I’ll say it once and I’ll say it a million times.  I LOVE BABIES THAT CAN SIT BUT AREN’T MOBILE.  They are THE.  BEST.  OK, not the best, if you know me, you know that I think every age is the best. But I just REALLY like this age!

Anyway, I truly enjoyed this session. It was, for me, the perfect Sunday morning session. Laid back family (although I am sure Michelle thinks she is otherwise), beautiful, gorgeous home, glorious light, ocean… and very, very adorable baby. Like Gerber baby cute — no… cuter! I love the feel of what we captured, and I hope they do as well. I know how stressful it can be trying to plan the perfect session, wardrobe, timing, nap schedules. And I know there is so much anticipation when you see your images. I do hope that I can capture these moments in time, as you live your life, and I can tell your story, if only for a few hours.

So here they are. Thank you, Michelle (and Bob!). Really. Because I know you check the blog and I know you are so nervous/excited/stressed about these. I am glad we met, I feel like we’ll stay connected through various points, people and places. Big sneak peak since our slideshow and gallery are going out right after this post!

Everything about that image sums up what I love about life, summer, family, beach, water and the North Shore.  I love the light.  I love the rocks and lumps of seaweed — this ocean and that landscape is what I know.  I love the reflection of their feet in the sand.  I love that her feet do not touch the ground.  I love that they are holding hands.  I love that he is looking at her and she is screaming with joy.  I love that the youngest is trying to keep up.  I love that the parents are so happy and engaged behind them.  This will be an image that I look at when I am sad, just to make me happy.  This will be the first image on my new web site.  I love it.

OK, back to reality, land the plane.  I first shot these kiddos way back when, two years ago.  I was thrilled when I got a call for another session.  Nothing makes me happier than seeing clients I love, and seeing how their children have grown.  When they said they were at the beach, one of my favorite beaches that I grew up at, I was really excited.  And of course you know what happens when I arrive at a session… I play the name game and sure enough, I know the neighbors… and the other neighbors… and the others…. so no, there really are no strangers in my life.

The weather called for 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms.  Seriously.  What a great job.  You can be wrong ALL THE TIME and not get fired.  Sign me up.  There was not one cloud in the sky.  The temperature was perfect August.  The was a record low tide which made for a glorious sand bar.  Kids amazing.  Parents were awesome.  Never mind the weatherman, I have a great job.

Thanks Shannon & Geoff and kids.  It was awesome.

Caroline’s family was equally awesome (gorgeous sister Brooke, really nice parents, husbands, children and on and on).  You know how I love big families, seeing the resemblances (clearly all beautiful), watching the interactions.  Cousins together are so cute and make me really happy because my sister and I live far apart as well and so it’s just such a treat to have our kiddos playing together.

We made our way down the beach and I have to tell you, the lighting was phenomenal.  It just gets better and better on that beach… from about 6PM to 15 minutes or so after the sun sets.  Someone told me it’s equivalent to the light in Provence and I believe it.

I had a wonderful time and I am so glad our worlds collided!

[On a totally unrelated note, I was considering posting smaller sneak peaks... apparently word on the street is that it's more exciting to see your slideshow if the sneak peaks are smaller.  For me, I love a big sneak peak because it buys me some time if I am running late on a gallery.  I also feel like it's "me" -- I talk a lot, I obsess a lot (in a good way) and so I blog a lot!  I'd love to hear from past, present and future clients about whether you like to see a lot of images up front, or just like a select few to hold you over until you see them all in your slideshow!  So leave me some comments!]

I had a very funny morning with this family.  Funny because Luca ran like crazy, Paco laughed a lot, Sophie chased and Seb just sat and took it all in.  And what made it so awesome, is that all I had to do was shoot!

So here are a few, especially family ones with all four of them looking at the camera!  Believe in the impossible and it will happen!

Safe travels home to Spain.  It was wonderful to see you and I look forward to your next visit!

And you should all know that I stood in the middle of the street on the double yellow line and stopped traffic while I took this.  Complete with jumping up and down to get everyone to look at me.  Whatever it takes, baby.

And this is Sophie & Paco when they are all spiffed up!  Not bad, right??

[proofed on my laptop, apologize if the colors are wonky!]

I am even more lucky because I have known Josh since before he was born.  Really.  No joke.  Our families are BFFs.  Really BFFs.  It doesn’t matter if we don’t see each other for months on end, we are still BFFs.  I can’t actually even put it into words the connection we have with this family.  When I was like 6 or 7 I was looking out the window at the neighbors getting ready to go to Prom and I apparently said “Josh Chaffin can take me to the prom.”  When I was reminded about that in later years (as I am actually reminded whenever I see Josh or my mother wants to embarrass me), it’s really really funny!!

I found a prom date other than Josh… and a few years later, Josh found Maisie who is a dream.  She is so kind, open, and brings an amazing spark to not only Josh’s life, but also to Peggy & Nate’s (after 39 years, I apparently have the green light to call Mrs Chaffin “Peggy”).  She is beautiful and has a lovely spirit.  Josh grew into a handsome, articulate and caring guy.  Together, they have Issac.  And he is beyond yummy.  I spent about 30 minutes with just Issac and I was IN.  LOVE.  Everything about this boy is the bomb.  It was so fun to see this family together, and to watch how careful and loving they are with their boy, and to see how much they love each other.

Thank you for an amazing morning.  You guys really are like my second family.  Can’t wait until you are living state-side again!

As for the rest of the session, it was lovely. I met Holly at a workshop and I think we totally clicked so I was super psyched to shoot her session! I was equally psyched to meet her husband because he works at Adobe and you know how I love my Brands. I figured two cool people would make an awesome kid, and I was right! Their son is a gorgeous little boy filled with a lot of expression, determination and a little bit of spunk!

I had a great time! I am so glad everyone hung in there through the sun and the heat and we got it DONE!

Kit-kat came home from school, literally RAN past me to the shower so she could look all awesome for our session… and she was a ROCK STAR… no, maybe more like a Gap model.  Sort of like Christofer, she’s a little excited because someone else is around, but WHAM she can turn it on for the camera in a split second.  She is ever gorgeous, ever a teenager at age 5.  Love her.

And Erica is beautiful.  Really.  What else is there to say?  I stinkin’ love her too.  She and I have these off the wall conversations that I think about after I leave her house and I kill myself laughing.

I want to post more, but I have to go pay a few moving violation fines so I don’t end up in the clink… and as much as there are about 30 more I’d love to show you, we really want to keep them a surprise!  We’ll share another time!

Megan picked the date and then and we worried a bit early in the week about weather… and a little cut or bruise here and there… then about the wind… but I think we can both say that everything was perfect.  Including her kids.  I think we were able to get some traditional family portraits with really fun candids mixed in and I love how everything came together.  The outfits were perfect…it’s like the sky called and said “wear some blue.”  Needless to say, this is tagged in “What to Wear!”

Love.