{Brooklyn} Say Cheese

So anytime I have the studio set up for portraits, Brooklyn runs into the room and waits for her portrait taking. She has perfected her smile and saying "cheese". Which is so funny, since I'm perfectly content capturing her not looking into the camera (she has caught on to me capturing others). I haven't encouraged her to say "cheese" to the camera (well, only on occasion). I love the raw images of her thinking, playing, eating, etc. But she's a bit of a fan now of the camera. Oh lord, look out!

I never thought I'd be that gloating mommy. But I'm so proud. And so impressed. I cannot believe this little person becoming in front of me. She makes me laugh. And smile. And go crazy, all the while. I love her more than I knew I could love another. Her daddy and I laugh and marvel at this little person that we made. What an amazing blessing she is...

 

 

 

 

{Brooklyn} 18 months

My Brookie Brooks,

You are a force to be recokend with! And I love that. And sometimes hate it. I'm so happy that you are a strong willed little girl but sometimes that doesn't workout in practical terms. You have officially become a little girl, and graduated from "baby" status. Which is sad for many reasons. But mostly because I call you "baby" most. It's really amazing to see you assert yourself at a young 18 months. You already have a very strong opinion about many things but mostly about food. You're quite a picky eater and you give a definitive "NO" when we try to give you anything new.

You had an awesome 18th month birthday playing in CoCo & Uncle V's backyard, but the next day you were so sick. It's so sad to see you feeling bad. But you're a little cuddle bug when you're feeling yucky. We spent most of the day cuddled in bed watching Nick Jr when you weren't sleeping. I worry so much when you are not feeling well. There is nothing in this world that has made my heart hurt worse...than seeing your sick little face. I love you so much and want to take your pain from you.

Your daddy and I talk about you all the time. We talk about how you are such a happy, lively little girl. We talk about how you make us laugh. We talk about about how you are so smart. We are so proud of you. And you make us love each other more too. I'm so proud of the daddy he has become. You are such a magical part of our lives. It's hard to imagine what life was like without you. We count our blessings everyday for YOU!

 

 

 

 

{Manic Monday} 12th ed.

As you may have noticed, I was a bit absent from my blog last week. My parents were visiting us for the week. I'm really trying not to let my computer/work time interfere with my personal relationships. That may sound silly but there is always work for me to get done and I tend to bury myself under my laptop as a result. So, I took a little break to hang out with my family and it's always a bit refreshing to do so. We enjoyed lots of playtime with Brooklyn, delicious meals prepared my mom, and daily shopping trips.

Grandma with her girl...

It was also nice not to be reminded 24/7 that I may be one of the only few photographers not at WPPI this week. There is so much Twitter, Facebook, & blog buzz from all the attending photographers. They joke that the WPPI convention is the equivalent of a college Spring Break. 10,000 photographers gather in one place to network, learn, and inspire one another....and partake in nightly parties. I have yet to attend and it was just not in the cards for me this year either.

So Dan and I sold one of our cars last week. The lease was up anyways and we were able to sell a month earlier and made a little extra on it since we only had 14,000 miles on it. We had decided that we were going to be a one car family for a temporary time to save a little money. Well, that lasted a whole three days and I already want to get another car again. It is super inconvenient and I am just too accustomed to coming and going as I please. For example, I had to pick up Dan from work last night and had to keep Brooklyn up later than her normal bedtime. So, we're looking into getting another car. I'm considering getting a Mazda 3, which I owned before but ultimately sold after our house was broken into and the keys stolen. I always loved that car and look forward to driving it again.

Dan and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniverary on March 3rd. We've been together for a total of 6 years now and I can hardly believe that much time has passed. I've adored my husband since the moment I saw him in an elevator (sounds corny crazy but true). But there is something magical about sharing a child together that makes us love one another even more! I know that we will be together forever. That we will fight through any obstacle. We have a less than perfect relationship but at the end of each day I know that he loves me and that I love him. And more than anything, he loves our little girl and is such an awesome daddy! For that, I'm grateful!

Thanks to my parents in town, we celebrated by going out! That is such a rare occasion, since having Brooklyn. Our first stop was the AVIA Hotel in Downtown Long Beach to visit our friend Melly and tour the latest in Downtown (our original stomping grounds). What a super cool boutique hotel in our neighborhood!

We then had dinner at the Parkers Lighthouse! I had delish sushi and lobster all in one meal! I could not have been happier and it was a perfect night. The best part of the night was definitely the conversation!

{Brooklyn} Bubbles & That

Every once in awhile you are reminded of your blessings. The job you have. The roof over your head. The beautiful child. The awesome friends & family you have. Sometimes it takes a personal loss to be reminded. Other times the loss or heartache of others. It is the latter with my most recent realization. I came across this BLOG and I could NOT stop reading for hours. I love her honesty. Rawness. Appreciation. Love. There are moments when we are reminded and I'm thankful for the little moments.

Brooklyn's newest fascination is with blowing bubbles. She says "bubbles" all of the time and loves it when they pop on her face. It's so adorable.

 

 

 

"That that that". I hear that a couple million times a day. Okay, not really. But after about ten times, it feels like millions. Everything Brooklyn wants now is "that, that, that". It was cute at first and now I'm trying to identify each "that" with it's actual name. "That? Oh, music. Book. Sippy cup. Phone. Brush. Etc." But most importantly, it is her music. THAT! She loves it. She wants to hear it. She wants to dance to it. She wants to play and control it herself. It's super adorable and she is so her daddy's girl with her moves. And she's mine with her "Brooklyn shoulder shake". Music is in this girls blood and I love it! As a result, I walk around singing "monkies on the bed", "old macdonald", or "tiki room". A huge thanks to Dan's Aunt Rose for sending us Brooklyn's favorite CD "Daddy's Little Girl". A day does not go by where this CD is not played. It is a permanent fixture in the player.

 

{Brooklyn} The good and the bad

My friend Amy posted this comment tonight on Facebook "people's posts about life with their children/babies lately are starting to make me nervous!". I had to laugh and then I wondered. She is 30 weeks pregnant and the reality of being a mom is quickly approaching. At first, I felt guilty that I was one of the people probably freaking her out with my crazy stories of parenting Brooklyn. But then I thought, I wish I would have been prepared by some of the realities prior to becoming a mother.

The truth is this...there is no truth. Every mom has a different experience. Every child has their own personality. You have to parent each child differently. I've been a bit frustrated by Brooklyn lately and only recently learned that I can actually talk and explain my frustrations to her and she tends to respond versus me getting upset and scolding her. Seriously? She's only 1.5 years and she already reasons with me? I recently told her that she would have to wait for me to finish watching a movie before I put her favorite music on the CD. Well, I guess that was not to her liking and she walked right over to the TV and turned it off. Well, I wasn't so happy about that but I was happy that she understood what I was saying enough to react. What a little smartie pants. Parenting is the hardest thing I've ever done, and the most entertaining. I often have to keep myself from laughing.

 

 

 

{Brooklyn} Going on 16 months

 

As you may have noticed, the pictures and blog posts are fewer and far between for little Brookie Brooks. It's not that I'm neglecting her, it's actually the opposite. I have discoved that my time with her, is my time with HER! Which means no more multi-tasking. She requires my full attention and interaction. Or else! I'm sure my mom is somewhere having a little laugh that I have a daughter that is so strong willed! And I must admit, it is super difficult to get a decent picture of her because she is so active.

The above picture was taken while trying to capture little Lu. Brookie wanted to be part of the fun though. It's actually really awesome seeing Brooklyn with Luella. She loves her! She mimics us so much and wants to tickle Lu and says "hi baby" and "cute baby" with perfect intonation, as if I was saying it. She leans into Lu's face and coo's and ahh's. And it's so fun to see Lu's reaction. Cora and I joke about how these two little girls may relate to each other one day. Partners in crime? Or competition?

Recently our doctor and book What to Expect the Toddler Years informed us that B may have an advanced vocabulary. The book mentioned that it's normal for a child her age to have between 3-6 words. I thought that was kinda crazy knowing Brooklyn's vocabulary, so Dan and I made a list of all her words. 35! I mention this not to brag but to document my child's progress (as many of you know, I get my blog printed each year and it serves as our own personal journal). It's really crazy how she is such a sponge right now. She has most recently learned to say "please" and today it was "car". When we ask her questions, she always replies with a definitive "yep" head nod or "nope" shake (which I find myself doing all the time teaching, so I know where she gets it).

Dan took Brooklyn to her most recent wellness check...
Weight: 23 lbs, 70th percentile
Height: 30 in, 49th percentile
Head: 90th percentile (haha...our child has a large HEAD! - so much that she can wear my headbands, as pictured above)
She got 4 shots on this visit. I was a little alarmed that she had a pretty good size knot in her right leg where she got two shots. The doctor assured me that it was okay and to just ice and massage it after a warm bath. I honestly could not imagine any serious concerns with our child..it would send me into a frantic state of worrisome. God bless all of the parents that have had to deal with disabilities, disease, or loss. My heart hurts for you. It's really crazy how much becoming a parent amplifies your every emotion.

On another note, Brooklyn continues to be a very picky eater. She's pretty much a vegetarian. Her diet consists of milk, yogurt + blends, apple sauce, goldfish, cereal bars, and anything crunchy...such as crackers or chips. It's so frustrating and often I feel as if I'm depriving her of nutrition. But she refuses most everything I have to offer her...cheese, apples, lunch meat, pasta, nuggets, fries, veggies, you name it! I hear and have read this is normal, but it still worries me.

I will affirm that the best part of parenthood is laughter! Today Brooklyn and I were playing in her bedroom throwing a little blanket in the air. She was cracking up laughing every time the blankie fell on her or next to her. It was awesome! Her laughter is so contagious. It's amazing to see the joy that a child gets out of the simple moments. In moments like this, I'm always half laughing, half crying. I never take those moments for granted.

Brooklyn is a daddy's girl. Dan gets up every day with Brooklyn and they watch Sesame Street cuddled in bed, while she drinks milk from her sippy cup. It's really sweet, and melts my heart. They have all sorts of little tricks together. For example, Dan says "cookie monster" and Brooklyn growls 3 times just like the character. Dan will also sing "Old Macdonald had a farm" and Brooklyn will reply "ei-ei-o". The funny thing is that she will only do this with him and not me or her babysitter.

{About Me} The Story Behind the BLUE

Hi! Welcome to my little corner of the web. I'm Charla and I'm so excited you found me. If you already know me, you can skip this blog post because it's probably old news to you. If you don't know me, I hope to meet you soon! Please leave a comment, so that I know you visited. In the meantime, grab a coffee or diet coke and read a little (or a lot) how charla BLUE came to be...

Sometimes I still can't believe this journey that has led me to photography. In other moments, I can't believe that I did not discover my love for photography earlier. I have been an avid picture taker since I was in elementary school. I have filled up so many photo albums and scrap books throughout the years and my travels, that I probably would have had to invest in a storage facility to store them all (if it wasn't for digital photography). During college, I even taught a film developing class at the state juvenile detention I worked at. I love pictures and the stories they tell. They are my prized possessions.

There was an actual moment that I discovered photography! As a fulltime high school Spanish teacher, I have been taking my high school students abroad during Spring Break for 11 years. In April of 2007, after just marrying the month before, I led my largest group yet of 54 to Spain, France, & Italy. My friend, co-worker, and co-chaperone Aaron Volkoff lent me his DSLR to shoot with for the day in Barcelona. From the moment I took my first photograph with his camera, it was love at first click! Seriously. I couldn't believe the speed of the shutter, the sound of the click, the clarity of the images. I declared that day that I wanted to be a photographer while shoe shopping in Barcelona. I even took a picture to commemorate my declaration...

Taken in Barcelona on April 10, 2007

I called my newlywed husband back in California that day. I told him I was going to be a photographer and he had a little chuckle and replied "what?" It was a bit out of left field at the time, but he is use to my crazy ideas and spontaneity. Upon returning home from Europe, I bought my first DSLR and launched charla BLUE photography. I started shooting everyone I knew...my pregnant friends, newborn babies, or practicing at weddings that I attended (from my seat of course). I jumped into it head first and have learned so much on this journey. I knew nothing about the rule of thirds, fstops, shutter speeds, and ISO 2.5 years ago.

If you look at my life story, photography really just makes sense. I'm so grateful to have discovered a career that brings passion and love to my life every day. But really I think photography discovered me!

So, why BLUE? Because I am obsessed with the color turquoise and have been for as long as I can remember. You can find various shades of blue decor throughout my home, my clothing, accessories, and it was even my wedding colors. My husband coined the term charla BLUE around the time we were getting married. I'm just drawn to the color and it makes me happy.

Thank you for visiting and I hope to capture your story.
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A huge thank you to my friend and co-worker Cora, who is the one responsible for incorporating my personality and colors into my logo, for being my graphic go-to-girl, and my all around biggest cheerleader!

To Aaron for sharing your camera with me! You are the reason I am a photographer.

To Kristi for talking shop with me, teaching me all the technical mumbo jumbo, and providing me with beautiful photographs of my family.

To my husband Dan who has supported all my crazy ideas and big purchases. He has believed in me and supported me every step of the way. I have big dreams for us, babe!

To my baby girl Brooklyn for making me smile, laugh, and grow as a mother and human being every day. You are my inspiration for everything.

To Becky and Dana for being my models and guinea pigs from day ONE. It has been an absolute joy to watch your families grow!

To all of the rest of you it makes me just emotional thinking how awesome you have all been with your kind words and encouragement on this journey.

{Manic Monday} 9th Ed.

Monday morning + rain = can I go back to my cozy bed? Those who know me, know that I despise the rain! Having grown up in Olympia, WA I have had my fair share and then some during my lifetime. My friends & family up north frequently ask me when I will return to living there. Without a moments delay, my reply is always the same NEVER! . I really do love the natural beauty of the PNW, but I cannot bear the rain for so many months. I don t mind the cold or snow and enjoy getting bundled up to ski the mountains. I miss that part. But not the rain.

In all my grumpiness this morning while running Brooklyn to the car to go to day care, she raised her face up to the sky and let the rain fall on her face. She was amazed. And so was I. For a moment, she even made me appreciate the wet droplets falling from the sky. She has a way of reminding me of the small things in life. I am so thankful for seeing life through her eyes. It makes me stop. Breathe. And thank God for even the rain.
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Have you seen The Gap Cheer Factory ads yet? I LOVE IT! It makes me happy. The colors. The cheer. The dancing. The happy faces. It is just brilliant!


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The countdown has begun 9 days more of working and then I am on vacation! We will be flying up to Seattle to spend the holidays with my family. I cannot tell you how excited I am for this trip. I desperately need a break, even from photography. I am thrilled for all my family to get to witness Brooklyn at 14 months. She is such a joy and every day is a new word, skill, or discovery.
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This blog will be soon getting a facelift. I'm looking forward to a new layout & background for the new year. I have lots of new products, plans, and packages to offer charla BLUE clients for 2010.
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Here are a few more snapshots of Brooklyn in our backyard...one of the major reasons I wanted to move here. She loves to be outdoors and is digging her new car by Dan's friend Dimo. But even more than the car, she really just loves buckles. She's entertained for hours and I'm justing waiting for the moment that it actually goes "click".

{Manic Monday} 8th Ed.

It's the return of Manic Monday! When I started this, I had to give myself permission to not post every Monday. Because if you're anything like me, there are more Mondays than not that are truly manic. And writing just a blog post can sometimes be the most difficult thing in the world.
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Today is a Manic Monday! But I'm posting tonight for my own therapy. Because today was a bad day. A day that I wish I could redo but can't.

When Brooklyn was only eight weeks old, it was typical for me to be home alone with her for 12 hours at a time. About that time she went through a "colic" stage and I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown not knowing what to do with her. At one point, my husband told me on the phone that she could probably sense my tension and that is why she was upset. If I could have strangled him through the phone, I might have! Lucky for him, he was not in front of me!

My point in telling you that story is that there is some truth in it. And just like my baby sensed my stress, my students do the same in the classroom. They seem to know how to push every button when I am most stressed and impatient. So, yes, they sensed my weakness and destroyed me today.

So tomorrow, I will be staying home to rest, get caught up, and renew my spirit in time for the holidays. Because nobody wants a grumpy teacher, photographer, mom, wife, or friend at their dinner table.
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Thanks to a near 4 hour drive to Blythe this past weekend with the Maugas, I am rediscovering country music. I'm listening to "Letters from Home" by John Michael Montgomery on Pandora as I write. It truly reminds me of home in Washington and my family, avid country listeners.
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I also need to rediscover reading. As you might imagine, I have not done much of it since Brooklyn entered our world. I miss it! I was the type of girl that would find a comfy place on the couch or an airplane ride cross country and finish an entire book in one sitting. And I would still want more. THIS is on my Christmas wish list.
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Music is therapy. Reading is therapy. Writing is therapy. Photographing love is my therapy. These are the things I need to remember on days like these. I need to stop, breathe, and remember that I can't do it all. To find joy and peace in moments alone. That I can't give to everyone without giving myself permission for a few moments of feeding my soul.
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Here is a sneak peek of some of the backdrops from the wedding I second shot for KrisD of KrashingMotions in Blythe, CA this past weekend.

 

 

 

 

{Happy Halloween} 2009

Well, I must admit it's pretty fun having a little one to dress up for Halloween. I've never been a fan of this holiday...finding the right costume, creepy-crawly-gross decorations, ghosts, goblins, and scary people. I just don't get it! Well, I have a feeling this will be the beginning of a new appreciation of the day. We're off to trick'or'treat and celebrate with friends! Enjoy the day and be safe everyone. Here's our little "B"!

 

{Manic Monday} 7th Ed.

Can you believe it's been a few weeks since the last edition of Manic Monday? I can! I feel like I have been in recovery from moving, 1st birthday, and back-to-school madness. I have definitely been feeling the effects of being a fulltime teacher, mom, and business owner. It's actually been a tough month and I'm hoping to find a balance in it all. I'm not sure what gives but I'm thinking about it all and changes are in store. Not sure what they are yet but I'm entertaining several possibilities.
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Last Sunday I met up with my girlfriends and their families at the Long Beach pumpkin patch. It was so fun to watch all the kiddies run around and play. It was one of the moments in parenting when I couldn't believe my little baby was already running, jumping in the bouncey house, and on her first amusement ride! She seemed so grown up. And so happy!

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I'm amazed that Brooklyn changes each day. She most recently has said "yo gabba", "boo", and giving kisses to me & Dan.

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Here are a just a few shots from her 1st birthday party, since I have yet to have time to post them. Thanks to Amanda P for the photos. She clearly was not into her birthday cake and was so upset about getting her little hands dirty with frosting. HaHa! Poor baby.

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I seriously can't believe that I turned to see Brooklyn feeding her baby doll a bottle today. I was shocked! There are two younger babies at day care now and of course the arrival of LuLu. I wonder if she learned this at daycare of if she just thought to do it herself from watching all of the other babies. At any rate, it was really sweet.

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I was so excited to receive my Blog2Print editions in the mail yesterday. It took 5 minutes to create and I now have volumes 1 (2007) & 2 (2008). I never knew the value of blogging my life when I started but now I do. I'm so grateful to have my life and adventures documented.

{Celebrate} Brooklyn's 1st Year

 

Dear Brooklyn,

Today is your first birthday! It's crazy how fast time flies and how much we forget as memories fade in the past. I'm lucky to have my camera to capture your constantly changing looks and personality; and this blog to share my thoughts with you someday.

I can't even begin to explain the joy you bring to my life. I laugh, smile, and play every day because of you. And I cry! Those dang female hormones have created a very sappy mommy. Some day you too will know what I m talking about. It's hard to imagine what my life was ever like without you.

You are such an independent little girl. You started walking at 10 months and there is no stopping you now. You love to do laps around our new house and take walks up and down the block. You refuse to wear shoes; which seems to work out great since we can t find any to fit you. You just might have a little (or BIG) stubborn streak, like your mommy (from what Grandma says). Although it can be frustrating at times, I m happy that you are a little fighter and have a strong will. That will serve you well in this life.

You are a sleeper! We've been putting you to bed these days around 6-7pm and you sleep a solid 12 hours. You rarely wake up at night anymore and I can t even tell you how grateful I am for that. Although I do miss our days cuddled up together or you sleeping on my chest. You slept in our room until you were 8 months old. I just couldn t bear the thought of you being in your own room and not being able to watch over you and hear you breathe. We actually both sleep better since you are in your own room. I still sleep with the video monitor next to me, so I can see and hear your every move.

You are quite the social butterfly! You love to play with other kids, both big and small. Most recently you've started becoming a little bit more reserved when seeing people for the first time. You'll turn your head in shyness and cuddle up to our shoulders. It only takes you a couple minutes to warm up before you're puckering up your little lips and whoo'ing for our guests. Everyone gets such a kick out of that little face. It s unbelievable that you ve been making it since you were only 7 weeks old, and maybe even before.

Just a few of your faves at ONE year old...
Food - cheese munchies, apple sauce, Yo Baby yogurt
Toys - remote control, cell phone, blocks, legos, walking lion
TV shows - Sesame Street and Yo Gabba Gabba

Here are a few of the names we called you this past year: baby B, B, peanut, piglet, baby, Brookie Brooks, or Brookie.

They are so many people that love you so much! You have so many grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins, babysitters, and friends. Everyone looks forward to seeing you and miss you dearly when they are away.

I have so many hopes and dreams for you and your future. But my dreams are not as important as the dreams you have for yourself. Work hard. Play hard. Pray. Embrace change. Think big. It s okay to fail. It's what you do after, that really matters anyways. Love and honor your friends and family (we seem to take them for granted until we really need them most). Live without regret. Love yourself. Laugh. Dance. DREAM!

I love you, little girl. You make my life complete.

{Manic Monday} is actually Tardy Tuesday

Well Monday was so Manic that I didn't have the time nor resources to post a blog. So welcome to Tardy Tuesday! Did you miss me? I definitely missed you and my blog! Since we moved and Verizon decided not to show up to our scheduled appointment, I have been without Internet or TV since Thursday! YIKES! I feel so disconnected with everyone and it's going to take me days to catch up on all my work and of course all of the blogs and sites I follow. Not to mention that I missed the premieres of Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters, AND Dancing with the Stars. Yes, I live an exciting life and they are my guilty pleasures.
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Operation Move was a success! We love love love our new home. It's so homey and quiet. I didn't realize how loud it was at our last place until lying in bed this weekend in absolute quiteness. It was so strange...no dogs parking, parrots chirping (yes parrots! There is a colony of wild parrots that live in Belmont Heights and they are so LOUD!), people rummaging through our recycling bin outside our window in the alley, nor cars soaring by. Brooklyn is digging the peace too because she has been sleeping in until at least 7am. We even had to wake her up on Monday! That was a first. She seems to have adjusted just fine to our new home, in fact, she loves it. She literraly does laps from the living room to the kitchen and back! I still can't get over how cute she is walking!

The best part is the ONE minute it takes me to get to work and Brooklyn's daycare. It's so nice to have my life centralized. Since becoming a mom and working two jobs...I really need every extra minute I can find.

Can I just tell you that I have a ridiculous amount of STUFF? I have donated boxes of clothes, shoes, dishes, and total randomness and I still have more to sort through. I really want to use this opportunity to free myself from years of clutter and crap. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with ALL of my photo albums, journals, and miscellaneous keepsakes from my childhood and beyond.
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It seems that our little Brookie is becoming quite the little cuddle bug...with everyone except us! What? On Saturday Cora & Aaron watched Brooklyn while we moved. Aaron sent me a picture of Brooklyn sleeping cuddled up next to Cora in the rocker. She has not done that in 6 months, seriously! She is quite the independent little girl so I was so shocked to see this image...

 

And speaking of Cora, she is due in ONE day! She is seriously the most patient preggers I've ever met. At this point in my pregnancy, I wanted out of my body and the baby too! You should have seen her today at my house climbing on my couch to hang pictures and then moving furniture. Trust me...I didn't ask her too...she just did it! I'm especially excited because I get to be in the labor and delivery room and capture it all on camera. (Trust me...I'll be discreet in my captures.) I've never attended another birth, other than Brooklyn's, so this is going to be a real adventure for me. I'm hoping and praying for a quick and uneventful delivery. I can hardly wait to meet LuLu!