New Home + Anticipating Baby #2 | Hammond Family Photography

I’ve said this before, but truly, watching friends raise babies, whom I knew in adolescence, college, or any other era of life prior to the current is such a fun experience. Heidi and I had literature classes together throughout our college careers. After college, Heidi travelled and worked teaching ESL abroad for several years. I always enjoyed keeping up with her adventures on social media and was particularly flattered when she booked a family session with me. Watching the ways my friends put their heart and soul into the little humans they bring into the world and the ways they cultivate their flourishing personalities is incredibly interesting to me.

This past summer, Heidi and Austen eloped for an intimate wedding ceremony in Costa Rica. They’ve also had an exciting year of a new home purchase and the anticipation of baby #2, Leif. We decided to do this shoot in their empty new home that they had not yet moved into. I look at these photographs and think about the nostalgia they’ll bring to Heidi as she looks back on this time of firsts for their little family.

River is at such a fun age, and what a memory to capture his last months as an only child. Documenting pre-baby lifestyle sessions for both expecting couples and expanding families is something I’ve done quite a bit more of lately, and I truly love the meaning and authenticity behind the moments we capture in these shoots. There’s just something about having visual snapshots of those days before lives and hearts forever shift, mold, and expand in new ways…

Life moves + changes ever-so-quickly and documenting truly authentic and personal parts of it for my clients forever feeds my souuuuuuul. Heidi and Austen, I cannot wait to document many more exciting firsts for your family.

Pigtails + Pampers: Kate is One! | Mandeville Family Photographer

"I had no idea it would be this much.

I had no idea I could handle it.

I had no idea how BEAUTIFUL it all actually is."

- Typewriter Series #634 by Tyler Knott Gregson

One of my favorite things about seeing sweet Kate grow throughout this year has been to see the wonder in her parents' eyes as they soak in every little thing about her that adds beauty to their world.  From the moment I walked into their home for Kate's newborn session over a year ago, I felt overwhelmingly grateful to document her first year into a beautifully curated time capsule. You can see her first days in this world, here.

Here's a peek into Kate at one-year-old...