everybody say AAAARRRRRRRG!!!

Olivia is FOUR! I still can't really believe it. And she pretty much overnight has become a big girl - she goes to her best friends house (our next door neighbors) pretty much daily, she's demanding her independance, and she wants to do everything herself. She also now flies off the handle at the smallest setting off, which is frustrating! What happened to my good natured girl??

Saturday was her pirate party with her cousin Niko. He turned six. There were about 10 kids at the party, and Olivia loved every second of it. It was definitely a humid mess out, and we were sprinkled on a couple times, but overall I thought the party was really great!

This was actually the second cake I had made... the first attempt was at an open treasure chest, and all was going well, but somewhere in the construction, there was disaster. I got so frustrated with the whole thing that Tim and I just ate what wasn't destroyed, and I made a new one after I got home from work.



Here's the pirate princess in all of her glory




The highlight of the party, for the kids at least, was the bubble machine. They just loved those dang bubbles!











I loved this one would be the kids' bands cd cover


Olivia technically didn't blow out any candles this year, because it was just too windy. She was confused by this.


And here's some more of present opening, and guests...




























Thanks to everyone who came out and made Olivia and Niko's party special!!

best session with these two to date! {Columbus Children Photographer: Purple Platpus Pictures}

I always say that my kids are the hardest kids to photograph. And I still stand by that. But my nephews notoriously have been the next worst. Until yesterday! Wendy called me up to see if I was free to do a quick session with her youngest Aiden, and it turned out I was. Sure Olivia had to tag along, but she loves her cousins (and her Uncle Eric!) so she did really well. I haven't had a chance to go through all the images yet, because I saw this one and had to work on it that second. I just love it!

Our little men!

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!!

Finally!! Olivia's birthday party!! (For the record, I had planned to spend today just editting photos for me... no one else... just me....... and I fell asleep on the couch. >.< But I'm hoping that this weekend will be a lovely weekend with me bonding with my photos... so there might be a blog explosion) But back to Olivia's party!! So far every year, my sister-in-law and I combine Olivia and my nephew Niko's birthday parties. Their birthdays are only 2 days apart, so really it just makes sense to. We like to rent a local shelter, so that we can just bbq outside, and let the kids run. They love the running.

So I made their invite on the fly. Like literally unintentionally waited until the last minute, and then realized that I had 2 hours to make the thing and get it ordered, or we were going to have to just buy something. But I like what I came up with.

The day before the party, I made their cake. I'm not going to lie... I love making their cakes. Something about baking, I just really like it. Must have some of my grandma in me or something (though I don't remember her as the birthday cake baker type... more just a general wonderful baker)

157 of 365: Let there be Cake

The actual day of the party, like always I didn't really take all that many images. I don't really know how to describe why I don't like to photograph my own events. Maybe it's because I get sad that I'm not in any of the images. Maybe it's because I'd rather just enjoy the moment, then have to worry about capturing it. Maybe it's because I'd just like a day off from it. But in any case, I don't have a ton of images from the party.

Birthday Girl


Birthday Boy


A bunch of Claire (the balloons were a giant hit with all the kids)




158 of 365: Loving my Aunt


Better shots of the cake




Grandpa swinging with Jacob

Tim took my camera while I was with Olivia for blowing out the candle. He did a very good job! I think it was one of the first times Tim used the camera out of auto mode and actually got successful images. I even think he made me look good :)

Waiting while Aunt Wendy lights the candles


Blowing out the candles


Contimplating how many pieces she wanted (turns out, two pieces)


Diving in

And when the party was just about done, Wendy's nurse came with her four kids. All of her kids are adorable, but her youngest has these eyes that are just unbelievable. I just had to capture them. So watery and pretty.

Wow, what a picture overload! I guess it's just me trying to make up for lost time. Sorry about that!!

the boys are back in town

Niko and Aiden are my nephews, and I don't get to photograph them as often as I'd like. They came over to my house the other day, and I took that opportunity to practice.

Niko spent the whole time I was shooting in our recliner, and chewing on the Wonderpets flag. He did stop watching tv, though, to turn to me and say "Cheese!"

Aiden barely looked at me once! He was far far too busy for that. But I could tell he knew I was there (and that there was a camera pointed at him)

And like always, Olivia was oblivious to the whole deal