Congratulations to Adam, Earl and Ethan!

For many of us, the road to parenthood is fraught with pitfalls and heartbreak… and nothing is more beautiful than when, at the end of a difficult process, we finally hold our child… What I have seen first hand (and blessedly so…) is that it does not matter how you become a family, your child is your child, and the blessings and joy they bring. One of my most rewarding groups of clients I work with are prospective parents who are building their families through open adoption. Ellen Roseman has been a huge force in this movement, and I am so happy to have so many clients who have come from other parents referrals in this special group! My dear friend Melissa and her husband were just blessed with their second baby, and they will have their own special blog post as soon as I get my other computer up here to my new office… and Adam and Earl are now proud papas to this adorable baby, Ethan, and you can just feel the joy that their family exudes! One of my greatest joys is to photograph portraits of new babies and families… It’s spring time here at the cottage, and the pitter patter of tiny feet is a sound most welcomed! Enjoy!

Little Baby Kai is in good hands!

Ahhhh newborn teenie-tiny babies… I just love them so much… So much in fact that I will photograph a newborn in the family home (or studio) in the first two weeks of life and waive the session fee!! I know what it was like to be a new parent… completely in love with this little person, and bleary eyed from lack of sleep!! That’s why I come to you! It makes it so much easier than trying to get out of the house, and less pressure dealing with feeding, changing and the challenges of parenthood! I also have a great baby plan for the first year which includes 3 sessions at key developmental milestones, and gets a collection of images worthy of your child’s first year life volume!

They change and grow so quickly (I write this as my cranky, tired almost-four-year-old just won’t drift off to sleep…) and you do want to remember each new moment! Here is one from Kai’s newborn photo session. Please feel free to tell any of your friends or family who are expecting to contact me about the newborn special session and Mill Cottage Kids baby plan!!

Isn’t she adorable? Here is a cute little slideshow of baby Lily’s portrait session at Mill Cottage Kids Studio a few weeks ago!

Did you have a new addition to your family this year? Do you have a beloved furry creature who is always there for you? Will beloved family members be coming into town for the holidays? Capture those amazing moments and make your holiday gift giving list a little shorter with a fun holiday portrait mini-session from Mill Cottage Photography. I am offering some holiday mini-sessions so you can get up, get out, and get your family portraits done in time for the holidays! Here’s the (amazing value) deal… Just $95 for a mini-session, which is about 30 minutes long and a $200 savings from our usual full session fee! If you need a session on the weekend, then there is a minimum order fee of an additional $200, which is credited back to you for your order. I am going to be at the San Carlos studio and a nearby park (weather permitting) on the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving, November 27-28, so you can combine your holiday shopping with your holiday greetings!!! Specials will be available for holiday cards, and if you bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots, you will receive a bonus 5×7 print for your donation! Call 415-515-6370 to schedule your family!!! Happy Holidays from Mill Cottage Photography and Mill Cottage Kids!!!

sleepy little Liam

Seems like yesterday you saw Matika’s gorgeous baby bump in her San Francisco Urban Maternity Session, and newborn baby Liam came just a few days later… Oh, he’s a yummy little guy, and I am so glad I got to hold him, and get my baby fix… Here’s his first professional family portrait in his home… So wonderful to see you guys today, and can’t wait to show you all the images soon!

Family Portrait at home

Mommy at the windmill

It’s never too late to schedule your maternity session… well, at least if you schedule it before the baby arrives… Matika & Mike, and their son Luke are expecting a new baby this Thursday!!! We headed out to Golden Gate Park to the Queen Wilhemina Tulip Garden on Sunday and it was a beautiful spring day!! Look at the glorious beautiful mama!! Good luck on Thursday you guys!! Can’t wait to get my lens on the new little babe!!

soccer practice

Woodland Series Portraits on February 15, 2010

I am feeling the spring time, and am so pleased to offer a special portrait mini-session in and around my San Carlos children’s photography studio on Wednesday and Friday, February 10 and 12th,  just in time for Valentine’s Day!!! Only $95, which is a savings of almost $200 from our regular session fee! Reserve your 30 minute studio or outdoor session today by calling 415.515.6370, or sending an email to inquiry@millcottagephoto.com. Sessions are available between 10AM and 4:30PM on those two days only!!! We also will be having a special Woodland Series portrait event on Monday, February 15, and are accepting only three clients for that day for an on location session in the Los Altos Hills. The times available are  11:30, 12:00 noon and 12:30, and sessions will be 20 minutes, 1-2 children only.

All new clients will receive a special $25 gift card with purchase of a session, and current clients will receive a complimentary 5×7 print of their favorite image from the session as well as a $25 gift card! Images will be shown in your own personal, password protected web gallery, and will be available for purchase on-line for 3 days after they have been posted, so alert the grandparents, friends and family to be ready! Reposting your gallery after those 3 days will incur a $100 fee, which will automatically be applied to your order!

Jungle Joe with his handmade puppets rock the house!

One of the things that makes a birthday party, and thus the birthday party ph0tography, so much fun is the activities provided for the children who attend! I know when I go about planning the next birthday party for MY son, Josh, the only website I will visit is California Puppets planning site for Bay Area kids birthday parties! Not only will you see puppet show ventriloquist extraordinaire, Jungle Joe, but there is a plethora of amazing tips and ideas for making your child’s event a huge success! It is a really great resource, especially for first time parents, who have no idea where to start and what to do! Mill Cottage Kids has a great bunch of party ideas, so make sure all your lovely party plans get the photographs they deserve so you and your tot can look back on the occasion for years to come!

Newborn portrait - Perfect Pink Princess

I am very proud to be Brooke and Todd’s family photographer… I love to go to their house and see images of them that I photographed over the years, their engagement, their wedding, them at friends’ weddings… Love them! Todd was one of the very first people I met when I moved to San Francisco through our mutual friend Dina, and fate would have it that he would meet and fall in love with the wonderful Brooke, who was friends with my friend Jamie, and the fabric of all of our lives was woven together from all different directions… Ok, so that’s the story of how eventually we would all be completely elated at the arrival of their beautiful daughter, and again me with my camera in tow (which is a great excuse to get in for visits with friends with newborns by the way… :^) gathered with the family to capture Miss Sydney’s new sweetness. I was tempted to sneak her out in my camera bag, and leave my 5DMark II in her place, but even though Brooke is a photographer, I don’t think she would be at all excited about the switcheroo…

Ok, Kim, quit your yapping and show us some pictures…

Newborn Sydney & Daddy Todd

Precious Family

Smiling, Happy Boy!

Special thanks to “Uncle” Mitch for giving Josh his first flying machine today! Daddy and Josh took the plane out for a spin, and crashed a lot to Josh’s giggly delight! Daddy giggled too… :^)

Kim

Josh, Daddy & The Plane