Dakota's First Birthday!

My goodness time flies!  It was just a little over a year ago when I did Sharon & Joshua's maternity photos.

Then precious little Dakota Irene was born and came for her first visit to my studio.

Then about every two to three months she came and visited me again!

And we did a fun little 'Cousins' photo shoot in August

This one was during  a family photo shoot and she was trying to crawl away!

Dakota's 1st Christmas!!

It's Birthday Time!!!!!!!!!!

Then we went outside for a couple of photos. It was freezing and the wind was really strong, so it was just a couple of quick pix and then back in the blanket! I spent a while out in the wind spray painting this chair... or trying to... I think my hands and clothes were more covered than the chair and my husband isn't too thrilled with the little pink spots on our driveway!  Oh well.. the chair turned out great!

I had to put this photo in... my husband saw it and said what it looked like she was saying "MOM, there's poo on my boot!"

Then the favorite part!!  Cake eating/playing!

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY DAKOTA!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for letting me capture your first year!

Baby # 2 Maternity Pix

It's so nice to be able to take photos for our family. My husbands brother and his wife and little girl were here for a visit the day before Christmas and it was warm enough outside in the morning (right before the snow came) to capture a couple of cute photos. I think it is so neat to take maternity photos for every child - not just the first one.  It can also be fun for the older siblings to be able to participate.  

 Beautiful Mommy

 Back to the studio for a couple of Christmas photos of my little Niece.  Just too cute!

She loved looking at herself in this ornament

Sweet!!!

She normally uses her Daddy's earbud's to let the baby listen to music.  We improvised and used these so that she could 'hear the baby.'She is going to be such a great big sister. Can't wait to meet this next little McDowell Blessing.

Military Maternity Photoshoot In The Snow!

During the beautiful snowfall yesterday I was able to capture my first military maternity photos!  Her husband was deployed to the Middle East about 2 months ago and will be gone till around next summer. She would have loved to have him here for this maternity photoshoot, but since that isn't possible, we came up with a creative way to "have him there." I have done photoshoots for them before and between those photos and the photo he sent to her from where he is stationed, we were able to create these priceless and emotional photos. 

Then she mentioned how she would love a family photo... so we used the photo that he sent to her from where he is at and used it in this next photo sequence.

This is one very excited big sister!

We are so excited to meet little David and pray for his Daddy's safe return and that he will be able to be home for his birth. We are SO thankful for our soldiers and their families who are willing to sacrifice and risk their lives and be apart from their loved ones, so that we can live in a free country! Thank you!!!