OC Family magazine work has been a huge source of joy for me over the past few years. Meeting local writers, inspirational moms, and families not only expands my orange county world, it blows my mind with happy and joyful people I would never have had the privilege to meet. One of these local celebrities in my eyes is Becky Brumfield who writes her own version of motherhood on a dare-you-to-not-laugh-out-loud blog at Hippo Brigade, and her husband Pat who designs for Normalcy. To see the cover shot, and how it turned out, see OC Family’s online version.

Spring is here, and it is time to start thinking of new places to explore. I have been itching to go up to antelope valley and visit the poppy fields. But until I can find that kind of time, I am lucky there are a few mustard fields around to use as a backdrop to cute babies eating their fingers and giggling. This sweet blanket was momma’s blanket too, so precious to have around another generation.

Home is where the heart is, and the diapers and the toys.

It is no mystery that baby’s love to be home. Maybe it is more like the baby’s mom and dad like to be home. (I am now remembering this stage as a mom of a one-year-old)

Home sessions are the best place to capture your babies. Hands down. I should take my own advice sometimes. Future disaster beach shoot blog post with my little boy to come to this blog.

Laguna Beach, Baby Heaven

This photo could very easily be my little one. My baby is so in love with this sweet trifecta; water, birds, nakedness.

All it took was this one session for me to be in love with 9month old portrait sessions! They are my FAVORITE!!! (du jour) All that chubbiness, eating of feet, smiling, oh my, i die! This sweet little girl might have been a bit more mobile than I had planned, and little more work for mom and me, but amazing fun, and such a joy to watch. If it isn’t a bit challenging, what is the fun in that?

So I am looking forward to my own 5 month old and his 9 month session. All the outfits, and feet chewing, it’s gonna be great!

She was perfect. Not that a crying baby is not perfect, they are too. But this sweet angel was a bundle of goodness, angelic sighs, and perfection. It is always amazing to me to hold a sweet new life in your arms, a vast future right in front of you. But stranger yet, is feeling a small life grow inside of you, while you hold something not much bigger than fits above your tight maternity band. It is a thrill to me. An unspeakable joy to know that life growing stronger and stronger inside of me is similar to the precious goodness that I get to hold and work with. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me this joy Stacy.

I may be slightly biased, but I do think this family is THE CUTEST family I know now that they have a newborn snuggly boy that I can smell, hold, and kiss. Sure, they happen to be my nieces and brand new nephew, but besides that, they are adorable beyond reason. First, you have the older sibling Sonia, all grown up in speech, behaved like no other 3 year old, and extremely artistic to boot. Then, Flora, the destroyer as they call her. So precocious, and so full of quirky personality traits she will keep you laughing at her antics while you visit. Finally, the cherry on top, this sweet little Rex. So loving, so sweet smelling, and so so snuggly! Congrats to my sweet sister, congrats to big sisters Sonia, Flora, and daddy Max, I am so excited to watch these three grow with you!

One-year-old portraits rank near the top of my list of all time favorite sessions. They are so unpredictable, playful, adorable, hug-able. Little E hear was no exception, his smile could melt my your heart on the coldest winter day. He was joyful, silly and my best friend for the hour. He was wonderfu. I am still thinking about going back and dropping off his order just so I can spend a few more minutes with him. I feel so lucky to be a part of these families’ lives in such a joyful and meaningful way.

If there has been anything that has gotten me through the past five years it has been my newborn sessions. There is a smell, a squishy-ness, a sweet newborn goodness that has been able to push me through some tough times trying to get pregnant. This isn’t a journey I have shared with too many, not that I kept it a secret, I just hated talking about it. Mostly because it was a conversation ending in tears or sadness, but also because I worried the ones I shared it with were uncomfortable talking about it.

During that waiting time, I have been so blessed to have the job I have. Snuggling with newborn babies was such a great joy that I cannot thank those families enough for sharing with me their precious loves.

So we are thrilled to let everyone (who reads this blog) know that we are expecting our own newborn this fall. If we are lucky to have a baby as cute and sweet as this social butterfly, we will be thrilled. Thank you Salma for sharing your sweet girl with me while we wait.

Nothing can top the sweet smell and gentle goodness of a newborn. These huge sweet eyes did their best to stay awake and play, but eventually fell asleep. The sleepiness of a full tummy, and cozy swaddle overcame the excitement of a strange lady visiting…. and we were lucky enough to get those precious sleepy photos too. I loved the way this baby seemed to take in everything going on around him with such calmness. And those big gorgeous eyes!!! Nothing tops that precious session of a newborn. Lucky me.