Last year – I had the awesome opportunity to meet and photograph this family who currently lives out of town but has roots here in Northeast Ohio.  We had SUCH a blast last summer photographing their little guy’s first birthday bash at his Grandparents house (a fun new twist for me!) – and Mom and I kept in touch over email over the last year as she started taking some photography classes herself to learn how to work her new DSLR better. (So proud of her for taking that step!)

So I was absolutely honored when they asked me back a second time to photograph their family and most importantly, their sweet nearly-two-year-old son in all of his boyish energy! We woke up nice and early one July morning and headed over the shores of Lake Erie to capture this awesome little dude.  He gave me a workout chasing him around – but it was so much fun and we got lots of sweet faces as a result!

Oh this sweet girl.  These curls. These eyes.  This adorable personality that just makes you want to squeeze her. I don’t know what I did to deserve the chance to get to document five milestones of this little one over the last two years… but I’ve been honored to do it and watch her grow up and settle into this sweet little independent personality.

Our weather was threatening on session day, but I think even Mother Nature couldn’t deny the sunshine that comes out of this little smile.

This family is such an amazing reminder of why I love what I do. Last June, I met this family for the first time when I took pictures of their then-one-year-old.  They were so great to work with and me and Mom stayed in touch quite a bit after our shoot – and even got our girls together for a playdate.  So it was neat to see them again for a second round of shoots and look at them as friends rather than first-time clients.

But there WAS one member of the family whose first time it was in front of my lens… as they welcomed their second little girl into the family in the spring.  So it was fun to see the difference a year makes.  Big sis has SOOO grown into her personality.  I love her because she always has her independence turned on – but will be sweet as ever to you when you talk to her and she literally looked at me when I asked her to and went wherever I wanted her to go.  And my camera couldn’t get enough of these blue eyes…

I got to photograph this amazing family last year when they made the 2+ hour trek from my hometown in Oil City to Cleveland to photograph their daughter for her one year photos.  It was totally humbling and equally fun to work with them.  This time around I was home on their turf … and the weather held off for a really fun, laid back session at West End Pond

This little lady grew up SO MUCH in just one year… and she is just flat out AWESOME.  I have always said how much I love kids who have a little spunk, sass and independence – and she lacks none of it.  But right along with it is a sweetness that just makes you want to hug her up!

I always say it – there’s no better compliment to me than a family who comes back to work with me for a second time.  I met this great crew last fall when they were just a family of three, and now that they’ve welcomed a new little girl into their lives, we had to give them an update!

My jaw hit the floor when I saw the little fella… he was a barely-walking one-year-old when I last saw him, and is not this handsome, independent two-year-old with the sweetest smile you’ll ever see.  And then enter his sweet little sister in her cute little skinny jeans and boots… I knew we were in for some great photos!