Sweet peek - Isla

So excited to share this sneak peek with you!  So excited, in fact that I just had to add in a few extra images because this new family is just so flippin cute.



If you have ever welcomed a new baby into your family, you'll remember this feeling so well.  Just staring down at that little one, enamored with every feature, wondering how it could be possible that just a few days earlier you had never even met.



And this moment... newborns are so impossibly small and perfect.


Thank you, Jennifer and Jonathan! It was such a privilege to visit during these most precious newborn days, so that you can remember them forever.

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Swing!

Working on this charmer's session tonight! It's long overdue and bringing back the memories of this hot (hot!) July day at the park in Washington, D.C.

(Okay, so not as hot as the following week... But I sure could have used a swing to cool down.)

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The sweetest thing

While planning my East Coast trip, I timed it around my dear friend Meg's due date. I was staying three hours from her, and spent half the time nervous that I wouldn't make it in time when her labor started. It was so important to me that I be there for her. Indeed, I made it with plenty of time to spare and was there to witness her intense and beautiful labor.

Of the whole day, this has to be my favorite image. It's victory, peace, happiness, relief, and love all rolled up into one little moment.

I'm so glad I could be there for Lily's first moments on earth. Thank you so much, Meg.

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Those bitty toes

Here's a sneak peek of a recent newborn session. I have to say, I've been waiting on this little girl for quite some time. She's a punctual little thing and surprised her mama by not arriving late like her sisters.

My favorite bit? Those cutie pie chicken legs. It makes it almost possible to imagine that just two weeks ago they were curled up in a wee little home.

Thanks for sharing your Mini Me with me, Adrienne. She looks so much like her sisters that I can't wait to see who she becomes on her own!

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Sweet sunlight

Need a little more sunshine to round out this gorgeous day?

This was one of my favorite sessions of 2010. What can I say? The stars aligned; the weather was beautiful and Georgetown is funky and colorful. You may perhaps recognize this family from my public service announcement on How to make a sleepy baby smile or if you follow me on Facebook. It seems like yesterday I was attending her birth.

Haydee was definitely a sleepy bug this afternoon!

I feel so lucky to watch her grow up. She and Lillia are only three weeks apart, and you could not find two more different babies.

I love this moment. Few things are sweeter than little girls with their daddies.

And I'm telling you, their neighborhood is AWESOME! I mean, where else would you find a mural like this in an alley?

Ronnie bundled Haydee up for the walk home and wore her in the Moby Wrap. Personally, I love wearing my girls. It's such a short time when they are small and cuddly, and it makes life so much easier. I can never get enough photos of me wearing my girls. In fact, I have been known to force people to take my picture on occasion.

Haydee went through quite a lot to make it into this world, and I'm so glad she picked Ronnie and Greg to be her parents. Hope you're out enjoying the sun today, little one!

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a little advice

I'm headed out of town for the weekend and can be reached by phone if necessary. Regularly scheduled sporadic posting will resume upon my return. I have a fantastic sunset session that I can't wait to share, and of course photos of the family I will be visiting this weekend!

In the mean time, my dear friends Ronnie and Greg will demonstrate how to get a sleepy baby to smile for family photos:

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A Mini Sneak Peek!

Oh my goodness. This year's mini sessions were so much fun. Of course, out of the entire week, THAT was the day it rained. It cleared up in time for a few muddy outdoor sessions, though! (And yes, oh yes, I slipped and fell in the mud.)

Let me just warn you - the family in the following photos is too cute for words. They picked out some awesome clothes to go with the foliage, and of course, little Wyatt was a perfect match sporting that snazzy red hair!

Wyatt was a bit of a milk-drunk space cadet for the first part of the shoot and spent most of the time enjoying the scenery.

There is no doubt about it; this boy is loved. He is lucky to grow up in a family with so much laughter. (AND FIREFLY, just sayin'. They've got good taste, too.)

We did get Wyatt smiling a bit towards the end. Laura really wanted a shot of his awesome dimple (cute x1000) and what I love about this shot is that Karl has the same expression. :O)

I had so much fun with you guys. Thanks for braving the slippery bridge and mud with me. (And Karl, if you can't find another pair of Wyatt's awesome socks, Laura will just have to learn to knit socks next!)

***Be sure to leave some love for Laura and Karl here on the blog! When this post reaches 20 comments, they get a free 8x10. Sweet!***

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Little curls

Thomas turned one back in July! What a lucky duck I am to get to watch him grow up. He keeps his mama busy, and let me tell you, there's never a dull moment when Thomas is around!

His curls are absolutely precious and get curlier as months go by.

He was a little bit under the weather and had to stop towards the end for some mama cuddles.

Hmmm, I just realized that two of mt favorite shots are of Thomas playing in the dirt. Boys will be boys!

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Emily is one!

Oh my goodness, the best part about this job is that it's so much fun to watch kids grow up - and I get to be there for all the awesome celebrations!

See those gorgeous smiles? It was a fantastic afternoon. Emily's family threw her a wonderful party (3 cakes and kids everywhere!) for her first birthday. I can't believe how much more grown up she looks, even since just a few months ago. There's definitely something special about turning one.

Emily wasn't too sure about the cake at first, but once the singing started, boy did she ever warm up to it! She dove right in, and after she had her fill she started handing out samples to anyone who would take one.

Even a yummy banana cake comes with a sugar buzz. The Queen of the Party squealed about the Awesomeness of Being One while everyone cheered her on.

All in all, I'd say first birthdays don't get much better than that.

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Happy Birthday Thomas!

One year ago, this is how I spent my morning.

...and my evening. I was lucky enough to witness the labor of my amazing friend MJ and the birth of her son, Thomas.

It was a cool break in one of the craziest heat waves we've had here in a long time - very opposite this year.

MJ labored all day and into the night and stayed strong through hours of pushing.

I'm sure she'd agree now that every bit of it was well worth it. There is nothing like the moment a mother meets her child. It is beyond moving, and to have it captured forever is something precious.

Birth is one of the most amazing miracles on earth, and no matter how you labor, it is definitely worth documenting - for your own sake (if you think you can't remember your wedding day, try your labor day!) and for your child's. No one loves to hear the story of their birth more than kids, trust me! Happy birthday, Thomas, this one's for you!

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Emily Gets a Tooth

Do you remember darling Miss Emily? Well I have the pleasure of chronicling her growth, and it never ceases to amaze me what three more months does for a baby - I mean, it's a third of her life!

We waited and waited for good weather and good moods, but the stars never aligned for us. The rainiest May in history, a teething baby, sleepless nights. Sometimes you just have to go ahead and get the shoot done, and I'm glad we were able to - schedules get busy and nine months (and that wonderful first tooth!) only lasts so long.

The timing was just right and Emily was waking up in a good mood as I arrived. I love the nursery pictures because those moments are such a huge piece of parenthood, and yet we so rarely get to document them. Oh, the sleepy face is one of my favorites!

We moved into the living room and had a great time - we even managed to keep Emily's hand out of her mouth for a few seconds at a time to capture that brand new tooth!

Emily is so bright and alert now, crawling and goofing around. I can't wait to see how much more her personality will shine through in another three months!

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Princess for a day

Last week I met a princess in the making. As the youngest in the family, and the only girl, Faith is living it up - pink style!

Sometimes the most amazing light is found in the strangest rooms, but this little girl had some right in her own nursery. It was the cutest room ever, and was a perfect fit for her bubbly personality.

For her beautiful birthday dress, I had planned photos on the couch, but Faith wanted nothing to do with it! She was perfectly content to stay with mama the whole time - or show off her speedy crawling skills. Just fine with me - we'll get that couch shot some day. :O)

Faith's birthday is in just a few weeks and I have a feeling she's going to have the most wonderful princess party ever. Can't wait to hear all about it!

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