Thank you all for your continued support during all these fab years of business! What a whirlwind it has been, and I have loved meeting and cuddling all your babies and kids through the years. Such fun to watch them grow and celebrate their milestones with photographic art.

Please check back often for our re-opening…

Such a crazy fall. Something always has to fall by the wayside in the busy season, and this year, like most, it’s the blog! I haven’t had a minute even to rebuild and rebrand it as the new Jane Photo, but I am hopeful that by January 1 everything will be retooled for the new year with a fab new focus on digital collections! To those I’ve promised blog entries, I’m sorry that I haven’t been able to get to them yet. Hopefully I’m getting caught up on sessions, though, and orders for the holidays!

And meantime, thanks to all you wonderful families who supported the biz this year and made it the success it is…such an honour working with you all.

This lil’ tyke has the sweetest darn family, I swear, the loveliest parents and the loveliest big sisters who were just meeting him for the very first tme at our photo session! They were sooo good with him. He was just four days old, and only contented wrapped up tight…too adorable for words. I put him in the cool new sweater I had just finished knitting, but it was a bit small for him at over 8 pounds. Otherwise, he just loved all the soft warmth.

Here is sweet Mr J at 7 months. I photographed him as a newborn, when he was uncommonly lovely, and he is still an amazingly gorgeous boy. He has awesome doggies at home, and he also has awesome parents.

His mommy shares these words:

Your gorgeous little guy has been growing like spit. How much does he weigh now at 7 months?

22 lbs – yes that is a lot, but he is also quite tall at 28.75”. In terms of weight and height, he is in the 93rd and 94th percentile respectively

Your family was able to visit from overseas. How was it for them meeting their grandson for the first time? Tell us about their visit.

They were absolutely delighted to finally meet Mr. J and could not believe that I was able to hand him to them to hold him at the airport and he did not cry but gave them a great big smile. They did not want to let go of him! We totally enjoyed their visit, especially Mr. J who got to spend so much time in his Opa’s arms, listening to him telling him all about the birds, flowers, etc., going for long walks with my parents and getting lots of cuddles from Oma. My parents and us could not believe how much Mr. J had grown in the 7 weeks they were here. They were happy to have been around when he learned to crawl, eat solids, pull himself up to stand and cut his first two teeth. It is amazing how quickly they develop! It was wonderful for us as well, because we got spoiled as well with wonderful cooking, help with chores around the house and great company. It is always great to have helping hands when you have a little one around, and it was difficult to have them leave again. We are looking forward to their next visit already!

Can you tell us a few of Mr J’s favourite things?

Mr. J loves his stuffed Bernese Mountain Dog and his two real Bernese Mountain Dog friends and playing peek-a-boo. He likes to constantly be on the move and enjoys listening to his mom sing to him. Mr. J also likes to cuddle a lot with his mom and dad! He also likes to eat solids, and sometimes also likes to wear the food. Bath time is one of his favourite things as is an important part of his bedtime routine. Skip a bath and it is tough to get him to sleep!!

How has it been for you and your hubby as new parents? Are their any joys or challenges you’d like to share?

It has been absolutely great and enjoyable – better than we ever imagined. Some sleepless nights, when the teeth are cutting through have been a challenge, but thankfully it did not last too long. The nice moments definitely make up for the hard times. Especially when he lies in bed besides me and then turns to me, puts my face in his hands and plants a great big kiss on my cheek! Or when we play peek-a-boo and he giggles so loud and hard that he almost chokes on his own saliva – just priceless moments!

What are your hopes and wishes for Mr J over the next, say, two years?

That he continues to grow and thrive like he is doing right now, as well as that he stays as healthy and happy go lucky as he is.

Do you have any advice for other moms of little boys?

Enjoy them as much as you can – the hugs, the cuddles, the kisses, the laughs and giggles. I am sure when they are older there will come a time when they don’t want to be seen cuddling with mom anymore!

And make sure to cover them when changing their diapers to avoid a surprise shower

This lil’ darlin’ came to see us at three weeks…a little bit on the senior side for newborn images, but such an adorable little pumpkin. I just lost my heart to him and to his beautiful big bro, too!

Say hello to the brilliant Mr M, my sweetie-pie nephew, who made his way into our world in early September while Joy and I paced like anxious dads in the waiting room. We got to chat with the most awesome 12-year-old, Amanda, who wants to be a writer when she grows up, and she really helped us pass those wee hours (and Amanda, I hope your mom and the baby are doing well). When we went in to greet little Mr M after he was born, our hearts just swelled with love and pride. Way to go, J and R! It was a hard delivery, but my sister-in-law was really amazing through it all. We took my father-in-law, 88, back out to meet him a couple days later when the new family was safely home, and at dinner afterwards, Dad was heard to exclaim that little M was very good looking. Not just regular good looking, but special good looking! Joy and I totally agree. He is the first grandson on both sides of the family (though Joy’s dad has five grown granddaughters).

Here are some words from the brand new mama:

Your new son arrived a little late…what were your thoughts and hopes as you waited to go into labour?

We were getting anxious to meet our baby and hoping that everything was ok. We were booked to be induced on Sept 2nd and sure enough I went into labour the night before and he came on his own time on Sept 2nd.

Were you working right up until the end?

Yes, I actually worked past my due date. I always felt, right from the beginning, that he would be late.

How did you know you were in labour?

I was feeling a little unsettled when I went to bed that night and by 1 a.m. mild contractions started. I walked and walked all through the night to keep things progressing (I did not want to be induced).

Did you have a natural birth?

Yes, we were very happy that everything went ok and we had a natural birth. It was long and painful but knowing that we would soon have a baby kept us both going.

How long was your labour? When did you go home?

My labour was about 22 hours from start to finish. Since he was born at 11:29pm Thursday, they kept us in until Saturday afternoon.

How was the first week at home with little Mr M?

It was crazy, we were both going constantly and there was so much to do for this new little person.

Were you surprised by anything in the experience of new parenting?

I would say that we were unprepared for how demanding it really is and how tired we would be.

Is there a time you watch your hubs with his son that just melt you completely?

It is so cute when they are hanging out and watching sports together… baby is feeding and hubby is watching sports.

What is your favourite thing, so far, about being a mom?

Having this little person depend on you for everything and watching them change and develop every day.

Is there anything you’re finding challening about being a mom?

Lack of sleep!

Is little Mr M keeping you up at night?

Oh, yes.

Do you have any advise for other pregnant moms about to be in your shoes?

Relax and don’t be too hard on yourself.

What do you wish for Mr M as he grows?

We want him to be happy and to enjoy whatever he does.

Every mom of little girls–and little guys– should jump and down for joy! Now there’s an awesome local company, Playpants, where you can order bloomers for your little ones in great fabrics like organic cotton and recycled hemp. Hot, hot, hot!

I love these things! My gals played rough and tumble, and with bloomers under their dresses, I would have had no worries!

There are three of you. Who are you?
We’re Rachel Boguski, Anna Day and Zoe Flower – three mothers,
longtime friends and, now, entrepreneurs. We are also fans of
soft-rock ballads and theme parties.

How did you come to start Playpants?
We each have daughters and as friends and mothers, we share a lot of
information. Where is a good playground for a one-year-old? What kind
of baby shampoo do you use? Can I buy pack of baby bloomers? And when
the answer to the latter was no, we knew we were onto something. We
all dressed our daughters in bloomers, and we all had the same
problems with inconsistent sizing, quality and design – yet they were
wardrobe essentials. As quickly as we could finish our playdate we had
conceived a line of affordable modern baby bloomers for girls and boys
(we have sons too!) to fit infants and toddlers.

Tell us about the company’s name.
We can’t lie about this one. Rachel’s husband came up with it. He’d
make a good dadpreneur. Is that a word? If not, we came up with it.

When did you get the business up and running?
Within a few days after the idea was born, we worked hard to create
our business plan, learn about manufacturing, find suppliers and
develop our product. The concept was born in September 2009 and we
launched our product in April 2010.

What is the response?
We hear a lot of the word cute! We were fortunate to have a lot of
support from friends, family and media to help spread the word about
Playpants very early on, so we have surprised ourselves with how much
we’ve achieved in such a short time. What makes us happiest is seeing
babies and toddlers wearing our bloomers and the feedback we’ve
received from mothers – as it turns out, we weren’t the only ones
wondering where to buy bloomers!

Where do you sell your bloomers?
Playpants are available at 14 retailers (and counting!) in BC,
Alberta, Quebec and online.

Things you’d like the public to know about Playpants…
Playpants came to be because we were tired of looking at our
children’s diapers and we wanted to bring the bloomer back! There are
so many ways to wear Playpants year round – over tights, under a
dress, on their own – and they make great cloth and swim diaper
covers. What we love is seeing the way they’re being worn in photos we
receive from moms (keep them coming!).

How many children do you have between you, and what ages?
Zoe’s has the oldest and the youngest in daughters V (3.5) and
H (3 months). Anna has a daughter C (3.5) and son D
who just turned 2. Rachel has a son G (also 3.5!) and a daughter
T (1). All have certainly been great models for us, and we’re
looking forward to our toddler line so we can get our older girls back
into them!

How do you find wrangling parenting and small business ownership?
We are mothers first, business owners second. It can be challenging at
times, like when you have no choice but to bring your child (or
children) to meetings or when you’re on the phone with a screaming
child within earshot – but it can be done. Most importantly, we know
we’re not alone – in fact we wouldn’t be where we are today if we
were.

Do you have any tips for other new moms thinking of beginning small businesses?
Don’t just think about it, do it! Take advantage of your friends and
family who are there to support you. And know it’s not going to be
easy, but it will be the most important job you have (well, second
most important).

Where do you see the business going over the next five years?
We’re going to continue to grow our brand awareness and build our
retail base. We’re excited to be expanding our distribution to the US
in January 2011 – a big step for us! We like to keep things fresh, so
we will be introducing new styles for spring as well as toddler sizing
to fit up to age 6.

Thanks, D family, for the delight of photographing week old Ms K. She was the most smiley baby I’ve ever worked with, off in a sleepy land of bliss. Her grins and chortles and giggles must surely have signified perfect dreams. Do you wonder what newborns dream of? I know I do. Their experience is as tiny as they are, yet some of them seem to bubble over with happiness. Like little Ms K, my second daughter was the most delighted newborn…

Here are some loving words from mom:

Your little girl, Ms K, arrived in mid-August. Were you over the moon?

We were ecstatic! It had been a long pregnancy due to some unforeseen complications so by the time our daughter arrived we felt so lucky and thankful that she was here all perfect and healthy!

How early was she?

She arrived 2 and 1/2 weeks early.

I understand you were on bed rest for most of your pregnancy. Was it a huge challenge for you? What did you do to occupy your time?

I have to be truthful, bedrest was  not easy!  But when you keep the end goal in sight it is more manageable. I made sure I kept a regular schedule which helped keep some normalacy in my life. I read books/magazines,tried to learn some new hobbies and visited with friends. The internet was a lifesaver, particularily connecting with other women who were having similar experiences.
 
How does hubs feel about having a new little one at home? Is there one particular moment when you see the two of them together that just turns you into a puddle of love?

My husband is over the moon about having a little girl. I love seeing them together, especially when I see how gentle he is with her. The other night he was rocking her to sleep and they made such a beautiful scene.
 
Does Ms K sleep well for a little one?

She sleeps well during the day….unfortunately the nights are a bit rough but we are getting through it. She is definitely a night owl like her mom!

Have you noticed any changes in her yet?

She seems to change week by week, she is definitely more alert now and her personality is starting to show as well.

You brought in some very special wedding garments for us to lay the baby in; can you tell us about those?

We brought in my wedding lengha (skirt) and the sherwani (scarf) that my husband wore the day we got married. We thought that it would be wonderful to have a picture of our daughter in the clothing that we wore when we started our life together.

What are you most looking forward to over the next year of parenting?

I am looking forward to watching our daughter grow and go through all those “firsts”. It will be amazing to see her change and her personality develop as she grows during this year. Though I think it may be a bit bittersweet to see my little “peanut” grow up as well

Just back from a wonderful, amazing, terrific, magnifique week in Paris, so apologies for not getting anything up on the blog last week.

I met up with the darling Ms J for a just-her photo shoot earlier in July, and she couldn’t have been cuter or more pleasant to work with. When she had her ice cream in hand, she was all giggles and goofiness, and I love the captures. These, again, are Jane Photo wardrobe, which I was thrilled to be able to loan to Ms J.

I simply couldn’t call it a day without a snap of Ms J’s little bro as he munched on his ice cream. He is just sooo adorable.

Our July fundraising drive is for the Cassidy’s Craft Campaign. Cassidy Briggs is a little 8-year-old Surrey girl who died in January of liver cancer. There weren’t enough craft materials at Children’s Hospital during her stays, so all on her own initiative, she started a charity drive to purchase supplies. Now that she’s gone, the charity is continuing, and all little sick kids will have this sweet gift from Cassidy. We are pleased to offer Cassidy’s Craft Campaign $1 for every comment received on this blog during the month of July, 2010. So come one, come all! Send your friends and family to this blog to leave a comment. It’s such a little thing, but it can make such a big difference. We are happy to send the hospital a cheque for up to $200 at the end of the month, depending on how many comments you leave.

Tell us about Ms J.  How old is she?

J is 5 old years.  Cannot believe time has passed so quickly!
 

Tell us about her little brother.  How do the two get along?

They are the best of friends most of the time but like any siblings, they have their moments.  I love that they are born close together (17 months apart) and will not remember life without one another. 
 

Are you stopping at two children, or are you continuing on?

I actually wrote a blog post entitled “Is 3 the new 2?”  To make a long story short, the jury is still out.  We also just got a black lab puppy which I think is my husband’s way of trying to distract me from having the should we/shouldn’t we convo.

Ms J is headed for school in the autumn.  Is she looking forward to it?  What do you think her favourite subject will be?  Will your heart break seeing her go off into this new, big-kid stage?

My heart is already breaking.  I was a mess at her preschool graduation.  So proud but also so blown away at how quickly she has grown up.  At first she didn’t want to go to the big kids school but since some of her friends from preschool are going, I think she will be fine.  If she is like her mother, PE will be her fave class.  She also seems to really love art!  Hopefully she takes after her father because I struggle to draw stick people. 

What is your favourite thing about having two children?  

Everything.  They are incredibly full on, so loving, adaptable and I feel like I am reliving my childhood through them at times.   They absolutely keep me on my toes, which I love.  I learn from them every day and cannot get enough of their kisses, cuddles, tickles and hugs!

What is the most frustrating thing for you?

In general, it is the workload and the overflowing plate and number of balls to juggle.  At times it feels like I am not doing anything well but I recognize this is a choice I make (to be busy and to say yes when I should sometimes say no).  Ultimately though, I have control over the decisions I make or the path I choose, even if the decision is to live life permanently OUT OF CONTROL.

You run your own business, Raspberry Kids.  How it is balancing the two sides of your life?  Any advice for other moms out there trying to walk that tightrope?

I don’t believe balance exists, at least not for me. Therefore, I am not in a position to give advice to other moms other than to say make sure you love what you do.  The long hours, commitments, responsibility are acceptable because I truly enjoy what I do.

Ms J’s favourite things in the whole world are:

I just gave J a call and asked her this very question and her response was:  ”Princesses and the Diamond Castle”.  On her behalf, I would also add the color pink. 

Ms J loves her:

J loves her dresses which I am sure you will find as no surprise considering how willingly she performed all the wardrobe changes on our photo shoot.

Bac

This little lovey is exactly (exactly) what is meant by the expression “the camera loves her.” She’s just so photogenic. Ms J was in the studio early in the spring for family photos, and it was a treat to follow up with a session just for her! I love the hazy, summery, vintage feel to these, and when I look at Ms J with the globe, I really do think she’s gazing into her future. Wonder where it will take her? Ms J is seen in Jane Photo wardrobe, and this is available for your little girls when you book a session with us!

Our July fundraising drive is for the Cassidy’s Craft Campaign. Cassidy Briggs is a little 8-year-old Surrey girl who died in January of liver cancer. There weren’t enough craft materials at Children’s Hospital during her stays, so all on her own initiative, she started a charity drive to purchase supplies. Now that she’s gone, the charity is continuing, and all little sick kids will have this sweet gift from Cassidy. We are pleased to offer Cassidy’s Craft Campaign $1 for every comment received on this blog during the month of July, 2010. So come one, come all! Send your friends and family to this blog to leave a comment. It’s such a little thing, but it can make such a big difference. We are happy to send the hospital a cheque for up to $200 at the end of the month, depending on how many comments you leave.

I am more than thrilled to introduce my brother-in-law, J, and his wife, R.  After patiently waiting quite a few years, they are having their first baby!  It couldn’t be better news.  My father-in-law insists they know the gender of the baby, but they actually don’t.  The rest of us have all had girls, every one as of mid-July grown fully up, so welcoming a little boy would send everyone over the moon.  And if it’s another girl, well then, we know how to handle those.  Plus, no question that photographically speaking girls are a ton of fun…

We started in the studio, then drove down to Spanish Banks to round things out.  These guys are soooooooo in love, it is just so sweet.  And R is glowing, I swear.  A lightbulb.

Please be generous and leave a comment on this post if you are reading this, because we are trying to help out Cassidy’s Craft Campaign this month. Cassidy Briggs is a little 8-year-old Surrey girl who died in January of liver cancer. There weren’t enough craft materials at Children’s Hospital during her stays, so all on her own initiative, she started a charity drive to purchase supplies. Now that she’s gone, the charity is continuing, and all little sick kids will have this sweet gift from Cassidy. We are pleased to offer Cassidy’s Craft Campaign $1 for every comment received on this blog during the month of July, 2010. So come one, come all! Send your friends and family to this blog to leave a comment. It’s such a little thing, but it can make such a big difference. We are happy to send the hospital a cheque for up to $200 at the end of the month, depending on how many comments you leave.

Here are some words of wisdom from the mom-to-be:

You and hubs have been trying to conceive for some time.  Was the pregnancy a big surprise?

Yes, we were completely surprised and feel so blessed by having this baby.

How has the pregnancy been going?

Really well. I have had such an easy time, no morning sickness. I was just tired in the first trimester and after that time have been feeling energetic.

Any words of advice for other first-time moms-to-be out there?

Enjoy this special time, people treat you differently & share their experiences with you. It is also a nice time to do some special things with your spouse like some weekend getaways.

What has been the best part about being pregnant?

Just knowing that there is a child growing within you and we can’t wait to meet this little person.

What has been the most challenging?

Picking names for our baby. We are still debating this issue.

What are you most looking forward to in being a mom?

Having my maternity leave to be with the baby, getting to know them, nurturing them with lots of love.

What is hubs most looking forward to in being a dad?

He is looking forward to doing things with them such as playing and teaching them to play all sports

Do you know if you are having a boy or girl?

Nope, it will be the big surprise

When are you due?

August 23rd

Do you have plans for your labour?

Staying at home as long as I can and keeping active

Any special cravings?

Not really, I like my ice cream fix but I don’t think that I can blame that on pregnancy.