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I met a wonderful family recently – Mom, Dad and two young men.  Mr. M is 19 and Mr. J is 17.  All I can say is WOW!  They were really great to work with and, I think, by the end they even kind of liked me!  ;)  It’s so hard for me to imagine that my children will one day grow up and have their own lives.  Complete independence.  Well, I can hope right?

These two guys answered a question for me and I think it speaks volumes….

Crystal: “So, what are you guys gonna do when I’m done torturing you (ahem, I mean taking pictures of you)?”

Them (in unison): “Go out”

GO OUT?  Where?  What time will you be back?  Who will you be with???  Your parents just let you LEAVE????  Of course, I didn’t actually say this out loud – considering the oldest is already living away from home and attending college and the youngest can drive, etc, etc.  But, being the parent of a 3 year old and an 11 month old – it was very hard for me to have some restraint.  Oh my gosh….. how will I ever let go!

The youngest, the baby of the family – but no longer a baby at all.  Handsome and sweet – with a great smile.  (And that’s Oreo with him)

Older brother – GREAT eyes right?  He also had the coolest yellow shoes – very stylish!  :)

Here’s everyone.  I’m so glad that mom organized our session.  Now she will have some GREAT images of her boys and the family – and I will have fond memories of a fun-filled afternoon!  :)

I got to meet this precious little girl on her DUE DATE because she was nine days early.  Mom and Dad are calling her their Christmas gift – and what a special gift she is.   I feel so lucky to have a glimpse into the early days of new babies and new parents.  It brings back memories of my experiences with both of my children (good & bad) and reminds me of just how quickly the time flies by – and how amazing these teeny, tiny, wee ones are.

Meet Miss “A” and her perfect little angel lips, fuzzy baby hair and tender soft skin.  And yes, I just had to give her a little kiss while I held her….  ;)

The jury is still out – Gators or Bulldogs……..

I kept trying to curl her little legs up under her (which most babies love), but Miss A wasn’t having any of it.  She would instantly stretch her legs – and even prop herself up on her knees.  Adorable right??

This holiday season has been a whirlwind – and it’s not even completely over!   I have yet to blog about the AWESOME visit with Santa at the Shoppe of Vinings and a very special event that I volunteered for at the Atlanta Children’s Shelter.  And, there are a couple people that have yet to receive their galleries (THANK YOU for your patience).  I have been working 24/7 it seems – and so has the fabulous miss Allyson (thank you, thank you, thank you).  I miss my husband and my kids – and my brain!  So, I’m off tomorrow for a very special trip to CANCUN with three wonderful ladies who have been friends of mine since the EARLY days (I’m talking 80’s fashion, first loves, pre-baby, etc. etc.).  We planned this trip in August and it’s so hard to believe it’s already here, but I’m BEYOND excited!  I hope to enjoy lots of laughs, have some fun in the sun, and get some much needed rest.  I’ll be back Monday to finish out the season and can’t wait to spend time with my family and friends again.

Thank you so much to all of my fantastic clients, my beautiful family, and my awesome friends for an amazing year.

Hoping tomorrow will look something like this……CHEERS!

These two darling girls gave me the hardest time – but I can’t help but love their silly smiles and goofy faces.  I’m sure mom is convinced we got ZERO good shots after all the chaos and chasing, running, dancing, etc.  BUT, not to worry – lots of great images – and these are just a few!  I can’t believe how much they have grown since last year – beautiful little ladies.

I was looking through these images and found myself humming the Beatles song…. All ya need is love, da, da-da-da-da….

This family holds a special place in my heart and I’ve been doing their pictures for several years now.  Mom has been through a very tough couple years and I’m really hoping that 2010 holds only GREAT things for her.  Mr. “M” and Miss “O” are the BEST subjects to photograph – full of hugs and giggles.  This family of four really does exude an aura of love.  It’s great just spending time with them.

“FINALLY” is what my client is saying as she reads my blog post!  :)  I know she’s been waiting so patiently and I wish I could get things up faster.  If only there were MORE hours in a day!  :)  Hopefully it’s worth the wait….

First up – all the ladies!  Dad couldn’t make it to the session, so we did Mom, Aunt & Grandma instead.  Beautiful right?

She finally has enough hair for a little bow.  I’ve been photographing her since babyhood and she is blossoming into the sweetest little girl.   It helps that I see her all the time (since her mom and I have a great nanny that we share) and we have a great rapport.  :)

Doesn’t she look like one of Santa’s elves?  Mom was changing her clothes and said “do you want some naked pictures?”  She was joking but I said “HECK YEAH” and put my xmas hat on her!  Be careful what you say to a photographer!

This last one melts my heart.  The time passes so quickly and soon the lovies, binkies, and bunnies will all be forgotten.  But for now, we share our lollipop.

Okay, mom said Mr. “A” is shy – but I’m not sure I believe it.  He was so cute and such a ham for me.   This is usually one of the most difficult ages to photograph because kids are just learning to walk and they have their own agenda.  But Mr. A was having so much fun with us (and my chair) and he let me get some great shots.  Mom is expecting number two very soon….  much sooner than you would think based on how FAB she looks!

I had to showcase the family a bit.  Mom said she wanted to capture their family of three before baby sister arrives.  I know EXACTLY how that feels, because I did the same thing.  Some people choose to wait for the new baby to arrive before getting pictures, but I really believe this is such a special time.  Before the chaos of a new baby, before the rivalry of siblings, before you will never be able to nap again….. Ahhhh, I miss that life sometimes!  BUT, as any parent of two (or three, or four….) will tell you, I can’t imagine life without my second child now (except the pictures that remind me!).

Good luck to mom and dad when baby arrives.  Can’t wait to meet baby sister!

Oh my goodness, this little guy was sooooooooooooo sweet.  I have to admit I was a little nervous since mom called me when he was already about 10 days old – so I fit him in my schedule ASAP, but he was just over two weeks old by then.  That may not seem like a big deal to most people, but as any photog will tell you, the EARLIER THE BETTER with the newborn pictures.   Mr. “M” proved all of my theories wrong and slept almost the entire time.  He curled up so cozy just about anywhere I put him.  LOVE IT!

Mom and Dad were awesome to work with.  They were very relaxed for first time parents and they let me “do my thing” which is so fun for me!  Aren’t they cute??  :)

And a smile from mr. handsome…..

My favorite….  I love the little hand dangling.

Mom is a friend of several of my previous clients which is probably why I felt as if I already knew her and these two sweet girls.  Word of mouth is the BEST type of referral for my business.  I have yet to do any paid advertising because my clients do all of the advertising for me – with their portraits!  A custom portrait session is a very personal event, so I feel honored that my clients trust me and have the confidence to refer me to their friends and family. It means so much and I really appreciate it.

The weather was gorgeous for our afternoon session and these two sweety pies were so cooperative and fun.   Here’s just a little sneak peak…..

Yes, I think I will have to add this sweety to my “amazing faces” gallery on my website!  Stunning eyes, blonde hair, and the cutest little smile!  :)  Of course, that would be as soon as I actually have some extra time to do ANYTHING besides edit, edit, edit all of my sessions!  I know mom is “stalking” my blog (to quote her directly), so here is a sneak peak to hold her over until the rest are done.  Miss “C” did GREAT for our session – she was smiling all the way until the end.  It certainly made my job easier!

Love this one with mom – so adorable!

PLEEEEEEASSSSSEEEE can I have some candy?????