Roxanna J Photography

It has been almost a year since I had to slow down my photography due to pregnancy complications. And although I am still on official maternity leave until the end of May 2012, I am starting to get the creative itch to work again. Not to mention, I miss all you guys! Since last year I have missed your pregnancies, your baby’s births, your Christmas photos… and if you’ve sent me an email, I might have even missed responding :S I am sorry about that. Your support has been overwhelming during my maternity leave. But with so many requests to just maybe squeeze in just your family for a secret photoshoot, I’ve had to stay away from my email at times. 

With all that said, I am so excited to be coming back soon! In just a couple months I will be back open for business, and I am booking up sessions already. This year I am going to be limiting my session amounts to around 4 per month. If you have been waiting for me to come back, please contact me soon so you don’t miss out. I might take a little while to respond to your emails, but please be patient. 

In the next couple of months I will try to update my blog a little more often too. It has been rather rejected lately. If you have been missing out on my blog posts would you be able to leave a comment below to let me know? I would love to hear what you have been missing most! To start off the blogging again I thought I would share with you what has been taking up all my time lately. I love them to bits, and they have been worth every minute I spent with them on this maternity leave! Aren’t they adorable?

Your birth happened on a cold and frosty fall morning. As you took your first sweet breaths, the sun rose over the mountains declaring the start of your first day with us.

The Birth of Cezar Aster from roxanna froese on Vimeo.

On August 22nd at 6:55am Jake Ashen Froese entered the world in a gentle water birth at home. It was peaceful, magical and perfect. He weighed 8lbs 12oz and was 53 cm long. My other boys, Lincoln and Seth are as in love with their new brother as we are. I wish I had more time to blog, but life is busy right now! Here is just a couple of photos to show off our beautiful bundle!

Anna’s birth was beautiful. Her Daddy, James, called me at 10am that morning to tell me that contractions had started earlier that morning. By 3pm we decided it was time for me to come in. Anna’s mommy, Julie, was calm and focused. Through all the contractions James and both Grandma’s guided Julie through her journey of labour. At 6:25pm we heard baby Anna’s first cries, and her new life in our big world began.

The Birth of Anna from roxanna froese on Vimeo.

Meet baby Sophia, my very last little client that booked before my maternity leave :)

I just had to share these photos with you today. Edgerin was one of my last little clients that I photographed this year. As if he knew he was one of my last, he behaved like a little angel.

One of the favourite parts of my job is watching client’s grow from their first session, whether engagement, wedding, or maternity and return for the birth of their children and growth of their families. Last weekend I met up with R & J for their third session with me, maternity photos for their second baby! 

Today, I was laying in bed reading a book. Now, I have to explain, this may not sound strange to you, but it was 4 o’clock in the afternoon. At this time of day, with 2 and 3 year old boys, laying in bed and reading a book, would normally be considered a strange occurrence. Unfortunately, due to some pregnancy frustrations, laying in bed has happened more then I would like these past few months. Fortunately, I have an amazing, incredible, loving husband. Who on days like today offers without complaint to take our boys with him so that I can lay down.

Now back to my book… I was reading “Bringing Up Boys” by Dr. James Dobson. If you are raising a son, (or two or three) and have not read this book I highly recommend it. It is a mini manual on raising those little bundles of energy, determination, and curiosity otherwise known as boys. Today, I was reading through the chapter on the importance of a father’s involvement in a boy’s life, which increases in importance at the milestones ages of 3-5 yrs and at puberty. Dr. Dobson was discussing how a father’s love, care and involvement was essential in building a healthy future generation. As I was reading, I was interrupted by the sound of hammering, coming from outside. This prompted me to follow the noise to see what was going on. 

To my delight, I came outside to find my boys, with their very own hammers, “helping” their Daddy work. Their hands had scraps, and slivers. Their feet, faces and hands were dirty and most importantly their smiles stretched from ear to ear. My husband, was living out what I had just read and before my eyes, my little boys, were training to be “big strong men, just like Daddy”. What a blessed wife I am to have a husband who is taking the time to shape our boys to become the next generation of men.

In the words of James Dobson “Why? Because we as parents are raising the next generation of men who will either lead with honour and integrity or abandon every good thing they have inherited. They are the bridges to the future. Nations that are populated largely by immature, immoral, weak-willed, cowardly and self-indulgent men cannot and will not long endure. These types of men include those who sire and abandon their children; who cheat on their wives, who lie, steal and covet, who hate their countrymen; and who serve no god but money. That is the direction culture is taking today’s boys. We must make the necessary investment to counter these influences and to build within our boys lasting qualities of character, self-discipline, respect for authority, commitment to the truth, a belief in the work ethic and unshakeable love for Jesus Christ.”

PS. This author is not diminishing the importance of girls, this book is merely focused towards parents with boys. I am sure his other book “Raising Up Girls” is equally and passionate towards the issues young girls of today are faced with. 

To the boy who made me a mommy,

…The baby grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was two years old, and he ran all around the house. He pulled all the books off the shelves. He pulled all the food out of the refrigerator and he took his mother’s watch and flushed it down the toilet. Sometimes his mother would say, “this kid is driving me CRAZY!”

But at night time, when that two-year-old was quiet, she opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor, looked up over the side of his bed; and if he was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang:

I’ll love you forever,
I’ll like you for always,
As long as I’m living
my baby you’ll be.

I love you Lincoln.

Mommy

“Boys will be boys”. I have heard that statement many times throughout my life but never has it wrung more true to me than in the past 3 years. Since my first son Lincoln was born, I have quoted that phrase with a whole new appreciation. Our boys have lived out the full meaning of “boy” from the day they were born. A couple weeks ago we found out we are expecting boy #3, in August, and we couldn’t be more thrilled!

I am so thankful for Lincoln and Seth’s friend Rohan, and his mommy, who have no problem jumping right in, and adding to the fun around here! This is a little glimpse into what our play date with Rohan looked like this morning.

 It started with harmless digging in the mud.

 The digging got a little dirty.

 Ro decided that digging wasn’t good enough. The mud baths started.

 Mmmm!

 A few layers were peeled off and the puddle jumping came next.

 Buddies!

Puddle jumping, quickly turned into puddle jumping mixed with sawdust sloshing :P