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"

Healthy, Happy, and Hopeful for a Bright Future | Washington, DC Baby and Family Photographer

The half way point of a baby's first year is always an important milestone to celebrate. But for the 'W' family, they are especially thankful, as their baby girl was born with health issues which made her infancy extra complicated and nerve-wracking. But now that she's a bit older, Baby 'C' is finally thriving and is blossoming into a sweet, happy, and healthy baby. 

I had the privilege of meeting them at the Bishop's Gardens at the Washington National Cathedral. Last fall, a large crane had fallen and damaged part of the garden wall and arches, and adjacent plants and shrubs. Although restoration and repairs are underway, the gardens are still open to visitors as there are plenty of other areas which are quite lovely and definitely worth a visit. 

From the start of our session, Baby 'C' was smiley and a joy to work with. But what really made her light up and laugh was interactions with her daddy - so sweet. She is also a super steady sitter and never fussed about where we placed her, which made for an even more fun and creative time together. And her parents were wonderfully flexible and open to my ideas.

Wishing Baby 'C' a very happy half-birthday!!! You and your family have a lot to celebrate. Thank you again for the opportunity to capture such a positive and hopeful time in your lives. Best wishes to you all!

Here is a sneak peak from our session:

Start of Summer = Strawberries! | Alexandria, VA Child Photographer

For the past couple years, we've kicked off the summer with not only trips to the pool, but also trips to a local farm to pick strawberries. One of the closest ones to our home is Shlagel Farms in Waldorf, MD. It's a lovely little farm that is celebrating their 100th year of farming. They have very easily accessible pick-your-own strawberry fields, a greenhouse full of blooming flowers, a chicken coop, a few goats, and a small playground and sandpit for children to enjoy. Pure simple fun.

Saturday was definitely not an optimal day to go strawberry picking. There had been heavy thunderstorms the night before which created big mud puddles throughout the fields. And traffic was expected to be horrendous across the bridge due to closure on the Beltway for roadwork. But the strawberry season is short and we definitely did not want to miss our window of opportunity, especially on a day with gorgeous weather.

So we loaded the kids into the car with appropriate footwear and lots of snacks for the car ride and headed to the farm. We had a fantastic time and came home with 13.5 POUNDS of berries!!! We have given some away to neighbors and friends, made strawberry shortcake, pureed and frozen some into popsicles, made smoothies, and have been snacking on them nonstop. And we still have a ton left! I think we'll have to freeze the rest before I turn into a strawberry myself!