Adalyn - A Birth Story

A few weeks ago I got the wonderful pleasure of photographing the birth of my good friend Danielle's daughter Adalyn. Danielle originally texted me to let me know that she was going to the hospital and would let me know if she was induced around 3pm. She ended up being induced and we texted back and forth until they broke her water. I packed my camera and arranged for a sitter and waited. I think I told Danielle I was leaving at least five times but she kept telling to me wait a little longer. I finally ignored her and headed to the hospital around 11:30pm.

As I was walking into the hospital, I got a text asking for some coffee so I ran to the gas station around the corner and got Sam and I some coffee thinking it was going to be a few more hours before any action happened. I arrived back at the hospital and got up to the room just after 12:30am. I put my bag down, chatted a little with Sam and Danielle started complaining that her epideral wasn't working on one side. 

I took my camera out, got my settings, took a few test shots and suddenly it was baby time! Seriously Danielle, who laughs while they're giving birth?! That's just not right.

A push or two later and Miss Adalyn was here! I was thanking my lucky stars that I was able to get these two photos because she burst onto the scene and between all the arms flying everywhere I had 10 seconds and no second chances.

Sam was enamored at first sight.

Thank you for the honor of being a part of Adalyn's birth. It was truly an amazing experience. And even better from this side of the lens!

Bedtime with Daddy

Daddy isn't always home for bedtime so when he is Noah loves to have Daddy put him to bed. I swear that they read some times for at least an hour and I have on occasion found them both lying in his bed passed out together. 

We started reading his Bible to him each night about 6 months ago but he has just recently really become interested in the story telling and the characters.

He very eagerly points out Jesus, Noah, and Peter, which I feel is a slightly obscure person to latch on to!  It's really neat to see him starting to know who the stories are about and what happens to each person. I love that he loves to read his Bible and that he gets to have this extra special time with just Daddy.

Noah Maxx Turns One - Charlottesville Virginia Children Photographer

Noah's mom and I have known each other since I was pregnant with my Noah. We chatted frequently last year while my husband was in Afghanistan and she was a great source of information when I found myself in tough positions during that time. So I was super thrilled when she sent me an email wanting to have her Noah's pictures taken.

He is such a cutie and has such a great personality that the session was so much fun I almost forgot I was working. Too bad there was practically no breeze that evening and we were all sweating to death!

I love that they brought along his favorite books to be incorporated into his pictures. It's those kind of things that really make the pictures extra special.

His mom was worried that he might not cooperate or that he would just crawl away because he had a rough trip down to Charlottesville, but I think he found his inner model.

Contemplations As A Pregnancy Draws To An End

Do you ever feel like a giant hot mess? That's me, right now, minus the hot. Our move to Charlotteville is coming up so quickly and it seems like I'm adding 10 things to my to-do list every day. I'm struggling to keep on top of everything going on in my life. I guess it's a good thing I don't really have a social life right now or else my world would really be spinning out of control!

Perhaps I just think that I can do too much or maybe it's just that I WANT to do too much. I know there's no such thing as a real life super mom, but that's what I want to be. I want to be the mom whose house is always clean, or at least picked up. I want to be the mom that makes three meals a day for her family. I want to be the mom that is insanely crafty and always making fun new things. I want to teach myself any craft I decide to try my hand at. I want to look great, exercise, feel great, be as healthy as I can be. I want to run a kick butt photography business with all the skills to back it up. I want to be amazing. All the while having plenty of family time and never feeling like I'm neglecting my kids to achieve all this.

I'm thinking the likelihood of all that happening is slim to none, yet it doesn't stop me from wanting or wishing for it. With the move coming up and Lucas's birth coming at me like a freight train I'm really seeing my inadequacies when it comes to being the person I want to be. I think often about the Proverbs 31 woman and wonder if I'm ever going to get anywhere close to that. If my life is so crazy right now with only one boy, is it going to spin totally out of control when Lucas arrives? This is what occupies my mind in the late hours of the night, as I'm lying in bed, unable to sleep. Maybe pregnancy just makes you extra crazy.

Abi + Mike = Married {Centreville, VA Wedding Photographer}

The brisk morning started at with the breakfast of champions at Posh Salon and Spa as Sheila and Leah worked their magic on the wedding party. I have to tell you that I was amazed by the eye lashes Leah was putting on the girls. I've never seen anyone apply fake lashes and Leah did them perfectly! I totally wanted to get on the fake lashed wagon but then I remember I was working. Shucks.

And Abi's hair ribbon? Absolutely gorgeous! I've never seen anything quite like it. Gotta love Etsy.com for the special one of a kind hand made items.

Mike scored extra points for amazing groom when he gave Abi a solitaire diamond necklace she had been wanting the morning of the wedding.

Abi wore a gorgeous gown by Loretta Maggie Sottero and, in true Abi fashion, a pair of gigantically tall peep toes pumps. I have never known anyone to wear such high heels on a daily basis. I have no idea how she does it. The guys spent the morning getting ready at the Sheraton Hotel on the circle and then joined us at the Holy Rosary where the ceremony was held. I think I pretty much called all the guys the wrong names. I'm claiming pregnancy brain on this one. I was calling Everyone the wrong names for the majority of the day. That made family portraits a rather interesting time. Sorry about that guys!
Abi was a gorgeous bride and radiated as she came down the aisle to Mike.

The flowers were done by Breanna at Happy Daisy Floral and they were stunning.

The reception was kicked off with the bridal party entering in aviators

and was full of heart felt moments, speeches that revealed a little too much,

and sweet first dance kisses.

Tim, Julianna, and Family {Centreville, VA Family Photography}

I remember Tim and Julianna from when I was little. One year our church did the Christmas play I'll Be Home For Christmas and I distinctly remember them being the younger couple in that. They were probably younger than I currently am at the time which makes me feel old. And to make me feel oh so much older, I used to help in the 3 year old Sunday school class when their oldest daughter was 3! She's now in high school which means I should start investing in wrinkle cream immediately.

Julianna came to me because they wanted something different for their family pictures. They didn't want the same old stiff family photos that they had grown up with. They wanted to be relaxed and enjoy having their photos taken. This is exactly the kind of client I dream about. They were open to anything and just let me do what I do. The end result, fabulous pictures.

I adore this picture of Tim and Julianna. Some day I hope to have one like this of Isaac and I.

My favorite photo of the kids. You can really see their personalities here. And let me just tell you that I quickly found the 3 and under crowd find me MUCH funnier than these guys did. But they eventually just gave in to my corny jokes and random comments and embraced their nerdy photographer. God bless them!