Haylee: Sunshine & Sparkles

{Ash-a-ley}

Ripe Belly, BirthDay, Itty Bitty Session, 3 Month, 6 Month, and now I present to you,  Miss Haylee's 9 Month Portrait Session!    It is hard to believe that the next time I see her, we will be shooting her 1st Birthday Pictures!    A portrait session every 3 months may sound like a little much.....but anyone who has watched their little baby grow up, they know how fast that first year flies by.  I often hear them talking about how it seems like it was just yesterday that they were up all of those sleepless night as new parents entrusted with this little baby they had waited so patiently to meet.   During that first year, they change, grow and become a little person all too fast.  Jessi and Steve will always have these images that bring them back to each milestone, moment and feeling that they shared as they proudly watched their baby girl grow up.    Happy 9 Months!!!!    

I was like a kid in a candy store when I pulled my brand new Drop it Modern backdrop out of the box!!!  Sparkles, sparkles, and more sparkles!!!!   The bling bling mesmerizes me and brings me to my happy place.   SO HAPPY that my FedEx man delivered this very special backdrop the morning of Haylee's shoot!!!!    

Those chubby cheeks and juicy legs!!!   I just love this little girl!!!!!  

You would think she was born with a camera pointed at her or something!!!!   Oh wait, she was!!   :)   Such a perfect little model!   :) 

See you guys real soon!!!!     xoxoxo  

Family from the Picture Frame

Have you ever taken the time to notice that family, the smile of that nameless person that fills up the picture frame before you buy it.   That family that is so picture perfect?    That is all I could think as I spent the morning capturing Renee and her family's pictures.   Sure enough, each child that hopped out of their backseat was as adorable as the last!   It almost took my breath away, as I said, "You have SUCH a beautiful, beautiful family."   Oh....it gets better.......she has some of the most well behaved children I have ever had the honor to capture.   They listen, they are respectful, they are funny, they are smart, and they listened to every word of direction their parents or myself gave them.   I actually wrote her after the session to applaud their parenting skills.   I actually met Renee when I was capturing a Labor and Delivery.  She was the doc performing the c-section.  She had this cool, calm and easy demeanor about her.   She had one of the best bedside manners I have ever seen from a doctor.   Well....basically Renee.....you and your entire family blew me away.    I absolutely loved meeting each and every one of you!      

I also designed their Holiday card.   It is a super cute tri-fold card.   the top row is the outside of the card, and the bottom is the inside......

They Just Keep on Growing: Baby Jane

Less than one year ago, we were capturing Jane's BirthStory.  This is a very special family to me.  Jane's dad, Michael is brother to one of my long-time, very good, beautiful friend, Kelly.  So when Michael and his wife contacted me about doing their BirthStory.....it was an obvious "Absolutely!"  As usual, time seems to slip by, and before you know it.....Jane is already 8 months old.  I couldn't believe the smiley little lady that sat in front of me.  Her strawberry blonde-ish hair, the wrinkles in her chubby little legs, the huge smile that would be plastered on her face when her daddy would toss her into the air and catch her in his arms, and the proud look her mama had every time I showed her a sneak peek on the back of my camera.   Michael and Erin - Here is your beautiful, beautiful baby girl that I love so much.  :)

Journey Around the Sun: Grant

"It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime..."

— Khaled Hosseini (The Kite Runner)

Sometimes it is difficult to remember what you were doing yesterday, much less one year ago. Take a moment and think about it. Where were you one year ago today? Were you at work, traveling, struggling through a break up, or perhaps studying for a test you never thought you would pass? One day can change your entire life. 365 of those life changing days can leave you standing as a new person you never would have imagined being. People have babies, people fall in love, they get their hearts broken, we lose loved ones, we see places we have never seen before, we learn, we dream new dreams, and throughout it all, we grow. You may have never imagined yourself having kids and out of nowhere BAM! You meet someone who you can't imagine your life with out, you tie the knot, and suddenly your name goes from Ms. to Mrs. to Mom... all in one year. I have seen it first hand.

As I started Grant's one year session, Christi reminded me that exactly one year ago to the date I was meeting her for the first time at her Ripe Belly Session. When we finished her session that day, I went home only to receive a call from her hours later, in the middle of the night, that they were heading to the hospital. So much changed for them overnight. If we would have not have taken her ripe belly pictures THAT afternoon, they would not have these moments captured........

(Check out Grant's Full BirthStory HERE.)

Less than 24 hours after her Ripe belly session, they held their beautiful boy in their arms. The little boy that they had spent the last 9 months dreaming about what he may look like....and here they were in the moment they had so anticipated with Grant crying in their arms. This is what life is all about.

I could not help but think about all of these things after Christi made that simple statement. As I took Grant's pictures, I took notice of how their life had changed in his first year. They moved into a beautiful home, they gave Grant more love than any boy could ask for, and they shaped him into the charismatic blonde haired, blue eyed, beautiful boy that stood in front of my Canon lens. This is what I love about my job. I am there to capture the moments that will bring my clients right back to days that changed their life, and re-feel the emotions, and give them the closest thing to re-living those precious moments.

Happy 1st Birthday, Monkey! :) You are so loved.

View Grant's Slideshow HERE.