Recently, I found some photos that I had taken at a friend’s wedding. As I poured through the photographs remembering that beautiful day, smiling at the memories, I slowly came upon photos of faces that are no longer with us – mothers, grandmothers and friends. I was reminded of how precious moments are. One particular image struck a chord. It was of a baby just sitting in her stroller while her mother adoringly looked on. I took that photo 13 years ago, long before I ever thought of being a professional photographer, let alone specializing in baby and family photography. It spoke to me because I caught a moment between mother and child. That photograph tells a story of LOVE, pure unconditional love. What resonated even more with me is that the dear baby in the photograph now a teenager lost her mother a few years ago.

As I near the age of 40 I sometimes wonder where I am in my life’s journey. I don’t want to spend much time thinking about that because quite honestly we all know how it ends and it’s just sad especially now that I have children. So instead I keep it in check at the back of my mind only to serve the purpose of reminding myself to live life to the fullest.

I like to think that I am present in my children’s lives for the most part, but sometimes I can get caught up in the every day happenings. It was just an ordinary moment between my son & I that thousands and hundreds of thousands of parents experience, but tonight it took my breath away. My 6-month-old son had some trouble settling in for the night with daddy while I was busy working away, taking advantage of the time. After a while, my husband brought him downstairs so I put my laptop down and took him into my arms. We shared a quiet moment. As I held him tight while he fell asleep safe in my arms, I shed a tear or two or three.

I thought of my other son who is now 5 years old and thought of how quickly time has passed. While I love that my oldest is now 5 because he’s become my little buddy; I sometimes long for the baby he once was, wishing to hold his entire being safely in my arms and to soak in his quiet breaths as he sleeps. I tried to remember what it felt like to hold him. Sadly, I am beginning to forget.

I often hear how much it is a gift that I am a professional photographer because the photographs my sons will have one day will be priceless. { I think I have the most photographed second child ever because I have been taking a photo of him every day since birth albeit mostly with my iphone except when a new month comes then I grab my “good” camera. I digress. } While it is true that I am giving my sons a precious gift because I have taken some beautiful photographs of them, I am often not in them.

So tonight before the moment passed with my youngest son, I reached for my iphone (always nearby) because I wanted to stop this moment in time. I wanted to capture the love I feel for my son, the pure unconditional love, but not for me, for him so that he’ll always know how much he was loved. While it is not a great photograph technically speaking because it was dark, it is real. This is how he fell asleep in my arms, I soaked it all in.

With the birth of my 2nd son and last child I know how fleeting these days are so I have vowed to get into the studio more so that our family can be properly captured (for print and archival purposes). Here are some photos of my youngest son and my family when he was 15 days old.

Tonight just confirmed what I have felt for the last 7 years that I have been a professional photographer. For me, it’s all about the connections, the relationships people have. I love to photograph babies and I love to photograph children, but what I really love the most are the families. Whether it’s a husband and wife expecting their first child, a big brother or sister adoringly loving their new sibling or a family snuggling up close, I love to capture the emotions. I want to document what parents feel for their new baby only days or weeks after they’ve met for the first time. I want to document the love of siblings, parent and child and husband and wife. Hi 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways contestants, the secret word is believe. I want to document more than what you look like or what you are wearing. I want to document life and more importantly love so that your child(ren) will always know without a doubt how much they were loved. If I can create portraits that tell your story and take your breath away even if for a moment then I have done my job.

brothers at 4 years old & 15 days old