Little Ms S was such a delight to have in the Jane Photo studio! She had such a wonderful look with her springy curls of dark hair--and her funny faces. She had me cracking up from beginning to end, that's for certain. I haven't met a single soul who can do a fishy face quite as well as the divine Ms S, and I'll just bet she's been endless entertainment for her loving parents, T and M. Here are a few to enjoy!

As always, feel free to leave blog comments below.

Take it away, mom:

S is the cutest patootie wootie in the western world. Do you just look at her and melt?
Ummm, yes. I can barely get anything done in the house, I am so busy trying to take in her every moment. I dont want to miss a single expression (except maybe the screaming ones). I think as every mom knows, you could never imagine before baby how obsessed you will become with them.
S is the only baby who has ever made me laugh out loud when I was editing her images.

I have a whole series of S making faces that just crack me up. I know you said she is known for making faces. Why do you think she does that?

Thats the big mystery of Sophie. Since the very day she was born, people have commented on the strange and funny faces she made, especially the things she does with her mouth. She has a whole range of looks, from Zoolander, to fish face, to kissy mouth and beyond. The more annoyed she gets, the weirder the faces she makes. Half of all the pictures I take of her are variations of her "funny faces"....maybe she likes the feeling of her mouth making interesting shapes, or maybe thats her nonverbal communication....if she still does it when she's older I'll be sure to ask!

How has it been for you and M moving from being just a couple to being parents? How has your relationship changed?
Well honestly, it was certainly a shock in the beginning. Sophie took up all of my attention of course and I dont know that Martin was prepared for that, but as the weeks past, he readjusted his expectations of me and of our relationship. Now he is completely in love with Sophie and our relationship is more layered and meaningful than ever before, but it took a few months to get there.

What is the best thing about being a mom? When is S at her most adorable?
Sophie is at her most adorable when she wants us to make her laugh and when she is first waking up in the morning. When she wants us to make her laugh, her eyes light up and start sparkling and she starts screeching and kicking her little legs and arms to attract our attention. I know right away that shes in the mood to laugh her little head of, so we entertain her until we are all laughing together. Also, first thing in the morning, her hair is standing in every direction and she smiles the sweetest, most contented smile when she sees my face looking over her crib. Her cheeks are all rosy from sleep and she lifts her little arms out to me to be picked up. I live for those moments.

How has it been getting up nights to feed little Ms S? Do you enjoy your quiet late night moments together, or are you mostly nodding off and hoping to get back to bed?
Luckily for us, Sophie has slept 12 hours straight pretty much every night since she was 3 months old. So the odd night she wakes me up, when shes teething or not feeling well, I try to enjoy the peaceful sounds of her breastfeeding, the quiet in the house, and her warm little half asleep body instead of rushing back to bed.

What are you looking forward to doing with Ms S as she grows up?
Everything! Listening to her talk about what she is learning, thinking and feeling. Watching her experience the world and trying to see it through her eyes. Sharing in her interests and trying to forge a bond that will keep us close for the rest of my life. Bringing her joy and helping her become who she wants to be. Well, and because shes a girl, perhaps a bit of mommy daughter shopping and spa adventures.

Any thoughts/suggestions etc for other new moms?
Every day, every passing month, It just gets better and better. Try to enjoy every moment, takes loads of pictures and videos, because they change so quickly and your memory for details you thought you'd never forget is remarkably poor.

I wanted--once again--to bring everyone's attention to the organization I vounteer for, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. This US organization supplies volunteer photographers to families experiencing an infant death, and has been featured in the Vancouver Sun and Macleans magazine this fall. I have written a brief article for Urban Baby and Toddler, a BC publication, for their winter issue. As well, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep will be profiled on Newsworld TV the evening of Dec 8.

I want everyone to speak of this wonderful organization, if you could, with one friend, and ask that your friend do the same with one of their friends. There are so very many BC parents experiencing infant loss, and I long for the day when each and every one of them will know about, and utilize if they wish, NILMDTS services. Professional photographers, volunteer all, provide sensitive in-hospital sessions and then provide a CD of images free of charge. As always, folks can find out more at: www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org.

I shot three new babies for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep this week, and one maternity for this lovely woman featured below, T, and her sweet loving husband, M. They lost their son, Jos, last Thursday, and I know they miss him more than words can ever express.

Okay, here's the question: how many bits of your heart can you give away before you don't have any left? Call the paramedics, 'cause now I've lost a whole lot of mine. Say hello to the inimitable Ms J and her baby sister, the smiley-puss, N. They visited the studio on different days, but I'm blogging them together. Ms J was such a hoot going costume-crazy--the studio is something of a paradise for dress-up. What a wonderful and fun person she is, and I hope to see more of her as she grows. She's a big girl 4 now, and I think she's destined for the big K pretty soon.

Ms J and Little N have the very same smile and it is one of the most fabulous I've ever seen. In Little N's face, it takes up the majority of the room for features and is, therefore, megawatt. Little N just couldn't stop grinning. And her language was very sophisticated for such a little sprout; she was organizing her thoughts into patterns of speech that cleverly mimicked adult intonations.

Here's what their delightful mom, S, has to say about them:

You are the mom of the baby with the greatest smile ever. How on earth do you cope with the world losing their marbles over your little girl (and her equally cute big sis)?

Well, we always appreciate the compliments over the smiles, and we do love the way her little mouth curls into that smile when she sees us. I have a feeling that we might have a hard time resisting anything she asks us for when she flashes that smile, so we'll have to be careful! But it is wonderful, and just reinforces for us how lucky we are with our beautiful girls.

Tell me your favourite all-time thing about your eldest daughter, J.

"Snuggle Time" in the mornings when she wakes up. From about age 1 1/2 until about 3, J. would come in to our bed in the morning for a snuggle (and a bottle of warm milk) before we all got up to start the day. She still occasionally graces us with a snuggle in the morning, but it's much more rare these days.

How did she handle the advent of a new sister?

J. has generally been a really tolerant and loving big sister. I think she was old enough when N. was born that she had some independence and didn't rely on us as much as a younger "big sibling" would have. She's always been interested in N., and rarely too rough. She's never asked us to "send N. back", which I know other big siblings often do. J. has also "been pregnant" and "had babies" many many times since her little sister was born - she seems to think that being a mommy is pretty great and having a baby around is neat. Now that N. is more active and able to play, I think J. is enjoying her even more, and she has been heard to say "Mummy, N. is my bestest friend ever!".


What is N's favourite thing to do? What is N's favourite toy? Favourite food?

N. LOVES to creep/scoot/crawl around, and to put anything and everything into her mouth. She also LOVES swings, and jolly jumping. Her favourite toy at the moment seems to be her Leap Table, which makes all kinds of wonderful sounds and has flashing lights etc. She also can't be without something to chew - a sock, a spoon, a stroller toy. Her favourite foods - sliced canned pears, which she will gobble up several slices at a time, and rice rusks and Cheerios.


What is J's favourite colour? Does she like running or jumping more? Is she looking forward to turning five and going to big kids' school? What is her favourite food? Favourite bedtime story?

J.'s favourite colour is pink, but she also loves combining many vibrant colours, preferably in many different patterns. She loves to jump, especially on her trampoline. She absolutely loves going to preschool, which she does every afternoon, and she's always asking me about going to kindergarten, and how old she'll be in grade 1, and so on. She thinks school is quite marvelous. Her favourite food (she says) is Maple & Brown Sugar Quaker Instant Oatmeal, although I'd say rice and Chicken Noodle Soup are very close seconds! Her current favourite bedtime stories are "Stella Fairy Of The Forest" by Marie-Louise Gay, "Miss Fannie's Hats" by Jan Karon, "Would You Rather?" by John Birmingham, and "My Dog" by Angela Joy.

How do you like being a mommy to two? How does your hubby like having two?

Two is fantastic, most of the time! We were always positive that we wanted more than one child. We are fortunate and blessed to have had two "easy" babies, and they are growing into wonderful girls. I'm glad we had some space between the girls (3 1/2 years) so that we had time with J. on her own, and that she's independent enough now that I also get some time with N. when J. is at preschool. They seem to have a good relationship - N. clearly adores her big sister and smiles every time she sees her. Hope it stays that way!

What is the biggest challenge in having two kids?

I think my biggest challenge is finding "me" time - I need a certain amount of quiet time to myself, which I got when J. was little while she napped, or even as she nursed I could read a book or snooze. But now when N. is napping or nursing, J. wants my attention and sometimes I feel like I just want to be quiet.
Oh, and getting out of the house in a relatively quick time is almost impossible! One day, I won't be always late!





This must be one of my favourite images ever. I have another take that's very close that I love just as much, but as you can tell, I already post too many images when I do get around to it:














And, well, this one's just for fun. I imagine N saying: Woman, if you don't put that dang camera down, I am going to choke myself until I pass out!

And speaking of niblets...I shot this family with its big papa cob, its mama cob and the delightful niblet cob, F-J, on a recent drenched day in North Vancouver. Such an expressive family, and this kind of horsing around (cobbing around?) leads to fab photos. 'A' family, you are always welcome back in Jane Photo-land, because it was such a thorough pleasure making your photos. Here are a few beyond your order to remind you of how special your family is.

As always, please leave comments for the families and me below...

Little E was the most photogenic baby! At 5 months old, she wasn't quite steady for sitting on her own yet, but she loved flying in mama's arms.

I know I shouldn't be posting such recent work when there are too many Jane Photo sessions languishing on the sidelines, but I just wanted to show mama--who had the patience of a mother of five (which she is) with this little niblet--just how well little E did despite her meltdown partway through!

E--she's our brand-newest Winter Fairy, and doesn't she rock against my red wall?

As always, I know E's parents and I would absolutely love it if you leave comments below.

Model call!

Jane Photo has put out a model call for adult women and their mothers.

I have been longing to shoot some generational images. If this is something you might be interested in, please drop me an email to info@janephoto.ca. Please also send along a few photos of you and your mom.

Jane Photo requires a release, and offers one 8x10" print as a thanks for posing.

Ethnic women and their moms especially welcome.

May also do some with little girls and their moms, but these will be limited.

I was so pleased to photograph F and her family again a couple weeks ago. Little F came to see me as an infant, and ended up being the model on my studio sample for photo handbags. She's grown up so much now! Soon she will be two years old. We were taking pix in a park near Ambleside in North Vancouver, and when I was coming across Second Narrows and along the highway, it was pouring down in buckets. I was so happy when the rain let up and let us enjoy a very soggy hour--munchkin, mommy and daddy-- together.

Please leave comments on the blog! We love to hear from you.

Here are some questions I asked M about her little girl:

What are F’s favourite things in the whole wide world?

Cats, babies and Winnie the Pooh

What are the family routines for bedtime?

Meal, playtime, bathtime, story reading, bit of milk then sleep!!

What is Ms F’s favourite food?

Fishy crackers (but mummy doesn't allow this often so 2nd option is cheese rice crackers!)

You’re having another baby. Do you know if you are having a boy or girl? What does Ms F think about it all, or does she really realize at her age?

We will have a boy. F doesn't realise what is going on but LOVES babies... can't stop wanting to touch, cuddle, rock any other baby she sees so this is promising...!!

What are you most looking forward to about having a second child and a sibling for F?

The interaction between them... also as this one will be a boy, can't wait to see the difference of character and attitude.

Little baby N

Little baby N is really a phenom. Only 11 months, and walking up a storm. She's been up on her feet for months already. This happened with my first little one, Sarah, at 9 months, and she looked ever so funny walking along the roads of Castlegar with me that winter--everyone would stop us to exclaim because she was so tiny.

It's a holiday in Canada, so I found time to post

And what a lass to post about! Please say hello to little E. She's a big whopping 2.5 weeks now, but in these photos she was just a tiny bitty 2.5 days! I felt so honoured and pleased to get to spend time with this family again after doing Becky's maternity a couple months ago. E arrived all in a rush and gave her mama so little trouble during labour that they were back home--labour included--all in a day. (I know we all dream of perfect labours, and it's sooo nice to hear that they are reality for some lucky women.)

Little bitty E at 2.5 days old slept like a little log, and let me squoosh and fold and bend and arrange her. Isn't she just so adorable? I was at Becky's home for this one, and we had the sweetest light coming in a handy window, so some of these are natural light. I took my studio lights, though, and used them for most of the time. Newborn sessions with Jane Photo are kinda epic. We just take it slow and steady, and baby gets to eat every time she's inclined. It's so important not to rush, and for everyone to feel relaxed and comfortable since babies are so in tune with our moods. And while these special sessions do take four hours, on average, at the end the family has amazing images that they will treasure forever.

By two weeks of age, new little sprouts are just not newborn anymore. They are way more awake and "in the world." It's great to get them tiny, when they are still slumbrous and flexible.

Baby E was so sweet, and smelled so good, and made the most astonishing newborn coos, that I was just one melted in-love blob from the second I walked in til I finished editing their images. Oh wait...I am still a melted blob as I work on their order...I will never be over the sweet intoxication of this perfect baby.

We made this process entirely painless for dad. Just as he came in for the last few minutes of Becky's maternity, he came in for just the last few minutes of the newborn session. We got some stunning shots, proving again that dad doesn't have to suffer through the whole shebang. Of course he's welcome, but for the dads who aren't keen, it's nice to have the option.

Please, please leave comments for the mamas...they would so love your responses, I know.

Here's what mom had to say a couple weeks into her momdom:

What made you get photographs at 3 days of age compared to, say, two weeks or one month?

Jane suggested it! She mentioned how early on the baby is more bendy and still has all of cute little wrinkles on her hands, feet, and body... I wanted to have those in my pictures.

Did you know you were expecting a little girl?

We had no clue!! We guessed we were having a boy and we absolutely shocked when we saw she was a girl!

What is one thing E does that you never tire of seeing?

Her little facial expressions, there seems to be a new one everyday! I am getting to recognize her little expressions that she has for different situations, I just love it!!! Now I am just waiting for my first “real smile”!

Explain how you feel when you see E curled up with her daddy.

It makes my heart melt!! She already has him wrapped around her little finger, and I really see that when she is sleeping on his chest. The way he looks at her is indescribable!

What’s one thing you can’t start your day without?
Before her, I would have said a morning run and a coffee, now I would have to see a morning cuddle with her and my coffee!

What’s your idea of an ideal day?

A day with my family. When Ash has his days off we grab coffees in the morning and take Blue (the dog) for a walk with the baby, then spend the rest of the day hanging out as a family :)