Leo at 8 months...

I got all ready for Davis to come for his portraits and realized it was the 18th!! Leo's 8 month birthday! Yay! He was so much fun to photograph. I wish I had help so that I didn't have to keep him safe (the set was on top of the dining room table) and get him to smile and shoot it because I shot a lot of these way too tight and it's a serious bummer. He is so cute though and was all smiles and fun. I have to say, I can't narrow down pics of my own kid. Impossible! I love them all! I didn't have time to edit these, but I think he's pretty close to perfect all on his own. 

 This is his special blanket. He loves it so much, as soon as I lay him down for naps or bedtime, I cover his body with this blanket and he grabs it with both hands, pulls it to his face and hugs it. I love it. If I am slow to get the blanket on him for some reason, he gets anxious. It's adorable.

 Penny jumped up for a few kisses.

My Nephew Baby Davis Robert Hamm...

After some preterm labor scares and c-section threats, little Davis decided to stay put in the womb until everyone was really ready for him to come. He was born the 11th of January and was super healthy (don't make me recall the stats...8 and some change pounds...I don't know, but CUTE and I was so lucky and thrilled and moved to be with Braden and Amanda on his birth day. It was a long time for me to be away from my little man, and he wasn't thrilled with the separation, but I was so glad that I could actually have a break from him while attending such a sacred moment with my baby brother and Amanda. It is so miraculous to watch another person give birth. I know for sure from that experience that there is a negative physical reaction in my body with any imagining of labor or delivery. That will never be me again...and I'm so good with that! I think Amanda is done too and she did an amazing job getting this healthy kiddo into the world.

When he was a week old, they came and spent a day with us so I could take some pics of the little, cuddly munchkin. I got to take portraits for them AND take a dreamy nap with him sleeping against me. I was in heaven. More of that needs to happen in my future. I might stalk pregnant people or something. For now, I have Davis to cuddle with. I'm no newborn photographer, and I was nervous about this but we did get a few good shots of him and Amanda was easy to please.

This is his blessing outfit. He won't be blessed for a few more weeks so he has some growing to do to fill it out better! Davis, I can't wait to know and love you more as time passes!

Leo's Portraits, 5 days old...

Right when I found out I was pregnant I was telling Jennifer Wilcox to get me on her schedule for May. She is so good at what she does and I lover her work! She has been cranking baby miracle photo sessions out for three years now and has such an impressive rhythm to what she does. Leo was in good hands and let her mold him and tug him and pose him in all kinds of different ways. It took THREE hours to get the shoot complete...those newborn photographers really earn their money! Not to mention that his newborn skin is all splotchy and red anywhere he is touched...but she edits all that ugliness out. THANK YOU JEN! I love the outcome!

Photography Helpers...

The other day, I did a shoot with Kelly Keim and her sweet one year old, Eli. We both had all the kids with us and my girls kept wanting me to take their picture as they used various props to have their fun. These are some real keepers! :)

Hamm Family 2012...

 

Back row: Mary, Opa, Oma, Jordan, Chris, Betsey, me, Amanda, Van, Braden

Middle row: Jeff, Nathan, Sarah, Hailey, Robb, Heather, Ruby, Alice and Mason

Front row: Molly, Jane, Carson, Adeline and Emma

We always try to do an annual family picture. Ugh. It's not ever the way I want it. I loved last year's attempt because we had ideal lighting and the setting was so pretty...but Jordan wasn't there and we had Brooks stand in for him and there was no editing it so that it looked good. Brooks and Jordan=not the same. This year, we did another pic at my folks' house and we had things planned afterward...like lunch, for starters. If a client wanted me to take a pic at noon, I'd flat out refuse or make them sign something acknowledging that the pics were going to be crappy. Well, it seems we always gather at mid-day...and on this day, it was overcast until RIGHT when we were posed and ready to shoot it. Ugh. I should have suggested we relocate, I was thinking I'd just doctor it in post, but it's not really fixable...I should have relocated. I love what we were all wearing, I think everyone looks so purdy and we are in a good place with no pregnancies, no newborns...everyone photographed really well...not even any criers! Anyway, so this is what we ended up with. Not canvas worthy, but we'll try again next summer!

Braden, Amanda and the boys...Mason and Van.

Adeline.  

Jeff, Mary and fam...Sarah, Nathan, Sarah and Molly.

Robb and Heather and their cuties, Hailey, Emma, Carson and Adeline. 

Ruby is a beauty. She's so willing to have her pics taken, I love that about her! She comes up with fun poses and lots of difference expressions. We need to go on a photo shoot just us and my camera.

 

Ruby the budding photographer...

Ruby loves to take pictures. She set up this cute set using her quilt and she tried to get Betsey on board. She got her sitting there...but she wasn't any more cooperative for Ruby than she is for me. :)

 

 

Here she even got her dressed!

Mission: Christmas Photoshoot...

These pictures are awful...unedited and weren't even shot super correctly. I was in a hasty hurry to try and get something decent of my kids for our Christmas cards and I did manage through the magic of photoshop...but I wanted to show you all what a challenge it was to get a decent pic of my Bets. Sheeeesh! Thank goodness for help from my mom, but we were exhausted by the end of this!

 

 Betsey's tights were too small and kept falling down. My mom made a game of pulling up her tights, lifting her in the air by the waist of her tights. We hoped this would make for a happy Betsey for pics, but nope!

 

 This one was the winner I think...in the pre-editing version.

 Pointing and wanting and demanding...

 This is how she looks when she realizes you are going to give her what she wants.

 

 At least the bells are still festive looking!

Oh what fun it is to brush your sister's hair. No thank you!