Welcome Home {Baby Shelby}

There is nothing quite like holding your first born. From the moment they hit your arms, your whole world and heart changes. All the little things become so precious, all their firsts- their first diaper change, first bath, first smile and on and on- each carrying with it a step closer in reaching the next milestone.

I would have to admit that some of my all-time favorite sessions are newborns. They are so peaceful, even when they may be fussy. I love seeing them swaddled and snuggling with Mom and Dad. The joy in the home is so contagious and just can't help but be filled up with the same happiness that welcoming home a new baby brings!

I am so excited to share more of Miss Shelby's newborn session and her sweet nursery that Mommy and Daddy worked so very hard on preparing for her. Enjoy :)

Welcome Baby Hunter {Part II}

I am just ecstatic to share Part II of sweet baby Hunter. Agh, he is just the cutest and has so many expressions for a newborn! I could not go without sharing just a few of his many adorable faces... each and every little expression below is uniquely his- absolutely no posing at all, ha!!! He's a natural :)

Yeah, I know he just warms your heart with those big brown eyes!!!! Well, brace yourself if you think that was cuteness at his best... ready, set.... AWWWWEEEE!!!!

I love that last one- it's like he's saying "hey, a little privacy here, please!" I still can not get over how very active he is at such a young age!



And as much as I love the images of sweet baby Hunter, it's the ones of the entire family that really fills my heart! What a blessing to see this little family sooooo completely in love. Baby's unlock so many levels of love and commitment that we didn't even know existed before we held them in our arms for the very first time! They are truly a miracle and add so much more to our lives than we could have ever possibly imagined.



Chris, Stacie, Hunter and even lil' Shiraz you always fill my heart and I can not thank you enough for letting me be there for this wonderful experience with your new family! You are all so beautiful inside and out! xoxo!!!

PS- 
stay tuned for a fun behind the scenes to see how we were able to get those cutie pie images of Baby Hunter in Daddy's Alma Mater football helmet. Safety first, always :)

Welcome Baby Hunter {Part I}

I know I say it all the time, but I really can not explain well enough in simple words the pure joy that I feel every time I hear the news from dear friends and clients that they are expecting a baby!!! Oh, how the memories rush over me of our own children- the excitement is infectious and brings such a HUGE smile to my face!!!

The same is definitely true for dear little Hunter! And be fair warned, he already has those lady killer eyes that will give you a whole new experience of love at first sight ;)
 

He's such a doll and extremely photogenic! So much so that I had to break up his session feature into two parts (hummm... that's been happening a lot lately, well what can I say- I'm blessed with such beautiful babies to work with!). So, with that- I hope you enjoy Part I of this sweet baby boy!!!

When I arrived he was just finishing up lunch (thanks, Mommy!) so Daddy got in some snuggle time while Hunter's beautiful mommy finished getting even more beautiful for their first family pictures.



At this point, our little Hunter was in a milk coma, fast asleep in dreamland- ahhhh, so peaceful!

We started out with several handmade blankets that were very special gifts for baby Hunter, and then added in a very sweet and curious big sister.

And then it happened, bam! He locked eyes right at me and I was done- completely in love!!!
Well, you can't say I didn't warn you, ha!



I absolutely adore this little guy, he's so much like a little man- when he's sleeping, he's out... and when he is awake, he doesn't want to miss a thing! So expressive with those big, beautiful eyes!!!

And finally, a quick little sneak peek for Part II next time :)


Congratulations Chris & Stacie and welcome to the world, baby Hunter- you have already stolen all our hearts!!!!! xoxo

Sneak Peek {Baby Hunter}

Oh so sweet and much more to come soon of this cute lil' man!!!

Welcome Baby Paige {Part 2}

Continuing with the cuteness from yesterday, here is more of sweet baby Paige :)




With deep FSU roots, this little lady isn't going to have too much of a choice which college team to root for, but then again why would she need any other when she looks so good in garnet and gold?
Well, and there's room for the Steelers too ;)



And ohhh, how cute are all those teeny tiny little fingers and toes!!!

And finally it was such an honor to be able to incoporate something very special just for Grandpa! From our family to yours- Thank you so much for your service in the Navy!



To simply say what a pleasure it was to work with Baby Paige and her family would not even come close to warmth it gives me in my heart- Crystal & Jason, you are already fabulous parents and she is a wonderful baby! And to Grandpa and Nana- thank you for all your help with the session, but most of all the loving support you give to Crystal and Jason as they navigate the waters of parenthood!

Thank you for letting me share in the joy :)
xoxo!


PS- I don't know about you, but who's ready for a Disney trip!!!!!

Welcome Baby Paige {Part 1}

Let me introduce you to the most alert 8 day old I have ever met :)

Little Paige's fascination with her new big world may not be the absolute best for Mommy and Daddy's sleep (uh- um...or lack of) but one thing is for sure- she will melt your heart once she locks those bright baby blues on you!

If there's one think that I absolutely love about working with newborns it's seeing the bond between the family that is formed. Even though mom and dad are running on pure adrenaline and are exhausted beyond what would ever be considered humanly possible- they are also in heaven, completely overwhelmed in every way and doing their absolute best to wrap their mind around their new world that has forever changed- for the better! And as if that was not enough, this session was made even more special with her Grandparents there with us- what a blessing it was seeing everyone totally head over heels in love with this little sweetheart!

Ok, ok, yes- I love, L*O*V*E my job and all the wonderful clients that I am so blessed to work with- now let's get to the good part- Miss Cutie Pie herself!

To start off, here's one of my all time favorite times during the shoot- I love the little in-between moments for breaks, feedings, cuddle time and also capturing the beautiful nursery details :)

I am always blown away with how creative and classic parents can be- this one in particular hits very close to home because our own little girl happens to LOVE Ariel (along with all the other Disney Princesses and now that I think about it- anything and everything DISNEY!)

Paige's Disney inspired nursery is a peaceful retreat, that Ariel herself has been know to visit from time to time! Complete with a precious handmade mobile and comfy green rocker that I know she and her parents will enjoy quite a bit :)

For those of you who do not know, Paige's mommy is a teacher and a true reader at heart. The books we incorporated are some of her childhood favorites. Another special member of the family, Nolie, was also up for participating and we were able to get some really sweet images of Paige and her furry big sister ;)



Little Paige was just so sweet and cuddly and I must say very fun to work with- so much so that I had to break up her post into two parts! Stay tuned for more of her cuteness tomorrow :)

xoxo and Welcome Baby Paige!!!!!!!

Welcome Baby Paige

Pretty in pink and twice as sweet, baby Paige was such a delight to work with. Oh, if only we could all nap as peaceful as this sweet little angel.

She did amazing through the entire session, with lots of love from Mom and Dad and some feeding and cuddling breaks in between. And even some special attention from a special friend... um, well maybe protector is a better word, ha :)



And...My absolute favorite, F-A-V-O-R-I-T-E image of the entire session!!!


Ahhhh, be still my heart- this image represents so many things- true happiness, unconditional love, the precious gift of marriage and the simple joys that children bring. This is "the one" that just may be a stunning HUGE canvas in my studio one day- oh, yeah...I can just see it now...LOVE!!!!

Ryan and Caitlin, congratulations on your precious baby girl! She is wonderful in every way- watching you both with her, there is no doubt of the love that fills your hearts. She really hit the parent lottery! I pray many, many blessings for you all and will enjoy watching her grow (though hopefully, not too fast!)

xoxo, enjoy each and every day (and nights...even the sleepless ones).

Sneak Peek {Baby Paige}

I really think God knows what he is doing lately and I know that Adam is super thankful for all the recent newborn sessions that are helping to give me my baby fix :)

This is only a quick glimpse of what's coming up for this new little sweetheart- ahhh, isn't she just a lil' cutie pie!!!

Welcome Baby Shelton

First comes love, then comes marriage...and hopefully you know the rest of the song (my 6 year old even sings it now sometimes).

And yes, The baby carriage did come along for Stacy and Luke when sweet little baby Shelton was born. Even though he came a bit ahead of schedule (4 weeks early), there was no doubt that Stacy and Luke were ready for him (even if they didn't think they were).

There is a special spark between Stacy, Luke and I that just electrifies me and makes me smile. Luke loves all the pictures and ideas that Stacy and I always come up with (wink, wink). Ever since their engagement session and wedding in 2008 we have enjoying encouraging, praying for and keeping up with each other over the years and even celebrated again with her sister Michelle's wedding last year. They have always made me feel like family (insert huge, huge ear to ear smile here)! So, to say that I was ecstatic when I received Stacy's email is such an understatement. I could not wait to meet the new sweetie!!!

My favorite part of in-home Newborn Sessions is the behind the scenes and capturing a bit of the real life of having a newborn that consists of diaper and outfit changes, baby breaks, rocking chairs and the nursery details.

If there is one thing that I love, love, LOVE about my job it's that I am completely blessed to work with wonderful couples and families like Stacy and Luke's. It is not only an honor to be there with them step by step on their wedding day but such a privilege to stay connected with them as their family grows.

Stacy, Luke (and family) I adore you and am so very thankful for God's blessing on you and your new family.

Congratulations and welcome Baby Shelton!!!!

Baby Love {Aubree}

There's plenty of love to go around :)

In between little cat naps and feedings, little Miss Aubree was very alert and very interested in what was going on around her. Through it all her sweet smirks and grins kept us on our toes. There's just something about all the tiny little details of newborns that are wonderful reminders of what a fantastic blessing they really are!

Enjoy some more images from Aubree's session!

Sneak Peek {Aubree}

Just a few days old, little Miss Aubree is just the sweetest little angel...more to come soon :)Welcome to the world Aubree!

Baby Love

Time has a way of catching up with us. One day our little ones are teeny tiny babies we hold in our arms and then all of the sudden they are walking, talking, running away from us and using their favorite new word..."No!"

Cooper is a perfect reminder of how precious those brief moments are and how quickly our babies grow up.

I remember when his big brother was this small (and what a handsome little guy he is now, plus an excellent assistant by the way!)

Every newborn is like falling in love all over again, there truly are not words that could ever describe it. I absolutely love, love, LOVE all their sweet little toes, fingers and chubby cheeks!

These next couple images are very special. Mommy and Daddy both work in education, so I thought that they would love incorporating books into little Cooper's session. He was a champ and took a nice little cat nap (hummm, makes me wonder if the books had a hand in putting him to sleep- ha!)
And though it is pretty difficult to pick just one absolute favorite I think the last one captures his sweet personality, it has that smile that makes all mommy's hearts skip a beat :)

Welcome to the world Cooper Jack, you may not know it yet but you have the sweetest family and fit in just perfectly! Jeremy, Kerri and Brock we love you to pieces and are thrilled about your newest addition! xoxo

Sneak Peek {Cooper Jack}

Just a preview of the cuteness to come :)

Stay tuned for Cooper's full post next week!