Woo Hoo! I'm officially a member of International Association of Professional Birth Photographers!

Well this is awesome news! I've been accepted as a member of the IAPBP, aka International Association of Professional Birth Photographers! Which means, I'll have the chance to showcase work to other professional birth photographers, I'm listed in a directory for pregnant mamas who are searching for a birth photographer in their area, and it gives me just a little more credibility ;-). I'm thrilled! I'm going to apply to be a Featured Photographer, so wish me luck!

Kara & Gabriel

Often, I have a chance to work with women and mothers that I really respect and like. This was one of those times. This is Kara and her son Gabriel. We did a session with adorable cloth diapers, beautiful wraps and carriers, and some breastfeeding shots as well. I love when I really enjoy the people I work with, it makes it seem even less like a "job"!

Babies, Babies, Babies!

This is Ellie. She delivered her baby on Valentine's Day! We didn't know the sex beforehand, which was probably one of the COOLEST things I've ever been able to be a part of! I got to tell Ellie if it was a boy or a girl (girl!) and see their faces when they knew. These pictures show just a small part of her birth story, and how much of a woman warrior she was. 

Boudoir

Boudoir sessions are a very fun (and exciting!) way to feel great about yourself and make a special gift to your special someone! It does NOT matter your body type! EVERYONE can be beautiful and it is my mission to make you see that! Here are a few examples from my most recent (and permission given)   boudoir shoots, so you can see what fun we have and how beautiful you can look! 

Toddlers & Tiaras

This is a super sweet family I had the pleasure of photographing after their wedding in Jamaica. Too bad I didn't get to go with them there, right?? Their adorable boys are in the pageant circuit, and will be on the upcoming season of Toddlers & Tiaras. Maybe you'll see a guest appearance by yours truly?? ;)

Kids!

Here are a few of my favorite kids from recent shoots. I get to spend some time with some SUPER adorable kiddos!! Lucky me!

Father's Day

Father's Day is right around the corner! I have done a few of these adorable shoots, this one was a favorite! These kids were just awesome to work with. Imagine Dad's face when he sees these photos in a 3 piece frame for Dad's Day! 

I do!

I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Hailey and Will yesterday. I met this adorable couple over a year ago. We have done several shoots together, and they absolutely epitomize the word love. I have never seen two people more made for each other. Their wedding was beautiful, and I was honored to be a part of capturing their memories!

Analeigh's 4th Birthday Memorial

Today I got to do something that was special and sad. 4 years ago, one of the best mothers I know lost her first baby, Analeigh, 1 hour after birth. Today would have been her 4th birthday, so they went to the tree they planted in her memory on her 1st birthday, planted flowers, and released balloons with their other 2 children. I got to photograph it for them. Sheli has become a friend of mine, and when she first told me the story of Analeigh's life, I was at a loss for words. She had a healthy, full term, no complications pregnancy. She labored normally, contracted normally, everything was fine until the last 10 minutes. Analeigh's heart rate dropped and didn't come back up. When the midwives realized something was wrong, they did an emergency episiotomy and took her out quickly. The chord was wrapped around her neck 6 times. She was blue from head to toe. Her heart was beating, but she never took a breath. Her APGAR score was a 1, only because she had a heart beat. Instead of rushing her to the hospital to try to put off the inevitable, they chose to spend an hour with their baby girl, getting to hold on and love her until she slipped away. Why is this so special and strong meaning to me? I didn't know Sheli back then, so why am I so effected by it? I think that what she went through is my biggest nightmare. Preparing for a baby, feeling baby move, going into labor fully expecting to have a baby come home with you and leave with nothing. To see this little child you have loved from the moment you knew you would have her, and watch her slip away. That is just something I can't even imagine. So, being able to watch them remember her life with their other two children, born after Analeigh, was just very special to me. Sheli is the type of mother I wish I could be, the kind I try to be. She has more patience than I think I could even try to have, she is so kind hearted and smart, and I try to emulate her when I interact with my children. I am so happy that they speak of Analeigh like they should, like she is a current member of their family, just not present. To go what they went through and to be as strong and loving as they are now, is amazing to me. Anyway, these are a few photos from the memorial today.

Heather & Justin

This beautiful family is always so much fun to work with! I first met them around Easter, when I did pictures of Libby their daughter. This time, we celebrated their 5 year anniversary! They were such troopers, we hiked through my neighbors farm (cow patties and all!) and they are so in love that the shots were easy to get!

Weddings, Weddings, Everywhere

I had the extreme pleasure this week of photographing the wedding for a friend, Emelie. It was a hand fasting ceremony, beautifully different than a traditional marriage ceremony. In fact, it is what my husband and I have wanted to do (when we finally have a ceremony). Being a part of this day for this couple was amazing!

Nursing!

I am so blessed that a very regular part of my job is to capture the amazing bond between a nursing mother and her child (or children). I LOVE being able to capture these moments for a mother, for her to look back on when her child gets older. The bond between a mom (and even dad) and her breastfed baby is like nothing else, and to get to see it on a regular basis is worth getting out of bed for!