Nine Months Out--Henry and Mom on the Beach

Remember when we didn't know who was inside and we called the baby 'Littleberry'? Here we were at 9 months of growing. It was a beautiful Sunday late afternoon on the beach and I asked Collin to take some maternity portraits for me. I wanted to see what the beautiful was when I couldn't even imagine feeling it. I've mentioned before, this pregnancy was hard on me. I struggled a lot. Seeing these pictures helped me remember that this time was special and (very importantly) temporary.

Where every day of pregnancy felt like a year, each day of Henry's little life felt like a blink of an eye. Here we are, nine months later on the same beach. With much more predictable Northern California weather conditions! I think it's funny that the weather shown in these pictures is exactly opposite of how my emotions were doing. Similarly, the joy I felt the moment he was born and most moments since is immeasurably opposite of the depression I wrestled with in pregnancy. I'm so glad Collin was game for playing photographer again. Our little blue eyed, blonde haired California baby and I, at a happy place.

Henry's First Year in a Nutshell

Henry Duke--a delight since the day he was born. I had a hard time being pregnant the fourth time around. I was apprehensive, more so even than before my first. I didn't remember how strong the force of love is when that baby is first in my arms. In that moment, Henry overwhelmed me with love and relief. His first year was filled with the adoration of his parents and older siblings. Although I can't even pretend to have kept track of milestones or statistics of growth for him, he grew up anyway. He came with the most remarkable, fast and furious determination to grow up as quickly as possible. He's been reaching beyond his current stage from the beginning. His personality is so much fun and watching it come through more and more in his first (and now second!) year has made me glow with pride. Not that I have much to brag about--it's all him. But he just is a sweet, smart, super kid. His smile will make more than a few hearts happier, that I know.

First Month

Second Month

Third Month

Fourth Month

Fifth Month

Sixth Month

Seventh Month

Eighth Month

Tenth Month

Eleventh Month

Twelfth Month

One Year

Henry at 1 Year (Katy's Blanket)

 

All those good intentions to document Henry's babyhood? Still there. Only he's growing so fast and as the fourth there is so much life happening around him that it's certainly not going to be soon or in an orderly fashion. But every little bit helps. So here is Henry at just over a year with the blanket aunt Katy knitted for him during that first year of his life. I remember going with Katy to the yarn shop when I was pregnant with him (and thought he was a girl, but we're not going to talk about how wrong I am at guessing my babies) to find this softest yarn. He was old enough in these pictures to play peek-a-boo with it and there's nothing cuter. Look at his little teeth coming in! Hard earned, that's for sure. I can tell that he was working on even more, with those flushed cheeks and drooly chin. Yet he smiles. Henry's been a delight and a trooper since day one.