life, captured.

sophia: life, captured

2011-04-11T18:15:00.000-05:00

this gorgeous girl has been photographed by me countless times. one of my oldest and most loyal clients. i adore her. and her parents. she is growing up way too fast. has opinions about clothes and hair. is becoming quite the young lady. makes me tear up a bit. here are her latest shots. stay sweet, ms. sophia. xo

my babies: life, captured.

2011-04-09T13:49:00.001-05:00

there is something to be said for capturing moments. like having braided pigtails and thinking everything is funny. funny enough to squinch your nose. or holding your brother's hand and laughing your fool head off, so much so that it rolls backward. will these shots go on the mantle? probably not. but i will cherish them forever.

crazy cousins: life, captured.

2011-04-09T12:47:00.000-05:00

how do you get five kids under 10 to pose? tell them to jump. and so they jumped their sillys out so we could snap a few beautiful shots of them calm. or at least, half-way calm. crazy cousin time.

brady + taya: life, captured.

2011-04-09T12:32:00.001-05:00

these sweet faces belong to my cousin drew and his wife, nicole. they were in town a few weeks ago to check out the aquarium. after they saw the fish, they headed to our place for a quick visit and then to check out the studio. i was able to capture these smiles from these very special kids. xo

kelsey + luke: life, captured.

2011-04-02T17:45:00.001-05:00

these two cute kids are my neice and nephew, kelsey and luke. they were in town visiting us and wanted to see my new studio. i snapped a few shots in the beautifully lighted studio and voila, magic. incredible images that are fresh, modern and timeless. xo

very brady: life, captured.

2011-03-19T18:42:00.000-05:00

this brother-sister dynamic duo are picture-taking pros. big smiles. bright eyes. made my work a breeze.

eva and asher

2011-03-19T18:12:00.000-05:00

i have had the honor of photographing these adorable children at least half-a-dozen times and they have literally grown before my very eyes. they are sweet and funny and smart. i may be a tad partial though... these two have a new sister on the way, which means more photographing this special family is in my very near future. stay tuned...

sweet siblings: life, captured.

2011-03-19T17:37:00.000-05:00

these babies are bright and beautiful and well, no longer babies. a mini-session for these big kids is just what their mommy ordered. and so i captured their lives in this moment, missing teeth, blue nail polish and all. from babies to big kids in the blink of an eye...

sweet sarah: life, captured.

2011-03-19T17:06:00.001-05:00

one of the greatest joys in my life is photographing the children of my friends. and this sweet little girl is just that. a joy. and the daughter of my friend. they came in to the studio today for a mini-session. what a joy!

long time, no blog

2011-03-19T13:59:00.011-05:00

WOW -- has it really been over over a year since my last blog?

Shameful.

What have I been doing instead of blogging? Let's see: raising my triplets, selling our condo, moving, losing weight (!), navigating the public school system with my three kindergartners, having gall bladder surgery (!), taking photographs of my amazing clients and finally, opening a studio!

I have been super busy and hope that you have been following my life: http://http//www.facebook.com/home.php#!/rebeccaeeden and career: http://http//www.facebook.com/#!/pages/rebecca-e-eden-photography/48882067612 on facebook.

Now that my kids are in school full time, I have been devoting my time to two things: growing my photography business and losing weight.

While I won't bore you with my weight loss journey, I will tell you all about the latest and exciting happenings at rebecca e. eden photography! I have more amazing clients than ever, am in the middle of a marketing campaign and of course, there is my new studio, which is beautiful and chic and everything I ever dreamed of and more. It is the genius vision of interior designer/decorate extraordinaire Greg Jagmin http://designbrothers.wordpress.com/.

The images being created in this space are light-filled masterpieces and I couldn't be happier. Here are two examples of recent studio shots...

One of the most rewarding things in my life is new friend, Shalimar Beekman. We met years ago when a mutual friend introduced us because we went to the same photography school, lived in the same neighborhood, had kids around the same age, grew up in Michigan and even both graduated from Michigan State University. We were always friendly and hung out with the same group of women in our 'hood, seeing one another at playdates, neighborhood activies, etc. We had each other's numbers to ask photo related questions, but never to just call and chat. We rarely hung out together, just the two of us. We also rented studio space -- she more regularly than I -- from another mutual friend in a cool warehouse building, located at Ravenswood and Irving Park.

And then in December, Shalimar and I were at bootcamp at our local gym when she asked if I ever thought about having my own studio space. Ha. I only thought about it EVERY DAY. A pipe dream, something I would have when I made six figures, or so I assumed. She said that the only way she could have her "own" space is if she could share it with someone. That someone she wanted to be me because we had similar style and taste. And just like that, a partnership was made and we were soon on the hunt for studio space.

In January, Shalimar found space right next door to the studio that we rented from our friend. We literally would share a wall with him. We signed a year-long lease and moved in on January 15th. The next month was spent building two walls to create a prop closet, painting, installing hardwood flooring, shopping, caulking, fixing... I have never worked so hard and laughed so hard at the same time. For two people who barely knew one another we got to know each other really fast -- over long hours of manual labor. And good news -- we like one another! And we complement each other. For instance, Shalimar is really good at details and can paint in tight quarters. I get claustrophobic and bored. Meanwhile, I can tackle big projects -- like spray painting 400 flowers for our lights. Twice.

Our families also helped us - and saved us thousands of dollars - in making this space amazing. We are forever thankful and indebted to them.

So, if you don't hire me to photograph your children, hire Shalimar. I am honored to call her my friend and studio-sharing partner. I knew that having a studio would improve my business but I never imagined that I would gain a friend too. And that is the biggest blessing of all.

My hope is that everyone see the blessings in their life as they work to make their dreams come true.

XO - REE

day o' faith!

2009-10-04T20:04:00.001-05:00

a little faith. everyone needs some. you need to have faith that things are going to work out as they should. that two people will meet once and then years will pass and they will meet again, this time sparks flying. they fall in love, get married and out pops more faith, this time in the form of a beautiful baby girl, named of course, faith.

faith's mom and i used to work together at a large law firm downtown. she quit to become an upholsterer and i to have babies and become a photographer. we each had faith in ourselves that we could follow our dreams and pursue careers that make us happy.

she and i bartered - i needed a chair reupholstered and she needed a photographer for faith's baptism. done deal. but i think i came out ahead because it was an amazing event -- friends and family came from near and far to descend on old st. pat's for a day o' faith and a little fun afterwards at athena's greek restaurant.

my hope for this sweet, special baby is a lifetime of healthy, happiness and of course, faith.

back to school...

2009-10-04T19:59:00.003-05:00

my trio started their third and final year of preschool with only two entering through those famous yellow doors.
the night before, jojo was up really late and i kept on telling him that he would regret it the next morning. the next morning arrived and jojo fell asleep under the kitchen table, in the bathroom and in our bed. we yelled at him and made an example of "this is what happens when you don't go to bed...". I dressed his limp body and told him to get downstairs for a photo and "you'd better smile!" Then it was in the car only to be stuck in traffic on lake shore drive. UGH!

we get about a mile from home when jojo decides to vomit all over his perfectly coordinated outfit. i stopped the car in the middle of the traffic jam and got out to strip his yucky clothes off of him. then back to driving the other two kids to school.

a little back story was that i was so looking forward to their first day of school because i had a ton of errands to do and had my three hours sans kids planned down to the minute. so by the time i got to their preschool, i was a sobbing mess. sad that i had not been more in tune to what jojo was feeling and had been harsh. sad that i wasn't going to get my much needed break. when i got out of my car, ms. sherry (their teacher and my dearest friend) said, "what's wrong?" with great alarm. other mom's stood by sniffling from dropping off their youngsters for the first time and there i stood sobbing because i was overtired and overwhelmed at having to take jojo back home with me. i was definitely a mom-ster! not a good start to the year but at least the photos don't tell the story of that day (although check out jojo's grimace -- poor guy!)

soccer stars

2009-10-04T19:55:00.002-05:00

our trio began ayso in a nearby neighborhood and it started with a sputter. days before their first practice/game, eden said that she didn't want to play soccer. was scared to get bumped and kicked. she hated it. didn't want anything to do with it. despised it. wasn't going to play. final answer.

so i decide to take matters into my own hands and get her something that would change her mind. make her want to play. make her fall in love with the game. make her the next mia hamm. i get her some pink and black soccer cleats. she warms up to the idea but is still a bit wary.

so game day arrives. the soccer scaredy cat steps up to the plate (oops, wrong sport cliche) and participates. she runs, she kicks, she plays the game. and the boys, oh, they can been seen flopping on the in field. sucking their thumbs while hiding in the goals, sitting in the middle of the scrum...

we threatened them, removed them from the game and eventually walked away to take a break from our disappointment. we just wanted them to participate - not score, not win. just be a team player.

on the way home, we cheered for eden and got her an ice-cream sundae, much to the boys' chagrin.

since then, the boys have turned their game around and started to participate. they score. they win. they are soccer stars.

growing up before my lens...

2009-09-20T19:35:00.000-05:00

it is one thing for time to pass with a blink of an eye while raising my trio, but this sweet, silly and very smart girl is literally growing up before my lens.

for the third consecutive year, she posed and played as i happily snapped away. we chatted about soccer -- she and her best friend are on the same team; halloween -- she is going to be hermione granger from harry potter; and her desired pet -- a snake.

she is a beautiful doll-face who loves to climb trees and doesn't mind getting dirty. i look forward to our annual session because i know i will get amazing images as she is such a good sport and a ton of fun.

because the camera (and camera operator) loves her, i have captured some amazing photographs of her over the years. on my very old and outdated website, she was the girl in the red coat, dancing and twirling in a patch of trees. on my very new and glossy business cards, she smiles at every potential client, her sparkling eyes urging them to hire me.
she is a true delight, the sweetest girl ever. now if she would just stop growing...

the club

2009-08-30T23:21:00.000-05:00

my great grandparents helped found and organize what is now known as the "hiawatha sportsman's club" in the upper peninsula of michigan. it is one of the last untouched places on earth -- thousands of acres of forestland, pristine lakes and beach front, spectacular sunsets and fun-filled days. as a young girl, i spent many summers at the club and now my children are experiencing vacations there. days are spent catching frogs, swimming, going for hikes, playing at the beach, fishing, flying kites, having campfires, looking at the stars, swatting the bugs, canoeing, visiting with longtime family friends, and hanging out at nana and papa's cottage. even though i am a city girl, through and through, a bit of my heart remains forever at the club! see you next summer HSC!

friendship captured

2009-08-30T23:18:00.000-05:00

there is so much to say about the beautiful people in these photos -- they are my dearest friends, my most loyal clients and probably my biggest fans. if i am down to my last dollar, my last crumb and my last tear, i would pick up my phone and call this family. they have been there -- at my worst and at my best. with food when a loved one had passed away, with open arms when my children were born, with a laugh at having to return a dying, brown, one-needle on it Christmas tree. when i was waiting for my nephew to be born earlier this year, i texted them to say that i needed them to watch my kids so that Frank could go to work as i waited not so patiently at the hospital. i turned off my phone, knowing that the favor would be filled and that they would be there. without asking questions. without blinking an eye. so when it is my turn to fill their bellies, watch their children, help them out, i step up and do so with a sense of happiness knowing that this kind of friendship is rare and wonderful. one way that i show them how much i cherish them is by photographing their family every year. as we walked my route today at the zoo, the three of us reminisced about photographing their sweet daughter during her first session! we tried to recreate some of the same photos with their handsome son. we talked about how time flies by. how much their first born has changed into a chatty, spirited, curious child. as we walked and talked, i thought about how lucky i am to have friends like them, that they trust me to capture their growing family, to be there as they create memories for them to treasure forever. thanks for your friendship. xo

one stop-light to bright lights

2009-08-30T22:41:00.001-05:00

my high school counselor, mr. ivan, had a motto: "always remember where you came from."

whenever i heard this, i thought, "as if i could forget." my small hometown of Perry, Michigan has one stoplight. if you blink, you miss it kind of place. yet its streets, homes, people and their stories are part of my soul. i wouldn't be me if i hadn't lived in this "everyone knows everyone and their business" small town. it was this place that i dreamed of leaving for bigger places with brighter, bigger -- and more -- lights. it was this place that i despised when i couldn't get away with anything because everyone knew my mom (we look exactly alike) and would tell her of my error in ways. when i left, i did so with hardly looking back, the dust from my heels clouding the view.

however, it was in this place that i fell in like with a boy named brian, who loved art, Madonna and all things funny. we dated on and off (not so seriously) through high school and college. he was best friends with my cousin and we hung out with the same group of friends. he and i gossiped and laughed our way through the early 90s. it wasn't that much of a surprise to me when he revealed he was gay. i was happy for him that he was living his truth.

i was living in chicago and working downtown when i heard through the grapevine that brian was moving here. to make a long story short, we both escaped the grasp of our one stoplight small town and now are both artists, living a few blocks apart, in the bright lights of the windy city. so when his sweet partner -- one of the city's best interior designers -- greg jagmin, called asking for headshots, i couldn't help but hear a whisper from long ago, "always remember where you came from." because if it weren't for Perry, there wouldn't be a rebecca, nor a brian, nor a greg...

to learn more about brian go to http://www.bigartchicago.com/ and greg go to http://www.designbrothers.wordpress.com/
these two guys are taking the art/design world by storm. they are smart, creative, funny and can turn anything into something cool/hip/trendy/edgy. i yearn to be them, but alas i am a girl. and straight. i will have to stick to being their friend.

apologies to greg for making his blog post more about the love of his life (and his hometown) instead of him... although one last note: greg arrived at the studio with a disclaimer about how he is hard to photograph. i found the opposite to be true. he was a trouper, moving dumpsters so we could photograph him in an alley and we got some great shots. And, thanks to him and his famous-ness, these headshots will most likely be published far and wide, as he is ofted featured in Chicago Home + Garden http://www.chicagohomemag.com/. onto bigger, brighter lights...

o big boy!

2009-08-27T00:43:00.002-05:00

10 full months of photographing this beautiful boy and I have treasured each and every click of my shutter!

my kids came with me on this photo-session/friendly visit and this angel boy didn't fuss once about them hogging his toys or getting man-handled by the ultimate baby maulers. he was his usual happy, chill self.

oh, and his beautiful new home was perfect for capturing these shots. beware sweet boy, i will be back! xo

sisterly love

2009-08-11T01:21:00.002-05:00

this photo session was nearly a year in the works and well worth the wait... after much discussion and two rain cancellations, these three sisters and their sweet mom met me last week at the lincoln park zoo. dressed in adorable summer dresses, they couldn't have looked more angelic. and their look matched their personalities. there was not one meltdown (thanks in part to some great bribes from mom -- popcorn being one of them! yum!). we walked my usual route and the girls were spirited, curious and perfect. they twirled, they posed, they loved on one another. sisterly love - and popcorn - was shared by one and all. great day. great session. great girls. xo

yum O, mr. O!

2009-08-03T22:49:00.001-05:00

as they say, time flies when you are having fun and it has been 9 months since this beautiful boy was born. it feels like just yesterday that i packed my camera gear and headed to the hospital to meet this much anticipated lump of love.

last week we headed to bauler park in old town for a photo session. he smiles when you sing, "take me out to the ball game," loves putting grass in his mouth (much to his pretty mommy's chagrin) and is on the move. oh, and his thighs are delicious. yum-O, mr. O!

aunt 'becca loves ben...

2009-07-27T00:29:00.000-05:00

i seriously can't get enough of this sweet boy. his open mouth kiss melts my heart, his smile makes me swoon, and his giggle makes my world happier.

i am head over heels in love with this boy.

i can't believe that his parents are going to separate us when they move back to michigan next month. i guess that they will have to deal with his heart breaking and it will be my job to remind them and him of it for the rest of my days. afterall, what are aunties and sisters for?

on a serious note, we headed to the studio on sunday to capture ben's third month of life. as usual he was perfect. pure perfection. but i could be a bit biased.

the only snafu was that the little bugger couldn't sit up in the pail, which meant that my brother had to have two hands on the bucket so it didn't flip over with ben in it. i mean seriously, ben, can you work on your core muscles so that the next time we do a photo session you can sit up.

how old are you anyway, 3 months? oh yeah, you are. xo

texas bound...

2009-07-23T01:26:00.005-05:00

this sweet family was referred to me by some of my all-time favorite clients (thanks m-family!). a few months ago, i recieved an email saying that this family was moving to texas at the end of the summer and wanted to book a session with me before they left. the mission? to capture the spirit of chicago in the photos so that their children would remember that they once lived in the windy city.

so on wednesday, i met them at the lincoln park zoo for their photo session. the morning sun was perfect and i happily snapped away for about two hours. after playing with sweet ms. c and smart little e in the conservatory lawn, we hiked through the zoo (stopping at my favorite spots along the way) to the farm zoo, by the duck pond and finally across the foot bridge to north avenue beach. unfortunately the "skyline bridge" (the pedestrian bridge between the zoo and the farm zoo) was closed for renovations but i think i captured the essence of our magnificent city for them to remember and treasure in their new texas home.

xo and farewell sweet t family!

bittersweet weekend

2009-07-21T03:34:00.001-05:00

this past weekend, my family flocked to the upper peninsula of michigan to say a final farewell to our beloved papa. we came from far and wide -- cleveland, st. louis, chicago and even longtime family friends from california made the trek. the weekend was filled with dozens of family members -- at one point there were 27 people in our family cottage -- from a few weeks old to our nana, who just turned 80. the weekend was filled with immense sorrow and the next moment, loud bouts of laughter. in one day, we planted a tree in papa's honor, raised a flag for him and and then scattered his ashes at his favorite place on earth. it was so bittersweet because it was exactly what he wanted and not at all what we wanted. we wanted him back. for just one more moment. for one last kiss. one last smile. one last joke. one last laugh. one last silly hat. one last anything.

there were moments where i felt papa's presence -- when jojo caught his first fish (no, that is not tackle/bait in the photo above, that is jojo's big catch!), when frank wheeled our boys around in the wheelbarrow (something that papa always did!), and when the great grandkids gathered on the front porch for a photo, the meltdowns would have cracked papa up.

may you rest in peace papa, knowing that you are loved and missed daily by the amazing family you created. xo

miss k

2009-07-21T01:15:00.000-05:00

after a few false starts due to weather, i finally met this cutie-patootie and her family last week for a photo session at margate park. she is as sweet as can be and has a lot of energy. her mom and i decided that she was spirited. now if only we could bottle that sweet, silly, spirit...

barn babies

2009-07-13T21:15:00.001-05:00

i dream about owning a few acres, with a big house and a few out buildings (one for my studio) and a barn -- oh, and an inground pool. i mean, if i am dreaming... anyway, back to the barn. everytime i see an old red barn, my heart soars with delight. i love them. so when i saw this one at the frederic meijer gardens in grand rapids last week, i nudged my kids toward it for a few shots. beautiful barn. beautiful babies. xo

gorgeous in grand rapids

2009-07-13T20:09:00.002-05:00

these gorgeous girls belong to my cousin and his wife, who i consider one of my dearest friends. we spent four days with them in grand rapids, michigan last week. there were five kids under five and let's just say it was chaos and crazy and fun. we went to the frederic meijer gardens, checked out their quaint little town and hung out at their amazing new home. i can't see myself living in many places, but i could move into their 'hood tomorrow! oh, and i of course snapped these shots of their sweet girls. these sisters are smart, funny, energetic and as beautiful as can be. i am happy that i am their aunt 'becca! xo

the joys of childhood...

2009-07-07T23:24:00.000-05:00

the joys of childhood include long sunny, summer days, good friends, ice cream push-ups, hanging out at the zoo and being a silly kid. this photo sums up the joy i feel in my life for my children, my friends and my work. xo

lovely lily

2009-06-28T14:48:00.000-05:00

is there anything better than bare baby feet pitter-pattering through the grass? not if you ask this lovely girl! this charming toddler and her parents met me on the conservatory lawn in lincoln park this morning for a photo shoot. and let me tell you, those bare feet can move! we were immediately on the go, running after her in every direction.

she is so charming and sweet, curious and joyful. at 18-months old, her favorite things include blowing kisses, being with her mom and riding on her dad's shoulders. this family was great to photograph and the images i captured of this beautiful baby are amazing. xo

fun in the sun

2009-06-27T21:41:00.000-05:00

nearly every afternoon, you can find us and our neighbors, having fun in the sun in our front yard. that means, lots of water, lots of toys and lots of bubbles. we are so lucky to live in a building with so many kids (six under 5 years old)! xo

o on the go...

2009-06-27T21:24:00.001-05:00

o is crawling! it has been amazing to watch him grow over these past few months! he is so full of energy and as he gets faster, is going to keep his mom on her toes. xo sweet boy!

gorgeous girls

2009-06-27T21:16:00.000-05:00

it is summer-time (finally!) in the windy city and that means it was time for my annual photo session with two of my all-time favorite girls, and this year, we added their older cousin to the mix.

we spent an hour or so at the zoo and had a ton of fun.

the girl with the missing teeth holds a special place in my heart because when i was pregnant and on bedrest, she and her mom, a dear friend of mine, would visit me nearly every week. i used to look forward to hearing my back door open and then the pitter-patter of her little feet racing down the hall to find me (mind you, i was in the same place every time -- sprawled out on my sofa!). she would usually hand me a chocolate chip cookie (warning: "carol's cookies" are addictive!) that i immediately devoured. what can i say, my trio was ravenous!

these girls are not only gorgeous, but they are silly and smart and sweet. pure perfection! XO

sweet sarah

2009-06-19T23:53:00.000-05:00

this sweet love bug belongs to a dear friend and former co-worker. i met this 3.5 week wonder for the first time a few days ago and in the hour or so that I was visiting, she lost her umbilical cord attached to her belly button and she ROLLED OVER DURING THE PHOTO SHOOT!!!! she was positioned on the footstool being the best model ever and all of the sudden she kind of arched her back and leaned and i said to her mommy, "um, is she going to..." and there she went right off the edge of the footstool and into her mommy's fast reacting, loving arms. we were shocked and flustered but this baby girl barely batted an eye at her new trick. when repeating this story to my husband, he said, "sheesh, she will be speaking japanese by the time she is 6 months old." i don't doubt it.

she is perfect, amazing and the sweetest thing! i couldn't get enough of her! XO

babysitting ben!

2009-06-15T20:59:00.001-05:00

i babysat baby ben today, which means that i got to work using him as my model. after all, not many babies are as cute as my nephew, but i may be a tad biased. between saving him from the baby maulers (aka my trio), i made him earn his keep -- and let me tell you, he loves the camera, or maybe he just loves me! xo sweet boy!

blast from the past...

2009-06-05T00:42:00.000-05:00

today i had the privilege of photographing these adorable kids, who belong to a girl i went to high school with.

thanks to facebook, we recently reconnected and i learned that she lived in a northern suburb of chicago. she booked me to photograph her family and it was a great blast from the past. we weren't really friends in high school, but were definitely friendly toward one another. however, after spending a few hours at her lovely home, and getting to know her, i would love to call her a friend. we have a lot in common (we both graduated from msu, have family still in michigan, are stay at home moms, have rental properties, etc.) and and it was fascinating to learn all about her life today -- she and her husband own race horses! how cool is that?

she offered to show my family around arlington racetrack, which was on our list of places to go this summer, and we are excited about that adventure! if i had to place a bet on this friendship flourishing, i think we have pretty good odds!

sensational sisters

2009-05-28T01:30:00.003-05:00

these sensational sisters belong to a dear friend of mine. we have only known one another for a bit over a year but it feels like we have been friends our entire lives. she and i share the same name and the youngest sweet girl in these photos has the same name as my daughter.

this photo session occured over memorial day weekend when their family came to our house for a picnic lunch, which was held inside because of the chilly weather. we didn't let that stop us from having fun though. lots of yummy food, gymnastics demonstrations from the four four-year olds and general mayhem and chaos topped off the afternoon. we shared many laughs and had a great time. xo sweet friends!

chub-a-lub...

2009-05-22T22:10:00.000-05:00

ahhh... is there anything better than a naked baby? perhaps a chubby naked baby! this chub-a-lub has more rolls than a bakery and was perfectly delicious as usual. after months of photo shoots with him and his family, this was our first one outside. the light was beautiful and being a typical boy, he was transfixed by the passing El trains. He also liked the wind in his face, flirting with his mama and of course, putting everything in his mouth. see you next month sweet one! xo

three under three...

2009-05-17T16:47:00.000-05:00

these beautiful babies belong to our former neighbors -- who have since moved to the the suburbs. it is not often that i make the trip "waaay out there" for a photo session but it was well worth it for these priceless shots.

baby ben and his cousins

2009-05-15T19:47:00.000-05:00

i can't help myself... i am in love with my nephew! oh, and my three are pretty cute too!

baby bump

2009-05-15T19:39:00.002-05:00

this belly bump contains a baby that is due in three weeks and these parents to be are nearly ready. they crossed belly shots (the photographic kind!) off their list earlier this week. it is their first baby and they are so excited about the arrival of him/her. the love between these two is contagious and this baby is lucky to be born to them! now pack your hospital bag, install that car seat and the waiting begins... good luck and i can't wait to hear all about your new addition!

beautiful benjamin

2009-04-18T20:51:00.001-05:00

at long last, my nephew has arrived! on April 16 at 10:09 a.m., benjamin eli made his entrance into this world, weighing in at 9 lbs. and 5 oz at 22 inches long.

he is a chunk of pure perfection!

he came home today and we had a little welcoming celebration complete with both sets of grandparents (who both made the trek from Michigan in time for the birth), and two sets of aunts and uncles, plus his three chicago cousins. a banner created by the triplets, champagne and a feast for all of us made the party fun and baby ben feel extra loved and special. who am i kidding, the little bugger slept through the whole event.

welcome to the world sweet benny boy! i love you more than you will ever know! xo

the marvelous ms. m

2009-04-14T22:48:00.000-05:00

it is not often that one is in the presence of a marvelous miracle. but that is exactly where i found myself during my photo session monday. this sweet baby girl is thriving after many challenges thrown her way and she is not one bit sour after enduring it all.

other than being entertained by her two favorite people, she spends her days burping her baby, getting down to "All the Single Ladies" by Beyonce and doing the chicken dance like no other. she is a movin' groovin' miracle. i was honored to capture a few moments of her marvelous life. xo to you sweet m!

trick trout

2009-04-09T00:07:00.004-05:00

have you ever seen such smoochy fish lips? his mom has been trying to capture o's latest trick for days now and after just a few minutes with me, he was performing like a trick pony, i mean trout. i think this boy wonder is pretty much perfect and photographing him on my birthday today was the best present ever. that is, until his mom handed over the cupcakes she made for me! delicious boy, yummy cupcakes, great birthday! xo

my three turned 4!

2009-03-23T21:52:00.000-05:00

everyone said that time would fly by and they were right. it seems like just yesterday I was giving birth to my terrific trio and with a blink of an eye, they turned four this past weekend. their birthday bash was a smashing success, complete with music, balloons, a pinata, cake and pizza -- oh, and their favorite friends and family members to celebrate with them. happy birthday sweet babies!

sweet bunny boy!

2009-03-23T21:38:00.000-05:00

happy easter sweet boy!

great papa. great life.

2009-03-16T23:46:00.003-05:00

most of the posts to this blog are sweet and sunny.

i am warning you now, this one isn't like most.

this one is about my sweet, dear papa who died february 28, 2009 in sarasota, florida. in the past two weeks, i have spent six days in florida and five days in michigan. it has been a whirlwind of travel and heartache.

a sidenote before i forget: thanks to my clients, you know who you are, who have been more than patient as i dealt with my family crisis instead of you. your kindess and support is greatly appreciated.

i still can't come to grips that this larger than life character is gone. i grew up less than a half-mile from his house, although he always teased me that we lived "on the other side of the tracks." he was always there to share my special life moments: athletic events, academic honors, graduations, proms, wedding, babies... i think that is why the loss seems so unbearable. not many people are as lucky to have been given the gift of 33 years to share with someone who loves and cherishes them, the way only a grandfather can.

i can describe lots of things about my papa that would make anyone amazed. like that his childhood was non-existent, that at the age when most kids are afraid of the dark, he had to leave his home in the middle of the night and head into the cold, dark night out to the barn to begin his chores before school. instead of learning to farm, he learned how to not treat children. he had four daughters and gave them the childhood that he never had. one filled with love.

i can tell you that his step-mother was cruel to him but that he promised his dying father that he would take care of her. and he did, building an apartment above his garage for her, where she lived for decades until she died a few years ago. he never went back on his promises.

i can tell you that at the age of 17 he fled his home and lied about his age to join the Navy. i have never known him to tell a lie but he told this one to save himself, to save the last bit of spirit that wasn't stolen from his sweet soul.

i can tell you that he was deliciously handsome as a young man and quite the catch, but my beautiful nana caught his eye and he immediately knew she was a keeper. as they say, the rest is history! more than 60 years later, they were always the last ones dancing during the "longest married" dance at weddings. they were just as in love on that dance floor as the one they first met on. i was always so proud to be a by-product of their union and inspired by their relationship that endured the test of time.

i can tell you that in the Navy he learned carpentry and after the war, returned home and began his life's work as a carpenter and building contractor. calling him a builder would be selling him short, he was more like an artist. he would only use the finest wood to create the most beautiful homes, many of which are today still occupied by his daughters and their families. after retirement, he created lamps, tables and cradles for his most cherished beings: his 14 grandchildren. there wasn't anything he couldn't build or fix. the best thing he ever created though was his family.

i can tell you that his favorite place was "up north" which he referred to as "God's country." Although he only truly loved it when his family was there to share and enjoy all of its splendor with him.

i can tell you that he was an amazing outdoorsman: fisher/hunter/sharpshooter. and while, these things aren't my "cup of tea" they are treasured by him and those he spent time doing them with.

i can tell you that he loved teasing and wrestling with his grandchildren to the point of a sweaty frenzy, usually. he blamed us for everything -- a glob of food on his shirt, a broken fishing rod, a tangled knot -- usually when we miles away. his blazing fires were legendary - our perfectly matched holiday clothes stripped from our small perspirating bodies, only to have him laugh in glee.

i can tell you that his daughters could never stay mad at him, doting on him endlessly and tending to his every need. to this day, i wonder if there was ever a man more loved by so many women.

i can tell you that he received his greatest gifts -- his great grandchildren, currently 22 and counting -- just a few short years ago. he was amazed at my babies and loved showing them off. when two of them were featured in a national advertisement, he walked around wal-mart with the toy box that they were on, torturing other shoppers by showing them his famous "great grands!"

i can tell you that he never left a job undone and when he was 80-something, he finally recieved his high-school diploma as he never finished high school because he was at sea in the Navy.

i can tell you that i don't understand how a man with a childhood like he had, could love like he did and create the amazing life and family that he had. i can tell you that i don't understand how a man with just a high school education could provide for his wife and daughters and instill the importance of education in them. today this large family includes educators, coaches, business owners, a chef, an editor, lawyers, a doctor, a nurse, a graphic designer, documentary film maker, a photographer, an engineer, an accountant and stay at home moms to name just a few. i can just imagine what the next generation will do to honor him and his legacy.

i can tell you that all of these things but nothing really captures the essence of him. he was funny, honest, hardworking, mischievous, smart, sweet, loving, kind, helpful, creative and so much more. unless you knew him -- or even just met him once -- you won't understand the man he was.

i can tell you that his four daughters and their children and their children (about 60 people in all...) all feel like they are his favorites and they would be right.

i can tell you that they don't make men like my papa anymore. and like my papa, i don't lie.

i love you dearly and miss you desperately. may heaven be filled with things to fix, fish to catch and sunsets to watch. save me a seat on your lap, after all, i am your favorite.

baby h!

2009-02-24T23:08:00.000-06:00

i helped throw a baby shower in michigan on Sunday for my sister-in-law, who also happens to be one of my best friends! i love planning parties especially for people i love and i LOVE this baby. i just wish he or she would hurry up and arrive (due april 16) so that i can actually meet the new person that i already love! congrats to my brub and his sweet wife!

newlyweds

2009-02-24T22:19:00.000-06:00

this very fun couple was actually married last fall in Michigan but wanted to share their day with extended family, friends and co-workers from Chicago. their solution? throw an amazing party at Tilli's on Halsted last weekend. the beautiful bride wore her wedding dress, the place was packed, the bar was open and the food was delish. candles lit the trendy restaurant, making it romantic and chic -- the night was nothing short of spectacular and i was thrilled to be part of it.

my wish for this couple? may they live a long, healthy life; be always as happy as they were on this night and to always be surrounded by their family and friends.

lovebirds!

2009-02-19T23:57:00.000-06:00

this amazing couple will be married labor day weekend and i have the honor of capturing their very special day!

i met the bride over two years ago -- she is the saint that teaches my children and 350 others gymnastics every week. and the groom, i met for a split second in the parking lot of the grocery store when i told him that he had competition in the love department. my son had the sweetest crush on his tumbling teacher. obviously he was afraid of this fact because months later he popped the question.

while shooting their very fun engagement photo session today, they shared the secrets of their relationship: fist bumps, air guitar, and a complex high-five. but most of all, i learned that they are best friends and head over heels in love with one another. they tease and laugh and adore one another. they call themselves "boring" but they are anything but.

i look forward to photographing their wedding day and can see their future filled with health, happiness and lots of fist bumps, air guitar and a complex high five...

this little love O' mine...

2009-02-18T00:00:00.001-06:00

every time i see this sweet little bug, it is the highlight of my day. he is full of personality and charm and love. i can't get enough of him. thankfully we have a standing date every month. see you soon sweet little love O' mine! xo

belly laughs

2009-02-17T22:08:00.000-06:00

this sweet baby boy belongs to another cousin of mine and his wife, one of my dearest and longest friends. capturing a moment like this -- i look at this picture and can still hear his belly laugh -- is what makes my job fulfilling and fun. laugh on sweet boy!

cute cousin!

2009-02-17T21:58:00.001-06:00

this beautiful girl belongs to my cousin. she and her mommy were at a baby shower that my daughter and i recently attended. i had only met this cutie-pie once before and she was teeny-tiny then. two years later she is a walking, talking, potty-trained dynamo!

adorable andrew

2009-02-17T21:46:00.001-06:00

this adorable little guy is the son of my best friend -- her fourth child! i had to wait an excruciating two months to meet this little bugger but it wasn't for my lack of trying. this sweet boy had the gall to get pneumonia shortly after his birth. how dare he!! so after a week or so in the ICU, he was finally home but by then i was back in chicago. and when i returned to my hometown a month later, he and his family were vacationing in hawaii for a week. i know, tough life. finally, last weekend, i got my hands on him and it was well worth the wait! he is delicious! i can't wait to get my hands on him again...

sweet seamus

2009-02-17T21:27:00.001-06:00

this sweet boy is six weeks old and a cutie patootie!
he is the first child to a couple i am lucky enough to call my friends. his sweet mama tried to convince me that he wasn't always as good as he was when i was photographing him today but i know she was fibbing.
i don't believe it for a second. i know pure perfection when i see it.
i saw it today.

doll face

2009-01-13T16:22:00.000-06:00

you may not know this, but i really do try to NOT smother this blog with photos of my trio. however, when a photo like this comes along, well, i just can't stop myself.

here is what you can't see in this photo: that she is completely naked but IS wearing her winter boots. i don't know where she thinks she was headed but at least her head and feet will be warm.

i am so proud to call this spunky, sweet, funny, smart, baby girl, mine.

brunch with baby e and family...

2009-01-13T16:17:00.000-06:00

this sweet baby has the same name as my daughter and her mom has the same name as me. so of course we are friends! and we had brunch with them to celebrate the new year! it was fun and crazy and delicious! hope to see you soon!

o personality!

2009-01-13T16:13:00.000-06:00

this sweet boy has turned into mr. personality. he loves his mom and will break out the smiles for her. he is much loved and it shows on his sweet face. see you next month, mr. o!

holiday highlights

2009-01-13T01:47:00.004-06:00

our holidays were filled with much happiness and lots of highlights:
* meeting a real toy soldier at the FAO Schwarz at Macy's
* our annual tradition of sitting on Santa's lap at Macy's on Christmas Eve (despite arriving late and begging an elf to let us in the back door and re-open Santa's lap for us -- thank you elf angel!)
* enjoying the trampoline and easel that Santa left at our house.
* a naked JJ-turned-Picasso painting a masterpiece
* a visit from cousin K; we jammed packed our days with fun at Navy Pier, DayFrog and the American Girl Store.
* a trip to my parents house were we visited with family and had tons of fun

happy holidays c family!

2009-01-13T01:40:00.002-06:00

one of my favorite families -- the c family! they called me with an SOS -- take our holiday card photo ASAP! of course i answered the call and tada -- this is the photo! this family is amazing -- they have referred so many clients to me -- that this was my way to thank them! happy holidays!

cute cousins!

2009-01-13T01:39:00.004-06:00

the weekend before Christmas, we traveled to Kalamazoo to celebrate the holidays with my husband's side of the family and also to wish our nephew a very happy second birthday.

mr. t turns 1!

2009-01-13T01:37:00.000-06:00

wow -- what a difference a few months make... the last time i photographed this beautiful boy, his mom and i put put him in a spot and he stayed there as i snapped away.

this time, not so much.

he is a moving, crawling, creeping, standing, dancing ball of energy. although he is not walking yet, he is on his way there and kept me on moving the entire time during our session. we used what i refer to the "mr. t's playroom annex" -- the large, sunny community room in the highrise condo building he lives in. according to a certain real estate attorney i know, if mr. t continues to play in/occupy the room (as he does daily!) for the next 20 years, it will become his. that is what i call a million dollar first birthday present/real estate legal tip from me! ; )

his mom not only shares my name, she is one of my most loyal clients and drops my name all around the windy city -- at playdates, on chatgroups and inside her very cool circle of friends (who are now clients of mine, which of course makes them cool in my book!). thanks rebecca!!!

i look forward to our next session with this great family in the spring/summer! xo mr. t!

same address, new wesbite...

2008-12-13T01:23:00.003-06:00

my new website is alive and well, on the internet that is. thanks to everyone who made this happen!

operation smile round II

2008-12-13T01:23:00.000-06:00

confession: sometimes i don't get the shot. sometimes i am having an off day. sometimes the kids are having an off day. sometimes the stars don't align and the smiles don't shine. which means i don't sleep. not getting the shot the first time with this family literally kept me up at night. as a perfectionist, it drove me nuts knowing i didn't get the shot of the three of them.

hence, operation smile round II.

these three beautiful children (and their mom!) met me at a studio that i have access to and we tried again. and i got it. when i have the shot i know it. and i knew it. the light was perfect. the kids were happy. it was fun. these photos show it. now i am going to sleep!

baby h is now a big boy

2008-12-13T01:05:00.000-06:00

this family is one of my favorite to photograph because after three sessions with them, i consider them to be more like my friends than clients! this little boy is so smart and sweet -- he already speaks more than 100 words! when they visited my home earlier this week, my kids mauled him with kisses and hugs and he never once protested. that is what i call a great kid! and a great family!

the t boys...

2008-12-13T00:49:00.001-06:00

the t boys live downstairs from us and I consider them to be my "other" kids. their mom is one of my best friends and we swap kids all the time. i always take their christmas card photo and this year was no exception. merry christmas you sweet boys!

growing pains, moving pains...

2008-12-11T17:37:00.003-06:00

the good news: rebecca e. eden photography is growing!

the bad news: rebecca e. eden photography wanted a bigger/flashier/faster "office" (aka website) and moving to one has been a pain.

while my website is no longer on the internet, a new one -- with the same address -- will be up and running within days. or so i am promised. if you are looking for your photos, you can still access them via http://picasaweb.google.com/rebeccaeedenphotography and can contact me by phone at 312.505.0355 or rebeccaeichenlaub@yahoo.com. my ree email address is also down because it is connected to my website.

so please don't despair, a new and improved rebecca e. eden photography will be back before you know it. hang in there, moving is always a pain.

o happy one!

2008-12-06T22:51:00.000-06:00

at my second session today, it was my delight to photograph this sweet girl. she is one and is full of spunk. an only child to her fun parents, she rules the roost, or so she thinks. she has her daddy wrapped around her little finger and he has a bunch of tricks up his sleeve to make her smile and giggle. and when she does smile, well, all of the ice in chicago melts, right along with her parents hearts. and mine.

a true gift

2008-12-06T21:07:00.000-06:00

another month, another photo shoot with mr. o and family! his smiling personality is starting to shine through and his mom and i continue to pose him in the most ridiculous, yet adorable, ways. he is a good sport and a true gift to this world. merry christmas sweet one.

baby b!

2008-12-06T20:01:00.000-06:00

this blue eyed boy wonder belongs to my cousin and his sweet wife, who is one of my best friends. i grew up with them -- high school sweethearts, I might add -- and consider them and their amazing brood some of my all time favorite people. i had the chance to meet this new baby over thanksgiving when i took my immediate family home to michigan to visit my extended family. i spent two afternoons at their house and i cherished every second of it. these photos are precious to me and i know that they will treasure them forever. xo to all!

happy 1st birthday kate the great!

2008-11-13T17:19:00.000-06:00

today it was this beautiful baby's first birthday and i had the honor of capturing her personality and charm on this very special milestone. she is so happy and loving. she immediately shared her blocks with me and then it was outside to play with leaves. back inside is was tutu time. the birthday girl danced and let me tell you, she has some moves: feet planted and squating up and down is her favorite. it was a great day to photograph this adorable girl, whom I nicknamed, kate the great. happy birthday sweet one.

O little man!

2008-11-11T22:02:00.000-06:00

this little man is only a month old and has already gained three pounds. he is amazingly sweet and so special. he loves his mommy, his paci, his sound machine, and looking in the mirror at himself. see you in a month little one. xo

moments of truth

2008-11-02T20:55:00.000-06:00

my session today in Glenview was with this close, beautiful and fun family! the girls are silly and smart and their little brother's smile could melt an iceberg. i arrived at their warm and inviting home and was greeted by an aunt who was there to help wrangle these three during the session and knew immediately that I was going to like this family, which of course turned out to be true.

i always feel responsible for the images i capture because i want them to be true. true to the moment. true to their life. simply true. i think if you look into the sweet smiling faces above, you will see children who are cherished and loved deeply, who were blessed to parents who value family, education and hard work and most of all who are allowed to be themselves. all of which is true.

it was a true honor to spend the day with these energetic kids and photograph the moments and memories of their life that i hope they will treasure forever.

welcome home

2008-11-01T21:58:00.000-05:00

today my session was with an inspiring family! already blessed with two adorably perfect children, they knew they had more love to give and a wonderful life to share with another child. so they decided to adopt. after a looong adoption process and numerous flights across the world and back again, they brought their chubby cheeked son home less than two weeks ago. i felt so honored to capture some of the first moments as a new family in their first photographs together.

big sister L can't help herself from squeezing him, picking him up and loving him to pieces. And his older brother, H, can't wait to wrestle, play and get dirty -- basic boy stuff -- with the little guy.

despite not sharing the same language, the family is learning how to communicate. the toddler basically only wants two things: food and love. luckily for him, this family has loads of both. i wish them a lifetime of laughs, health and happiness together. based on this fun session today, the wish is already coming true.

pumpkin pie

2008-10-28T00:18:00.000-05:00

this little guy is a pumpkin pie! not even a month old yet and his mom and I are stuffing him into a pumpkin just to get a good Halloween photo. he was a pretty good sport about it the entire experience. although at one point he was being rocked while still in the pumpkin. he even fell alseep in there (a true model, just like his daddy) we decided that my shutter click was soothing him to sleep.

my punkins at the pumpkin patch

2008-10-27T01:21:00.000-05:00

our annual trip to the pumpkin patch with the kids' preschool is always an adventure... this year, their daddy took the morning off and came with us, which was very helpful and put a halt from having a re-enactment of last year's disastrous trip!

happy halloween!

2008-10-27T01:11:00.000-05:00

I confess -- I am guilty of feeling guilty. I feel guilty that my triplets have to share their birthday and birthday party with eachother (although their birthday party is a bash in itself!) because let's face it, nearly every really fun birthday happens when you are a child.

and because all kids love halloween (myself included), I decided last year that we would have two huge parties a year: a birthday bash and a monster mash.

so this year's monster mash included a guest list of over 35 children and their parents at our place for three hours o' fun jam packed with cupcake decorating, arts and crafting, tattoo applying, spooky story time telling (thanks to my husband who actually got all of the children to sit still and be quiet -- a huge feat!), game playing, lunch eating, pinata beating, fun-having good times.

so was the budget busting, pre-party planning and house preparing worth it? check out the photos above and you be the judge.

cousin d visits from college

2008-10-27T00:45:00.000-05:00

on saturday, in the middle of our halloween party, i got a call from my sweet niece who suprised me by saying she was in the city. a freshman at Eastern Michigan University, d was on an EMU sponsored "excursion trip" with some of her friends. these three savvy, fearless girls spent saturday shopping on Michigan Avenue and checking out Navy Pier -- where they couldn't find the ferris wheel (!!!). who can find their way to chicago but can't find the well-lit ferris wheel when standing on Navy Pier??? After picking them up and bringing them back home with me, they raided my fridge for leftover party food, told me about their big city adventures, revealed their purchases and gave me the scoop on their first few months of college. the kids loved seeing their big cousin and i loved giggling with d and her friends about anything and everything. armed with a cupcake and breakfast food, i returned them to their hotel for the night. they most likely fell asleep pondering which museum to visit the next day. i fell asleep thinking how lucky i was to have this amazing girl in my life.

baby b's baptism

2008-10-27T00:11:00.002-05:00

this session was filled with b's: a baptism in Beverly for a beautiful baby whose name starts with B! this adorable baby girl is blessed to a huge Irish Catholic family with loads of love and laughter! at only 10 weeks old, baby b never peeped during the ceremony and was a good sport as friends and family -- some from as far away as Ireland -- oohed and aahed over her for her hours. she is an angel and adored by all.

very merry music makers!

2008-10-26T23:19:00.001-05:00

who wants to take music class with these fun, fabulous, creative, talented very merry music makers? well, for three, my kids do!

Merry Music Makers http://www.merrymusicmakers.net/ teaches music to children at various locations throughout the city and northern suburbs. the instructors, shown in the photo above, are energetic, caring and a ton of fun as they teach children (and their parents!) to bop to the beat, belt out in song and be a band! my trio love every second of their hour-long weekly class with ms. tiffany (far left).

in a new partnership with MMM, I am providing photography services in return for my children's music classes. i strongly believe in music education for all children and this amazing group of professionals are just the ones to provide it.

as a 10-year-old, I KNEW I was going to be the next Whitney Houston while I sang AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS into my makeshift microphone -- my family's Hoover vacuum cleaner handle. well, come to find out I am tone deaf and can't carry a tune. my poor parents! and poor ms. tiffany! however, that experience - the joy and wonder of music and my childhood dream -- brings a smile to my face to this day.

sweet and silly ms. s!

2008-10-26T22:37:00.001-05:00

this sweet and silly girl is one of my very first clients, which means that she really isn't a client, but more of a pal at this point. for the past two years we did our sessions at the lincoln park zoo but today we went to the bean in millenium park. oh, and for all of you who ask me who the adorable girl in the red coat on my website is -- this is her, just three years later!

it was quite chilly this afternoon during our session but of course she was a good sport and didn't mind taking her coat off to get the shots we needed. it also helped that i bribed her with anything (examples provided included horse or dog) that she wanted (on her parent's dime of course!) after the session. her choice? a pot bellied pig!

the fabulous c family

2008-10-13T22:53:00.000-05:00

this family is one of my all-time favorites and it is always fun to see them for their annual session. the little spirited little guy is a charmer and will make a great robot for halloween. and, he is already a great friend/big brother to the new addition of their family - a west highland terrier named madison. a great family and another great session!

mr. independent

2008-10-13T22:35:00.001-05:00

this little guy made me work for every cent. during our session it was go, go, go... and every time I tried to take his photo, he would run the other way. but really, i could only smile, afterall, he is a 14-month old boy with a ton of energy and as cute as can be. his parents were good sports and helpful with handing out the snacks and had some antics up their sleeves to get his attention. add great weather to the cuteness, the parents, the snacks and voila, some really great shots!

O baby!

2008-10-06T23:53:00.001-05:00

welcome to the world sweet baby o! i rarely go to hospitals and take newborn photos but the birth of this special boy was worth every second of this session. this little guy has been blessed to amazing parents and grandparents who adore his every blink. and his adopted auntie thinks he is pure perfection. i wish him a lifetime of health and happiness. xo

tutu-wearing, cupcake-eating, balloon-loving birthday girl!

2008-10-06T23:46:00.000-05:00

my session today with this delicious birthday girl included a tutu, balloons and cupcakes! sweet ms. a turned 1 today. she drools. she coos. she loves her daddy. she was a gem to photograph.

the divine ms. m

2008-10-04T14:56:00.002-05:00

i call this beautiful girl, the divine ms. m because from the tip of her nose to the bottom of her toes, she was exactly that -- divine! she turns the big 2 on Friday and she wants to eat cake and has been practicing blowing out her candles. she is spunky and independent and loves to explore. during our session today, at the lincoln park zoo, she was all set to see the monkeys, but decided that they were napping because they were a no-show in their outdoor play space. bummer. it was a laid back fun session; a true delight to photograph this divine girl.

easy as 1, 2, 3...

2008-09-22T12:57:00.000-05:00

this beautiful family was a breeze to photograph today at Foster Beach. Little Ms. C is turning 1 in two weeks and her smarty-pants cutie patootie big brother is nearing 3. they were little hams for the camera, funny and a ton of fun. I wish all sessions were as easy as this one.

beach, barbecue, babies...

2008-09-21T23:18:00.003-05:00

On Saturday, we went to Foster beach for a barbecue hosted by a colleague of Frank's. The kids had a blast playing in the water and getting messy from the delicious ribs.

first day of preschool

2008-09-21T22:33:00.002-05:00

my terrific trio started preschool (again) this fall! The first photo was taken on our back steps and the other in front of their preschool (they had since removed their sweaters!). It was another successful start to the school year.

a playdate pool party, pizza and a parade = super duper fun

2008-09-21T22:27:00.007-05:00

my trio invited their friends - H, J, C and E, over for a playdate. It was tons of fun! It began with a pool party and ended with pizza and a parade. Not all days are this carefree, fun and easy around our house

-- having our friends around makes everything extra special.

a beautiful belly!

2008-09-21T22:26:00.010-05:00

This beautiful belly belongs to my sister, Brooke. Although the blood that runs through our veins doesn't match, our hearts do. I look more like "our" mom Sherry than Brooke does and Brooke is her only biological child. But Brooke is a good sharer, which I am sure she learned from her days attending the Chalkboard Preschool Inc. Are all of you confused yet? So the true story is that when I worked at the Chalkboard Preschool, which Sherry owns, I fell in love with both of them. I adopted Sherry as my Chicago mom and Brooke as my sister, whether they like it or not. And they haven't been able to get rid of me since. I joke that Brooke got the good genes but that "mom" loves me more because I look like her most.

I can't wait for this baby to arrive. I think it is currently the most anticipated, most loved baby in all of Chicago...

happy 1st birthday incredible boy

2008-09-21T22:20:00.007-05:00

I rarely photograph children's birthday parties but today reminded me why I love to. This little guy turned the big 1 at Piece in Bucktown/Wicker Park surrounded by his favorite friends and family. C does a mean immitation of the Incredible Hulk, has a cutie-patootie girlfriend, and can charm anyone, including a certain photographer. I left the party with three cupcakes for my trio, a smile on my face and a special spot in my heart for a this birthday boy!

welcome to the world little man!

2008-09-09T23:54:00.006-05:00

's My best friend's sister gave birth to this beautiful baby boy a few short weeks ago. I was honored to take some of his first photos. He is a doll! I always love photographing babies and children of my friends and family. It makes every yawn and smile just that much special. That is why I cherish the clients that come back to me year after year because I no longer consider them clients, but friends. And, I don't know how I do it, but I happen to photograph the best looking babies, kids and families. It is really not that hard to take a great photo of such great looking people.

love on labor day!

2008-09-09T23:46:00.005-05:00

Over Labor Day weekend, I photographed the S family. They live in a beautiful home in Roscoe Village/West Lakeview and have two adorable children -- one just three weeks old. Their boisterous 18-month-old boy hammed it up for the camera and was a lot of fun to photograph. And their sweet girl, R, was so angelic. They are a family filled with love, fun and happiness. Here are a few photos from that session!

picture perfect friends

2008-08-25T21:21:00.007-05:00

This family has been in my life since 2001 when my husband and D were summer associates at the same Chicago law firm. Since then, there have been many parties, our kids' birth, their wedding, their daughter's birth and most recently, the arrival of their son. I feel blessed to have them as friends and honored to be trusted photographing their growing family. XO to all of you!

this family = good sports!

2008-08-25T20:43:00.007-05:00

It was one of the most humid days of the summer when I photographed the T Family last week but that didn't stop this family from showing their true colors. They shined, not with sweat, but with love and happiness!

I had them traipse through the park, by the lake, to the beach and back again. They were such good sports! Especially the boys: I and Z, who were spirited and silly and sweet. It was a great session with a great family!

happy to photograph this happy boy

2008-08-10T22:25:00.005-05:00

Today I got to photograph Happy H again! I love my sessions with him and his family because they are so fun and relaxed. The last time I photograhed H, he was an adorable baby blob, now he is walking -- and teething (poor guy!). He is a drool monster but still sweet and happy and delicious. My favorite part of H's? Those thighs! They are so perfectly wonderfully chubby, but once he smiles, it is over. The boy is a charmer and a charm to photograph.

sweet boy

2008-08-10T22:12:00.005-05:00

Our dear friends had their son and we were thrilled, but out of town and then sick and then on vacation and so nearly three weeks after his birth, I finally met the little bug. My summary: HE IS A KEEPER! He is adorable, smells delish and is so fun to smooch-- over and over again! He is extra special to us because he was born on our 9th wedding anniversary. We love his big sister and at first glance, I was in love with him too. F has yet to meet him and we are trying to hold off having our trio as long as possible, because he truly won't be the same. Our kids LOVE babies to the point of smothering them. YIKES! Oh, and his tough mama had him naturally, a true accomplishment for any woman -- I knew she could do it. She has that special inner strength!

phew... I need a vacation from my vacation!

2008-08-10T16:32:00.014-05:00

I know, I know... It has been forever since I last posted. We went to the upper peninsula (the great north woods as my Papa calls it) of Michigan for our annual weeklong vacation with my family. Once we returned home, my sweet niece, H, flew in from Ohio for a visit and a few days later we were off to Ohio to return her home and attend the TwinsDays Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio. In between all the traveling, there were photo shoots for me, and Chalkboard Camp, Zoo Camp and tumbling for the terrific trio.

vacation: One of the vacation highlights for me was spending an afternoon ALONE with my daddy. We trekked to an old farm that was falling down took photos together. It was so nice to be able to teach something to the man who has taught me so much. And, he has such a good photographic eye. I guess we all know where I get it from. : ) For the first time in a looong time, I was inspired by the beauty around me. I am always inspired to capture a person's smile and personality. But when it comes to photographing nature, architecture and objects, I sometimes just can't get it, see it, capture it. That didn't happen on this day though, The light was perfect. I treasured having my daddy all to myself. There was a ton to photograph. I got it. When I returned to Chicago I told one of my friends at the Chicago Photography Center (CPC) that it was the best artsy-work that I have ever done. I was just truly inspired -- I hope it shows.

another great aspect of our vacation was seeing my children enjoying a very special place to me: the Hiawatha Sportsman's Club in Michigan's Upper Peninsula (the U. P. to those in the know). My ancestors have been coming to this remote place for decades and I spent weeks there every summer swimming, fishing, boating and playing with my cousins. It melts my heart to see my kids love it as much as I do. Every summer, my parents rent the cottage next to our rental cottage. Every morning, my kids begged for me to get them dressed so that they could go visit their Mimi and Big Papa, who literally are rockstars to my kids. More than once, my kids woke them up -- oops! But, it was so nice to let them run next door knowing that they wouldn't get hit by a car or kidnapped, which is something to worry about in our Chicago neighborhood. The worst that could happen to them in the great north woods is that they would get bit my mosquitoes -- and that they did. But that is what happens when you are as sweet as they are. DELICIOUS! My kids played at the beach, flew their first kite, played their first game of putt-putt, went for boat rides and many adventures. They took a bath in the sink, participated in nightly hat parades, "drove" in Big Papa's truck and most importanty went to bed each night with a smile on their face, knowing that tomorrow would be another fun day "up north."

TwinsDays Festival, Twinsburg, OH 2008: This festival is special to me because my dearest Grammykins lived in Twinsburg for about 10 years before she died in late 2005. I know that she loves knowing that we attended last year and this year, staying with her brother (who also lives in Twinsburg) and visiting her sister in nearby Solon. The festival is mostly for twins but a lot of multiples attend because it is so much fun. The kids liked it last year but this year they LOVED it. On Friday Uncle B and Aunt M went with us to register and allow the kids to jump in the inflatable bounce contraptions. Then it was off to Target to purchase some decorations for our stroller and candy to throw during the parade. I always leave this to the last minute... Anyway, on Saturday, we walked (the kids in their stroller) in the parade and were interviewed by Korean Media (make sure you tune in to see us -- teehee) and a local newspaper snapped our photo. We ran out of candy half-way through the parade and the kids were devastated because they loved pitching it at the kids watching the parade. C had his toss down to a science and was a pretty good aim. Toward the end of the parade, we ran into the entire F family and stopped to watch it with them, just as we did last year. C is in love with E, whom he calls "Uncle E," while E likes "Acole" and J adores "Ayan." Those F siblings are amazing: smart, athletic, nice, talented, sweet, kind, helpful... you name it, they are -- well as long as whatever you name is a good attribute. Uncle E had to leave for work but Acole and Ayan stayed so they could see the fireworks with us. After naps, it was back to the festival where we had dinner -- yummmy fair food -- and the kids rode rides. Were were shocked by their bravery... at one point C had to be pry-ed off a ride and E, bless her heart, was white-knuckled but smiling on the Go Gator roller coaster. Another great weekend filled with lots of fun and memories!

a sucker for a smile!

2008-07-17T01:13:00.004-05:00

I knew these two angels before they even came out of their pretty mommy's belly. They are silly and smart and shy all at the same time. So it took some time for them to warm up to me but the possibility of a sucker at the end brought out the shots that I was hoping for. They are adorable and I had to remind their mom that what she finds annoying (eye glasses slipping down a nose) other people find charming and sweet. It was a lot of fun taking their photo, capturing their innocence on a summer day.

kline-southwell wedding

2008-07-17T00:39:00.005-05:00

On Saturday, I left Clark Lake and drove to Owosso, Michigan to photograph a wedding! The bride couldn't have been more beautiful and the day was perfect. The wedding party was young and fun and kept me on my toes with their craziness! The bride and groom graduated from my high school but 6 years after I did! Sheesh, I felt old. But because of the Rambler connection, it was fun seeing some of the kids I used to know and even babysit. I think the older you get, the faster time flies. So on that note, I wish this couple a lifetime of happiness together!

clark lake kids

2008-07-17T00:12:00.004-05:00

We spent the weekend at Clark Lake in Michigan. My best friend and her family have a cottage there and they have created a community with other friends and their kids -- cooking out, boating and doing water-sports, and having nightly campfires. The best thing about being there is that the kids can run down the road (or across the beach -front lawns) to play with one another.

I have been spending at least one weekend a summer at Clark Lake and have watched the various families grow and expand. I love that my trio are friends with my friends' kids. I cherish time spent with my best friend anywhere, but especially at this special place.