The visitor...

He stopped by the week before...puffing out his red throat, which of course I missed.  He was trying to get into our little bird house, which was pretty funny.  But of course I also missed that.  This isn't the sharpest macro, but not too shabby for hand held on a cloudy day.  What a handsome fellow!

At attention...

I love this one too.  In fact, I had a hard time choosing between.  I like her profile against the green here and how both she and her little kitty are so alert.  Jenny asked her to look for the little visitor we had last week and this was the result.  Stay tuned to see the visitor. 

Reverie...

I LOVE LOVE how peaceful she looks here...and the beautiful light on her face. 

This is not the first time I have taken her photo like this.  In fact, when the kids came to visit last week, Abigail was wearing the outfit Hannah had worn when I last took her picture in this window.  I thought it would be fun to recreate the photo with Abigail, but she was having NONE of it.  Ha ha!  Hannah is so sensitive that if Abigail ever refuses to hug, kiss, or anything else, Hannah will usually offer.  I think she's worried that my feelings are hurt, sweet girl.  At any rate, it was a good day for this because it was cloudy and the light coming through the window was soft. 

Puppy dog eyes...

I think this is perhaps my all time favorite of Abigail from this year.  I just love her sweet expression...the puppy dog tilt of her head and the light on her face.  It definitely was posed in that we told her where to sit...and when Nathan called to her from behind me, she turned her head.  Still, I love how natural it looks and need to try this idea when I do portrait sessions for others.

Stairwell model...

These were a couple of my favorites.  I love her sweet hesitant expression in the first...again VERY Abigail....and her hair flying in the second.  She was SO good to cooperate with me!  And she told her mom that taking pictures with Grammy was the favorite part of her day.  Go figure! We'll need to separate the girls more often when we want an actual portrait. 

Still sassy...

I love this one too...it's so very Abigail.  And I even like the way the light on the creek behind her blew this out for a high key effect....I like the side light on her face which gives it dimension.  We get the best smiles when her daddy is around to play the goof ball!

Sassy pants!

Love how this shows her sassy side!

Wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall?

Technically, we were outdoors...so no walls, but still....I'd love to know what they were saying.

More turtle watching...

The light is not nearly so pretty from this angle, but I still love them...especially the second one with the wind in her hair and their faces close together.  So sweet.  In case you can't tell, Nathan is a WONDERFUL father!

Turtle watching...

We took Abigail down to the college a couple of weeks ago, hoping to capture some "cover worthy" photos for her memory book.  It's hard getting a strong willed 2 year old to cooperate, hence the outing with no sibling and 3 (count 'em" 3) adults.  I didn't want everything to be posed, so we just let her turtle watch with her daddy.  I love these...love the light coming off the creek and and sweet and natural they look together.

Elsa's got nothing on my Nikon...

Just love that silly face and all that frozen water!  Yep, I can freeze water even when it's 100 degrees outside.  lol!

Ring around the fountain...

My favorite shot of H.  Just love that twinkle in her eye!

Variety isn't all it's cracked up to be...

Clearly, this fountain was the favorite.  There are not pictures of anything else, because they wouldn't DO anything else.  But this is progress!  She is definitely having fun!!!

Everything's bigger in Texas...

Apparently, A thought this was a drinking fountain.  That tongue was hanging out the whole time and she was scooping water into her hands and sucking it off her fingers.  Silly girl!

Blind man's bluff?

We did finally persuade Hannah to go through this tunnel.  Her technique was a bit unconventional though....eyes closed, arms outstretched...like a newly blind person.  Ha ha!  She cracks me up!!!

Finally...

Abigail did finally decide it was OK to get wet up to her tummy.  Love how her tongue was out the WHOLE time! 

What "normal" kids do...

Now THIS is how you're supposed to play at a splash park! 

Peer pressure? No problem!

We took the kids to a splash park the other day.  This was their 3rd or 4th time to be there, so H made a bee line for her favorite fountain (yep....pretty much the ONLY one either of them played in), but A was having none of it.

Mmmmm...no...not gonna get wet!  No one can persuade her till SHE is ready!  lol

Pitiful Pearl...

Couldn't resist one pouty pic.  I think she was cold...but who knows?  You never can tell with this one!  Next up, splash park pics....(as soon as I have time to process them)!

Noodle rider...

Hannah was having fun riding the swim "noodle" like a horse!  Love the colors in these!  Next year we need to get Abigail a swim vest like this!