shannon wucherer photography

Harper {at 1} - Milwaukee Children's Photographer

2011-07-26T14:53:00.001-05:00

Ok kids... I know, I know, I suck at blogging. I'm sorry, I really really am. Its just that every time I sit down to have any sort of real thought process, a little person is at my side needing something. And sorry, but the little people are much more important to me than the blogging...

But, I do understand that letting a blog lie dormant makes me look like a total slacker (even though our Facebook fan page is completely up to date and even has a cool new welcome page, our website is updated... ok, just sayin'). And I know that some of you really like to read blogs that include my charming wit.

So.

Once again, I'll try. And I'll start by playing catch up with some of 2011's sessions & weddings.

We'll start with Harper. 1 whole year old, full of personality and willing to fully cooperate for cereal puffs :)

connor 6 months - milwaukee baby photographer

2011-05-11T13:09:00.000-05:00

I love happy babies :) Speaking of, I got to hang with handsome little Connor and his parents last weekend. He was full of smiles for me, and being the super strong little man that he is, he had fun showing off his mad rolling over skills :) This made for a difficult wardrobe change for mom!

It was only sorta chilly outside {shouldn't it be summer by now?}, so we went across the street for a few family shots at the park. Very cute little place!

M Family - good luck with the move and the new house! Katy, hope you had a fantastic first Mother's Day :)

-Jen

his eyes totally made me melt :)

play break!

cuties :)

the gorgeous family.

snuggles. and Connor says, "I'm done here" :)

Lila's Birth (or... becoming a family of 4)

2011-04-15T15:54:00.004-05:00

Hello there internet, I have returned. Thats not to say I haven't been using the internet at all - lets not kid ourselves here. I have been plastering the newsfeeds of facebook users everywhere with daily updates on my newbie and her brother and how positively adorable they are together.

But, I have not been blogging. Jen has (yay, jen!) - she has also been keeping shannon wucherer photography up and running for me for the past month, while I've been getting some rest (and I use that that term loosely).

Now that I have a few braincells that have decided to start functioning again, I thought maybe, just maybe I'd test out a blog post - you know, for funzies. So, internet, today you get to read about the eventful day miss lila joined our family.

I promise, no icky details ;)

----
As many of you know (from my CONSTANT complaining), Grayson came a week early, all on his own (the boy loves his mama). Miss Lila apparently loves her mama too. So much so, that she never wanted to come out - she would have been happy on the inside continuously kicking and abusing her mother's internal organs forever. Luckily, in today's world, it is perfectly acceptable to serve your unborn child an eviction notice. And so, 4 days past due date, Lila got served.

We checked into the fabulous West Allis Women's Pavilion at 5pm on Tuesday, March 22nd all set for our induction. And by set, I mean we even had Scrabble packed in our bag. Because when your bags have been packed for 3 weeks, you start adding ridiculous things like board games, because you are disillusioned and start thinking maybe you'll brush up on your vocab while awaiting your baby. Um, yeah - at any rate, we were ready!

Anyone who has been reading my personal blog posts over the past 9 months knows, I did not think I was prepared for another kiddo. I constantly worried about the effect it would have on Grayson, how I was going to manage a household (and a business) with 2 children, where I would find the time and the love needed to make all of it work. Plus, I just didn't feel like I was actually going to have a baby. Yeah, I was fat and we had the ultrasound pics, so I knew there was a person in there, but... the concept had not sunk in. Even checking into the hospital that night, Nic and I kept saying "I really can't believe we're about to have a baby". It just seemed unreal - and I definitely didn't feel the bond that I'd felt while Grayson was on the inside... but, I'll get back to this later.

(Holy shiz, we are going to have another baby...)

So, we checked in, met our nice evening nurse Carrie, and settled into our suite. Carrie took a bunch of info from us and started prepping my IV.

Internet, the IV was the worst part of my birth experience with Lila (sorry Carrie).

For some reason, my usually cooperative veins (seriously, I have creepy veiny arms) were "rolling" on this particular day. And poor Carrie (who continuously apologized) could not get a needle in for what seemed forever. Once she did, she infiltrated the first vein. As she tried the second, I looked over at Nic and mouthed "I think I'm going to pass out". The 2nd vein ended up cooperating, but good golly, I have never felt so close to fainting in my life!

IV FAIL

After the IV debacle, we ordered dinner and chilled for a few hours. At 7, a new nurse, Hope, came in to start my cervix medicine. I was supposed to receive 3 doses in 4 hour increments and then start pitocin at 7 the next morning.

Dose 1 of cervix medication didn't do much of anything. I knew the 2nd dose was coming at 11pm, so I decided to stay up and wait for it, then sleep until the next dose. Nic & I watched "Grown Ups" while we were waiting (cause the Women's Pavilion has FREE movies on demand - WINNING). I don't recommend the movie. Sorry if you liked it (or starred in it - I have big dreams that famous people read my blog), I found it to be terrible.

"(Ugh, this movie is worse than these contractions...")

At 11 I got my 2nd dose of meds, and peacefully dozed off not long after. At 12:30am, I woke to contractions coming about every 2 minutes. Needless to say, there was no sleeping after that. An hour and a half of sleep? At the time, I was fine with it - lets get this baby out, please.

Because contractions started on their own, I ended up not needing the 3rd dose of meds (or pitocin, yay!) which was awesome. I let Nic rest a few hours and watched some TV. By around 3, I was having contractions every. friggn. minute. Nurse Hope even seemed concerned for me. She came in multiple times to ask how I was doing, did I want something for the pain? Oh, I didn't mention that I hadn't gotten any pain assistance yet? Nope. I just wasn't in that much pain. Yeah, it was annoying to be having a contraction every minute, but when I thought back to labor with Grayson - those contractions were unbearable. With these, I could still talk, walk to the bathroom (dance a little jig...)... I just didn't think I needed anything yet. And I certainly didn't want an epidural to slow things down. So, I kindly said "No, thank you".

(hella contractions - the machine kept running out of paper)

At this point, I think I was dilated to 2cm and 80% effaced (if you don't know what that means, you can look it up). I sent a few text updates to my mom and Jen (who was going to document the experience for us, and was supposed to come at 7), and we watched some more TV (Scrabble still making no appearance).

Not long after, I ended up messaging Jen that she should probably start getting ready to come to the hospital, because we weren't going to need Pitocin and I wanted to start getting pics. She showed up at 5, and started shooting. We decided to watch Alice in Wonderland - I don't really remember most of it, except that it was weird.

At 6, Hope came in to let me know that the anesthesiologist was on the floor, he had 3 epidurals lined up - did I want one now? I reluctantly agreed, joking that I probably wouldn't be very nice for much longer if I waited. 10 minutes later, the anesthesiologist came in. This was already SO much different than my ep experience with Grayson. With Grayson, I was prepped sitting up, and had to wait in that sitting position for 45 minutes (all the while having gnarly contractions every minute and a half) before the anesthesiologist even showed up. This time he prepped me himself, told me I could stay laying, quickly cleaned the area, popped in the needle and we were in business. 5 minutes, tops. It was INCREDIBLE.

(Best anesthesiologist in all the land)

As I laid down from getting the ep my water broke (strangely enough, the same thing happened with Grayson). Definitely in my top 3 grossest things ever. Enough said.

When they checked this time I was 90% effaced and dilated to 4. For those of you who don't know, you have to get to 10 in order for a baby to make its way out, so 4 did not make me optimistic that there was any end in sight.... until... I began to feel the dreaded pressure.

(Unda Pressha)

Ugh, the pressure. By and large the WORST part of labor. Its an indescribably feeling, except to say that it starts out subtle and gets stronger and stronger. The epidural does nothing to ease it and the only thing that can make you feel normal is to push. The subtle pressure started in almost immediately after my water broke. Luckily, it was 7am, and Saved By The Bell was on - and it was the episode where Jessi's dad is marrying an aerobics instructor half his age. I LOVE this episode, so it served as a fab distraction.

(AC Slater and his mullet)

At 7:20, I told the nurses about the pressure (I'd gone thru an entire nursing shift change, so Carrie was back!). They checked again and said I was still only about a 4 (actually what she said was "I'd say you're about.. an 8, no, wait, more like a 4"... ugh - what he heck?). But because I was fully effaced and still having contractions pretty frequently, we decided to call peeps and have them start getting ready to head to the hospital. Nic's mom had Grayson, and we wanted him to be the first person to meet Lila, so we told her to " watch Jake and the Neverland Pirates (Grayson's favorite show), and then head over".

Nic made 2 phone calls (his mom and my mom) - and in that 2 minute span the pressure went from subtle to unbearable. By the time he was off the phone, I told him he needed to get the nurses into our room because I was certain she was coming. Like NOW. When they came in, they seemed a little like they didn't believe me, maybe I was overreacting, but they would check me again just to be sure. Ok, I know 2 years have gone by, but I'm pretty sure I remembered what it felt like when Grayson was making his exit. A lift of the sheet proved I was right. "Oh, my, there's baby's head" were, I think, Carrie's exact words...

A quick call to the desk for a delivery team (which included Nurse Rita - who basically delivered Grayson!) and the doc on call ASAP. This girl was coming.

The doc on call wasn't my normal OB. I think her name was Dr. Leung. Petite little thing, and SO happy. She came in, quickly prepped, all the while shooting me words of encouragement (because I was insisting that I HAD to push) - "Oh, no no, don't push yet - you wait for me!" Hahaha.

(Happiest Doctor ever)

When she was in prime catching position, she told me I could push. Since this "wasn't my first rodeo" (thanks hubby), I felt like I had a better understanding of how to push - held my breath, used the right muscles and gave it my all. On push 1, I felt a tremendous amount of relief and everyone in the room let out sounds of amazement (ooh! ahhh!), to which I replied "oh my god, did she come out?" And everyone said "well, her head did"... with the next contraction, I held my breath and gave it one more go - and out she came.

2 pushes, roughly 5 minutes. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

("Giving birth is crazy easy!")

And you know what? Even though I'd been a major complainer this entire pregnancy, and was a total spaz about having 2 children, it took only a split second for me to fall in love. The same kind of love I had for Grayson when I met him. All my mommies of 2 who had given me insight and support over the past few months were right - the love doubles. And it is amazing :)

(immediate love)

(and then there were 4 :)

the R family - milwaukee family photographer

2011-04-14T15:44:00.000-05:00

Despite the week long thunderstorm buzz, last Sunday ended up being a beautiful day. Phew. We had a back up plan and all, but honestly, I've been soooo ready to shoot outdoors again, and Trimborn Farm is a seriously awesome place for a larger group shots. Thank you, mother nature.

The R Family pulled together for a family photoshoot, which will end up being a surprise mother's day gift for mom/grandma. Yes, I got permission to post these photos, so I need for anyone else reading this who knows mom/grandma to help us keep it a surprise too :)

R Family - I had a great time, and even got a little tan line! LOL. I look forward to hearing about mom/grandma's reaction :)
-Jen

I made them hold hands a lot. Sorry, guys :)

Jesus as a GQ model.

the kids started really getting into it at the end.

Fredo help his little sister pose....

and here is his pose.

And look at Ariela's kiss face! So cute :)

whitaker at 3 - milwaukee children's photographer

2011-04-14T13:50:00.000-05:00

Whitaker - when did you get all grown up? Our first session with Whit was way back when he was 18 months old {although it sure doesn't seem that long ago...}, and now he's THREE! I am not kidding, you guys - getting to see all these adorable kiddos grow up is seriously amazing...

We met in the Third Ward, which was just perfect, since Whitaker is still all about trains {and his Crocs}. Actually, anytime I tried asking him about anything other than trains, he would just continue talking about trains :)

Something to look forward to - Missy & Joe {aka mom & dad} have got a wedding in the works for this coming September. Can't wait, guys! Now chop chop on the rest of the planning! :)
-Jen

he asked his mom to help him put his hands in his pockets. cutie...

the gorgeous fam.

if left up to him, we would have been here the entire session :)

engagement picture.... check.

they honked ;)

landon at one - milwaukee children's photographer

2011-04-08T17:01:00.000-05:00

I really cannot believe that Landon is already ONE, considering mom and dad's {Courtney & Miah} wedding was our first...

This little guy's first year has been rough. Because of stomach issues and multiple surgeries, he has been unable to eat "real" food, so mom and I weren't sure how he would react to the cake smash session. At least we'd get the "look" of a cake smash, right?

Right. And low and behold, Landon threw us both for a loop - and went to TOWN on his cake, as mom shed tears of joy :) And what's even better is how incredibly happy and smiley he was the entire time. HUGE, considering being in and out of the hospital has made him very iffy around people besides mom & dad.

I am touched that I was able to capture such a milestone for Landon and his family :) Thanks, guys.
-Jen

PS - a shout out to Lisa at Three Monkeys Cakes for the awesome cake. I won't lie - I tasted it, and it was awesome. Totally getting dessert for Ella's 2nd birthday party from her!

the cake.

such a smiley boy!

crazy faces.

getting a closer look...

the first bite :)

nom, nom, nom...

this shot was pure luck :)

collin - milwaukee newborn photographer

2011-04-08T15:29:00.000-05:00

I spent last Sunday morning photographing yet another newborn cutie. 9-day-new Collin was such an adorable little snuggler {and sleep fighter}, but as always, the longer they fight, the longer they sleep for me :)

Collin's big sister, Finley {love her name and her curls...}, was a little shy with me at first, but by the time I left, she agreed to sit next to "her baby" and even kissed him!

Congrats again, you guys, and best wishes as a new family of four :)
-Jen

big sis, Finley :)

smiler :)

this image seriously makes my heart melt...

it took Finley a bit {and a nap} to warm up, but she did it!

leah - milwaukee newborn photographer

2011-04-07T14:02:00.000-05:00

We've been doing photos for the A Family since Ryan was 6 months old. Well, now he's TWO, and they've added another cutie to the mix. At 8 days new, baby Leah made her swp debut. I really have to give a shout-out to mom and dad here - who on top of having a newbie and toddler are in the middle of selling their house and relocating almost 2 hours away. Phew, makes me tired just thinking of it all!

Ryan was a very patient boy {thank God for Curious George!} while mom and I made Leah sleepy. And Leah... well the photos speak for themselves. She is just an absolutely beautiful baby.

Congrats again, A Family. We'll be seeing you in a few months :)
-Jen

Ryan did GREAT during sibling pics :)

how precious, right!?

cutie times a million.

baby yawns are my favorite :)

brady at 3 - milwaukee children's photographer

2011-04-07T12:15:00.000-05:00

At our last session with Mr. Brady, he started running and did not stop for about 1.5 hours. No kidding, Shan & I were in amazed that a two-year-old could have so much energy. This time around, he was "warned" {said: bribed with McDonald's}, and we reserved the running until the very end. Pretty sure he's still quicker than me...

I know you can't tell from the photos, but Brady didn't really want anything to do with this photoshoot. Most of the smiles are a result of the cookie in picture number four. Mom teased him with it, which he found to be HILARIOUS. Whatever works :)

Can I also say that Brady is awesome at writing his letters, which he showed me using an app on mom's iPhone - something that I probably couldn't even figure out how to do.

Enjoy your preview, P Family! I had a great time :)
-Jen

he tried to be shy at first...

but the cookie brought out his silliness :)

a great jumper as well!

jackson - milwaukee newborn photograhper

2011-03-31T15:58:00.001-05:00

Sweet Jackson :)

Quite the sleep fighter, this little guy was wiiiiiiide awake {and very interested in what the heck I was doing there} when I arrived and took about 2 hours to finally reach his deep sleep. And it was totally worth it because once he was out - he was OUT. Not sure if it was the snuggling / feeding with mom or the sound of Ryan Seacrest on E! News in the background... SportsCenter would have likely put him out quicker, right dad? ;)

Jess & Jason - congrats again, and thanks for being so welcoming and fun! Enjoy all the awesome snuggle time with your little man :)

-Jen

"who ARE you, lady?"

their friend made the boy a horse. pretty awesome, hey?

those. lips. omg...

Jess' idea :) can't wait to see the side by side comparison in the upcoming months!

addy 6 months - milwaukee baby photographer

2011-03-31T12:20:00.003-05:00

Last weekend I met 6-month-old Addalyn, big sister Lucy, and their parents, Becky & Adam, at their downtown condo for some early morning photo-ing. These two are major cuties with their piercing green eyes and sweet little munchkin faces :) Just adorable.

Addy loves to stand up {with mom & dad's help, of course}, and her parents are convinced that she will skip crawling and move right on to the walking. She also proved to be much more serious than her usual self, so a few tickle attacks were needed to get a couple of smiles out of her. Thanks, dad!

I know this post is about Addy, but big sister, Lucy, was such a personality that I couldn't resist sharing this story...

Toward the end of our session, Lucy was in her high chair finishing her apple when she started saying something to me -

"You're the best... ummmmm - you're the best taker!"

Yes, that's right. In the eyes of a 2-1/2 year old, I am the best photographer ever. And somehow, despite her ability to describe my professional title, I knew exactly what she meant. She had fun with me, and that little confused compliment somehow made me feel like the coolest person in the world. And I even got a hug before I left. And then she told her mom & dad to hug me goodbye too.

Gosh, I love my job :)

Enjoy your preview, L Family!
-Jen

big sister {and my biggest fan} Lucy.

pout face.

I love little sibling pictures SO much...

...and I also loved this quilt they had.

It's no wonder the little ones have amazing eyes. Look at their parents!

oh, Lucy :)

clara - milwaukee newborn photographer

2011-03-29T12:40:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I've have the chance to snuggle {I mean, photograph} a newborn :) Baby Clara was so sleepy and so cuddly... an absolute dream baby.

And I had lots of helpers too! Big brother Will and big big sister Audrey helped me carry in alllllll of my stuff, Will let me use his bedroom because it had the best light, and Audrey is more than likely now capable of setting up her own newbie session after studying and questioning me :) What an incredible amount of personality and sweetness there is in the C Family home!

I hope you guys are enjoying your new family of five!
-Jen

snuggler.

they laugh in the face of sleep.

how amazing do they all look, seriously?!

sweet girl...

with amazing lips

love :)

kalista at one - milwaukee children's photographer

2011-03-29T10:45:00.000-05:00

Next up for the big O-N-E is Kalista. I've known Kalista's mommy since back in the day at Brother Dutton, which is closing it's doors at the end of this school year... how very sad :(

At first very timid, once Kalista started to "get" what photoshoots are all about, she smirked and gave me some head tilting action. So darn cute :)

Thanks for making the trip up, guys!
-Jen

"so I just smile like this?"

still not THAT sure...

ballerina pose.

she loved the cake, I think ;)

"photoshoots are the most fun thing ever!"

madelyn at one - milwaukee children's photographer

2011-03-29T08:35:00.000-05:00

swp has been crazy with one-year-old birthdays at the studio! We had little Madelyn over to get her cake on. She was all smiles {except for a few tears during the cake} and had some of the most hilarious facial expressions ever. Be sure to check out my personal favorites - the "ooooooooh!" and "teeth over bottom lip" below :)

I hope you had a very happy birthday, Madelyn! I heard something about a ginormous cupcake to be had at her party... so I hope all went well with that, mom ;)

-Jen

"oooooooh!"

and of course, "teeth over bottom lip"

the lovely family.

reading books is her favorite thing!

with daddy :)

okay, I'm sorry, but this is just priceless!

very neat and delicate with her cake eating :)

Audrey at 6 Months - Milwaukee Baby Photographer

2011-03-21T12:23:00.000-05:00

I love babies at 6 months. They are JUUUUST starting to develop a personality. Cooperation levels are always a little more on their own terms during these sessions as well :)

So often during a 6 month session a parent will say "I don't know why s/he isn't smiling - they ALWAYS smile!" Well, parents, its because they have their own agenda and they don't want to - and so, decidedly, they will not.

Such was the case with Miss Audrey. Audrey's new "trick" was sucking her lower lip. So, rather than give me big grins, she pursed her lips for almost the entire session.

Whats important to remember during a milestone session, is that the purpose of the session is to capture your child at that stage in life. If they've just learned to do something new, then those pictures will reflect who they are at that particular moment in time - smiley or not, you can't get any more perfect than that. After all, the purpose of lifestyle photography is to document. And while a few years down the road, you may forget what baby was doing at this life point - the photos will be there to remind you.

Thanks to the uber-adorable Audrey for the lesson :)

my project 52 - week 12

2011-03-17T23:12:00.000-05:00

Still. No. Baby. Nevermind that every client (except for one - hi Angie!), friend and family member who I know was expecting a March bambino has already had theirs (weeks in advance, even!)

Dag, yo. I'm way past antsy over here.

I've had plenty of days filled with contractions (or at least I THINK they are contractions - this is my 2nd baby, you'd think I'd know...), where I've told myself "Ok, house is clean, bags are packed, today was a great day with Grayson - I'm ready", and then the contractions will subside and the day will pass with nothing. And onto the next day when the house is once again a disaster, the fridge is emptying, and my hospital bag has been packed for so long, that I've had to ransack it to find my comfy pants (more than once).

Sigh... Tom Petty had it right - it most definitely IS the hardest part.

Nathan - Milwaukee Newborn Photographer

2011-03-13T18:35:00.000-05:00

If ever there were a "perfect" newborn model, Nathan would be it. Little man nailed his newbie session - slept peacefully, posed wonderfully. Even resting his head perfectly on his arms when prompted. And those lips - oh, that perfect precious pout of his... swoon.

Even big brother Sam (I am his arch nemesis) was on point - AND... don't tell him, but I think we might be buddies now. It only took about 5 minutes for him to warm up, start showing off, allow me to play with him. Only mild bribery was required to get him to flash that "all american boy" smile of his. He followed directions wonderfully, and posed with his new little brother like a pro.

Even though the session ran into the 4 hour mark, I can't blame Nathan or Sam. At 38 weeks prego, I was just a little slower moving that day :P

I just finished editing this session and every single photo made me happy. Congrats, guys :)

Those lips....

Perfection!

grandmas are so comfy :)

Little Miss Maggie - Milwaukee Maternity Photographer

2011-03-13T18:08:00.000-05:00

My husband's family is humongous. Because of this, I was pregnant with Grayson at the same time as both his sisters and 2 of his cousins. This time around, I'm only sharing pregnancy with 1 other - his cousin Meg.

We are due 2 weeks apart - I am due first, but she'll probably have hers before me, because why wouldn't she?

This is baby #1 for Meg & hubby Jeff. I love that its their 1st and our 2nd - at this session, they threw all sorts of questions my way, kinda made me feel like an old pro (when admittedly, most days I have NO IDEA what I'm doing!)

Meg is a namesake - Marguerite Mary is her mother's name (she goes by Margie), it is also her grandmother's name (she goes by Mickey). So, decidedly, baby Strasser (clearly, a girl) will be Marguerite Mary as well. She'll go by Maggie - And I can't wait to meet her (Very very soon! Ah!)

Meg, Jeff - enjoy these last few days as a couple. I'm very excited to see your transition to a family :)

love :)

Paxton at 6 Months - Milwaukee Baby Photographer

2011-03-13T17:43:00.000-05:00

There is no doubt that my friends and I have reached the parenthood milestone in our lives. 3-ish years ago, it was the marriage milestone. Over the past 2 years, its been kids. And, now we seemingly all have them. Parties have become play dates. Gossip has become talk about bodily functions, sleep patterns and baby milestones.

Sigh, we are growing up.

I don't mind it much. It brings little munchkins like Paxton into my world, and my studio :) Paxton is baby #1 for good friends Liz & Rob. Headful of dark hair and piercing blue eyes, the kid is nothing short of adorable. Also, a perfect combination of Mom & Dad. I always love finding each parent in their kid - its nothing short of miraculous to look at one little person and see traits of 2 big people. When he was new, I really thought Pax looked a lot like Mommy, but now 6 months in, I'm definitely seeing you in there, Rob :)

Poor Pax is starting to get his teeth. 6 months is rough for most kids - and I often face a lot of trouble at these sessions - they want to constantly nurse, be held and they want nothing to do with my camera. Luckily, with a little patience, I can usually get a 15 minute window of happiness - and you know thats all I REALLY need ;)

seriously, this is his real eye color - so big and blue and bright!

Check out his feet and toes pointed up (not to mention those CHUBBY legs) - hilarious.

project 52 - week 9

2011-03-13T17:15:00.000-05:00

Ok... who forgot to baby sit me again? I realized I'm 2 WEEKS behind on these guys. Not cool.

Luckily, I have a life filled with fodder and photos for internet use. Not really. In fact, the past 2 weeks have pretty much been spent anticipating labor every single minute of every single day - and finding new ways to keep Grayson occupied and simultaneously feel important in the interim.

Since I blocked my schedule off about a week ago, deciding not to take any more sessions on for about 8 weeks, I've had a lot more "free time". Its never really a good thing. Aside form driving my husband insane with my crazy nesting techniques - spouting orders and ridiculous requests (not all of them are ridiculous, but I'm sure he thinks they are) - I've simply had too much time to think.

Do you know how TERRIFYING the idea of being a mother of 2 actually is when you have time to sit and contemplate it for minutes (notice how I didn't say hours, I don't have THAT much free time) on end? Aside from the day in/day out monotony of feeding, diapering, waking in the middle of the night... there's an entire other aspect to it.

Love. How is it possible to find enough love in this motherly heart of mine to fit 2 KIDDOS, when currently it so fully occupied by 1?! I know, I know - people do it every day, and your mommy genes just kick in and you love all your children the same, blah blah blah. I get it. I know how it works. But I can't help but worry that its not going to be the same as it has been with Grayson, that I'm not going to be able to stretch the love & attention to cover 2. That something, somewhere is going to be lacking and its going to make me miss out in either his direction or hers.

Yes, internet, these are the things that keep me up nights. So, instead of becoming a complete and total basket case about it all - I keep my mind occupied by keeping my #1 occupied.

Last week - we played pirates. I can't even begin to tell you how pleased I was with how excited Grayson was for the "boat" I made him (out of the box for our new double stroller, no less). I made him his own telescope, he had a treasure box (a good use for an empty wipes box), a hat, a flag - he even had an eye patch (thanks to left over supplies from mom's 2008 retina reattachment surgery).

My mommy cool-ometer was off the charts last week ;)

Watch yourselves - he'll totally steal your booty.

The T Family - Milwaukee Family Photographer

2011-03-11T09:25:00.001-06:00

The T Family and I had a nice little afternoon photoing and playing at the Discovery World Museum. Incredible lighting in the main entrance of this place!

Kiddos Caity, Charlie & Kaleigh... oh, excuse me, Kaleigh is 16 {NOT a kiddo} were so awesome. Kaleigh was just wonderful with the little ones. Charlie was a busy little 3-year-old boy experiencing a museum. And Caity was REALLY making me work for those smiles :)

T Family, I had a blast with you all! Molly - should that be y'all? :)

gorgeous fam.

Charlie :)

I love sibling moments like this!

speaking of... how hilarious is this one? :)

the parents of the cuties.

We called the shoot done, and then Caity found this fish tank. She was fascinated :)

Lauren at One - Milwaukee Children's Photographer

2011-03-10T15:30:00.001-06:00

Yet another story about a baby growing up too fast...

Lauren, who was around 7lbs at her newbie session and 7 months at the W Family session back in September, is celebrating her first birthday! That's pretty impressive, I think, being the youngest of three :)

At last fall's family session, I learned that Lauren was a growler. And guess what? She's still growling! No joke, she even growled, "CAKE," when we took it away from her...

Shelley - thanks again for making the trek to the studio. And happy birthday, Lauren!

Lauren wins the best dressed one-year-old contest.

seriously, I want her mom to be my personal shopper!

her famous fish face.

she was massaging the frosting with her toes...

I'm one!

Evan at 18 Months - Milwaukee Children's Photographer

2011-03-04T22:33:00.000-06:00

Dear Spring, Please come soon - the children are becoming restless.

Seriously y'all. These poor kiddos can't take anymore of this being cooped up inside. My last month of sessions have been proof of that. Evan's 18 months sessions was no different.

Even is another munchkin we've known since he was just a few weeks old. We've had the pleasure of watching him grow up in front of our camera. And, at 18 months old, he's definitely no longer a baby (sorry, Chris & Andrea). In fact, he has quite the strong personality. We held his 18 month session in studio at casa de wucherer. When Evan & his parents arrived, my wonderful pooches greeted them with incessant barking. From that point on, Even was obsessed. It didn't matter how much we distracted him, what we bribed him with, how ridiculous we acted to illicit smiles, it all kept coming back to one thing - "puppies!"

Luckily, after a brief break outside in the falling snow, Evan was refreshed, we bribed him with fruity cheerios and were able to take his mind off the dogs long enough to get the shots I needed :)

18 months old - what a trip.

owen at 18 months - milwaukee baby photographer

2011-03-04T22:20:00.000-06:00

Owen. Watching you grow over the past 18 (well, 19, but who's counting) months has been such an awesome experience. I've loved seeing you sprout from bebe to little man before the camera - looking more like Mommy every day (sorry, Kris).

I adore that you are just a few months younger than Grayson, so I can "re-live" the little things that Grayson has grown out of during the time I get to hang with you. I also adore that you and my little man are getting to an age that allows you to learn to become buddies. Watching the 2 of you play with no help from the mommies at all was simply amazing. I am constantly amazed by children, and how quickly they become little people.

Thats not to say that at 18 months you are the easiest munchkin to photograph. You are a mover my boy - you made me work HARD. I think both your Mommy & I needed a major nap (and a cocktail, no such luck) after your session :)

I look forward to many more sessions with you Mister. And I'm excited to meet your little brother or sister (who again will be a few months behind my #2) in the fall.

big kids :)

Chase at One - Milwaukee Children's Photographer

2011-03-04T11:35:00.000-06:00

This was my first session with Chase & Bryson, but their second with shannon wucherer photography. Seeing photos of their first session made me super excited to meet these guys... SO stinkin' cute!

So the reason for this photoshoot was Chase's first birthday. Chase is such a little {really - he is still SO little!} lovey baby. And yes, one-year-olds are still considered babies in my book. I'm sure mom would agree :)

We also incorporated a little family tradition into Chase's session. Dad & Bryson both have photos wearing traditional Korean birthday attire. Chase's outfit came directly from Korea, and he looked like a little prince {see below}!

M Family - have an incredible time with your extended family at Chase's birthday party this weekend!

-Jen

I am in love with the way Bryson is looking at Chase in this pic :)

look at those teeth!

silly big brother :)

he loves his books.

this one's for you, grandma!

munchkin face :)

personal fave :)

Chase very meticulously chose to eat the brown dots off of his cake...

the theme of his birthday party this weekend. have fun, little guy!

my project 52 - week 8

2011-02-26T05:33:00.001-06:00

Admittedly, this week's photo is nothing special. Well, I mean, its special to me - every photo of my little man is special to me (seriously, I have issues with deleting, but thats for another time), but the photo itself - from an artist's perspective - nothing to be proud of.

What I am proud of is what lead up to the photo. I was having a session for the son of one of my good friends. He and Grayson are about 4 months apart - and at this age, are becoming buddies. Thats right, my "little" boy has friends. And not the forced, "look how cute when we lay them on the blanket together at a month old" kind of friends - real bonds that he is forming with other kids all on his own. He plays, he mimics, he makes his own fun with other kids (and no help from mom, sad... but happy!). It is amazing to watch. I feel like I say that a lot about my kid, but I'm in constant awe of him. Sorry! Can't help it.

But back to the photo... Mr. Owen (the subject of the actual session) was a bit rambunctious, so getting him to sit still proved difficult. To save both myself and his mama (who is also prego with #2) some energy, I asked Grayson to sit down for me, so I could light test. And, without a 2nd thought, he did. He walked over, sat nicely and stayed until I told him it was ok to get up. He actually listened very well for the entire session - despite the tremendous overstimulation I can only imagine that another child's presence provides.

If that isn't proof enough that he is making the transition to big kid - just look at the photo... who IS this kid? He looks like he's AT LEAST 4 ;)

buds :)

Ryan turns 2 (sigh...) - Milwaukee Children's Photographer

2011-02-23T09:04:00.000-06:00

We met Ryan back when he was just 6 months old. He is a few months older than Grayson, so I always love my sessions with him, as they give me a little insight as to what I can look forward to in the next month or 2. But, at the same time, they make me sad - he seems to have grown up so quickly, and that means so has Grayson :(

Ryan's family is expecting baby #2 (a little lady) at the end of March, so we are essentially on the same life path. I'm super excited to meet this little girl and to see Ryan in action as a big brother!

dFor Ryan's 2 year session, we started at home. Ryan has always been quite shy of the camera, so we thought keeping him in his own element might be helpful. If there is any testament to how "big boy" Ryan is becoming, he warmed up to me within minutes and was super smiley for the camera - he even showed me his playroom all on his own!

We also hit up a fire station, which I think had Ryan a bit overwhelmed - SO many different kinds of trucks, lights, and a huge open area to explore! I definitely got a workout in chasing little man around and around - Snowplow! Ambulance! Mail truck (which was actually an ambulance, but resembled a very large mail truck)! Good times. A big thanks to the Waukesha Fire Department for giving us a great tour!

We ended the session once more at home - where Ryan got a little silly, and gave me some of the days best smiles. He even gave me a hug at the end of the session (and said my name!).

Oh buddy, I can't believe you are 2 already....

Super cool train table

Fire station = super serious expressions

Mean mugging, even

Until they let him drive the ambulance :)

Check out at that vertical

Goofy.

Soon, there will be 4 in this pic :)

Theo - Milwaukee Baby Photographer

2011-02-23T08:04:00.000-06:00

Oh little Theo - what a handsome dude you are. Big brown eyes to die for, a headful of dark brown hair (that seems to be diminishing JUST a bit :), and the sweetest little pouty lips.

Also, quite possibly also one of the best dressed 3 month olds I've ever had a session with. Daddy, who was home on paternity leave, had taken little man shopping - Daddy has really good fashion sense :)

Theo when you get a bit older, you are gonna be quite the dapper fellow.

His pants are WHITE roll-ups. Love.

Sweater has leather elbow patches. Swoon.

piggies :)

Even with his keen fashion-sense, I still love the pure baby look

They can't all be perfect, smiley pics - though I'd say this is close to perfect :)

Momma love

my project 52 - week 7

2011-02-20T22:09:00.000-06:00

This one, though a few days late, is on time.

Time. FLYING.

When I was a carefree college student (where my Marquette peeps - woot!), I used to pine for the end of the day, the week, the school year - and sometimes these things seemed to take FOR.E.VA. to come. Even in the "real world", working a 9-5, M-F job - gosh, did the weeks drag on and on and on to a sometimes agonizing degree.

Now, life is different. I'm a mommy, a SAHM (with quite the successful photography career!) if you will. I spend almost every day with my little man, and I adore every minute of it.

And good lord, does it fly by. Most days, it is noon before I know what hit me. This week, I did not have any sittings scheduled M-F, which is ghe first time in MONTHS, and the week was over before I knew it.

Watching little man advance by leaps and bounds every day is enough evidence that time moves quickly - this 2nd pregnancy has only made that all the more evident. This week, is week 35... THIRTY-FIVE, ya'll. As in, going to have another baby in less than a month - when the HECK did that happen?

Simply put, it happened over the last 4 months I have spent at home - cuddling, playing with, feeding, diapering, reading to, dancing and singing with, snuggling, teaching, learning from, and loving #1 (who, by the way is about to be 22 months old - sheesh!)

The time, it flies. But it is wonderful :)

21 Months (and like 3.8 weeks, because Mommy has been slacking on her monthly pics)

35 weeks (and more than ready to make her grand entrance, if ya ask me)

mason at 1 - milwaukee children's photographer

2011-02-17T16:19:00.000-06:00

My 2nd Mason this month :) This little guy is the cousin of Connor, who I shot 3 month photos for a few weeks ago.

Quite the little flirt, it wasn't hard to get Mr. Mason to smile coyly for the camera. It was, however, a bit difficult to get him to sit still. But, at 1, I expected nothing less and was fully prepared to spend the morning waddling around his house after him :) Mason put on quite the chase, stopping now and then to play with his toy phone, or a few of the "toys" I'd brought along.

Check the outfits on this kiddo - quite the dapper little fellow. Those green chinos, be still my heart!

He must have really worn himself out - at the end of our session, Mom put him into his highchair and started feeding him lunch, and as we chatted for a few minutes, we watched him completely zonked out in the middle of eating - I really only thought that happened on AFV (bonus points if you are a dork like me and you know what AFV is :)

these sleepy eyes may have bee a good indication that Mason was "done"

zonked.

nolan - milwaukee baby photographer

2011-02-16T22:28:00.000-06:00

Since his last couple of sessions were done at home, Nolan {and mom & dad too} made the trip to el studio de Wucherer for some 6 month portraits.

Now, I've had some luck with this kid. He slept throughout his entire newbie session, and smiles, smiles, smiles were all I got at 3 months. This time, he was slightly more serious, but I didn't really read into it... we were at a new place, and there were a bunch of weird lights shining in his face. Nothing about his behavior was even close to crabby, however, Jen {mommy} wrote me later that night to let me know that Nolan was definitely teething - and he was at his best {by FAR} all day at the photoshoot.

Poor little guy :( He was such a little champ regardless.

Jen & Chad - Nolan is just too handsome :) I hope those teething tablets are helping you get some sleep over there!

-Jen

Nolan definitely loves his daddy!

wittle businessman :)

sophie! he kinda used her as a teether though :)

his first time playing with a football, and he LOVED it!

oh, the things we make babies do...

camryn & harper - milwaukee newborn photographer

2011-02-14T09:50:00.001-06:00

I feel like there has been a crazy amount of twinnie births lately - or maybe I'm just lucky enough to be getting a lot of them :)

Camryn & Harper (do you LOVE their names?!?) were actually born on Thanksgiving, but I didn't meet them until last week. They were born 2 months early, and spent about the first 8 weeks in the NICU. Even at technically 9 weeks old, these gorgeous little girls were barely the size of some of my full-term newbies - Camryn (the little sister) was barely hitting the 5 pound mark - she was less than 2 pounds at birth! Dad Joe told me they took a photo of his wedding ring around her arm - can you even imagine!

Big sister Harper was just over 7 pounds at this point - there is quite a difference in size between the 2 - but their big blue eyes definitely peg them as sisters :)

Our session ran a bit long - it was rough getting both munchkins to sleep simultaneously. But, both girlies rocked their individual shots, and then cooperated JUUUUUST enough to give me the sister shots I needed :)

Jen, Joe, congrats again - enjoy your preview!

Harper

Camryn

Wearing their bracelets from Auntie :)

Camryn

Harper

Daddy & Camryn watching Harper model

Harper showing off her baby blues

twinnie piggies - doesn't get any better than that :)

little ladies after my own heart

and then there were FOUR!

Madison & Tyler - Madison Children's Photographer

2011-02-13T20:27:00.000-06:00

I met Maddie & Tyler last spring - when they ventured to Milwaukee for a family session. I kind of can't believe how much they've changed in less than a year (sorry, Kristen!). Tyler, who almost had no hair at our April session, had a full, freshly cut coif. Big sister Madison is starting to look like a big kid, whereas in April, she still had her baby face. Sigh... the coolest, and probably hardest part of this profession (and I guess of parenting in general) is watching kiddos grow up.

Because its winter, we had this session at the family's home in Madison. This was great for Tyler, he seemed QUITE comfortable in his own element. So comfortable, in fact, he pretty much directed himself the entire session. While I don't usually do much "posing", preferring to play and goof around with the kiddos, Tyler had other ideas. I think he fancied himself a catalog model - hands perfectly in pockets, chin rested on his hands, million dollar smile - what a little goof ball.

Maddie, not to be outdone, showed me her bedroom (complete with super cool wall mural courtesy of grandpa), her book collection (books on ALL subjects :) AND showcased some of her gymnastics moves.

Please be sure to check out the eyes on these kiddos - a lovely green & brown, complete with amazing eyelashes. Lucky ducks.

Enjoy your preview, guys!

how 'bout those matching eyes, hey?

model?

yep. pro even :)

like I said - books on all subjects...

check out her cute little north face hoodie!

Ty started to get a little restless, so we had to get creative in order to get him to be still :)

happy homemaker

the boy likes his trucks.

This is Maddie's new buddy, Africa (whom she named all by herself!) - he rocked out his 1st photo shoot

mason at 6 months - milwaukee baby photographer

2011-02-12T22:48:00.000-06:00

Poor Mason. I think I've said it in every post over the past week. Teeth are the WORST. Mason began my rough week of unhappy baby boys - but he also ended it tremendously.

When I first arrived at Mason's initial session, mom & dad informed me he'd had a rough morning, and hadn't really napped. Although I was greeted with smiled, once we got into the session, it was clear Mr. Mason wasn't havin' it. Rather than push him to his limit, we decided to reschedule, try again a few days later and hope for a better result.

Good decision. Because on try 2, even though we only had about an hour window to work with, Mason was fantastic. Much happier than round 1 - and full of funny little baby faces. Plus, he rocked out sitting up - his baby abs were workin' overtime. The camera loves the kid and his little munchkin cheeks and bright blue eyes. Adorable.

Mason, it was so nice to see you again - looking forward to our next session - 9 months? 1 year? We shall see :)

This is from round 1 - before things went terribly awry :)

6 month piggies

Oh, I can't help but giggle every tim I look at this one.

wardrobe change

mommy love

daddy love (mommy is hilarious)

gray at 6 months - milwaukee baby photographer

2011-02-09T23:34:00.000-06:00

My week of boys having a rough day rounded out with Mr. Gray, who is already 6 months old! Gray's parents are SM alumni, who got in touch with me in fall to get some photos of their little sweetie, Nora. Mommy, Heather was prego at the time, so I've gotten to know the fam quite well over the last few months.

I hardly recognized little man - its always so amazing to me how much some babies change from newbie to 6 month sessions. What a cutie - big blue eyes, bald head, squeeeeezable cheeks! Unfortunately, Gray was having an off day (TEEEEETH! *shaking fist*), so we had to work around outbreaks of tears. A few distractions here and there (courtesy of my Grayson's toys) and we were good to go.

There must have been something in the air that morning though - big sister Nora was a wee bit emotional as well.... For those of you who don't know Nora, she is the tiniest, sweetest, most polite & quiet munchkin I have ever met. Mom describes her as a "delicate flower". And she definitely shed some tears during the session. We didn't do anything that made her cry - she missed her Grandma & Grandpa :)

what a sweetie.

Momma Love

Nora :)

He looks so big here (mixed tape blankie from Grayson's room - I should really just start ordering 2 of things I really like, so I don't have to "borrow" from my children)

FIERCE!

what a riot.

my project 52 - week 6

2011-02-09T14:33:00.001-06:00

The girlie stuff has been arriving en masse lately, since I finally got my butt in gear and started ordering/shopping for some of the necessities. In addition, we had a quick belly session over the weekend, which made the fact that we are going to be a family of F-O-U-R very S-O-O-N all the more real (and scary).

Grayson has also been exercising his big boys pants a lot more lately - using his words, putting together small phrases, referring to "baby" (even putting his head to the belly to talk to her now and then). It makes me realize just how big he is getting, and just how teeny this new one is going to seem in comparison.

Grayson is still just a little munchkin - how much smaller can a newbie possibly seem? A dose of reality, folks...

back to teeny onesies...

back to teeny diapers...

back to teeny (super cute and girly) shoes...

well, at least the binkies are the same size...

oh, wait. nevermind.

Jacob at 1 - Milwaukee Children's Photographer

2011-02-08T22:07:00.000-06:00

Oh, Jacob - I can't believe its been a year already! It seems like just yesterday your Daddy emailed about buying a milestone package as a surprise for your mommy (before you were even born!). And here we are a whole year, and 3 sessions later. You've grown from the little munchkin we made don Elvis glasses into your own little person with crazy whispy hair, amazing blue eyes and a personality all your own.

Jacob's 1 year session started what was a seemingly crazy week of crabby blonde haired, blue-eyed boys. I had one reschedule, because it just wasn't vibing well, a 6 month old who we had to shoot quickly, in between his fits of unconsolable crying, and Jacob - who, though relatively happy, did not really want to show it.

I had to pull out some big guns for Jacob's session, including getting down on his level (no easy task at 8 months prego) and playing peek-a-boo thru crib railing. He was pretty happy though, when we brought out the fantastic cake his daddy had made for the end of his session - he ate almost the entire thing. It was unbelievable.

Happy 1st Birthday, Jacob!

We broke out some snacks as bribes (which I was in charge of) - this is Jacob signing "more", which he did over and over and over again :)

The boy loves his blankie

Peek-a-boo!

Daddy made this bookshelf - so we've incorporated it in all of our sessions

Mommy Love :)

I just think this is hilarious - he looks disgusted...

... clearly, he got over his "disgust"

admiring his handy work :)

my project 52 - week 5

2011-02-04T22:28:00.001-06:00

Initially, I was going to post photos from the big snow storm we had here in Milwaukee this week. But... everyone has seen those photos, everyone has posted those photos and really, Grayson didn't dig the snow all that much.

This week had gotten away from me, and being friday, I was worried that I was going to miss a week. BUT, this afternoon I had a shoot. When I left the house, Grayson was napping. When I returned 2 hours later, I could hear happy cackling coming from inside the house.

I walked in to find Grayson running all around the house happily, wearing nothing but a diaper. His hair was crazily standing straight up - Daddy explained to me that this is because he rubbed some of his applesauce from a late lunch into it.

He was in one of the silliest moods I've ever seen from him. I immediately took out my camera and started snapping. He ran lap after lap from living room to kitchen, yelling and giggling the whole time. He paused to take a look down the laundry chute, and also to field a call on Daddy's cell phone. He knew he was being funny - and I LOVE that he knows when he is being funny.

I definitely couldn't choose just 1 pic - so... here's a bunch. Love this kid.

Connor - MIlwaukee Baby Photographer

2011-02-03T16:55:00.000-06:00

I've had a lot of baby boy sessions lately - blonde-haired, blue-eyed baby boys to boot :) I got to meet Mr. Connor when his parents brought him to the studio for some 3 month pics.

As with a lot of my 3-6 month old clients, Connor was all smiles for me when we took him out of his carrier. But, add the lights, unfamiliar territory and the pressure of a camera, and his smiles turned to mostly looks of curiosity. Luckily, he had some really nice eyebrow raising going on - and it worked for him :)

Mom had brought a really great prop, too - what I like to call an Elmer Fudd hat. Parents, I can't stress enough how fun it is to incorporate your own little touches into your session. I have a lot of props on hand, but its always nice to have something "you" - they are your memories after all.

Enjoy your preview guys!

Do you LOVE his hair?!

We were able to illicit a few smiles...

Mainly though, I got this look - which in and of itself is cute :)

Wabbit season :)

Xander at 6 months - Milwaukee Baby Photographer

2011-02-03T16:00:00.000-06:00

You may remember Xander from his newbie session, in which he and big sister, Meadow took this infamous pic, which has become one of my all-time faves :)

6 months later (which I kinda can 't believe!), Mr. Xander is a happy, smiley, drooly, teething and blonde little fellow. Big, blue eyes, just like his older sister, and chubby squeezable little cheeks. I heart baby faces.

Xander's session was held at home, which ended up to be a really good thing. Poor guy was having a rough morning. Teeth, really can be the worst. We were able to get some happy shots of baby boy before he lost interest, along with some great photos of Meadow, who is very clearly becoming a big girl. (Check out her headband, oh. my. goodness.)

We wrapped the session by giving Xander a freezy pop to help ease his poor little teething pain, but... when it accidentally came open, we had to take it away - session over! :)

Enjoy your preview guys - see you in another 6 months!

Check out those baby blues.

Meadow, and her big girl headband - well dressed girlies make me excited to be having one of my own :)

This series of photos is hilarious - one looks, neither look, they fall over...

He kept getting distracted by this background - I s'pose it is kind of a trip...

I love the single tear on his cheek - poor guy.

my project 52 - week 4!

2011-01-28T15:25:00.000-06:00

I can't believe how quickly this comes around each week. Seriously glad I didn't try to do a 365, which would have been an EPIC fail.

This week's photo is again a montage. I woke up yesterday and decided to make pancakes for breakfast. We do this about once a week. After I made the first pancake (or as I like to call it, the "practice pancake" because for some reason it is usually a disaster), I heard Grayson in the living room watching one of his fave shows, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. (Yes, I let me kid watch TV in the morning, don't judge).

I was reminded of pancake mornings when I was little. My grandma Ruth was pretty crafty with food-contortion. (Once, she even made some of the Wizard of Oz characters out of hamburger - I don't remember if they actually looked good, I just remember how cool it was that she did that for me.) Most common (and most requested), were Mickey Mouse pancakes. Because who wants a boring old round pancake, when you can have one shaped like The Mouse himself?

When I was 8, grandma Ruth died of lung cancer. She was 51 years old. She's the reason I was a "gifted & talented" kid, the reason I love Christmas so much, and the reason I've never even thought about touching a cigarette.

51 years old, how unbelievably sad is that. She never got to see my sister & I grow up, and never even got to meet my younger siblings. I think about her a lot, especially now that I'm a "grown up" with children of my own. I'm sad that my kids will never get to meet her - and that I can't remember many stories to tell them.

I can, however, pass on traditions like Mickey Mouse pancakes - and that makes me happy :)

No, he didn't eat it - because the chocolate chips had melted and what do you do when
chocolate gets all over your fingers? You FREAK. But we'll keep trying - maybe no
face next time :)

emily - 1 year

2011-01-25T10:22:00.001-06:00

I can hardly believe it's been 6 months, since my last session with Emily! She is truly one of the happiest and sweetest little girls I've ever met. No meltdown until the very end - and it was probably only because the poor girl was cold {see below}.

As typical of a one-year-old shoot, we let Emily run wild around grandma and grandpa's house. That girl sure does adore her grandpa :) I proceeded to chase her around the house as she "showed" me everything by finger point. I just love when kiddos reach the stage where they can't yet verbalize more than "mama" and "dada", but you know they've got a lot to say. So darn cute...

B Family - it sure was fun! Looking forward to seeing Emily grow :) oh - how about that football game?!

Acting silly for the family shots :)

Gosh, she's such a happy girl!

She was very delicate with her cake eating...

took a break to gnaw on her candle...

and was sure to let us know when she was all done :)

owen - milwaukee newborn photographer

2011-01-22T10:42:00.000-06:00

If there were a definition of ideal newborn model in the dictionary, next to it would be a picture of little Mr. Owen.

At 12 days old, I was worried that we may have missed the window of perfect sleeping newbie. But Owen was just a little peanut, not even 7 pounds yet. Still wrinkly & furry, and fully ready to fall asleep when prompted. In fact, he started the session wide awake and completely content - which was perfect to get some shots of those big sparkly eyes of his. And as soon as I wanted him to, he drifted peacefully to sleep. The only real "complaint" he had was when I would uncover him - and who wouldn't complain, it was cold!

Owen's was one of the quickest newbie sessions I've done this year. No need to stop for feeding or diapering! He also went thru a myriad of expressions - which made for some fantastic shots. He smiled, grimaced, frowned, pouted... but never really cried.

Can you tell I was in heaven with this kiddo? He rocked his newbie session, made my job easy peasy. Steve & Molly, congrats on your new little guy - he is so perfect. Enjoy your preview!

gorgeous boy, hey?

piggies

gas-induced or not, this kid was giving some GREAT smiles :)

Zoey seems like she'll make a really good big sister

my project 52 - week 3

2011-01-21T10:34:00.000-06:00

Not a picture of Grayson this week. Although our trip to WI Dells did yield some pretty fantastic "shoot for fun" results, I thought I'd switch it up a bit.

Thats not to say the picture isn't ABOUT Grayson :)

Yesterday was a long day. I started the day with a FANTASTIC newborn session (which will be posted soon), but amidst a cold, exhaustion, back pain and the realization that we are running out of prep time for Deuce's arrival, I found myself in quite a funk. In fact, I stopped at Target & TJ Maxx and wandered the stores aimlessly for literally 3 hours. When I got home, I was unimpressed with my purchases, and embarrassed over the amount of time I'd spent agonizing over what color crib sheet to buy for Deuce's nursery - seriously Shannon, its a CRIB SHEET. Sigh... it was bad.

But not long after I got home, my little man and grandma showed up. Grayson had flowers in hand, and was pretty proud of himself. Mom-in-law told me that she'd let Grayson choose (and sign) the card himself - I expected something weird like a "with deepest sympathy" card or something, but the card he'd chosen simply said "SMILE".

How perfect. Thanks Grayson (and mom-inlaw :)

Elliana & Ethan

2011-01-20T20:05:00.000-06:00

I met Miss Elliana last January for her 3 year session. Her parents described her as "spirited".

As a mommy, I've learned that it is definitely more difficult and stressful to control your own child than it is for onlookers to be around them.

While Elliana does have quite the energy (and personality to boot), I certainly do adore my sessions with her. I've never seen a child able to turn on the charm so quickly, and KNOW that she is doing it. She really should be an actress - she can turn it on (and off) at will. Its amazing to watch, and gets me countless unique shots ranging from supermodel diva to saddest little girl in the world :) My time with her makes me very excited, and also very afraid for deuce to make her arrival.

Elliana's little bro, Ethan (now 9 months) is a model 2nd child. All of our sessions have been relaxed and happy. Now that he's mobile, he's a little harder to keep still. But still, wonderful.

Angela & Derek, what a nice little family you have. I look forward to watching these kiddos become people :)

This is your typical, "I don't want to stand still" pose - I get it from kids

(specifically, my nephew) all the time

Not entirely mobile yet - no real choice but to stand still :)

She was so concerned about Ethan drooling on her dress - I laughed so hard...

"spirit"

Having to take pictures with your sister is apparently agonizing

Elliana is quite the artist 0 she also wrote her name and "Dad"

On a side note - if you love this frame, I now sell them :)

They come in 10 different designs, in sizes from ornament to ginormous, and 36 different colors!

... and the winners are...

2011-01-19T09:41:00.000-06:00

Phew - tallying blog votes is hard work. In the end though, there were 3 definite front runners.

So, without further ado, I give you our 2010 wedding couple winners...

3rd Place (winning an 11x14 of their choice) is:

Christie & Ben with 47 votes

2nd Place (winning an 11x14 standout mount of their choice) is:

Erin & Matt with 56 votes

And our 1st place couple (winning a 16x20 gallery wrap of their choice) is:

Kelly & Adam with 74 votes

I'll contact the winners with instruction son how to order your prizes :)

Congratulations to all our 2010 couples!

Helen Claire at 6 months.

2011-01-17T22:04:00.000-06:00

Helen Claire {aka Ellie}, we cannot believe you are 6 months old already! I can remember talking to your mommy and putting your due date on the calendar like it was just yesterday...

And what a little ham she's become! From the moment I walked in the door, she didn't take her eyes off me. It was like, she KNEW I was there to take pictures of her. Must've remembered me from the holiday mini-sessions... making an absolute fool of myself to make her smile. According to mom & dad, she was a little on the crabby side before I got there. Still not sure if I believe them ;)

Ellie's super cute nursery has a "Runaway Bunny," theme, complete with a spreads from the book as wall art. And if you look very closely, mommy's even wearing a runaway bunny necklace :)

Hope, CJ & Ellie - thanks for a great Saturday morning, and enjoy your preview!

-Jen

her smile is too precious...

She likes to read AND eat books :)

daddy attack!

I just love how she's curling her toes around the chair. LOL.

Score with the heart links prop!

little amita - milwaukee newborn photographer

2011-01-14T09:51:00.000-06:00

Oh, Amita... what a fighter you are.

One thing that most newborn photographers {should} know - PATIENCE is KEY. I have had a number of newbie sessions recently where, after an hour or so of baby fighting it, just at the verge of mom & dad giving up, baby drifts into a nice, deep sleep.

Amita was no exception. She definitely gave me a run - fought sleep for almost 2 hours! But, it seems she's a bit of a stubborn girl. She made her parents wait 9 whole agonizing days past her due date before making her grand entrance - and when she did enter the world, it was with her right hand on top of her head. If you'll notice, in all the pics she has her right hand free from the swaddle - she refused to keep it in. So, we worked with that - whatever makes you happy, baby girl.

Ally, Aaron - congrats - welcome to the world little Amita!

this series is funny, because she was actually fussing almost the entire time.

EXCEPT for this. exact. moment :)

Daddy working his magic.

Right hand, on her head...

content :)

Kinzley {in utero}

2011-01-13T10:03:00.000-06:00

I went back to the homeland {or Janesville. Close enough.} for my maternity session with Tanya & Seth. I've known Seth since the good ol' days at Brother Dutton. Sooo, liiiike, 20+ years then? Weird to think it's been that long, and that we're old enough to have our own kids! Needless to say, I was absolutely thrilled to document these two at such an amazing point in their lives.

Tanya looked amazingly beautiful {as usual}, and was a natural in front of the camera, which made my job a breeze. And I guess Seth wasn't too bad himself ;) We had a lot of fun, talked about what labor's like, and even had an impromptu cake breakfast {see below}.

Tanya & Seth - I cannot wait to meet the little princess, and wish you two the best of luck and a smooth delivery. Enjoy your preview!

-Jen

Strike a pose, mama :)

Kinzley's room is like a magical fairyland, right Tanya? It's also PINK :)

This one's for Kim :)

Tanya makes these CUTE tutus, and sent one home with me for Ella.

She loves it and wore it all day Sunday, by the way :)

Not to worry, Kinzley. You still have a whole closet full of them!

Just had to mention that this was taken in the bathroom...

Nice modeling, Seth!

Fave.

Idea inspired by Seth. He wanted cake for breakfast.

Balloons from shower in kitchen. Voilà.

Cuties.

my project 52 {week 2}

2011-01-12T23:31:00.000-06:00

2 weeks in a row. Woot! I'm on a roll ya'll ;)

This week I've been super focused on ordering items for Deuce's nursery... but in order to get started on putting said nursery together, I need to complete Grayson's big boy room.

Sigh. I am SO not ready for Grayson to have a big boy room.

I love the idea of it. I love the final product I have in my head for it. I love that Grayson is very excited every time we go in there to do things. But I do not love that its called his "big boy room", that it implies he's not really a "baby" anymore, that it means he is growing up.

Ugh, being a mommy is hard.

That said, he is super cute about the new room. Today, his new bedding arrived. I don't even know if he understood the word "bedding", but when I told him what was inside the package, he was pretty stoked. When we put the bedding ON the bed? The child went bananas. He jumped on the bed and snuggled the bed and giggled happily. And THEN... he gave out hugs and kisses to all his Ugly Dolls - the new little monsters that adorn his brand new big boy bed.

What a sweetie :) I love my baby... err, big boy... whatever, he's my baby forever.

The {N} Family - Milwaukee Family Photographer

2011-01-12T10:12:00.001-06:00

On Sunday I met up with Jack, Reilly and their parents for a family session. Jack had just turned 3 the week before, so it was important to document this milestone AND get some shots of RIley, before he's mobile - because once their mobile, good luck :)

Jack was very into his books, and quite the artist (the family's kitchen was covered in his masterpieces :) Reilly was a happy little man, with the cutest, pinchable munchkin cheeks. Both boys were also blessed with big, brown sparkly eyes. Adorable.

I shot both boys individually, and together (no easy task), and then we pulled out the family pooches for a big family pic. And even though I was given a duck call to work with - those pics are going to require some additional "work" before we get a wall hanger. LOL.

Enjoy your preview, guys!

Jack

Reilly

Taking a book break while it was Reilly's turn :)

Cheeks!

Oh, I love this - I hope when Deuce arrives that she and Grayson can be buddies :)

Way to stay focused Jack, thatta boy.

I think these boys look a little bit like their mommy...

Jack had some leftover cupcakes from his birthday party, so we let him celebrate again -

it was the cleanest cake smash I've ever documented :)

Best of Weddings - Portraits - 2010 - VOTING IS CLOSED

2011-01-10T07:46:00.011-06:00

**VOTERS - YOU MUST INCLUDE A FIRST NAME AND LAST NAME OR INITIAL, OR YOUR VOTE WILL NOT BE COUNTED!** If you accidentally posted your vote incorrectly, go ahead and vote again, as your initial vote will not be counted.

This was hard, guys. Like, really hard. Besides combing thru 35 weddings - choosing JUST 1 favorite from each?? Gut-wrenching! In the end though, I think Jen & I made some really good selections. And, it was great fun to go back thru the year and relive each couple's big day! How lucky we are to get to share these moments with our couples :)

Ok, RULES:

To vote, please leave a comment on this blog entry with the photo # AND couple's name

1 vote per person (you MUST leave a FIRST NAME AND AT LEAST A LAST INITAL for your vote to count)

Multiple votes form the same person/email address will not be counted

Voting will open Monday, January 10th at 8am and will close Sunday, January 16th at 8pm

Winners will be announced Wednesday, January 19th in the evening

(once I've had the chance to count up all these votes!)

1st place will receive a 16x20 canvas gallery wrap of their photo of choice

2nd place will receive an 11x14 standout mount of their photo of choice

3rd place will receive an 11x14 print of their photo of choice

Without further ado, here are our faves of 2010:

#1, Kelly & Adam

This was, by far, the COLDEST outdoor shoot EVER - but, you'd never know it. Kelly & Adam were just happy, and adorable - and Adam did a great job lifting his new wife by her rear ;)

#2, Lea & Kevin

We had a lot of time for portraits with these 2 - and they were so laid back and fun, I actually had quite a few favorites form their day - but I kept coming back to this one - its def in the running for my favorite ever.

#3, Kate & Jon

Simple & genuine. I love this shot.

#4, Melissa & Brendan

This was after dinner, when the sunset light was jusssst perfect. I love how happy they both are,

and that Melissa's lipstick is still perfect :)

#5, Sarah & Odi

These 2 were PROS at going from smiley to serious. They look passionate,

and like they could throw down if they needed to. LOL.

#6, Trisha & Andrew

I'm drawn to the genuineness of the moment - look how happy they are!

#7, Sarah & Braden

I ADORE photos of grooms checking out their new brides - these 2 were too cute.

A lot of really fun candids were taken at this wedding (plus, it was in Beloit!)

#8, Heather & Tim

A groom in uniform, a vintage couch, a perfectly poised bride, AND a kiss?

Does it get any more romantic than that? I mean really...

#9, Mindy & Tae

I love this photo because you can actually see how much he adores her -

You should see their new baby girl, just as cute as Mom & Dad :)

#10, Kristen & Joe

Joe hopped into a tree for this shot. Can we say dedicated?!

#11, Meghan & Matt

I was drawn to how natural this kiss is. Genuine passion. Love it.

#12, Jessi & Mitch

In the photo before this, Mitch is majorly yawning - which made us all laugh.

I love couples who can laugh at themselves.

#13, Amanda & Alex

Happy & adorable - despite the rain :)

#14, Jenny & Nathan

This was one of the last photos of the night. A perfect ending to a beautiful day.

#15, Jenn & Mike

We snuck out of the reception to grab this pic - nice sky, great kiss :)

#16, Erin & Matt

I love the casual feel of this - laid back and adorable. These 2 were naturals.

#17, Alli & Cory

We were initially worried about taking photos in the bar - but so many of them turned out to be faves. Alli & Cory were both beaming the entire day.

#18, Carmela & Mike

Carmela is a short little thing (Mike not so much), so when I told her to grab Mike's tie,

I loved how she worked it out - commanding, but sweet :)

#19, Connie & Shawn

Lost in the moment - I love it.

#20, Megan & Jeff

Great light, perfectly placed tree... plus, I was kinda far away,

so I think they forgot I was there :)

#21, Cathy & Mike

If we hadn't made a stop at the Bridge Inn, we'd have never

discovered this mad-fab alley - or captured this steamy moment.

#22, Heather & Chad

Told ya, I'm a sucker for grooms looking adoringly at their new wives.

#23, Maggie & Michael

I loved the architecture, and the fact that they both look like models (in love).

#24, Amber & Chad

Lovely view, sweet moment :)

#25, Lindsey & Tim

Initially I'd chosen a different fave for these 2, but in the end, Lindsey simply

looked too FIERCE in this shot not to choose it.

#26, Cass & Brian

This photo sums them up perfectly - they are adorable.

#27, Katie & Craig

Katie was beaming the entire day - but I had to choose this pic of Craig's reaction at their first look. Love the adoration in his expression.

#28, Kristin & Andy

Their entire wedding had a vintage vibe - I thought this shot looked so

Old Hollywood, it fit their day perfectly.

#29, Cori & Matt

I love that you can only see a smidgen of her smile, but can tell how happy she is :)

#30, Christie & Ben

Umm, hi, we are models... Lots of great portraits from this wedding - these 2 completely rocked it out.

#31, Michelle & Scott

Admittedly, I have NO IDEA how the bokeh in this shot turned out like it did -

but it makes the shot dreamy, lovely and perfect.

#32, Mary & Jason

Oh my, the colors! And Jason is pretty happy to be getting smooched :)

#33, Jenny & Ryan

Another genuine moment - I just adore the happiness here.

#34, Megan & James

Met the couple about an hour before their ceremony, snapped

this shot in their kitchen (surrounded by guests) - they were naturals.

#35, Kristin & Dan

Oh, the moment before the kiss....

Good luck to all our fabulous couples!

Zach at 1 - Milwaukee Children's Photographer

2011-01-09T22:34:00.002-06:00

I met little Zach at his 6 month session over the summer, but I've known his pop since grade school... and boy, do they look alike :) At 1, and now mobile, Zach was so much fun at his 1 year session. Although, I will say, the 1 year olds are by and large the most difficult to shoot. They simply don't want to sit still. Mix that with a winter session, being stuck indoors, and Shannon had her work cut out for her.

Luckily, we were able to subdue Mr. Zach with the power of books, and by corralling him in his crib for some shots :)

We ended the session with a cake smash to celebrate the big 1st year. While Zach didn't actually EAT any of the cake, he did push it around while making a car driving noise, demolish it, and proceed to track it all over the kitchen floor. Good times.

Happy Birthday, Zach! Enjoy your preview Kim & Ryan...

Look at those teefers :)

Book and crib kept him content for about 2.5 seconds, so I could snap this shot.

Such a dapper young man!

Brown Bear - one of his faves.

Guess who?

No real eating, just complete annihilation.

He was pleased with himself :)

My Project 52 {week 1}

2011-01-06T09:02:00.001-06:00

A newer trend these days is a 365 project - taking and sharing a photo that is significant to you everyday for an entire year. Well, I'm afraid of that type of commitment. So this year, I've opted to try a project 52 - 1 photo a week that means something to me and why.

For week 1, I've already kind of cheated. I didn't take this picture. I did, however, ask the hubby to take a pic of my boy and I on my birthday - and this photo was one of the candid results.

I absolutely adore this photo. Beside its wonderful display of my 30th birthday "flair" (I only wish the balloon, which read "Happy Birthday, Princess!" was visible), it is a perfect depiction of Grayson at this age. I can't tell you how many times a day this kid hugs me, usually coming up, laying his head on me and simply saying "Hiii" in his sweet little munchkin voice. At 20 months, the boy is super sweet on his mama. And while his clinginess can be a bit "annoying" in social situations, I certainly don't mind it - I'd spend all day cuddling with him if I could.

How I wish I could bottle up some of these moments so that when he's a teenager, and we're having a big blowout fight, I can open it up and remind us both that there was a time when I was his #1...

PS - 3 hugs during the writing of this blog :)

Kristin & Dan's NYE Wedding - MIlwaukee Wedding Photographer

2011-01-06T08:32:00.000-06:00

When we first met with Kristin & Dan, we were a little hesitant to take on a New Year's Eve wedding. I mean, its NEW YEAR'S EVE - one of the biggest party nights of the year, and this particular year, the eve of my 30th birthday. At the time we first met the couple, I also wasn't prego, so I anticipated a somewhat hazy night, celebrating my 3 centuries on the planet. Best laid plans....

We met Kristin & Dan at the Clarion where they were getting ready. They'd decided on a first look (yay!), so we chose a quiet area near the hotel's ballrooms. As Kristin and I were getting off the elevator to go meet up with hubby-to-be, we ran into Dan's brother, best man Joel, who also happens to be Dan's twin. Guess who forgot Dan had a twin and completely panicked when he stuck his head into the elevator? A quick shriek and "wait, what are you doing?!", I hopped in front of my bride, who quickly reassured me it wasn't actually Dan peeking in. Sometimes my awesomeness amazes even me.

After our first look, we headed over to St. Ann's Center, which has an interesting atrium area, made to look like old world buildings. We were even lucky enough to run outside for a few pictures, because for some reason mother nature decided that it should be 50+ degrees on December 31st this year.

Ceremony was held at Nativity of the Lord Catholic Church in Cudahy. Big church, long aisle - which the brave bridesmaids had to walk solo :) Fr Tom ran the service. Never worked with Fr Tom before, but I certainly hope to in the future - he was HILARIOUS. From poking fun at the groom for being a "skinny kid" to some unmentionable comments given at the dinner prayer, he definitely had Jen & I cracking up. Great guy.

A surprise bagpipe serenade (Kristin's gift to Dan) and we were on our way to the Clarion to party the night away.

We're so glad we decided to take on Kristin & Dan's big day. Besides being SUCH a nice couple, the party they'd put together for their guests was off the hook! The music was a total throwback to highschool. Had I not been 7 months pregnant, and completely exhausted from the day, I'd have definitely taken them up on their offer to stay and celebrate the turning of another year (they had a balloon drop AND had reserved their ballroom at the Clarion until 1am!). I can only imagine how awesome the dancing got after we left :)

Hooray for fun shoes!

Group effort.

Kristin's mom was so cute - she said she wouldn't cry, but most moms get a little misty upon seeing their daughter as a bride.

First look (post my minor heart attack)

Mean Girls? Not at all, really :)

50 degrees. In December!

Just before announcing the newly married couple, Fr. Tom said

"Since when does an old Polish priest have to tell a kid to kiss his girl?" :)

A plinko game was used to make the couple kiss - super cute.

Ice Cream Cupcakes - talk about a prego's dream come true...

This photo bomb cracked me up - thanks for the laugh, "Marcia" :)

Oh, I love first dances...

Ring Bearer, Quinn - I don't think he was interested in me snapping his dancing skills.

How funny is a kid in jammies?

megan & james - milwaukee wedding photographer

2011-01-03T11:19:00.000-06:00

Unlike any of my other wedding couples, I met Megan & James the evening of their wedding. The couple hadn't hired me to be their photographer - their uber-awesome friends had pitched in to give my services as a gift :) This made me a little nervous - but as soon as I walked in and met them both, I was completely at ease. They were so so sweet and laid back - made my job easy!

The ceremony and reception were a small private event held at the couple's home in Waukesha. Ceremony was in a nice, cozy (and warm!) tent set up in the backyard and about 30 guests watched as the couple exchanged vows, and then all gathered inside to nosh and socialize. Because it was night time in the dead of winter, in a neighborhood, we made good use of the couple's lovely (albeit crowded) home for a few quick pics. Quick and easy - I could go for a few more weddings like this one each year :)

Megan, James - it was super nice to meet you both. Congrats again, and enjoy your preview!

I was told the 2 became more than friends after running some marathons together - and that this particular marathon was maybe the turning point from friendship to something more...? If I'm wrong, blame Mandi :)

Ladies, he is single.

Taken in their kitchen, surrounded by guests and caterers.

on life & running a business - and why I sometimes suck at both :)

2010-12-31T08:43:00.000-06:00

Oh, hey there any blog readers that haven't deleted me from their RSS feed just yet...

I know, I KNOW - "Shannon, its been almost 3 MONTHS since you've blogged anything. How lame can you possibly be? Don't you know the interweb is where its at and I need constant, if not daily reminders that you and your photography exist?"

Heres the thing, kids - the 2nd half of 2010 was... unexpected. Almost everything about it was pleasantly unexpected, but when you combine about a zillion "unexpecteds", it turns into a whole ginormous ball of overwhelming and at some point somethings gotta give. That something, in Shannon land, unfortunately, was blogging.

The first, and probably most influential "unexpected" was the discovery that our little family was about to grow by 1. "How exciting!", you say? Yes, indeed, NOW, at 7 months prego (with a little GIRLIE) I am very excited. At the time we found out, still working a part-time job and shooting full-time, smack dab in the middle of an insanely busy wedding season and pulling 2am editing sessions almost every night, oh yeah, and with a 15 month old little man at my heels (not to mention a hubby who needs a little TLC every now and then) - a little more "holy ish, this is BAD timing".

Besides the all day nausea this pregnancy has brought along, it's also produced a horrendous case of "baby brain". I'm terribly forgetful, and at the end of the day, basically brain dead. Its getting better, but during those first few months, being insanely busy as it was, at the end of the day I simply didn't have enough brain power to write 5 words, let alone an entire blog entry for every single wedding & session. So, instead, I'd post a preview to Facebook (no words required!), and use my remaining brain cells to read a book to Grayson. I was already feeling (and still do feel - but thats for another blog entry) tremendous amounts of guilt for already bringing another baby into our family, how could I NOT devote my last remaining brain cells to my #1?

For those of you who haven't been following along via Facebook, we've been BUSY - to an insane degree. "Cry me a river, Shannon. Busy = $", you say? Yes, this is true. What most people don't consider is that it also equals crazy amounts of time - time away from my family shooting, LATE night editing sessions, countless social engagements I've had to pass on because I "have to edit (respond to email, prep packages, design albums, scan receipts, file taxes, SLEEP?)". This is a situation I've put myself in, I realize this. What most people don't think about when I say "I'm a photographer", is all the back hours that go into this job. Its not all fun and play and pretty pictures, people. Running a business is time consuming, and sometimes all out maddening. Throw a family into the mix, and its a tough balancing act - and I haven't exactly been perfect at keeping it all together.

I've had a terrible time saying "No" to sessions and new business. I honestly do not know how I didn't have a nervous breakdown (or a pending divorce - LOVE YOU, Mr. W! Seriously, I have an amazingly supportive husband, again, for a different blog entry....) this fall. I was shooting 4-5 sessions a week, a wedding every weekend, and working part-time. In October, I finally said enough is enough, and let go of the part-time job. If I hadn't, shannon wucherer photography would no longer exist. I expected a November slow down, which didn't happen, and have been treading water ever since.

Please don't think I'm complaining. I will never ever ever complain about being busy, and people actually liking my work enough to trust me and pay me to capture some of their most important life moments. I'm simply explaining how this year has been a learning experience and has definitely helped to shape my goals for 2011.

Which brings me to...
My Goals for 2011 (clever, hey?)

SLOOOOOOOW DOWWWWWN AND ENJOY LIFE

I need to take more time to enjoy all the things I have been blessed with - my life, my family and this wonderful career. To do this, I need to work on BALANCE. Knowing that I don't NEED to work every day. I don't need to constantly check email, edit or learn. Its OK to spend entire days on the floor playing with Grayson, or to spend a day (maybe even an entire weekend, whee!) away with my husband. Every second of every day does not have to revolve around work. Life is fleeting - with a toddler, I have come to learn this very quickly. I owe it to him and to myself to actually enjoy the time I have with him, because this stage is AWESOME.

In the same respect, I need to have a little more time to invest in each client. While I do have an emotional investment in all of my clients, I'd like to have the time to get to know each better and feel like I am making a connection with all of them. In a career like photography, I don't think it should be all business. Plus, I have an innate need for people to like me :)

LEARN TO SAY "NO"
I've seen this on a lot of photographer's list of goals. Saying "No" is tough ya'll. When you are self employed, nothing is guaranteed. You are never REALLY sure when your next pay day will be, and its very easy to take on as much work as possible out of fear that tomorrow, it might not be there. But, constantly being a yes man, trying to fit 20 sessions into 1 week, will do nothing but run me ragged. I need to BELIEVE that if a prospective client actually values my work, they will be willing to wait for me to fit them in for a session. Scary, scary, scary - but, I think I can do it.

BE A BETTER BLOGGER
I've decided that for 2011, this blog is going to become both a voice for my business, and my life :) I was maintaining a blog for Grayson, keeping family from afar up to date on his milestones, but guess what was the FIRST thing to be neglected when I got too busy to function? Grayson's blog hasn't been updated since I dunno when.... tragic, really.

So, blog readers, prepare yourselves. I fully intend to inundate you with both my adventures in photography AND life as a suburban wife and Mommy. The goal is for you get to know a little more about me and my life - while being as un-annoying as possible :)

There are many more goals on my list, both business and personal - but these are definitely my top 3. I hope you enjoy reading about my successes and failures in business and life. I'm optimistic (and terrified) about the year to come.

Happy New Year to all! Did I mention I turn 30 tomorrow?!? (Again, for another blog post....)

- sw

kristin & andy - janesville wedding photographer

2010-10-08T10:40:00.000-05:00

We headed back to the homeland for THE WEDDING of Kristin & Andy (formerly known as Bob). Andy & I ran in the same circle of friends in high school (this is Jen writing, by the way), so we were thrilled to hear that they needed a wedding photographer, and even MORE thrilled after their engagement session, where we found out about their vintage inspired theme. The details of their day were even more amazing than we could have imagined. Kristin looked absolutely breathtaking, and Andy - oh, so dapper ;)

We hit up Rotary Gardens for formal pics prior to the ceremony, and then from church headed across the street to The Speakeasy Lounge in Janesville, for dinner and dancing to The Cash Box Kings.

Kristin & Andy - thanks so much for an incredible day. Enjoy your sneak peek!

whitney at 1 - milwaukee children's photographer

2010-10-06T13:15:00.002-05:00

My goodness, Whitney, I can't believe you are already 1! It seems like just yesterday we were making your dad do his special sleeper hold to get you calm during your newbie session!

Your cheeks are a riot, your hair is adorable, and you are quite the loveable little munchkin. Happy 1st birthday! Enjoy your preview!