Wow... Its been a while.

The photography business mixed with a running, talking toddler have kept me pretty busy lately. Photography is going great and I already have interest about two weddings this summer. I have 5 maternity/newborn shoots scheduled in the next few months also. Im loving it.

Levi is huge. He talks so much, its incredible. He has made huge progress with nursing and sleeping in the past few months also. Instead of going to bed with us every night and needed me to be next to him the entire night, I nurse him to sleep and 3 or 4 hours later he wakes up (this is usually when I got to bed anyways) and I nurse him again. Some nights he sleeps on his toddler mattress (which is right next to our bed, which is also on the floor) and some nights he comes to our bed. Either way, it is huge progress. Some nights he even falls asleep totally on his own and I just lay next to him. I am super impressed and very happy we didnt push him too early.

So, instead of writing about how big Levi is getting, I might as well just show you :)

Its Official

I am doing photography!!! I have sessions scheduled and a REAL website! I am so excited and feel incredible blessed to be able to do something I love so much while also being a mom (which is my favorite thing in the world).

Sons & Daughters Photography

So check it out! And contact me if your in the area

October is...

October is International Babywearing Month

and because of the recent fire Babywearing has been under, what a perfect time to speak up about of how wonderful, safe and helpful babywearing can be.

Courtney over at Storing Up Treasures wrote about it (and she is so super cool),

so I thought I would too.

SO here we go.

The CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) has been up to something and its not good. Smaller babywearing companies are shutting down because of all the negative publicity (sadly it has been good companies and not ones like Bjorn *cough cough*) and this breaks my heart.

I know there have been deaths and my hearts go out to those families. It is tragic and I cant imagine what they are feeling. With that being said, babywearing wasn't the cause. There were recalls on some of the unsafe carriers which is great because it got one more dangerous sling off the shelfs. However, that doesnt mean ALL carriers are unsafe.

There is obviously a safe and unsafe way to wear your baby. Just as there is a safe and unsafe way to carry your baby, or use a stroller.

This is not a matter of "is babywearing safe?' This is a matter of "do people not have common sense?"

So please, do not let the CPSC scare you.

Put that baby of yours in a sling (or wrap or SSC),

hold them close and enjoy the babywearing cuddles.

(Oh, and please use common sense.)

What can you do?

• Go to the BCIA and share your story or get involved by donating or helping with this issue from a political standpoint.
• Tell everyone you know that it is safe
• Wear your baby proudly
• Do research and be prepared when people ask you questions or accuse you of doing some unsafe
• Enjoy wearing your baby close because it IS safe and it IS beneficial to them
• Make a picture like the ones I did and share them

Lets bring awareness to babywearing and show them what its all about!

My New Favorite Treat

I love cooking. Love love love it.

However, I do not love baking so much. I dont know why, I guess its maybe because Im not a huge sweets person so its not as fun for me. BUT I have a husband who LOVES treats. So I have decided it was important to make some easy sweets.

Last week I focused on different kinds of banana bread and muffins. www.VegWeb.com is the BEST website and it is my favorite place to get new ideas for meals. So I went on there and looked up different kinds of breads and muffins and found an awesome recipe that I have used 3 times in the last week! Its delicious.

It is definitely called Superfantastical Banana Carrot Zucchini Muffins for a reason because that is exactly what it is.

Getting Skinny

If you know me (or have ever seen a picture of me) you would know that I would not be (and have ever been) considered skinny. My weight has been a battle for my entire life and I have done very unhealthy things trying to fit the mold of someone who I am just not.

I am sad that I spent so much time obsessed with my weight and my heart goes out to every young girl who hates her body because I know what it feels like. I think that the important thing is that you are healthy, you love yourself (because you were created for a plan and purpose and God thinks you are absolutely beautiful the way you are) and you take care of yourself.

I will admit this is a daily struggle and I hope that one day I will feel this way about myself. I think that recently I got to a point where I felt like "I will never be thin or fit. This is just how I am I guess Ill deal with it". Now you may think that is a good thing and that I was "coming to terms" with the truth. But I am not content with that attitude. I CAN be healthy and I honestly believe I can be thinner and I want to at least try.

I already eat healthy and have cut out most junk in my life (I will admit, I ate the most delicious vegan brownie yesterday and it was amazing) and I have lost weight slowly and definitely feel better but I know there is more I can do. I have always always always hated working out. I hate jogging and running more than anything BUT I believe working out is very important for your body and for your mind so I am committing to having more cardio in my life. I have been jogging at least once a day and have started the 30 Day Shred again (which I have never made past day 4 due to laziness).

Now, I do have an addictive, over the top personality (if you havent figured out yet) which is why I went from a junk food addict to a vegan in less than a year and why I went from eating out multiple times a day (places like: Mcdonalds and Taco Bell) to only eating out a couple times a month (at a healthy restaurant) and I cook every night.

So I am hoping that I will really get into working out and make it a habit and love it but I am also going to try to not become to obsessed (but really, that wouldnt be the worst thing either).

Here is the bottom line (since I have rambled too much).

I want to be healthy.

I want to be active.

I want to be confident.

I want to feel beautiful.

And I want to fit in the clothes I want and feel good.

P.S

Its really not about being "skinny". Its about feeling good and being healthy.

(But it would be kinda nice to be skinny too).

Getting back to photography

If you have looked through my blog, you probably know that I am a sucker for photography. I would love to do it as a job on the side and I suppose that is my goal... For now, I am just building my portfolio, learning as I go and having fun. But here are some of my more recent photos.

Maternity Shoot

Engagement Session:

Random:

You can become my fan on my FaceBook Page!

And, one more thing... I would love your feedback on my "company name".

I just cant decide if I want to stick with Sons & Daughters Photography... if you have any input, I'd really appreciate it.

Let me know if you like it or think I should take a different route... maybe something with my name AlisaMarie...

You can email me at alisamariehanks@gmail.com

My Newest Love- Babyhawk's Oh Mei! Half Buckle

My Babyhawk Mei Tai was my first real carrier ( I had used a hotsling a few times but it didnt fit me and then I made a stretchy wrap) and I absolutely loved it and wore it everywhere I went. As Levi got bigger, I didnt like the waist strap as much and I tried a Beco and some other carriers and my babyhawk sat on the shelf. But it was still my first love and I missed it.

So, imagine how excited I was to hear BabyHawk was releasing a new, Oh Mei! half buckle! I was thrilled. I LOVE SSC waist straps, but I like being able to tie the top.

When my Oh Mei! arrived, I fell in love with babywearing all over again.

It is so comfortable and I wear it everywhere I go. The back carry is so high and definitely one of the most comfortable carriers I have ever tried. I wish BabyHawk still had them for sale because I would definitely buy another one! My husband wore it a couple nights ago and couldn't believe how comfortable it was. He loved it too.

So thank you BabyHawk! Thank you for putting out another wonderful, amazing carrier.

Thank you for being so helpful and nice.

And thank you for allowing my to fall in love with babywearing all over again.

I will be a BabyHawk fan for life.

And I will definitely be ordering an Oh Snap! soon!

Babywearing at the State Fair

And just for fun, this is the State Fair last year right after I got my Mei Tai

Goodbye Gemini

Well, I did say goodbye to the beautiful, purplelicious Gemini. I wont lie, I loved the color and the Natalie print is much cuter in real life.

BUT....

I just couldnt do it. I am way to disappointed in Beco right now. I am a huge Beco Butterfly II fan and probably always will be but I am so sad at the Gemini and how they are marketing in. We have been taught that forward facing is not good up until this point... and even in all the adds (when the baby is facing in) they use the narrow base so it looks just like the Bjorn... hmmmm.

So, although I love Beco and am still a BBII user... I had to say goodbye to Gemini.

Purple Power

There is only one word to describe the last 5 days:

purplelicious.

So, it all began with the new Gemini Beco.... I came home on Thursday from my tattoo consultation and there was a package at my door. It was the Gemini Beco and it was lovely. But more than comfort and style, it was purple. And really, the purple is what won me over.

Then on Saturday my new Ellevill Tri Purple Wrap arrived. Let me just say, if you have never tried an Ellevill wrap, you are seriously missing out. This is the 4th one I have owned and I absolutely love their wraps. But again, it wasn't the soft, silky feeling or the comfort of wearing Levi around all day downtown which made me fall in love, it was the purple.

And then Monday came. Most people hate Mondays but I couldnt wait because my wonderful, amazing, loving, sweet, caring (did I mention amazing?) husband had told me my big anniversary gift would be arriving. And it did.... a MAC BOOK PRO. And I know your thinking, "well what does that have to do with purple?" well, he also bought me a purple case.

Beautiful, right?

Ah, I love my life.

Gemini Vs. Beco Butterfly II

So, as you know I recently received the Gemini and I am very much enjoying the delicious purpley carrier! However, it is TOTALLY different from my other Becos. A lot of people are asking me to compare them but I'm finding it kind of hard. They are just.... different. But I am going to try and show some differences with details so you can choose for yourself.

There are definitely pros and cons about both carriers and I think the Butterfly II will probably always be my first love deep down because its the first Beco I ever had. But for other moms who prefer the 4th Gen, the Gemini might be just what you need.

Today I will be comparing Blue Scooters and White Leaves from PaxBaby with the new Natalie Gemini (which you can preorder).

Body

Width: G. 12.5in (base) 11in (middle) 10in (narrowest points)

BBII. 12.5in

Height: G. 14in (without headrest up) 18.5in (with headrest up)

BBII. 16in (without hood attached)

Padded straps

Length: G. 23in

BBII. 22in (from the Y seam) 14in (from buckle)

Width: Both carriers are 3in.

This shows the inside of the BBII which helps keep the baby secure when switching to a back carry or transferring to another person. Gemini doesn't have this feature.

Base Strap

Width: Both carriers are 4 in.

Length: G. 30 in.

BBII. 23in.

This picture is showing the most controversial part of the Gemini, the option to make the base more narrow and forward face.

Cross Straps:

I absolutely LOVE this feature

Hip Carry

Wearing my niece with the hood

Wearing the head rest up

My dear friend modeling the hood on White Leaves

So, this is basically my summary: Gemini and BBII are different. If you have the BBII and want the Gemini, try not to compare them too much because they are definitely different carriers. If you feel a little uncomfortable with back carries or your little one likes to move around a lot and you feel better with that insert, they definitely go with the Butterfly II. If you want to cross the straps and want a little more versatility than Gemini might be the way to go. And if your not sure, don't forget you can always try them out at the sling exchange!

I know that the Gemini is the hottest thing right now and a lot of people are trying to get pictures but these pictures do belong to me and this blog, so no authorization is granted to anyone to copy/use these photos for any reason. Photos are fingerprinted and re-posting is infringement on copyright and stealing. So please, don't do it