…for just so many things.  I have a job I LOVE, am married to the love of my life, and am the mother of four children I adore.  I am blessed in more ways than I can name.

I am truly humbled.

Photo by Ashley Brown, processed by me–thanks again, Ashley!

This session was just so much fun!  When Jennifer contacted me about doing a session with her and her brother as a Christmas gift for their mom, I knew from talking to her over the phone that we’d have a great time.  We met up at Lindsey’s Orchard here in Clifton Park and just had a blast getting to know each other and capturing some great images for their mom.  It’s always wonderful to have clients who have such a great connection–they almost do my job for me:).

Jenn assured me that mom wouldn’t be peeking, so here’s a little teaser from the session:

LOVE this one:).

An added bonus: I left with some yummy Granny Smith apples that became dessert Sunday night.  Mmm!

Brad and Jenn, it was an absolute pleasure!

As it turns out I DO have a new best friend in baby Elliott, whose newborn session on Friday morning actually DID put me into labor.  After a day of mild labor, Jack eased into the world at 1:00 a.m. Saturday morning.  I want to briefly mention the technique I chose to use to prepare for Jack’s birth because nine times out of ten when I mentioned to people that I was planning on a natural, non-medicated birth using the Hypnobabies program, the response I got was a tentative, “What?”  If you are pregnant and interested in a gentler, more natural childbirth experience, I encourage you to visit the Hypnobabies website and decide if childbirth through self-hypnosis is something that would fit with your personality and goals.  Jack’s birth was such a sweet and wonderful experience for my husband and I.

I was so fortunate to have friend and fellow-photographer Ashley Brown at the birth to document it.  Sometimes it can be difficult to choose between having a mom moment and having a photographer moment.  With the task of documenting Jack’s arrival in Ashley’s capable hands, I was free to fully enjoy just being Jack’s mommy.

I just wanted to share a few images from the past couple of days.  Okay, it’s more than a few, but really, can you blame me?

Big sister #1 is over the moon:

Big sister #2 couldn’t be sweeter to him:

Big sister #3 has claimed him for her very own:

At just 5 lbs, 12 ounces and 18″, Jack really is the Peanut he’s been referred to as for months, and is the smallest baby I have ever held.  At the rate he’s eating, though, I expect him to plump into a typical Washburn chunk in no time at all:

I believe this look is to remind me that no matter what delusions I may have, Jack wants to make sure I understand that all photo ops will be a HIS discretion and not mine.  He definitely has some feist in him:).

And a shot of the best Daddy in the whole world:

And just a couple to show the scale of our tiny Peanut–the first one is my thumb in his little hand:

I love baby hands:).

Thank you to everyone who has offered support and well-wishes in our behalf.  We are so in love with our new little Peanut and can’t wait to get to know him better.

On a business note, there are a few orders still out and galleries that need to be viewed.  I’ll be in touch with you in a week or two–thanks so much for your patience:).

It’s hard to believe I am already nearing the end of this pregnancy.  Life with my three girls has been so busy, I have hardly had time to catch my breath, let alone think about poor little peanut.  But he’s coming whether we feel ready or not, and we are so very excited to meet him.  In fact, if he were to arrive on my second daughter’s schedule he’s be over a week old right now.  That thought prompted me to push through my Sunday afternoon exhaustion to get some (probably) final belly shots with my darling girls before it’s too late.  My husband is my very favorite person for so many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that he doesn’t bat an eye when I ask him to help set up the studio while the girls and I get all dolled up for an impromptu shoot.  I can’t thank him and my girls enough for capturing these final pregnancy moments for me!

I must confess that the Type-A in me much prefers to be on the other side of the camera, but I am so, so happy and grateful for these–thank you, Honey!

I had the ultimate pleasure of meeting these two lovely ladies yesterday evening.  Oh my goodness, they were so sweet and fun and reminded me a lot of my own girls who are just about this same age.  Besides being super sweet and beautiful girls, they were so connected as sisters and each one wanted to be doing just what the other was.  We had so much fun at the Rose Garden in Schenectady, which is still just beautiful.  If you love flowers and have never been, you have to go take a stroll through the roses some evening.

Here is just a sampling of all the girly cuteness we captured last night:

If you’re four and there’s water nearby it’s pretty much a  given that you’re gonna need to get at least a little wet:).

One of the big no-no’s at the rose garden is picking the flowers, understandably so.  We fished this one out of the pond–couldn’t let it go to waste:).

Sometimes my favorite images happen at the very end of the shoot.  These girls were so sweet and patient as I asked for just one more:

Oops, I mean one more:

Girls, I think you wore me and peanut baby out last night, but I had so much fun!  Thanks for such a great evening!