If you are planning to have photos done in time for the holidays for cards, gifts, etc., the time to schedule your session is now. September is pretty much booked, October is on it’s way, and in November we reach our holiday card/product ordering deadlines. (Stay tuned to the Session Openings Calendar for updates).

I mentioned this before, but a reminder: as a special incentive, I am offering a set of 24-5×7 flat holiday cards with CD purchase to anyone who holds their holiday session in August (you can choose from a handful of designs).  This offer is good only while openings are available, so jump on it NOW! If you already have a session booked in August, you can receive these cards. If you’ve already booked your holiday session for Sept, Oct, or Nov, and move it to August, you can take advantage of this offer, too, but again, only until August books up.

Also in August, our Senior Xpressions for Austin area seniors graduating in 2010. Details.

(How do you like this moldy oldy? Our holiday card, circa 2007)

I had the privilege of watching this little guy make his entrance into this world.

I got to work with him again when he was about 6 months old:

…and despite this, we did manage some wonderful images this weekend in honor of his 2nd Birthday!  Happy Birthday, Mr. JV! 

P.S. – Guess what I learned today, Mom & Dad? The reason I couldn’t attend Jack’s birthday party was because I was photographing one of his classmates (and his new baby brother – whose birth I also photographed…craziness).  Recognize him?

 Small world!!!!

Finally.  Finally we got to do his newborn session.  Totally worth the wait. He was a gem!

Brace yourself.  This post is chock full!!!  You will want to read through all of it to get through the hodge podge of information, including a special holiday offer! ;-)

First, some incredible news I got today!  See that adorable baby girl in the heart up there? Yeah.  Well she took home FIRST PLACE in the humorous category for the annual Miller’s Baby and Child Contest.  I’ve never submitted any image before, but this year, on a whim, I decided to give it a go.  I am so very happy for her and her family. Congrats to you all!!!  (Click HERE to see the rest of the winners!).  This would be the "over the moon" portion of my post.

Second, I got some incredible deliveries on my doorstep today (which would be the "out of this world" portion), starting with this STUNNING Platinum Album:

If you could see their house you would notice that it matches their decor PERFECTLY.  I’m thrilled that mom thought outside the box in the design of this album!

It’s been like Christmas around here, people.  Here’s another set of books I shipped off today…matching maternity and newborn.  These are SO adorable together:

And then, I got this gigantic canvas too:

Of course, we had the AWESOME mini maternity sessions at Baby Coco this weekend.  A quick sneaky peek here:

And here’s a pseudo sneak peek of the newborn session that has been postponed and rained out and postponed again (LOL, V, I promise we will get to his newborn session while he’s still a newborn):

(I promise to explain the boxes later.)

And finally, some pics of the biggest reason why I’m sooooo behind on blogging:

I’ve got the theme from Flash Dance running through my head.

Okay, there you have it. That pretty much sums up the past week or so.  What??? It’s only been a week?  Wow! July is almost GONE! 

Which reminds me, if you haven’t booked your family holiday photo session yet, the time is NOW! September is pretty much booked, October is on it’s way, and in November we reach our holiday card/product ordering deadlines. As a special incentive, I am offering a set of 24-5×7 flat holiday cards with CD purchase to anyone who holds their holiday session in August (you can choose from a handful of designs).  This offer is good only while openings are available, so jump on it NOW! (If you already have a session booked in August, you can receive these cards. If you’ve already booked your holiday session for Sept, Oct, or Nov, and move it to August, you can take advantage of this offer, too, but again, only until August books up.)

Thanks a bunch and stay tuned for LOTS of sneak peeks coming up over the next few weeks! 

While proofing this guy’s birth, saw this pic, thought of this caption, and I decided I liked it. A lot. Just wanted to share. (Be sure to check the calendar for birth photography and other session openings. Not many left in ‘09, that’s for sure.)

P.S. I just realized I’ve held true to my Pinkle Toes namesake lately. The past 5 out of 7 posts have featured feet, toes, or shoes. ;-) Go me. 

Every time I get one of these books in from the printer, I hold my breath.  And every time I actually get to flip through it in person, it makes a session so much more real…more tangible.  And every time, I get a little sad because it marks the end of that session.  But, every time, I get hopeful that I’ll get the chance to do this again in the future. (Now, if I can just remember to take pictures of these books every time ;-)).

Speaking of the future, don’t forget, the Mini Maternity Sessions are coming up next Saturday, July 18th!  There are still some openings if you want to play. 

Also, still have some stuff available (I moved it to it’s own page).  If something’s out of your price point, please, please, please feel free to make an offer.

Some quick peeks for this beautiful family.  Congratulations on your new arrival–he is perfect!

(P.S. Her belly is the one against the yellow wall here.  That pic was a few months ago and I swear, her belly was still the same adorable size this morning!)

Contact me for full details or to sign up now!

AND, there’s still some stuff left for sale here (added some things, too).  If it’s more than you wanted to spend, please make an offer.  I really want to clean my house out ;-).

Contact me for full details or to sign up now!

I had mentioned his birth was timely.  Here’s the story…

I was sure mama would go early. She was sure she would be late. Almost two weeks after her due date had come and gone, she was finally scheduled for an induction.  I was determined to make it to this birth no matter what.  Mama was determined to have a natural and intervention-free childbirth no matter what. I have never seen someone with such a strong vision and ability to make a birth go exactly as she wanted it to go. In fact, the day of the “induction,” she had evidently already gone into labor all on her own and there turned out to be no induction necessary.

So that morning, I was running around getting ready for a surprise party I was hosting but certain I wouldn’t be able to attend.  I stayed in contact with mom and dad on the phone, checking on progress, anxiously awaiting the final call.  While I was out running errands for the party, I got to make a short visit (North Austin Medical Center–great facility, btw!!) and snapped a few pics before things kicked into high gear.  It was lovely to be able to chat and share a little bit of that anticipation, joy, and excitement before the real hard work of labor had set in.  Amazingly enough, I even got to attend the party I’d been working on.

Early that evening, I called dad again. This time I could tell by the sounds in the background that it was indeed time to witness a miracle. His mommy and daddy told me I could let you witness it, too ;-)

A few things to note before you watch:

1. It was dark.  Very, very, very dark.  In fact, it was darkest birth I’ve ever photographed.  I wouldn’t dream of using a flash around a laboring mother or a tender newborn, so I was dependent upon a single light in the room..the light on the baby warmer several feet away from the laboring couple.  To be honest, I can’t believe I was able to capture what I did (thank goodness for the Mark II and my 50 1.2).  But you know what? I love it!  The birth itself was so very intimate…I was merely peeking in…and the dim, raw nature of the images reflects the mood in the room that day perfectly.

2. The song is “Knocked Up” from Kings of Leon.  I first heard it here (btw, I absolutely ADORE Alicia’s work!) a while back and was humming it all the way into town the day of his birth.  It seemed only fitting to use it in this video.

3. Her doctor was phenomenal.  I’ve never seen a doctor so patient an so in tune with a laboring woman.  Really remarkable.

4. There are three distinct times when mama sees her baby. Watch for the difference when mom simply sees her baby and when she truly sees him.  It makes me tear up every time.

5. Dad was a rock. He has the scars to prove it.

6. Mama was a “birthing goddess.”

Okay…now you can see…

(Link not working? View in full size.)

Thank you, thank you, thank you again to August’s mommy and daddy for inviting me to be a part of this incredible day.  Your family is simply beautiful!

[If you are expecting and would like to have your birth professionally photographed, please visit this page for more information.  I only have a few birth session openings left for this year. Photographers seeking information on birth photography are welcome to join in the open discussion on the PT4P members' only message board.]