Has a year really passed? Truly, it doesn’t seem like it’s been that long since I first met this lovely pregnant mommy-to-be and her super sweet hubby….who were just about to welcome their sweet baby boy into the world. I say this frequently, but really – time does fly by super fast. One minute, we have a tiny newborn in our arms (totally sleep deprived and tired – but full of a new, indescribable love)….and the next minute we’re planning a first birthday party (feeling excited, but sad that our baby is growing up so fast). All I can say is that I am very, very fortunate…and extremely humbled to be able to share in the journey of so many families – especially this family. When I last photographed Sammy at 6 months, I was already soo looking forward to seeing him again when he turned one! He must be one of the happiest, most smiley baby I have ever photographed! Super sweet, jolly, and just adorable. But of course, this is to be expected, as his parents are awesome, too!  Seeing this family go from a couple…to parents has been amazing – seeing things come full circle has been so wonderful :)
Now, on to the images – celebrating Sam’s first birthday!

…is the only word that can really describe how I was feeling throughout our session! It was an absolute blast hanging out, playing on the beach, cracking jokes with the kids (their kids are so awesome, by the way – totally cute and sooo funny). True, we did have a sandy mess at the end of the session (and little man taking a full body dip into the ocean – fully clothed), but even he was a great sport about it – not even a peep/cry! And mom and dad were so relaxed…laughed, joked, and had a blast playing with their beautiful kiddos – which always, always shows through in the images….as you can see:

I think it’s safe to say that, one – they are a gorgeous family…and two – they looove being together :)

My son has asthma – just like I did when I was a child. So when he feels under the weather…has a cough or a little stuffy nose, we use his nebulizer. It wasn’t always easy though. The first time we tried to place the mask on his face, he had the BIGGEST fit of all time – then he heard the nebulizer motor – and it all went downhill from there. He yelled, kicked, screamed and cried. It was horrible because one, he really needed the treatment to help with his wheezing, and two, his crying just made his asthma even worse. Long story short, he did not allow us to give him his treatments that time around. Finally, finally though – he’s come around. I think he realized that it actually is helpful (after he took in his first breath of the meds one night when he was too tired to put up a fight)…and as such, he is certain that it will help his beloved puppy, too. After all, he’s such a caring and loving boy – it makes perfect sense that he wants to help puppy get “all better”, too. After his afternoon treatment, I walk into his room and see this:

A few things got to me: One, I just love how he used a little cup from his kitchen as the electrical socket for the nebulizer! Two, I’m so ecstatic that he trusts the nebulizer process enough to allow puppy to partake in it. Three, he was singing lullabies to puppy as he “administered the meds” – just like I do for him. How cute? How creative?! Love it :)

Her pretty face graces the pages of the BSP blog again – and inspires lots of ooohs and ahhhs, again. This time, she’s two years old and full of personality. But of course…she still has those beautiful, soulful brown eyes & long lashes – just as she did when I photographed her at 6 months! You may recognize her, as she also stuns viewers around the globe with her beauty on my homepage slideshow. Yes, it’s her – just a sweet as she was over a year ago. I’m always amazed at how much changes in a year….wow! She’s got her little lady outfits on now, so fashionable and charming (just like her beautiful momma). So, so pretty. Oh my gosh – and I always get a kick out of photographing toddlers. They are so hilarious! They quite literally do the exact opposite of what is asked – and it always cracks me up during sessions. Parents are often troubled when their rambunctious toddlers insist on doing their own thing – but I really enjoy it….plus, it gives me the opportunity to catch them doing things they really enjoy! Toddler sessions are always fast and fun. All I need is an hour and we’re good!

When you have your first baby, everything is new & exciting. You look at your newborn with such amazement and awe. So I can only imagine how much stronger these feelings are when you have a second child. Watching your first baby grow up to be an energetic toddler, then having a new baby must completely put into perspective how FAST they grow. What a blessing it must feel like to have a sweet little newborn in your arms again…savoring each moment because you know that in the blink of an eye, they’ll reach toddlerhood just the same. I think the experience only gets better with time…the deep appreciation…and ever growing love. What must be even more amazing is watching your first baby interact with your newest baby. THAT must be an indescribable feeling — that I personally hope one day to experience for myself – but for now, one toddler is filling my heart with love :)

This family was just a joy. Hilarious daddy, ever patient mommy, supportive & loving grandma, and sweet-affectionate big brother…The love here is so, so clear.

…is the best word to describe everything about this morning photo session. The light: so soft, with puffy clouds & a misty marine layer. The girlie: smart, playful & sweet. The mommy & daddy: calm, gentle & loving. The combination couldn’t have been more perfect. The session was easy going, natural….and totally relaxing. When I got home, I even had a pocket full of shells that I quickly shared with my own little boy :) During the session, Anabel picked up each sea shell she saw, and kindly gave them to me – so, so sweet.

I’m very much looking forward to meeting their new arrival very, very soon! And just because I want to show how much she’s grown – just look at her one year ago here and here.

…toddlers are notorious for being wild little things. And chill pills? No way, don’t even attempt to ask a 2.5 year old to stop moving for more than half of a second…it just ain’t gonna happen. Still cute though, no? Wild and energetic, indeed — but a riot to watch in action (my fav images are the last two – dancin’ machine).

…this was what was going through my mind (and I’m sure mommy & daddy’s, too) during our photo session! For one, little Kaiden (who will be celebrating his first birthday in a week), was SUPER fast. I mean, FAST. As I tried to photograph him playing on the bed, he literally kept running across it — trying to jump off! All I was thinking was — oh my gosh, hurry and catch him! It was super cute…but also making me nervous :) Then, it was all hurries getting to our outdoor location before sunset. We arrived with little over 15 minutes of sun left! Suffice it to say, we were hurrying right along the entire time. A little adrenaline + a beautiful family = my fave

There are many reasons why I looved this session. First, the light that morning was just devine – if you’re debating about waking up earlier than usual for an a.m. session – here’s proof that it’s well worth it. Morning light is just fantastic…and when captured using a 50mm f1.2/L — you get super creamy bokeh and color like you wouldn’t believe! So I shot wide open with this lens for most of the session :)  The second reason I love this photo session was because mommy and daddy were super sweet and loved up on their baby girl without hesitation in front of the camera.  And, the biggest reason why I so loved this session…well, that’s self explanatory – see for yourself:

Is this last image not to die for? I kept saying to myself “Oh my gosh, she is so cute” during the session.
And her eyes – wow. Amazing.