It amazes me how many transformations I've gone thru in my life. When I was a child I thought that I'd be an ADULT, and that's it. Now I'm so much more.

BTW, Meli is absolutely adorable. I could eat her up.

Rita, a frequent lurker

Oh, your little love bug is so CUTE! I always smile whenever I see that face.

Congrats on being a mommy, and an auntie!

You now have the all-encompassing job of Mama -- it is a life you have been creating since conception and now will be for all eternity.Meli is adorable.

Some of us still read on Fridays! Happy Mother's Day MAMA!!
Meli is beyond cute!!!

Meli is GORGEOUS. I mean, really, truly, stunningly beautiful. I'm so happy for you and G and Miss Meli, and thrilled that you are enjoying your new Mama role so much.

I'm checking in on you all the time. She is a perfect little person. Congratulations are in order for who you've become.

I, too, smiled when I saw these pics. How could I not? She is just edible.

After giving birth to my daughter I remember being woken by the sound of crying. 'If only that Mum could sort that baby out, I could sleep' I thought. Then the realisation dawned that I was that Mum. Enjoy every moment.

She is changing and she's as cute as a bug. ;-)

Your bit about realizing you're not the aunt anymore made me tear up! It was very touching, thanks for sharing your experience with us. And I don't mind if the blog only updates on Fridays, I'll keep reading! :)

She sure is a beautiful little girl! Enjoy your first Mothers Day.

Your bit about realizing you're not the aunt anymore made me tear up! It was very touching, thanks for sharing your experience with us. And I don't mind if the blog only updates on Fridays, I'll keep reading! :)

A sweet sweet mama's girl!

A sweet sweet mama's girl!

A sweet sweet mama's girl!

Happy Your First Mother's Day! I clearly remember my first Mother's Day -- my baby was about 4 weeks old... and I fell in love with her that day.

YAY! So glad you guys are doing so well and that you're enjoying your new role as much as you are!!! We miss you, but it's all good :) Hey, did anyone win the baby contest?

You are without a doubt the very best baby photographer ever! Your Mama-hood glows right through them.

Happy Your First Mother's Day! I clearly remember my first Mother's Day -- my baby was about 4 weeks old... and I fell in love with her that day.

You are without a doubt the very best baby photographer ever! Your Mama-hood glows right through them.

Even though I'm working outside the home, I too am now MAMA first and foremost in all that I do. It's the skin I'm in and the air I breathe no matter what I'm doing. I thought it fitting that my little guy's Mother's Day card from daycare was made of three big letters strung together and stamped with paint: M-O-M! (And of course it has a prominent position on my bulletin board!)

Yay for Mommy Milk and for Mommy's! Meli is precious, and you all excude happy, healthy confidence!

Aww, Meli is adorable.

Happy Mother's Day!

Even though I'm working outside the home, I too am now MAMA first and foremost in all that I do. It's the skin I'm in and the air I breathe no matter what I'm doing. I thought it fitting that my little guy's Mother's Day card from daycare was made of three big letters strung together and stamped with paint: M-O-M! (And of course it has a prominent position on my bulletin board!)

Yay for Mommy Milk and for Mommy's! Meli is precious, and you all excude happy, healthy confidence!

SUCH an adorable Love Bug! It must be so hard to find the time and energy to blog, but we love it when you do -- especially when there are baby pictures. Happy Mothers' Day!

Happiest Mothers Day Cara! XOXOXOX

Dear Cara, I don't always click through from my bloglines but I ALWAYS click on your blog first when you post! I love to see what you have to see on almost any topic - I followed you faithfully through miter madness, pregnancy sickness, and now I'm happily hearing about life as a new mom. Thanks for being such a sharing blogger. And - as if you didn't know - that Meli is ADORABLE.

Oh my !!!! She is just gorgeous!!!!!

I have been away from the computer for a while and was happy to see such a beautiful little girl.

Did I miss the announcement of the baby contest winner? It wasn't me....I definitely thought boy.....so I was just curious.

Dear Cara, I don't always click through from my bloglines but I ALWAYS click on your blog first when you post! I love to see what you have to see on almost any topic - I followed you faithfully through miter madness, pregnancy sickness, and now I'm happily hearing about life as a new mom. Thanks for being such a sharing blogger. And - as if you didn't know - that Meli is ADORABLE.

She just absolutely adores you. it shows in her eyes. she's looking right at you in those photos, they are stunning.

the first night at the hospital I heard a baby cry in the hall and I instantly knew it was the nurse bringing Ben to me. It was his voice and when the nurse opened the door and it was him I just knew that MAMA would always be at the top of the list.

I adore the pictures. Son # 2 is coming soon, Baby July we call him, and Meli's sweet face inspires me. Thank you.

Dang, she's cute! :)

She is the most beautiful baby. I see both of you in her!

Happy mother's day!!!

My 4 yr old girl loves looking at pics of Meli, I think mostly because she's cute but also she's a baby and she isn't in our home :D.

Happy First Mother's Day, Cara! Hopefully, Meli will give you the best gift. . .some extra sleep :)

She is absolutely beautiful. I just wanted to stop by and wish you a Happy Mother's Day! It's your first make sure it's filled with lots of hugs and kisses from Meli.

You just gave me goosebumps like nobody's business! Happy mother's day.

She's so cute! That's a baby worth spoiling. ^_^

That is some extra-good milk you are feeding her. Look how big!

Those are some seriously cute, squishy baby cheeks.

Nobody can ever tell you how great it is to be a Mom-you have to experience it! Glad you are so happy. And what a cutie!

She's such a cutie-pie. I check your blog almost everyday and it's a bonus when there's a new post - seeing Meli is really something to look forward to as well as 'hearing' from you. I have puppies on the way so one of my girls will be observing mother's day in an expectant sort of way!

She just keeps getting more and more adorable. Just found out I'm having a girl. I'm so excited!

Cara, so wonderful to read about your new journey, Meli, knitting, everything! As a first-time expectant mom (and knitter), I'd like to ask how you take such amazing photographs. Are you setting Meli on a dark or white background every time? or photoshopping in those backgrounds later? I'm sure this is very low on your priority list, but I'd love to get your tips on photographing babies at home one of these days....thanks!

Yeah MAMA!!! She looks so much like Georgie in those pictures, it kills me.

Did you ever see the Erica Jung poem I sent to the email group announcing Meli's arrival?

Some things I've been thinking about: how is it that you gave birth to your **identical twin**??? The kidlet is your carbon copy.

Happy Mother's Day, MAMA! Isn't that a great word? I understand all about those lowercase letters. It's amazing how just one smile can make up for that big life change.

Your photography of Meli remains spectacular. Every time you post more of it I wish you were closer to Chicago -- you capture your baby so well.

It is strange waiting for something for so long and finally getting it. Hard to wrap your head around. Meli is so beautiful. Why do I tear up whenever you post about her? Ahh, I'm too sentimental. Happy !st Mother's Day, MAMA

Have a HAPPY 1st Mother's Day MAMA!

I do that too, with the writing blog posts in my head. Someday they will invent something so that we can post through telekinesis or something.

Your family is beautiful. Wishing you a Happy first Mother's Day.

Happy mother's day. Ahhh, she is so precious and your joy shines through each post.

Sweet baby faces are the icing on the cake that is your blog. Keep up the great mommy work!

Cara - obviously people are still reading! hahaha
I just wanted to say that Meli is absolutely adorable, and makes me smile every time you post her picture!!! I'm so happy that you're so happy :) I can't wait to join you in real mommy-hood!! (4 weeks or less til Nia arrives!!) Happy Mother's Day!! :)

From what I know, you have done all of those well enough to deserve all caps, you success, you!

Meli is such a sweet baby and you are a good Mama! I love these pictures!

Happy MAMA's Day to you and baby Meli. No one could have told you what it was like, could they? Because even though it's, I suppose, different for everyone, and certainly we all come into Mama-hood from different places, it totally transforms you.

And it's wonderful, despite the occasional leaky tears and the sleepless haze and the sore nipples (not a prob any more, right?) -- it's amazing.

That first time your baby looks straight at YOU; at YOUR face alone, and smiles that huge toothless delighted smile, your heart suddenly skips a beat and then expands to fill the whole world, I swear.

And then they start chortling, oh, right about now. And you forget any rough spots there ever were. You could listen to that laughter for hours.

All capitals, indeed.

Happy Mama's Day! She is a precious gem, and your all-capitals will keep changing, as I'm sure many commenters have already said. Mine keep changing, even now. That's the way it should be -- otherwise, we are stagnant and die. XOXO

I still check in every day -- and am always pleased to see a new post (esp. when there are photos of the beautiful Meli). She is just so, so cute. I love what you say about being a mom. It's so awesome that you recognize how precious the time and responsibility and relationship you have with her right now all are. You are one lucky woman raising someone who will be another lucky woman. Right on!

cara your love bug is way way way toooooo cute for words :)

Lowercase is just fine. We put way too much pressure on ourselves to be uppercase when really we should do what makes our hearts happy even if it's lowercase. What a beautiful little girl to be a Mamma too. Many of us read not just for frequency but to be a tiny part of your world. Happy Mother's Day!

She's a beauty! Enjoy each moment and remember.... fall is just a skip and jump over the next few months! Thank cutie needs some comfy cozy handknits Mama!

With the quality, thought-provoking content of your recent posts, I feel really lame that my question is this:

What kind of camera do you use? It takes such dimensional photos of your beautiful daughter and vivid photos of your knitting... Mine is terrible, and I've been thinking of getting a new one.

Thanks for your recommendation.
Natalie

Those pictures are just so incredibly stinkin' CUTE!!! and she looks like her MAMA!! Motherhood is so incredibly awesome-so hard and so great all in one-I wouldn't trade it for anything-in fact, we're getting ready for number 4, but this time we are adopting-yeehaw!!

We're still here reading, Cara. You can bet on that.

Your baby is beautiful! Is she sleeping through (or mostly through) the night yet? Happy Mother's Day.

Cara, enjoy every minute - especially this Sunday. Meli is absolutely beautiful! My miracle came after 8 years of trying, and my first Mother's Day was very special (especially since it was also the day of my son's 40-day blessing at church). The years have just flown by and he is now 14 and will be starting HS in the fall. And you know what? Mother's Day still has special meaning to me. I hope it always does for you, too.
XOXOXOX
Maria

What great photos... I hope you have a very wonderful 1st Mother's Day!

delurking to say Meli is SO BEAUTIFUL
and HAPPY FIRST MOTHERS DAY

I have 5 children and it is a wonderful,wonderful gift to be their mother. SO glad you are having fun with that darling baby girl...

You forgot one thing from your list...Juggler.
When we have that many titles, juggling is the way we hold it altogether!

It's quite an act we have going on as mama's, huh? She's adorable!!!!

We are strong. We are invincible (most days). We are MAMAS!!!

Happy MAMA's DAY!!! Your love bug is a sweetie.

Happy Mother's Day!

I know you will have the Happiest Mother's Day ever! She is so beautiful!!! And, henceforth, you will be known as Meli's Mom (Cara, Cara who?). But it's the best feeling in the world!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Happy mother's day! Meli is adorable! Thanks for the links to Norma and Wendy - both are very relevant to me right now.

Love, J

Happy Mother's Day :)

Happy 1st Mother's Day...the beginning of MANY more!

Happy First Mother's Day! It's my first, too! I hope your day was as lovely as mine. Meli is simply gorgeous... I'm so happy for you!

It's not very original but Happy 1st Mother's Day. I hope you are having a great one.

Happy, Happy Mother's Day. Doesn't that sound great! Enjoy!

Isn't it amazing how your perspective and priorities don't merely change, they're summarily uprooted and regrow from a whole different seed?

A belated happy Mother's Day to you.