on the way home from the post office i saw a cool looking location for photos so we went home and grabbed the camera. more to come, after i finishing editing clients photos. but, until then some sweetness!

wanna help?

i am editing my first newborn session and am playing around. what would you think if this edit was on a newborn. i know it's a little hard bc avery isn't the correct subject, but try to imagine. do you like it? or do you prefer the original? imagine a sleepy newborn! THANKS!!!

original

edit

i should add that i personally love it and it's totally my taste, but am i alone?

a couple more with this type of edit.

and just a little reminder of how small she really is...

i hope everyone had a great turkey day! we enjoyed great food and spent time with family yesterday! my cousin and her husband took pictures of us and i got to edit them! they run drumm studios. check them out HERE!!

and of course some snapshots!

and just to brag on avery's cousin and his cuteness! he has a lot of older cousin's who love him (and of course mom and dad too)!

LIGHTS

i finished working yesterday! hooray! i'm so thankful to have work but even more thankful to have my sweet pea and hubby! i spent the morning getting organized and mark put up the tree! now that i'm done working i can get back to my regular job, which includes taking snapshots of avery! we are taking a family picture tomorrow and i've been trying to figure out what we are going to wear. we will all get dressed (which basically includes actually doing my hair and make-up) and avery will wear a bow if she'll keep it on. it's nice to have those family pictures. but, avery isn't usually that put together. i took some pictures this morning, which captures exactly what she looks like everyday!

i sure did miss that messy hair, crooked smile little girl!

i haven't forgot about this blog i'm just out of town. i am doing some audit work this week in new york...so exciting! ;) i feel like i never quit working when i travel. but, then i come home to skype and i see what i'm missing. mark told me avery is getting a molar and she is saying the word cheese and grandma gaye is trying to teach her to say gobble gobble! luckily avery doesn't grow at lightening speed so i don't think i have to worry to much. i know she's having fun and i know grandma gaye is enjoying her time as well!

someone sent me this link and it was a list of things that change when you have a kid. if you want to read theirs here is the link. i thought i'd come up with my own list of things that have changed since having avery.

first what i learned this week...
- my idea of a break is coming to work for a week
- i have never appreciated eating dinner in front of the tv on my bed more
- i love skype
- it's healthy for couples and mothers to take "breaks"
- there are people who love my kid just as much as i do
- not everyone has a human for an alarm clock
- people go out after 8pm
- showering with your eyes closed is a luxury

and a little more general...
- the day before is never like the next day to come
- i do things and never expect anything in return, and i'm okay with that
- i find joy in things i would have never given a second thought too. recently, i love going to home depot because every time she is excited about the huge blow up Christmas decorations. yes, i bought one of those tacky inflatable things and will proudly put it in our yard.
- i read other people's stories and i'm touched. not just for that 5 minutes it took me to read but everyday. because of layla grace's story i am reminded that while i can't unload the dishes in 5 minutes or use the restroom without having someone pull all the toilet paper off the roll, this is the way it is suppose to be.
- when i look at pictures i look at her first
- when i think about getting my paycheck, i think about being able to put avery in gymnastics or do swimming lessons with her, not about the what i want for myself
- i will never pee or shower alone again
- i've become more comfortable in my appearance
- it doesn't matter what you wear to the store/mall/anywhere because no one is looking at you anymore
- i'll drive to the grocery store that's farther away because avery will get a balloon
- i remember when the only thing i had to schedule was when i was going to to workout. workout? when does that happen?
- it doesn't matter how big of a mess it's going to make you will do it anyway for someone else's happiness
- i can't remember the last time i bought a pair of jeans that weren't maternity
- will a week ever go by where i don't have to clean the floor?
- those who don't stay at home think it's the sweetest job in the world, and i never feel the need to defend staying home because it's enough for me
- i spent more time researching preschools and reading applications than i did for college
this list could go on, but i'm getting tired so one more...
- i can say with my whole heart that i would give everything and anything i had to protect her and keep her safe. i'd donate every organ in my body and give away all of our possessions to save her life. i'd give my own life if it would save hers.


a big thank you to grandma gaye who has spent the past 2 weeks loving my little girl like she's the only kid on the planet! mommy's coming home tomorrow! :)

LIVE!

this year mark and i are stepping out of comfort zones. we're taking some risks and both starting our new business adventures. RIZK went live today! go check it out! i took the product photos! ;)

RIZK STREETWEAR

avery and i go to the little gym every week but i never get pictures except when grandma gaye is in town! here are some pictures from avery's class on tuesday! this is how the class goes...

visitors! we have been having a lot of visitors! mark's cousin stayed with us this weekend. he came all the way from italy! some of my favorite things he said were "houston has a lot of criminals" and "this place is like mexico". he came in on the greyhound bus, so i am going to assume it wasn't the nicest area of houston to see at first. he later realized it wasn't full of criminals. and the second, we took him to lupe tortillas for mexican food. and well, he did get to order in spanish and the food is pretty authentic so it might just be a little like mexico!

i took some pictures saturday night (which of course you should check out at www.aubreytorreyphotography.com) and i always get there a little early to scope out the place. mark, avery and mattia came along and hung out at the park.

her wild hair in the sun never gets old!

and mattia did some reading. when we were moving locations mark had to go and wake him up! :)

i took some photos of avery at the park about a month ago. i forgot about them until i went to delete pictures and make room for more. thought i'd share a few of my favorite! :)

it's been cold here in katy! so, we've been doing a lot of indoor play!

we did make it out a bit. it doesn't matter what the temperature, my girl will still drink my slushie!

can you tell i was tempting her to look at me?

love her crooked little smile

we stayed in our pajamas yesterday...all.day.long!

she was watching her show and apparently i was in her way. then i turned the tv off!

she showed me what she thought of that!

she listens when you tell her to get down. she just isn't always happy about it!

avery was watching my baby can read and it said "shake your head yes." what does she do? shakes her head no and says "no no no no". atleast i'm not the only person she "talks back to"! :)

and just because a post needs a picture. here's an old one that was living in my computer!

more halloween pics! and if you can imagine i still have more!

empty basket

our first piece of candy and she was ready to stop and eat it!

off to the houses!

first house

she already figured out if you raise your basket people will give you candy

getting so heavy she had to do the "over the shoulder carry"

last house of the night

my giraffe!

the host family and their little pumpkin

candy!

made by amanda