Lately, I have been capturing a lot of little 1 year olds outside in the grass, on bridges, or on cute blankets.  And we try to keep the sessions as natural and real as possible, but there ultimately is still the desire to get the looking at the camera shot perfectly posed on the bridge.  The little one is herded into their spot and we have to move quickly before they are "done."  But, recently Miss Reese's mom hired me to come to their home to capture her "now" at one.  I was excited to get back to the natural and laid back more lifestyle shoot.  Where we capture her doing her thing without the rush or the constraints of a bridge or a blanket.  

Miss Reese is turning 1 this week and her mama is going with the UNO theme for her upcoming party.  So we incorporated that into the pictures.  She is verging on walking, and with a week passing, I could only imagine that she is doing it independently now.  But one of my favorite shots from the shoot was this one.  

Which eventually leads to this position :)

But she still uses this mode of transportation quite often!  It's reliable and fast!  

Rocking on her owl brought out big smiles. 

Looking at books in her big girl room makes me sigh.  

And capturing all of them smiling and playing is my favorite!  

At UNO she is loved so much by her parents.  

At home sessions mean we can capture lots of different family moments.  We even threw in a little practice cake smash and this girl rocked it!  

Another favorite shot...when dad took the cake away!  

But then my new favorite post cake smash moments happen....

...in the sink!  

Curious sink bather with eye lashes!  

And one of their favorite games to play at this stage of her "now".

At home sessions give way to family portraits that aren't your typical everyone is sitting and looking at the camera...but, rather they capture moments where authentic and real love for these everyday moments happen.  The ones that you are so immersed in that you don't get to be in the pictures because you are busy savoring them or trying to snap the picture yourself.  

"Photography takes an instant of time, altering life by holding it still."  Dorthea Lange

And this is what I love about lifestyle at home sessions...the real and the details that will bring back so many memories in the future.  

Such a fun morning spent this with this soon to be one year old....and the overwhelming reality that these parents are probably feeling....

before they know it....she will be 2!