My baby boy. 11 months today. I am the happiest mama, and at the same time I want to bawl my eyes out!

Your 11-month photo was definitely more challenging than the last. Gone are the days of propping you up in the corner of your chair and snapping a couple photos. You are climbing, crawling, rolling, sliding and learning to take tumbles like a tough little guy. Did I mention you are climbing?! And pulling yourself up and trying to reach doorknobs and… You will be walking in no time. We have already started discussing new baby-proofing strategies.

Now if only we can get you more interested in solid food. We were so lucky to find the right formula to supplement when I couldn’t keep up with you anymore. Those were tough days. It’s hard not living up to your expectations, but you’ll learn about that someday, and that you just keep going. I am so proud of how far we made it! And you love your milk! So much so that fruits and veggies are relatively uninteresting so far…we’ll keep trying of course. I cannot imagine giving you a cake to eat and smash on your first birthday. But so much can change in just a day. You show me that all the time.

We love you, baby boy. We can’t wait to see what you learn next.

His outfits this month are classics. Vintage 1980s. My mother-in-law gave us the red overalls and the knit outfit, which were worn by my husband when he was six months old. {My husband was “definitely chunkier” than our baby boy, according to my MIL 😝}  The other outfit was a gift from his favorite aunt. 😉

Recently I was asked by two sisters to photograph their beautiful sister Vita’s maternity photos. She would be in town on a family vacation, the last as a family of three before Baby #2 arrives, and they wanted to surprise her with a portrait session before her baby shower that day.

I get so much joy when I photograph a maternity session, because expecting mamas are always glowing! They light up the photos and exude pure love. Vita was no exception. She was absolutely beautiful, and so was her family. Lil B and his excitement to become a big brother was beyond adorable. I smiled so hard during this session that my cheeks hurt afterward! 😁😍 Congratulations “Bella Vita!” What a beautiful life you have created! May it only get sweeter! xxoo

…something little comes along to remind you just how big it is really is.”

This was such a fun shoot for me and a blast from the past! Candy and I went to elementary school together in Michigan and hadn’t seen each other since the ’80s. Crazy! Decades later we reconnected in Sarasota when her family headed south for sunshine and white-sandy beaches!

Now her beautiful family is preparing to welcome another addition — a baby girl! I can only imagine how beautiful baby Aurora will be! I cannot wait to meet her! Congrats guys! xxoo

“Today you are YOU, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.” -Dr. Suess

I have had so much fun watching these two amazing kids grow up! They each recently celebrated another birthday, and mom went all out. Giant trampoline, live animal show, tea party and more! So much fun watching them run around with friends and family, having their best day yet. But before they could party, it was picture time! Happy Birthday, Chase & Hannah! xxoo

We visited the Great Lakes State earlier this month for my family’s reunion. Much of the annual weekend is spent lounging on the beach, catching up with aunts, uncles and cousins, and sipping on the various “drinks of the day.” It’s fan-tastic!

This year we took time out to shoot some new portraits of my cousin’s family to commemorate the addition of Baby Harper. The short walk from the cottage to the beach and back provided a handful of settings and enough time to capture a lovely summer collection. The morning light, the breeze off Lake Michigan and the sun-kissed faces were icing on the cake. Here’s a sample of the collection…

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