Amanda Mitchell Photography: 6, 7, & 8 months...where have I been?!

Looking for my head...

This past summer was a blur. Stress, upon more stress. Just like your awkward middle school years you wish you could forget...

As for stress I can tell you how my body handles it. FOOD. Mainly sweets. It has taken me longer to lose the baby weight with baby #2. Sure, you can chalk it up to having zero time to get any exercise (weight lifting for sure...18 lb infant and 25 lb toddler), but when you take into consideration the amount of weight I've lost in nearly 4 weeks, I'm probably on the same weight loss track with my 1st kid or better! And our scale broke during the move, so I really have no idea how much I've lost. All I know is the clothes are getting looser! And the coveted pants I want to wear again I can get snapped AND zipped...but excuse the muffin top....there are a few more laps around the neighborhood to be walked before they fit comfortably.

Why in 4 weeks? It has been 4 weeks since we moved into *OUR* home. Not my parents' home. Not the rental. But OUR home. The first home Nate and I picked out as a married couple....for our family. The first home that FITS us. All 4 of us. And all my photography stuff. And all my craft stuff. And Nate's baseball cards from childhood. Aw, I can't make it seem like it is MY house...he does have some 'junk' taking up space.

But I digress...there's just no better feeling than arriving at your final destination. Especially when it is home...well, our home here on Earth. It feels like the stress has just melted away. I really cannot fathom how children handle it. I taught at an elementary school which had a pretty transit population...in/out of school district, in/out state and country. Even with my 2 year old son I could tell he wasn't settled. He didn't mind so much living with his Nana and Papa. But I could tell he didn't like the rental home at all. He had all his 'stuff' to make it his room. His toys. His bed. His blankets. His pillow. Everything. But somehow he knew it wasn't 'home.' For two months straight he would wake up every night and be scared of something. For two months straight in the morning and want to go 'bye bye.' He didn't care where. We could drive around New Circle Road, hit up the McD's drive through. He just didn't want to be in that house. Fortunately it was summer and we had the family pool pass - so we spent several days at the pool this summer. Or Target. Eating popcorn. I've created a monster now. When we pull into Target's parking lot he squeal's with delight, " opcorn!"

And I digress again...but since we moved into our new home, he hasn't once begged to go 'bye bye.' Somehow he knows. And what about Lauren? Ha, I think she could care less! I do not believe all the change affected her like it affected the other 3 Mitchells.

And speaking of Lauren, here are her 6, 7, and 8 month pictures. Honestly 6/7 were taken together...pretty much two weeks apart because like I said...that's how life was this summer. What a story to tell her when she gets older. And she turns 9 months tomorrow...so more pictures to come soon! Yay!