Top 11 in '11

2011 has been such a wonderful year. Finding the photos to best document our year was near impossible but I think I've got my favorites narrowed down but I could slip in another 30 or maybe even 100 easy.

 

I love this photo for so many reasons. I love how it shows what a hands-on dad my husband, Justin, is and how it perfectly captures how energetic and how much of a dare-devil our second son, Campbell, is.  

 

Love this photo of the final months of my pregnancy with my boys. It was such a hard pregnancy during a record-breaking heat wave in Texas and with it being my third, but I'd say it was well worth it. 

This photo was taken the same day and I just love how my oldest son, without us asking, posed like he's a natural model. This is right before he started kindergarten. He's such a sweet boy and says things that will absolutely melt your heart, especially his mama. 

 

And perhaps the biggest news this year was the addition our one and only baby girl, Landry. She is the sweetest and easiest baby. She was our Labor Day baby...how wild is it that I was in labor ON Labor Day? I love this photo so much and it's one that will definitely be in her baby book. What joy and happiness it shows the day that our family was complete. 

 

This was taken when Landry was only 7 days old. I took it while getting some professional shots done by a good friend. Hers were much better but I still love these that I was able to sneak in. Those lips are just amazing.

Landry is only 3 months now but knowing that she's my last just has me holding, snuggling and staring at her perhaps more than I did with any of them. It just makes me want to soak up every single second. 

The only other person who stares at her as much as me - if not more, would be my husband....who is putty in her hands. 

  

Every year we go to the pumpkin patch and every year I always get a favorite from the photos. The colors, the laughter, the feel of fall all make the perfect recipe for a great photo.

This was a photo tip I tried from Pinterest and I was just excited that it worked! I turned off all the lights in the house, maxed out my ISO, opened the aperture and used a slow shutter speed of 1/30.

 

I took this photo on Christmas Eve morning but this is a normal day. At least once a day I see the boys interacting with Landry in this way. I can't believe that they fight as much as they do but when it comes to her, they are unbelievably sweet. They call her "sweet baby girl" and will do anything to get a smile or laugh out of her. 

And here's our Christmas photo this year. The funny part is that we used a tripod and I had wireless remote shutter release in my hand to take this picture. My husband is insanely talented when it comes to Photoshop (he's a graphic artist) but I looked like I had a man hand so we decided to put a big "M" monogram to cover up my hand. Pretty resourceful, I thought.

Thanks for looking at my favorites this year and I can't wait to see what photos and memories our family will make in 2012!


  

Top 10 {Dad style}

 And here are the Top 10 reasons that I know that I married the best father for my children:

10. He makes me laugh...even at his crazy corny dad jokes. From day one I fell in love with his sense of humor and my boys think he's the funniest person alive. And life isn't worth living without laughter.

9. He puts up with my Forced Family Fun better known as FFF. Bluebonnets, family pictures ALL.THE.TIME, you name it...he's right there with me playing along even it it's torture for all of us.

8. He's a hands-on dad. Diaper changing, T-ball, bath time, cooking...

7. He's silly...like he can be down right run-through-the-sprinkler-like-a-5-year-old silly.

6. There's no doubt that my children love him because he loved them first.

5.  He looks up to his dad and everything his dad did for him during his childhood and wants to be just like him to our boys.

4.  He loves and respects me and isn't afraid to show our boys.

3.  He's INSANELY talented...it's really quite sickening. Artist, Athlete, Intelligent, Musical...he can do it all. Aaaannd, he wants to teach our boys.

2. He takes time to have to have one-on-one time with each of the boys so that they each feel like they're having some bonding time.

1. Lastly, because he's ..... just him. Everything about him. How could you not love this?

We love you, Justin. You are simply THE perfect father for our boys. I couldn't do it without you. Our family wouldn't be complete without you! Happy Father's Day!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com