I spend my days playing cars, trains and sword-fights- so it was a welcome change to be swept in to Miss M and Miss H’s world of ruffles, tea parties and princesses! We giggled and twirled and even had a pillow fight. These girls are beautiful inside and out, and it was such a pleasure to spend the morning capturing them!

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.

Congratulations to Nursery #2!

Check your email for details on your prize. Thank you to all who voted and participated!

This is going to be a tough choice! Please take a minute to vote for your favorite nursery! The winner will receive a 30 minute mini-session which will result in a slideshow of 10-15 images, and their choice of (3) 5×7 prints pluse 15% off any additional purchase.

A few ground rules:

• You are only allowed to vote one time
• You are allowed to tell as many people as you like, advertise it as you like, etc.  Please do NOT make any disparaging remarks about the other nurseries.  If I find out that any such thing has occurred the parties responsible will be removed from the contest
• Voting ends on March 13th at midnight
• Winners will be announced on March 15th

After you vote, be sure to check out the other great nurseries around the country:
Jaidean Baker Photography
Bernadette Uzcategui Photography
Seedlings Photography
Shey Marin Photography
Amy Ro Photography
Stephanie Fisher Photography

Is your baby between 3-24 months?
Do you have a super cool nursery?
Would you be interested in winning a free mini-session and mini-print package?

If you answered yes to all three of these questions, we would love to see pictures. What’s in it for you? A chance to win a free photography session featuring your baby and your nursery! We would like to see between 1-4 photographs of your space. At least one photograph must include your child in the nursery itself. We are looking for creative use of light, color and design elements. Images must be taken by you or someone in your family (we are really saying “please don’t submit images taken by another professional photographer.”)

All submissions must be received by midnight, February 28, 2010.

Entries will be judged by a panel of photographers who will narrow down the selection to 5 nurseries. The finalists will be posted on participating photographer’s blogs and the winner will be chosen via a public voting poll. Voting will occur between March 7-March 13, 2010. There are specific rules around voting that will be clarified during the voting round of the contest.

Winners will be announced on March 15, 2010.  Winning session must take place between March 22 – April 25. Winners must sign a release to allow participating photographers to display images on blog, website, Facebook Business Page and any other print or web materials as deemed appropriate.

To enter to win the free mini session with Andrea Roberts Photography, you must live within 30 minutes of Columbus, OH. The winner will receive a complimentary mini session focusing on nursery, baby and/or family. The session will last approximately 30 minutes and will result in a slideshow of 10-15 images. You will receive your choice of (3) 5×7 prints and will be able to purchase any additional products at 15% off.

To enter click here!

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Don’t live in Columbus? Have friends across the country? Check out these photographers who have nursery contests running in other cities! Their contest, terms and conditions may vary, so please make sure you read the details with care.

Birmingham, AL: Stephanie Fisher Photography
Northwest Alabama: Jennifer Weddington Photography
Denver, CO: Laura Werner of Vibrant Life Photography
Connecticut: Crista Acosta Photography
Central Indiana: Kristi Hibbetts Photography
Metro New Orleans, LA: Amy Drouet Photography
Frederick, MD & Washington DC/Baltimore metro: Shey Marin Photography
Boston, MA (including North Shore & Metro-West): Kristina Young Photography
Mississippi Gulf Coast and Pearl River County: Emotional Imagery by Brandi Head Photography
Central New Jersey: Kim Schmidt Photography
Northern New Jersey: Christie Adams Photography
Cincinnati, OH and Northern Kentucky Area: Jessica Wright of Memories That R Precious
Philadelphia and Main Line, PA: Bernadette Uzcategui Photography
Pittsburgh, PA: Seedlings Photography
Rhode Island and South Shore of Boston: Amy Ro Photography
Houston, TX: Kerri Mathis Photography
Northern Virginia, Washington DC: Little Moon Photography
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma, WA (and surrounding areas): Susan Berman of Whimsical Photo Design
Spokane, WA: Jaidean Baker Photography

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The Fine Print.

This is our contest, we make the rules. We have researched many different ways of voting and there are pros and cons and hanging chads in just about every method out there. This is how we have decided to run our contest, if it’s not a fit for you, we respectfully accept your decision to decline participation. We also know there are ways to work around the system, so we will actively monitor IP addresses and research anything that appears to be fishy. We reserve the right to disqualify any entry that appears to be suspicious.

All participants must agree to sign a model release allowing images to be displayed on participating blogs. Winning participants must sign a release allowing images taken by participating photographers to be displayed on web site, blog, Facebook and print advertising sources. Participants must also agree to standard Terms & Conditions of participating photographers.

Winning participants will receive a complimentary mini session focusing on nursery, baby and/or family as outlined by participating photographer. Additional items may also be included. Regular session terms and conditions apply.

We require an electronically marked consent that you are entering this contest voluntarily and that participating photographer is not promising any winnings or other compensation for participation.

I am not sure how it happened, but already 2010 is racing forward at warp speed. I enjoyed a lovely holiday cruise with my family over Christmas, and even snuck off for one blissful child-free day in Cozumel with Chris. Unfortunately we had a few issues with the cruise line upon our return, and so instead of getting to spend my time blogging vacation pictures and telling you about all the BIG and AWESOME changes that will be coming up for me and the business in 2010, I have been on the phone trying to straighten the mess out.

Luckily I have a great distraction coming up- tomorrow I head to Boston with the boys to hang out with my awesome photog friend Kristina Young of Kristina Young Photography. We are working on a super-secret project that I have been dying to spill the beans about. But I will bite my tongue for a few more days. It’s going to be awesome, though- so be sure to stick around!

The minute you walk in to Amy’s house, you feel instantly at home. It is just so warm and inviting and lovely. Just like her. She is one of those people that you just can’t help but smile when you are around her. Her positive energy is contagious. And did I mention the rest of her family is pretty darn amazing too?!

We started our session in the kitchen for some good old-fashioned baking fun. The kids had a blast sneaking bites of the batter, dipping their hands in flour and later frosting the cupcakes and their noses. Photos like these are ones I wish I had of my childhood. Just honest images of my family doing everyday activities together.

I love this one too. I can hear their laughter when I look at it. Most days I think we all wish we could bottle up those precious giggles and save them for a rainy day when our house is empty and a little too quiet.

Gorgeous, inside and out. I’m telling you.

Vaughn is already a little heart-breaker.

And Lena, oh Lena. A little drama queen right after my own heart, this one was taken while she was doing her monkey impersonation.

I think this one might be my favorite of the whole day. I can just feel the love.

Amy and Billy, thank you for letting me spend the evening capturing your family. I hope every time you look at these pictures you will hear Lena laughing, and Vaughn squealing,  and remember the days when their only worries were what stories you were going to read them before bed.

I have been patiently waiting for this little one’s arrival. I photographed the rest of her family back in July, and I could hardly wait to meet her. Of course, at that point I didn’t even know she was a her! Claire’s parents waited to be surprised at her birth, though her momma had a feeling the whole time that it was a girl. Claire arrived early last Saturday, and I got to meet her when she was 7 days old. Isn’t she just gorgeous?

I love capturing a little smile!

Congratulations, H Family! Claire is just perfect!

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.

One of my favorite parts of a session actually happens before the big day. A few days prior, I come over to your house, and we discuss wardrobe, location and what you are looking for in your session. I LOVE getting to know my clients- that connection makes it so I can capture the truest portrait of you. Your essence. What makes your family you.

When I met with Anna’s mom, after I finished raiding Anna’s closet (which would make even Carrie Bradshaw jealous) we sat in the kitchen and discussed the exuberant, willful and often exhausting stage that is age 3.  Then she looked at me and said, “You know what, Andrea- it’s like that country song says- You’re going to miss this.”  And she is right. For every tantrum, or mess or hour of lost sleep- there are a million moments that we wish could last forever.

Like the way she snuggles up and gives you a kiss.

Or the wonder in her eyes as she swings without a care in the world.

Or the way you twirl and twirl and twirl until you feel a little sick to your stomach but you are laughing too hard to notice.

And this. You will definitely miss this. That hug so tight you can’t tell if you are losing your breath because of the squeeze or because your heart is just so full.

Sandra, thank you for letting me peek into your world. I hope someday you will look back on these pictures and smile and know that even if you can’t have it back- at least you will remember it forever.

Stay tuned later this week for part 2- where Anna has a tea-party and plays super-hero!

And, don’t forget there are still a few days left to win some Jeni’s Ice cream! Enter here!