A HUNGRY CATERPILLAR BIRTHDAY : DEVAN

One year ago, Kim and Jeff were ready.  The paintings were hung in the nursery and the diapers were stacked high. These soon to be parents had even practiced buckling their build a bear into a brand new car seat.  Kim and Jeff were ready.  Ready for the arrival of their first son.  

Devan was born on January 25, 2010, one day after his mother's birthday.  Kim said she couldn't have ask for a better gift.  With ten little fingers and ten tiny toes, Devan was a healthy boy, with parents who loved him very much.  When I asked Kim what surprised her the most about having a child, she said it was the fact that she could go with so little sleep and actually be okay!  "Devan was waking up every two hours those first few months.  I would get up and feed him.  When he started sleeping through the night, I was a little sad!  I missed that extra time with my son!"  Jeff has big plans for Devan.  He dreams of throwing the baseball with his little man one day.  "Devan's got long fingers.  He would make a great pitcher!"  One thing is for sure, Devan is truly loved.

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of photographing Devan for his 1st birthday!  Smiling every time he saw his favorite book, he was clearly excited for his hungry caterpillar themed party next weekend.  Enjoy a peek into this beautiful family's life below. 

   

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is Devan's favorite book.  Kim and Jeff have done a great job preparing the cutest touches for Devan's themed party next Saturday, thanks to Etsy.

With those big eyes and a beautiful smile, Devan is already a little ladies man!

Kim and Jeff's eyes light up every time they look at their son.  It is incredibly sweet to watch.

Devan's favorite toys are cars and planes.  Only 15 more years until Devan will be driving a car of his own!

Devan had the propeller spinning on this vintage yellow plane.  He was ready for it to take off and fly!

LOVE LOVE LOVE these little curls.

What an adorable family, all smiles and brimming with love.

Devan didn't know what to think of his birthday balloon!  Should he eat it, pop it, or let it fly?!

He settled for letting it go, reaching for his "Very Hungry Caterpillar" book instead.  

As the photo shoot came to an end, Devan laid down to close his eyes.  Looking this cute was hard work!!  Kim and Jeff, it was wonderful getting to know your family.  I wish you a lifetime full of happy birthdays and plenty of delicious cake for each one!

A VINTAGE NEBOWN : GIANNA

Lyndsee and Dominic are a beautiful couple.  That's why it comes to no surprise that their daughter Gianna is such a doll.  Born on December 9, 2011, Gianna is clearly the center of her parents world.

When I first spoke to Lyndsee, Gianna was only ten days old.  Like any new mom, Lyndsee was excited to document the first precious days of Gianna's life.  More than anything, Lyndsee wanted the photographs to have a soft vintage look to them.  I was BEYOND excited about this idea!  I quickly gathered together my collection of hat boxes and longest string of pearls and headed over to meet little Gianna.

Born at 6 pounds and 1 ounce, Gianna was tiny!  Once we wrapped her in soft whites and pale pinks, baby Gianna was ready for her vintage photo shoot!  Check out some of my favorites below!

Gianna is an italian name that mean's God's grace.  I can't think of a more beautiful name for a child. 

Nothing makes my heart melt like tiny little toes.  

Gianna seemed to pick up on the vibe for the vintage photo shoot as well!  She is a classic beauty in this tweed hat box.

Look at those big beautiful eyes!

I was in love with this small leather couch from the moment I saw it!  It was exactly Gianna's size!

What a sweet smile!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this one!

Almost as cute as tiny toes are little fingers!

I am going to end this post with a sweet photo of baby Gianna in her mother's arms.  Lyndsee and Dominic, your daughter is an absolute doll!  It was such a pleasure to meet your entire family.  I wish you an endless amount of happiness as you embark on this new journey together!  

SNEAK PEEK NEWBORN: BABY GIANNA

The sweet innocence of a newborn never ceases to amaze me. Simply put, they are a beautiful miracle.  On December 9th, little baby Gianna was born, quickly becoming the center of her parents' world.  I had the pleasure of photographing her when she was only 11 days old.  Here is her sneak peek!

BABY'S FIRST CHRISTMAS : OLIVIA

Things are abuzz in the Dale household.  The tree has been put up and the garland has been hung with care.  Tiny Christmas lights shine and beautiful wreaths adorn every door.  Boxes and boxes of presents sit beautifully wrapped under the tree.  As exciting as this time is, Stephanie and John's greatest gift this year came three months earlier.  That's right!  Their first born child, little baby Olivia is here, making this Christmas the best Christmas of all.

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of photographing baby Olivia's Christmas session!  You might remember Olivia's newborn photos, featured on the blog back in October.  Since it is Christmas Eve, I thought this would be the perfect post to share.  I hope these sweet photos warm your heart during this magical time of year.

Stephanie and John already had multiple ornaments to help remind them of Olivia's first Christmas.  This was one of my favorites! 

Olivia is BEAUTIFUL...just like her mother. 

Stephanie and John are the definition of proud parents!  They can't get enough of their baby girl! 

How could you not fall in love with these beautiful big eyes?

Olivia was absolutely glowing!

All wrapped up under the tree, Olivia is her mommy's favorite gift!

When it started to get late, Olivia's dad tucked her into her pjs and made sure she was snuggled up with her favorite bears.

Right before she went to sleep, Olivia smiled, happy to be spending her first Christmas with a family who loves her so much.  As we celebrate together this season, may the wonder of that first Christmas, the joy of God's abundant blessings, and the peace of Jesus' presence be with you always.  Merry Christmas!