We’ve got one, teeny-tiny little opening left in the morning for our Xpressions sessions, Sunday, February 21st. We are going to be touring some of my favorite spots in trendy East Austin. Think hip, colorful, urban, funky, and fun! If you’ve been thinking about grabbing one of these photo sessions, just do it.

• Maybe you need engagement pictures or haven’t had your picture taken with your significant other in a looooooooong time?
• Some hip bridal portraits would be amazing at this location!
• Maybe you’re expecting a baby and haven’t had maternity pictures done yet?
• Maybe your baby has just figured out how to sit up on his own?
• Perhaps your older "baby" is about to lose her first tooth and you need some pictures before it’s too late?
• Or maybe you’re a graduating senior in Austin need to have your senior portraits made?

Let me know and let’s see if we can get together this Sunday.

[As with all Xpressions sessions, these images have only received basic edits...no retouching or additional enhancements.]

and look whose picture I saw? Congrats to the D family! She is indeed a beautiful little cherub.

I figured while we’re waiting around for you to pop, I could at least show you the 8×10 prints I had made for you!

P.S. Xpressions sessions are going faster than I thought, so if you want one this spring, book soon.

At long last, we are ready to start booking for our 2010 Xpressions Sessions! To see the dates and all the info, visit THIS PAGE (we’re doing some new things this year, including special discounts AND themes!).  These openings are very limited and will fill up quickly. Graduating high school students in Austin…now is the time to book your Xpressions session for senior portraits! Also, clients who have already booked a 2010 Premium Session or who had a Premium Session in Nov. or Dec. of last year qualify for special discounts and get first priority on our openings. 

I’ve been meaning to blog more images from our last round in Fall 2009, so I figured now would be a good time. So many incredible families and oh, we had the most perfect weather and light! I can’t wait until we start doing this again this year…especially with the fun new themes and seeing new places all over Austin. (As with all of our Xpressions sessions, these images have not been retouched.)

This was the stunning and perfectly peaceful scene when I walked in to photograph this homebirth. Seriously? So beautiful.

And the end result? Just as beautiful. Just as peaceful. All is right with the world. Congratulations again on your new arrival!

As I continue my proofing, I have to sit here in anxious anticipation, phone by my side, camera at the ready for the next baby to hatch. Who’s going to be first? All bets are off when it comes to predicting labors and the suspense is killing me. Here’s to many safe, quick, and [relatively] painless deliveries any day now!

(If you are in the Austin area and would like to learn more about hiring a professional birth photographer, please see this link.)

This beautiful mommy-to-be (who is due to give birth any day now) will receive and 11×14 canvas of this image AND a $500 gift card for a 2010 Pinkle Toes Premium Session.  Congratulations, J! 

We also have two runners up, who will each receive $100 gift cards for a 2010 Premium Session:

and

Congratulations once more to winners and all of the nominees who ran a very close race.  Thanks so much to everyone who took time to vote and help make this tough decision. I can’t wait to see what kind of images 2010 turns out for us!

To help get YOU motivated to be the 2010 Pic of the Year winner, I have a VERY limited time special offer:

Book your Premium session by NEXT SATURDAY to be held in April or May 2010 and receive a complimentary leather accordion album featuring 14-4×6 images from the session! (Not valid with any other offer. While supplies last.) Contact me to set up your session now!

My temp gauge in the car read 18, yes 18, as my sis/assistant and I set out for Baby Coco bright and early yesterday morning. All of these adorable expectant moms sure made it worth it and they braved the cold beautifully. We’ll be seeing everyone again soon when these babies start "hatching," as my middle child would say ;-). Just a few quick peeks for the mommies and of course, the newest Baby Coco model is featured above. I think we could have stayed all day and played with her…she giggled and cooed and smiled pretty much the whole time.

[Voting ends THIS Friday for Pinkle's Pic of the Year!]

Still catching up from 2009, I was so excited to be asked back by this family to photograph their newest addition! He was such a good baby…especially with all that was going on having his two older siblings bounding around in the house. I guess that’s just how 3rd babies are. Laid back, content, and cute as can be. And I was totally impressed with older bro.  He has matured so much and grown into the sweetest big brother ever!

Baby T’s older sister was a model for Baby Coco back in the days before she had hair. Just look at her now!

[Quick link to choose YOUR fav for Pinkle's Pic of the Year 2009]

They just GLOWED the entire session…so much love between them, so much excitement about the journey ahead. Their connection is going to serve them well as they become parents.  As you will be able to tell from the images below, I didn’t really have fun at this session at all:

There. I believe that will get you through the next few weeks while we shut down for a bit to recoop and regroup. This will probably be my last post for a while (unless I get *really* inspired over the holidays). 

I *will* be announcing the winner of the Heartsong drawing on Wednesday via Twitter and Facebook…it’s not too late to enter. Oh, and don’t forget about the Bump Mini Maternties at Baby Coco on January 9th. If you’re pregnant in Austin and due in February, March, or April 2010, you can get a FREE mini maternity session with me when you book your newborn or birth photography session.  Even if you’ve already booked a birth or newborn session with me during those months, you can still come play! Please, take advantage of me ;-) and sign up quickly because once the spaces are gone, that’s it for this round.

When we return in 2010:

• we will start the voting for Pinkle’s Pic of the Year!!!!!
• clients and clients-to-be will be able to check out our rockin’ new collections and products
• we will announce the 2010 Xpressions dates
• and there’s some even *bigger* stuff in the works, but my lips are sealed for now!

Oh, I’ve been having so much fun looking at all of your beautiful holiday cards.  I was hit with the holiday spirit something fierce this year. Maybe it’s because my boys are finally at an age where they get it, but they don’t fully get it? Or maybe it’s the unusually cool weather? Whatever it is, I’m feeling very blessed and very joyful and I hope that you, too, have an AMAZING holiday season with friends and family.

Happy Holidays and since I’m no longer in school and technically shouldn’t do this anymore because I’m a grown up: "See you next year!"

Love,

Me

I feel as though I’ve known them forever. We’ve had many, many sessions together but each one has been so unique…so different. And now that baby number 3 is on the way, I just can’t wait to see what changes this will bring to their loving family dynamic.