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Turning One is so much fun! I meet up with this one year old at Evergreen Park in Bremerton, WA for a quick and fun first birthday session.
When I say "quick" I mean QUICK! This boy kicked his shoes off and never stopped. I couldn't get over how good he could walk. He made me work for it, but I think I've got some pictures that capture baby H at 1 years old.
World, meet Kasen.
Kasen and his big brother arrived at my Bremerton studio ready to party! Big brother, Wesley, worked the camera while Kasen filled up on milk and got settled in.
We started off his studio session with some amazing open eye pictures and detailed shots. After some momma cuddles and even more milk, Kasen finally decided he was ready to snooze his session away.
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When a six month old arrives at the studio you never really know what you're going to get. The second I opened the front door, Oliver flashed me the biggest gummy smile and I knew we were going to be just fine.
This was such a fun six month milestone session! Oliver brought his mommy and daddy along and they were awesome. At one point, mom and dad were dancing with a dog and Oliver was loving every second of it. My studio was just the way I like it - full of love and happy babies.
Jessica,
Thank you for allowing me to capture Oliver at 6 months. Those bright blue eyes could melt anyone into a puddle. I've been told a happy baby is a reflection of a happy home. I don't think anyone could deny your baby is well loved. I cannot wait to see Oliver again for his 9 month milestone session!
​Ashleigh
I love getting to watch families grow. When I first met Melissa, she was a mom to a beautiful little blonde named Ava. Fast forward two years later and she added an independent, baby wipe loving, little guy who's eyes and pouty lips will melt you into a puddle.
We spent an evening playing in the fountains at Harborside Fountain Park. It's a cute little park tucked between the Navy Shipyard and the Ferry Terminal. As the name suggests, there are huge fountains that guide you from the street down to the water. It made the absolute best location!
Ava quickly became my little sidekick. She was so good at helping me with her brother - even though, as most little brothers can attest, he just wanted to do things for himself! Her blue eyes lit up when I told her to let me know her ideas for pictures. I must say, most of her ideas were awesome!
And then there was little Eli. I wish you could have seen him scoot closer and closer to the fountain until his little fingers were finally splashing in the water.
I literally could have photographed this family all night. But alas, the sun slipped behind the horizon and bedtime came.
Melissa and Tony,
I had so much fun spending some time with your beautiful family. You're kiddos were an absolute joy to work with. I hope you you can look back at these pictures and remember that warm summer night when Eli only wanted to hang upside down and Ava wanted to come work with me.
Ashleigh
There's one constant with the military: Change. Brittany and her family just moved to Port Orchard, Washington as her husband gets ready to start a new tour. They had lots of family in town to help them explore their new city so they ventured up north to Point No Point for some family pictures at the beach.
This is one of my most favorite locations! Point No Point is one of the few sandy beaches in the area and it has an amazing view of Seattle and Mt. Rainier.
Have you ever experienced overwhelming joy for someone else? I can wholeheartedly say that when I found out Samantha was pregnant I felt tremendous joy. I have known Samantha for a while, and I can remember sitting at an early morning bible study at Purpose Boutique when she asked for us to pray for a child. She fiercely wanted to be a mom and she wanted her husband to be a dad.
One day I casually was scrolling through Facebook and I saw a picture slideshow she had posted. The very last slide was an ultrasound picture! Joy.
After a smooth, and very fit, pregnancy, Lane made Samantha's dreams come true. She had a beautiful little girl to call her own.
"Having my daughter Lane is my biggest accomplishment not only as a mom but in life so far! Not my career, not my schooling, nothing. Really her little accomplishments from each day as she grows are mine as well. Its about making her happy, seeing her start to smile, her little noises she is starting to make, snuggling with her, our moments together in the late hours/early mornings. All these little things add up to my accomplishments as her mom and absolutely nothing can replace that."
"I want to see Lane grow up to be healthy, happy, bright and independent. To become a responsible adult that will one day have her own loving family."
"My husband and I were recently out having dinner and I was feeding Lane. While feeding her, she had the most epic blow out. We literally had to stop, leave the table and both go into the a single stall women's bathroom to tackle this mess. To make matters worse there was no changing table, so we had to improvise. We were like a Nascar pit crew!"
"I think family photos are important because photos create a memory. Time goes by so fast, photos capture and bring to life your memories with your family. Lane has already changed SO much from these newborn photos that were taken but now I have these photos of her at that exact time and moment in her life, which created a lasting memory for me."
This is the blog post I didn't want to write. You see, this is a blog post for the session Pam always said she and Kyle needed to do before they left Washington. We did the session earlier this week so you know what that means.
I first met Pam at a 1 year old's birthday party a few months after we moved to Bremerton, WA. Our meeting was a little like fate because neither of us even had kids - we were both friends of the mom. We got to talking and we quickly realized we were both from the east coast, then both from Georgia and then from the same county. In fact, we grew up just miles apart. Crazy, right?!?
In the years since that first meeting, Kyle and Pam have become some of our closest friends. They are two of the kindest people you'll ever meet. They love on people and their love for each other shines.
The time has come for Kyle to hang up his cover and stay on dry land for a long while. I know they've been waiting for this day for a long time. While I'm so sad to see them go, I cannot wait to watch this next season of life unfold for them.
Do you have a friend who has everything? Stop spending hours coming up with gifts "that could work". Why not give a gift that will last a lifetime? A gift that they will actually use and love.
I'm so excited to announce that gift cards are now available for families living in Kitsap County (Bremerton, WA , Silverdale, WA, Poulsbo, WA, and Bainbridge Island, WA).
You can purchase a full session or give a credit towards a session! The gift card comes ready to go. All you'll have to do is present and watch the excitement unfold.
Contact me to purchase a gift card today!
This is gift giving made easy... and who doesn't love that?!?
Let's be real. When a baby turns one, it's a pretty big accomplishment for the parents. I asked Michelle, this little monkey's momma, what her biggest accomplishment was so far as a mom and I loved her answer: Surviving the first year. So yes, cake smashes are a fun way to capture your baby's first taste of cake, but it is also a celebration of you!
I asked Michelle some questions about her first year as a mom, and I loved her honesty. I think we can all relate to stale Cheerios in the high chair and defining acceptable days as everyone staying in one piece. Way to go Michelle! You've raised an adorable little girl (who sure did love her cake smash)!
What is your biggest accomplishment as a mom?
"Surviving the first year? Seriously though, I probably feel most successful about breast feeding for a year. And that about 90% of the time she is a generally happy baby."
What are some lessons you've learned since becoming a parent?
"Some things just aren't worth stressing about. She's gonna eat a Cheerio that's been hiding in the high chair for a month and she is gonna bump her head sometimes... But at the end of the day as long as we are all alive and in one piece, it's most likely an acceptable day!!"
In 20 years, what do you hope your children will say about you?
"That I did all I could to make sure they were happy. And that they know I wasn't just being mean for no reason when they get punished."
Why are family photos important to you?
"They showcase ever-changing life situations and are great keepsakes to show time moving along."
Michelle,
Thank you for choosing me to capture V's cake smash. She is a happy and joyful child and that is a true reflection of her parents. Here's to year #2 and of course, cake!
Ashleigh
First birthday cake smashes are some of my favorite sessions. Watching a baby enjoy a cake with no rules is the best! Icing smeared from ear to ear. Fingers and toes covered. Swoon!
You can imagine how excited I was for my son to turn one. I had everything planned out. It was going to be great. He was going to go crazy. Probably even stick his face in the cake. Did that happen? No. Not even close. Even though I created a beautiful (and funny) gallery, I'll always remember his look of disgust.
One day Landon was eating a special treat - a powdered donut. I should clarify. By eating, I mean going to town. That's when the light bulb went off. I should totally do a donut smash. And when your mommy is a photographer, you have a donut smash the next day!
I couldn't be more thrilled with how these turned out!
Does your child have a special treat they go crazy for? Are you looking to do something a little different? Let's chat about creating a unique smash for your little one!