Before 8am {Meagan}

“Life is an adventure, and there is no script. I see something in ordinary moments. I believe that perfection comes not when you are dressed perfectly and wearing lipstick – but in little moments and interactions that make up our days and build and sustain our relationships. Let me show you the beauty in your unscripted moments…”   Karen Jacot Photography

I’m not going to lie. I was pretty much the last contributor to jump aboard the “Before 8AM” train. I am not a huge fan of having my picture taken under normal circumstances. Before 8AM and only a slight bit of caffeine and no wine under my belt? No, thank you. BUT then I saw all of the stunning pictures from the other shoots, and I had a change of heart. I am very rarely in pics that are unstaged with my kiddos, and I have very few of them just doing their morning thing. So, with a leap of faith and an extra K-cup that morning, I signed up. Gulp. But I absolutely LOVE what Karen captured. This is us.

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Karen arrived right on time – during our Spring Break and I was SURE the kids would sleep in so we would have time to chat and get her set up. Little did I know, that Miss Priss would make her way downstairs as soon as Ms. Karen arrived. Kitty in hand. Props to Karen to grabbing her camera as quickly has possible to catch Q.

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Preparing the gourmet breakfast of microwave pancakes, yogurt, and cereal. It’s how we roll. The Princess likes to lay on the couch during prep time. Which is all of about 4 minutes.

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Daddy texted as he does almost every morning – just to check in. Love that about him. He happened to be gone this particular week, so it was especially welcomed. I miss him SO much when he’s gone.

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And there’s my other little – meet Ry Guy, Quinn’s “older” brother by about 45 seconds. He loves snuggles in the morning, and I can’t get enough. He also still loves to wear his “sleepers” and they are about 3 sizes too small. But he’s all about cozy. {Oh, also meet Max – he was ever present in our photo shoot. Our first baby if you will, now 12 years old}

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Meet my “office” space. I work from home, so I try to multi-task as much as possible. I had already been up for a good 2 hours before him, so I was catching up on emails while he eats breakfast. It works for us.

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Ry being the ham while putting away the milk. I used to abhor things on my fridge, but I can’t help it now. It’s so sweet.

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Paw Patrol, anyone?

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Didn’t plan the cup but love it anyway.

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Since it was Spring Break and everyone got up early before it was time for a gymnastics playdate, we headed upstairs to play with trains. Seriously, I am incredibly deficient when it comes to building train tracks. My brain doesn’t run that way. But with Daddy out of town, I was on my own to figure it out.

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…ummmm, the kids figured out the configuration before I did. Nice.

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Q loves her butterflies.

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She also loves twirling and being a princess. This is her nightgown. Bless. Her little feet. The hair. It kills me in the best way possible. Gosh, for us all to be so footloose and fancy free.

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Time to get dressed! I lay out all of the kids’ clothes the night before {with their explicit approval of what they will wear the next day. Saves me a ton of stress.} And there’s nothing much cuter than Superman underwear. He will kill me for this picture at his rehearsal dinner one day.

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The prior days at preschool were rodeo week, and we are obsessed with all things cowboy and rodeo! Also, Q showing off her open-heart surgery scar. I haven’t had it photographed since about 5 months after her surgery. It’s hardly visible, but there is so much that is unseen beyond that picture. Every time I see her “zipper”, I am reminded of all the people who prayed for us during such a tenuous time — and continue to do so today. #teamquinn

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Double superhero shirts, because why not?

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These two have completely different lunch tastes. I basically empty the pantry and fridge to make their lunches. Typically, I would make the night before, but in all honesty, I was lazy and tired and wanted to read instead. So, Q gets PB&J with fruit and/or applesauce. Ry prefers a smorgasbord of turkey, cheese, pepperoni, crackers, and raisins. Go figure.

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See? She loves her fruit.

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A quick spray of my savior :: dry shampoo. And finally, out of my pjs and into my “big girl” clothes. Ha! My staples include a hoodie, leggings, and Uggs. In my defense, it was a chilly and WET Spring Break.

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This guy was such a goofball during the 2 hours. I guess he’s not shy of the camera?

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Time to brush teeth!

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And spike hair. Ry recently got a big boy haircut, and the “spike” is a big thing to him. I think he just likes using the same gel as Daddy. Also, if you look closely, you can see my favorite necklace of a little boy and girl. My mom gave it to me for Christmas one year, and I pretty much wear it every day. It’s a special reminder of the blessings of these amazing twins I have the privilege to raise.

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Time for braids! I give her two options in the morning {usually either braids or a ‘Ms. Darcy’ which is how her teacher did her hair one day at school, and she loved it.} Today was braids since it was gymnastics day. Also, I am THE WORST at doing hair. I need to take a class.

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Cowboy boots with camo, of course. He is loving them right now! {Also, please notice how his eyes rarely leave the tv screen. It must have been an intense episode.}

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The fight out of the door – always a race to the “special seat.” Every.single.day. Sometimes it’s a full on meltdown, other times someone will be generous and sacrifice for the other. It’s a toss up.

After it was all said and done, I am absolutely thrilled I swallowed some pride and had these photographs made. I will treasure these little moments forever because as cliche as it may be, it passes by all too quickly. Thank you, Karen, for sharing your morning with us. It was a true pleasure!

For more pictures and a peek into Karen’s perspective of the shoot, be sure to check out her blog post. And don’t forget to check out the rest of the posts within this amazing series as well!

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Meagan Clanahan
Meagan is a Dallas native who has lived in the Katy area for over a decade. She kicked a soccer ball all the way to Louisiana to attend college at her family’s alma mater of LSU, where she promptly fell in love with a Texas Aggie in Baton Rouge for an internship. After swimming back to Texas following Hurricane Katrina, Matt and Meagan fell in love with the Houston area and now couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Following several years of infertility, their miracle twins Ryan and Quinn were born in June of 2010. She believes there is nothing better than a chilled glass of Pinot Grigio, a large Sonic Diet Coke, sushi take-out, Girls Nights Out, and a mindless book to curl up with. Besides playing chauffeur and catering to the whims of her children, Meagan also is the Co-Owner of Houston Moms Blog. You can keep up with Meagan at The Clanahan Fam and on Instagram @meaganclanahan!

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