Love, Me Blog

I was loading images from this mornings session and just fell in love with this one. Can you see why?  Is he not the most precious thing you’ve ever seen!  Let’s just say I have a serious case of Baby BOY fever! I almost wouldn’t let his parents take him home …

Words can’t express how much I adore this family. I had the amazing opportunity of meeting them last year when little Isabella was a  newborn, and had been counting down the days until I had the privilege to photograph her again! Can you see why?  Isn’t she just the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen? Along with getting some great images to document her first birthday, I also got to capture their love for each other in some family images. These are my very favorite family sessions … when mom and dad are so insanely in love with their little one they will make all sorts of crazy faces just to make her smile! I really just feel like I got to document what is already there, this beautiful connection they all share.  I loved every moment.  Jayme, Grant and little Isabella … thank you for making my job look so incredibly easy!

Here are a ridiculous amount of favorites to share. I simply could not choose!

First up, “studio” images, Love, Me style.

Next, off to play outside (Isabella’s favorite!) with mom and dad! (and she ALWAYS has her little tongue out. So cute.)

A favorite

and another fav fav

the light here was so gorgeous and I just love the dreamy feel to these next images …

I’m really not sure it gets much cuter than this.

A little patty cake and drool to end our session together.

I miss you guys already!  I have loved loved documenting these important milestones and will be counting the days until I can get my hands on her precious little face again!!

We all know what its like to be loved without condition by someone … at least I pray that is true for most people.  We know what its like to have someone support us and encourage us and make us feel like we are the “favorite” or most important … again, I hope you all have experienced this by at least one person in your life.  And, if you have, you know how priceless it is to truly be loved well by another person. Now, multiply that feeling times 2 thousand and seven and that is what it feels like when someone else loves your child this way.  So is the case for me because of these little cuties’ mama.

Ms. Nicole has been Mia Grace’s preschool teacher for three years now, well technically 2 1/2 I guess, and she has been one the biggest blessings to me as a working mom that words simply cannot express. From day 1, which was Valentines Day 2008,  she made me feel like I had the most special daughter in the universe (which I already knew!), but she truly has helped validate me as a mom, and specifically a working mom, in more ways than I can count. Sacrificing time with your babies is not an easy decision sometimes (sometimes it is ), but even though I’ve always known deep inside that I am a better mother because I work and because I have my own business, having someone to hand your child over to who loves them like Ms. Nicole makes all the difference in the world. For the past three years she has sent a little note home each school day taking special time to tell me what MG did or said that day, from her mothering and protecting all the classroom babies (with her favorite being the big brown one), or her crazy eating habits, such as dipping everything from carrots to raisins in ranch dressing, sharing with me that she is quite the little athlete, to her being the first to volunteer to pray out loud for lunch, to me learning that her favorite color is indeed purple, to helping her write her name for the first time and offering me insight into her “mothering” (read:bossy) character, yet sensitive spirit who aims to please everyone.  She’s even taken Mia Grace to her own home each school day for the last year so I can work and she and her precious kids could spend time with Mia Grace … all for what??  Just a simple thank you, and these photos of her babies below.

Obviously, I know I got the waaaaay better end of the deal.

Meet Cadance and Chase.

Somewhere in the midst of the holiday chaos, my crazy little one turned 3!  My mom came up to the studio a few days ago to pick out favorites and order some big ones for her and my dad’s new shop they opened this past November.  PS. If you ever need a transmission, you must go see my Dad, Mom, and little brother at North Texas Transmission.  They are located right off of stadium close to the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium.  Sometimes, you can even catch the “real” boss on a Friday here and there!  I took these images at my dad’s new shop, so my mom ordered them on these really cool new white standout mounts I now offer.  They look amazing in her office! I’ve got to get up and take a picture to share.

Anyway, here are a few favorites of her in, of course, non other than her birthday CournteyCourtney! I thought I’d share even though these were taken in December on her actual birthday. If you want to see last year’s version,  you can see the little monkey when she turned TWO HERE! Both sessions are all over her new “big girl” room full of bright crazy colors that match her little BIG personality !

These are actually the three mom ordered for her wall!

Ever since I shot this session I’ve been losing sleep over whether or not this baby is loved at all by her parents, especially her daddy …

haha.  I don’t usually like sarcasm too much, but seriously, is there anything cuter than a little girl with her daddy??  I think not!

You may remember Miss CJ “Campbell Jane” from a while back when it was her and her mommy’s turn in front of the camera.  I know you remember … everybody always brings up the baby in “yellow”!

I couldn’t resist just shooting CJ with her daddy with her beautiful Momma right there (in town from the great state of Colorado no less) so we grabbed a few family pics as well.

This next one made momma cry … and me too So much meaning to this next one for this special little girl.  What a blessing to grow up in a home with two parents who prayed and prayed and prayed for you, who love you more than anything, AND love each other.

Love you guys!

Oh, and some of you may notice that blue … well, this was my first shoot AT the studio.  Fun, huh?  I love having a great little spot right out the door!

You also might recognize that cute cute dress Miss CJ is wearing, and the answer is YES, it too is a COURTNEYCOURTNEY original. Her momma has lots of style and is a HUGE CC fan!  IF you are too and have been having trouble getting your hands on one (they sell in less than 60 seconds these days) stay tuned for a super fun little surprise I’m going to unveil in the next few days.  It involves lots of CC originals AND money for some pretty specials orphans I know over in Africa!  I can’t think of a better win win!

My sweet and super silly little girl …

The other morning on our way out the door, she just looked so cute in an old CourtneyCourtney dress that she just HAD to wear, so of course, I HAD to photograph her for 7 minutes in the driveway before we left.  Here were the hilarious results.

that middle one just makes me laugh out loud.  and in case you are wondering, there was NO prompting. I never said “jump” or “act silly” or anything of the sort. I’m still not exactly sure what she was doing, but she was putting on a show in the middle of the street, that’s for sure.

AND … this last one. OMG.  The look she is giving that snail attached to our garage door is more than priceless.   Oh, three year olds …

And speaking of Courtney Courtney … just so you know, I have talked with Ms. Courtney herself about the possibilities of cloning herself so she can make more dresses for all of you fanatics out there (hint: I’m reading all those emails, I promise) She’s working on it, but in the meantime, keep your eagle eye ( read: refresh your browser every minute for a week ) out for her hot new styles that she posts daily!  They are currently selling in less than one minute!!!  Isn’t she just fabulous? We love all her clothes and its all Mia Grace wants to wear these days (this morning she had to wear her “NUMBER FOUR DRESS MOMMY”  (its actually a #3) More from that shoot later …

I think its safe to post our Valentine’s Day card this year!  Because of the crazy snow, Mia Grace’s party was pushed back to yesterday, so I waited to share.  I love Valentines Day and I hope you took the opportunity to share your love this year!  I’ll be posting the winner of the FREE session in a few days so stay tuned    XOXOXOXOXO

I was very honored to get the opportunity to meet and photograph this family. They were in town visiting family over the holidays so we set up our shoot the day after Christmas! During our conversations to plan the session I would get off the phone and feel like such a dummy for saying things like ” I hope the weather cooperates and its not too cold”  Hello! They are from NY !!!

If you’ve read my blog, you’ve heard me say that dad’s make or break family sessions.  Theo did an awesome job just loving on Kelsey and being such a trooper driving all over to hit up different locations. Can you tell who the star of the show really is ??  Kelsey was so adorable and such a trooper. It really was pretty cold outside and there was even some ice still laying around. Poor thing even slipped on some and got wet! Her red hair and bright blue eyes are so stinking cute, but not nearly as much as her big ol grin! Not all babies this age smile so much, but you can tell this little one is certainly loved!

I just love this last one. Its so telling of this age.  She sure is a speedy little thing to be so tiny!

Darla, I’m so sorry to have made you wait so long to see a sneak peek!  Thanks for trusting me with such an important time in your lives and I hope you enjoy the peek.  I’m posting your full gallery as I type this

Fridays are Mommy and Mia Grace day!  Yesterday, it was much needed after all the long hours I’ve been putting in.  We went shopping, had lunch and went to the studio to “play”. She’s getting better, but she’s still smart enough to know that me taking her pictures isn’t “playing”. I improvised and mainly just chased her around and captured what I could.

I’m still figuring out the lighting up there and everything is still in disarray … I usually don’t crop my images at all, but I had to for a few of these to hide things like doors that are off the hinges and piles of tools and painting supplies

You have to let me know what you think about my version of “studio” portraits … seriously, I want your honest opinion.

The brown wall is where she wanted to start.  Not the best lighting here, but ok … “you’re the boss”.

Then, she wanted the brown chair.

Don’t think for a second, I posed her like this … it was all her doing.

By the fourth outfit change and daddy showing up … she was really over this whole thing. The only reason she’s smiling is because daddy is over there

Probably my favorite and the last one of the day!

Just so you have an idea of what I am working with here.  The door wont stay open, so I was holding it with one foot and balancing on the other foot while taking this shot. Notice the dirty floor and the random doors I didn’t bother to move. We are still finishing up the painting, so these little “testers” are good for me to really get an idea of how this whole “photographing kids all over my studio” is going to work. I’m excited and a little nervous that I wont be as pleased with the results (of my images). I am just so used to boundless space and gorgeous light outside!

Oh, and if you are wondering where the other outfit is, stay tuned for a new CourtneyCourtney style that is to. DIE. for. So cute.

… all the time.

I really miss my baby girl lately.  During this SUPER busy season, I just crave time with her and pray she will forgive me for how much I’ve been away lately.

I hope she makes you smile too