All newborn sessions are special to me. New moms and dads welcome me into their most intimate moments as their new baby has just been welcomed into their home and into their lives and suddenly their lives have changed for the better. I am so appreciative for all of my clients who have allowed me into this personal space of theirs to capture images for them that will last a lifetime. This newborn session was super special because it happened on Mother's Day, and the mom was a first time mother! It was so special to be able to tell her "Happy Mother's Day!" as she opened the front door holding her new, perfect, and precious little baby! 

After losing my own mom, Mother's Day becomes a difficult and confusing holiday to celebrate. It's a day of mixed emotions for me and I never really know how I am going to feel until that day. I love the thought of celebrating my mom on Mother's Day and doing/eating things that we would have done had she still been here. But I have the be honest, the second I log onto Instagram and see everyone else with their moms, I find my tune suddenly changing. It's so amazing to see everyone honor their mom and dedicate a day to pamper her (because moms deserve all of the recognition that they can get), but I just wish I could pamper my mom one last time! 

On this Mother's Day though, my attention was drawn to this new mom as she started her journey into motherhood! Isn't that what Mother's Day is all about? Not only recognizing YOUR mom, but all of the other incredible women out there that are putting their baby's needs before theirs and putting in many hours of sleepless nights, late night feedings, and unconditional love? Now, THAT is how I want to celebrate Mother's Day every year! 

Jess, you are an amazing mommy and Emmie is so lucky to have you in her life. I've never seen a baby look at their mom the way that she looks at you...it's an instant connection and bond that will never be denied! You and Dave have such a beautiful little family and I cannot wait to photograph Emmie again in a few months! 

Jess and Dave purchased my Wonderfully Made package that includes three sessions: maternity, newborn, and milestone. If you'd like to book your first year package, go to the contact page at the top so we can be in touch! 

This family has been one of my biggest supporters in my career and I am forever grateful for them. They took a chance on me during my first few weeks of being a photographer and I will always appreciate their faith in me. The Bookout family has two of the most precious little boys that you will ever meet! Yes they have a lot of energy and want to play, but to their core they are just sweet and scrumptious!! It's hard for me to be around them and not just want to hug and cuddle them the whole time! The Bookouts are naturals in front of the camera and make my job SO EASY. This was yet another session that I had to cut myself off from shooting more images because everything was just magic! 

Also, a PSA to any families looking for childcare in the Austin area...the Bookout family is opening a local preschool in Manor, Texas that is dedicated to providing quality early childhood education. I was a teacher with Kathryn and have seen her work ethic and passion when it comes to educating children by using developmentally appropriate practices. If I had children and lived in Manor, Texas, we would be enrolling our children immediately! The Bookouts have worked so hard to make this dream become a reality, and I am so excited for their new adventure! If you know anyone that is looking for quality childcare in Manor, Texas, go check out The Busy Bee's website for more information! http://busybeemanor.com/  (And no, they did not ask me to post this...I just truly believe in their business and mission! )

Also...can you please look at these sweet brothers holding hands in the picture above? Completely unplanned and completely precious! I think it's safe to say they love each other! And lastly... don't you just LOVE golden hour? There's simply nothing better for a photographer than a night with light like this! Enjoy!

Life is a funny thing, isn't it? It is constantly changing, evolving, and surprising me. This session reminded me of that. My husband and I were fortunate enough to be semi-high school sweethearts which means that we get to share a lot of friends and memories together. This daddy above was on the same baseball team growing up as my husband and I never saw one without the other. Where Sean went, there was Junior. When moving away to college, seeing Sean became less frequent but him and Junior were always back at square one when they were together. They never take anything serious, are always giving each other a hard time, and are constantly coming up with new business ideas. To see Sean in his role as a father and husband almost brought a tear to my eye. He is such an attentive dad who cares SO deeply for his wife and two kiddos. You guys, this is THE sweetest family I have ever met. Everyone was so happy, respectful, and down-to-earth. Big sister is almost 5 going on 30... but really. She loves her little brother and is such a good helper! Lutz family, your session is so special for me and I love seeing how your family is changing and evolving! Thank you for an amazing session!

While I was going to school at TCU and living in Fort Worth, I was able to visit my grandmother on a regular basis. We had so many great memories and I even brought my roommates along sometimes for a nice home cooked meal. Those times spent with my grandmother were some of my fondest memories together and now that I'm in Austin, I find myself missing the short trips to her house. As soon as you walk into her door, she greets you with a meal and dessert to follow. (Even if you demand her to take it easy and not cook, she still does. It's in her DNA.) Well, I was in Dallas a couple of weekends ago for work and my sister and I made a last minute decision to make the drive to Denton to see our grandma. Boy, am I glad that we did! As soon as we pulled in the driveway, Gappy (my grandmother) was waiting by the door to greet us (a tradition that I love). She had a pool set up for my niece to play in because she knows that it is one of her favorite things. Keep in mind, this day set a record for one of the hottest days recorded and my grandmother had just had eye surgery the day before. She played harder than both myself and my sister and you'd never know that it was 100+ degrees. One of our favorite things about going to Gappy's house growing up was her garden. She's always had beautiful plants, flowers, vegetables, etc. and we always joke about how she never gave any of us her green thumb. (Sorry to all of the succulents I've killed already. I really did try.) My niece noticed a tiny tomato from Gappy's garden and it was so cute to see her eyes light up once she picked it off the vine! She was so proud of herself. It reminded me of all the fun times we had at Gappy's house and I love to be able to see that through the next generation. My grandmother is SUCH a special woman and I thank the Lord for every moment we get to spend together. We love you Gappy!