Natalie was born on June 12, 2018 at 12:09 am. I spent June 11th laboring, and she came just a little after the stroke of midnight on the 12th. One year ago today, I was in a hospital bed, surrounded by loved ones, working hard to bring my first baby into this world. It was surreal. It still is surreal. I never blogged her birth story. It’s partially because I was so tired. It’s partially because I just wanted to spend my time at home with her in other ways. It’s mostly because it’s difficult to describe what it’s like becoming a parent, and anything I say here has been written a million times before. It’s life changing. It’s exciting. It’s terrifying. I love her so much and I can’t imagine life without her. (But really, I can’t.) So here is my perspective of Natalie’s arrival, complete with all of my jumbled, first time mom emotions. When I first heard that Natalie’s due date was June 12th, I wanted her to be one of the 5% that comes when predicted. 6.12.18 is a pretty cool birthday (she will have her multiples of 6 down pat!) but also June 12th is her great grandfather’s birthday. My dad’s father was born on June 12th, 1929. He is exactly the same age Anne Frank would be if she had survived. He is also struggling with late stage dementia, and it warmed my heart to think we might have a renewed reason to celebrate and remember him on that day. The doctors didn’t want me going past 40 weeks, so when we got the call that our induction was scheduled for June 13th, I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. I knew I could go into labor any day, but there had been absolutely zero signs this girl wanted to make her exit any time soon. Almost no discomfort, no dilation, not even a single Braxton Hicks contraction. I felt like eviction was going to be the only option and I was bummed. My sister rose to the challenge and inundated me with tons of fun facts about the numbers 13 and 14 as I grappled with the hormone driven despair over a silly date on the calendar. I should note here that throughout pregnancy I had terrible anxiety about NOT KNOWING I was in labor. Try asking a mom what labor contractions feel like and you’ll get the most general, unhelpful answers. “It’s like really bad cramping.” “You’ll just feel….off.” “Oh don’t worry, you’ll know.” THANKS. And yet, on June 10th, I woke up and felt...off. I had some really bad cramping and I just knew labor was starting. Just like all those mamas said. I tried not to get my hopes up. Pre-labor can last for days. But here we were, just TWO days away from that due date. Could we be so lucky? The short answer is, yes. We were that lucky! Only just. If that’s sufficient for you, congrats! You can be done reading now. Feel free to scroll down for some pics. If you just love birth stories and can’t wait to know more, keep reading! Us mamas just LOVE telling a birth story. After a full day of contractions, I sensed that the baby wasn’t moving as much as before. I did some intense googling, and decided to make a call to the doctor. They told me it was probably OK, but to come in for a nonstress test, just in case. All signs indicated that the baby was fine, but she was a little less active than usual. Since I was just about 40 weeks and was going to be induced in a few days anyway, they decided to admit me. Even though labor had clearly started, they recommended I be induced, to help move things along. Let’s just say this was extremely successful. The contractions started hitting hard and fast. I’ve since been told that being induced in this way can cause a more painful labor as your body doesn’t have time to slowly build. Sounds right to me! I was all about getting an epidural and by early evening, I knew it was getting to be time for it. I wasn’t getting a break between the contractions and I was starting to cry which made it hard to breathe. By the time all was said and done, it was 8:00 before it was ordered, and by then things were pretty intense. It was riiiight around this time that I was told Alex would not be allowed in the room with me when I received the epidural and I lost it. I started hyperventilating and sobbing (and apologizing for hyperventilating and sobbing). I just couldn’t calm myself down, and in case you didn’t know this, you aren’t allowed to move while you’re getting an epidural, so this wasn’t going to work. In an act of desperation, Alex leaned in close and said to me, “As soon as this is over, I will go get you a GIANT blue Slurpee.” I smiled! I laughed a little! The crying cycle was broken. The nurse stopped prepping me for a moment and said, “You know, a Slurpee is technically a clear liquid so...she could have one right now.” My mom and sister were halfway to 7-11 before she finished her sentence. Everything went smoothly with the epidural and by 10:30, I had a slurpee in my hand and was feeling a million times better. My sister and Mom got one for the nurse too! It was well-deserved. The doctors and nurses warned us that the epidural could slow down labor, so they darkened the room and gave us about an hour to grab some sleep. I wasn’t feeling any pain, but I was feeling intense pressure. Every 5-10 minutes, it would wake me up. I’d shift a bit, close my eyes, and drift back off. You can imagine our surprise when, around 11:30, the nurse came back to check on me and declared the baby was crowning! Alex got on the phone with everyone, told them to turn around and come back. I asked if we could wait until midnight. That’s right. Crazy lady over here wanted that June 12th date so badly, I was prepared to labor an additional 30 minutes. The nurse said yes. Alex looked at me like the crazy lady I was. I labored, without pushing, for 30 more minutes. I can’t imagine this would have been possible without an epidural. (Or the extra Slurpee for the nurse!) Just before midnight, the room filled with people. As I pushed, her heart rate dropped, so they called in the NICU team. It felt like the room was bursting. I could not tell you who was where or what they were doing. And then suddenly, she was here. At 12:09am, Natalie Claire made her appearance and made me a mom. I still have trouble looking at my active one year old daughter and connecting her to the tiny human they placed on my chest. I know her so much better now! She is a real human with thoughts and feelings! And I know that it only gets better. Those thoughts and feelings become words and sentences and expressions. Every year I have with her, I’ll get to know her even better than the last. But tonight, I’m going to look back through these photos and remember her when she was just a squirmy little thing. I’m going to remember what it was like to hold her for the first time. I’m going to remember what it felt like to become a mom. I’m going to smile. I’m going to cry. And I’m going to get myself a GIANT blue Slurpee. Major shoutout to my sister, Carrie, for picking up my camera and shooting these. Getting pictures could not have been farther from my mind in this moment but I am beyond grateful to have them now.
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When I arranged my first newborn session since having Natalie, I don’t think I was prepared for how it would make me feel. I walked into the Olson’s home filled with excitement to get back into something I had been missing. Jen is such a dear friend of mine, and this would be our third newborn session together. Seeing those littles run up to me for welcome hugs was wonderful and surreal. As soon as I held Archie in my arms, I felt myself holding back tears. It may have been some leftover hormones. Natalie was just about three months old at the time, and I was certainly still experiencing some of those highs and lows! But I was also suddenly aware of just how important these sessions are, This had been Natalie just a few months ago. Somehow, this tiny little human I was holding in my hands was younger than her. It was a reminder of how fleeting those early days are, and how quickly our babies change. It was a reminder of why we value photographs so highly. Why I picked up my camera all those years ago. Photos transport you back in time. You sit down, with a photo in your hand, and everything comes flooding back. I can imagine the Olsons doing just that in a few years. They’ll look through the images from this session and remember their first days as a family of five. They’ll remember how excited Harvey was and how eager Evelyn was to help. They'll remember Ev’s creative and thoughtful gifts for her new baby. Harvey’s enthusiastic snuggles. They’ll remember that while it all may have felt a little crazy, their house was filled to the brim with love. And they’ll get to show Archie who he was at the beginning of it all. This sweet boy with his doting older siblings and his very own personality. That bit of brown hair, and those big, brown eyes. His little features that somehow make him look just like Ev and Harv put together. I loved being a part of welcoming Archie into the world. He may be six months old now, but he’ll always be the baby to them! This family has more than enough happiness to go around, and he is so lucky to be a part of it!
Before we bought our house, Alex and I lived in Baltimore City. We rented the most adorable little townhome in Canton that I still drive by whenever I’m in the area. Hopefully the current tenants haven’t noticed! I learned a lot of things while we lived there. I learned there is nothing quite like the satisfaction of finding a parking space on the same block as your house. I learned you can spend a lot of money when everything you love is within walking distance. And, maybe most importantly, I learned that Baltimore loves their dogs. Other than our oddly personable fish Shane, Alex and I don’t own any pets. The beauty of living in the city is that you don’t have to actually own a dog to feel like you do. Whenever we went for a walk there were fluffy dog snuggles to be had. Any time we peeked out the window (literally any time!) we would see someone strolling with their pup. It was awesome! And we definitely miss our fur neighbors as much as our human neighbors from that time in our lives. You would think, with these lessons in my back pocket, that I would have taken something called BARCStoberfest a little more seriously. This is an annual event at Patterson Park that celebrates - you guessed it - dogs! BARCS is an incredible organization in Baltimore that takes in strays and surrenders, and works tirelessly to find them loving, permanent homes. Every year, they have a festival to celebrate their furry friends and raise money for their cause. The Bryk family and I chose that day to have their family session. Beyond the fact that it took me about 25 minutes to find something that barely resembled a parking spot, many of my favorite Patterson Park locations were being occupied by our four-legged friends. This meant either wandering around to find ideal lighting or posing in front of a rather large audience of dogs and their loving parents. The bonus? Olivia loved watching all of those cuties running around and was much more willing to pose for photos when we were in the more heavily crowded areas. Although taking photos is tons of fun, I think we were all a little tempted to just stay in the thick of things and participate in the festivities! We had a great time strolling through the park on what turned out to be a beautiful fall day. I loved hearing about their experiences living in Baltimore and comparing it with ours. Canton is such a tight-knit community and I will always look back fondly on our time there. I love getting the chance to go back and take photos in one of my favorite places! Take a peek at some of my favorites from the Bryk’s session. You can tell how much fun all three of them were having. There’s just something about being surrounded by dogs that brings out those genuine smiles!
The world of photography in Maryland is different than it is in, say, Florida or Arizona. Up here in the northeast, we get hit hard with the seasons, and this means that our photography year also functions in seasons. And even though there are most certainly benefits to being busy year round, every year I find myself welcoming the calm season that comes right after Christmas. Fall is always packed to the brim with adorable babies, happy families, and glorious weddings. Add the fun and craziness of the holidays to that, and a little winter break is just what I need as we move into the new year. And just like with any break, getting back into the swing of things can be a little intimidating. I find myself simultaneously wanting to jump in with both feet, and give myself just one (maybe two!) more weeks of rest. In the end, jumping back in always wins. I truly love photography and the people I get to spend time with. Sometimes you just have to take that first leap into the deep end to remind yourself how much you love swimming! This is exactly what happened with with little Emily’s newborn session. I do most of my newborns in the client’s home and it is quite the event. I always assure clients that I am not moving in, despite the fact that I appear to be bringing half a household with me! In other words, it was quite ambitious of me to pick a newborn session as my first after the break. (Not that we have any control over when babies come of course!) I was also just entering the 3rd trimester of my own pregnancy, and my nerves were on alert! Emily must have sensed that because she was the kind of baby newborn photographers dream about. She was awake when I arrived, but by the time I set up, she had fallen into a deep sleep. Other than popping her eyes open for a few seconds to peek at her big sister, she slept the. entire. time. Even when we switched positions, she would only stir a bit, but then she’d settle right back in! She was just so at peace, and it truly permeated the entire house. Everyone was so relaxed and happy! Big sister Claire was an absolute star. When I walked through the door, she was eager to show me all of her cool toys and outfits. As soon as little sister Emily came into the room though, Claire’s eyes were just for her. Her lens was just for her too! Armed with a phone, Claire stood right next to me almost the entire time calling out “cheese” and making sure Emily was smiling for all of her pictures! Claire didn’t seem to notice that her new baby sister stayed steadfastly asleep for every shot! It was truly an enjoyable afternoon with the Scaife family. I know that Claire and Emily are going to be very best friends and I can’t wait to document that friendship for years to come!
Oh autumn. Your golden light and warm breezes make us all swoon! Unless you’re the Kelleys...then autumn gives you bitter temperatures and biting winds. And this was after we had already rescheduled once for torrential downpour. We should have known what kind of winter we were in for then. Is anyone else ready to stop seeing frost on their windshields in the morning?? The forecast for our first few days of spring in Maryland is looking positively bleak. I’m not even sure we break 50 degrees in the next week! It may have been bright and sunny outside, but the conditions for this family session were anything but ideal. The high for the day was 31, and when you’re taking photos at 9am, you are not getting the high temperature! Brandy and I even chatted earlier in the week about whether to reschedule or not. But with a previous reschedule and Thanksgiving fast approaching, we were running out of time. We made the decision to push forward, and Brandy promised they would hang tough in the low temps! To say that the Kelley family delivered on that promise is an understatement. They didn’t just tough it out, they were absolute troopers. I honestly cannot remember hearing a single complaint (except from me!) Brandy managed to find outfits for everyone that not only were incredibly warm, but also perfectly coordinated. If you’ve ever put together outfits for your family session, you know what a feat this is. The sunlight provided us with just enough warmth and Kinder Farm provided us with just enough shelter to make this shoot doable. I’m sure the boys’ energy had something to do with it as well. They were more than ready to play and explore every inch of the farm. Those are genuine smiles you are seeing in these photos. I couldn’t believe what great spirits everyone was in! I absolutely love my fall meet-ups with the Kelleys. I’ve been taking their photos for several years now and there is something so special about watching the boys grow up and seeing how different our sessions are from season to season. We reminisced about our first shoot together - a lovely, warm, spring evening in which the boys indulged in leftover Easter candy while we chased the sunlight. They’ve come a long way since then, and so have their photos! I look forward to our little tradition continuing. Especially since now I’ve seen them brave the worst of the elements like it was nothing!
Sitting down at my computer to write this felt a little foreign. It has literally been months since I have taken the time to blog and it’s amazing how quickly I adjusted to its absence! That being said, I have missed it. Blogging gives me a reason to slow down and remember all the little details from a session that can be forgotten in the rush to edit and deliver galleries. It reminds me that my clients are seriously some of the most incredible people I could meet. And the personal blogs (like this one!) help me stay connected to all of you. So for all of those reasons - I sure am happy to be back! Although you’ll have to bear with me as I get back into the swing of things! This fall was the craziest and busiest time I can recall in my recent memory. The big news: In early October, Alex and I found out I was pregnant with our first baby! Excitement! Confetti! All of the happy things! I admittedly took the test pretty casually and had no expectations that it would turn out positive. Alex wasn’t even home at the time and I had to wait several long hours to tell him. Those lovely early pregnancy symptoms hit about a week later. And so did my busy season. In the northeast, we get to experience all four seasons. It’s pretty awesome, although I will always contend that winter is the longest of them. Hence why I am currently hiding out in Florida for a few days. This girl needs a little Vitamin D! Winter is the slow season for Maryland photography. Things pick up a bit in the spring and summer, but fall is where this part of the country really shines. Those beautiful colors you’ve seen in paintings and movies? They are very real. Add leftover balmy breezes from the summer and that stunning, golden, autumn light, and you literally have a picture perfect setting. So It is no surprise that the fall is when most people want to get married, schedule engagement sessions, and grab those family photos. When it comes to big moments and annual family photos, September-November is the time to do it in Maryland. It just happened to be a bit complicated this year since I was fluctuating between being starving and wanting nothing to do with food, dealing with some pretty crippling headaches, and of course battling the neverending (and losing!) fight with the fatigue of the first trimester. Have I convinced you to have a baby yet?? Here’s the thing though - I survived! I have several people and things to thank for this survival. Firstly, I had to do that impossible thing that we all seem to bad at - prioritizing myself. I used to think naps were necessary, but once I got pregnant they were necessary. I had to let myself sleep sometimes, even if it meant “wasting” hours that could be spent editing. It also meant taking a step back Snapdragon’s social media. Keeping up a presence on Facebook and Instagram is so very important in this day and age, but I simply couldn’t juggle posting fresh and worthy content, giving my clients the best experience possible, and taking care of myself. One of them had to go - temporarily! For this season, I chose to put myself and my clients first. Speaking of clients, this season would not have been possible without them. The majority of them didn’t even know I was pregnant, and yet they were unfailingly patient and kind and understanding whenever there was a delay in delivery or a session reschedule. Time and again I am reminded that it is the people that makes this industry so fulfilling. So to any of my Fall 2017 clients reading this - THANK YOU. From the very bottom of my heart! And lastly, I could not have done this without a support system. Between my family, my friends, and my husband, I was able to run a busy photography season, teach, and look after my health. Shout out to all of them for dealing with my crazy emotions and hectic schedule, and for finding a way to convince me that I did, in fact, need to slow it down a bit here and there. That kind of love is invaluable, and I am so grateful. I am feeling so much better these days - my energy is back and I’m able to eat dessert again. (Yes, you read that right. I had a sugar aversion during my first trimester and it was just torture. I couldn’t even eat Thanksgiving pie!) It’s hard to believe in just a few short months, we’ll be meeting this little nugget. 2018 is going to be a fantastic year and I can’t wait to share it with all of you!
Every time I do a newborn session, I’m struck by how different babies are, even at just a few days old. It’s common knowledge that no two people are the same, but a lot of people think of newborns as just sleepy little bundles of cute. Which they are, of course. I do love each and every baby I meet. And yet, they always find ways to surprise us! Emilia chose to surprise everyone by coming three weeks early! When I arrived to do her newborn session, we hadn’t even officially reached her due date yet! The weekend she was born, Nick was scheduled to be in a wedding in New York. It’s pretty lucky that she came 3 weeks early, instead of 2 weeks and 6 days! Nick would have been hightailing it down 95! (Also, quick shout out to the bride who took it all in stride. Babies wait for no one!) After her unexpected arrival, Emilia continued to surprise everyone by being perfectly healthy and ready to go home in just a few days. Sometimes, babies born a little early have some trouble adjusting to the outside world. It is a pretty cold and loud place! We have to give them a little extra love to keep them happy. Enter Emilia the Unexpected! She was easily one of the most content babies I’ve ever met. As long as she was snuggled up in a blanket, she was sleeping peacefully. This even included the moments between when we were repositioning and rewrapping! As soon as we took that blanket off, she was not thrilled, but this is the one area where she didn’t surprise us! Most newborns aren’t thrilled by this, and you have to really ease them into it. Since she had done so well and we were getting close to the end of the shoot, we decided she had earned blanket time and didn’t push it. After her posed shots, we took some lifestyle photos around the house. I just loved seeing all the details they had so carefully picked for her nursery and the rest of their home. Youc an tell family is important to Meghan and Nick. Meghan’s mother came to help with the shoot. There are photos of their family members all over the walls. My favorite photo was the one of Nick and Meghan in the moment he proposed! They got engaged during a family vacation - when they were surrounded by people who loved them.So very sweet! Emilia’s name is just one more example of the close connection Meghan and Nick have with their family. She is named after Nick’s grandfather, and although they didn’t find out her gender until she was born, they knew all along that they would be using his name in some way. I can only imagine the joy that brought Nick’s family, and I know Emilia will grow up feeling that same family connection that her parents have. I absolutely adored spending my evening with this little family. They were relaxed and happy the entire time and their photos display every bit of it!
I haven’t talked about this a lot before now, but I love Harry Potter. I mean, I really love Harry Potter. A few weeks ago, on the verge of tears, I told my husband that I was torn because I wanted to read Harry Potter out loud to our future children, but I didn’t want to deprive them of the experience of reading it for the first time. He was probably reconsidering his marriage proposal at that point. But hey, when you marry a Potterhead, you know what you’re getting yourself into. It’s why Tyler dashed home mid shoot to get the correct wand for us to use. Luckily they don’t live too far! You can imagine my excitement when Kate and I were emailing back and forth discussing details for her upcoming newborn shoot, and she told me she wanted to incorporate Harry Potter into it! I did a little happy dance in my desk chair. When Miles came on the 11th of September, Kate and I shared a joke about him being just a little too late for his Hogwarts term. I assured her he’ll be one of the oldest students and therefore top of his class! I love connecting the magic of the Harry Potter to the magic of bringing a new human into the world. The first chapter of the the first book starts with Harry as a baby, completely innocent and unaware of all that is happening around him. Newborn shoots are like that a bit. There are adults bustling around, adjusting blankets and backdrops and checking the light and preparing bottles and pacifiers. And in the middle of it all, this little person sleeps peacefully. Incorporating that very first chapter, the beginning of this incredible series, was the perfect touch to the shoot. I could go on and on about how much I love Harry Potter and how delightful it was to surround Miles with items so near to my heart. I can’t get enough of these books. (And I may or may not be watching the 7th movie on FreeForm as I write this! Consider it market research!) But, as cute as all the HP stuff was, there was a whole lot of other adorableness during our session together. For starters, Miles’ nursery is adventure themed with outdoorsy touches. Kate mentioned that she had a deer hat she wanted to use in some way. I wasn’t prepared for just how cute it would be! On top of that, she and Tyler brought a speckled blanket with them and it completed the set up. Usually the baby items people bring are just a tad too big. It’s difficult to buy things in the right size when you haven’t met the baby yet, and it’s hard to believe any human could be that small! But Miles’ hat fit him perfectly and he was quite pleased with the extra warmth. He snuggled right into that speckled blanket and let us put him in a crate. (The things we do for photos!) It was beyond words. Even with all of that, my very favorite part of the shoot was the happiness that filled the room. Tyler and Kate were just bubbling over with it. It didn’t matter how I posed him or what props we were using, they loved every single thing that baby boy did. They are an adorable family, and I just know their lives will be filled with magical moments!
Is there a better way to spend your Labor Day than with Wonder Woman? How about spending it with three Wonder Womans and their whole family? Well let me tell you, if you know the Hlavka family, you’ll understand why I say I can’t think of a better way! This shoot could not have worked out better if we planned it. And, well, we did plan it! We planned it for a Saturday and woke up to rain. So we re-planned it for Monday and got a morning that dreams are made of. The fall weather was teasing us with crisp, fresh air and a brilliant blue sky. We chased away any chills we felt by wandering up and down Main Street in Old Ellicott City. Jennifer had such an eye for finding the cutest nooks and crannies that Ellicott City is known for. Every photo is beautiful and unique! It helps that everybody’s look was on point. I honestly have trouble getting myself up and out of bed in the mornings. Let’s just say it’s going to be a rude awakening once early-rising kiddos come along! And yet, somehow, Jennifer and Andy got themselves and their three girls out of bed and looking fresh with time to spare! That included some extra time to load carseats into the car. (They never seem to be in the car when you need them to be, do they??) I felt so at home with the Hlavkas. Jennifer and I barely stopped talking the entire shoot! She works for the school system so there was an immediate understanding between us. It’s hard not to bond over public education! Jennifer and Andy were so relaxed and easy going. Some of my favorite shots during sessions are the candid ones. The ones that may not be all smiles or 100% in focus because they are capturing a moment. It was clear that they appreciated those moments just as much as me. Every wrinkled nose and tongue sticking out made them laugh and smile even more than before. That kind of go-with-the-flow attitude makes what can be a stressful experience, a joyful one. Just when the smiles were starting to fade, a Great Dane puppy brought them all back. Nothing like some puppy love to make a shoot better! After some pats, scratches, and snuggles, all the girls were ready to finish strong. And I mean that literally! You have to be strong to be Wonder Woman! We got the girls changed into their Wonder Woman jammies to finish things out, and they were just as happy as can be. I would have been too! I may have to go out and buy myself a pair. Not sure my other clients would understand why I suddenly started wearing them to shoots! I walked away from this shoot feeling like I had made 6 new friends (Jennifer’s mother was there too!) It felt like we had known each other for years. I can’t wait to watch them get up to all sorts of adventures in the years to come!
Maryland Family Photography // Multi-Generation Session // Rockburn Park - Howard County, MD9/5/2017 When it comes to photography, you can think up almost any reason to hire someone to take your photos. One of my favorite stories from photography team Amy and Jordan Demos is that of the doggie yoga birthday party they photographed! Who would have thought? But the photos sure did turn out cute! In the case of Sarah and her family, they didn’t need to invent any excuse to take photos. This is a big year for a lot of people! For starters, she had a baby this year! His name is Elliott and let me just tell you, he pretty much stole the show. Taking 6 month photos of him would definitely have been reason enough! In addition to the arrival of their happy little guy, Sarah and her brother Ben turn 30 this year. Their Dad turns 60. And their grandmother turns 90! That just works out so perfectly, doesn’t it? My sister is a math teacher and I pretty much immediately texted her when I got the email. All those pretty numbers, right in a row! Trust me when I say it looked even better in person! Being August in Maryland, it was, of course, quite a hot and muggy day. With a 6 month-old and his two great grandmothers, it could have been tricky to keep everyone comfortable. But we found a lovely shady spot at Rockburn Park, and I can honestly say, that not a single person complained. Not even Elliott! Everyone just seemed so happy to be with each other. That’s understandable seeing as there were several family members there from several different states. We had visitors ranging from New York to Florida! Somehow, even with all the travel, everyone looked completely fresh and put together. I absolutely adore the white and navy color combination they chose. Sometimes getting the right blues can be tough, but they nailed it! I love how crisp and summery it ended up looking. Nobody, myself included, could get enough of little Elliott. There were only a few photos that he didn’t make it into! He seemed a tad surprised when we set him down on the blanket to take some photos on his own. Afterall, there were certainly not a lack of people who were willing to hold him! Unsurprisingly, he turned on the charm for his individual shots. He even sat up unassisted for several long moments! With all of the adults cheering and clapping, he might have been too distracted to realize he was doing it! This entire group made me feel so welcome. When we ended, we all stood for a few minutes chatting, not really wanting to head back to the cars. With the good conversation and cool, shaded grass, I felt like we all could have sat down on the blanket with Elliott and hung out for a picnic. It’s moments like these that make me grateful for what I do. I not only got to capture these important milestones for a beautiful family, but I got to be a part of and experience it myself as well.
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Welcome to the Blog!This is where I'll document it all. Where I'll use words to try and convey just how special it is to do this job and live this life. Enjoy scrolling through!
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