For today’s post, I am going to do something a little different. I’d love to share some questionnaire answers for you in this blog post. This mama did such a terrific job of telling me all about their family and their hopes for their family film. It really helped me prepare and especially to edit. I kept replaying her answers through my mind during that process and I think you can see it come through in the final product.

This is what mama had to say.

Everett LOVES life! Everything is funny to him, and when he laughs, he laughs with his entire body. He throws his head back, claps his hands, and his eyes squint shut when he smiles. That sound is my favorite in the world. We love that he exudes joy all day, every day. We just can't get enough of him! He is also a daredevil and a wild man - loves climbing, exploring new places/things, being rough+tumble, etc.

Describe a perfect Saturday (without TV, video games, tablets or phones). What would you be doing?:
A perfect Saturday is SLOW. In the evening, we all gather at the kitchen island; I prep the food, Justin (our resident mixologist) mixes up a new/seasonal cocktail, and Everett hangs out watching and "helping." We love music, so we always play records while we do this. Now that it's warm, we'd move outside to grill and chase Everett around the yard before eating dinner.

FILM CLIENTS: Do you already have an idea of what you would like me to film your family doing? Why is this meaningful to you?: Since becoming Everett's mama, I am acutely aware of the passing of time. These everyday moments are so precious to me - our time together as three - and this is what I want to capture! Our simple weekend routine of preparing a meal together, enjoying music and a drink - and how we have incorporated Everett into this practice (and the silliness and FUN he brings to it) is what I love. It is the ordinary things I will miss the most when this season of life is over!

I'd like to do our evening routine
- Justin mixing up a cocktail
- playing vinyl records
- "cooking" with Everett, especially grilling outside (he's obsessed and now has his own grill)
- playing outside before dinner
- after dinner - crazy wild playing with Justin, then going up the steps (stopping to wave to Justin SO many times on our way up) and quiet bedtime routine with me
- also, our cats! We have 2, and we love them dearly, and would like them included, too.

What are your kids really into right now?: Everett is obsessed with cars/trucks (especially the trash truck)! He loves grilling with his dada (so much so that he now has his own grill), and doing anything outside. There are always tears when we have to go inside, no matter how long we've been out there!

What is one thing about your child(ren) you hope you never forget?: How loving and affectionate and just purely JOYFUL Everett is. I never want to forget the sound of his sweet shrieks and giggles (PLEASE capture a few good ones for us!), how his little hands always find mine (he strokes my left thumb while we read books at bedtime), how he will bowl us over running so hard to hug us, and how he gives the biggest, open-mouth kisses.

What do you want to remember about this season of life?: Everything! I am obsessed with details of daily life. I do the "1 second everyday" app where I take video snippets every day, and I also do a "line a day" journal for Everett that I've done since the day he was born. I love the details.

I want to remember that we loved fiercely. Our love for each other and for Everett knows no bounds. I want to remember how lucky we are, and how happy everyday life with Everett makes us. How we relish our time at home, with just the 3 of us, just living life. Overall, I want to remember how beautiful this season of life was. How I would slow down time if I could, just to stay in it a little longer.

What else would you like to do with these images?: I am excited to start building a library of annual family films we can go back and watch over and over, and see how our family grows and changes. To relieve all these simple, beautiful moments, again and again!

Ok, Game ON! I can totally do this. This is a perfect example of a family that totally gets what I am doing! It thrills me to find these people.. I am so glad to you know you are all out there! Enjoy this family film, where I try to throw all that great info into a time capsule for them to cherish forever.

What was your favorite part? I loved how little man repeated everything twice: grill grill, book book… so cute! And that pig noise?! Come on! I also loved the giggle chase, because there’s just nothing better than that is there?! Big smiles.