joyful and serene.
Posted by Melissa at August 11, 2009 07:32 AMLove this photo!!
Posted by Sue at August 1, 2009 10:57 AMAs the Beatles sang, "I'm happy just to dance with you."
For Ben, that statement can be made even more succint: "I'm happy just to dance," or even "I'm happy."
What a photo and what an expansive spirit in such a small package.
Posted by Carol Wiebe at July 30, 2009 06:44 AMandrea, hello.
this image is quite possibly my favorite of ben. what a magical moment you captured. joyful, youthful, full of abandon. fantastic.
This is one of the best photos I have seen. Such an amazing capture of joy and freedom. Thank you for sharing it.
Posted by victoria at July 28, 2009 07:26 PMThis is one of the best photos I have seen. Such an amazing capture of joy and freedom. Thank you for sharing it.
Posted by victoria at July 28, 2009 07:26 PMsuch an amazing photo!
Posted by amanda at July 25, 2009 01:54 AMoh, we miss the cesar chavez park walk ... feeding the marmots peanuts and the waves crashing on the rocks. the kite flying. (sigh)
Posted by celeste at July 24, 2009 09:25 PMOh, this picture is such a delight! Love it!
Posted by Leah at July 23, 2009 03:01 PMI just love this pic!
Wonderful (even the shirt is perfect)!!
eve
Posted by Eve at July 23, 2009 07:56 AMso in luh-uv with this photo!
Posted by Sheri at July 22, 2009 08:35 PMpictures of ben and his pure joy always make me smile. thank you for sharing!!
Posted by dani keith at July 22, 2009 11:23 AMI said it out loud as soon as I saw this: Oh Wow! This is such a beautiful, beautiful picture. Thanks for sharing it!
Posted by Imelda at July 22, 2009 05:48 AMstinkin' adorable
Posted by Juneau.Eco.Mommie at July 21, 2009 10:21 PMThis is the first time I comment here :) I *LOVE* your work :) And this picture makes me sooo happy! Thanks~Thanks for sharing
Posted by Valentina at July 21, 2009 07:37 AMThis is the first time I comment here :) I *LOVE* your work :) And this picture makes me sooo happy! Thanks~Thanks for sharing
Posted by Valentina at July 21, 2009 07:37 AMThis is the first time I comment here :) I *LOVE* your work :) And this picture makes me sooo happy! Thanks~Thanks for sharing
Posted by Valentina at July 21, 2009 07:37 AMHi Andrea,
I just LOVE your blog, your photography...your stories about Ben... You have inspired me to start my own blog featuring my twin daughters. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind emailing me to give me some advice? Help me with a few hesitations I am haivng?
Thanks!
Teresa
v
Posted by gfbgf at July 20, 2009 10:12 AMone of my most favorites! xo
Posted by jen gray at July 20, 2009 06:12 AMthat is an amazing photo! i love it, as well as the quote. i hope you're having a fantastic heart-full weekend! : )
Posted by shona at July 18, 2009 07:37 PMOh, my. How do I love him. Let me count the ways. We drove through San Francisco and Berkley a few days ago and I saw a body of water and walking path. I thought, "I wonder if this is the path Ben dances on..." We also hit the Cafe Gratitude, my daughter wouldn't order anything!
Posted by Puanani at July 17, 2009 06:04 PMand the figures on the Beatles tshirt are dancing right along with him! oh, this photo makes me smile so much =)
and look at leaping, dancing SHADOWS! =)
Posted by yasmine at July 17, 2009 11:54 AMLooks like he's thriving in every way!
Posted by Surcie at July 17, 2009 09:19 AMBen couldn't look more "joyful and whole" than in this picture!
Thanks for sharing this image of your beautiful, dancing boy.
:)
Amazing.
And I love to dance and spin on my feet.
xo!
An amazing shot, Andrea! It captures Ben's utter joy in movement, and I love his hair ruffled by the wind. I know that my own son's dancing brings me SUCH joy and laughter. Two year olds of the world, dance your bootys off!
Posted by Sam at July 17, 2009 06:38 AMHe's adorable!
(This photo is amazing, breathtaking and spiritual all in one. This is the second time I've come to look at it. I wish I could capture that freedom and happiness and share it with the world. So very awesome!)
Posted by Jacki at July 16, 2009 02:38 PMThat looks similar to my son Jack's dance...we call it "Jelly Legs" Awseome!
Posted by Todd at July 16, 2009 01:56 PMthat is the BEST! love love love!!
Posted by maile at July 16, 2009 09:57 AMSuch a great photo! And I love the quote :)
Posted by Caroline at July 16, 2009 07:41 AMWhere did that quote come from? LOVE the picture!
Posted by megan at July 16, 2009 07:40 AMGood Lord that is some pure joy there!! I love to SEE that in pictures...
Posted by jakki at July 16, 2009 07:10 AMRemember when he was just a hope? Just a dream and a wish your heart was yearning for?
What joy he projects.....
Posted by Rebecca. at July 15, 2009 08:13 PMRemember when he was just a hope? Just a dream and a wish your heart was yearning for?
What joy he projects.....
Posted by Rebecca. at July 15, 2009 08:13 PMOh Andrea! This photo made my day!
Posted by michelle y. at July 15, 2009 07:22 PMWhat a beautiful photo and I LOVE the quote. Thank you. My newly rediscovered dancer-self thanks you. :)
Posted by Blisschick at July 15, 2009 03:50 PMlove the shirt and how it complements the content of the photo~
Posted by hippittee at July 15, 2009 03:49 PMWhat a beautiful photo and I LOVE the quote. Thank you! My dancer-self thanks you. :)
Posted by Blisschick at July 15, 2009 03:48 PMThis is such a captivating photo! So joyful!
Posted by Dreaming Bear at July 15, 2009 03:10 PMoh lovely! i also love how this is a family photo of sorts, assuming the other 2 shadows are you and matt. i want to dance with ben too!
Posted by crissy at July 15, 2009 02:31 PMI just adore this picture. I look at it all the time because it just brings instant joy into my life. Rock out Ben!
Posted by jenn at July 15, 2009 12:07 PMOh, Jen, what a beautiful, lovely picture. I think I will go and dance a little myself now, though it's night here and I will be dancing under the stars.
Posted by Rae at July 15, 2009 09:04 AMI truly adore this picture. Ben's expression and movement are so perfectly joyful, and I love how his little dance-partner shadow looks like it's taking flight in the background! :)
Posted by Sarah at July 15, 2009 07:00 AMI truly adore this picture. Ben's expression and movement are so perfectly joyful, and I love how his little dance-partner shadow looks like it's taking flight in the background! :)
Posted by Sarah at July 15, 2009 07:00 AMDance on, little dude. Wonderful moving picture.
Posted by Wanda at July 14, 2009 05:13 PMlook at him-- a sweet little wisp of a boy, he looks like he is about to fly up into the air, perch in a tree and giggle down at you :)
SUCH an awesome shirt! My partner and I were saying the other day that if we ever become pregnant, we're totally pressing earphones to my belly & playing beatles songs.. (and some joni mitchell- the grass at the roadside in this shot makes me think of prairies, and for some reason joni and prairies are linked in my mind)
Posted by Laura at July 14, 2009 04:13 PMWow. Talk about a frameable keepsake! That should totally be up on your wall! :)
Posted by Trude at July 14, 2009 03:28 PMwhat an awesome picture. What a treasure...
Posted by Connie at July 14, 2009 02:40 PMoh. so made me smile today. love the t-shirt too.
Posted by Leslie at July 14, 2009 01:46 PMWhat I ask is better than this?? I really love the shadow part too. I think of Peter Pan's shadow. Unadulterated joy. Thanks for sharing all the loveliness.
Posted by Honey at July 14, 2009 01:31 PMInstant good mood.
Posted by catherine at July 14, 2009 12:13 PMThis image just filled my soul with absolute joy. Thank you for sharing.
Posted by Kristy at July 14, 2009 11:18 AMThis image just filled my soul with absolute joy. Thank you for sharing.
Posted by Kristy at July 14, 2009 11:18 AMThis image just filled my soul with absolute joy. Thank you for sharing.
Posted by Kristy at July 14, 2009 11:17 AMi LOVE it!!! probably one of my fav pics of ben so far. just a great photo all around. my heart swells :)
Posted by celisa at July 14, 2009 11:02 AMSeeing him makes my heart dance! I love this picture...
Posted by nina at July 14, 2009 10:56 AMThat makes my heart smile in a thousand different directions. Spend the money. Blow this one up and frame it. Put it in the busiest room in your house. You will never regret looking at this image every day.
Posted by Yolanda at July 14, 2009 10:39 AMmy new fave pic of ben!!!
Posted by kelly rae at July 14, 2009 10:38 AMLove this - the shadows, the light, the expression, the quote - everything.
Posted by Katie @ cakes, tea and dreams at July 14, 2009 09:39 AMI love everything about this picture but I think the Beatles shirt is the best part!
Posted by Sarah at July 14, 2009 09:12 AMBrilliant photo, Andrea. Ben has genuine line in the movement. And the quote knocked my socks off, sent it to Paul.
Posted by Shelley Noble at July 14, 2009 09:10 AMI LOVE this picture!!! It does look like he's rockin' out in the way that only 2 year olds can do (though I guess he's 2 and a half now, right?
Posted by Jennifer at July 14, 2009 09:09 AMYah Ben!! I squealed outloud at this photo and such a great quote. You captured this so beautifully. Cutness overload!
Posted by heather at July 14, 2009 08:59 AMsuch a great photo - capturing something mid-dance! perfection :)
xo
Posted by stef at July 14, 2009 08:43 AMThis beautiful picture makes my heart happy.
It's lovely to see Ben enjoying life.
Posted by Jummy at July 14, 2009 07:19 AMSeriously? Could you take better photos? This is awesome.
Also? I'm loving the cupcakes/cupcake flags from the previous post.
Posted by cjh at July 14, 2009 07:01 AMOh - the dances that they do - uninhibited beauty! If we could all keep part of that would it not be wonderful!
Posted by Val at July 14, 2009 06:27 AMgo ben!
i love this!!!
and that quote and it completely embodies how NIA has changed my life. that is exactly where i go when i dance and no matter how i may have been feeling before i danced, i leave changed.
Posted by vivienne at July 14, 2009 06:14 AMbeautiful!
xo
What a cutie! He is rockin' out and loving it.
Thanks for sharing.
The most amazing photo I have seen for a while. I love it. Bless little Ben :)
Posted by Lucia at July 14, 2009 03:05 AMBeautiful.
Posted by Rach at July 14, 2009 02:53 AMI'm delurking to say - fabulous shot! Who wouldn't be smiling after seeing it. Great capture!
Posted by Ange at July 13, 2009 11:49 PMOh rapture...and gimme that T-shirt.
Posted by melody at July 13, 2009 11:16 PMwow. i think this is one of the most joyous pictures i have ever seen
Posted by jen berry at July 13, 2009 10:52 PMFantastic photo!
Posted by Camilla at July 13, 2009 10:37 PMo.m.g!! Look at the shadow behind that magical moment! Unbelievable photo! What an incredible moment you have captured here!
Posted by Emme at July 13, 2009 10:14 PM