Roxxi, Van & Marley

Roxxi and I met in a photography class at MCC. We just happened to be sitting next to each other in the front row. That front row seating arrangement grew into a friendship. Roxxi has so many talents: photography, hair, sewing, just to name a few. Roxxi was just barely pregnant with Marley when we met and this week I finally got to meet Marley in person. She is just barely a year old and already such a busy little muffin. She was pretty steady on her feet since she's already been walking for a few months, so she had no trouble running away from us. She kept us moving. We met in down town Gilbert, which is a place I love. It was fun to spend some time with them.

For some reason this one is just one of my favorites.

Marley was too busy doing her thing to be all that interested in me, so I had to snatch eye contact when I could.

How did Roxxi ever fix her hair like that?! So cute.

With all of Roxxi's creativity, I think that Van is her match as a Handyman. I've seen the projects he's tackled at home on their blog. I'm pretty impressed.

They're a good fit.

Oh, there she goes!

A pause for Marley. She was starting to run out of gas. Time to fill her up.

Their eyes are on their little sweet pea.

Roxxi, such a beauty. Another friend that photography has brought into my life. :-)

Children + Water= Cool Fun

This was a really fun shoot. Carrie had all four of her grandkids here and wanted to get some pictures. I did her little granddaughter, Starla last year. Carrie suggested the water park and I thought it was a great idea. I didn't mind in the least running around in the water. Getting splashed was ideal. So Starla and her cousins, Ryan, Jacob and Ethan and their mom's and Grandma headed over to the park.

I fell in love with Starla the first time we met. She is such a no nonsense girl. I enjoyed getting to know the boys, too. In fact I was trying to get a feel for Jacob (the middle guy...he's 4) I was asking him who his favorite super hero is. I was expecting to hear Superman, Spiderman, etc. He thought for a minute and said, "Spencer!" Spencer is his uncle who was coming home from a 2 year mission to Mexico that evening. I wonder if Spencer realizes that his nephews look up to him in that "superhero" way. That's Jacob in the upper right, below.

This is Jacob telling me how old he is.

Having 4 boys myself, I just have a soft spot in my heart for their little boy limbs that are kind of pale and skinny and their bellies that either pooch out or are as flat as a board and blend right into their hips, and then those hips that can't quite hold up a pair of pants or in this case swim trunks.

I can just picture these cousins having tons of fun in years to come.

Oh, cutie-pie Starla.

"Thanks, Ryan for the hug."

Big Brother Ethan.

Oops. Gravity finally won out over Ryan's swim trunks. Mom to the rescue.

Pure exuberance!

Tessa and her mom

The day I realized that photography and I were going to have a "thing" is still very clear in my mind. I was looking at old photographs in an L.A. art museum. Suddenly, I got a lump in my throat, and tears started rolling down my cheeks. That was it. I knew then that it was a connector. I felt it. It allows us to glimpse the wonders of humanity. I got to experience that emotion again as I took pictures of Tessa and her mom, Suzanne and her grandma, Camille last week. Suzanne is a first time mom. Camille is a first time grandma and everything is a first for Tessa. I loved being able to do this photo shoot so close to Mother's Day. I felt like I got to be a fly on the wall to see generational love in action. I was reminded of how wonderful it is to be a mother in viewing this 3 generation trio. Camille has always been such a loving, giving wife and mother and to see Camille watching Suzanne carry on the tradition was very moving for me. There was such joy in their relationships.

Camille makes being a grandmother look like the most heavenly calling on earth.

I think "yummy" is a good word to describe babies. They're so gobbliscious.

I love baby yawns...so cute.

And last , but not least are those baby kisses...I had forgotten what they were like...those wet little puckerless lips. There will be so many hugs and kisses exchanged over the years.

Suzanne and Tessa will form the same strong bond that I see Camille have with all of her girls. This is one of those times when it's good to see history repeating itself.

About my mom: She came over the other day to visit and help me out around the house. She brought over one of my favorite candies, just for me and did my laundry and I told her that even at my age, she still spoils me. She's the complete package for me: she's my friend, my sister and my mother. I am so lucky. 

Introducing: Christopher James Flink

I think being an Aunt has to be the next best thing to being a Grandma. For one thing, you can start on it when you're a little younger. I just love my nieces and nephews. My brothers have only given me nieces until last Friday when Christopher James Flink came into the world. Christopher evens out the playing field for my parents as far as grandkids go:

5 Girls & 5 Boys.

It's great to see my brothers embrace fatherhood. I think they're doing a great job. Christopher is 2 days old in these photos and Olivia is 2 years and 2 months old. She was a moving target, so it was a little tricky getting her with her new little brother.

Hey, Olivia. What's new at your house??

Let's check him out.

Of course he is so loved by all.

Seeing Emma with Christopher reminds me of myself when James was born. I was 7 and loved to hold him. I've always felt protective of my little brother. Emma would have held Christopher all night if she had had the chance. This was the little exchange we had with Emma when we got home:

Emma: "How old do I have to be before I can babysit?"

Us: "Twelve."

Emma: "You mean eleven?"

That is SO Emma.

Once again, our family has been blessed with this new addition. I can't wait to get to know him better.