rainey day!

I have photographed Rainey since she was in her Mama's tummy.  And my goodness, how this little darlin' has grown since I saw her last!! 

Rainey had a very special little "buddy" on the floor!  She snuggled the daylights out of this sweet lamb.

I

Reading to herself........  :)

Loooove this combo, snuggling in her reading chair with her Mommy.  And I adore creating these "peeking in" types of images!

One of my favorite little family shots....  I love that they're interacting so sweetly with just each other instead of looking at me.  (And can you tell that this baby is completely adored?!)  This is THE most "honest" family portraiture.  This is what it's all about.  And what I LOVE to capture!  It melts my heart. Every. Darn. Time.  :)  I would bet that this is the way they love on a typical Saturday morning.

 

Last but not least... her first ride on her new Radio Flyer!!

Aaaaand then it was naptime.  :)  But she was such a trooper for me.  A perfect angel.  Thanks so much guys, for such a fantastic morning.  I can't wait to show you the rest!!

Henry.

So I promised big brother Henry his own blog post.  Did you see his face?!  It's no wonder.  He stole my heart from the moment I walked in the door!  Maybe my heart is a little on the soft side when it comes to big brothers these days.... what do you think?  ;)  That's okay though!  Regardless, I just cannot wait to show Mom and Dad this little sampling, before their gallery is ready. 

With Daddy here.....  melts your heart, doesn't it??

And one that his Mama never knew I caught......  This little hand-snuggling is just precious to me.

Last one..... 

 

What a sweetie.  Thanks Little Man, for a fun morning.  :)

The luckiest girl.

So the number 8 is supposed to be very lucky, right?  According to Chinese lore.  Well, Marlow (isn't that the sweetest name?!) must be the luckiest baby in Tampa Bay.  She was born on 08.08.08.  And just take a guess at her birth weight?!  Drumroll here.....  8 lbs, 8 oz.  :)  I love it!

I don't know who is luckier... Marlow, or her sweet family.  They clearly are blessed beyond measure.  Just take a look at all this love.....

And you know me... I have to sneak some detail shots in.  ;)  I love photographing babies' hands.  The tiny fingernails that are so thin, and yet so razor sharp, lol!  Sweet little messy cuticles that you just can't bear to trim for the first time.  (Okay, speaking from personal experience here:  I was a big wimp; I made my sister cut my firstborn's fingernails for me... I was petrified of cutting off the end of his finger.  ha!) 

Ahh, Marlow... you are so adored.

And big brother Henry... oh, dear Henry.  I am smitten.  You get your own post, buddy.  :)  Tomorrow.

The 411 on Mini-Sessions...

Haven't you just been biting your fingernails in anticipation?  ;)  Here's the scoop on the Holiday Promotion for 2008...  Two days:  Saturday, September 27 (morning slots, then evening slots) at Phillippe Park in Safety Harbor.  Lots of live oaks, a small beach, wide open fields, shady spots to relax.  Then Monday, October 6 (morning and evening) in downtown Clearwater.  Brick walls, bright colors, relaxed urban feel to this spot.  (Rain date Saturday October 11.)  A twenty-minute session gets you 8-10 images from which to choose.  The session package includes 1 8x10, 2 5x7s, and two boxes of holiday cards of your choice.  (And I'll post card samples here on the blog next week!)  I'm also offering a couple of fun, "with purchase" bonus items this year (a little something new!)....  a gorgeous limited edition brag book including all session images, and exclusive session CDs!  Contact me for further details and pricing. 

I anticipate these slots to fill very quickly again this year, and they're on a first-come, first-serve basis (yes, voice mails count, lol!).  So don't wait!  These will be the ONLY mini-sessions I offer all year long.  These are PERFECT if you want to experience a little taste of what a full session is like, or if you are a current client and simply need an updated family photo for holiday cards and *ahem* grandparents' gifts!!  ;)  Call me at 727.698.0344 or shoot me an email at stacey@staceywoodsphoto.com to reserve your spot.

*All holiday orders MUST be placed no later than November 1 to ensure Christmas delivery!  I will still be shooting well into November and December, but I can't guarantee holiday delivery for any of those sessions.  So.... jump on the bandwagon guys!  Talk to you soon.  :)

(Oh, and since I can't have any more posts without images... it's just not right at all, ya know...  here's a recent shot of my little sweetie.  Can you believe Lila is already two months old?  *sniff sniff*)

Yes.... there are more....

I really HAVE been photographing my daughter the past 2-1/2 weeks.  I just haven't had time to process and upload them!!  Ahem, so it's been a little hectic, okay?!  ;)  No really I have to send a huge THANK YOU to my Mom, she and my Dad have been staying with us since right before Lila was born, and I would not have been able to hold my eyes open at this moment if it weren't for her.  She's made breakfast, lunch and dinner, cleaned our house, taken care of Parker, taken care of ME, and let Chris actually get some work done instead of being bombarded with all of the "helping out" on his own.  I secretly think Chris will miss her as much as I will, if not more!  

And... we've had a breakthrough over the past couple of days!  Parker has relented it seems, and has been calling his baby sister by her real name for two days in a row!!  I'm so relieved.  I was just anticipating my little girl being confused about her name all the way until kindergarten.

He's already assumed the role of Protector, and has been keeping a watchful eye on her while she's in her carseat, so her tiny head won't flop over without Mama knowing about it... also putting her pacifier back in her mouth every time she spits it out in complete disapproval.  ;)

Oh how I love that shot.....  she's lying in my dad's hands.  :)

And of course I'm on maternity leave... but I'm still here.  :)  I'm returning all phone calls and emails as soon as I'm able... albeit on a delay.... catch as catch can these days!  Thanks for bearing with me.

I also wanted to send lots of hugs and appreciation to each and every one of you who have sent us such sweet love notes and comments here on the blog... to our friends, family, and clients, my goodness... to all of y'all who have emailed or called to congratulate us!  We are so grateful for this much care and support right now, and we love you all dearly!  Of course, Parker has been highly anticipating the UPS guy's almost-daily visit to our door now too... so thank you to everyone who has been so sweet as to send presents for Lila, and to Parker!  I can't tell you how much it means to us.  :)  xoxoxox

Happy Father's Day BABY!

Yes... she's here! Our little girl has arrived. She's simply captivated us, and has melted all of our hearts! Meet our newest darling.... Lila Kate Woods.

And she was the perfect Father's Day present for Chris... she was born on Sunday morning, June 15. She also shares her birthday with her Papa Donnie. And you can bet he was floating a few inches off the ground that day too. ;) I love this shot of my tiny Lila in his big hands....

Lila and I are both doing wonderfully, thanks to my amazing doctor, the angelic team of nurses who cared for us while we were at the hospital, and all our friends and family who drove 12-15 hours to be with us for her birth, and who are so generously giving of their time and talents to help us settle in. You'll never know how much you all mean to us!

Thanks again to my sweet friends Amy and Stacy, for coming over to "play" today. I had sooooo much fun! And I can't wait to see the gorgeous images you created for us! We love you both! xoxo

I promise to post more photos of our sweet girl later on... oh I've got tons to show you!!! :)

I'm officially too pregnant for this gig....

Yep. I scared Grandma half to death when I climbed to the second floor of the kids' fort, trying to "get the shot". Now photographers, tell me, was this sibling image not worth it?! YOU would have climbed the fort too, right?? ;)

I admit, I'm a very "physical" shooter, as my clients have witnessed.... they've seen me climbing walls, perching tiptoe on chairs and ladders, lying on my tummy in the middle of the street (well, not in the last nine months or so!) sitting down in fire-ant infested grassy fields, straddling a bathtub or two (or three), the list goes on and on. Given my history, I didn't even question climbing the stairs to sit in the fort with these three kiddos. (And oh my goodness, they certainly kept me laughing!!) The only downer was when the girls ran off to change clothes, and little Jack here ran off behind them.... I'm standing at the top of the fort yelling, "Um, Jack! Hey buddy, can you come help me down from here???" LOL! So, yeah, I've officially reached my limitations while shooting client sessions. Not bad though, for 8-1/2 months pregnant, eh? ;)

Even the dogs were fun, jumping into the pond and everything. As soon as I opened the door and walked into the Kennedys' home, this sweet St. Bernard lay right down on my feet. What a lover.

I can't even TELL YOU how much I ADORE this next shot of all the kids together.... The girls' sweet giggle and their brother's "bleh, GIRLS!"-face just melt my heart!! (Yeah, this shot was taken in the fort too!)

And one with Mom. Can you see where these gorgeous kids get their looks? They also inherited her totally relaxed attitude. (Which I definitely appreciated, lol!) It was so refreshing!

Loved this swing shot for some reason....

And possibly my favorite...... a perfect way to end a photo session, right? :)

Did I mention how RELAXED this family was?? :) I LOVED that Mom let the kids jump into the pool, clothes and all! Look what sweet faces I got after the girls jumped out..... priceless, I tell ya.

Thanks, Wendy and Company, for the super-fun, awesome evening!!! I feel like I went out with a bang!!

I'll be taking off the rest of June and most or all of July (except for some last-minute editing, placing a few orders, and delivering clients' prints, etc.).

Keep your eyes on the blog for announcements of when my little girl makes her grand entrance, and when I'll be back to shooting! It won't be long, I promise!! :) By the way, I'm already booking for August, September, and Christmas sessions for October! Shoot me an email (stacey@staceywoodsphoto.com), or drop me a line (727.698.0344), and I'll put you down in my schedule!

THIS is what Family is all about.

I really meet the most wonderful families in this blessed job of mine. This particular family was such a treat to work with, and so unique. We held their session at a local beach, and at their former home, which tragically burned in a fire several months ago. It was a way of personal healing for them, I think, a way of remembering and documenting a life that WILL very soon be rebuilt! Although in a different way, I'm sure.

One of the things that touched me the most was how the Chaboudys truly KNEW that a family is not about the home you live in, or the "things" you possess; rather family is about EACH OTHER, and being grateful for life and love. I can honestly say that I left this shoot so incredibly inspired by their strength, courage, and determination.

LOVED her shirt. :)

We kept "discovering" subtle symbolism everywhere. (Don'tcha love when that happens?!) Really, what an upbeat, positive, strong family this is. Just amazing!

The FUN part... a local beach at sunset! :)

And YES, I absolutely made them tromp through the muck and mud for this shot, while my big ol' pregnant self stayed up on the drier sand. LOL! Well, my Cole Haans did get stuck in some goop once or twice. ;) But I think that we all would agree that it was TOTALLY worth it, even if only for this next image. (My faaavorite!) Just look at that fabulous sunlight!

Last one.... so appropriate, I think. :)

Thank you, Chaboudy family, for allowing me into your hearts for this session! It was truly my pleasure.

xoxo, Stacey

Yep, another sweet newborn!

I can't get enough of 'em! This little guy was as good as gold for me. Made the funniest faces and kept me laughing the entire session.... when I wasn't smiling and sighing at him, anyhow. ;) Makes me so anxious to meet my soon-to-be-here little one!

So here's little Benjamin.

And his teeny toes.

I can't stop giggling at this one. I'm sure he was thinking.... "Why did this lady put me on a chair?!" LOL!

Really, I can't stop staring at this next image.... I always fall for the shots with Mommy. Why? Because usually Mamas are the ones behind the camera, getting all the shots of their own little ones and those treasured moments they want to remember. But for me, it's a true thrill to give a Mother an image of her child that she's actually IN! So that her child can look back on it some day, and see just how much his Mama loved him at that very moment. The look on her face and the love in her hands. Ahh, gives me chills.

(Oh, and by the way.... can y'all tell that this pregnancy is making me even gushier and more sentimenal than usual?! ;) And I was bad already, lol!)

I know they're going to be wonderful parents. Just look. How can you not smile seeing this one?? :)

Mom and Dad, I had so much fun with you and your sweet little guy. And I hope you love your images!

I'm SO gonna miss this time with my "boys"....

You're gonna miss this.You're gonna want this back. You're gonna wish these days Hadn't gone by so fast. These are some good times So take a good look around. You may not know it now But you're gonna miss this. ~Trace Adkins

Yesterday I had a PERFECT Mother's Day. We all stayed home and just relaxed and enjoyed each other's company. And I, actually, did NOT work a single minute! Yep, a whole day off. I slept late, and even took a nap. We blew up the kiddie pool and let Parker splash around the backyard to his heart's content, and I must tell you... it was so refreshing to actually sit my big, overheated pregnant self down in a pool of cool water. Even if I was surrounded by little plastic sharks, alligators, whales and squirt guns. It felt like Heaven. :) The smell of confederate jasmine and honeysuckle filled my backyard. Chris grilled steaks, shrimp, and corn on the cob. We ate yummy watermelon and drank the absolute BEST lemonade, and it just tasted like summer. I didn't even cook it! Chris did it all. It was perfect. I got a homemade card, time to myself, and lots of snuggle time with my two favorite "boys" in the world. Quite certainly the best part, after all that splashing and playing, my sweet boy fell asleep in my arms, wrapped up in a beach towel, while I rocked him in the patio chair and sang this song to him, which happened to come on while I was gently rocking him and stroking his face and hair (which still puts him to sleep, just like it did when he was a tiny baby).... to be honest, I sang this song *to* myself, as I tried like everything to burn this image of him, curled up sweetly in my arms, all sunny and warm and smiling sleepily, into my memory forever. Sometimes, just sometimes, you don't need a photograph to remember the most amazing moments in your life....

And to help your imagination here, and so you can understand why I went all mushy and nostalgic in that moment... have a listen... And yes, it's country music. I'm from Kentucky, what do you expect?! ;)  (The video's embedding has been disabled below, but you can still view the video I intended to show you by clicking here.)

Hope you ALL had a blessed and happy Mother's Day!! (I love you, Mom!)