When I heard that Brayden, now two, was going to be a big brother, I was over the moon.  And even more excited for the opportunity to document Baby Reese’s first year just like I did for Brayden!  We decided to start the photo fun early, before Reese’s big debut.

When I arrived, Brayden said, “Hi Mel!” and ran for his camera, still wearing his Elmo slippers.  We were ready to play.

Then it was time for Brayden to get dressed and show me the baby’s nursery.  When Amy and Jeff learned they were having a girl, they decided to embrace the pink full throttle!   The nursery is painted in two rosey shades and Brayden loves to climb into her crib, give her bear a hug and hang out.  Something tells me he will have a love/hate relationship with these photos someday.

We got a lot of sweet photos of both Amy’s belly and the whole family in the nursery….

When Amy was pregnant with Brayden we took this belly photo by her antique piano.

Since then she has raised a baby and taught him a few things about music, including how to play “Twinkle, Twinkle.”  How could she have imagined, back then, that this is what the follow up photo would look like?   And who knows what the next follow up photo might be?

I love this picture.  If I had to give it a title, it would be, “Here We Go Again!”

Brayden got a kitchen set for Christmas and made me some breakfast since it was a morning shoot.   What a sweet kid!

Here’s a slideshow and the online gallery too.  I’m waiting for some good news any day now, I’m looking forward to meeting Reese very soon!

Posted by Mel @ 8:05 pm, in Bellies, Portraits, Wee Ones | No comments | Permalink

Baby Cannon holds a special place in my heart.  I remember the email from Jill that he was born a month early, right around New Years, and that she wanted to wait to do newborn pictures because she wasn’t sure when he was going to get to come home.  It has been beautiful and affirming to watch such a miraculous, tiny being transform into a strong and sweet little boy with the most lovable tuft of hair atop his head.  A year in review, shall we?

Here’s Cannon at 4 weeks:

And at 6 months:

And on December 29th, his actual birthday, just hours before a small birthday party with family:

I insisted on bringing cupcakes, what’s a one year celebration without a piece of cake?

Buttercream frosting and chocolate crumbs lent the perfect excuse to hit the bathtub.  Jill’s mom had a special request: a horizontal shot during bath time with both his face and cute rear end in the shot.  Impossible?  Jill engineered it perfectly:

This shot with Louis the dog is one of my favorites ever.  I thought Louis was going to jump into the tub too!

After bath time, Cannon got dressed and ready to do some serious playing.  We brought down the rocking horse from the loft to see if we couldn’t keep the cowboy theme going in our sessions.  Giddy-up!

And then more playtime on the bed and with Louis:

Followed with some pre-nap cuddles:

Here’s a sweet slideshow (which made me teary… twice…) and the online gallery too.  Happy Birthday, cowboy.  Its a big world, baby, and you’re little… for a little while.

Posted by Mel @ 6:55 pm, in Portraits, Wee Ones | 2 Comments | Permalink

Well, a little over 6 months actually but whose counting?  Preston has grown into a rolly-polly cherub with beautiful grey eyes and super model charm, he was pulling out all the stops towards the end of the session:

Craig’s family isn’t all in one place very often so it was a photo op with Craig’s sister Bethany home from sunny CA for the holidays.  I’m not big on studio lights but decided they might come in handy indoors, it was too chilly to go out and play.  While I doubt this was the shot they had in mind, I loved it:

Minutes after the teary family portrait, a tired Preston fell asleep in his mother’s arms.  Not that it kept me from taking photos, through rain or sleet or snore, I’m on it.  Passed out and like a hot potato, he made the rounds.

Despite hating having his picture taken, Mike is clearly photogenic:

Natalie’s mom Cindy arrived in time to get a few sweet and sleepy photos with her grandson too.  There’s just something about a grandmother’s touch, don’t you think?

And once little man was ready, we tried that family portrait again.  Even Hilton the dog was ready for her close up this time…

We got some cute stuff just playing on that couch, this b/w might be my favorite in a long time…

Baby Preston has a new and bigger room with more play space, a giant map, a cool elephant sculpture and (quick intake of breathe w/ widened eyes) chalkboard paint!  Man, I totally want that in my bedroom but then I would just doodle all day.   I can’t wait until Preston is just a little older so we can have some fun with that!  One session at a time, Mel.

I’m glad to get two more sessions with this handsome fella!  Here’s a slideshow of the session and click here to access the online gallery and I’m looking forward to doing it again soon with more more family fun!

Posted by Mel @ 7:21 pm, in Portraits, Wee Ones | 1 comment | Permalink

This blog post is more for my benefit than yours, that’s for sure.  I’m having one of those weeks where I need to feel… no, I need to know that I am making progress on albums.  Which is why I sure am happy that I took this photo of Sam with holiday delivery albums that we had just packaged for shipping mid December.

I had the camera on the table from taking photos of some of the books (which I will share…eventually…at some point… I promise).  Doesn’t he have the slightly crazed smile of a man fully aware that he is about to brave the post office during the holiday season?  How’s that for realism?

The stack he’s holding excludes two books set aside for pick up, the two books that were scheduled to ship the following week and the two orders I have placed since this photo.  I don’t know if I really buy the whole story of the turtle winning the race but by golly, I am getting there.

For those of you still waiting for your design, I fold my hands in a humble namaste and bow to you in earnest thanks.  My baby is 16 months old and still I am digging myself out of a maternity leave, we’ve lived and learned.   There’s never been enough of a lull since then to fully catch up, and for that I am grateful.  There will be late nights until the backlog is through and I’m pronouncing my intentions here so that you can hold me to my words.  Again, I thank you.  I have the coolest clients in the whole wide world.  And a pretty good hubby too…

Posted by Mel @ 9:31 pm, in Uncategorized | No comments | Permalink