182/365 The Next Nick Kyrgios?

So, that was pretty cool!

Timing in nicely for us - 19 year old Australian Nick Kyrgios just beat world number one Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon this week - and Kingsley Tiger was at Tennis Camp!

And while I'm not sure that KT will ever meet those illustrious heights in his own tennis career I love that little moments like this; moments full of excitement and inspiration, might spark something - something unknown and invisible to us - in their tender hearts. Possibly setting them on their own life's mission.

And my mind leads me to think of Maria Montessori's words:

"The child is an enigma... 
he has the highest potentialities, 
but we do not know what he will be".

The concept being that we must never presume that what our children need is a replica of our own knowledge and experience. That we can not know the child's potential - for it is grander than our minds will ever imagine. 

But...

In reality, I often find myself doing just the opposite. Expecting my boys to do things the way I do them, expecting them to have the same priorities and needs, to listen to me even when I am completely aware that I am flawed in many ways - I may be a perfectionist but there is certainly no perfection to be seen!! Lol.  I feel like I am constantly torn between saving their potential and saving my own sanity! { No playing football in the house / Violin practice tonight no questions / Eat your vegetables / Blah blah blah ;) }. Oh God.

So I take a deep breath and remind myself that everything is going to be okay. Allow yourself to make mistakes and forgive them - and yourself - when things fall short of your own ideals.  Give them love, responsibility and opportunity but try not to stifle them with expectation or demands. Show them respect so that they can learn to respect themselves and others, and give them freedom  - with limits.

I wrote about the positive aspects to the challenges that parenting - and life in general! - throw at us yesterday too { My Firstborn Son } so I guess it's playing on my mind! It's not a surprise really seeing that it's the school holidays is it? Hahaha. We're all getting used to being with each other 24/7 again after our huge shift from home-school to school-life in the past few months.

Tennis camp is over and the wimbeldon-excitement is already fading from conversation. Today was all about handball, M.I. High, exploring the creek, eating lamingtons, playing with friends and highlights from the World Cup. Who knows what will steal their energy and minds tomorrow?!... but yeah, I'm looking forward to it :)

What is exciting and inspiring you and your family today? 

Amber. XO

181/365 My Firstborn Son.

My sweet boy. My firstborn son. 

Not yet a man-child... but heading that way. You are such a funny animated kid. But when I capture you like this, all brown eyes and earnestness, my heart leans in just a little.

I love you.

You will never stop challenging me I know that much by now! But I also know that that is what parenting is all about - being challenged.

At first the challenge is how to keep the precious little bundle of venerable sweetness you find in your arms warm and fed and happy and alive! And then the challenge morphs and it's all about keeping cups of tea away table-edges and dog water-bowls out of reach. Then it becomes the challenge of choosing an education with your own unique personalities in mind.

And on life moves...

We are always reaching and stretching to accommodate the new challenges that we find in our paths. And the challenges are not just yours my darling boy. They are mine too. And daddy's. And every.single.person's.

They are life's challenges. Because that is what being alive is all about. Reaching. Growing. Changing. 

So, I'm just sitting here with a stream of Winter sunshine burning the back of my neck and saying some quiet words of gratitude to you. You brought me to life. Just as I brought you to life and I am slowly, ever-so-slowly, becoming a better person because of you. Thank you Buster.

--

How have life's challenges changed you for the better? What brought you to life? Please share your stories. Amber. XO

This is Ten

This is M.

Buster and M went to kindergarten together :) And suddenly - apparently she is TEN. 10! Ahhhh, that's right - Buster is ten too... * mind explodes * !! I can't even keep up - where did all of these amazing almost-as-tall-as-me young people come from?!

I love ten.

Buster teaches me new things every single day. I love watching him grow, expand, change. But it was extra-lovely spending time with a ten year old girl. Funny, smart, with a mind of her own! Very cool.

This was a bit of a spontaneous sunshine photo-shoot, the same afternoon I took Atlas and Everest's photos in Byron { yes! M's lovely mama Michelle is the mutual friend I mentioned sharing with Claire }. The light was just too perfect not to - so I asked her { and her mum! } and we took photos for five minutes. That's all. But I really do like them...

The sunshine girl! This is ten.

Beautiful Byron Bay-Bali Breastfeeding Buddha Babes: Atlas & Everest | Part 2

Following up from last night's post { Atlas and Everest | Part 1: Sleep } here is the rest of the dreamy baby-bliss...

"... a little child, born yesterday, 
A thing on mother's milk and kisses fed..."  

Homer.
From 'Hymn to Mecury' translated from Greek.

There's actually a part 3 {hahahaha, yeah I know I suck at editing them down - but do you blame me?! ;) } in the works too - which includes some more formal family shots I took when everyone woke up and got dressed. 

But these are the photos that I somehow imagined taking when the idea to photograph Claire came into my head. Tender, intimate and true. 

I think Claire says it best:

"It was spontaneous and wonderful. The boys were napping, and she just started snapping pics. She caught the boys in a way I've been trying to imprint on my mind forever. Every crease, every corner of their tiny bodies. Without talking, she snapped the pics my heart has been wanting. To blow up big. And hold forever. Thank you @ambermelody. Thank you universe. Thank you instagram, and this incredible community. I'll never forget them [as they were then] now".

Yes we met on instagram :) 

I had suggested that I come over during their nap-time but baby Everest woke up during the shoot { he actually kept opening his eyes while he was asleep too! Classic. You can see one of those images in yesterday's post here. Too cute. And very funny } and Claire picked him up to feed him and settle him back into sleep. 

I checked to make sure she was okay for me to keep shooting while she nursed him. She was. In fact, she was happy for me to share the photos here too so I kind of think we are all a little bit privileged :) A little bit of baby-mama breastfeeding magic { I wish I had photos like this from when my babies were still little }.

And yeah, while Atlas slept the whole way through, Everest - or Sochi as they call him - didn't go back to sleep. Whoops! Sorry Claire ;) I think he was a little surprised when he finally registered my camera and I { scroll to the bottom of the post! } hahahah #cute but really... he only had eyes for his mama. As it should be. Love. 

Amber. XO

p.s. I have a new facebook like button at the bottom of each post! 

Can you see it's lil' blue self there? Please click on it and share the love :) 

Merci beaucoup! xx

Atlas & Everest | Part 1: Sleep

You learn something about yourself everyday. 

Today I learnt how bad I am at editing down a shoot when I love so many of the photos!

But ahhhh... some times you just have to go with your gut. So here is PART 1 of the lifestyle / baby-loving / family / general cutesville shoot I did in Byron of lovely Atlas and Everest - and their Mama - last week days before they flew back to Bali { yes I am breaking up the images into multiple posts in an attempt not to overwhelm you all! Lol. Let me know if that works out }. Scrummy baby deliciousness. Can you tell I miss my own two baby nephews?!

So, here are they are. The sleeping babes. Guess what happens in part two... ;)

XO

MORE:

+ I Only Have Eyes For You. The sneak-peak ;)
+ Beautiful Byron Bay - Bali Breastfeeding Buddha Babes : Atlas & Everest | Part 2

p.s. I have a new facebook like button at the bottom of each post! 

Can you see it's lil' blue self there? Please click on it and share the love :) 

Merci beaucoup! xx