This being the first year my oldest girl got to exchange Valentines, we went all out. I bought her a new outfit and myself a new backdrop and designed her cards to match. She had a blast at our photo shoot and kept posing in the cutest ways, without any prompting from me. Here are a few samples:

We were having such a good time that my youngest wanted in on the fun too!

And this is the Valentine I designed for her to give to her classmates. (She was so excited to see the cards wither photos on them that she kept picking them up to look at them!)

I wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Valentine’s Day!

As my girls are oh-so aware, one of the dangers of having a photographer for a mom is that at any given moment she may, and frequently does, decide that the light/weather/alignment of the stars is perfect for a photo shoot. I often interrupt their chosen activity with the announcement “it’s time to take some pictures!” They whine for a moment and then my elder daughter starts negotiating. “I’ll let you take ten pictures if you let me have a bag of fruit snacks.” We go through  A LOT of fruit snacks. But then they get dressed and happily come along on the adventure since they know there will be some playing or exploring to be done at our location.

Last Thursday was one of those days. I took my younger daughter out for a little adventure, letting her explore while I followed her around taking pictures. I think we both had fun; she came home with some twigs and flowers she picked up and I came home with a few treasures of my own.