This past fall, I decided do something I had been meaning to do for the past half year: get family photos taken of our new family of three. Sure, I’m a professional photographer, but you’ve heard the one about the shoemaker’s kids, right? I have a million pictures of my son, my husband, and things I’ve eaten recently. I, like pretty much every mom I know, am never in the pictures. 

I don’t like to have my picture taken. But...I desperately wanted to be in the pictures. Since becoming a mom, I’ve witnessed how babies change in a blink, and how overnight they seem to wake up and leave little pieces of their babyhood behind. And if I didn’t step in front of the camera with him to capture a few of those moments, right then and there, they’d be gone and I would regret it forever. 

Oh, this darling family! In this beautiful light! The Cook Family is new to the Pittsburgh area, and wanted to celebrate their perfect little family with a Fall Lifestyle Session. Somehow in between the cloudy gray drizzle of the last week, these rays of sunshine snuck through and we took full advantage. It was such a joy to be able to capture the love between this family, from the way daddy could ALWAYS make baby girl laugh, to the sweet snuggles in mama's arms, to the way all three of them fit so perfectly together.

If there were ever a walking, talking and absolutely-glowing advertisement for pregnancy, it's this beautiful mama right here. Lyndsie and her wonderful family are over the moon excited for baby Eli to make his appearance in a few short weeks! (Big brother Leo couldn't stop giving the baby hugs and kisses....and posing for the camera!). But in the meantime, I was so thrilled we could get together to photograph this magical time in Lyndsie and her family's life, full of anticipation, excitement and love.

Now this session is EXTRA special! I had visited this beautiful family's home two years ago to document the arrival of Big Sister. To come back again to see this trio grow to a family of four nearly made my heart burst! (Also - side note - could this Mama be any more gorgeous??) 

Nothing has been more meaningful to me as a photographer than walking alongside my clients as they travel through life, inviting me to document the happiest of moments with them. I met Lindsay and Jordan two years ago when I took their engagement photos, and they were married in one of my favorite celebrations to date. Now, they have new names: mom and dad. Little Evelyn is the snuggliest, happiest little girl in the world, and a joy to her new parents and everyone who knows her. What a little blessing you have created, Lindsay & Jordan! Here's a peek into their happy, exhausting, and blissful new life: