September Goals

Guys, I'm officially the worst at blogging these days. I was recently listening to Jenna Kutcher's Goal Digger podcast with Rhiannon Bosse about walking through some new/tough/different seasons of life and it really hit home. I realize I touch on this a little bit each month in my goals post, but I'm still walking through this new season and trying to sort it all out. 

Sometimes I'll catch old Lane berating herself for not getting 37 things crossed off her to do list one day and the next I'll be in a more relaxed place ready to devote 100% of my attention to my little guy instead of trying to multitask. Guys, it's a fine line. This work-from-home-mom thing is not for the faint of heart.

Again and again, month after month I think there's no reason to keep up with the goal posts, but you know what? It's important to me. Even if I'm the only one reading the post back, it holds me accountable to put my best foot forward and live the life I want to live each month. (Even if I never get another blog post written!)

So, here's to September. And walking through this new season some more. And hoping it feels more and more familiar as the temperature drops and the leaves change. 

September Goals

  • Read Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
  • Blog three times
  • Edit 80% of my September work
  • Update tax document
  • Go to an Indians game
  • Decide on a Halloween costume for Nolan
  • Be mostly off and present with Nolan on non-daycare days
Cleveland Baby Photographer

August Goals

Hello, August! :)

July was a bit crazy, what with getting back into shooting and being a work-from-home mom to Nolan. I don't think I totally realized what I was getting myself into when I booked everything for July post-maternity leave. The good news is that I've learned lots of things along the way and I suppose that's the most important thing!

  1. I've learned that babies get a heck of a lot easier between 3-4 months. I'm sure it's different with each baby but we seemed to hit our stride with Nolan in July. Read: He started sleeping a LOT better. ;)
  2. No matter how much you think you can get done during nap time, it's never quite enough. We have two days of childcare starting at the end of August and as much as I'm dreading Nolan not being under our roof those two days, I know it's for the best. I'm hoping I can be more mentally present on the days that he IS here. And I hope I can manage to cook dinner again!
  3. I'm a much more pleasant person when I strategically book sessions and weddings. Now if I can continue to remember this ... :)

Here's to a fun and productive last full month of summer! What's on your bucket list for August?

August Goals

  • Finish Lab Girl by Hope Jahren and read It's Not About Perfect by Shannon Miller
  • Blog four times (I WILL get back to blogging one of these days!)
  • Update tax document
  • Make homemade ice cream
  • Take Nolan to the pool one more time!
Cleveland Baby Photographer

June Goals

We're getting into a rhythm over here, guys! I'm saying that while knocking on wood because things could very well change tomorrow, but for now I at least feel like I kind of have a handle on this motherhood thing. ;) This month's big goal is figuring out how to introduce work into this new little life we've created for ourselves.

One thing I'm constantly reminding myself: Be present wherever you are. If I'm with Nolan, I want to be with Nolan (that means NO screens or multitasking ... it's SO hard)! If I'm working, I'm all out hustling to get my work done efficiently. I have a feeling I'll be reminding myself of this every day until Nolan's off to college, but I think the effort is worth it. I feel a lot less guilty and stressed if I can give 100% of myself to the thing in front of me. Mamas, give me alllll your tips for work-life balance with a baby!

June Goals

  • Read Lab Girl by Hope Jahren and Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child by Marc Weissbluth
  • Finish filing our personal photos on a USB
  • Clean out our windowsills in preparation for lots of breezy summer days!
  • Switch my closet over to warm-weather clothes (a little behind on this one!)
  • Take Nolan to the farmers market
  • Start a new workout routine
  • Blog at least five times
  • Prepare for my first weddings of the year

May Goals

April was a bit of a whirlwind for us. A good whirlwind, but still. It went by quickly and slowly all at the same time. Those first couple weeks of Nolan's life we were running on pure adrenaline. It really is true that each day and week gets easier but it's also easy to get lost in the will-my-life-EVER-feel-normal-again?! haze. 

Now that we're in week four, I've hit the how-is-my-baby-this-big-already?! cliché. Having a newborn really is so bittersweet. You live to see them develop and grow but you also simultaneously miss their tininess from just a week ago. 

Oh, how life has changed. I think we're in for the ride of our lives. :)

In other news, I have a couple small goals for this month while I continue to enjoy maternity leave and soak up every minute with little Nolan. Cheers to spring and all the beautiful weather and blooms that come with it!

May Goals

  • Finish On Becoming Baby Wise by Robert Bucknam and Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
  • File our personal photos on a new external hard drive
  • Design and order one of our annual photo albums
  • Update client galleries on Pixieset
  • Order and mail Nolan's birth announcements
  • Take Nolan on his first road trip! Nathan's sister gets married in Indiana in a week!
Goal Setting