Happy New Year, friends!  It’s 2020, and I am so excited for all that the coming new year holds for us all!  And to kick things off, I want to share some favorites from this sweet family’s most recent portrait session!  Becky and I first connected about 6 years ago before her first son was born.  I had the honor of capturing William’s newborn session in their warm and cozy home.  We clicked from that moment, and since then, I’ve been lucky enough to witness and document William as he’s grown up, as he became a big brother last year, and, most recently, as he and his little brother Owen await their baby sister!  I am SO excited for this family!!!  Because late fall weather in Indiana is anything but predictable, we met at one of my favorite spaces, Altum’s Landscaping, to capture some family portraits (bonus: their holiday decor was out, so we got some festive photos too!) as they are right here, right now, the 4 of them.  Becky and Seth, parenthood looks so darn good on you both!!!  Your handsome boys are sweet, silly, friendly, kind, happy and lovable.  A reflection of how you raise them.  You should be so very proud!  I loved seeing them together!  And I can hardly wait for Baby Girl to join in on the fun!!!  She is already so, so loved, and I hope she is ready to be spoiled and hugged and kissed to no end by her big brothers very soon!  Thank you so much for inviting me into your lives!  It’s such a joy and honor to continue documenting your family growing and thriving!  Hugs and more hugs to you!!!

 

What a fun session this was! The last time I saw Little Miss Alexina she was 2 months old! And I’ve had the honor of photographing Anne and Nick’s engagement and wedding day 2 years prior to the arrival of their baby girl! Oh my how time flies! Alexina turns 5 this Spring, and I can hardly believe it! This adorable trio lives in Baltimore, and I was so excited to hear that they’d be in Anne’s hometown for a week to visit family and wanted to make time for a family session! It was a cold January day, and luckily we were able to stay nice and cozy inside Altum’s! All of the plants and natural elements made the perfect surroundings for capturing hugs, kisses, laughs, and snuggles! Anne, Nick, and Alexina, thank you so much for sharing your day with me! Ohhh, Miss Alexina, you are such a doll! Thank you for sharing some of your favorite books and ballet moves with me! I cannot wait to see you again next time! Until then, here are some favorites from our time together!

Anne and Nick are wonderful parents! It was such a treat to see the three of them together! So much joy!

Love love love! Gosh, you guys made my job so much fun!

Anne and Nick will be celebrating their 7th anniversary in May! Happy Anniversary, you two!!!

Miss Goldielocks!

That smile!!! Adorable!!!

This one makes me laugh! Alexina caught her parents watching her get some portraits done, and she gave them the signal that she saw them! Ha! Love it!

I loved the many expressions that Alexina had throughout the session – everything from quiet to giggly, model face to sheer happiness! No wonder your Mommy and Daddy are so smitten!!! You are a ray of sunshine and full of personality! Hugs to you!!!

How can it be that our baby boy is now 3 years old?! From the first day we met you, Emerson Ray, you’ve filled our hearts in every way! You are snuggly, silly, sweet, soft spoken (most of the time!), sharing, and curious. Each day you amaze us with new words and timely hugs. You love your Big Brother, Remington, and when the two of you laugh together uncontrollably, you make our hearts soar!

You have a sweet shyness at times, that eventually turns to smiles and cute little giggles. And you enjoy entertaining others around you with silly name games.

You love planes, trains, helicopters, semi-trucks, anything with wheels! You especially love cute animals, like baby frogs, baby sharks (doo doo doo doo doo!), puppies, and dinosaurs. Stories and movies and magnetic blocks are some of your favorite relaxing activities. And you love special treats, like popcorn and gummy bears!

When we found out Remington would be getting a little brother, we couldn’t possibly have imagined anyone better than you to grow up and play together! Your name is a special one, not without a story. I remember seeing the name Emerson and loving it. It was fun to write and fun to say. And we loved the way it sounded adding the middle name Ray, after your Grandfather Ray. Daddy found the following quote in some of Grandma Patti’s belongings, and it’s like the pieces fit together exactly how they were meant to be!

“To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent people, and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give one’s self; to leave the world a little better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived… this is to have succeeded.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

While you have your quiet and serious side, you also have a fun, loud, energetic, and all-boy side! You love rocks, just like your Big Brother, playing in the sandbox, and running so fast with your “strong muscles.”
We love you so much, so much, so much! And we wish you a very Happy 3rd Birthday!!!

It has been such a joy to photograph this oh so adorable family over the past year!  You may recall Erin and Josh’s stunning blush wedding day, featured here and here. They welcomed their snuggly, handsome baby boy, Ansel, last November, and they’ve been completely smitten with him ever since! And I simply cannot blame them! (I still need to share images from his summer portrait session here on the blog…#wintertodolist.)  Erin loves all things Christmas and holiday, so we found the perfect setting to celebrate Ansel’s 1st year!  Happy Birthday, Ansel! You are the sweetest little guy!!! Wishing you and your family a magical holiday season!

Many thanks to the kind people at Altum’s for being the perfect host and festive location for this family’s portrait session! #plantsmakeeverythingbetter

We had a beautiful summer evening for this sweet, adorable, joyful family engagement session!!!  Jenny and Lucas are getting married in just over a week, and I can hardly wait for their big day!  These two are quite a gorgeous pair with their bright smiles and sheer glow that comes from loving each other in the incredible way that they do!  Jenny’s two precious daughters, Nicolette and Clara, and the couple’s two pups, Viv and Meatball, joined in on the fun, and I have so many favorites to share!  When Jenny told me how Lucas proposed, I melted into a giant puddle!  He created the most unique scavenger hunt throughout their home one morning, complete with clues and activities to do together as a family, all leading to the moment he asked Jenny to be his queen and the girls to be his princesses!  Ooooh myyyyyyy goooooodness!!!  As you can imagine, they all said yes!  And that is truly indicative of Lucas’ character.  Jenny describes him as selfless and thoughtful, and I think she can absolutely add creative and fun and romantic to the list!  These two share a love of having a good time, be it together with family or sipping wine on a date night.  They spend time at local parks and enjoying the outdoors with the girls and the pups.  They are simply the best, and I cannot wait to be there as they tie the knot!  J + L, I am sooo happy and excited for you two!!!  

Many thanks to the Indianapolis Art Center for such a perfect location!