Does Miss H’s smile not melt your heart? She was the sweetest thing ever- full of grins for me!

Miss M just turned 3, and there is something about her expression in this picture that gets me every time.

Remember Anna? After we had so much fun twirling in the park, we went back to her house for a little tea party. She was very serious about making her tea just right!

Then her mom showed her how to sip her tea like a lady. I am not sure if she listened!

Teddy Bear’s make for excellent company, don’t you think?

Then Anna had enough of being prim and proper. It was time to bring out the cape. And the superhero goggles. It makes me want to be three again!

Yes, it is good to be three. You play all day. You drink tea with your mom, and go exploring with your dad. You get to wear capes, or tutus, or even a crown. The sky is the limit, and the laughter never ends. I know Anna will look back on these pictures someday, and even if she can’t remember being that young- she will know she was loved and she will know how special she was right from the start. And maybe one day when she is having a bad day, she will look at herself as a little girl and be able to once again see the world through those green goggles. Simple and perfect and fun.

Evan has a small obsession with my phone.  He knows how to call someone, and loves to call the grandparents or Chris and tell them about his day. He usually starts off with a good “Soooo, how was your day?” and will usually throw at least one of the following questions in as well:

• “So, what did you dream about?”
• “So, what are you going to do today?”
• “So, what is Grandpa/Uncle Josh/the dog doing today?”

Today as I was trying to pack for our quick trip to Iowa City, he grabbed the phone and talked to Grandma Nancy for a good 20 minutes. I love the he is so social. Let’s just hope he doesn’t figure out how to dial China. Or 911….

A quick note to clients, I will have limited internet access until Monday.

When Jennifer contacted me about bringing her dogs along for their family photo session I could barely contain my excitement. Having two dogs of my own, I know that pets are a huge part of the family. Whether it is greeting us with a slobbery kiss when we get home, laying on our laps as we watch TV, or playing fetch with what is hopefully not an irreplaceable shoe- our four-legged friends bring joy to our lives and give us unconditional love and companionship. It is so important to document their special place in our hearts and homes.

And, if the cute dogs weren’t enough- isn’t Miss Hailey gorgeous?

I love her expression here. I know that this is the face that Jennifer will think of when her little girl is all grown up. Hailey will be walking up on stage to get her high school diploma, and she will think back to this moment with a bow in her hair and a grin on her face and wonder how her baby grew up so fast.

Jennifer, thank you for letting me capture your beautiful family! I hope you will always look back on these and be taken back to the laughter and warm sunshine and wet doggie kisses!

Anyone with a toddler will tell you that these are the moments you treasure. Those quiet times with your kids, snuggled in bed with your pajamas on, reading a book. The calm before the storm. The rare, still peaceful moments when the constant blur of preschool exuberance is stilled by words on the page. The covers always seem extra warm, and even with the sun peeking through, it is tempting to stay there all day.

But of course you can’t. Your wild things will eventually want to get up. And then, if you are lucky, they might slow down just long enough to give you that look. You know, that one that melts your heart? The one that looks a lot like this:

But, they are wild things after all, so then they will be up and running again. And laughing and giggling, and tickling. I love the look on Gwen’s face here.  I just adore that look of pride in her smile. Because- hey- you made them, and they are pretty amazing! It is a look that says- this right here is the good stuff. This right here is what I want to remember.

Meet Ella. She is just what little girl’s are made of, if you ask me.

A princess with a bit of spunk and a whole lot of personality- she was cracking me and her parents up the whole session.

I think she might be a bit of a Daddy’s girl, what do you think?

Look at those eyes!

Oh, yes- definitely a Daddy’s girl!

I met Ella and her family just before sunset at Heritage Park in Westerville. The sun was golden and magical, and Ella’s laughter filled the air. As we wandered around the property, a wedding party came out to the porch of the barn, and I couldn’t help but think that someday that would be Ella in the beautiful white dress. Don’t blink- isn’t that what they say? And it is so true. That is why I love to capture families just how they are. It is so important to document this time, so that one day, before your daughter walks down the aisle, you can pull out that picture of her playing peek-a-boo through the trees and savor it once again. Because she will always be your little girl, she just won’t always be this little.

Julie, you have a beautiful family- Thank you for allowing me to capture you!

Okay- admit it- you are totally smiling right now, right? I mean, look at that little grin!

I love to capture families just as they are. First thing in the morning, pajamas on, in the bed snuggling wrestling. It doesn’t get much better than that. Years from now, these are the times you are going to want to remember the most. The moments with all the giggles and smiles and boundless energy.

Of course, it is always a plus if you clean up nicely and we can get a picture of your gorgeous family outside too.  And this family cleaned up nicely!

I love boys being boys! Aren’t they handsome? I think Katy’s phone is going to be ringing off the hook when they hit the teenage years.

This was one of the first images from my session with the gorgeous M family, and I knew right when I took it that it was going to be a fun session. Mr. J and his sister Miss H were full of energy, and come on- have you ever seen such a gorgeous family? Magazine cover material- I’m telling you!

I had so much fun chasing following the kiddos on the trail at Creekside in Gahanna. I love catching moments like this one, because mom is always amazed that I got them to stay still. Toddlers are fast, but I am faster!

Are you feeling the love? Because I am! I love this one:

I always love when families are up for something a little different. The next image is one of my favorites from the session:

And of course, since we were at Creekside- we had to go splash in the water. This one is another favorite:

Even when she wasn’t smiling, she still stole the show. Look at those gorgeous eyes!

We even let her lovey join in the fun!

I will be doing a session with Miss June’s family in August and I can’t wait!

After a leisurely drive, we headed over to the playground for some swinging and playing. By the end of the night, I think Mr. B completely forgot that he was having a rough day.

N and J, I had so much fun hanging out with your family. Thank you for letting me capture you!

Aren’t they beautiful?