Babies and Bug-Vacuums
We have a new niece!
In May, our sister and brother-in-law Betsy and Loren welcomed a new little girl into their family. We’re delighted to introduce Lydia:
(She’s pleased to meet you.)
In case you’re new to this blog, Lydia is baby sister to Brooke
(I swear we did not pose her. This is just what she does in front of a camera.)
…and Ethan.
Brooke and Ethan are loving this adorable new addition to their family. Specifically, when Wendy asked Ethan what he enjoyed most about his new sister he replied, “I like it when she’s awake and isn’t crying.” (I imagine that’s a sentiment a lot of new parents can identify with, too.)
As far as we can tell, so far Lydia’s favorite things are eating, her brother and sister (Teachers, feel free to use this sentence as an example of the importance of proper comma placement.), and the bass line to Chic’s 1979 hit “Good Times”.
You might also recognize that as the bass line from The Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight”, but Wendy went with the closest approximation with which she was familiar: Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust”. (On that alone I nominate her for coolest and, simultaneously, most kid-inappropriate aunt.)
Obviously, we had to get some photos of our precious new niece.
Wendy also just finished painting a series of canvases for Lydia’s room to, I guess, remind her parents which kid lives in there. Wendy constantly amazes me; despite not having painted in years, she picked up her acrylics and brought these little faeries to life. (I’m a big fan of the one with the ‘A’.)
While we were visiting, we also gave Brooke and Ethan one of the coolest toys I’ve seen: hand-held bug-vacuums. (Don’t worry, folks, no bugs were harmed in the making of this blog post (well, maybe a couple of mosquitoes), and all the fireflies were released.) Basically, they’re clear plastic tubes with a gentle vacuum attached that pulls bugs in and then lets you observe them up close through a magnifying glass. The kids loved them. They also caught a lot of fireflies.
Yes, Wendy actually captured an illuminated firefly sitting on Brooke’s fingers. Also, Brooke poses like a champ.
Keep and eye out for more photos of Lydia (and Brooke and Ethan, of course), as we predict years of escalating cuteness!
Sherrod and Jeremy’s Wedding: Rain, the TARDIS, and Velociraptors
You’re essentially bound to think that the title of this post is misleading (though the presence of the TARDIS could explain why velociraptors showed up), but I assure you everything I have promised will make an appearance. Frankly, with stuff that cool, it’s kind of odd that I’m starting the post with a picture of a chalk board, but it says “welcome”, so at least it’s a good start thematically.
Sherrod and Jeremy got married Saturday at The River Road & Jasmine Houses and Gardens in Columbia near Lake Murray. This wedding was wonderfully whimsical and filled with joyful, fun people. Let’s start with the flowers. Roses? No. Daisies? No. How about maps?
No, this is not the velociraptor I promised, but it’s a darn fine impression.
Ah, now we’re really getting somewhere! No doubt all the Doctor Who fans will recognize this police call/ring box. (Frankly, when I opened it, I was a bit surprised it wasn’t bigger on the inside. Still, it fit the rings and that’s what’s important.)
The whole day we labored under the threat of rain, but it was still holding out as the girls and guys started getting ready.
(Did I mention that everybody was a lot of fun?)
Just as the ceremony was about to begin, a sprinkling of rain began to fall, but it did nothing to dampen anyone’s mood. Besides, isn’t rain on your wedding day supposed to be good luck?
Sherrod and Jeremy wrote their own vows, which were lovely and touching.
By the end of the ceremony, everyone was slightly soggy, but ready to party!
The lovely and delicious cake was provided by The Cake Professor. But…what’s that on top of the cake?
Yes, it’s a velociraptor bride and groom. In fact, the bride is even wearing a tiny engagement ring, which is absolutely lovely, but sometimes gets in the way when she’s tearing into her prey. How great is her veil, though?!
Rawr!
So there were some toasts…
…some dancing…
..and finally just some time to hang out and look gorgeous.
“There’s a lot of things you need to get across this universe. Warp drive… wormhole refractors… You know the thing you need most of all? You need a hand to hold.” -The Doctor
Congratulations, Sherrod and Jeremy! We had a blast with you, your family, and friends! We hope you’re having a great honeymoon and wish you a journey full of adventure and, most of all, love.
Kyle: Baby Photos
Do you guys remember Kristina and Kevin? Well, baby Kyle has arrived, and there’s not much to say, except that he’s super-adorable.
He likes to snuggle with his mom.
One thing about Kyle is that he’s hungry. I believe he likes to eat roughly every eight minutes. What’s a photographer to do while waiting for him to eat, though? Photograph his brothers, of course!
Once he was well fed (again), Kyle went back to being compliant and snuggly.
We wrapped up the session with a few of Kyle and dad.
Congratulations, Kristina and Kevin! Kyle is adorable! We’re looking forward to photographing him again in the near future!
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Andy and Caroline’s Winnsboro Wedding
Caroline and Andy were married last Saturday in Winnsboro and we were delighted to celebrate their day with them.
Now, it’s important to get this out of the way: Andy and Caroline are Clemson alumni and big Clemson fans. How big? Just wait…you’ll see. As graduates of USC, though, Wendy and I only feel it’s right to warn our fellow gamecocks that if you’re not comfortable with overt displays of tiger pride, you may want to turn back now. If you do, though, you’ll miss out on a beautiful wedding (and a couple of adorable pups, too).
(Don’t say I didn’t warn you)
These may be the best socks I’ve seen at a wedding:
Here’s Caroline and her dad sharing a moment before everybody leaves for the church.
I did promise cute pups, didn’t I?
He looks happy, but inside he’s really bummed about the church’s no-dogs-as-groomsmen policy.
Caroline made Andy a book in which she listed the many reasons she’s marrying him.
Check the groomsmen’s socks and the bridesmaids’ shoes. How great is that?
From the ceremony, we headed back to Columbia for the reception at CityArt.
There was a caricaturist who made amazing likenesses of the guests (and the bride and groom). But, who’s that standing behind Andy and Caroline? That’s a lot of orange for a wedding…
Yes, the Clemson tiger showed up at the wedding. (School loyalty aside, he seemed like a very cool guy and an excellent dancer.)
(Yes, I said an excellent dancer.)
Big thanks to Summerdaze Dance and Show Band for keeping the party going!
But the night eventually had to draw to a close, and we bid Caroline and Andy adieu as they set off on their new life together.
Congratulations, guys!
Maternity Portraits: Kristina & Kevin
Judging from how crazy people get around teeny tiny babies and women in their last trimester, I think it’s safe to say that childbirth is a one wild miracle. Women carry children to term every day, and yet we are still in awe of the process. I’m no different. It amazes me.
The beauty of life and parenthood really hits home when the expecting mother is someone you know and love. Kristina has been a friend of mine for several years. There are many reasons why she’ll be a great mom, but I think her joyfulness and laughter are somewhere at the top of the list.
And, Kristina’s husband Kevin is going to rock being a dad. He’s completely enthused about their little guy’s upcoming arrival.
Thanks, Kristina and Kevin, for letting us celebrate this new chapter in your life with you through photos! We can’t wait to meet your baby boy!
