Today I got the great joy of photographing my long-time friend’s new baby girl.  Meet Madilyn Rhys.  She is just precious in every way!

Brad & Steph she is absolutely adorable.  I can’t express how happy I am for you both to experience the joys of parenthood!

Well, I wouldn’t really call ALL of them babies, but yesterday I acquired 2 extra children for a few hours.  Which is probably why I was too tired to blog & fell asleep in my clothes!  I forgot what it’s like to have a toddling little one to follow around – tiring!  My girls had a blast with Lucas & Helena.  We’re so glad they were there to entertain our rainy, then hot, then rainy, then cold day.  Thanks friends!

This may seem like a lot of different families, but they all come originally from one family: The Kanaly Family.  I knew Ashley & Heather (formerly Kanaly) in my high school years and Ashley ended up marrying my brother, so now we’re sisters!  They are the youngest sisters of Jen & Mike.  Mike, as you’ll be able to tell, didn’t come to our fun 14 person session…who needs him!  (*Seriously though, Mike & Michele, you can still have your own personal session with me anytime!)

We ventured to Downs Park in Pasadena, MD.  I typically get wet when I go here, and last weekend was NO exception.  I needed to get ankle deep in the water at the beach to get all of them in my shot.  It was so refreshing!

Here are a few favorites of mine from each of their families.

Jen & Rob’s family…

Matt & Ashely’s Family (my bro & sis-in-law)

And Jason, Heather, Michael + a bun in the oven…

This scene is a common one in our house these days.  Not the  playing on the easel, but one sister doing something and the other sister doing the exact same thing.  They are like one another’s shadows, doing whatever the other does.

Emma & Brooke are 29 months apart.  A good space in my opinion, and it has been recently that they are playtime companions more than competitors. However, as I write this post, they are doing a puzzle together & Emma is teasing Brooke & giggling about it.  And Brooke’s response:  “Emma…I’m big now!  I’m big!”  ….back in a sec…………..okay, argument settled.

I am so thankful that they are usually each others’ friends, and not fighting more than they get along.  Emma teaches Brooke all the things she knows, and Brooke is Emma’s constant encourager & hug giver.  I hope that they can look back on this photo one day and see that sisters can be friends too.

Photos:  Stacy Richardson Photography.  Stacy was my friend & mentor in photography for 2 years.  I had the privilege of assisting her with many weddings in these two years and I learned a lot of what I know about the business of photography from her.  Thanks, Stacy.

Yes, I’m admitting it.  And maybe I should join Sore Losers Anonymous.  I am a sore L-O-S-E-R!  There, it’s said, it’s done, I’m cured!  I wish!  Although the reason I’m shooting this picture & not in it is because I was the first one out, I truly did enjoy our time with family and friends today.   Josh’s brother, Matt, & his beautiful bride, Emily, put on their long johns & snow clothes & walked to our house today to renovate the igloo, have dinner & play some games with us.  Unfortunately for me, we chose Monopoly.  Which, I think is mostly luck, but that’s just my opinion.  I mean come on, two times around the board & I wasn’t able to buy a single property!  Who has that bad of luck?!?!?  Okay, sore loserness is done…I’m over it….. *sigh*  So we enjoyed Matt & Emily’s company and were also treated with our neighbors Mary & Chris coming over AND bringing red velvet dinosaur cake!  We are so blessed!  For being in what seems like a perpetual blizzard, I feel very lucky to have all this family time with our little family, as well as with our friends & family who live so close by to make the snow seem a little less chilling.  Thanks guys!

I’m beat….g’night!