Newborn Pics

It is inevitable that when one is a new mommy along with being an aspiring photographer, a lot of "photo magic" will occur... or at least an attempt at photo magic!

Long before I knew that I was pregnant, I was obsessed with newborn photography and pinned a ton of photo ideas on Pinterest.  So, it goes without saying that I didn't wait long to take advantage of my new little subject and tortured her a bit with bows and tutus (which were made by yours truly the week before her arrival... the tutus, that is, not the bows... I had way too much time on my hands :).  It took us several hours to take these pics because there was a lot of pausing and feeding in between photos to ensure that my peanut was happy and content.  All in all, I am very pleased with the results, even though I  still have a lot to learn! 

Here are the results...   

(Side note: I have lots of friends who are much better and more experienced with photography than me... If anyone wants to pass along tips or suggestions, I will happily take them!)

My sweet girl... :)

 

 

 

One of the many fun things about taking these pics was using props that were given to us as gifts.  This beautiful headband was from my best friend's mom, Ms. Paula.  I found it super appropriate since The Great Gatsby is coming out this weekend and it totally reminds me of that era. 

 

 

She is already such a happy girl and is always smiley.  :)

My little thinker

 

Flower child

 

I may have edited this one a bit too much but I love that she looks like a little doll...

 

 

You can't have newborn girl pics without a pink tutu!

 

Photo editing fun... I am finally learning more about Lightroom and had a blast playing with the colors.

 

 

 

My godmother and cousins sent us these great classic novels that were turned into children's books.  I thought they were perfect props for my future little reader. 

 

 

Thanks Uncle Lennie for the beautiful quilt.  We love it!

 

 

I am obsessed with those feet and that smile.

 

 
   

Thank you "Faunty" Jeanna (Adaline's Fake Aunty) for the Janie and Jack skirt!  It's beautiful!

 

 

 

 

 

Already a diva?!?!? Getting ready for her close-up!!! :)

(Handmade quilt from my very good friend, Lori)

 

 

Proof that she didn't love every second of our photo shoot... Haha!

 

 

 

Love these cheeks!  She has already changed so much in the past week...

 

 

Sweet dreams! :)

 

 

 

Baby Momma Pictures

Since I am a huge photography lover, I, of course, adore maternity pics.  The minute that we found out that we were pregnant, I began searching Pinterest for maternity pic ideas and couldn't wait for the day that my bump was big enough to take my very own Baby Momma pictures!

Nearly nine months later, the reality of how much our life has changed (and is about to change) has sunk in.  When you are a single income family, the actual price for unnecessary items starts to become shocking.  For the first time, in a really long time, the need for a new dress at Target doesn't seem nearly as important as the need to have a date night with my hubby.  We are far from poor but we are definitely becoming more aware of what we spend our money on and how we spend it.  So, with Adaline's arrival right around the corner, along with the purchase of diapers and bottles and all other baby necessities looming in the near future, paying for a maternity photo shoot seemed incredibly frivolous and I couldn't stomach the idea.    

When talking to Joe about the pics (we have a very sweet photographer here at Irwin who was offering us an incredible deal), he looked at me and said, "Dee, we can totally do these pics ourselves...I can take them and you can edit them!" (I'm not a hundred percent sure if he used the word "totally" but this is my story, so I'm sticking with it).

And that's just what we did!  Last Sunday (at 35 weeks and 5 days pregnant), I got as dressed up as a huge preggo woman can, we packed up my camera and a lunch, drove down the road and into the desert, and had a truly wonderful day exploring the desert and taking pics.  I am super impressed with my hub's photo skills (under my direction, of course ;)  and I couldn't be happier with the way that they came out. 

Looking huge and very pregnant... here are my pics.... :)

 

 

My favorite picture from the whole day!

 

 

 

 

 

A Piece of My Heart

Lots of changes are going on in our little Daugherty Household.  The main one at the moment is our impending Cali move.  So, instead of being a good little girl and staying home to clean and get ready for the movers (who are coming in less than a week... OH MY GOD), last week I decided to make a Louisiana road trip one more time. 

In the past, the road trips back home would be... well... a bit more eventful.  My sister worked as a bartender all through college, so when I'd go back home to visit, hanging out at the bar would be my main pastime (Hello! Free drinks!  Just sayin!).  Needless to say, it has been crazy to watch as our little lives have evolved into something that resembles those of grownups. 

While in the past, my trips would include countless numbers of beer bottles, my recent trips have been filled with baby bottles and burping and the occasional spit up.  Back then, a big Saturday night would be getting dressed up, maybe going to a trendy restaurant, and then bar hopping until at least two in the morning.  This past Saturday, we went eat dinner with family, were home by 8:30, in our p.j.'s by 9:00, and then had a contest to see who could stay up to finish the movie that we had selected.  Glamorous?  Absolutely not.  But would I go back to those crazy, hectic party girl days?  Hell no (well, maybe some days I think I might want to... and then the thought alone makes me tired... so: Hell no!).

My sister and I have gone through life, hand in hand, facing whatever challenges that come at us as a team.  Moving across the country, away from the girl who used to hold my hand at night when we were little bitty, will be one of the hardest things that I have had to do in a really long time.  I know that we will be okay and that there is no distance that can break our bond... but, good Lord, I am going to miss my girl. 

I have been very blessed in the fact that I have been able to travel back and forth several times over the past ten months to get a few more of those precious moments that I keep locked in my heart.  I am grateful for the fact that I was there the day my little godchild was born, looking around at a big, new world with those beautiful gray eyes.  I am also grateful for the fact that I have seen him grow into the little chunk that he is today, smiling and teething and such a happy baby!  I have loved seeing my sister grow into this amazing woman and mother who will do anything to take care of her baby and her little family and I am so proud of the woman that she is becoming. 

This move won't be easy because I am leaving a part of my heart in Louisiana but I know that it will be very well taken care of until I am able to return!       

I had been dying to take more pictures of my sister and Ira.  Unfortunately, Ira was not too happy when Nannie decided to that it was photo time.  Even though he is crying in most of them, I feel that these pictures truly capture "Mommyhood".  Being a mommy is not always easy and perfect.  They simply have to do the best that they can for their little ones, while giving them as much love as possible.  For that reason, I absolutely love these pics :) 

Ira Bean and the monster hat that I made him :)