I have a few borrowed lenses this week for a wedding on Saturday, and I think I'm in love with this one. No particular reason, it's not a lens I'd use for an entire session or probably even very often, but I really really like it! 
I guess I'll just enjoy the distorted goodness for a few more days, because unlike another pair of shoes for my baby, I can't rationalize its purchase. Or can I?! No! No...nope...maybe.
I've had the honor of photographing Miss I for the last few years and when her mom contacted me this year she said she was interested in getting the whole family involved. I was excited because Miss I is always dressed sooo cute! Plus she's a pretty little girl and very well-behaved, a dream come true for me! :)Her mom picked up the purple five at a thrift shop the day before our session and it couldn't have been a more perfect accessory. Let me tell you, this sweet girl brought her a-game. Is there an America's Next Top Tot Models?! Because she'd totally win! And because her mom is so awesome, she let me keep the five afterward!
We were getting ready to move to another location and I wanted to get a few pictures of I and her daddy because I'd already snapped a few with her momma. Her grandmother mentioned that she's a daddy's girl, that she loooves her daddy. But I have to say, I'm not so sure she's a daddy's girl so much as she is her daddy's girl. He'd been giving her crazy kisses that made her laugh, and then he just looked at her for a minute. His heart more than on his sleeve, it was right there on his face. Oh that the world was full of dads who loved their children as much as this one!
At our last stop on the way home, I got a few more pictures of Miss I in all her four (almost five) year old glory. She is silly, sweet, smart, and so much more!Thanks so much K Family for letting me capture this time, and to P too for lugging around my quilt and taking care of the dog! And especially K - I'm so thankful for your business each year. I've enjoyed watching your baby turn into this beautiful girl. I don't even know what to say really, but thank you.
At twenty months, Avery is awesome. That is all. Not really! I mean, she is most definitely awesome, but there's so much more. It makes me a little sad to type twenty because that just sounds so close to twenty-four, which means she'll be two not one. And that means she's thismuchcloser to growing up and leaving me and waaaaaaaaaah! Okay, I'll try to rein in the "my baby is growing up" emotions because really, she'll always be my baby.She was playing in the backyard after dinner last night, in just a diaper and a shirt, and as she was climbing up and down and over her picnic table, I saw it. She's a full-fledged toddler. It's a little hard on my heart, but this age is truly so much fun! She is becoming so independent and opinionated. At meals she takes my fork or spoon instead of the toddler (smaller) ones I offer. She doesn't want me to hold the water bottle to help her get a drink, which often results in wet clothes...and couches...and church pews. She loves shoes and always tells me which ones she can wear, though they don't always match! She mostly wants to wear her "squeakies," her most favorite pair of shoes.Her language skills continue to develop daily. She has become quite the parrot and it's really teaching me to think before I speak in some situations. She's been saying "um" a lot lately and yesterday while we were out and about I asked what she wanted to eat and she said, "Um, noodles." And um, then I realized um, that maybe I um...say UM a little too much. We also hear the word "wasp" about 742 times a day. There's a wasp nest in her playhouse and we've had to avoid it the last few days so every time we go outside it spurs another round of wasp talk. We're still working on "I love you" and she's so cute when she puts her hand up to try and sign and say it. Those little fingers don't quite do what she wants them to yet. :) We've been going over a few letters and letter sounds. I think this song helps, because she's always trying to sing along in the car. She's recently mastered "A" and now says "apple" instead of "bapple" and gone are Melmo and Bobby (a cousin), in favor of their correct pronunciations. I was both excited and a little sad as "Melmo" was really cute!One of the biggest changes over the last month has been Avery's interest in toilet training. As in, she wants to use the toilet. Yea! Except when she woke me up Saturday morning at 7:30, the one morning an alarm clock doesn't wake me up, grabbing her diaper telling me, "tee tee" and then to "moose (move)" and "mon (c'mon)." Like, get off the bed and get me to a bathroom! We're not in full potty-training mode but we're close and that's still exciting. I'm hoping the two jumbo packs of diapers purchased last month will be the last diapers she'll need!And I'll be honest, one of the things I'm most proud of at twenty months is Avery's ability to point out Texas on a map. We have US flashcards and of course I started with Texas because we live here...and it's the most awesome! Now when she sees her USA placemat laying around she'll say, "Detsas" (sounds just like Texas!) and I'll pick it up and ask "Where is Texas?" and she happily points out our great state. So geography skills aside, Avery at twenty months is really amazing. She is so sweet and really squeezes us on the hugs and kisses. Gosh, it's the best feeling when she grabs me for a hug!! And even though she's all but cut out naps this last month, she's a keeper. I love spending each day with her, and without a nap that's like, two more hours we get to spend together. Don't get me wrong, she still needs a nap, but I'm embracing the lack of nap and using that time to do more productive things...like teach her about Texas, paint on the sidewalk, pick wildflowers, and in general, just have a couple more hours of fun.
And it wouldn't be a monthly update without an iPhone photo tribute to my best girl...
Happy 20 month birthday baby girl, we love you lots!!
Exciting, right?! Totally! Except that it's April first. And that's actually a picture of Avery. I used my mad skillz to change the dates. As far as pranks go it's pretty lame and I know overdone, but it's all I got. Happy Friday Internet, try not to be gettin' fooled anymore.
I've photographed this gorgeous mom-to-be once before and I was so excited when I was contacted about her maternity session! She has a great sense of style and she's really laid back, so basically she makes my job super easy. :)
Her parents joined us on location and even though they weren't expecting to get in a picture yet, I really loved this one of the three of them.
Just as were getting in our cars to head to the next spot, the skies turned dark gray! Thankfully the rain held off and we were able to continue. And even though I was hoping for some lovely sunset shots, from a photographer's standpoint, I LOVE shooting under heavy clouds!
I really enjoyed watching this family interact. Her dad was so funny and it's evident that she and her mom have a really great relationship. It's nice to watch a happy family just be together. :)
And how amazing is her baby belly?! Seriously cute! 
As we were wrapping up, she had one request and that was to get a picture of their matching shoes. Her little girl is going to be one hip baby!
For whatever reason, I kept calling the dad-to-be Chris. Yeah, that's not his name. Book with me, I may not know your name but I'll call you something and you'll get some real nice photos! Anyway, thankfully I have awesome clients and when he finally asked if that was T's other boyfriend, she quipped, "Yeah, we took pictures with him last weekend!" Thanks so much for putting up with me you guys, it was so fun to work with all of you!
Congratulations T & C.J., I can't wait to meet Miss L in June!! And I promise, there will be no Chris' present.
