Happy 1st Birthday Tanner!

{Ash-a-ley}

During BirthStories, I feel like develop a special relationship, a bond with my clients.  I am by their side capturing the entire journey from baby bump to the first moment they meet their one.   It never ceases to blow we away when  I receive that email, text or phone call telling me that their Itty Bitty is no longer a baby, and they are going to be turning one.   As cliche as it is, time flies.   I could not believe my eyes when I saw this beautiful blue eyed boy with a head full of blonde hair running so fast I could hardly keep up.  Happy Birthday to another LeLe baby on his one year milestone!!!

I always like to find a quick minute during the session to bring it back to basics and get some pics of just Mom & Dad.  :)   

365 days

Jackie came home to St. Louis on Halloween to visit family with her 3 kids. Ten hours is how long the drive is that she travels back and forth to visit her family. She has made the trip many times from the Georgia base where she lives but this time was different. This time she had a little surprise for everyone. Her husband, Chris, was coming too. He just returned home from serving 365 days in Iraq. What a shock for their parents to open the door expecting trick-or-treaters and instead see their son is home safe.

Next stop on her surprise trip was to come see me! I was shocked when I walked into work to see her, Chris, Paiton, Landen and little Adison, whom I hadn't met yet! We had a great time catching up, but all I could think about was the 365 days they had spent apart. How little 16 month old Adison hadn't seen her Daddy since she was an infant. How much Landen had to have missed the only other man in the house. I wondered if Paiton could understand why her Dad was gone for so long. Then I thought of the strength. The strength it took for Chris to do a job that he loves which requires him to be away from his wife and children. The strength it took Jackie to be a single mom raising 3 small children by herself for the last year and stay so positive. Their strength, love and commitment blew me away and all I wanted to do was do something for them. But what? What could I do for them?? Then it hit me...

Here is the beautiful Parker family.

Adorable.

So happy together.

I can just see the love in this picture and I LOVE it!! Jackie, girl you are so beautiful!

Jackie, I love the way you look at him. Chris, you are a rockstar in so many ways.

Jackie & Chris- Thank you for inspiring me with your strength, positivity and love!!

Happy 1st Birthday Trey!!

Ron and Christine were so excited about becoming parents and wanted us capture the experience with a BirthStory. We had so much fun doing their maternity session and no one expected Mr. Trey to make an early arrival within days of meeting them!!

We were there when Trey met his Mommy and Daddy capturing the first time they saw their son as well as the tears and the love that was bursting at the seams.

There is this genuine kindness and zest for life that flows between them that is so refreshing to be around. Fast forward one year, I hadn't seen them since Trey's Itty Bitty session and I was so excited when Ron asked us to shoot their 1st Birthday/Family Session! I couldn't wait to see them again!

October 2009

October 2010

Trey greeted me with open arms and huge grins! I was like we better get going because he is going to run out of smiles!!

Trey received this wagon for his birthday and we took it out for it's first spin!

He loved it!

LOVE. Love.

Even Calleigh got to sit in the Radio Flyer...

One, two, threeeeeeeee!

So you know that saying about the apple and how it doesn't fall far from the tree. So true! Mommy and Daddy seriously hit the jackpot with this kid! :)

And Trey... yeah. well, he hit the jackpot too!

Aw yeah, rockin' the rocket!!

Trey loves his Mommy!

Daddy too!

Trey, you are killing me with those curls!

And this little ham never ran out of smiles! :)

Batman! :)

Ron, Christine and Trey- Thank you for the delicious Starbucks! We are so lucky, appreciative and blessed to have met you. We hope to be there for many more milestones in your lives.

View slideshow HERE!

Contact LeLe Photography!

Kara and Ben (and Macy)

It is kind of hard to believe how nice the weather has been lately. It seems like it has been August/September rather than late October. The day I met up with Kara and Ben was no exception. The leaves were changing and the temperature was perfect. We definitely lucked out on weather that day! Kara and Ben were completely adorable, and so was their dog, Macy! As soon as I saw her, I could only think about Charlotte's dog, Elizabeth Taylor, from Sex and the City. We probably had about ten people stop and ask to pet Macy.

And now, for some of my favorites of the session........






This dog LOVED water!! We did everything in our power to keep her out of the water! She may be little, but let me tell you....she is strong!!

I love this one!

Another one I love....
Time for Macy's big moment...

Ben has been a runner for while. Kara recently started joining him. It is their thing they have been doing together. The day after our session, they were going to be running in a 10K and 5K. I am proud to say they both finished with great timing (and looking good head to toe in Lululemon - one of my favorite running and yoga clothing stores). :)

View Slideshow HERE.

Contact LeLe Photography HERE.