8/52.

I want to remember…that gummy, toothless smile. Last week those two front teeth came in and although I think they are adorable, they make my baby look too grown up!

7/52.

I want to remember…this scrunchy face.  What else can I say?

6/52.

I want to remember…how routine activites somehow become magical.

5/52.

I want to remember…how fun it is to see my parents become grandparents.  I never really thought about the other births that happen when a new baby is born…I became a mom, Justin became a dad, our parents became grandparents, my sister became an aunt, my grandpa became a great grandpa.  New roles for all of us!

4/52.

I want to remember…how quickly time passes.  It’s cliche, but my new year’s resolution last year was to stop saying things, “I can’t believe she’s a year old already!” or “I can’t believe January is almost over!”  While all of these things are true, (By the way, HOW IN THE WORLD IS SHE ALMOST ONE!!??  and HOW IN THE WORLD IS JANUARY two thousand fourteen (really?!?! FOURTEEN!?!?) ALMOST OVER!?!?!?)  I don’t want to mourn how quickly time passes nor wish it away.  I guess the moral of the story is to simply enjoy the present.  Awfully cheesy?  Yes.  But oh so true.  And there is no other time that I want to be fully present in my life than now.  These two photos remind me how fast time goes and how much can change in just one short year.  (35 weeks on 1.31.13 and 10 months old 1.21.14)

p.s.  If you want to tear up today, watch this quick video by Boba: You Made Me a Mother 

3/52.

I want to remember…simple Saturday mornings in Maine with my new little family.  The combination of moving to a new town and having a brand new baby slowed the pace of my life way down.  As a photographer, I am almost always working the weekends and rarely have a Saturday that is truly relaxing and Saturday-like.  But I have been so fortunate to take some time off, slow down and soak up time with this girl that is FLYING by.  Our new Saturday tradition here is to take a walk and then go out for a late breakfast.  There are so many incredibly beautiful place to walk here (and great places to eat afterwards!), we try to check out a new place each time but we do have a few favorites pegged.  I’m sure life will have a way of speeding up again and I know when that happens I will look back and wish for one more Saturday just like this.

2/52.

I want to remember…blinking my bleary eyes open to this face first thing in the morning. Followed by a snuggle right into my neck, breathing in sweet baby morning breath, little fingers in my hair, toes digging into my belly.  Tired has never been so good.

I’m embarking on a weekly photo project and though I’m often paralyzed by blogging (dang pefectionist tendencies) I’m going to give it a whirl. I’m loosly using “I want to remember…” as a guide to help me focus on things I want to remember about 2014. Chances are, as a new mother, most all of these posts will be about life with my (why yes, very adorable) baby…  But my ultimate goal is to keep it simple, keep it real and to keep it up.  Wish me luck and follow along if you like!

1/52.

I want to remember…our first Christmas as new parents.  This year, everything has been a first and so far, Christmas has been the ultimate first!  For years and years, I have helped decorate that tree at my grandparents’ house.  I feel so thankful to have strong Christmas traditions and memories…like lighting (with TONS of lights) and decorating trees, my dad meticulously hanging Christmas lights on the house, making lefse, kringle, hardtack (all very Norwegian treats) and cookies too, my mom taking so much care to decorate the house and find just the right gifts, CHRISTMAS CARDS!!!!, the Concordia Christmas concert, candlelight Christmas Eve church, Christmas morning in our pjs, I could go on and on.  I love being rooted in these traditions and I loved seeing Clara experience them for the first time and I loved seeing our families enjoy Clara and I love that we get to carry on these traditions and start our own too!