The day when we learn to read, we lose a huge part of fantasy. Because what used to be Prince’s Palace is now Obst & Gemuese… plain plain plain. Enjoy reading to your kids, at least while your ability to read makes you a half-deity in their eyes.

Today’s story is a tribute to all parents, who will stop in a bookstore before buying a new Barbie/Lego/insert the last must-have on your kids’ list. With books, there is fantasy. Do you notice the moment when this little lady falls through the pages of her fairy tale book and to the rabbit hole? And with another book opened, there is the what-will-I-become-when-I-grow-up world. Reading, my friends, is ALWAYS going to be awesome. ♥♥♥

This is the new part of the Life Stories serie (if you missed it, check out part 1 – The Flu and part 2 – The Monster Class). You see, me and some amazing friends photographers from around the globe have taken the vows to photograph more often normal daily situations. And we shall post these life stories on our blogs – last Friday of each month. I am adding a link to another photographer who participated and she’ll be linking to someone else. It’s a whole big circle of stories in pictures.

Life Stories January 2012 – next in the chain is the much talented Amy Siggelkow Duffing of 3 Peas Photography. Click through and enjoy! Let’s see if you can make it through the entire circle.

PS: What is your favorite childhood memory related to books? Mine is my Dad reading us Moomin stories. Yes. I have always loved the books more so that my Dad had introduced them to us. Recently we spoke about it and my Dad told me that he actually never really liked the stories, that he finds them too depressing and somehow dark. And I always thought he loves them too. Go figure!

I want to photograph moments like this every day of my life. There is nothing more truthful. And beautiful! Don’t you agree?

These are the times when it’s enough to just pick up your child and rock her and kiss her and tell her all will be fine. But it doesn’t take long and such moments are gone for good. To be reminded daily, to enjoy more the togetherness and the now, I recommend listening to Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried… Happy Monday everyone! ♥♥♥

Just images today – I should sleep once in a while.

But you know there is nothing like photographing a newborn princess … pure perfection and look at the tiny impeccable nose! ♥♥♥

Nothing makes me realize that I am a foreigner in this country like approaching Christmas.

Not the fact that after a decade I still speak a troll version of the local language. (deeply ashamed) Not my different humor. Not missing meadows and the rythm of nature in Central Europe.

But Christmas coming closer always make me miss home. Because Christmas is about spending time with your family. You know, 80-year old grandma, auntie Hedwig and the whole pack. And my family is awfully far. And so we always travel for Christmas. Which makes decorating home in red-green and going nuts about baking and cooking a bit pointless, really.

And then the whole Christmas Eve drama. A normal Finnish offspring gets bunch of waiting and then !!!!!!BANG!!!!!! Joulupuki swoops in on the Eve loaded with gifts. And it’s all over in couple of hours, but the built up anticipation turns the whole event into a major experience.

Travelling kiddos get – anticipation – waiting – anticipation – waiting and than BANG first Christmas Eve (before our departure, because we refuse to travel with the gifts that are meant to end up in Finland anyway).

And Bang, the second Christmas Eve with grandma no. 1.

And bang, the third Christmas Eve with grandma no. 2.

Can you read between the lines the difference in the size of the “bang”?

So it was decided – we needed a new, solid Christmas tradition. And then the Elf on the Shelf came to the rescue. We got two elves last year and kids are in loooooooooooove with them. In case you get inspired, here some ideas for elfcapades.

Our elves got pretty domesticated to Finland though. They travelled all the way from Rovaniemi, started in late September to be able to walk the whole distance. We calculated their progress and marked it on a map. The 1st of December thy finally arrived and since prepared a little something for my angelitos every morning:

reindeer food to share with animals outside, little gifts, sweets, new gloves, answers to letters, small notes, they even baked little joulutähdet for breakfast and of course, they have sisu

As I said, kids love them – and we do too! ♥♥♥

PS: You might want to look at my new portraits of a beautiful newborn girl.

There are moments to just stop and enjoy.

Such sweet and fleeting moments … when the little one first grabs your finger, when he smiles, when he gazes in your eyes while breastfeeding, when he hears you call his name.

Or such moments of satisfaction as when the pee and poo load for once lands on my amazing assistent Irene and not on me.

They came, we shot, they left. We all love the images. Don’t you? (Let me tell you a secret – this little bub will be loooooooooooooved.)

Happy Friday and Thanksgiving weekend to you all – tell me what are you grateful for today? ♥♥♥

The phone started ringing in the middle of all the turmoil going on in our house. Food being prepared, weekly cleaning and washing ongoing, kids wanting to read, kids wanting to play, kids who need to study and practice their flute and violin, shopping to be done … Does it sound like a familiar Saturday morning? Nope? Well, all I can say is lucky you! This is easily a Saturday morning in our home and amidst all that my cell started ringing.

So I picked up and tried to concentrate, which often doesn’t work. Then I am calling my friends and relatives back a week later asking what it was that they discussed with me.

I tried to hear my mum’s voice properly. “Happy name day,” she said. This time my brain took a quick shift and refocused from home-running routin to the phone call instantly.That is correct, it is my name day, I completely forgot. No wonder, in Finland my name is not in the calendar and even my dear hubby’s calendar shows it on a different date than the Czech one. “Check your email,” mum continued. And so I did and I found this.

And a card saying: “Ahoj Niki, all the best to your today’s name day. Today is the day of of highly intelligent, very good-looking, amazing, beautiful and attractive people. If you know someone as perfect as you, forward him this message. Don’t send it back to us, we already know we are incredible. Have an awesome day and regards to all.  Love, Mum“

Every time I capture a connection between a mum and a kid, I remember my mama. Yes, my mum is ALL that: she is highly intelligent, very good-looking, amazing, beautiful, funny, loving, just a fabulous person in and out. And I am lucky I was born to her! (And I hope my kids will feel the same about me one day…

Below I am sharing the last of autumn minisessions I held this year. The day was as beautiful as it can get and this family was radiating positive energy and love from every cell of their bodies. I bet the little ones (both born and in belly) will one day blog about their mum – how sweet and caring person she is and what a beautiful smile she has. And about their dad too, who in the cold and biting wind and under a viral attack expressed nothing but love for all of them.

Happy Monday to you all! ♥♥♥

PS: What does your dream cake look like?

I have been in love with autumn this year. A white thick blanket of snow has not robbed us of all autumn joys too early (like last year and some before), there has been reasonable amount of sunshine (for Finland) and the colors … yellow and red and all shades in between – just what my heart longs for. I hope you have enjoyed yourself too.
All above said, we have alredy started getting ready for the magical season – if only by thinking of what our annual gingerhouse masterpiece should look like and by listening to

Happy Monday to you all! ♥♥♥

The Dad’s day in Finland is creeping closer and you sit at home wondering what should be THE  gift this year.

In his head: “I hope she noticed the link I sent her.”

In her head: “Would something new on me be a good present?”

In the little heads: “We can all have a breakfast in bed on Daddy’s day! Sotkua, yeah!”

Now there is some cliche in the sentences above. Scroll down to few gift suggestions - if impatient or desperate – or read on – with a cup of coffee … or tea … or hot rum with lemon and honey.

101 reasons why Dads are awesome (based on my Dad and my husband)

They throw kids in the air, play football, help out with math and physics, show the path, take long walks, cook delicious meals, teach swimming and skiing, and skating and biking, and cooking, tell the truth, discuss, oppose, know how to fix everything, are compassionate when necessary and demanding when needed, calm nerves, know the right reasons, can explain, make mistakes, apologize, have great sense of humor, are up for adventures, occasionally give in to unreasonable requests, support, cheer, lead by example and read together.  (Ok, this might not be 101 reasons, but I am sure you can come up with your own additions and let’s see if we can reach at least 50!)

All of this requires TIME. Time away from work, from computer, from a mobile phone… Time when they are just there. Yep, some Dads can be bored with Barbies (and some with dinosaurs), but as long as they are there, present, fully aware and creative, it counts.

I am sure the Dad in your family is just like it. Let’s give him a little appreciation (and use the photos from this year you love the most)

1. upgrade the cheesy mug

2. replace the frame in his office

3. be an artist and make your art a gift

4. boycott boring electronics

Found anything interesting? Good. I have one more option. You see, one of the most important things my Dad taught me was to never stop learning new things. This is me and my Dad – a couple of years ago at Vantaa airport. I wish I had more recent photo. We don’t really see each other all that often.

So here to celebrate the great Daddiness - a deal for the Isänpäivä weekend: a learning experience for Dads – 20 min consultation about photography. Get yours now.

Zzzzzzzz – electrical signal rushing through wires, pulses flying through the air. A long distance phone call:

“… so either we end this or we get married.”

Silence.

While a computer can make enormous amount of calculations in a split of a second, a human brain can deal with only as much. But a human brain has one huge advantage over any computer – a beating heart not far away. And so a computer would be calculating all the odds of a success for a marriage of two people that have known each other too short time, who live on different continents, who are from different backgrounds and cultures and who are very young. A human brain would be calculating all of the above and ON TOP OF THAT a human brain would follow the invisible watch, because an answer to such question should not take too long.

0.001 sec

0.5 sec

2 sec

15 sec

and boom, you are busted for not answering fast enough.

The answer in that particular phone call was yes, as it is self-evident from the photos below (I consider it rather hard, if not nearly impossible, to make babies over the phone). And so I am the lucky lottery winner here – it was such a pleasure to photograph this little bub, his older sister and parents. Thank you, it was a beautiful morning we spent together!  ♥♥♥

PS: I know that winter is almost here and it’s all chilly out there and all – but hey, be brave and check my previous blog post for a chance to win a Ben&Jerry’s gift card.