) and just embraced him tight and we both marveled at the emptiness where a tooth resided just hours earlier.

I do have a funny story about this tooth and I hope I treasure it in my heart for years to come.  This morning, Lawyer was taking FOREVER to go to the bathroom and I finally went to check on him and he was sitting on the pedestal sink looking at the mirror while messing with this tooth.  I proceeded to tell him we needed to hurry up to leave for school and he said, in a despaired voice, “Will you please just rip it out?”  GAG. BARF.  Yeah, the gag reflexes started to set in since he REALLY insisted on me yanking this tooth out before school.  You can not imagine the nauseating feeling of trying to pull out another person’s tooth…but the darn thing would NOT come out no matter how hard I pulled, pushed and twisted (that one got me pretty bad).

But I’m SO glad that I wasn’t the one that removed this tooth.  I’m so happy that Lawyer got to pull out his own tooth at school, where the teacher safely put the tooth in a sweet little envelope for Lawyer to bring home.  On a sidenote, can you imagine the total horror from the little ones that witnessed this?  HAHA!!!

Thank you sweet boy for growing into the son I had always hoped you would be…a kind, considerate and FEARLESS child.  One that pushes the boundaries (much to my chagrin sometimes) and yet always comes out on top.

Love you.

Today was the first day of Kindergarten.  I honestly didn’t think it would affect me like it does other parents because Lawyer has been going to a Montessori school for 3 years.  School life was the norm for us since before Lawyer could truly talk in full sentences and was barely potty-trained.  I’ve watched Lawyer the past few years learn to read, write and solve double-digit math problems in his head.    He’s learned to be a leader amongst his peers and has enjoyed getting to guide the little ones in his class.

But starting Kindergarten has been a very bittersweet and emotional concept for me to grasp the past month or so.  And WAY too many “big boy” events have unfolded recently too.  Lawyer has started football and coach-pitch baseball.  He’s got his first two loose teeth.  He told me this morning as I asked him again if he would like to take his Diego backpack to school that he wanted the big boy backpack (my backpack) since he’s not a little boy anymore.

::Sigh::  That constant adage that they just grow up too fast is worth repeating because they do.  Even as I put Lawyer’s new shoes on him this morning before school, I was shocked to see that his shoes were longer than my feet (and he’s FIVE).  These little things are so big in our world and just reminds me that I need to savor each and every second with watching this boy of mine grow up.  I seem  to not be able to get enough hugs and kisses from him these days and the “I love you’s” are nothing but forced murmurs but at the end of the day, I know where my place is when my sweet boy asks me to come cuddle with him in bed until he goes to sleep.

So today if you have sent your kids off for the first time or the 12th time or if you are a student yourself starting back to school, I pray that each and every one of you can remember to take a moment each and every day to say I love you to your loved ones, squeeze them tight and lock up that moment in your hearts.

Lawyer, you are my sunshine and you have done nothing but light up the world for your family.  I love you.

PS:  I did not cry today…just locked up the moment of walking hand-in-hand to school for the first time deep within my heart.

Just one of Katie…more to come soon!

Makeup by Donna Cooper

Hair by Toni & Guy

Yikes!  I just realized I hadn’t had a chance to share Lexi’s images!  Lexi is a senior rep for Allen HS and she just had her actual senior session last month.  Here’s a quick peek!

I can’t wait to share Emma’s pictures….she was a LOAD OF FUN!  And she had a great “serious” side to her too!

Are you kidding me with this beauty? Loved every second of getting to shoot this senior. More to come soon!

I can’t believe school is about to start! The summer flew by this year (I think I say that every year but it really feels like this one went by the quickest) and my pool-side days are numbered for the remainder of summer. Anyhow, I digress…

I am so blessed to have such wonderful seniors to work with and Lauren is no exception. She is one of those girl’s that you can tell is a really genuine, kind-hearted individual. I absolutely had the best time hanging out with Lauren and her mom and we braved the nasty 105 degree heat for her session!

I’ve never taken the opportunity to share a senior slideshow so I thought it was high-time I did just that!

Enjoy!

Make-up by Donna Cooper
Hair by Maria at Christian K Salon

To schedule YOUR senior session, email me at info@amiiwroblewski.com or call at 214-585-8491!

A gorgeous senior from this week’s session!

Make-up by Donna Cooper