One of the boys is my son’s buddy and I asked his mom to bring their dolls for the shoot. You can see how much fun we had! That’s about it for the sneak peek! But there will be several others without the dolls in your gallery.

In honor of Father’s day I put together this storyboard of pictures that celebrate this beautiful family…

Love this Storypeople quote so much. Baby J was a long awaited princess that has brought so much joy to her family. To me she has been a special baby to document as well having watched her grow over the past two years. I had to have a post to share my journey documenting her and also my growth as a photographer (I hope!). I am behind  blogging this session as I had to dig up some of her early photos that you might recognize if you have been a blog follower. Isn’t she just adorable? I feel so fortunate to have had this opportunity to document her over time and am thankful to her lovely mama for trusting me to create these beautiful memories. And hard not to get attached to a little person that I have watched grow from a wee little one to a little person full of personality.

I photographed baby J at three months, six months, ten months, one year and now at two years old. I am often asked what the best age is to photograph babies? Three months is a difficult age since they are sort of in-between but every milestone captures that moment in time. You can see for yourself how quickly she has grown specially over the first year!

then…

and now… little Miss Independent.  I love this storyboard of an attempted picture of mommy holding her as it is such a testament of this busy age. Nope, she didn’t want to be held. But maybe she thought about it for half a second. Nah, decided she just had so much exploring to do and took off.

I adore this Storypeople quote. It made me think of sweet memories we created for baby C’s family and how they will cherish them forever. When baby C grows up to be a beautiful young lady she will likely not remember her cute chubb days. But I hope that these pictures will be her treasures to have and hold on to.

We had a wonderful session with baby C’s family at their home in Noe Valley in San Francisco. Mommy had ordered some cute clothes I recommended from the Gap, Baby Legs and not to forget Anthropologie for herself. Seven months. Such a wonderful age. It is my favorite age to photograph little people when they are able to sit up. And also when they can’t get away from me too easily (though she was just starting to crawl and is likely a different baby today). Enjoy your sneak peek!

In the many faces on baby C, do you have a favorite? Post your favorite in the comments section using the numbering system below. I will share which one mine is too once the voting is over. Top Row with two pics- Use no. 1 for left and no. 2 for right. In the middle row with three pics- use no. 3 for left, no. 4 for middle and no. 5 for right. For a total of 25+ comments (don’t have to be for one image), I will make a complimentary 5 x 7 print for the family. So vote away!!!

Check out the teeny skinny jeans on baby C. I wonder if they will be still a fad when she grows up?

One of the first things that struck me within minutes of meeting her was how much she laughed and enjoyed her wonderful family. Our session was full of laughs as you may see in the photos. I caught a lot of natural smiles without much effort on my part. Her two handsome boys (specially the four year old) kept me on my toes. Who needs the gym when you can chase four year olds? He was pretty symbolic of his age not being able to stay still for more than a few minutes (oh, wait seconds) and that was pretty much how I captured him on camera.

I had such a wonderful time with Carolyn’s amazing family and couldn’t have been happier to gift this custom photography session to her family. Hope you love the photos, Carolyn as much as I do!

gnaana is a retail website and online community center offering busy families a way to incorporate elements of South Asian languages, traditions and histories into their everyday lives.  The company offers a unique selection of eco-friendly, developmental toys and educational material to teach children ages 0-12 about South Asian cultures.

Winner will receive:

The Chota Chef Recipe Cards Set
The ultimate sensorial tour of India! Starting in India’s capital of New Delhi, your Chota Chef (or “Little” Chef in Hindi) will circumnavigate the subcontinent – stopping along the way to prepare simple and nutritious Indian dishes. Featuring one recipe from almost every state or region of India, The Chota Chef Recipe Cards are a unique set of 20 learning experiences designed to introduce the fundamentals of Indian cooking in imaginative, engaging, kid-friendly ways. Each Recipe Card features step-by-step illustrations along with a Fun Fact that will spark your little gourmand’s interest in one of the world’s most ancient cultures.

and

A Chota Apron
(Lotus or Train, name in English)

Made in the USA with premium twill fabric – with soil release and wrinkle-resistant finish. Loop neck with 2 front pockets. Sized to fit children approximately 2-10 years of age – see website for exact measurements. Choose between Kamal (pink apron embroidered with a Lotus) or Rail (blue apron embroidered with a Train).

Bonus Prize: Apron personalized with your child’s name in English.
(See below for details on how to qualify.)

Here’s How to Enter:
1) Visit gnaana.com and check out their cool products. Post a comment in the box below about your favorite product and we will pick one lucky winner.
2) In addition to the lovely prize, the winner will receive an additional bonus prize for one of the following (current fans and subscribers automatically qualify for the bonus prize):
a. Become a Facebook Fan of gnaana
b. Sign-up for gnaana’s Newsletter

Contest closes midnight PST on Thursday, May 20th
Winner will be announced Saturday, May 22nd

Please Note: Package must be shipped to an address within the Continental US.

ps. gnaana recently asked me to guest blog about photography. My article Why hire a Professional Photographer can be found here.

Thank you for participating in the fabulous Gnaana giveaway! The winner was picked using random.org.
The winner is # 13– Congratulations Amy!

And a fabulous giveaway of Gnaana’s eco-friendly products’ that you won’t want to miss!!

My husband had to work so my son and I spent our day relaxing and hanging out at home. We baked pancakes and ate Chicken Tikka Masala from our favorite Indian take out in the evening. He brought home a lovely card for me from school. For my present, he thought we should make a trip out to Toys R us and pick something for me (um, him). Don’t ya love the simple mind of a six year old?