Mr. ONE-derful knows how to get what he wants. All he has to do is batt those baby blues and hint at a smile...what a cutie! Absolutely loved photographing he and his momma to celebrate his first birthday.

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When you watch someone grow to become a beautiful young woman, both inside and out, there is a special feeling when you are asked to take her senior photos! Of course, I had to get over the shock that she was actually a senior in high school first...good grief, time flies!

Hailee thought it would be great to include her family in a couple of the photos and I couldn't agree more. Her mom and younger brother tagged along for the entire afternoon so I put them to work. Nate held the reflector and we had a few mini lessons on "seeing light" while mom helped by occasionally making faces so her daughter would laugh.

I enjoyed the afternoon very much...except for the moment when I tripped over my own two feet, again! I think I've finally cleaned all the sand off my camera...

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I don't know about you, but my life dreams have changed a lot over time. Graduating high school, I really had no idea what I "wanted to be when I grew up..." nor what I wanted to study in college. The fact that I ended up as an Art/Photography major was both a surprise and a 'duh' moment! When I married, my dream changed again because it incorporated my husband's as well. While I remained an art major at a new school, I also took accounting courses thinking they would be an asset someday (and they were.) Many more things changed after we had our first child. I never finished my college degree - other things kept coming up and I wanted to be home with my baby - not trying to finish my portfolio class and 1-2 others (yes, I was that close!) I may go back and finish one day, but it's just not a priority right now.

It's funny but we never really know what love is until it is staring us in the face. Whether you fall in love at first sight or over time, that love is always changing and growing. The love you have for your partner/spouse in the early years varies greatly from the love you share 30 years later. The love you have for your child is sudden and overwhelming, but that too grows as they get older. As they leave the nest you feel as though your heart will both break into a million pieces and swell with such love and admiration for the wings they are spreading. Love and life are always changing.

Then something happens. You become a grandparent! Your child has a child of their own and there is nothing that prepares you for the love that overwhelms your entire being. You thought you loved your children...and then this tiny little human comes into your life and nothing will ever be the same. You are older...slower...tire more easily...and you realize very quickly why the younger generation, which you were once a member, has the babies! Once again you must child-proof your home...which now has 30+ years of stuff to de-clutter! Nothing is easy, but there is nothing you want more than to spend time with that grand baby!

So that's what I do. In case you didn't know, we currently have 4 generations living under one roof. Yes, it can be difficult...3 adult females (and 1 adult male who works alot...) all having a hand in raising one tiny human. The pecking order is set with a first place position followed by a tie for second and third and of course, we are all ruled by that one tiny human! I would not trade it for anything. I've even gotten used to my daughters' 3 cats - and that speaks volumes! The house is a mess and our lives are rather chaotic, but we seem to make it work. It's not where I pictured this time of my life would be, but I would rather be around to see him wake up from his nap and play on the floor with his toys than anything else.

Diane

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