I really needed that two-week hiatus from the blog, and now I’m back in full-swing folks! So much In Progress to share. My photographer friend Julie who is doing the photo session this weekend that I mentioned yesterday, just had a little one herself. Here is his announcement as it was in production and here is his finished hello to the world!

C and I went hiking on our Thankful Thursday right after music class last week. I had been telling him that we were going to take photos. He has this little plastic one-time-use style camera in the toybox at his Agi’s house and is always chasing us around beckoning “Say Cheese!” I loved photography class in college and had a great teacher, Baldwin Lee. This was real 35mm film photography, developing my own photos in a darkroom, I remember a high grain Illford film being a favorite. I loaded up the old Pentax K1000 with some film that I found, who knows if it is any good {or really where to even get it developed?} We set out and I taught him how to advance the film after each shot. He struggled a little with the weight of this metal beast, but was thrilled with the sound of the shutter. I am thinking of getting him one of these Diana Minis for his birthday. Digital cameras are great, I love the technology, but there is still something special about a limited number of frames and waiting to see the image.

Now for the professional side of photography, my dear friend Julie Afflerbaugh, who has taken photos of C since he was just sitting up, is launching seasonal mini-sessions starting this weekend, email her and get professional shots of your little one at a great price. Check it out:

My husband was up at the crack of dawn, making sure we got the spot at the park that I had scoped out weeks earlier. It was right by the creek, trees just close enough to string up my flag banner, and soft green grass for gaming. Although I was a little concerned when the wind & clouds kicked up as I was setting everything up, the weather held.

The specially chosen outfit I scoured online shops for with yellow patterned shirt from Wonderboy and fabulous handmade sailor pants from Smallville {on Etsy} arrived in time – and fit! Cullin’s best friend was the first to arrive.

You could say I went a little overboard. I’m sure all of the parents were grateful for the meltdowns that ensued soon after leaving this party. But in the end I was over the moon with how it turned out, and the Birthday Boy was too.

{thanks, again, to photographer Julie Afflerbaugh}