As a parent, I am sure that I will see the storm clouds before the rain comes into her life. I think I will at least. And I know that I won’t be able to stop it; I won’t always be able to stop any pain she has or sorrow that she may feel.  I will have to see her go through it.  But that is the right answer I think; not to stop the rain, just to hold her until all the pain goes away.

“I can’t stop the rain, but I will hold you until it goes away”

From “When the Rain Comes”, by Third Day

I snapped these two shots of my Dayla in downtown San Diego yesterday. The light was incredible with the storm clouds looming on the horizon. The perk to scouting locations for my clients is that I occasionally get a shot or two of Dayla that I just love.

I can’t wait to use this location again someday with another family! It was beautiful!

Very few things delight me more as seeing things “for the first time” through the eyes of a child. This last weekend we had the pleasure of experiencing snow through the eyes of a 2.5 year old.  I couldn’t stop laughing.

Dayla touched snow for the first time (and declared  it cold and crunchy), got scared when she walked in it (“I am sinking mama!”), built her first snow man (carrot nose and all, with mom’s help), made snowballs (with dad), went down a hill on a snow disc for the first time (and did NOT like it), and enjoyed the Moonridge Zoo (where you can see bears and bald eagles and foxes about 4 feet from your face!  BEST. ZOO. EVER.)

We just spent a WONDERFUL weekend with great friends, eating great food, enjoying great company and great weather (a light snow storm and 36 degrees, but no chains needed.  LOVE THAT.) and of course had to take a photo or two.

Dayla trying her first icicle. I am loving the light pouring in on this image.

I have never done a portrait session in the snow before….and the light was A. MAZING. I wish I could do portraits in the snow every. single. day. But then I guess I would have to live in the snow. Yeah, I am not okay with that. A warm weather girl through and through. But the white cavas and the light it made….oh snow…how I loved you.

Introducing Dayla and her daddy.

This next one of Ben and Ellie is my FAVORITE.  Love this moment.

Ellie LOVED going down hills on the snow disc.

This picture is from the Moonridge Zoo. Bald eagles about 4 feet away from you! I tell you, this zoo is a MUST SEE if you are in Big Bear. Small, but very cool.

So thankful that Julie suggested a family portrait! This is US!

I don’t ever want to forget this Dayla. The one that laughs deep with her belly at absolutely nothing at all. The one whose heart is so big that she cries when others are sad. The one that is so tender and sweet that after being scolded she will put her hand on my cheek and say “I am so sorry mama. I love you.”

That is our Dayla.
The greatest blessing I have ever received.
And my cup runneth over.

Thank you so much for your patience awaiting PART TWO of this fun photo shoot! If you didn’t see part one, check out the beginning, the why, and the story of pink here.

I am SO excited to share Part Two because not only do I get to share with you more of these cute adorable little girls and the moments we captured their sweet love for one another, but I also get to feature another wonderful photographer! Kristy has been a good friend of mine for 4 years (or 5? Drat…this memory of mine!) and has over the past couple years has begun to walk the journey of learning photography with me.  It has been such a blast to have friend sharing this love of mine (i.e., understanding the obsession with lens and unceasing reading of  photography blogs) and she is a very talented girl with an amazing eye (and humble too)!  On this shoot she was not only my helper, sun blocker, kid corral-er, but also stepped in as a second shooter, and I can’t wait to share the pictures she got!  So without further ado, I give you the rest of our little girl-pink-fluffy-tea-party-fantasy-dress-up-picnic-photo shoot!

Beginning with Tabby…the ADORABLE Tabby! Her puppy-dog eyes melt my heart every time and I was so excited to catch it on camera. (see below right)

Kristy caught these next two sweet moments below. LOVE.

Trying to get the girls wrangled together again…

so I asked for a little love. And  two friends who love each other, well, they just gotta hug.

Then I brought out the ever popular lollipops so we could buy a little more time…and some more fun images!

(Below shot caught by Kristy too! I simply LOVE Dayla’s profile, so I LOVE this shot.  Really, I love everything about it.  My sweet girl.)

Then WE just had to jump in on the fun! Below…Kristy and Tabitha!

This next one makes my heart smile. I am not sure I know a mom who adores her girls like Kristy does, and I feel like this moment is just so her. Having a blast, and oozing with love.

Then Kristy snapped me with Dayla:

AND THIS ONE. Oh this one! This is one of my favorite shots of all time! I overflow with joy and love when I see it! (Thanks Kristy!)

These next two caught by Kristy after I had put my camera in the car (rookie mistake!) The best shots ALWAYS seem to happen when everyone thinks the photo shoot is over. Exhibit A:

And exhibit B. This one below might win for my second favorite of the shoot! I feel like it looks like a greeting card! Amazing Kristy strikes again!

I have to end on another shot that just makes my heart smile. Tabby and her beloved bear. I have been trying to capture a picture of her and her favorite bear for about a year…and I finally got one that I LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. Sweet sweet Tabitha and her bear looking like an angel.

Thanks so much for visiting and sharing in this journey of this girly pink photo shoot with me! If you want your little girl-y girl to have a shoot like this, or a boy’s boy one for your little guy…just shoot me a line! I would LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to do this again!

Pink.  I swore I would never dress my daughter in it.  At my baby shower I asked for “no pink”.  I am NOT a girly girl by any means, and I am not really a fan of all the pink that every. single. thing. that is made for little girls comes in.  I mean, why is it that it is almost impossible to find other colors for girls?  But if you know my daughter Dayla, you know that she LOVES PINK  and she wears some form of pink almost every day.  And ( I can’t believe I am admitting this to you internet) I did dress her in it before she could even express her sentiment for it.  SO THERE YOU HAVE IT. I dressed my daughter in PINK…. BY CHOICE!!  (GASP!)

What can I say, I have bought into that whole, ” joy of having a little girl” thing. Sugar and spice and everything nice.

And I am in it ……  HEAD. OVER. HEALS.

I delight in watching her LOVE all things GIRL-Y.  My heart flutters a little bit when she is in a toy store and she squeals with glee at the sight of pink toys, and dolls, and fairy wings.  The edges of my lips tilt upward when she chooses to wear a dress with her favorite “fancy shoes” to the park.  I don’t mind at all when she wants to wear her fairy wings and carry a wand to the grocery store.  I taught her how to have a “tea party” before she was talking.  I was way more excited to teach her to twirl then I ever imagined I would be.  I get choked up when I watch her dance with her daddy on his feet.  I am loving every moment.

I think what I cherish the most about her girliness is that it is HER.  I don’t push it, I don’t show her the princess things first, she finds them. It is HER.  And I love that.

What is child hood about if it is not about pretending you are a fairy or a princess, or whatever you want to be that day?  I know these moments are fleeting.  I know that it is very possible that in a couple years she could be into something completely different.  I know that it is not a long ways away that she will think pretend and fantasy is for “babies” and that instead it will be * boys*  that hold her attention.  So I cherish these days.  I hold onto them with a white-knuckle grip in hopes that they won’t slip away too fast.

::THE BIRTH OF THIS PHOTO SHOOT::

Dayla adores her friend Tabby.  Whether they see each other once a month or once every other day, she adores her.  A few months ago I saw a photo shoot by this amazing photographer (who inspires me SO MUCH. Love love love her work).  A photo shoot of her daughter and her daughter’s friend, that was so beautiful and sweet it brought warmth to my heart and tears to my eyes.  That day my dream was born.

About 4 months ago I called up my friend Kristy and told her that when January comes, we have got to do a total GIRL photo shoot with Dayla and Tabby.  Two girl friends, in the forest, with every thing I could think of that was * girl*.  This is my first “staged” photo shoot.  It took me 2 hours to set it up, several trips to the dollar store and Michaels to make it happen, and I was beyond nervous that Dayla wouldn’t let me take pictures of her (she IS two), but all my fears were for not.  IT WAS A TOTAL BLAST.  Every thing I hoped and more.  I am already itching to do something like this again!

The set up

A Tea Party!

The girls wandered a little…so I decided to capture some of them separately. First up, Dayla as fairy princess:

Followed by the sweet sweet Tabitha as fairy princess:

Wrapping up “part one” with one of my favorites from the day: Dayla looks into the rabbit hole (or that is what I told her anyway)

I hope and DREAM that some of my future clients are inspired by this and can see all the possibility that YOUR photo shoot can have!  Yes!  We can make it happen!

Next to come…playing dress up…hugs….little bears…guest photographer…and MORE!
STAY TUNED!