Hiking with the 'H' Trio | Alexandria, VA Child and Famly Photographer

I had a fabulous time hiking through the woods at a local preserve with the 'H' Family. The kids hid in the fields of wild flowers, climbed trees, threw rocks into a stone creek, and sat on a pretty stone wall. They were both unbelievably willing participants in our photo session. I almost had a hard time getting individual portraits of each of them because every time big brother sat somewhere, little sister wanted to sit right next to him and get in on the picture-taking fun. Then they would hug and laugh with only the slightest urging from their lovely mom. Made my job so easy and enjoyable!

I had a really hard time selecting a few images for a sneak peak. But here are some of my favorites:

Bouncing with Besties | Alexandria, VA Child Photographer

Spontaneous playdates with best friends are the best, especially if they involve running around beautiful gardens that were designed with curious and playful children in mind. My little girl and her friend are only 2 days apart in age and are just too cute together. The sounds of their girlie giggles and squeals of delight totally warms my heart. We don't see them that often, so we definitely appreciate the times we do spend together. I wish I could bottle up and savor such childish delight and joy forever. So glad I brought my camera! =)

Showing off their talents in jumping while holding hands AND sticking their tongues out.

And off they go...

They were pretending this was a library and were bringing out books to me.

More than just about a pretty face | Alexandria, VA Baby Photographer

     

Third Time's a Charm | Arlington, VA Baby and Family Photographer

I was excited to return to the home of the 'N' family to take portraits of their newly expanded family. I had taken photos of them two years ago when their first daughter was only a few months old. She is now an adorable, strong-willed 2 1/2yr old who sports the cutest pigtails ever. I've known big brother since he was about a year old, just as he was learning to walk. Crazy to think that he'll be starting kindergarten in a couple months - how time flies! Always a sweet boy, he's wonderfully gentle and loving with his new baby sister, and enjoyed being "helpful" to me by dancing around to make his other sister laugh. 

We had originally scheduled the session for several weeks ago when the baby was 5 weeks old, but the derecho hit the night before, turning our lives upside down for a few days. Needless to say, we had to reschedule. But that extra time gave super petite baby 'C' some time to grow into her newborn sized clothes and become a little more alert. But then when time finally came for her portraits, she wasn't at all in a modeling mood, and I had to return a couple days later for another try. Patience and persistence paid off, as she was finally ready for her closeups during our third session attempt. And my kids were more than happy to come along with me to have a playdate with the older kids, so it all worked out for the best. 

Huge congratulations to the 'N' family on their beautiful baby girl! I look forward to watching her grow up alongside her wonderful siblings.

Here is a sneak peak from our session:

"Running Circles Around Grandma" | Alexandria, VA Family Photographer

My kids were thrilled to have my parents come visit last week. They especially enjoy playing with my mom, whose high energy never ceases to amaze me. She keeps up them very well and stays relatively calm in the midst of their chaos. While she was here, I thought it'd be fun to take an "environmental portrait" of her, to capture her in the context of being a very involved and loving grandmother.

I title this, "Running Circles Around Grandma"