"I Just Can't Stay Away!" - Harlingen, Texas Newborn Photographer

     So, I just got down to Texas to spend a few months with my family while my husband is deployed.  I didn't bring any of my props or equipment with me aside from my cameras because I was 'supposed to be' taking this time off, but as you can tell I just can't seem to stay away!  Besides, how could I pass up an opportunity to take pictures of this baby girl, especially when her mom and I have been friends since high school?
     I need to say that this is the 2nd time I've been thrown completely out of my comfort zone!  Being that I had absolutely nothing with me I was forced to look around her home and be creative.  That being said, I consider this shoot an absolute success!  I'm so thrilled with the mother/daughter shots I got!  Thank you Mindy for letting me do this for you VERY last minute!  It's so amazing to see you as a mommy - It feels like just a few weeks ago I was taking your engagement pictures!  Boy does time fly! :)

    

{Sisters} - Oak Harbor, Washington Children Photographer

     I just LOVE the colors in these photos! I think Mia did a WONDERFUL job with coordinating all of their outfits. This was such a fun and laid-back photo shoot and I am super thrilled I got to do it before I leave island. These girls did so well for me and absolutely loved posing for the camera. The hardest part was narrowing it down to just a few pictures for my blog! Mia, I hope you love these as much as I do! Thank you and your girls for such a fun afternoon!

And lastly, I had to post this picture of Mia!  Isn't she beautiful?!

"And all that sas!" - Oak Harbor, Washington Newborn Photographer

     Both Val and I are now mothers of two with very crazy schedules.  Thankfully, we were finally able to schedule a time that worked for the both of us.  Sadly, I don't think our session lasted more than an hour, but baby Mia did so wonderfully I was still able to capture a few shots.  Looking back, that baby girl's got some sas!  ;)

"Thankful for a Beautiful Day!" - Oak Harbor, Washington Family Photographer

     Yay for the weather holding out for us today after having to reschedule about 4 times and yay for me getting back into doing what I love after having my baby.  I am so beyond excited with how these came out!  I got so many that it was hard to narrow down to just a few to put up here.  Heidi, I hope you love them...  and yes, we finally got 'the shot'!!! :D

"Sneak Peek #2... because I can :)" - Oak Harbor, Washington Newborn Photographer

Here is another sneak peek of Baby Brooklynn taken today just for fun!  Always great practice! :D  Now I can't tell if I liked yesterdays or todays more!  You decide! :)

"6 day old Brooklynn" - Oak Harbor, Washington Newborn Photographer

     Baby Brooklynn is finally here and she is so beautiful!  I was so excited to meet her especially after doing her mommy's maternity pictures a few weeks ago.  I have seriously been so lucky to get such good babies to work with!  Just feed this baby girl and she goes straight into a milk coma!  I am beyond thrilled with how these pictures came out and I am so glad that mom let me play with her hands and pose her as I needed.  You really have to be patient for a shoot like this so thank you mom and dad for letting me do my thing. :)  I feel like I am finally getting better at acheiving what I have set out to do.  AH!  So excited about these!

Here she is:

"Welcome Home!" - Oak Harbor, Washington Family Photographer

     Thank you, thank you Sarah for allowing me to experience a 'welcome home'! What an emotional day! No one understands what a military wife goes through except for us. It's something that helps relate us to each other and through that we are able to lean on each other and be there for one another. Whether our husbands deploy for 3 months, 6, or a year, nothing makes it any easier especially with kids. I will soon be walking into a 6 month deployment and don't even know where to begin with preparing my kids and myself. I've been blessed that my husband has only be gone max 3 months. These ladies will have to do at least two 6 month deployments in 3 years! It really does take someone very strong to take on this role. As we wait patiently for our husbands we play the roles as both mothers and fathers to our kids while still maintaining our home. Oh how I regret not journaling all my 'adventures' while my husbands been deployed. Seems like everything just falls apart! Your dog gets sick, your kid gets sick, you get sick, something in the house breaks, you put too much oil in the mower and it wont start, you kill the weed eater, the car tire has a slow leak, his car battery dies, the pilot light in your water heater shut off, you forgot to pay your bill! The list is endless, but boy has it made us all stronger women! I don't doubt our husbands jobs are hard, but the spouses definitely have the harder role. My hat goes off to all these women, especially Sarah - a mother of 4, Mary Kay Consultant, leader of Officer Christian Fellowship, and part of several other organizations. She is a phenomenal woman! Knowing I would soon be experiencing this for myself in a few months made this day much harder. One lady Sarah introduced me to has an infant whom her husband had never met! I got to see him look at his son for the very first time in person and hold him! Of course I stole a shot and had to post it - what a moment! A special welcome to all the spouses who came home yesterday! Glad everyone made it back safe and sound!