Sometimes, you just gotta LOVE your brother.

Like, really hard.



These two. Oh what characters! Let me set the scene. It was potentially the hottest. day. ever.
I had a babysitter malfunction, so I was forced to bring my two monkeys with me to work. Thankfully "P&E's" mom is suuuuuppppeeer cool, and a semi-new and completely fabulous friend, who didn't mind seeing them. She even brought them lollipops. However, having the two of them with me on a session wigs me out, because they have a penchant for running pell mell through my shots. It's maddening. Add to that the heat, and I had sweat stains the size of texas on my shirt. Thankfully, their mom was very happy to compare hers with me, making me feel a bit less like a beast.
Despite the elements, P&E turned on the cute for me. Apparently they sell cute in a can now, because it's hard to be this cute naturally. Ok, I take that back. It's completely natural for these two.





Now this, THIS makes me giggle every time. Oh the cuteness. He looks like Calvin from Calvin and Hobbs, who I happen to think is the cutest imaginary child ever.


Not to be outdone,


At the end, we let all four madmen romp in the sprinklers at the park. Oh they were refreshing! I even totally used Finn to get in the water myself. "NO, I am not a crazy person, I just need to acclimate my baby to the water so he understands it's fun...or....something..."


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Time flies when you're having fun.

This morning, I had to go back and dig up this storyboard sample I made over 3 years ago.


Why? Because little miss up there was one of my first newborn clients. And I can't even believe how big she is now!


She and her gorgeous family recently met me for a session. Mommy's an artist, so I knew it was going to go swimmingly. Big brother was a total ham. At one point I had my lens on miss "L" and I looked over my shoulder to see him posing like this...


Good thing I'm a quick draw.

And the new baby I had not yet met. I really don't need words to tell you how phenomenally cute he is.


Mom told me about what a great relationship the two boys have, and at one point baby "M" hit his head on the ground. Big brother was right on hand with a shoulder to cry on. Literally.


Of course, he loves his sister as well.





I know I say this all the time, but I just feel so blessed to work with the most fabulous, beautiful families in Tampa Bay, and this family is certainly no exception. Thanks mama "H" for bringing your beautiful family. The way you love them is simply tangible.




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So much to share.

For today, I'll share little man "C"! He was totally cute and very into my iPhone (as all the 2 year olds seem to be, boy they can learn that stuff fast.)It's my birthday so I am going to keep it short and sweet today, but I will be back later this week with more. If you're waiting on a gallery from me, thanks for being patient. We've had a busy few weeks, but I am plugging along!
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Engaged: Sarah and Talbot

Sarah and Talbot are going to the chapel in September, and boy can you tell that they are stoked! They are simply adorable together, and Talbot had me laughing the entire session. Pretty good, since when he got there he confessed that he was a bit scared that the session was going to be torture. I think we managed to get through with very little waterboarding and only an occasional pinch from Sarah ;).
I can't wait to join them for their big day very soon. I know it's going to be fantastic. By the way, I thought I'd use this opportunity to re-mention that I do photograph weddings. One of my closest girlfriends was shocked to find this out the other day (apparently she doesn't stalk my blog...tsk tsk). I don't have a ton of wedding images on my portrait site, but please contact me if you or someone you know is getting hitched and I will be happy to meet with you to discuss plans. I am currently booking weddings through February 2011, and if your date is past that, I can still pencil you in and work out the details in a month or two.










Gotta show off the gorgeous ring!









This was Talbot's shining moment. One of the other first things he said to me was "I can pick her up if you need me to carry her..." Well. of course I had to take him up on that.

Barrel of Monkeys

I always wanted four kids. Even when I was four, I think I wanted four kids. I just always thought that was a perfect number. Even, so everyone always has a buddy, and yet enough to add fun and chaos to just about every event. I remember summer days spent in MN with my cousins (there were only 6 of us total), and how I used to love every second of having so many friends to play with. I never wanted to go home, and I always imagined that one day I would just have enough kids that no one would ever be lonely. And four seemed like enough. Now, before you all get excited, no. I am not pregnant with twins. My husband would be jumping off the skyway bridge right now if that were the case. But I did recently get to do a session with this fun family. They have four kids. Hence, my nostalgia, because I'm doubting that's something that is ACTUALLY going to come to fruition for me. But what fun I had playing with this little group. More fun...they will be welcoming monkey number 5 soon! Mama better bet I am coming over for a newborn session. Even if she doesn't ask. I know her friends and I will just have them assist me in a break in.
We captured some of the last light in Hyde park and had such a blast. And I gotta commend mom and dad. While 4 kids may sound daunting to a lot of people, these were the best behaved 4 kids I have ever seen. Ever. They are all smart as a whip too, and this little one had me in stitches. She's the same age as Finn, yet she's this sassy little fully potty trained, big ol' full sentance talking, gum chewing spitfire and I fell completely in love with her and her brother and sisters.







Grady is completely smitten with miss "A"

Can you blame him?





If you love the sundresses on the little girls, head on over to Laci Jean and order one for your little cutie. Holly at Laci Jean also makes stuff for mama too, puses, aprons, dresses. And she's the sweetest lady ever. So go over and support her!!!




Ah, here's that last light I was talking about....


Hope you like your sneak peek "K". It was insanely difficult to pick just a few. :) Get 10 comments and get a free 8x10, 20 upgrades to an 11x14. Please leave your first name in the comment if you are posting anonymously.

Just quick

sharing a couple more of the mama mia mini sessions :)

This first guy is my buddy "K". He told me all about the fire trucks daddy uses at work. Thanks dad for helping keep Tampa safe!







Boys always get the thick dark lashes!



And little miss "M", who is welcoming a little brother or sister soon and was happy to share the spotlight with mom and grandma one last time...



doesn't mama look great?





3 pretty girls and some bubble fun :)

All American Girls

I loved getting to meet these little sweeties. Backstory: When I found out I was pregnant with Grady I didn't know anyone who had babies. At all. None of my college friends had gotten to that stage quite yet, and the people who I worked with had mostly elementary age kidlets. I had been a nanny in college so the basic babycare I had down. But I was terrified because I knew that eventually I was going to need someone who was going through the same things I was and understood right at that moment. It's easy to giggle at a new mommys worries when you have kids who are much older, because you know she'll get through it and in a few years she'll wonder why she worried about how many times her newborn pooped in 24 hours. So I sought out someone. I found the birth boards on Babycenter.com and felt immediately at ease. Here were hundreds of women going through morning sickness and swollen ankles, just like me! During the few years I spent on that birth board and another that we all migrated to (I sadly just don't have much time anymore), I made some great "imaginary" friends. And if you are one of those friends you know when I say imaginary what I am referring to! Anyway, one of them was "C". She lives a mere hour from me, yet we had never met until last weekend when she came up here for a session with her three gorgeous girls. I am about halfway through editing her session and I keep thinking to myself, these are straight up all american little gals! They each had the cutest little personality that I got to see through my lens, and it was a great evening with some of the delicious remaining light.
Hope you enjoy your sneak peek, C!



It was a very special treat to meet little A, who was pretty sick with some heart issues when she was born. Today, you'd never know that she had any problem at all. She was bossing and pushing her big sisters around in true youngest child fashion!







Here's that personality I was talking about :)