family. (and some beach, too.)

brothers, sister, cousins, family. playing on the beach. laughing. walking. and maybe even holding hands (if I'm lucky....) there is just something about the quiet (and not so quiet) moments they share that makes me smile when I see it. good times. even if I do get entirely covered in sand and slightly soaked doing so. it is worth it. SO worth it.
and these three siblings made me feel that yet again.



big brothers with their little sister? nothing better.











*love*















NOthing better.





well except maybe when you add a spycee little cousin into the mix....








things can get a bit interesting....





and maybe just a bit louder, too....but we will never tell.





and my favorite part of this shoot?










good times indeed.

the newborn stage, the BEST stage.

the hardest to remember stage. especially when one day you hug your baby and your baby whispers back to you, "buv you, mama." wait, when did *that* happen?? and though it is the best feeling in the world (right there with eating fudge and sipping a coffee drink under a shaded tree on the beach...in Hawaii..) you wonder when did my baby become a PERson. a little, cute, adorable, person you love more than anything in the world. even that fudge under a tree thing.

sweet baby Reid reminded of just how fragile life is and just how itty bitty and perfect the newborn stage truly is. all seven scrumptious pounds of him. because this boy? deFINES the newborn stage in its utmost perfectness. sweet newborn fuzz, beautiful soft skin, flaky little fingers and toes. he is just absolutely precious and just nine days old and, well, see for yourself...







and combine all of that with the fluffy irresistableness of a soft lil teddy bear?? well, I can hardly stand it.














the strength and sheer willpower to be curious has always amazed me. really? nine days old and you can do *this?* put that head back down, you are too little I say!




and did I mention the sheer willpower it took to stay awake for pretty much the entirety of the *two* hour shoot?? but we didn't give up.... and eventually, even if only for a few moments, he just *had* to....

sigh. there is nothing like a sweet sleeping baby.

and even better yet? when you put him in some sort of basket contraption...(yes, yet *another* new prop discovery...)





possibly one of the sweetest, most favorite-est moments ever....



















the whole family even got in on a few (in one way or another....)

even teenier in daddy's hands....





mommy's little man already...



and maybe big sister, Avery, wasn't *quite* ready to join in all the baby oohing and aahing hoopla just yet but in her new princess costume, she deserves a moment all to herself....(because let's face it, there aren't going to be many any more...)







the newborn stage. it may pass us by in the blink of an eye....

but it will never be forgotten.



and sometimes, if you're lucky....



you get *really* lucky.

the magnificent maes family

even though they downplayed their supermodel status, I was on to them from the beginning. with their dentist's dream smiles, easygoing, laughter abound (not to mention enough love to fill MULtiple parks with) ways, the super lovely maes family made it look EASY. and trust me folks, it ain't always so.

seriously. EASY.

acting like newlyweds (though they have known each other since high school...) these two lovebirds couldn't help but look amazing in every image. they adore each other and it was apparent throughout our entire shoot. and I think their son may have liked them a bit, too....just a bit.

oh, didn't I mention the edible evan?? oh. my. word. killer baby blue eyes with blonde hair to boot. just plain joyful spirit. filled with smiles and love and, and.....

you KNOW I am a sucker for that baby chub. the boy, his parents. the gorgeous weather. I can hardly take any more. perFECtion. all of it.

and there were quite a few "firsts" that took place that lovely afternoon as well.....not only their first shoot (mmhmmm, sure....) but sweet evan just had a first birthday, he was taking some first steps, a first time down the slide, and possibly the first time they even met a bird named mr. peeps. oh yeah, don't think he doesn't make a guest appearance still from time to time...but this image? a *first* for ME. and I LOVE it.

oh and I am pretty sure this will be the first of *many* shoots for sweet evan...I have a feeling he was having quite a fabulous time.....just a hunch.

oh baby cheekers, you are the best thing ever.

yeah. I am pretty sure the boy may be destined to model for many, many years to come. (I can't imagine who he gets it from....)

*love.*

the daddy kind.

all kinds.

and a little montage of evan faces.....

love.

you can never have enough.