This April I have found myself thinking about two things over and over again.  The first, my children and the wonderful fact that I found and eliminated my melanoma skin cancer (April 06)  in time before it spread.  And the second, my photography.  April 09 is when I started my business “officially” and just 10 months prior to that when I purchased my first “real” camera!  These two events would change my life forever.    Owen was 10 mo old when I discovered my cancer and sissy was still a twinkle in her daddy’s eye.  Life could have been so different for all of us….but it’s not….and I am so GRATEFUL!  I will always continue on my path of learning everything I can to be and stay healthy…..and to help my family do the same.   And I never forget what a blessing it is to see my children grow and our family grow in so many ways.   My angels are the reason I became obsessed with photography…..and since I am their mama I just happen to think they are super CUTE….and I wanted their lives documented for them.   I could ramble on and on all day about this or that….because honestly it’s one of those days….but for your sake if you are reading this I won’t!     The point is, I have been thinking about the cancer and the beginning of my photography…..which prompted me to go back and look at my photos from when I just started taking pictures with a dslr.   I go back thru all my old photos every year at the same time….Owen’s birthday….Bella’s birthday…..and every April.

When thinking about April 2006, these next two photos represent so much to me.  This first one was taken the evening I found out the weird pink sunburnt looking mole on my arm taken off the week before was Melanoma.  My sister was with me that day to watch Owen while I went in to get the results….and when I came out I grabbed Owen and held him for dear life and cried and cried and cried.  I was so scared.   They were sure the cancer had been extracted in the biopsy, but we wouldn’t know for sure until the wide excision was done.  That night Ryan, Owen, and I were closer than ever.  My sister took a bunch of pictures of us 3 the next couple days.  Photos that are seriously priceless.

Being faced with cancer and the possibility of death….pictures took on a new meaning for us….at the time, we thought the pictures might be the only thing our sweet 10 month old would have to remember his mama by.  THANK God that wasn’t the case.  Daddy took this next one a couple days later….one of my favorite photos ever!   Shhhh!  don’t tell anyone, but Owen is a mama’s boy….always has been……he doesn’t LOOK like a mama’s boy – he looks oh so cool here……yes, he’s always been weird even at 10 mo old!…..but really we were just trying on some new bandana’s that would become a staple for us in the summer at the beach while swimming when we were not wearing our hats!  A new way of life for all of us.  Back then it was clear, life would never be the same as we knew it!  Just for the record, the pink bandana is mine!  

Fast forward to April 2009 and the start of Staci Bailey Photography.   Really….when I think of the beginning of my business….I don’t think of April 09….I think back to when I got my first “real” camera way back in June 08.  In scouring my old photos, I found a few that I loved back then….and still love today and thought I would share.   These next two were taken in June 08…just days after getting my camera…..I had SO MUCH to learn back then….exposure and composition were still a mystery to me, but I remember feeling so proud that I achieved some bokeh (the blurry background)  and the photos were in focus!   And of course I am obsessed with Bella’s eyelashes and Owen’s eyes. 

I took tons of pictures every day practicing and practicing…..now looking back I think I should have LOOKED at the photos because clearly my son needs a haircut!  EEK! 

Geez!  Poor guy!  These were taken in August TWO months later and his hair is even longer!  And with that hat, he is definitely in Gilligan status!  But I didn’t care…I think he’s cute no matter what….and my photography learning was continuing and I had FOUND the light!!!   I will never forget that day…..we were eating lunch with my grandma outside at Dover Bay and it just clicked for me!   I could “SEE” the light and could not be more excited!!!  I think I drove my kids and my grandma crazy from taking pictures the entire lunch….but I didn’t care….I had just taken another step forward in my photography!!!  Woo Hoo!!!   I love when I find spectacular light for Owen’s eyes….they just sparkle!

Sissy was about a year and a half and of course had no interest in looking at me, but that is OK.  She was (and is) beautiful so any angle I was happy with!   I had found the light and just wanted to take picture after picture!   I can see now the processing on my older photos was a bit much, but that is all in the process of learning and growing….which I hope I continue doing for a long time!

One thing that hasn’t changed from back then to now is how much these two love each other.  They are best buds and I am so thankful for that!   Owen is his sister’s protector and she is his never ending cheerleader….in fact I have been going a little crazy lately because Owen starts soccer this week.  It’s not the fact that my baby is beginning his first sport that is driving me bonkers….it’s the cheerleader of the house with her pom poms yelling cheers and practicing for Owen’s soccer games…..”Go Owen!  Go Owen! Go! Go! Go!” …..”Yeah! Owen’s soccer!  Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!”……these and many more have been ringing in my ears for days now.   The cheer practicing I could skip….but seeing it in person I can not wait for!  

Another favorite of mine from Aug 08…..showcasing those gorgeous eyes and the chubby baby cheeks that I love to kiss….sigh.  He’s barely 3 here and looks so grown up.    I know he wasn’t grown up back then, but today he is getting closer……just this weekend he started driving his 4 wheeler all by himself…I can’t believe it….yesterday I was changing his diapies and goo gooing at him….and today he starts soccer and can drive a 4 wheeler by himself!  OK….this post has officially gotten depressing!

Another milestone….FINALLY getting sissy’s hair into pigtails!

And just two short months after I purchased my first “real” camera….I got my first “real” photo that I was proud of then….and still so proud of today!  I just love this photo and had to post it.  Going back thru the oldies but goodies I ran across the original.  You have seen this photo before, but back then in my early days I was still learning and goofed by cutting off her little fingers when cropping the photo.   Excited to find the original and see that her fingers were in the original shot….I edited it again and now LOVE it even more!!!!  This one is going to get printed big very soon!  This photo represents so much to me……how far I had come in just two short months in my photography…..how lucky I was to have this little angel in my life along with her brother…..and how BEAUTIFUL she really is!  From the gorgeous eyes, chubby cheeks, button nose, full lips, long elegant fingers, her sweet personality shining thru, to the simple FACT that she is here….which means that I am alive and cancer free!

Thanks for going down memory lane with me today!  Hopefully I didn’t bore any of you to death…..now I have to go…..Bella just came into the office with quarter sized eyes and yelled “Something is ruffing!!!  The Dog!  The UPS man!”  Which means the UPS man has just delivered my 8×10’s I ordered for critique at the Baby as Art workshop!!!   I really can’t believe it’s just 3 short days away!!!!   Happy Wednesday!

xo

Staci