Nashville Tennessee Photographer Angela Crutcher: maternity, birth, newborn, children

Brand New Blog

2008-01-14T20:59:00.003-06:00

I have decided to transfer my blog over to another site. It's more colorful than this one! I really like it! I wanted to take this chance to also thank everyone that is a loyal reader and commenter on my blog. I truly appreciate all the wonderful comments and support you all give! I hope to see everybody over on my new and more colorful blog! The following is a link to my new blog:

findingtheartinlife.com

A family for Parker

2008-01-09T20:16:00.000-06:00

Normally, when I get a phone call to photograph parents meeting their child for the first time, it is a birth. This time was different. This is a family who has adopted a beautiful boy, Parker, from Korea. Leanne left for Korea five days ago and came back today with Parker, her son. Anxiously awating their arrival is big sister, Sloan, and proud daddy. The airport was also full of family and friends patiently waiting to meet Parker. The love, anticipation, happiness and emotions I witnessed today was so beautiful. It actually brought tears to my eyes! Here is a small glimpse of what I captured today.

Sweet embrace.

Waiting.........

Flowers for Mommy.

Sloan holding her Welcome Home sign that she made.

A father holding his son for the very first time.

Husband and wife glad to hold eachother, once again.

Parker and his beautiful family.

Welcome home, Parker!

Road Trip Portrait Session

2008-01-01T00:11:00.001-06:00

This session has been in the works for quite some time now. This wonderful family came all the way from Missouri and Texas for their portrait session. I have been so excited about this session ever since the family contacted me! I just knew it would be a great day! We did the majority of their session in their georgeous hotel room and a little bit of the session on the side streets of downtown Nashville. I could not have asked for more georgeous and well behaved children for this shoot! Little baby Sophie is the happiest 5 month old I have ever seen. She was so full of smiles and little giggles! 3 year old Zoe is one of the girliest girls I have ever met. 5 year old Neil is one happy little dude. He is so silly and funny! Kara, it was so great to finally meet you and all of your family. I had a great time with all of you. I hope everyone arrived home safe and sound! Your gallery will be up in a few days. Until then, I hope you all enjoy your sneak peak!

Baby Sophie. What a little doll!

Little Zoe.

Funny little man, Neil.

Neil and Zoe's cute little feet!

Zoe holding her grandpa's hand.

The best gift of all

2007-12-26T21:29:00.001-06:00

This is 4 day old baby Noah Michael. He couldn't be any more precious. He is such a happy and alert newborn! Noah also got a very special visit from Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. He actually fell asleep in Santa's warm arms! Congrats Jill and Nick! You two received the most perfect Christmas present!

La'Bella Vita Of Baby Noah

2007-12-21T19:39:00.000-06:00

I had the awesome privelige of being present during the birth of a baby on Thursday. The labor was long and painful for Jill, but her family was present to offer their love and support for her. Her husband, Nick, never left her side. Jill did an absolutely amazing job. She was so strong and despite feeling like she just couldn't do it any longer, she never gave up. After hours of pushing and giving all she could, Jill was utterly exhausted. The doctors knew they had to perform a C-Section to bring little Noah into this world. Baby Noah made his debut at 5:27 am Thursday December 20, 2007. Noah weighs 8lbs 5oz and is 21 inches long. He is such a beautiful baby! Jill, I am so proud of you sweetie! You gave it your all and then some. I am so happy for you and Nick. Congrats mom and dad! I'll see you in a couple days. Here is a small glimpse into the journey of the beautiful life of baby Noah.

The Best of 2007

2007-12-20T15:43:00.000-06:00

It's contest time! It's been an awesome year for my business! I am so thankful for every client that I have had the privilige to photograph this year. Each and every child holds a special place in my heart. I have chosen 13 of my favorite images of 2007. I can not even begin to pick an all time favorite, because I love them ALL! So I am eager to hear which is YOUR favorite! Check out each image and then cast your vote for your fave! The poll is on your right. Feel free to send out this blog link to all your friends, family and co-workers to cast their votes too! The poll will be open until the Ball falls to ring in the new year. The winner will receive a mounted 11x14 or 12x12 of the winning image.

Image #1

Image #2

Image #3

Image #4

Image #5

Image #6

Image #7

Image #8

Image #9

Image #10

Image #11

Image #12

Image #13

Thank you all for making 2007 an awesome, fun-filled year! I can't wait to see what is in store for 2008!

Never Let Go

2007-12-08T15:47:00.001-06:00

This is my dad. Also known as Santa Claus to the county I live in. My daddy is an amzingly kind hearted person. He does so much for our community. He gives so much back. This year, Santa is sick. He was diagnosed with early stage Colon Cancer on October 31 of this year. We were all so devistated and broken, but not dad. No, he is a strong person. He does not fear things such as this. He knows that his God will take care of him. After finding out he had cancer, all I could do was hold on to him and cry. I am a total daddy's girl. I can't even fathom what my life would be like without him in it. I begged him to never let go. Never leave me. He told me to not sweat the small stuff. To me, cancer is not in the category of 'small stuff', but to him it is. He said that every day he is above this ground, is a glourious day. He said that everything in life is 'the small stuff'. Wow, what an amazing man. So strong, so loving, so faithful. He trusts in our Lord completely. I know that my daddy will be a cancer survivor. He has to be. He just does! My faith is strong, because I know our Lord will never let go of us. God is always with us. God is good! So I ask you, if you believe in the power of prayer, pray for my dad. Pray for my family as we go through the toughest Christmas of our lives.

There is a song we sing in church every Sunday, that has helped me through this. This song helps me keep my Faith strong. This is the song playing right on this blog. Here are the lyrics to the chorus:

I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

Hug your family tight and never let go. Tell the ones in your life how important they are to you.

My world....

2007-12-01T17:24:00.000-06:00

Every year, I attempt to get a new photo of my husband, kids and myself all together for our Chrsitmas cards. Every year, it turns into a semi- organized chatioc event. My children are the very typical "photographers children". They dread when mommy says it's family photo day! This year, it went a little bit better than expected. But there was still a lot of candy bribes involved and a lot of begging (from me). Still, I managed to get one (yes, only ONE) family shot of us and a shot of the kids together that I really like, and then several individual shots of the kids that I am thrilled with! So here is my beautiful and amazing family! I wouldn't trade them for the world!

As something fun and cute, I turned my family into dancing Chrsitmas elves! It's hilarious, check it out! http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1124930957

Oh, and since it's December, I thought I'd put some Christmas music on my blog. It is not the typical Christmas song, but it's my favorite! I hope you all have a rocking good weekend!

Living Life To The Fullest

2007-11-20T13:16:00.000-06:00

Who would have ever thought I could have SO much fun with a 5 year old, a 3 year old and an 18 month old?! These three siblings were the greatest! I knew from the moment I met them, that they would be fun to photograph. Their parents were up for absolutely anything! They even let me put the kids in a random grocery cart we found on the side of the street! lol! Julie and Frank, it was awesome meeting your wonderful family! I can not wait to show you the rest of your images!

I seriously LOVE this! The grocery cart was just so random and perfect! You all will be seeing more of the grocery cart. I loved this idea so much that I did the same thing with my two kids too!

I thought this was really neat! He found a leaf that in the shape of a heart.

Little sister will always have her two big brothers standing by her side.

A candid afternoon

2007-11-11T17:44:00.001-06:00

I had an awesome session yesterday with a pretty laid back family. Our session was candid and very relaxed. It was great! I really adored Caleb and Ava. Angela, I hope you enjoy your sneak peak. I am excited to show you the rest of your session!

This image really shows just how tiny baby Ava is.

Sitting pretty on mommy's bed.

Such a sweet big brother.

I LOVE this image!

Caleb was showing me some tricks on his Tony Hawk skateboard, while Ava was being fed.

Something about this image just speaks to me. Caleb was a very shy little boy. I feel this shot really shows his shyness.

The next Gerber baby?

2007-11-05T11:28:00.000-06:00

This is 6 month old Owen. I think he looks just like the Gerber baby! He is such a little sweetie. I love photographing this little boy. I am amazed at how much he has grown since his last session at 3 months old! He is so much more expressive now too. I loved hearing him babble.

Stephanie, I hope you like your sneak peak! See you soon!

Total Gerber baby look :D

Looking like a big boy!

A basket full of sweetness.

Loved his expression in this shot!

Owen and his favorite toy. His grandma got him this little lamb.

A quiet moment. Owen loves sucking his thumb.

Finally, an outtake. I couldn't resist his little bitty tongue sticking out! hehe!

All you need is Faith

2007-10-31T23:24:00.000-05:00

This is my closest friend, Amanda and her little girl Faith. Amanda and I grew up with eachother, from the time we were two years old. I love her more than you could ever imagine. She is the closest to a sister I'll ever get. To me, she IS my sister. She's everything a sister should be, and more. She is an amazing woman, with an even more amazing heart! I feel so blessed to have a real sister to lean on.

Amanda is also a single mother. She is such a wonderful mom! She is the strongest woman I have ever met. I am so proud of her for all she has accomplished. Amanda is living proof that single mothers CAN succeed by themselves.

So, on to the pictures! Bare with me, there is a lot of them!

Little Miss Faith. Such a beautiful girl!

Getting into a leaf fight!

Faith really enjoyed the leaves!

A quick snuggle break.

My FAVORITE!! Amanda, I think this is the one you should blow up HUGE for your living room!!! :D

Amanda has always thought this train track would make a neat location.

She looks so grown up here.

I LOVE this shot!

She looks so small, doesn't she?

Faith did so great during our 5 hour long session! She did not start to really break down until the last 20 minutes or so of our day out. I wish all my clients could last as long as she did!!!

Mini Pearl And Her Brother Charlie

2007-10-28T16:56:00.000-05:00

This is Aylin Pearl and her big brother Charlie. I had a blast with these two kids! They were so sweet and fun! They were so happy and very well behaved. Oh, and I think Ailyn and Charlie are the two best dressed toddlers I've ever photographed! Andrea, it was so great meeting you and your sweet children. I hope you enjoy your sneak peak and I will see you soon!

Artsit fave. Look at that sweet face!

Belly laugh....

The dinosaur says....ROARRRRR!!!!!

They are so sweet together. Charlie is a great big brother.

Artist Fave. Such a tender moment.

Missing in action???

2007-10-27T07:41:00.000-05:00

Well I hope my readers haven't given up on me yet! The past week and a half has been crazy here! My son came down with the most horrible case of the croup and a few days later, he gave it to me. Oh, how fun! Then, just as I am getting better, my computer goes crazy and dies on me!!! The past few days have been so stressful. My computer is very ill and needs repaired. It will be out of commission for a copule weeks. Obviously, I can't go that long with out my computer, internet and email! So I broke down and bought a new computer yesterday. I've been wanting a new computer for a while now anyway. So hopefully, I will not be MIA again! Thanks for being patient. Stay tuned for a new sneak peak post with a fun brother and sister!!!

For the love of Aidan

2007-10-15T20:55:00.000-05:00

Today I had my first Celebrating Adoption session. What an awesome experience!

Meet Aidan. He is such a charming little guy! I think Aidan thought we were on just some big play date! He was exploring the area and taking me by the hand to show me all the cool places he was finding. Aidan loves airplanes, trains and dogs. He carried around this adorable little stuffed puppy that he so lovingly calls "Dog-Dog". This little blue puppy goes everywhere Aidan goes. It's so cute!

Terrah, thank you so much! You have an amazing heart and a beautiful gift from God. I had so much fun today! I am so excited to show you the rest of your session!

Oh, and you can't forget about Dog-Dog

As we were walking back to our cars, I tried to sneak an extra shot in. I love this shot, it's so funny! You can just imagine him saying "Please, no more pictures". haha!

For more information on Celebrating Adoption please visit their website

http://www.celebratingadoption.org/

Superhero

2007-10-07T07:51:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: Jon-Jon went to the cardiologist yesterday and he has a healthy heart! The doctor said that his heart murmor is not big enough to harm him in any way. He has no restrictions on sports or activities. He will not need medication or surgery. Thank God for that! The cardiologist said that Jon-Jon will eventually outgrow the murmor.

Thank you all so very much for all the wonderful thoughts and prayers you sent our way. I am so thankful that I have so many amazing friends (whom I've never even met) that care so much about my family and me.

We still have a long road ahead of us. We still need to have the genetic testing done. I do not know when that will be yet. I will keep you all updated on our progress.
__________________________________________________________

Do you have a super hero in your life? I do! He's only 28 ponds and 3 ft tall. He's my beautiful son, Jonathan. He is definitely my hero. He has taught me so much about love and life. Jon has taught me more than he'll ever know. I look at everything he is faced with every day of his life. He's overcome so many obsticals since his birth. How does he do it? Where did his amazing strength and bravery come from? Jon is simply amazing to me! A beautiful soul, so brave and strong.

Most of you know our struggles with our son's health. Well, we have some new answers and even bigger questions now. We overhauled Jon's healthcare and switched him over to all new doctors. We researched and found some of the best doctors in the area to look at our son. He loves his new pediatrician and we do to! she is great! And she actually WANTS to find the answers to what is happening to him.

So we go to see her for the first time on Wednesday. She examined Jon-Jon and said a few things that I was not expecting to hear at all! First off, she said Jon-Jon has Sensory Integration Dysfunction. That part is not surprising at all. Our OT has been talking to us about SI Dysfunction for a couple months now. The next part was shocking though. She said that Jon has a large heart murmor and needs to see a cardiologist. So Jon has to go see a children's heart doctor on Tuesday. He will have an echo cardiogram to see how severe the murmor really is. He also needs to have a genetic blood panel test. They are looking for Fragile X Syndrome (a common form of mental retardation that can vary from mild to severe). A lot of Jon's characteristics and behaviors match up with Fragile X. There is no cure for Fragile X. Just ways to manage the symptoms and behaviors.

We were so shocked and scared to hear this news. I'm scared for Jon-Jon. But I am having to be HIS hero in front of him. No tears in front of him. All that will do is make him stressed and worried as well. He has enough to deal with. I have to be brave for my hero. I have to show him my strength now.

Please, if you believe in prayer, pray for Jon-Jon. Tell your friends, family and co-workers to pray for him. I believe that prayer and our Faith in God will get us through this.

Hug your babies tonight and praise God!

My hero. So brave and strong.

He bites his lower lip when he is being michevious.

My favorite!

Look mommy! Airplane!

Even a super hero still needs his daddy.

Flying Lessons.

(click storyboard for larger view)

Xavier

2007-10-02T10:51:00.000-05:00

This is sweet little Xavier Gavin. I just love his name! It is such a unique and strong sounding name. I can't help but wonder what little Xavier's personality will be like as he grows! This little guy happened to be the most alert newborn I have ever photographed. He only slept for a few minutes! In a way, I was quite pleased that he was awake for almost the entire session! It allowed me to capture those beautiful eyes of his!

Marrissa, I hope you enjoy your sneak peak. I am so happy for you! Your dream of motherhood has finally come true. Your son is beautiful!

My new image

2007-09-26T17:45:00.000-05:00

I am very proud and excited to announce the new look of Angela Crutcher Photography! I have been working hard the past few weeks to get everything just perfect! I am thrilled with the turnout! Take a look at my rocking new site (link is to your right) and let me know what you think!

Bubbly Brianna

2007-09-22T19:55:00.000-05:00

Oh my gosh! Isn't she just the sweetest baby?! This is Brianna, she is 6 months old and I totally fell in love with her beautiful blue eyes, chubby cheeks and bubbly personality. She is so adorable! I found a beautiful "pocket" of light in her nursery. It was a window seat, and Brianna really enjoyed sitting in it! We did venture outdoors for a few shots, but she really preferred to be in her room. So most of our session took place at this window seat. She was the happiest there!

Lisa, I enjoyed being with Brianna so much! She was such an easy baby to work with! I can not wait to show you the rest of her session!

Her daddy has taught her how to stick out her tounge. haha!

You can just feel the love mom has for Brianna.

And our quick venture in the back yard.

I hope everyone has a beautiful weekend! Until next time....

Summer's End

2007-09-19T18:29:00.000-05:00

With Summer soon coming to a close, I wanted to take my little girl out for one final summer shoot. She wore her favorite summer dress and brought her favorite doll along for the shoot. She had a blast picking as many flowers as her little hands could hold. I am glad she liked them, because I had to seriously suffer to get these shots! I was sneezing and coughing the whole time! Black Eyed Susans may be pretty, but they wreak havoc on my allergies! haha!

I hope everybody has had a beautiful summer. I am happy summer is almost over though. I am ready for some cooler weather!

She wanted me to take a close up of her. She wanted to show off her pretty new pink lipstick!

Until next time......

That beautiful mommy glow!

2007-09-12T18:24:00.001-05:00

On Monday, I got the chance to visit with an old friend from my childhood. Marissa and I have been friends since we were in Kindergarten! But we have not gotten to see each other in over 5 years (we live in seperate states now). So you could imagine how excited I was to take a road trip to go visit her! I had a great time catching up on life with her. I had even more fun with her maternity shoot! She was so much fun! She was very relaxed. A natural in front of the camera! Especially since it was kinda cool, raining, and foggy outside! lol! She is amazingly beautiful and I just love that mommy glow she has!

Marissa called me a few hours ago to let me know that her beautiful baby boy, Gavin, was born (by C-section) early this morning! He weighs 7 pounds even and is only 19 inches long. So tiny!!! She reported that he has a LOT of dark hair! Mom and baby are doing great and should be able to come home in a few days! I can not wait to see Gavin for his newborn session!

I loved this shot so much, I couldn't pick which version I liked more!

An Evening In The Garden

2007-09-08T20:02:00.000-05:00

I had a sweet little session on Tuesday with three sibilings ages 5, 3 and 1. We explored a local garden that was absolutely amazing! Such a beautiful and serene place!

Marci, I hope you enjoy your sneak peak! I had a wonderful time with your sweet children! I'll see you next week!

My favorite!

My other favorite!

Tagged!

2007-09-06T17:38:00.000-05:00

I've been tagged by Katie.
I am supposed to tell 8 little known facts about myself and then tag 8 others.

#1. I am seriously addicted to Starbucks! I make excuses to drive almost 20 minutes to the nearest Starbucks. A tall Cafe Vanilla Frappciano with an extra shot of expresso and skim milk is my best friend! Even worse, is my two kids have become addicted to it as well! They practically attack me to get a few drinks!

#2. I have extreme motion sickness. But the motion sickness pills you can buy make me so sleepy that I can't take them and still function! I am ALWAYS the driver when my husband and I go out.

#3. I am a control freak when it comes to the car radio/cd player. I hate it when the passenger turns the station!

#4. I am a serious procrastinator. It's my dad's fault! I inherited that trait from him!

#5. I'm a list maker. I make lists for everything. I feel so unorganized and out of control when I don't have a list to look at! But when I am at the grocery store, I'll almost always forget something from my grocery list! HA!

#6. I hate hand washing the dishes. I know, I know...how lazy! What can I say, I am in love with my dishwasher! Last week the dishwasher started to act a bit funny and I thought it was broken. I seriously almost felt like crying! I can't believe I actually just admitted that! lol! Luckily the dishwasher is fine now!

#7. I am very frightened of insects and reptiles. They make me run away and cry like a little girl! Just this morning, a centipede decided that it would sneak into my house, go to my bathroom and try to take a shower with me! I screamed louder than ever before! I mean, wouldn't you?!!? That thing was freaking huge and had 50 legs! So gross! Thankfully I have the greatest hubby in the world! He came to my rescue and killed it!

#8. Some people think I eat strange foods. I love pinapple and black olives on my pizza, fruit cocktail in my cereal, almonds in my salads or on chicken, orange juice inside of my sweet tea and lime inside of my salsa.

I'll tag 8 oters tomorrow.

On a side note: I know that I have not been able to visit other photogs blogs as often as I'd like to. I am super busy right now. Not only with my business, but also with my son's health care and education. We are in a long and not so easy process right now concerning our son's education. He HAS to be enrolled in a special education preschool by January. No exceptions. If he is not enrolled by then, he will lose all speech, occupational and bahaviorial therapies. W are having a difficult time finding the right school for him. We want only the best for our son. And if that means we have to fight our county board of education to get the best, then we will do just that!

I am also super busy with designing my new kick butt website! lol! I am so excited and can't wait to show you guys the finished product! The new site will be launched on October 1. So be looking out for it!

Thank you all so much for always visiting my blog and leaving me such nice comments to read! I really do enjoy reading what you all have to say!

And what would a blog post be with out a picture?!

Here is a photo that I took after a session with three sibilings on Tuesday afternoon. I thought this bench was inredibly beautiful. A piece of artwork!

Mr. Jack

2007-09-04T14:41:00.001-05:00

This is Jack. He turns two in just six more days. Jack was such a sweet little boy! He loves cars and Curious George. I think he'd get along pretty well with my little man! haha! He's also a fast runner! lol! He definately kept me on my toes! It was fun though!

Sabrina, it was so nice finally meeting your family. Jack is such a doll! I'll see you next week. Enjoy!

He looks so small standing next to that large door!

A sweet family moment.

Happy early birthday Jack!

Remembering Rose Marie Ray

2007-08-31T00:07:00.000-05:00

Today is a day of grief. A day of sadness. A day of mourning. A day of tears. But today is also a day of rememberance. A day of celebration of life. A day of thankfullness. A day of memories.

Today marks one whole decade since I lost a very important, very loved, family member. My grandma, Rose marie, was called to Heaven on August 31, 1997. I remember the day so vividly. Like it was just yesterday. I was sitting in a chair, in front of my grandma's hospital bed, watching my mom whisper her final goodbyes in to her ear. Mom knew the time had come for Grandma to leave this earth. Mom knew God was calling her name. Mom knew she was holding on, just a little longer. Long enough to hear those final "I love you's". And as I sat there, braiding a barbie dolls hair, I watched my Grandma take her final breath. I was so angry. So devistated. I was only 12 years old and I had just witnessed death for the first time. I was so confused. How could this be? How could she be gone? How could she never come back? How could it be that I would never hear her sweet voice again? Why her? Why? I started to pray and ask God what I was supposed to do with out her in my life. It didn't seem fair. God told me all would be ok. He told me that I could talk to my grandma anytime I wanted to, through prayer. But it still did not ease the pain. The reality. I had problems coming to grip with the terms "forever" and "eternal". I suddenly began to fear that every person I loved would die. I suddenly beagn to fear I would die.

Ten years. How could it already be that long? It feels like it was just yesterday that my Grandma would sneak us goodies before dinner time. I close my eyes and I can still her her calling me "skinny minny" while tickling me until I almost peed. Oh, how I long for her to still be alive. How I long for her to tickle my little girl. How I long for her advice. Why does it hurt just as much today as it did ten years ago? I've heard 'Time heals all wounds'. Why has this wound not been healed?

My husband and I took our two children to my Grandmas grave on Tuesday. Our daughter, Gaby, asked where we were and why mommy was crying. It was so difficult to explain why mommy was so sad. She began asking so many questions about death and Heaven. It was all a little over whelming. She was a bit confused. We were trying to keep the answers simple, since she is only 4, but keep them true at the same time. She asked if she too would be put in the ground. Daddy and I told her 'not for a very, very, very long time'. At that point, all I could do is pray to God that he keep my babies healthy. I think I have realized that I still have not come to terms with death and dying. Losing my Grandma at such a young age, has instilled these fears into my mind.

Before we left the cemetary, my husband gave me a few minutes to be alone at her grave. So I sat on the ground, next to her grave and I began weeping. As I wept, I talked to her, how I did right after she left this Earth. I asked her if she saw how big Gaby and Jon were getting. I told her the wonderful news that Jon was potty trained and Gaby learned to ride a bike last week. I told her that Gaby has her personality. I told her that I am a successful business woman, just how she always told me I would be. As I was sitting there, weeping, a soft breeze began to blow. As if she was there with me. I closed my eyes and as the breeze blew past me, I could almost hear her beautiful voice whisper in my ear. As the warm summer breeze blew on my skin, I could feel her embrace, her love. I felt her there with me.

The song playing is a song my mom said Grandma would quietly sing to me as she'd rub the bridge of my nose, to help me fall asleep. It's a song that I now have a strong emotional connection to.

This was the sunsetabove her grave on Tuesday. I was so breath taking.

I love you Grandma!

Itty Bittty Baby

2007-08-27T19:33:00.000-05:00

Remember my polka dot maternity? Well this is 11 day old Riley. Riley's mom and I thought it would be so cool to do a shot of him with the same polka dots from the maternity shoot! I am so glad we did this! I can't help but just smile at Riley's polka dot photo! It just makes me so happy! I think anytime I am sad about something, I'll just look at this photograph to cheer me up!

And two more images from our shoot with Riley. :)

I hope everybody has a wonderful night!

Until next time....

Banana Pancakes

2007-08-20T20:06:00.000-05:00

This is sweet little baby Maggie. She is 4 weeks old and oh, so precious! Maggie was wide awake for most of our session. She was so tired though! She did not fall asleep until her mommy turned on her Jack Johnson cd. Maggie loves to listen to Jack Johnson! Her favorite song is Banana Pancakes.

Allison and Josh, I had a wonderful time today! Maggie is absolutely beautiful! I hope you enjoy your sneak peak. :) I can' wait to show you the rest!

Welcoming Riley.....

2007-08-18T22:58:00.000-05:00

Well baby Riley is finally here! He was born on August 16 at 4:59pm. What a beautiful experience this was!
Go to http://www.photodex.com/sharing to view entire slideshow!
Then at the bottom of the screen you'll see a section that says Browse Member. Type in acrutcherphoto and click go.
Click on the Thumbnail that says Riley Wayne.

What a doll!

2007-08-11T21:17:00.000-05:00

Meet Owen, a 3 month old doll! Isn't he just darling!? I had so much fun at today's session with Owen and his mommy and daddy. This little guy was so content and happy! His little smile stole my heart! You'll get to see a lot more of Owen over the next year, as he is a part of my Grow With Me! baby plan.

Here is your sneak peak, Stephanie. I hope you enjoy! I had such a wonderful time with you today! I am looking foward to spending the next year photographing Owen as he grows! I am already planning for our next session in November!

Just like Daddy!

Such a little trooper!

2007-08-08T17:30:00.001-05:00

Today my son, Jon-Jon, had to have a minor operation. He needed a new set of tubes placed in his ears. I know this may not sound like such a big deal to some people, but it was a big deal for us. Jon has needed a new set of ear tubes for a while now. But we encountered one problem after another that delayed the much needed surgery. Finally after 6 months delay, 2 severe ear infections, 1 ruptured ear drum and many sleepless nights later, we had the surgery. About time! He did really well! I am so proud of my little trooper!

I took a few pictures to document the occassion. I've taken pictures of every aspect of the health problems he has encountered since birth. This is how I cope with it all. How I remember it all.

Daddy is reading Jon a book to keep him calm. Jon hates hospitals and doctors because of how many times he has had to be there! He was very nervous.

Watching a little TV before going to the operating room.

Jon had to wear an alergy alert bracelet, because he is severly alergic to eggs.

Operating room doors. They had just taken Jon back.

We went to the gift shop and got Jon a new train. He adores trains!

1 hour post-op. Drinking some juice.

1.5 hours post-op. Sweet little giggle. He already felt better!

Can we go home, mommy?

And finally, antibiotic drops he has to take for the next week.

I want to thank all of you who had sent prayers our way during our battle with the insurance company. Thank you so much!

The song playing is Jon's most favorite song ever! He loves it when I sing it to him!

Let's go on an Adventure, Mommy!

2007-08-06T23:01:00.000-05:00

My daughter asked me if we could go on an adventure and just take a walk around the town square. Well of course we can! I thought this little adventure would be a great chance to get a few candid moments of my two just playing around! As we were walking through the square, Gaby decided to take us on a detour down a small alley way, when we discovered a neat little location tucked away down another little alley way that connected to the one we were walking down! We were a bit surprised at what we found. This big door had a lot of noise coming from the other side. My daughter puts her ear to the door and listens. Then she yells "Mommy there are people inside!". So I put my ear to the door and what do I hear? Homer Simpson's annoying voice yelling "Doh!" !!! Come to find out, the door is the emergency exit to our local theater! How cool! Gaby thought it was just hysterical!

She looks so small looking up at this huge door!

She decided to scare me and jump off the steps!

Walking back to the car.

And of course, a shot of my little man.

He wasn't too happy on this adventure!

Gaby had a blast and is already making plans for

her official photo shoot with that door and alley!

Awaiting Riley

2007-07-30T17:58:00.000-05:00

Oh, what fun! This beautiful mommy is 38 weeks pregnant and is so ready to meet her baby Riley! I had so much fun during this session. She was compleatly at ease and relaxed with the camera! Isn't she just beautiful? I can't wait for her to have the baby! The coolest part is I get to photograph the birth! I'm so excited, I can't wait for my phone to ring at 3 am! I hope you enjoy your sneak peak, Tina. I have a lot more to go through, but these were my personal favorites from our session!

Something cute, fun and funky! I love this one!

When TN photographers meet....

2007-07-22T21:34:00.001-05:00

I met up with a group of TN photographers yesterday and had the BEST time! It was really nice to be able to spend the day with with so many talented artists and to catch up with some good friends! Oh and our models for the day were so great!! They only complained when they got hungry!!! haha! Lots of pictures from our day:

He's simply Irresistible!

2007-07-18T18:21:00.000-05:00

Just look at his infectious little grin and those amazing brown eyes! Isn't he simply Irresistible?! I can't help but giggle when I look at this little man! He's just so cute!

Marci, I hope you enjoy your sneak peak! He's a cutie, that's for sure!

A fun day out

2007-07-15T23:31:00.000-05:00

I got together with the very talented Fine Art black and white photographer, Rebecca Melo, and her son Andrew today. My daughter Gaby joined along too! We started out doing a photo shoot of Gaby, but she was not so cooperative. She complained....a lot! She was so excited about this meeting with whom she refers to "mommy's cool photographer friend", but as usual, the photographers child attitude emerged. So we took her to Wendy's, got her some food and went driving. We found a pretty cool spot in the middle of nowhere. After eating, Gaby finally did loosen up and start to have a pretty good time! After letting Gaby play for a bit, we decided to drive even further out. We found the BEST location ever! I fell in love with this area! Once again, Gaby was a bit tired of being photographed, so I turned my attention to Andrew! He was more than willing to be our model! And if I do say so myself, he's a very good model!

Here are a few shots of Andrew.

A few random shots from our night.

Thanks Rebecca! We had a great time with you and Andrew!

Heartbreaker

2007-07-10T22:57:00.001-05:00

Check out this little 9 month old heartbreaker! Oh, I fell in love with his big beautiful blue eyes. This little guy was so fun to photograph! He was full of funny expressions and has the most bubbly personality! Here you go Hope! I hope you enjoy your sneak peak! I had a great time tonight! Can't wait to show you the rest of your session!

Touch The Sky

2007-07-07T15:16:00.000-05:00

I caught this amazing capture of my son swinging at the park a few days ago. All I can do is just stare at this! I don't know why, but I am so drawn to this shot of my little man! It just seems so peaceful to me!

Oh, I have an update on the whole insurance thing. We have gotten everything all figured out, and Jon goes for a pre-op appointment with his new ENT next Thursday! He'll have his surgery in a couple weeks! Yay! Thank you all for the support and prayers you've given me!

God Bless America!

2007-07-04T10:47:00.000-05:00

I decided to try to get a few fireworks shots from my back porch last night. I wanted to see what they would look like with a slow shutter speed. I think it looks really neat!

I hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th of July!

The song playing is one known very well. Lee Greenwood's I'm proud to be an American. I hope during all the celebrations, cook outs and fireworks today, you can take a minute to remember what today is truly about. I hope you can take a minute to thank God for our freedom. Say a little prayer for our soldiers and their families. Have a moment of silence to honor our fallen soldiers. And I hope you too are Proud to be an American!

God Bless!

Field of beauty

2007-06-27T16:57:00.000-05:00

This is Katie. Isn't she georgous!? Katie was such a treat to work with. She is 6 but thinks she is 13! lol! She also believes she is America's Next Top Model. She kept on giving me these intense stares like the models do on the show! ha! I totally think she could be America's Next Top Model when she grows up. :-)

Love and Happiness

2007-06-23T20:13:00.000-05:00

A very good friend of mine, Tiffany, and her fiance' Sydney, traveled from Knoxville for their engagement session with me today. We had a great time going from one location to the next. I was so happy to see Tiffany truly happy and in love, with the man of her dreams!

So, CONGRATS Tiffany and Sydney! I'm so happy for you! I hope you guys had as much fun as I did!

My session song pick is Two of Us by Aimee Mann.

Waiting On The World To Change

2007-06-18T18:28:00.000-05:00

Sometimes life gets so complicated, so hectic. When my life gets like that, I go out by myself and shoot random objects. It is so calming and relaxing. Even if just for a little while, I can forget about everything that's stressful, everything that is putting me on the verge of crying out loud.

I've felt a bit frazzled here lately. I've had to fight with some doctors and our insurance company because of an unexpected complication involving my son's upcoming surgery. His surgery has been pushed back and we will have to pay more money than we originally thought. I hate doing this to him. I feel as if we take two steps foward only to be pushed backward. I had to really fight with the hospital just to get him scheduled for surgery. And now, it has been pushed back once again! He is on the verge of yet another ear infection, because of massive fluid build up in his ears. He has been with out tubes in his ears for 5 months and it has taken quite a toll on him. His ears hurt and his hearing is beginning to suffer. Why do things with doctors and insurance companies have to be so complicated?

Here are some shots from my quiet, theraputic adventure. This is how I clear my mind. How I keep my sanity in tact!

I feel that the song by John Mayer "Waiting On The World To Change" sums up my feelings for this post.

Summertime

2007-06-14T22:29:00.000-05:00

Ahhhhh, sweet summertime! This is the kids' first Slip-N-Slide, and they are absolutely thrilled with it! I have a feeling that next months water bill will be a bit more than usual! lol! That's ok, it's worth it to see the pure joy on their faces!

The song that is playing is a song I remember my dad singing all the time when I was little. He would tap his fingers on the steering wheel, while driving us to school, to the beat of this song.

You Belong To Me

2007-06-12T13:23:00.000-05:00

I try every year to get shots of my two together. And every time, it turns out a complete disaster! My kids seriously do suffer from photographer's kid syndrome and the symptoms worsen when they are together! I ALWAYS have to do a "head swap" or sometims a full body swap just to get ONE good picture with both kids looking at the camera! That was before I really found my style. Now, my style is more photojournalistic and natural. These are the first pictures of my two together since I've "discovered" myself. I love these pictures so much. It is the first time I have ever been able to capture that sibiling bond that they share. Every shot that is in this post is being printed really big! Thank goodness I have a big house! lol!

I tweaked my usual B&W conversion for this shot. I wanted to duplicate a process I learned in the B&W darkroom in college.

Sorry I have been neglecting my blog and the blog group. Been super busy here lately!

Thank you all so much for supporting and visiting my blog!

Beautiful

2007-06-07T09:10:00.000-05:00

For the first time since I had my daughter (4 years ago) I feel beautiful. After I had kids, my body changed....ALOT! And it gave me some self esteem issues that I have battled with ever since. Well, that's gotta change! How will I ever be able to teach my daughter to see her beauty, as well as others', if I can't reach into MYSELY and see MY beauty? My husband, Jonathan, took some incredible pictures of me yesterday, on my birthday. And I was joking with him saying that I was going to "liquify" my body in PS to make myself look skinnier. Only I was half way serious! When I started to edit the pictures he took, I had an epiphany! I have decided to embrace me (ALL of me) for who I am! No more worrying about how I am not "beautiful" by America's standards. I am short and curvaceous, and you know what? That's ok! Because I feel good about myself! So here I am. The true me!

Oh, I had an absolutely wonderful birthday! On June 5, I had the most incredible experience. I had my home birth session. It was amazing! I will not be sharing the pictures from it, out of privacy and respect to my client. Then, yesterday, my mom took me out and I got a new haircut, which I LOVE! After my haircut, Jonthan and I spent the day in Nashville. We took pictures of each other all day. It was really fun! We then went to The Melting Pot for a nice romantic dinner. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday!

I have these pictures in color as well, and I really like them in color. But, I edited them in a different color space in PS and when I upload, the colors are dull and nasty! So I just flipped them all to B&W for my blog.

Random Thoughts

2007-06-01T09:36:00.000-05:00

Ok, bare with me here, this is a long post! I've been so busy with my clients' sessions that I haven't gotten around to my own photos lately! All of these shots were taken in May. They are shots of my kids and their cousins. These shots show how I see these children.This is my FAVORITE type of photography! I absolutely adore capturing kids being themselves!

And I also wanted to share a few more of my favorites from last weekends wedding.

Sorry, these photos have been removed. :-)

June is going to be a fun filled month for me! Next week is my 22nd birthday. My husband and I are going to downtown Nashville for the day. I will be doing some shots of the two of us together. I am excited about doing them! We have not had shots of just us in forever! I also have a home birth session any day now, 2 engagement sessions and a famiy session for this month. And my son will be having a minor surgery at the end of the month. Nothing serious, but I am still nervous.

Until next time.....

Erik and Danielle

2007-05-27T17:19:00.000-05:00

I shot my first wedding yesterday with my SIL, Jennifer. It was a lot of work and I was exhausted when I got home, but it was so worth it! I had a lot of fun! I almost cried though! Watching Danielle be "given away" by her father, brought me back to MY wedding day when my dad did the same. So many emotions went through me at that particular moment. I had to really fight back the tears so I could continue shooting. Here are a few of my favorites from their special day.

Sorry, photos have been removed. :-)

My session song pick is Inside Your Heaven by Carrie Underwood.

This song s just so beautiful, so full of love and emotion. It makes me cry!

Sugar and Spice.......and SNIALS?!?!

2007-05-23T17:11:00.001-05:00

This is my lovely little girl 'saving the snails'! She is such a little animal rights activtist! She found a bunch of snails in our flower bed. She scooped them right up and started to yell "Save the snails!!" It was so funny! She didn't even mind the slimy little things slithering all over her! Yuck! She didn't get that from me, that's for sure! I didn't want anywhere near the little creatures! What's even funnier, is that Jon-Jon wouldn't have anything to do with them (except for when he tried his best to EAT one)! He actually yelled out EWWW and squished one! Poor snail :( Gaby thought it was the end of the world because her brother killed one of the snails she was trying to save! Hehe! I couldn't help but laugh a little!

My first shot with my new wide angle lens! I love wider angles!

It just LOOKS gross!

Real lady like, huh?

And my first try at adding texture!

It also seems that Angie Penrose has tagged me! Now I have to list my five favorite things!

1. Being with my children and husband. They are my world!

2. Music.

3. Photography....of course! :D

4. Quiet time! I crave peace and quiet!

5. Hearing my children say "I Love you" Which by the way, Jon-Jon said this for the very first tim yesterday morning!!!!!! I started to cry tears of joy! I have longed for those words to come from his little lips for such a long time!

I'll tag five other people tonight after the kiddos go to bed!

Oh, and the song I chose for this post is Snails by The Format. It seems
like the most perfect song to go with these pictures!

I've been Tagged!

2007-05-22T09:54:00.000-05:00

I was tagged by Jenna http://www.aboutimage.blogspot.com/. Now I have to list 5 reasons why I blog!

I am a shy person. Blogging and talking to all of my blog friends has really helped me break out of my "shy shell".
I love sharing my photography with others!
I like to give people a glimpse into my life as a mom, wife and photographer.
It gives friends and family that I may not get to talk to all the time, a chance to see new pictures of the kids as well as read updates on how everyone is doing!
Because I like it!!

Now I'm off to tag 5 other people!

Tiffany

Julie

Virgina

Louisa

Dawn

You ladies are next!

To Grandmother's House We Go!

2007-05-19T00:34:00.000-05:00

The same day I did the "hands" photo, I went on an adventure at Grandmother's house. I am doing a year long project with her. I am photographing Grandmother in her garden for the entire year, until all the wonderful delicious food that she so patiently grows with love, is on the Thanksgiving Dinner Table. I am then making a book out of the series of photographs. The book title will be "Grandmother, How Does Your Garden Grow?"

There are quite a few photos in this post. I couldn't narrow it down to 'just a few' so I posted all of my favorites from our photographic adventure!

This Woman's Work

2007-05-16T11:38:00.000-05:00

Hands© By Natalie Bonnett

I hold in my hands a bit of sunshine,

To share with all those in The darkness of gloom.

I hold in my hands a bit of education,

To share with all those in Poor, uneducated countries.

I hold in my hands a bit of food,

To share with those in The depth of poverty.

I hold in my hands a bit of love,

To share with those in Lonely, abusive homes.

I hold in my hands a bit of defense,

To share with those in Need of protection.

I hold in my hands a bit of shelter,

To share with those whoAre homeless.

So let's all hold something good in our hands,

To share with those in need.

My husbands grandmother is 73 years old. She is possibily the hardest working woman I have ever met. She lives a simple, humble life. She simply amazes me. Her 18 acre garden is her prized possesion. There is not a single friut or vegatable that she ever buys from the grocery store! She grows it all. Her hands tell her story. They are not beautiful or feminine instead, they are dirty, crooked and swollen. But her hands show how much love and devotion she puts into her garden. Her hands are strong, her hands feed her family, her hands play with her great grand children. There is so much love in her hands.

Boy, n.: a noise with dirt on it.

2007-05-13T23:09:00.000-05:00

Mother's Day Gifts:
300 GB external hardrive--$130.00
DVD-R Burner--$70.00
Hallmark card with adorable puppies on it--$2.95
Loving this filthy boy--PRICELESS!!!

getting hosed off!

Ahhhhhhh, Motherhood! I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Gotta Have Faith

2007-05-09T17:22:00.000-05:00

I have had the pleasure of photographing this little beauty since before she was even born! She is the precious daughter of my sister, Amanda. Ok, so she is not really my sister, but we have been best friends since we were two, so we are more like sisters, than just friends! And I am known as "Aunt Angie" to little miss Faith. I am just so amazed at how grown up she is looking! Faith is only two and a half (just 4 months older than my son), but my goodness, she looks at least 5 to me!!! Boy, she is going to break some hearts with those georgeous blonde curls and baby blue eyes! You will be seeing more of Faith (and the rest of her family) in the coming months. I will be doing a family session with her in a few weeks and then later this summer I get the pleasure of doing an engagement session with Amanda and her fiance' Josh! So Amanda, here is your sneak peak at your georgeous angel!

My session song pick is Daughters by John Mayer.

Faith is Amanda's life, her reason for living. This song just

seemed so fitting for this innocent girl and her

strong beautiful mom!

I am Unwritten......

2007-05-06T20:05:00.000-05:00

Wow, business has really started to pick up for me! I am so thankful for all the wonderful clients I have as well as all the wonderful people who come and visit my blog and leave such sweet comments everyday! Thank you all so much! After 5 1/2 years of very hard work, practice, determination and sometimes even tears, my dream has finally became a reality!

The past few weeks have been super busy for me. I am just know getting around to a few pictures I took of my wonderful husband and kids playing at the park. Now that the cold weather has left the south, Spring is beginning to show its true colors! It has been so lovely outside here lately! I love Spring and all it has to offer. Warm days, blue skies, vibrant flowers and birds singing. Beautiful, just beautiful. This is my favorite time of the year.

This particular photo may not be perfect, but is a VERY

important photo! Most of you know the battle we are facing

with our son. One of the many things that is a constant struggle

with Jon is some major sensory issues. This photo shows him

actually going down a pretty big slide all by himself! I was so

proud of my little man for accomplishing this!

Thank you all so much!

My song choice is Unwritten By Natasha Beddingfield.

I love this song so much and I think it describes the way

my life is at this point!

Another Brother

2007-05-03T19:04:00.000-05:00

These are from a maternity session I had earlier in the week. This beautiful mother is expecting her third child. She has a 4 year old girl and an almost 2 year old boy. It was so cute, when I asked her daughter if her mommy was having a boy or a girl, she responded with "ANOTHER BROTHER!!" I had a great time Samantha! I hope you enjoy you sneak peak!

My song pick for this session is a very beautiful
and powerful song by Celine Dion called
A Mother's Prayer.

Family Is Love

2007-04-30T21:10:00.000-05:00

I had a session with a beautiful and fun family yesterday! They were up for anything! Their little boy is only a week younger than mine and he is just a doll! This family just oozed love for their little man. I had a great time Stacy! I hope you enjoy your sneak peak!

My song pick for this session is Life is A Highway from
the movie Cars.This little man just loves that movie!

A sneak peak of Gavin

2007-04-23T18:23:00.000-05:00

Today's session was of a beautiful 12 day old boy, Gavin. He was such a doll. His parents are such a cute couple! I loved watching them interact with their baby boy. They are so in love with him! I had great time getting to know this family. Here is a sneek peak at a few of my favorites from our session together. Enjoy! :)

I thought the song playing was a perfect choice for Gavin!
His entire nursery is decorated so beautifully in Old Fashioned
Pooh and friends. Such a beautiful room!

We are Family

2007-04-22T14:49:00.000-05:00

My neice and nephew came over yesterday for my daughter's birthday party. They had so much fun together! Here are some shots from their day.

My "Ladybug" holding a baby ladybug!

Isn't she lovely?

Proud that she blew out the
candles all by herself for the
very first time.

Telling daddy "Love you".

My new favorite of my neice.

Rare sibiling moment.

Guess How Much I Love You?

2007-04-20T23:45:00.000-05:00

I took this on Valentines day and then forgot about it, unitl now! I love this image so much. It speaks volumes to me. I did not place the candies in her hands like this. She was playing with the candies and just grabbed a huge handful of them, and by chance, the "I Love You" candy heart was right in the middle! It was like my own personal Valentine! My heart melts every time I look at this photo.

Spread your wings

2007-04-16T20:38:00.000-05:00

(click on photo to enlarge)

The coldest birthday ever!

2007-04-15T08:51:00.000-05:00

Today is April 15, 2007. My daughters 4th birthday. And it is feezing cold outside!! And would you believe it is SNOWING?!?! I couldn't believe me eyes when I woke up this morning. Normally it is in the lower to mid 70's on her birthday. The weather has been absolutely crazy this year! Thank goodness we rescheduled her birthday party for next weekend, due to the stomach bug entering our house. I checked the 7 day forcast and it said that next saturday was going to be 76 degrees. Yippee!! Warmer weather is on its way!

Here is a quick snap of what was going on in our backyard just 15 miniutes ago.

Well, Happy cold Birthday, Ladybug!

Sick and tired of being sick...

2007-04-12T17:11:00.000-05:00

Being sick is just not fun! It has been crazy in my house all week. My two kids got some nasty little stomach bug last week. They got over it just to get it AGAIN this week! Now they are better, but my husband has it now. I am hoping and praying I am not next!! You should see me, its funny really. I am going around disinfecting everything in sight! I even had the thought of spraying hubbys clothes with Lysol! I am a bit of a germaphobe, I do not like being in such close contact with funky germs like this! I have my mom to blame for this. She is the exact same way....but worse! So thanks mom....you've made me a neurotic little freak! lol!

I hate it when my husband is sick. He does not get sick very often, but when he does it's BAD. I hate to see him not be his happy and funny self. Am I the only wife out there that gets emotional when their husband is sick?

Well, on to the picture. I did this a couple weeks ago. I just love flowers. They are full of beauty and peace. I found a little old and very weathered antique wooden bistro table, hidden away in the back of our garden a few weeks ago. The people who lived here before us must have forgotten about it. It's so beautiful and full of character. I just had to photograph it with my tulips. I love the end result! I may have this put onto a really big canvas for my bathroom.

Autism Awareness

2007-04-02T16:31:00.000-05:00

April is Autism Awareness month. I tell you this, because Autism is a word that is used on a daily basis in my house. My 2 year old son, Jon, may have an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Gosh, it's hard for me to even type those words.

Our journey with Autism started March 2006. It was the first week of Spring, and we were pushing Jon-Jon in his swing outside. He loves to swing. My husband and I were casually talking about how Jon seems to be behaving differently. Then, out of the blue, I had this sickening feeling in the bottom of my stomach and a tear rolled down my cheek as I asked my husband "What if he is Autistic?" Then I just stood there, looking at my precious boy, and I started to pray that I was wrong. Oh, how I wanted to be wrong. I did some research on Autism that night. I wanted to make sure I had all of my facts straight before I went to his doctor with this. The facts were over whelming. I printed out all the different materials and we started to highlight the symptoms that matched our son. By the end of the night, we were staring at a piece of paper that had 17 out of 28 symptoms/charcterstics highlighted in yellow. The next morning, I called Jon's doctor for an appointment. We were referred to a behavioral specialist in Nashville. It was 3 months before we could get in. The next 3 months were full of fears and anticipation and questions with no answers.

Jon had his first evaluation for an ASD in June 2006. We were there for almost 5 hours. And the results came back as inconclusive. They said Jon-Jon had some definate red flags, but could not be diagnosed because of his young age. But they were worried enough to want him to start therapy right away. By August 2006, we were full swing with speech and occupational therapy. We love our therapists, they are so great with Jon. He has made some progress with speech. He has a small vocabulary of single words, but he says them a lot more than he used to. That's great improvement! His occupational therapy is another story. Progress is slow with OT. But progress is being made.

Jon's therapists and social worker all agreed that he needs to be re-evaulated for an ASD sooner rather than later. But it is a looong waiting list to see the psychologists. We do not get to go until August of this year. They said though, that since Jon is older that we should be able to get a clear diagnosis one way or another. I hate waiting. I hate not knowing.

Sometimes, I look at my son, and think that he is just a typical 2 year old boy. Nothing is wrong. Then other times, it seems so appearent that there is somthing there. My heart breaks when he goes into hour long meltdowns and will not let me even touch him or hold him. Sometimes, I feel as if I have failed Jon as his mom. A mom is supposed to pick up the peices when your world falls apart. But he shuts himself out and won't let us help him when he gets to that level of frustration and anger. But, I stay srong in front of him. I reassure him that mommy is right here and mommy loves you. As long as he understands that he is loved, everything else will be ok. The best part of my day is when Jon gives me hugs and kisses. That makes it all worth it.

Our faith in God is what keeps us strong. I pray every night that we can find the answers to this mysterious disorder. That we can find the answers we need to help our son. That one day, a cure will be discovered for ASD.

These are some recent pictures I took of Jon. It is becoming harder and harder to get eye contact out of him. I took him to a new location I wanted to test out, but nothing good really came from the short session. He had sensory overload within a few seconds and couldn't sit still or even make the slightest bit of eye contact with the camera.

I love it when I do get him to look at the camera. I love his big bright eyes. There is so much wonder in those baby blues of his. I can sit here for hours just staring into those eyes.

Click on the song of the week to listen to Jon's song. It is from the Disney Dumbo movie. I heard this song for the first time when Jon was only 2 weeks old. I sing it to him when he his sad.

New Look...

2007-03-30T13:24:00.000-05:00

As you can see, I have changed my blog a bit. Now my blog matches my website and logo colors (blue and brown)!

I also created a splash page for my website! I am excited about this. For a couple of months now, I have tried and tried to create my splah page with no such luck! Last night, it just clicked with me and I was able to create it in a matter of minutes! And to think I was going to PAY to have one created for me. haha!

Let me know what you think about the new fresh changes! Do they work? As always, comments very much welcome! :)

Cheers

Where does the time go?

2007-03-26T17:21:00.000-05:00

Gallery link at bottom of post! My little ladybug is turning four in just under 3 weeks. It seems as if just yesterday she was learning to crawl. She is growing into a beautiful young lady right before my eyes! Where does the time go? Gaby has a mind all her own. She has intelligent thoughts and reasoning. She quietly prays to God every night that her baby brother can be healthy and that doctors can soon figure out what is truly going on with him. She is a sweet, beautiful, tender girl. She is shy and emotional. She is loud and energetic. She talks non-stop. She laughs at her own jokes. It's all of those things rolled in one that makes my baby girl so special.

Every year, I take Gaby out for a special photo session right before her birthday. Today was her 4 year birthday shoot. I was shocked at how well she did! She actually LET me take her picture today. I did have to slightly bribe her with cheetos and a new pair of flip-flops though! Oh, but the $10 I had to spend on her bribe was sooooo worth it! I think these are THE BEST photos I have ever taken of her! I am even using one of them to make her birthday invitation with!

There were too many photos to post them here. So you can view them by clicking on the gallery link below

Cutie in a cup :)

2007-03-24T21:12:00.000-05:00

I bought my teacup a couple of weeks ago, and I am just now trying it out with a baby. This adorable little 5 month old boy is my cousins baby. He is so sweet. I just love little babies! I was amazed at how much he had grown. The last time I had seen him was when I did his newborn session. This little guy is a fighter. He's had a rough start in this world, but he is getting better. The tiny wire and tape is a feeding tube.

He loved my teacup! Maybe a little too much! This was the only shot I could get of him looking up. The rest of the time, he was looking down playing with his toes. Little stinker!

Thinking Differently....

2007-03-22T18:11:00.000-05:00

I think every photographer sees the world differently. We each have a different "eye" for composition, color, lines, etc. When I pick up my camera, I try to photograph the unique. I try really funky and wierd angles. Sometimes that means I am laying in the dirt to get the image I want. That's fine. I'll take the sacrifice of dirty clothes and people looking at me like I am a nut job if I can capture what *I* see through my lens.

The following images were shot last weekend. I challenged myself to go out and look at some of the more ordinary objects around me and photograph them differently than what most other people I know would. That night I uploaded them to my computer and I got busy with some other things and forgot about them. Tonight I felt motivated enough to edit them. I was quite surprised at what I got.

Fire Hydrant. I loved the rich colors and texture to this.

Gaby's Fisher Price Basketball Goal.

Gaby's funky old basketball.

Gaby's Barbie trike. I know there are some blowouts on this,

but I kind of liked it like that!

Reflection of my stained glass backdoor

against my garage floor.

Vintage signs on the side of a historic Tennessee

soda fountain and drug store.

Photographer's Kid Syndrome

2007-03-21T16:55:00.000-05:00

This syndrome really does exist. Just ask my 4 year old! She is becoming ever so difficult to photograph these days. Last weekend, I had been talking to Gaby and preparing her for a photo adventure I wanted to take her on. She seemed so excited to go exploring in some new places for mommy to take her pictures. So we get all dolled up and we go out for a drive. Gaby was still VERY excited to go on this adventure with me. Once we arrived at the location (a small historic town about 20 minutes from where we live) her attitude totally changed on me. It was like watching Dr. Jeykl and Mr. Hyde! I start to shoot. All of a sudden, she loses almost all eye contact with me and will not sit still. She makes crazy faces at me and the only smiles I got out of her were those "cheeeeeese!" smiles. Yuck! I shot almost 150 shots of Gaby in various locations in the small town. And this one image is the only semi decent one out of the bunch! And even in this particular shot, she is making a crazy face at me! Normally bribes of some sort work with her, but not this time! She said I was "stalking" her with my camera and that she's had enough already! I guess that's what I get for "torturing" her with my camera since the day she was born. I sure hope this is a phase that she will soon outgrow.

You Inspire Me

2007-03-18T21:27:00.000-05:00

Most everyone has a person in their life they call their "best friend". Well, for me, that person is my mom. Yes, I am a grown woman, with children of my own, and my mother is my best friend (other than my husband, of course!). She is a beautiful and wise woman. I honestly do not know what I would do with out her. She is the first person I call in the morning and the last person I call at night. I look up to my mom. See, my mom has been a smoker for over 25 years. She tried a few times through out the years to quit, but for different reasons, it never lasted. The problem was that she tried to quit smoking because other people told her to. Well, 3 days ago, my mom woke up and said "today is the day". She decided to stop smoking because SHE wanted to (not because other people wanted her to). It was difficult, at first. She had a few temptations, but never gave into them. She stayed strong and she has won this battle. I hope my mom doesn't mind if I share a sentence from an email I recieved from her at 5:00 am this morning. This is what she wrote:

ITS DAY THREE AND I FEEL WONDERFUL I COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITH OUT ALL OF YAll"S SUPPORT I THINK I CAN SAY I HAVE BEAT THIS UGLY DEMEON THANK YOU FOR BEING THEIR FOR ME LOVE MOM

Mom, I just want you to know that I am so proud of you! I love you so much. You inspire me in every aspect of my life.

Still Life Series

2007-03-18T11:08:00.000-05:00

Before my blog got highjacked, I had a weekly series of still-life photographs that I would post. But, since I have lost all of my old posts, I'm putting all of the series of photographs taken so far in one post. So here is my "Bubbles" series that I started 6 weeks ago. All of the photos were shot using a clear vase and soda water. This has been a messy project, but was so worth it!

But Mama my ears are just so itchy!

2007-03-10T16:56:00.000-06:00

The things kids do! Jon-Jon has had an eye infection and an ear infection for a week and a half. We have been using eye drops and ear drops to help him get better. Gaby, being the paranoid little girl she is, freaked out because she thought she would catch her brothers ear infection just because she caught his eye infection! She was unusually quiet and then came to me rubbing her ear. The side of her head was soaked. She then hands me an empty eye drop bottle and says "It's all empty!". I asked her why the eye drops were gone and she said "My ears are just so itchy! I do not want sick like jon!" Gaby had squirted an entire bottle of eye drops in her ears!! I immediately call her doctor to see if she would be harmed by this. As I am explaining what happened, the receptionist on the other end was laughing. She said no harm was done. Thank goodness for that! At first, I did not see the humor in this incident. First, I was nervous. I did not know if she could be harmed by having eye drops in her ears. Secondly, I was frustrated because the tiny bottle of eye drops was expensive. Now that this is all over with, I can't help but laugh at it! My parents laughed and said maybe if we turn her sideways, we can get some of the drops back. HaHa, very funny!

New Beginnings

2007-03-08T21:39:00.000-06:00

Man, what a day! Today has been an absolutely horrible day for my family. I can't go into all of the details, but for the most part, my original blog was high jacked by someone and actually deleated from the internet. All of my hard work is gone. I really liked my blog the way it was. So now, I am trying to redo everything I lost. So hopefully, over the next few days, my blog will be back to normal. The thing that makes me the most upset is that all of my previous blog entries are gone. But I am looking to the future and my new beginning with my new blog.