Portraits: Olivia

My niece is beautiful. Let me start with that.

She is sweet, funny, talkative, independent, lively and very photogenic! As the pictures below will surely prove.

When I asked my sister, Emily, about doing a photoshoot with Liv, she was on board faster than I could get the question out. I couldn't be more grateful to have such supportive family. I get to practice my camera skills and she gets cute pictures of her daughter. It's a win-win.

We called up my mom's neighbor and asked if we could take some pictures in front of her pink playhouse. She agreed instantly (thanks, Donna!). And when we got out there, we started singing some songs and Livie got so into it. Clapping, swaying, stomping her feet. Her smile was constant -- until she thought she saw a bug. :) Oh, how I love her. She stopped everything, froze and pointed. "Buuug."

Emily assured her it was not a bug.

See, Olivia thinks everything is a bug. It's quite possibly the cutest thing ever. Only, she's not trying to be cute. She's serious. But, once she had her mama's reassurance, she forgot about the bug (likely a stick or leaf) and continued to pose for our pictures!

These are so ethereal. Probably one of my favorite photoshoots ever.

Newborn: Merritt Liam

He has arrived!! Born on September 1, 2012, and perfect in every way, Merritt Liam was my very first newborn photoshoot! The best part about a newborn shoot is the chance to hold the baby. With Nora already 9 months old, I can hardly remember what it was like to hold a baby so small. I told Anna that Nora was never that tiny, but she was actually smaller. It's like a whole other world to think back to that time... And it's going way too fast.

I also told Anna that if I continued to use my photography and practice on newborns, I would never stop having them myself. It's like a fever - contagious! They are so perfect and warm. They snuggle right into your arms. So trusting and honest. It does not get any better than that. I think I may have to plan a follow-up photoshoot just for the opportunity to hug him again.

So: Lessons learned. Newborns are tricky. Not only do you have to cover up private parts and potentially the umbilical cord (Merritt's had already fallen off! Woo!), but you also have to keep them happy. I thought that would be easy because newborns are notorious for sleeping all day. With Nora, I had to go to drastic measures just to wake her up to feed her. Babies love to sleep. But not, apparently, when they are naked and away from mom. Anna and I spent quite a bit of time placing Merritt carefully on the blanket and positioning his little arms and legs, only to have him stir and cry out for mom. She would pick him up, soothe him, and try again. And then he'd pee. At least it was only that. :)

And then he was hungry, and then he was cold, and then he was gassy.

And then, finally, he was sleepy. And content. (Next time, I am bringing a space heater).

And we got these beauties:

Smiling!

Foot.

Baby.

Mommy and son.

Awake!

Brothers.

Family of four.

Love the colors and Joel's sweet smile!

Maternity: Anna

I recently had the pleasure of taking some maternity pictures for a friend of mine (the baby has now arrived, little Merritt Liam, born September 1, and he is flawless!). This photoshoot was good for me in more ways than one. Not only did it provide a chance to spend time with one of my best friends (I was in Anna's wedding, and she was in mine) and her sweet son, Joel, and very accommodating husband, David, but I also got a chance to work on my photography!

I've been recently dabbling around in it a bit more and working on building a portfolio. This was my first time shooting maternity and it was a blast! But it was insanely beneficial for me as well. I had no idea the amount of preparation you have to do before coming to a shoot. Like props, and poses, and bribes for the little one who wants to be doing anything other than pose for the camera (can you blame him?). Suffice it to say, I've lived and learned - and what better way than to do that with a gracious friend?

Thanks, Anna, for your patience during this seven-hour shoot (can't believe I'm admitting that), and your fantastic suggestions and ideas.

Here are some of my favorites, I hope you enjoy them too:

Imagining the countless hours this little one will play on that playground.

Joel was so excited about being a big brother!

Running...

... JUMPING!

Aren't they perfect? 

Listening for the baby... 

Resting on that hot day - he was a trooper! 

Slinging him around!

BABY

Pawley's Island, SC

Eric and I just got back from a trip to Pawley's Island, SC with our pastor and his wife. It was designed to be more of a retreat than anything else. A chance to get away with your family with some teachings in between. Our last getaway of the summer! Sad. (And yet, happy! Fall is clearly the best season of the year. Who agrees with me?)

Our church is working with 3DM Ministries, based in Pawley's Island (by the way, if you haven't heard of them, you need to check out their site! Amazing!) So, Mike Breen spoke every morning and I came home feeling refreshed in more ways than one. More about what I learned here.

I needed that short week away.

We had a blast with Nora! The retreat was right on the ocean, so we took a walk down to the beach and chased a massive pelican that was chilling on the beach, then we came back and relaxed in an inner tube drifting down the lazy river at the resort. We ate out at a restaurant on the marsh - and thank goodness there was a fence all the way around because all we kept reading/hearing about were the alligators! On our resort pass, they even had a warning not to "feed or molest the alligators". What?! Nora would have been the perfect sized snack for a hungry alligator so I kept a very close watch on her. Easy to do since she can't exactly get around very well yet at only 9 months old. :)

The highlight of the trip though, I think, was our bike ride down to the beach! It was Nora's first!

Just so you know, riding into the wind on the beach was quite possibly the hardest thing I've ever done... After hiking down and back up the Grand Canyon. Okay, after contractions. Okay, after labor...

I may be exaggerating a bit on how hard it was to bike into the wind. But still. In that moment, it was impossible. And my crazy husband made me go the whole way down the beach, telling me, "Think of how easy it will be when we turn around and head back!" That was supposed to make me feel better?

Apparently he thought so!

Look at that little smile! 

Not too happy with that helmet on.

So we took the helmet off once we got to the beach, thinking that would
make her happy... Not so! Not a fan of the seat apparently either. 

Once we got moving, she was happier. And then she spotted a doggy
on the beach and was ecstatic! Yay for furry, four-legged friends!

There I am, fearlessly biking into the wind! We went all the way to the very end. As far as you can see!

Loving that tongue of hers.

Look how comfortable she eventually got! Lounging with her feet up.
She eventually fell asleep - something about the wind in her hair,
the breeze on her face. Or so I am imagining.

Riding off into the sunset.