I CANNOT believe it’s been a YEAR since this little girl was born!

BUT FIRST – the brothers!

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT SHOT! Perfectly real-life!

OH MY WORD!

That brother of hers – he is SO excited about ALL THE THINGS! His excitement is contagious!

TIME FOR CAKE!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that little hand sneaking in to grab some icing!

SHE LOVED IT!

*N* had to show me his collection of GOLD! He caught a leprechaun – but it escaped!

And giants! ALL THE GIANTS! ALL THE BEANSTALKS!

When I got home and picked out my favorites – I realized that I didn’t have too many – hardly a handful of little *C* alone!

And it was HER birthday session after all!

SO – I met up with her a week later!

LOOK AT THOSE EYES!

And because life with a BRAND NEW ONE-YEAR OLD – is LIFE ON THE RUN!

THANK YOU SO MUCH for asking me to capture your first year as a family of FIVE!

I hope to see you all again soon!

You’ve seen the newborn pictures of this little SWEET THING!

I’ve only got two little pictures to share – but she’s so CUTE – I had to show you!

Watching Vanessa with her little girl – it’s so heartwarming!

I had told Ericka to remind me to come down for her newborn pictures – and then life happened.

I texted her when I had nothing to do one afternoon – not long after *R* was born. I asked if I could come down to take her photos – like now.

And she said. YES. I love these friends!

So – I dropped the boys off at Mom-Mom and Bacca’s (grandma and grandpa – who happen to live next door) and drove the not-even 3 miles it takes to see this sweet baby!

OH LITTLE BABY!

SWEET SWEET SISTERS!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that last shot!

*J* was NOT loving the smell of that diaper! I LOVE THAT ONE!

She was such a good little model!

I absolutely ADORE that last shot – and the next ones!

MY FAVORITE!!

THAT SWEET FACE!

I LOVE THOSE ONES! Such sweet little sisters!

Ericka – YOU ARE AMAZING!

My friend Ericka – she’s a ROCKSTAR of a momma! She asked if I would photograph the birth of her second sweet baby – OF COURSE!

We had this crazy idea that she wouldn’t make it to her due date – April 4th. On April 3rd – she came over for dinner with her older daughter. We ate and laughed and watched that little baby move around. And then. She said – I think maybe I’m leaking? Maybe. I’m just not sure!

It’s absolutely crazy to me that each birth can be so different and we can forget exactly what happens each time!

So – she texted me around 10 that night and said – she was going to the hospital. And OH! Her water was breaking – so be on baby watch!

I took my phone to bed with me and went to sleep. And waited.

Around 4 AM I got a text saying that she was progressing! So – I figured I would go over and HOPE for a baby before morning when Jared had to go to work! I ate breakfast in quiet. Got a shower real quick without checking on kiddos. And left my driveway at 4:30 – getting a text from her saying she was 5 cm. I made it to Wellsboro – about 20 minutes away – and parked at the ER – got my bags – and went to the desk. Where she told me that I had to go back OUT to the car and drive AROUND the building and go in the back entrance and ask to be let in. ARGH! SERIOUSLY!

So – I got in the room – at 4:51 and that sweet baby was born at 4:49 – YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!

I was so sad. And mad. And then sad again.

BUT – a baby was already born and she was beautiful!

So I took some pictures!

THAT LITTLE FACE! I can’t even deal with her!

AND – she was born on her due date!

Little *R* – you are loved. You are wanted. You were prayed for. You will do wonderful things.

Ericka – YOU are strong. YOU are beautiful. YOU are brave. I LOVE you dear friend!

That first year seems to FLY BY! And that’s just from my perspective on the outside looking in to capture the milestones!

Katie & Chris hired me to photograph their wedding and then we met up again when their little guy was born – and again at 6 months!

And NOW – he’s ONE YEAR OLD ALREADY!

This child – he is GORGEOUS!

We took his newborn photos on this bed – so I knew we had to go back and take his ONE YEAR photos there too!

That curl! Those blue eyes!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE THOSE SHOTS!

SO HAPPY!

OH MY WORD!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE THAT LITTLE SMILE!

Those CURLS!

Dancing with momma!

Katie & Chris – thank you SO MUCH for asking me to capture the memories of this little guy’s FIRST year! I am honored!

I already posted her newborn session – OOPS! But I did go see here really quick when she was JUST born!

My cousin Vanessa was born when I was 15. She was the cutest – roundest – sweetest baby! She had curly blonde hair and the biggest smile!

And now – 20 of the fastest years later – she’s a momma! Her baby girl – *K* – is a redhead! And hopefully inherited her momma’s curls!

Thankfully her first birth was a quick and smooth process for Vanessa!

Jake & Vanessa – she is SO BEAUTIFUL! I am so happy for you both!

In February – Jared’s cousins made a quick visit to the northern tundra!

My boys and their – cousin – I can never remember what the relation is – but Jared’s cousin’s son!

Jared’s mom and her great niece!

ISN’T SHE THE SWEETEST BABY!

OH MY WORD!

The boys!

With crazy kiddos – that’s the best we could get!

Enoch & Fitzy LOVED their little baby girl! They both said she is the cutest baby EVER!

Alyssa & Zeke – it was SO GREAT to see you! WE LOVE YOU!

I met with *L* last year for her 2 year photos – and she was NOT having it! Not a smile was seen – only tears!

BUT – this year! SMILES GALORE!

OUTSIDE – in NORTHERN PA – IN FEBRUARY!

ADORABLE!

We met at the PA Welcome Center – but the main part was closed due to the holiday! Thankfully – this little thing makes my job pretty easy – WHEN she likes me!

Those CHEETOS! She was eyeing them the whole session!

SO CUTE!

DO YOU SEE THAT EYE ROLL!!

I MEAN – SERIOUSLY!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE those shots!

She was reciting the Pledge of Allegiance! THE CUTEST THING!

And sometimes – when you smile for your whole session and are just the most adorable thing EVER – you get those CHEETOS you were eyeing!

Arica – thank you SO MUCH for asking me back into your lives over and over again! I can’t WAIT to see you this summer!

Vanessa spent one night in the hospital and then took her little bundle HOME!

I spent the morning with her only 4 days after she was born! SO TINY! It’s so crazy how easily you forget how small they were!

Vanessa is my first cousin – which makes *K* – my first cousin once removed – if you care about the actual relation!

I think she looks JUST like her daddy!

SO PRECIOUS!

I absolutely LOVE that shot!

Such a sweet moment that you so quickly forget!

MY FAVORITES!

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE those two shots! SIGH!

Baby girl – you are so loved and so special! Vanessa – thank you for letting me snuggle with her and capture her teeny tiny baby days!

I know I say it a lot – but it’s still hard for me to see you any older than about 8 – like the little flower girl in our wedding!

Watching you as a momma – you are certainly a natural!

The first birth I photographed was of Aszur’s third baby – *J* – Fitzy was only 6 weeks old and everything was so fresh and new and emotional!

Her fourth birth – their first girl – was going to be a little different than her first three experiences! A home birth!

I asked Aszur if she would answer a few questions for this blog post!

This is your 4th birth but your 1st home birth, correct? What made you choose to take this route?

This was my 4th pregnancy. After our 3rd baby was born, a string of events led us to a more natural way of living. So, for almost 6 years we have been eating clean, haven’t used a microwave or even seen a doctor. So the thought of being able to go through my pregnancy and delivery without going to the doctors or hospital really appealed to me. Especially since I wanted to do a water birth and the hospitals won’t allow that to happen. We had also just spent 2 years building our home so a home birth was really exciting!!

2. How was this experience different from each of your previous births?

The home birth was more then I could have hoped for. It got pretty intense during the 15 min of pushing. I was able to work with my midwife and had zero tearing and felt the best I ever felt compared to my other deliveries.

3. Why did you choose to have your birth photographed?

I knew I had to have this birth photographed by a professional because that’s the only way you know you will get the shots! I wanted to be able to look back on this day forever and have beautiful photos that tell our story. Thank you Danielle, again, for doing such an amazing job!!

Aszur & Dave built their dream home last year – COMPLETE WITH FLOOR TO CEILING WINDOWS IN THE LIVING ROOM AND DINING ROOM – I say this because I was DREAMING about the light – the GORGEOUS light that would come through those windows while this baby was being born!

Aszur had texted me Friday morning letting me know that it was starting – but she labors LONG! So I took the boys to my parents and waited. I had a session Saturday afternoon – and she texted me asking if I could come up after that was over – hoping that it would happen soon!

Do you see that light – those BEAUTIFUL windows!

And the light – fading fast! I knelt down and said – I’m going to have words with this little girl! THESE WINDOWS! And she’s going to come in the middle of the night! HOW DARE SHE!

Such an AMAZING support system!

She was NOT happy about more hot water being added!

Aszur was struggling with keeping that washcloth on her head – so I ran upstairs and found a hair band – PERFECT!

Birth is so amazing! I’ve photographed a handful and done it twice – and yet it still amazes me that it can happen!

This is about the time that Aszur started to say – I can’t do it. Can you see her? I can’t.

When a woman starts saying that – you know it’s time!

When I sent the preview to Aszur – she specifically asked for some of the INTENSE pictures to be included!

And just like that – SHE’S HERE!

OH SWEET BABY GIRL!

Her cord was a little short – so she just hung out with momma – making for some GORGEOUS pictures!

OH MY WORD!

The boys woke up to meet their little sister!

If you’re a little squeamish – you might wanna scroll past the next photo! I think the placenta is AMAZING!

When a baby starts developing – we GROW an organ that sustains LIFE! AMAZING!

I LOVE THAT SHOT!

OH MY!!

Aszur & Dave – thank you SO MUCH for allowing me to capture this AMAZING moment in your lives!

I am SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!