Jane's BirthStory

A lot of people do not understand what a BirthStory is all about. Once I tell someone that it is a the story of your baby, everything from Maternity to Labor and Delivery to a Newborn Session, it is guaranteed to follow with the question or comment, "Wait....hold on.....You are telling me that you are in the Labor and Delivery Room!?!?" They are usually in shock...then I have to explain to them what it is really all about. I am simply a fly on the wall capturing one of the most important and anticipated moments that the couple will experience in their lives. I capture the raw emotion, the priceless looks on the parents faces the first time they hear their child cry. These are the emotions you can not re-create. It is real. These are the moments you will never get back. We document it in a way that every our clients watch the final product, it brings them back to those 9 months that seemed to have flown by once it is all said and done.

Michael and Erin contacted us during their first trimester. They were both equally as excited to have a BirthStory of their own. They not only waited for a baby, they also waited to find out if their baby on the way was going to be a Jane or a Tyge. Boy or girl, there were a few things I knew.....1. This baby would be a KU fan (This is where Michael and Erin Met: and they are proud alums....let me tell you). and 2. This baby was going to be loved to no end. I knew with out a doubt in my mind that Michael and Erin would make loving parents who would give anything for their baby, and they come from families who I know were ready and willing to spoil the newest addition to the Hurley fam. Here is Baby Jane's full BirthStory.......

Hurley BirthStory from LeLe Photography on Vimeo.

My favorite image from Jane's BirthDay.
Kelly has been one of my best friends for a long time. If anyone is in a room with us for two minutes, they can see why. We share the same sense of humor, the same love for love stories, and the same strong, independence, and the same wild side. :) This was the moment she first met Jane. When we were in the C-section room....she kept texting me, "I can't believe you get to meet the baby before me!!!!" I responded with the simple, "Perks of the job. ;) "
This is Erin's father. This picture says it all to me....

This is for a safe delivery.....

I am going to leave you with a message I received from Michael a couple days after he picked up the BirthStory:

"6 for 6 I have cried while watching this now. I can't tell you how much we love this video. I can't wait for years down the road when Jane understands the video herself. We can't wait for her next set of pictures this spring/summer. You have definitely got yourself a birthstory client for each of the children we will have. You and your sister are absolutely amazing."

When the BirthStory is ready, I usually watch it with my clients. Getting to witness the looks on their faces and the tears roll down their cheeks as they are brought back to the moments that passed by so fast they did not even realize happened......that is what I live for. Their happiness means everything to me. Thank you Michael, Erin and Baby Jane for reminding me once again how blessed I am to do what I do on a daily basis. See you in the Spring!!! :)

View Jane's Ripe Belly Session HERE.

View Jane's Itty Bitty Session HERE.

Contact LeLe Photography HERE.

Boy or Girl?

Michael adores Erin. I can see it when I hear him talk about her. I can hear it in his words. The way his eyes lights up when he talks about how excited they have been since the moment they found out they had a baby on the way. They are waiting to find out if they are having a boy or girl. I love when the parents wait to find out the sex of their baby! It is so rockstar esque to me. I know the anticipation would kill most people, but to me it would be like Christmas morning and totally worth the wait. We will be capturing that moment when they call out "It's a boy!! or "It's a girl!!!", because Michael and Erin are going to have a BirthStory. They will have the tears, the moments, excitement, anticipation, and joy documented in a BirthStory that tells their own story. So.....what do you all think they will be having....boy or girl? My guess ....well you have to read all they way until the end for that.....

Here are a few of my favorites from the Ripe Belly session....
ERIN!!! AYKM!!!??? You are SOOOOOO beautiful! Those eyes! Love them! You rock out those poses as well as you rock out that bump!!
They <3 each other, and I <3 them!


Thank you guys for being such good sports!! I found this beautiful field with tall grass and amazing lighting.....one slight setback.....Erin had 3 inch heels on. Thank you guys for trusting me.....these turned out to be my favorites of the day....


Fun facts about Michael and Erin: (There were so many things that I had in common with this couple!!!!)

1.) They LOVE to travel. As soon as I walked in their home, I was naming the destinations they had pictures of on their walls. We looked through their photo books together, and they even gave me some pointers on places I would like to visit and my upcoming trips.
2. They love wine! We talked vino. We bonded.
3. They love KU.......I love Mizzou. Okay....so we did not have everything in common....but I love that is where they met. :)
4. They LOVE pictures. I can always tell how important pictures are to someone when I walk into their home. I am extremely observant. I love to peruse around, and see what I can learn about a person. Their walls were covered with pictures. Pictures from their wedding, pictures from their travels, pictures of friends and family, and pictures of moments. I am so proud to know that the moments that I am capturing for your family will (hopefully :)) be part of the picture collection on your wall to tell your story. 5. They love their dog. I love my dog. :)
Drumroll please..................................................................................................................................
I think that Michael and Erin will be having a sweet baby girl.

Ripe Belly :Baby Gage

The birthstory of Jenna and Mike is very near and dear to my heart. Jenna has been a long time friend. We met when I was 18. We worked together, grew up together, and experienced life together. She was there for me through tough times, and I was there for her. One of my favorite memories....Sunday Funday --> We would get Sushi, a movie, and go back to my apartment for some gossip, laughing, and girly time. Somewhere in the midst of moving, going to college, changing phone numbers (lol), and life, we lost touch with each other. One day I was leaving the gym, and my sister called to tell me that someone named Jenna had called her phone asking for me, and that she wanted us to shoot her wedding and birthstory. My sister could barely even finish relaying her phone number before I had hung up on her (sorry Alicea) :) and called up Jenna. She answered on the second ring, and it was like we had never lost touch. I probably sounded like the biggest dork on the phone, because I could not take the smile off of my face!! My Jenna was getting MARRIED! My Jenna was about to have a BABY BOY!!! I am so proud of you, Jenna. You have a wonderful and loving fiance. You deserve the world, and I feel like Mike looks at you like a princess.
Here are a few of my favorites from their Ripe Belly Session....

Staying Busy in the New Year.

In the past couple weeks, we have been staying beyond busy designing albums, meeting new 2010 Brides, trying to get ready for the holidays, and shooting a LOT of sessions. We met Chrissy and Mark at their Ripe Belly session in December. This couple may be two of the sweetest and most hospitable people we have ever met. After we took some pics at the park, we went to their home to do some bare belly shots. Mark asked if we would care for anything to drink. Alicea and I said "A water would be great." Before we could tell him there was no need for it, he was out the door and to the nearest store to pick up some bottled water for the two of us. I could not believe it!! I seriously would have been fine with water straight from the tap, but you went above and beyond what we could have asked for. Thank you to both of you for being so thoughtful and sweet!!

Now for a funny story...Chrissy and her hubby already have one baby, their dog. She has a middle name, stairs that allow her to get on their bed, and a full closet of outfits. As a small dog owner, of course I LOVE THIS, but I can not help but to think of what is going to happen in less than one month. Adorable, sweet baby Mya will be here, and little puppy is NOT going to know what hit her. One day she is climbing her doggy ladder into mom and dad's bed, the next day she will be old news. My heart goes out to her. :) I am sure she will be okay though, Chrissy and Mark will have plenty of love for both of their girls!






My FAV of the day!!!!

Another Fav of the day!!!!


You are so cute Chrissy!!!


GO MIZZOU ALUMNI!!!!! LOVE IT!!!


This is for Chrissy's Dad. He carried one every single day, and it means so much to her. She has continued the tradition of keeping the good ole' buckeye for good luck. (even though they don't need it, but hey.....good luck charms never hurt anyone!) :)

I love the 3d Ultrasounds!!! They are simply amazing!

It's Baby Bump Season!!!

Another weekend passed with 2 more Ripe Belly Sessions. Something must be in the water!! Andrea and Jonas are just as cute as can be. Shooting their ripe belly session was a real treat for us. Andrea has been a good friend of mine for quite some time. We were even roomies back in college at Mizzou. I was there when she first met Jonas, and I was there to watch them fall in love. Fast forward 5 years, and now little Jenson is on his way into this world! Andrea...as always you are absolutely beautiful, but you are rocking that baby bump!! We can not wait to capture the rest of your birthstory for you!! :)
You are so gorgeous!!!


Couldn't decide on what I like better.....This one.....

or this one.... (Tell me what your vote is!)

Beautiful Woman!

Andrea really wanted to incorporate her wedding veil into the pics..... LOVE IT!!


I will leave you with this.......While trying to get "The Shot" the doggies thought it was play time and attacked me with kisses!