Hadley ROCKED her newborn session.

Lately, I've been starting with a pose called Timber.  And until Miss Hadley graced my studio, I had yet to actually nail it the way I wanted.  But little girl changed that within the first 10 minutes of being placed on my beanbag.  I think I fell head over heels right then.  The rest of the session went just as smooth, and I sent her parents a whopping 90+ images for a proofing gallery.  As a mother, I literally can't hit the delete button on images that I could image being on my own wall, or would love to see in an album.  As a photographer, I know this is a ridiculous amount, but I can't help it.  Especially when you factor in an pretty photogenic big sister.

Anderson came towards the end of the session and ended up in one of Gemma's dresses I keep in the studio for sessions exactly like these. 

I've been lucky enough to know Ruby's family for a little over a year.  Maxwell was still an itty bitty thing making us work for his smiles during my first fall mini's.  Turns out that was the last time Maxwell would only make us work for smiles.  He's been a joy every single time he's been in my studio.  For the second year of Fall min's they shared they were expecting a little girl, and I'd better plan on seeing them for her newborn session!

While Max gave me his awesome smiles, Ruby was less than thrilled with sibling poses.  She's allowed one session with no smiles, so she's at capacity (totally kidding).  I'm way too in love with how happy Max looks to be a big brother, and how unhappy Ruby is with the whole situation.  Luckily she settle in for another pose or two and then totally and completely tapped out. 

I love growing with families as much as I love watching families grow.  Sofia came to me almost a year and a half ago for her newborn session and did the milestone program with HGP.  I LOVE my milestone program, and borderline mourn when they graduate out of it at their one year session.  Luckily I knew there was another baby Seitz on the way, and was thrilled when mom said they were doing the milestone program again.

Yes, I got bigger smiles out of Sofia, but how often is it that a 17 month old and 11 day old smile at the same time?  I literally took three images in a 10 second span, and they both only smiled at this second

Unfortunately, I've yet to have a die hard Cards or White Sox fan come through my doors, so the Cubs hat was yet again pulled out. 

Rachel made me think outside my standard first birthday session a little bit.  Oh man, I'm so glad she did.  Since the girls had recently turned one and had already smashed cakes at their birthday party, she proposed something different: milk baths!

In full disclosure, I had never done a milk bath before.  They are becoming more and more popular, but it never occurred to me to do one in my studio.   So a plan developed.  One with shimmery milky water, greenery and flower, and two adorable twin girls

With every one year session, we incorporate one to two outfits.  Gracie & Lola were so easy that we got three outfits in, a milk bath, and then a quick splash session for the girls.  Originally, we had planned on doing separate milk baths for the girls to avoid any fighting in the water. 

Anyone else stir crazy with this weather and threat of diseases?  Me too.  So I had one of my long time couples (literally the longest- I've been photographing them since 2012!) come to the studio to catch up with them and their growing family and to try out a few setups that I've been hoping to use for sessions and the idea turned into offering in studio family mini sessions.

This blog post will be short and sweet, much like the sessions (if you know me- I don't do short and sweet.  But Ella was up all night and I just don't have it in me to elaborate, haha!).  They are just 20 minutes- with your choice of three different backdrops.  You can use all three, or just one if you have a favorite.  If you need a few updated images for your walls of the kiddos, this is the time to do it!