Leighton is Two and a Half! | Atlanta Childrens Photographer

Children, Personal

Where has the time gone? My daughter Leighton is growing and changing every day, and we are just in awe of the little person she is becoming. She is bursting with personality, and I was just thinking to myself the other day that it’s amazing how much joy is bottled up inside that tiny body of hers. I can only hope that it never fades. I never want to forget the funny and sweet aspects of this age… mispronouncing so many words that I kind of wish she’d never get right, her inquisitiveness, her need for Mommy, her big love and big tantrums, and her innocent little belly laugh. (Also that adorable water spout on top of her head.)

We got home the other day after a big rain, and she saw these tiny white flowers all over the ground in our neighborhood. She immediately proclaimed, “snow!” – ha! – so we headed out to jump around in the flower petals. I’d intended to do more traditional photos in honor of her half birthday, but these are quite fitting for this little busy body who loves running, jumping, and being outside. It’s hard to believe we’re halfway to three!

 

Leighton’s 2 Year Milestone Session – Smyrna | Atlanta Childrens Photographer

Children, Personal

My baby is TWO. In so many ways, this second year of her life has flown by infinitely faster than the first one did. We’re on the go most days, and she’s learning new things weekly, if not daily. Watching her navigate the world around her and learning how things work, seeing her personality blossom, and getting to experience things with her as she does them for the first time… it’s awe-inspiring and sort of takes my breath away at times. With each passing month and year, I am more and more grateful for the blessing of staying home with her while running a business I truly love.

Leighton Lane, we wish you the happiest of birthdays, sweet baby girl! We love you more than you will ever know. Thank you for making us parents two years ago, and thank you for making every day a joy (and for putting up with my photo session ideas). 😉

 

Leighton’s 2nd Birthday Party – Vinings | Atlanta Childrens Photographer

Children, Events, Families, Personal

My daughter, Leighton, is and has been obsessed with puppies for probably a year now. We have a 6yr old Rottweiler named Coco who is Leighton’s best buddy, so it’s easy to see why she has such a strong love for dogs.  She also loves to jump, and she’s constantly got cake on the brain… so when it came time to start planning her 2nd birthday party, a puppy PAWty with cupcakes and a bounce house was a no-brainer. She wore a black polka-dotted dress as a nod to Dalmatians, and by the end of the night, it was completely covered in sprinkles, icing, and Doritos. Just as it should be, right?! Here are some highlights (ok, a lot) from her 2nd Birthday Puppy Pawty… I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

(And thank you to my sweet cousin for snapping a few photos for me so I could be in them!)

A Woodland Chic Baby Shower

Events, Personal

Last weekend, I co-hosted a baby shower for my brother and my sister-in-law, who are expecting their first baby in April. It’s hard to believe that we’re that far along in our lives that my little brother is about to become a dad (!!), but I was honored and so excited to be a part of throwing this shower for them. I joined forces with her two childhood best friends, who are some of the sweetest, most fun and creative ladies I know.

The chosen theme was woodland chic, and we hosted at my brother’s in-laws’ beautiful home, which looks like an art gallery (her dad is a very talented, self-taught artist). We had so much fun running with this theme, and I think it turned out beautifully. We incorporated a trail mix bar for guests to make party favors, and we used the cutest little teepee to hold gifts, and it’ll later be added to baby boy’s nursery.

I photographed the shower, and I couldn’t resist sharing some shots with y’all. The little woodsy details sprinkled throughout were some of my favorite parts, but the absolute best part was being surrounded by about 45 of their closest friends and both of our families to celebrate them and their little one on the way. He is already so loved, and I just can’t wait to become an aunt soon!!

travel:: Grand Canyon

Personal, , , , ,

From Sedona, we drove up to the Grand Canyon National Park, which has been a longtime item on my bucket list. The 2.5 hour drive up to the park was really pretty, with a good bit of the first half being through the mountains. I don’t know what I expected, but I certainly didn’t think we’d be taking a drive through the forest in Arizona.

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We aren’t incredibly outdoorsy people, so instead of staying several days to hike down to the bottom of the canyon and camp (and then hike back out!), we opted for a night at the historic El Tovar Hotel, positioned at the South Rim. You couldn’t get much closer to the rim unless you slept on the sidewalk. There are several lodges and cabins located in that area of the South Rim, but I really liked staying at El Tovar for our first time there. From the moment you step onto the large, rocking chair-filled front porch and enter through the wooden double doors into the lobby, you can feel the rustic, turn-of-the-century charm. The hotel was built in 1905, and I would bet that a lot of aspects haven’t changed since then. The rooms are somewhat small, but they’re well-equipped with modern amenities — and I loved the tile work in the bathroom.

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Bright and early the next morning, we started our hike down the Bright Angel Trail, which was only about a quarter mile down from the hotel. Like I said… we’re not hikers. So going about 1.5 miles down into the canyon and 1.5 miles back out was PLENTY for us. We must have looked tired, because there were several people who passed us and asked if we’d gone all the way to the bottom — HA!

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The trail itself, though, was quite peaceful. It was neat to just stop every so often and take in the grand view and how far we’d made it down.It was so incredibly impressive — photos we’d seen just did no justice to how magnificent the sheer size is.  We decided afterward that we liked the hiking in Sedona better, but I’m so glad we did the GC.