Close Your Eyes, I've Got A Surprise...

(is what Ava used to say..)

Finally, after just a few tweaks :p, my new blog is live!! I'm so excited but even more nervous..It sounds silly but I'm a bit sad about leaving my Blogger site..even though I have copied all the posts and comments from here over to there..it still feels strange. What started out as a simple blog to share life with friends and family has become so much more to me, more than I can explain in this post, but you all know. So, I'm all sentimental and excited at once.

Please head on over, bookmark the new site and soon I will umm, probably close this one, I guess..(Ouch, it hurts to type that!)

S xxx

www.sheyerosemeyer.com/blog

Smiling.

I am.
How lucky do I feel? Very.

I never, ever expect the amazing support I get - you, you beautiful people, always catch me unaware and I sit back in amazement and wonder and gratitude. Thankyou.
So many reasons to smile.

All the beautiful words and thoughts and prayers and emails..making me feel less alone this week..the beautiful poems and stories shared..they all made a difference.

The sweetest butterfly earings from Krysta arrived, suprising me as I surely thought a box from Juicy could only mean one thing. Wrong, I was, and so glad for it because these are just perfect.

Sue sent me Coco. If you're not obsessed with Maileg as I previously divulged, you may not be aware that Coco is, in fact, a bunny. Though to describe her as that is so very inadequate for Coco is wearing a pink crochet frock, knickers and mary-janes. Are you with me now? See? But, even better, Coco arrived with her formal attire as well..A pink evening gown with tiara, silver knickers and silver shoes. Oh, and on a coathanger, of course. She is so, so divine and I cannot believe she is mine.




Lea sent me Bailea's Twingy skirt. It made me cry to see that fabric as I opened her parcel. Not sad tears, just overwhelmed tears. That I am so lucky to have such beautiful people in my life. She said for me to let Ivy play dressup in it. And isn't that just perfect? That the skirt that I had obsessed over and imagined would be worn to the most special of occassions would in fact end up in the dress up box. I love that it encompasses everything I know to be true now..That there is nothing more important than just letting your children live in the moment and being right there with them. Such a perfect gift.

The amazing photographer, Dee (Detra) did this beautiful, beautiful tribute for Ava. You only need to look at it to know what it meant to see it. I keep going back to stare at it some more. Dee, you took my breath away.


Jen sent me a rainbow. It started out as a card but it was more than that. On Ava's birthday last year, as we sat at the memorial garden, the sky gave us a beautiful rainbow. On Friday, as we drove away from the Gold Coast, the skies opened for the first time in weeks and it absolutely poured. We could not see in front of us for a few minutes while traffic almost halted on the highway. When it did clear though, the rainbow was glorious. The clearest and most vivid I had ever seen. When I got home, Jens card had arrived complete with the most gorgeous image of a rainbow and butterflies.

Kate gave me something so very beautiful that I'm keeping it for it's own post. It needs photos, lots of them.

And one more gift? Out of nowhere, Ivy called me "Miss Mummy". And suddenly, for the first time since February 2007, I remembered that Ava used to call me that. How I forgot, I don't know..but I did. And to hear those words again..my heart sings.

Our day was peaceful. We visited Paradise Kids and donated the money from the workshop registrations and attended Parent Group. It was nice to see everyone.
We then went to Ava's garden and released balloons and stayed a while.
A simple, quiet day that didn't feel right but didnt' feel wrong either and that is a huge baby step forward from last year.

Thankyou, again, so very much to all of you.

Love,
Ava's Mummy.
xx

A day.

There was a day.

When I first knew of you.
A little earlier than expected.
And my heart skipped.
And I cried with suprise.

There was a day.
When I was told you were she.
Which I truly could not believe.
And my heart sang.
And I cried with gratitude.

There was a day.
When you arrived so quietly.
You. Finally. It was you.
And my heart burst.
And I cried with happiness.

There was a day.
When I bought you a tutu.
Pink, and sparkly, of course.
And my heart danced alongside you.
And I cried with love.

There was a day.
Like any other day.
Except you left for Heaven.
And my heart broke.
And I cried. Endless tears.

There was a day.
It was yesterday.
Ivy said she wanted to ring you.
And my heart ached.
And Daddy cried.

There was a day
That should have been your birthday.
We'll celebrate it anyway.
But our hearts mourn.
And tears, we still cry.

My darling Ava.

No matter how much I want to celebrate your birth on this day, it is so buried underneath the sorrow of what should have been.

You should be excited.
You should be here.
You should be five.

I can only imagine what you might have looked like now, what toys you would have
loved, what cake you would have wanted. Would your squeals sound older? Would your hair be longer? Would you have had a party?

I bought a pinata..a Dora one. And a tiara. And so many balloons. Be ready to catch them, won't you?

Happy Birthday, my little Superprincess.

Iloveyousomuch.
Mumma. xx

Reason # 187 Why I Love My Job.

Because I get to spend time with some of the most beautiful people.
Oh, how very sweet these girls were...it wasn't always easy to take their photos because they wanted to walk holding my hand the whole time! I wasn't complaining!
And, how gorgeous are their names? It was very, very hard not to take them both home.

Sweet distraction.

I'm working..really, I am. In fact, I'm starting to think sleep is incredibly inconvenient.
I just came across this little collage I'd made back in December 06. {I've uploaded it bigger, just click to see it properly.}

Ava begged for baked beans. I knew she'd hate them. We spent a good few minutes debating back and forth with her insisting she really, really wanted the baked beans. And, as predicted, she hated them.

I remember the day so clearly.

Ten Things {I love about Mummoo}

1. She can shop like no-one else I know. The Orginal and The Best. Cooking? Cleaning? Budgeting? My mother taught me none of these...she raised me to understand that as long as the shops were open for trading, nothing else mattered.

2. She puts everyone else before her. I once read a quote that said "My mother was put on Earth for the sole purpose of being my mother". When I think of it, I think of her.

3. She gets every single bug my kids lovingly gather up and pass to her yet she still lets them in the door.

4. She goes to Crabtree and Evelyn for my nighties.

5. She's my advice line for interior design, medical emergencies, current sales, good restaurants and all things sensible.

6. She knows my limitations and tries to gently steer me from my ever-changing (and often poorly thought out) notions.

7. She lives down the road. {A dream, literally, come true}.

8. She's 100% trooper. When the going gets tough...well, you know. So many days, she's been my firefly.

9. She always has good cheese and great wine in the house.

10. She's the Mum I want to be when I grow up.


Mummoo, I love you.

S xx

Evolve Registrations.

For Explore participants wanting to register for Evolve:

After losing the battle with Paypals Email Link Function Thingo yesterday, I've reinstated the registration link on the Evolve webpage..just go right ahead and register..I will email out a receipt.

http://www.eyecandyworkshops.com/evolve.html

I have allowed extra places for Explore participants and will leave registration open another week.

Thankyou to all, once again! Not long until Explore starts!!

S x

Lewis & Daddy

I knew I'd love Lewis when his Mum informed me early on that he usually does the opposite of what all the other kids are doing. Sounds like a little person destined for big things to me :)



And this just makes me miss having really little boys..


S xx

ps My Inbox has a nasty habit of fainting lately..Although I've revived it again this morning, please be patient if I owe you a reply - I'm working through the backlog over the next few days.

**Eye Candy - Some of you have written to ask about doing Evolve after Explore which I know was the intention of quite a few of the Explore participants - I have set aside places for those who've asked already and will be emailing those people tomorrow - if you haven't yet asked and want to be included in Evolve, please let me know asap.

Jasper.

I just love this image of freshly-baked baby Jasper. His weary, confused expression totally strikes a chord with me today!

Welcome to the {or is it my} World, little one :)

Ma petite fille Ivy

It's so cold. Freezing even. I simply do not cope with anything other than warm sunny days where I can roam around in sunfrocks and flip flops..Winter makes me miserable. Even I thought I looked ridiculous last night as I headed to bed in 2 singlets, 2 woolen jumpers, trackpants, wooly socks and even woolier scarfe. I could barely move all night for the ten layers of blankets. I knew I was cold when I even took the fan off high. (You might recall my must-have-the-fan-on-high-no-matter-what quirk.)

It seems it is possible to brave the cold in something much more chic though - Ivy went out shopping with her Daddy and got to try out her new beret and knee socks (Janie and Jack) from Sweet Ms Krysta.



It's been a slightly exhausting week - one of those where you just put one foot after another, with sniffly nose and an endless to-do list, and hope it all works out in the end. The fact that it's now August does not help - Ava's birthday looms and clouds my thoughts, making the days just a little more difficult than usual.

On a happy note, Kate bought me a pinhole camera which makes me smile every time I see it - I can't wait to play with some film, it's been forever. Here's us girls hamming it up in the photo-booth last week.

I also, thanks to Krysta once again (that girl knows how to shop), have developed a Juicy charm fixation. Seriously, these things are SO cute..I can't stop Googling and my list of must haves is growing by the day...

I was very restrained though, here is what I have so far..


Ballet shoes for Ava..

and this mirror 'cause it's sweet. I have a thing for pretty mirrors.

I have no doubt that less here but I can't resist them - I've seen a bluebird and I'm doomed.

I'll be back with client photos tomorrow - I've had some lovely shoots lately.

S xx

There's No Place Like Home

Going away is lovely - coming home is even better. Own sheets, own coffee cup, own everything. Bliss.

It seems the more images I have to share, the less time I have to do just that so I'm sorry for the slow blogging. It's been crazy busy of late and I'm straight back into it with shooting solid for the next week - hopefully I can actually show some evidence of that here soon!

Speaking of busy, I'm afraid I've had to make the decision to close registrations for both workshops as of today. I am genuinely thankful for the huge response and want to make sure I can give as much time to every participant as possible so I apologise to those who might have missed out. It's possible I will run these again in the new year. To everyone who's registered, thankyou so much! I'm really looking forward to getting started..

S xx