Last fall I had the chance to photograph this wonderful young girl – Allie.  She is a friend of one of my senior models and I was thrilled to get to work with her.  Laura, who referred her, told me Allie has about a million facial expressions, and can even “smize” – which apparently means smiling with your eyes!  (These girls keep me fresh with the new lingo.)

Here’s Allie!

Up next is another family session that I had to keep under wraps until the holidays were over.  Eeek!  It was so hard, but I did it!

Meet the Abell Family.  There are just so sweet & wonderful.  It took a little coaxing, but we eventually got some smiles out of everyone.  Check out their fun family day!

Joy, and her sister Hope, were some of the first friends I met when my family moved to Maryland so many years ago.  And it was such an honor & delight to be able to photograph her engagement to David.  To see her so utterly happy made me quite emotional.  During their session I wanted to cry with happiness, and even more so during editing it.

Enjoy their photos…

My niece Leah is turning in to such a sweet toddler.  She’s moody, she’s fussy, she’s got an opinion.  But hey, what two-year-old doesn’t?  What I LOVE LOVE LOVE about her is when she says, “Aunt Manny……”  Melts my heart!  It means I’m in, I’ve made it, I’ve been accepted in to her limited circle of people she loves.  Getting acceptance from a toddler is a big deal to me, people.  It’s hard stuff!

She was down in the area a couple of weeks ago and I grabbed her for her two year old photos.  She actually turned two in November, but this child has a busy schedule.  Her people took too long to pencil me in, so I just stole her.  Don’t worry, I’ve since returned her to her family.  Check out Leah’s 2 year session in the wonderful Downtown Annapolis.  And, in case you’re totally in love, her first outfit is from A House in the Wood‘s shop on Etsy.  Tell her I sent ya!

*sigh* Each year I look forward to taking my daughter’s annual photos, to document her growth & emerging personality.  At the same time, I am saddened by it.  I love every minute of her & wish it didn’t have to pass so quickly.  She is growing so fast & growing UP equally as fast.  I love you my little Emma Rose!

And I just have to add that Emma is now owning her annual photos!  She picked her outfit, her hat, her shoes, her jewelry AND the location.  Yeah, she’s gonna be something great when she grows up.