Wheeler Family Session

I love boys and I love families with a whole gaggle of them.  The Wheeler family was no exception.  They have some of the sweetest little men I've encountered. We took advantage of the incredibly fall colors and the beautiful weather at Centennial Park.  

Mikayla Sweet 16 at Carnton Plantation

When the incredible Sloan family called me to schedule a sweet 16 shoot for their oldest daughter Mikayla I was elated! What a beautiful milestone to mark in the life of your daughter.  They then informed me that they'd booked Carnton Plantation in Franklin for the shoot.  I was one happy girl!  

Mother & daughter set about making preparations, ie; dress shopping, makeovers and all those fun things that us girls get to do.  During the shoot mom and dad got choked up a couple times as they saw their baby girl had suddenly become a lovely young woman right before their eyes.

Lovely indeed...

Mikayla's best friend Amber came along too

Eden Marie Three Months Session

I've said it before and I'll say it again... I love what I do! It's such an honor to get to see these sweet little ones grow.  Mine are all big now so I get to observe these darling parents watch with wonder as their little ones grow.  It's truly an awesome thing to experience from both sides.  God made these precious little people so fascinating!  It's no wonder I was addicted to reproducing them in rapid succession!  I simply couldn't get enough.  I remember very specifically the moment I packed up that bassinet for what I presumed would be the last time.  My heart ached. 

It's so refreshing to see Susan with her little ones.  She really does cherish each moment with her beautiful babies.  I think she understands how fleeting this time is.  She has made marking these milestones a priority.  And that's where I come in.

Here's her stunning three month old baby girl Eden.  I've been photographing this family since Eden was snuggly hidden away in her mama's tummy.  She's come along way!  Sweet and happy and all things lovely just like her mother....

Such a sweet relationship these two have. Complete infatuation... on both parts.

This cracks me up every time I see it! That's one scary bunny!

Perspective

To love. 

To be loved.

To never forget your own insignificance. 

To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. 

To seek joy in the saddest places. 

To pursue beauty to its lair. 

To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. 

To respect strength, never power.

Above all, to watch ... To try and understand ... To never look away. 

And never, never, to forget. 

                                                   — Arundhati Roy

I ran across this while browsing one evening. I run into a lot of heavy, silly, sweet and very deep quotes. The web is chalk full of them. But for some reason that I can't explain this one was 'real' to me. It was meaningful and I couldn't just click over to the next page. I stopped and physically wrote it down so as not to forget it.

You see, as a single mother of four life can be rather daunting... Overwhelming even and quite honestly I've found myself completely terrified at times. I find myself often in need of perspective. It's so easy to get buried in all the demands of jobs, kids, homework, housework, bills, deadlines, friends, relationships, teachers and then there is the very pitiful amount of time I actually spend trying to nurture my relationship with God and myself. I've actually had the hair brained notion that perhaps I could train for and run my first half marathon... silly me.


The reason this was so poignant for me I think was because it gave me the gift of perspective. In the midst of all the shuffling and running and stressing I was forced to stop and drink in fresh perspective. I'm loved. I have dozens of people that I get to love. My worries are insignificant in the grand scheme of things.






Anyway, I wanted to share it with all of you. I hope it can do something similar for you.

Frogs + Snails + Puppy Dog Tails

Turning two is a big deal for little boys I think.  It's a bit of a milestone.  And on a side note I disagree with the label 'terrible two's'  I've had the honor of living with three, two year old boys (they weren't two at the same time thank you baby Jesus!) but I gotta tell you... few things are as funny as a two year old boy.  The sense of wonder.  The total disregard for gravity.  The fascination with all things gross and dirty and LOUD.  They are boys from the beginning.  Loud, smelly, mischievous and so so sweet.  And I adore them.

When my sweet Sloan family called to ask me to snap some pics of their two year old Levi I knew it was gonna be fun.  When I arrived Levi was a little suspicious of the lady with the camera so I stood back and watched him do what he does.  This little man has some cool toys and an even cooler daddy.  Levi and his daddy have a special connection.  They 'get' each other.  It was a blessing to get to spy on and capture that sweet relationship.

Also, I will always ALWAYS remember shortly after I posted Levi's pics on my website the phone call I received from his mama.  She was in tears.  She gave me probably my MOST favorite compliment.... "You captured HIM"

Yeah he wasn't diggin me... yet

Daddy love

Don't you just LOVE this feeling?

In case you were wondering... Levi is analytical 

Six Months Old

As a photographer we're encouraged to pursue a direction or 'niche'.  I believe my niche in this photo world is babies and kids.  Wether that has something to do with the fact that I'm the mom of four little ones myself I'm not sure. But I confess that whenever I get a call from new parents that they would like for me to come photograph their newborn I'm on the other end of the line LITERALLY bouncing up and down with glee.  It's really all I can do to not audibly squeal.  Along with the privilege of capturing those precious first moments of life I get the distinct honor of returning every 3 months to document their progress and watch these wee ones grow.  

So here's Miss Charlotte at six months of age.  You may remember her from her previous three month old shoot.  She's growing into such a beauty.  And I'm incredibly envious of her long, sweeping eyelashes.  Not to mention she's got the most adoring big sister whom is clearly hilarious as she can have Charlotte in stitches with a simple word or a little dance.  Thanks sweet Abby for coaxing those grins from your sister.