Violet celebrated her first birthday yesterday! It's so hard to believe that it has been a year since I first met her, and snapped a shot of her and her mom before they even left the hospital. Kristen and I met up during the March "heat wave" and had some fun with Violet walking along a path at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington. She is such a sweet baby and is always happy to smile for me.
Happy Birthday Violet! xo
We've been so lucky to have such great weather the past few weeks so like most people, I've been taking advantage and enjoying as much time outdoors as I can with Robin. And I thought it was about time I posted some current photos of her. This was our first night playing outside after dinner a few weeks ago. You would think that it's late April or May, not March! Robin is more and more a little girl these days, and less and less a baby. It makes me swell with pride to watch her play and do more for herself; she is becoming so independent. But it also breaks my heart. I dragged her out of her crib last night so I could hold her asleep in my arms for a few minutes. Luckily she was out cold and slept right through the transfer. She barely fits into my arms now. As I felt her chest rising up and down against mine and listened to her quiet, laboured breathing (she has a cold), I was acutely aware that this is a time that I will look back on with so much fondness, but also with regret. As much as I savour these moments, I know I will always feel like I should have done more. More cuddling, more kissing, more squeezing.
More being-in-the-moment-and-forgetting-everything-else.
I took Robin for a haircut a few days later. Yikes, she really had a Justin Bieber/mullet look going on!
I had hoped to get this session posted in time for Family Day, but alas it was delayed a few days. So I'm very happy to finally have some time this morning to share these shots of these beautiful little ladies and their parents. Brena was just shy of her first birthday and big sister Taryn is 3 1/2. Both girls had so much great energy and lovely smiles for me. Back when this session was booked, I wasn't sure what kind of weather we'd be faced with at the end of January, but we ended up with a mild day, perfect for a trip to the park.
Happy Family Day! (Better late than never, right?)
This is one beautiful family, inside and out. I met them last Friday and it was a great way to end the week. Baby Bryson was so good throughout the entire afternoon. He either slept peacefully curled up in someone's arms, or casually watched the chaos of us trying to get his big brother, 2- year old Ryker, to sit still long enough to snap a photo. It's a tough time of year for photos because it is so cold outside but we made the most of the light inside and still went outdoors for a quick break and fresh air. I totally felt at home with this family – so much love, laughter and warmth.
For more photos from baby Bryson's (and family!) session, check out their slideshow in the Featured section of my website, here. And leave a comment below!
I spent an afternoon with Carolina and Adrian last week and it took me back to those exciting last few weeks leading up to having a baby. Setting up the nursery, washing and folding clothes, pre-natal classes – I had so much fun talking to these two about their preparations, and it was also a bit strange to feel like a "seasoned" parent having already gone through this experience. Both Carolina and Adrian had lots of questions, many starting with... "How will we know when..."
"Are we ready for..."
"Will we know to..."
I could relate to these feelings of excitement, wonder and anxiety. But I'd say that the mere fact that they are even asking these questions and putting so much loving thought into what lies ahead, means that they are probably more prepared than most and will be more than fine once their sweet little baby arrives.
We headed to Niagara-on-the-Lake, where Carolina and Adrian were engaged . It was freezing cold, but these two were troopers.
A delicious pit-stop for some chocolate. Yum!
For more photos from Carolina and Adrian's session, check out their slideshow in the Featured section of my website, here.
So excited to meet this little one :-)
I spent the most lovely Saturday morning with Amy, Derek and their brand new baby girl, Rachel. Amy and I go way back, having worked together for close to 4 years. It's funny, but when you work in an office you sometimes end up spending more time with your co-workers than you do your own family. Good thing Amy and I became fast friends! When we first met, both of us were dating our now husbands so we've seen each other through quite a lot – not just the ups and downs of our jobs, but the planning of dates and vacations, which eventually turned to the planning of weddings and houses. Amy is one of the nicest people I know – she is genuinely happy and excited for others when something good happens to them. So it was such a joy on Saturday to see Amy the happiest I've ever seen her, cuddling with her man and gorgeous baby girl, and savouring such a special time.
For more photos of Amy, Derek & Rachel, check out their slideshow in the Featured section of my website, here. And be sure to leave some love below in the comments section.
Congratulations you three! xx
I'm really not sure where to begin with this post. In fact, I've been procrastinating writing it because I knew it would be a tough one.
These are photos of five people I care about dearly. Close friends of ours, Dave and Melissa, their 2 year-old daughter Kate, and their brand new 37-week, twin girls, Jane and Emily. Yep, 37 weeks – the girls were born 8 weeks early after a complicated pregnancy. Okay, I'm getting choked up already. Sheesh.
Dave and Melissa found out early on that they were expecting identical twins, and once over the initial shock, they were excited. But a few weeks later they were given some scary news – their babies were not only identical, but they were also sharing an amniotic sac, which is very rare. So adding to the other complications that come along with a twin pregnancy, there was now the risk of the cords becoming entangled (which is inevitable with a shared sac), and at some point becoming compressed. The following weeks and months brought along a roller coaster of emotions, all you can really do is monitor and wait, monitor and wait, monitor and wait. Alas, the twins reached an age where they would be viable outside the womb and Melissa moved into the hospital so she could be monitored more closely. Ultimately a decision would have to be made to deliver the twins early because it would be too risky to leave them inside as the cords became more and more entangled, or an emergency delivery would occur if there were signs of distress. Dave and Melissa were pretty much living hour by hour. We decided to make the most of the situation and did a mini-maternity photo shoot at the hospital.
And just four days later, after spending three weeks living at the hospital, Mellisa's baby girls were delivered at 32 weeks, weighing around 4 lbs each. I had the honour of visiting them at the hospital just a few days later. It was an amazing experience to visit the NICU, and they were beyond beautiful. Jane & Emily.
After four weeks in the NICU, the girls moved home and have been settling in to their new life quite well. Kate is loving her new role as the big sister and squeals their names "Janer-JANE" and "Emer-EM". I spent a lovely morning with the whole family last week – my first photo session of 2012 and I couldn't have enjoyed it more.
Emily has a bit more hair on top.
For more photos from Jane and Emily's shoot, check out their slideshow in the featured section of my website, here. And please leave some love for the girls in the comment section below.
All my love to five of my favourite people. xx
I can't believe it's 2012 already. This past year flew by in an absolute blur – settling in to our new home; taking care of Robin and watching her grow from a tiny, sleepy newborn to a rambunctious, busy toddler; and launching my photography business. My days were segmented between running after Robin and trying to keep our home in order, and then scrambling to get onto the computer as soon as she was down for a nap or had gone to bed for the night. Photo sessions were often scheduled for the weekend when Kyle was home or an occasional babysitter was used during the week. On the one hand it was great because it meant I was never bored or lonely. But on the other hand, I often felt like I was just struggling to keep my head above the water (I hate to use a cliche expression, but it really is the best way I can think of to describe it). I was drowning, sitting at my desk with hours of editing in front of me, heaps of laundry waiting to be folded (for anyone who's been down to our basement this year, you know the large laundry mountains I'm talking about), and my own personal projects completely untouched (scrapbooking? photo books? – a distant memory). The constant guilt of not giving enough time to my daughter, the constant worry of whether my work is good enough. But then, I receive an email from a client telling me how happy they are, or a birth announcement arrives in the mail, or someone tells me that they are following my blog. And I realize that there are people out there who actually appreciate my work! Who actually want to hire me!
I look around our home where so many of my favourite photos of my own family are displayed and I feel so much nostalgia and joy. I love my photos and I cherish them more than any other possession. This is what inspires me, what keeps me going. I want to give other people the same feeling of joy and nostalgia when they look at their photos and think back to that time in their life. When you look at a photo, it's not only the good you remember, but the hard times too. We didn't realize it at the time, but those moments were shaping us, taking us to where we are today. That's what life is about.
So as 2012 kicks off, I'm feeling very grateful to those people who took a chance and hired a disheveled mom on maternity leave, struggling to launch a business. You invited me into your world – your homes, conversations, cuddles and hugs, so I could capture a few hours of your beautiful life for you, and I'm honoured.
And another note on the kickoff of 2012... January is "getting it done" month for me. Closets and drawers are being organized, and so are my business processes. Things are being streamlined! And by early Spring, Robin will be a in daycare a few days a week and I will be focused and ready for a great year. My head will not only be above the water – I'll be swimming :-) Happy New Year. xo
I'm scrambling to catch up on my blog posts which were put on the back burner the past few weeks. All 2011 sessions have been edited and gone out the door and prints have been ordered and are on their way! So I can finally relax and enjoy some posting! I met this gorgeous family at the end of November and I instantly fell in love. I knew right away they were special as Kendra and Brett enjoyed their lunch during the last few minutes of Fynn's nap. They were eating what looked to be the most delicious home-made mac & cheese in individual sized ramekins. That's my kinda lunch! Fynn woke up right on cue and I crept into the room with Kendra as she greeted her little man. It was so lovely to watch Fynn smile up at his mama as he stretched his sleepiness away. Kendra and Brett took their time dressing Fynn and enjoying his coos and smiles, and we then headed to the nearby park for a little walk. It was a beautiful November afternoon – fresh, crisp air and the perfect light for photos.
Kendra was so natural and easy in front of the camera, I asked if she modelled. She doesn't, but she could.
Happy holidays you three and enjoy your trip to South Africa! xx
Meet adorable James and his adorable parents, Kendra and Jim. I know I've been posting a lot of newbies lately, but this fall was a very busy time for newborns. I met with this sweet family in early October and enjoyed a beautiful warm fall day. James is named after his dad, who was named after his dad, who was named after his dad. Yep, that's right. This is James Wilton Baillie, the fourth. The fourth is even included on his birth certificate – to distinguish him from the other Baillie men. With such a special and important name, it looks like James might have big shoes to fill. But judging by the delicious little feet below (yes, delicious – I could just bite them), he is going to do just fine.
This bassinet also carries tradition. James' mom, aunt and grandmother all slept here.
This cup belonged to his great-grandfather.
Welcome to the world little James. xx