Serena Nicole Studios » Studio Journal

I write to you today with a little boy curled on my lap. As I peck at the keys with my left hand it makes for slow work, but I do not mind. Even as his little body grows at warp speed he has graced me with the ability to slow down. I am a box checker. I like to make lists and with each stroke of the pen check something off the list. Since my little one has arrived my pen has been making less strokes and more doodles. But that ironically is what I love about him. Sometimes life is about coloring outside of your lines. That is when you learn more about yourself, I believe.

So a few days ago, I was having one of those weepy new mommy days. Going through life’s motions with a full on cry on the cusp of erupting, at any second, for no apparent reason. The only thing that would bring me refuge was when I would think about this wheat field down the street from my studio. I would imagine playing with Jackson and cuddling him and I would feel completely normal. Then my mind would go to something else and that weepy feeling would creep back in. I battled with my feelings for most of the day until it dawned on me that I should just go to the field. So I did. And I did one better than that. I packed up the tripod and brought along my old friend, the camera.

I arrived and the adrenaline started to rush. I took out the tripod and turned on my camera and WAIT…it would not work. I fumbled with all of the buttons and dials and it would not appease me. Nope. Nothing. At that moment the tears started to flow. I caught my breath. Said a little prayer. Searched the internet on my phone. Found a fix. Said another prayer and Voila. It worked. Twenty minutes later and we were back in the game. I shot a few test shots to see if my camera was recovered and caught a glimpse of the tripod.

Normally I would trash the shot, but not this time. It tells a story of perseverance to me. A story that sometimes you just have to slow down and take it one step at a time. A chance to use my skill set that my little Jackson is so sweetly sharing with me. (Who by the way has moved off of my lap now and is kicking along next to me, he grew quite wiggly and bored with my story. Now just an occasional squeeze on his toy makes him squeal with delight).

So the stage was set. The camera now fastened onto the tripod. I pushed the button to the timer…beep…beep 10 seconds it warned. So I ran with Jackson to our little spot in the field. Snap. Jumped up. Ran back. Pushed the button…beep, beep, run, run. SNAP. Jump. Jackson thought this new game was so much fun. I thought so too. After a few times though I was out of breath! After another push of the button, Jackson and I both were tired of our game and decided to call it finished! I quickly went through the pictures and saw this in my screen. My heart melted. The tears flowed again, only this time they were the happy kind.

For my part, the story ends there. But when we arrived home I shared with my husband what I was trying to do, and asked if he would be my trigger. He sweetly agreed. So we went back to the field and shot some more. With his shots and mine, I created a movie. A movie to sum up all of my emotion for my boys. You can view it if you would like on the Serena Nicole Studios Facebook Page.

So yesterday. my pen just doodled. But today I made strokes. This blog post. Check.

In time, all things in time.

Until Soon,

SN

It is hard to believe but my baby boy just turned four months old. I was excited while planning our trip to Rome to find that his birthday would fall during our trip. It just so happened that we were visitng the Roman Colosseum on his big day. While visiting I kept my eye out for the perfect spot for my little Man’s four month debut. As we were getting ready to leave they had these marvelous fallen pillars laying all around. PERFECT!! So we undressed the baby and threw on a blanket and created our own little masterpiece. We drew quite a crowd and it was such an amazing moment for me. Here was my little man posing on a pillar that was built around 70 AD. I hope it will be as special to him one day as it was to create it.

So now my dilemna is which one to frame. I would love for you to vote for your favorite and help this Momma out!

#1

#2

#3#4#5#6#7#8Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

Mommy Loves YOU!

SN

Just a little post to let you know that I am enjoying some much needed family time. I will be out of the studio until the 2nd of August. You are more than welcome to email me about anything you may need. Just know that I will be in and out and will not have internet all the time. So if you do not hear from me right away, know that I will be in touch as soon as possible!

This week we were off enjoying the sites of Paris. I will say that traveling with a little one is an amazing adventure. A stroller in Paris is an oxymoron. They are just not made to go hand in hand. I have the sore muscles to prove it. Thank goodness for my wonderful family to help take the heat. Otherwise you may still be able to find me sitting on the stairs of the Eiffel tower!

I managed to get a few shots while juggling baby, stroller, feeding, and loving!

Here is a little peek:

Those of you who have been reading the blog for a few years probably noticed the YOU ARE HERE picture. I had to include it because even though vacation can be busy I am still lucky enough to be here. I mean there. Well here and there.

We are off to Rome for a few days…I will see you when I return!

Many Hugs,

SN

For any of you who may have three kids, I am sure you can relate to what I have learned in the last few months. You see, when it was just two kids, I always felt like I could keep them both balanced. I have two hands and I could easily toss them back and forth between them and keep everyone pretty centered. Once you add number three you really have to get talented. I have taken a crash course in juggling. You can no longer hold each one in your hand and you constantly have one that is up in the air. There is a lot of time spent hoping that whoever happens to be up in the air at that moment, feels treasured, and well that they will stay happy for one more minute until you can toss another up in the air. Of course, all of this is just figurative, I could not possibly toss my 17 year old up into the air! But for many weeks I just couldn’t place why I felt so frazzled as a mother. Once it hit me that I was just juggling, and that everyone could have a little piece of me, I felt our family start to really come together. Now a few weeks later, and we are getting to be quite harmonious. I could have my own act in the circus!

Speaking of three… here is my little man at exactly three months old.

How time flies when you are juggling!

Until Soon,

SN

This week I picked up my oldest from school and out he walked carrying a BIG LETTER R. You know the ones that belong on those cool jackets. My mind instantly wondered how he got it, as he had not played in any high school sports. He opened up the car door and we both looked at each other with smiles as he said ” I Lettered in BEING SMART!”. Students with a GPA above a 3.8 all received a letter.

I beamed. I was so moved that he got a letter for his efforts. You see my oldest rocked his Junior year. This is the year where I backed up a little just to see how he would do. He amazed me. He took the hardest classes. got the best grades, took on an after school job, tutored elementary kids…I just sat back and watched this year in amazement. To see him blossom right before my eyes was such a dream come true.

This week I also spent some time reflecting on my sweet family of boys. My boys are spaced so far apart that we have spent many years as a family of three, then several as a family of four, and now as a family of five. I am just amazed at how I could not imagine my life without my four boys. Our family feels perfect. I feel blessed. This week the heart shaped petals have started falling again and I remembered a picture I had taken last year. I took a moment to capture four little heart shaped petals that were on my path, as we were a family of four. This year I realize that wasn’t it at all!  See that tiny little petal? I think that was a sign of something special coming. A sweet little edition to our family of boys. So now when I see this picture, I smile, as I see my love for FOUR amazing boys.

This week ends the school year at our house. The boys are ready for summer and so am I. Bring on the swimming pools, vacations, bbq’s, family and friends. This morning as I picked up from the weekend, I smiled as I saw this pile of books ready to be turned back into school…there is no better sign that school is almost over!

I hope you are enjoying these early summer days. Thanks for indulging me in my little details once again.

Now I am off to edit portraits like a crazy woman!!!

Many Loves,

SN