I got to spend a lot of time with my baby last night. She had fitful sleep, fighting and kicking and just generally uncomfortable. I didn’t know why, but this morning I got my answer. One teeny, tiny, sharp toofer – with another just bubbling on the surface.  How can this be happening – my baby, my last baby, is growing up.

and of course, Maggie.  No new teeth here – we’ll be waiting a while for those.

Is your baby under 24 months?
Do you have a super cool nursery?
Would you be interested in winning a free session and mini-print package?

If you answered yes to all three of these questions, we would love to see pictures. What’s in it for you? A chance to win a free photography session featuring your baby and your nursery! We would like to see between 1-4 photographs of your space. At least one photograph must include your child in the nursery itself. We are looking for creative use of light, color and design elements. Images must be taken by you or someone in your family (we are really saying “please don’t submit images taken by another professional photographer.”)

All submissions must be received by midnight, March 7, 2010.

Entries will be judged by a panel of photographers who will narrow down the selection to 5 nurseries. The finalists will be posted on participating photographer’s blogs and the winner will be chosen via a public voting poll. Voting will occur between March 10-March 14, 2010. There are specific rules around voting that will be clarified during the voting round of the contest.

Winners will be announced on March 15, 2010. There will be 2nd & 3rd place prizes also awarded. Winning session must take place between March 22 – April 25. Winners must sign a release to allow participating photographers to display images on blog, website, Facebook Business Page and any other print or web materials as deemed appropriate.

Don’t live in the Indianapolis area? Have friends across the country? Check out these photographers who have nursery contests running in other cities! Their contest, terms and conditions may vary, so please make sure you read the details with care.

Birmingham, AL: Stephanie Fisher Photography
Northwest Alabama: Jennifer Weddington Photography
Denver, CO: Laura Werner of Vibrant Life Photography
Connecticut: Crista Acosta Photography
Metro New Orleans, LA: Amy Drouet Photography
Frederick, MD & Washington DC/Baltimore metro: Shey Marin Photography
Boston, MA (including North Shore & Metro-West): Kristina Young Photography
Mississippi Gulf Coast and Pearl River County: Emotional Imagery by Brandi Head Photography
Central New Jersey: Kim Schmidt Photography
Northern New Jersey: Christie Adams Photography
Cincinnati, OH and Northern Kentucky Area: Jessica Wright of Memories That R Precious
Columbus, OH: Andrea Roberts Photography
Philadelphia and Main Line, PA: Bernadette Uzcategui Photography
Pittsburgh, PA: Seedlings Photography
Rhode Island and South Shore of Boston: Amy Ro Photography
Houston, TX: Kerri Mathis Photography
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma, WA (and surrounding areas): Susan Berman of Whimsical Photo Design
Spokane, WA: Jaidean Baker Photography

The Fine Print.

This is our contest, we make the rules. We have researched many different ways of voting and there are pros and cons and hanging chads in just about every method out there. This is how we have decided to run our contest, if it’s not a fit for you, we respectfully accept your decision to decline participation. We also know there are ways to work around the system, so we will actively monitor IP addresses and research anything that appears to be fishy. We reserve the right to disqualify any entry that appears to be suspicious.

All participants must agree to sign a model release allowing images to be displayed on participating blogs. Winning participants must sign a release allowing images taken by participating photographers to be displayed on web site, blog, Facebook and print advertising sources. Participants must also agree to standard Terms and Conditions of participating photographers.

To enter you must live within 45 minutes of Fishers, IN. The winner will receive a complimentary mini session from Kristi Hibbetts Photography focusing on your nursery, baby and/or family. Winning participants will receive a complimentary mini session focusing on the baby and the nursery, with a online image gallery of 10-15 proofs. You will also receive your choice of 3 5×7 prints from your mini session. Additional items may also be included. Regular session terms and conditions apply.

We require an electronically marked consent that you are entering this contest voluntarily and that participating photographer is not promising any winnings or other compensation for participation.

To enter, please click here!

It’s snowing – finally.  They promised us snow yesterday, overnight, and I was fully expecting to wake up with the ground blanketed with fluffy white snow.  I went to bed with that anticipation you have as a kid, wondering if you’ll wake up to a school delay, or if there will be enough snow for you to make a snowman.  When I was up with Josie at 1am, I peeked outside my curtains, fully expecting to be blinded by the snow.  Nothing.  Not one single flake.  It’s early, I thought, and went to bed.  I woke up to NOTHING.  Zip.  Liars!  I thought.  But at 10am our snow started and it hasn’t let up yet.  I kept Maggie out of school today for fear of what the roads would be like when it was time to pick her up, and promised her I’d take her outside while Josie napped.  So while baby sister napped, Maggie practiced catching snowflakes on her tongue.

I’m taking a cue from several photographer friends that I have…actually showing my kids.  Its so easy as a photographer to get caught up in client work that sometimes I forget that my kids are growing up so fast, and I need to capture it.  So tonight during dinner I grabbed my camera and captured a little bit of the people I love more than anything.

Josie is six months now, and learning to eat food.  We do some purees, but we are also offering whole foods (it’s called baby led weaning).  She LOVES apples – the first time I offered it to her, I just took a couple of bites out of an apple and held it for her, while she gnawed and gummed it.  Tonight I cut her a slice of her own, and she was in heaven.

And when I took it away?

but all was right with the world again when I gave it back…

And just one more.  Maggie is out of focus, but I don’t care.  Just look at how her baby sister is looking up at her – so happy.  Some days I just can’t contain my joy.

My Josie is six months now – so she’s still a baby, you know.  So you’d think I wouldn’t be subject to baby fever this quickly, especially after how colicky Josie was.  But, alas, along came little L.  She was so teeny and snuggly and lovely.  At less than 6lbs, she was smaller at a week and a half than my babies were at birth, so she felt like a little doll to me.  She was so awake during the session, but we managed to get her sleeping for a short time.  And she had big feet for such a little munchkin, and the longest adorable toes.