Sweet little Sam and his big sister, Emma!

What feels like a few short months ago, little Emma, Kim and I went for a stroll through to Arboretum 'to see the flowers'.  Emma was turning two!   And now she's a proud big sister to little Sam!  I couldn't wait for Sam to arrive so I could meet him and hang out with Emma again!

Emma is just all smiles all the time.  I love it.  She loves to be in front of the camera... although it might have helped that Mickey the Elf was watching!  (I'm so intrigued by this Elf on the Shelf thing by the way...  it was like magic seeing her eyes light up when she remembered that Mickey was going to tell Santa that she was a good girl!)  While Emma watched some cartoons by the tree in her Christmas jammies, I went to hang out  with and get some shots of little man Sam.  He is adorable... sporting his little reindeer hat (I kinda want one just like it!).

Here's Sam!

I seriously can't get enough of his little reindeer hat!

Sam's all... "so whatcha think of the hat??"

Meanwhile... Emma is loungin in her Christmas jammies looking as adorable as ever!

LOVVVVE

Snug as a bug in Mom's arms..

We're done!  Time to play dress up!

Lillian and her new baby brother, Finn!

You might recognize little miss Lilly from her first birthday cake smash here!  Melissa and Aran were recently expecting her big brother, Finn at the time.  And now he's heeeererrrre!!    And as adorable as ever! I love that I get to see families grow one by one behind my camera!  There's nothing like it..

So I headed over to their place to meet the little man and see pretty Lilly again!  Lilly was totally mesmerized by the tree and all the bright shiny ornaments!  I think we may have completely re-decorated their tree by the end of the shoot.  (The poor little nutcracker  took the brunt of it!  I think he lost an arm or two??)  Remember how magical Christmas was as a kid?? (not that it's not magical now but you know what I mean!)  Shiny tree in your living room, Santa leaving you presents under the tree while you try to will yourself to sleep... but you can't fall asleep because you SWEAR you just heard the bells on Santa's sleigh??  So amazing.  I loved seeing the magic through little Lilly's eyes.  And she doesn't even know what's coming Christmas morning yet!

And little Finn.  Wait until you see him.  He's just perfect.  So calm and easy going... laying there and letting Lilly decorate him with ornaments like a Christmas tree!  Melissa and Aran.. you have a beautiful family!  Thank you so much for letting me do this for you again!  xoxo

Little muffin!

Hi Finn!

Big sis checkin in on her baby brother..

The whole gorgeous family!

Look at Finn's little smirk!  I love it

Finn is just too adorable for words..

Jackie, John and cool Christian (rockin' his scally cap)!

Jackie and I became the sisters we never had around sixth grade.  My name last name was Black... hers was White.  People always think I'm kidding when I say that my step-dad's name is White.  (I mean really... what are the odds.  But it's true!)  So... we became known as "the black and white sisters who lived in the black and white house."  Being only 2 months apart we wound up having two of everything. Bunk beds... matching desks...matching dressers.  It was pretty awesome all of the sudden having a step-sister that was my age.  We fought like any sisters would... stole each other's clothes.  But were inseparable at the same time.  Life gets hectic and a lot of time had passed since we had seen each other... but I was so so excited when she asked me to come down and take pictures of her family!  It was like no time had passed at all.

Jackie and John have been together foreverrrrr.  In high school, I remember John pulling up in front of the house to pick her up and speeding away in his red sports car.  And now many years later, they just celebrated their TEN year wedding anniversary.  (I gotta say.. every time I write one of these posts and think about how long ago things were, how fast time flies,  it blows my mind.   I want to know how to get one of those time-freeze-moments like Zach Morris got all the time.)

So we headed down to this gorgeous pond walking distance from their house with their adorable son, Christian.   Wait til you see him rockin' his little scally cap.  Just so cute!

Tucker, Reese, (Guinness of course!) and their awesome parents!

"Oh Mrs. Willllllson!!!"     Sarah is one of my dearest friends that you've definitely heard me go on and on about before... here!  She is just such a good person.  When Sarah asks how things are with you, she honestly and truly cares about every word and happening in your life!  I feel so lucky to have met Sarah nine (NINE!?!) years ago and have watched her get engaged, married, buy a house, and grow her beautiful family with Jesse.  Even as life gets so crazy and hectic, we always manage to take a time out once in a while for some margaritas and catch up sessions with the girls.

Sarah and Jesse have been together foreverrrrrr.   I mean forever.  (When you have your prom pictures together to look back on, you know you've got something special).  They are two people I aspire to be like as a parent someday!  They truly get that being a parent is so special and so fun.  Sarah texted me the other day that they are "loving EVERY moment with them!"   Now that's what its all about.

Anyway... here are the Wilsons!   Even Guinness is smiling!

These are the kind of family pictures that I LOVE.  Just let it happen!

I personally think every girl needs a big brother in her life.  And it doesn't get much sweeter than this!

Little Miss Reese.  So pretty!

(Sarah totally brought the bubble maker to keep the kids entertained.  But it made for some pretty pictures!)

::sigh::

Tucker!

Now that's my idea of a tree house..

Tuck ... did you not expect me not to climb in the tree house with you guys??   Surprise!

Just look at the way Reese looks at Tucker!  So cute...

And officially meet the other member of the family.. Guinness!  Pups are always welcome in family shots... especially if they are boxers.. naturally!

There are seriously no words for how much I love these next two pictures.  So sweet, Guinness!  I can just hear Reese's little voice saying "Come here, Boy."