Look at these cheeks. I mean, seriously…I could just dip him in honey mustard and eat those chubby cheeks like chicken nuggets. Is that too creepy?

Seriously, though, this is Gabe…the sweetest and most well-behaved 1-year old I’ve ever had the pleasure of photographing. And his parents were equally enjoyable. We had a fun day filled with playgrounds, puppies and chubby cheeks!

This is sweet little Hayden. She had trouble going to sleep and staying asleep during this shoot, but I think we got a nice mix of awake and asleep images. Thanks to Cali and Anthony for being so patient during this long shoot. They were so self-conscious that Hayden’s crying made her my “worst session ever” and let me just reassure you, Hayden was so sweet and beautiful and nowhere NEAR being my worst session. Because my worst session ever is and always will be my beautiful niece who is the queen of screaming and crying!!! And she’s all: “No little newborn is going to take away my title!”

Thanks again Cali and Anthony! Hayden is gorgeous and I hope to see you all soon!

Today is Maddie’s birthday. My dear, sweet niece is 7 years old. 7!! It feels like only a couple years ago that I met her whiny tush (she was colicky…I’m not just calling her whiny without reason).

So, I’m taking today off and Maddie and I are going to get manicures. After that, we’re getting her ears pierced. After that dinner. And then I’m going to go home and cry because I’m officially considered old. And I don’t like it at all.

Saturday night, Liza and Maddie came down to Brooklyn to visit and we hung out at a coffee shop for a bit. Maddie became a little fixated on this clothesline that had old found polaroids hanging from it. I so badly wanted to buy the piece for her, but clearly I don’t have $800 to spend on art. The way I see it, I can find a few polaroids at stoop sales, stick them on some clothesline and secure them with clothespins. And Voila!–”Art.”

Let me start by saying that the only reason this post is in the weekly style section is because of the dress Adelynn is wearing in the photo. My mom made it and it is SO FREAKING CUTE that it had to be highlighted. Let’s take a moment to ooooh and aaaaah.

Ok, so now onto the story–

A couple of weeks ago I visited home for my sister’s 30th birthday where I got to spend some quality time with my adorable niece. I mean seriously…have you seen the smile? It melts my heart. That is, when my ears aren’t bleeding from her screaming. She’s not so good with the word “no.”

I was watching Adelynn for my sister (Bridget) so that she could shower and get dressed, blow-dry her hair and ultimately do all those things that those of us “childless” folk take for granted. Because apparently for my sister, getting a chance to put on makeup and do her hair is the equivalent to waking up next to Clive Owen drizzled in chocolate after someone wallpapered her house with 100 dollar bills. IT WAS THAT EXCITING!

So, my sweet sister looked lovely. And clean. And I’m sitting on the floor next to Adelynn when all of a sudden she gets a weird look on her face and starts staring at me. And I look back, wary, and say to her, “Addie, do you have to poop?” And she’s squatting and nodding, a pained expression on her face–which I think we can all empathize with.

I know Bridget is beginning to potty-train, but I’m a little lost in that department, so I figured I’d just let her do her thing and I’d handle the diaper later. All of a sudden I see a stream of poop running down Adelynn’s leg, staining the nice white carpet and my poor niece starts screaming, “Poopie, Cayeen! Poopie!”. I pick her up and throw her down on the changing table. Bridget comes running in upon hearing those ominous poop-filled screams and she takes over my position as I was about to take the diaper off.

As my sister slides the diaper off of Adelynn’s legs, projectile poop comes flying into her face. I mean, this kid may as well have been throwing poop around the room. The stuff was everywhere by the time she was finished and all the while she’s crying, “Poopie, Mommy, poopie!”

After all the excitement was said and done, we all got cleaned up; scrubbed the rug, the changing table, showered, changed our clothes again. And just as my sister and I flopped ourselves down onto the couch, Bridget’s husband, Adam walked through the door. Adelynn ran to him and he picked her up, asking: “Adelynn, what did you get Mommy for her birthday?”

She smiled coyly and pointed to both of us and simply answered: “Poopie.”

She sure did.

This is Gracie…my family’s dog and my dog throughout most of college. She now lives with my parents because she would not have adjusted to city life very well. Of course, if it had come down to it, I would have taken her with me, but she bonded with my parents and loved their backyard–and as much as it broke my heart, I didn’t think it was fair to her to take that away. Sure, she would have adjusted to city life…but she wouldn’t have been nearly as happy as she is with my parents. Besides, they have the money to spoil her ROTTEN. This dog gets pig ears like EVERY DAY with them.

Back in college, I was living across the hall from Liza and Maddie, who back then had no fear of dogs. I have no idea what happened to this kid, but she’s terrified of them now! And she used to call Gracie “Wacie”. She’d come toddling into my apartment and wake me up at 7am…on a Saturday…Liza’s revenge to me for teaching her ‘nipple’ probably…and go, “Where’s Wacie? Where’s Wacie Aunt Cayeen?”  And when she found Gracie, she’d throw her arms around the dog’s neck as Gracie covered her face in slobbery kisses. They were totally buddies. Except for when Gracie would chew Maddie’s toys…on those days you would have thought the kid swallowed battery acid by the way she reacted. Like it was THE END OF THE WORLD BECAUSE OH MY GOD YOU GOT SLOBBER ON THE BARBIE DOLL. Never mind the fact that you shared an ice cream cone with the dog minutes ago because HOW WILL MALIBU BARBIE SURVIVE WITH SLOBBER IN HER HAIR.

In any case, Maddie still asks about Gracie and it seems like the only dog she thinks of fondly anymore.

When I was home visiting, I took some portraits of Gracie…because, let’s face it, she’s getting old. Her hip is bad and she can barely walk the stairs down to the yard anymore. Sometimes we have to carry her down there. And while this would under most circumstances cause most dogs to become cranky and tired-not my Gracie. She still plays with the youth and vigor she did when she was only a puppy. And it makes me smile.

The sad thing is, this shoot is months old. I just simply haven’t had the time to update!

In any case, Lindsay and Vince are such a gorgeous couple! Not only that, but the three of us had so much fun running around Philadelphia doing this engagement shoot. They’re playful and goofy–which I love. There were easily 100 amazing photographs to choose from, but here are a couple of my favorites.