{ Introducing New Baby Ariella! }

We love finding families who are looking for exactly what like best: babies who are only days old, handmade outfits and hairpieces, and sweet, sleepy images.  The beauty is in combining these details in a way that shows all the precious, little expressions and tiny little lips, toes and fingers.  Tamra brought along such beautiful outfits for her new baby Ariella, as well as the cutest matching set for her other three children.  My very favorite is the feathered diaper cover and hairpiece - this little girl is a 1920s movie star!

Ariella did such a good job - she wanted to be wrapped up tight and kept warm, and each time she fell asleep, it was a deep and peaceful sleep (which made posing that much easier for us).  We also got a chance to play with Avery, Aiden and Alexis for awhile, which was fun for us.  We brought out the simplest block set and they were thoroughly entertained - coming up with new ways to put them together, and new rules to make the game more complicated.  I love how children really show their personalities as they interact.  Congratulations to Tamra and Chad on their beautiful little girl and growing family!

Meagan and Adam are Expecting!

Meagan and Adam were one of our very first weddings to photograph years ago.  Their wedding day was intimate, stylish and fun and it was so obvious to both Ben and I what a connected and strong couple they were.  Since then, many things in their lives have changed, but those core values have not, and their relationship has only grown stronger.  Today, it is such a pleasure for us to to be a part of their maternity photos and to join them in the anticipation of their first child!  I can't explain how special it feels for us to see them return years later and to be a part of this milestone as well.  Congratulations to you both!

{ Jonathon Turns One! Happy First Birthday! }

Jonathon is one of those babies pregnant women hope for: smart, easygoing, almost always happy, and of course incredibly cute.  Lucky parents, and of course, lucky photographers. ;)  We've gotten to be a part of Jonathon's life since his newborn session, watching him grow and getting to see all the new skills he learned and personality traits he developed in between each meeting.  This made it so special for us to celebrate with him on his actual first Birthday.

Steph picked up Jonathon's cake from Monzu Bakery downtown on Broadway - decorated in his Birthday colors.  Jonathon, never having tasted sugar before that weekend, immediately smashed the cake to find the good stuff.  He was so engrossed in the cake, it took all our crazy tricks (and all mom's crazy tricks) to even remind him we were still there taking his pictures, haha.  Happy First Birthday, Jonathon!

Looking for your own smash cake? www.monzubistro.com

Addie's Professional Headshots

The new year is the perfect time for a little business revamp, whether you are a business owner, freelance creative, or professional thinking about making a change.  Some of us will be making big changes - rebranding or even selecting a new career path, others will be looking for a way to show themselves in a contemporary light by making changes to dated websites, photos, business cards etc.  Although these changes can be a little daunting, it is also exciting to know how many possibilities they can open up for us.  Change moves us forward and helps us achieve things we may not even know we were hoping for.

Last week we had Addie's professional headshots.  Addie is the owner of Strawberry Fields Design, a web and graphic design company in Green Bay, WI.  For any women stuck trying to figure out what to wear to show you are both professional and fun, Addie's stylish ensemble is an excellent choice - choosing something mostly neutral with a pop of color, or fun texture, like the rich metallic of the fabric or her sequin belt.  It is a balancing act between looking conservative and trustworthy and looking creative and fun to represent your branding, and this hits right in the middle.

Anyone looking for unique, professional designs can check out Strawberry Fields Design at their website at www.strawberryfieldsdesign.com .

{ Jackie + Chris = ENGAGED! }

Engagement sessions are such a special opportunity for us.  They are a day we get with the couple where we get to learn more about them, spend time together, and show the world who they are: what they love and what they enjoy doing together.  It always amazes me what wonderful couples we get to know and work with.  Everyone has their own style, perspective, needs and of course, their own story.  I love that each couple is so different and that means I get to make very different images for each of them.

Jackie and Chris are no exception.  They are both so fun and playful that it was a pleasure spending time with them for their engagement session.  It was a very chilly day, so Ben and I were bundled up head-to-toe (long underwear and all, as per usual ;) ) but Jackie was toughing it out with open-top spike heels and bare fingers.  Brides are so brave!  At our vision meeting I got to hear the proposal story from Jackie's perspective, and since Ben missed out, it was Chris's turn to tell it.  I love how each person's telling is just slightly different, colored with everything they were feeling in the moment!  The proposal is a stunning one; let me set the scene: fourth of July, cabin up north, fireworks, boat on the water.  Oh yes! Romance at its best!

Jackie and Chris have a fall wedding coming up this year, and being an October bride myself, I can't help but have a real soft spot for the bold colors, crisp air, and spicy scents.  Congratulations, Jackie and Chris!  We are really looking forward to your big day!