bridezilla becomes a mommy / {phoenix maternity photographer}

"Life is always a rich and steady time when you are waiting for something to happen or to hatch."
~E.B. White, Charlotte's Web

Imagine my surprise when I learned that this sweetie mama-to-be just recently had her own episode on WE TV's Bridezillas! Just married in November and having a honeymoon baby, bridezilla is a term that I would never think to use in reference to her...she is just as sweet as can be, and so laid back! She and her hubby welcomed me into their home and were game for anything...we photographed in a gorgeous pecan orchard, on a fishing dock, with a watermelon and even in her bathtub! This wonderful couple is naturally beyond excited to welcome their little girl. I even got to look at the scrapbook Angela made, filled with touching moments detailing her journey to motherhood. It was quite the fun morning filled with plenty of laughter. I am looking forward to photographing their sweet little peapod Elora when she makes her debut very soon. Thanks for a great session! :)

gorgeous family / {phoenix family photographer}

"When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses." ~Joyce Brothers

This family got up bright and early--quite a feat with the young ones!--for our session in the desert. The landscape and sunrise were gorgeous, and these little guys were such great sports! How wonderful that this mama had her daughter and grandson (I know!! No way she is a grandma--those two could be sisters!) in town from Louisiana. How blessed is she to have these three gorgeous children (another one is missed back home in Louisiana) and an adorable grandbaby? Thanks for the opportunity to photograph you--I had so much fun and it was wonderful to see you!!!

rockin' little babe / {phoenix baby photographer}

"A babe in the house is a well-spring of pleasure, a messenger of peace and love, a resting place for innocence on earth, a link between angels and men."
Martin Fraquhar Tupper

This sweet little six month old has a world full of meaning and love. I photographed her in her home, beginning in the room in which she was brought into this world. On her shelf stood a beautifully aged black and white photograph of her great-grandmother and a plant that once belonged to her. It was as though her great-grandmother--whom she was named after--is there, keeping a watchful and loving eye on her great-granddaughter. I love when clients have special items to incorporate into their photographs...
What a fun home for this little girl to grow up in! It was full of colored walls, different textures and exciting things to look at. What baby wouldn't love to wake up to a gorgeous butterfly swooping across her ceiling? Heck, what adult wouldn't like that? It was so colorful and peaceful looking. I would love to fall asleep gazing at that!
She looks right at home sitting inside of her father's drum set, too. Grandma gave her that cutie dress, and she looks pretty rockin' doesn't she? :)
Thanks so much for a super-fun session and the opportunity to come into your home and photograph your family! I hope to capture all her beautiful stages and see you again for her first birthday! Enjoy your sneak peeks...more to come...

those baby blues and cake smashing! / {phoenix children's photographer}

"Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man.
Play with my cake? My mom says I can!
I blew out my candle, I made my first wish;
Won't someone please help me and hand me a dish?
Frosting on fingers and cake between toes is the best way to eat it, as everyone knows.
Don't try to wash me before I'm quite done; It's not every day that I get to turn one.
Smeared kisses and cake crumbs will all wipe away but never the memory of my first birthday!"

This session was so.much.messy.fun!!! I cannot believe that I photographed this little cutie when he was mere weeks old, and now look at him! We let him explore the area while I snapped some photographs of that serious little face. He was a fast one and crawled from one fun thing to the next--he gave me quite the run for my money! I just love this age, and I loved capturing the way he looks as he was crawling away...very quickly I might add! This sweet little boy got his sweet reward at the end of our session when he was given free reign to chow down on his very own oversized cupcake. You can't beat the look of intense concentration on his face, which was soon replaced with a grin as big as that cupcake! I call him my little smurf baby because of the blue tint his skin took on while smearing all that gooey sweet frosting on his body!

Want to schedule your own "Yummy Cupcake Smash" session for your little cutie pie? Just contact me and we will set it up! The cake is from the lovely Angie of The Cake Maker...this awesome treat can be customized with any color frosting you want, too! I love, love the insane brightness of this blue frosting! She even delivers! Just tell her that Laura sent you, and we can have this cake all set for your little prince or princess to tear into while I snap away! Mmmm...I'll leave you with another shot of all that yummy goodness!

precious little babe / {phoenix newborn photographer}

"Before you were conceived I wanted you.
Before you were born I loved you.
Before you were here an hour I would die for you."
-- Maureen Hawkins

I had the opportunity to photograph this precious baby girl, just eleven days old. She was such a good little baby as I snapped away like her very own paparazzi. :) There of course were plenty of breaks for feeding, rocking, changing and soothing...I just loved the sweet little noises she made as her mommy fed her. When I returned home, my own thirteen pound, four month old baby girl seemed huge! It just served as a reminder that babies are this little for such a short time. Having newborn portraits taken is something that I don't think anyone would ever regret. It is a time in your life that you can never get back, but through photographs you can forever treasure this blissful time. Enjoy this amazing time in your lives, R family, for you are truly blessed.

mom to superman / {phoenix maternity photographer}

"A mother's joy begins when new life is stirring inside...
when a tiny heartbeat is heard for the very first time
and a playful kick reminds her that she is never alone."

~Unknown

This gorgeous first time mommy-to-be will be bringing her son Adrian Kalel into this world in just a few short (or long, if you are nine months prego during an Arizona summer) weeks. See, her hubs is such a huge Superman fan that they decided on the name Kal-el because that was Superman's Kryptonian name. How can this little boy be anything other than super? :)
I love outdoor maternity sessions! There is just something so ethereal about a woman about to bring a baby into this world being outside among nature. One would think that it would be crazy hot to do an outdoor shoot in Arizona in July, but we were at it pretty early this morning to get that sweet light and to beat the heat. It wasn't bad and we even had a nice breeze! One of this mama-to-be's best buds came along to watch--isn't that sweet? Such a great shoot...doesn't she have such a cute looking smile? Love it! Thanks so much for allowing me to photograph that beautiful bump of yours, and congratulations!