It’s no secret I love babies!  Love them.  That’s why I had so many of my own I suppose!  But they are truly my favorite subjects to photograph.  Something about that newness, that freshness… ahhhh.  Yes, it’s a work out.  My past clients know these newborn sessions can last quite a while, and since I also like to keep them warm and happy, means I’m usually sweating like crazy.  But, oh, do I love it!

So what is a photographer who loves newborns and has lots of ideas she’d like to try do when she has no newborns on the schedule?  Well, she offers a deal!  I’m looking for newborns to photograph.  Are you pregnant?  Know someone who is?  And due in January or February?  And willing to either come to my home studio or allow me to come to your home for a newborn session?  Well, right now, I’m offering to wave my session fee for newborns *and* give you a 15% discount on prints *and* give you a free 8×10.  Yup, that’s how much I love newborns!  And don’t forget, if you refer someone you’ll get a free 8×10 as my thank you (and I’ll even let you use it for a past session in this case).

P.S.  I’ve got some ideas for Valentine’s Specials too!  And we can do photo Valentines to pass out from those sessions!  Super cute!

These were taken the other day, in about a 5 minute span, and you can see just a smidge of her personality.  This outfit was all her.  Yes, my 19 month old picks things out of her drawer to wear, and loudly protests if we dare not comply with her choice.  She also recently found this favorite sweater of mine of hers that I finally decided I could put in a bag to give away.  It is sized 0-3 months.  But I guess she feels it’s a favorite too because after finding it in the bag to give away, she’s been wearing it.  INSISTING on wearing it.  And the hat.  Well, she’s been on a hat kick, and since most of the boys’ hats she chooses are much too big, she wears them backwards.  Don’t know why I felt the need to explain my baby’s crazy wardrobe… just sayin’ I don’t choose to dress her like this (and no, she will not wear socks or shoes.  even when it’s freezing out.  even when kind strangers at Target like to point out that my baby has taken her shoes and socks off.  again.).

This is her doing her most favorite thing to do.  Turn the T.V. off, and giggle like mad.  She can be so sneaky about it too.  And it just cracks. her. up.

She has always been such a monkey with her feet.  She’ll turn the T.V. on and off with her feet too.  And giggle like mad.

I get this look a lot.  Especially when I say things like, “get down from the counter, Sophie!”  or “are you ready for nap?”  or “quit turning the T.V. off, please!”

I guess she doesn’t stand a chance with 4 big brothers… she’s a tomboy and loves playing with matchbox cars, second only to turning off the T.V. (and I also notice her normal dirty face)

She just cracks herself up.  (probably thinking of the next time she pull the turn-the-T.V.-off trick.  So very funny!

And she’s also very naughty.  And doesn’t much care that she is.

Our houses always look pitiful, but we press on each year and try again.  This year was bad because the icing was much too thin, and I didn’t realize the problem until they were already into it, so we just went with trying for our most pitiful looking house yet.  I think we achieved it!  O’well, it’s all about making memories, right?

So, instead of wrapping tonight, I’m wordle-ing my blog.

and then I wordled my good friend Amy’s blog

and my friend Jodie’s blog

Online shopping is the greatest for me.  I love shopping in my jammies.  It’s much easier to do price comparisons and I can read reviews.  Best of all, I don’t have to find a parking spot, drag out the stroller, and try to keep whomever is along happy (and not asking to get something).  For several years I have done my Christmas shopping online with great success.  I expected this year to be like all the others.  One of the perks of presents coming in shipping boxes is that they are sealed and shut from any peeking eyes.  Thinking I am so smart, I keep them sealed.  Including the box that contained the one and only thing Jonathan had written on his “need” list.  Do you see where this is going?

I open said package in preparation for wrapping.  Only to find not the special alarm clock on his list, but a High School Musical Tooth Tunes toothbrush.  It is t-minus 3 days until Christmas!  I don’t think I can convince him of his need for a HSM toothbrush… even if it DOES play music for the full 2 minutes required for adequate brushing.

Hasbrotoyshop.com was very apologetic (and said I could keep the toothbrush!), but they were OUT. OF. STOCK. of said alarm clock.  Am I really going to have to get out in the holiday shopping madness now?  Do I make a deal that he can get one as soon as they become in stock?  I check other online sources who not only want DOUBLE the retail price, but also want to make it triple the price with the expedited shipping charges.

This would normally not be a big deal to me, but since I implemented the 4 gift deal I was feeling bad.  So I look again at hasbrotoyshop.com and they do have the purple one in stock.  So I totally had to blow any semblance of a surprise for Jonathan and see if the purple would be acceptable (and I’ll even throw in a HSM toothbrush, buddy!!).  So we are all good to go, only if I would have found the error just 2 hours earlier, they could have guaranteed me Christmas delivery… they are pushing it through and we are keeping our fingers crossed, but he may end up waiting for the 26th for his clock…. the toothbrush should tide him over though, dontcha think?

Here’s Miss Gracie, so completely in the Christmas spirit:

One last note, if you are still looking for that perfect gift for that person on your list that has everything… I do offer gift certificates!  Gift them a free session, or credit towards prints, or even a collection.

The bonus for me is I was able to get a couple of my own 18 month old, who loves to explore in my studio, but is completely over getting any photos (read: runs away telling me “no, no, no!”).