7 1/2 months

This pregnancy has seriously thrown a big kink in my blogging, photography, and creativity. I have been in situations were I have wanted to sit my belly on the sideline :0). I have definitely felt more than a little awkward behind the camera.

Anyway I have been having contractions. Yeah! When I arrived at the hospital I was contracting every 2-3 minutes and thankfully the managed to get them to stop. However I am now officially on bedrest and am ordered to severly limit my activity; told to "just take it easy". I don't know how I can possibly do that with a toddler at home and a big kid that I pick up from school, but we will see.

We still don't know whether it is a boy or girl and I haven't been that anxious about it. Usually when I meet people on the street and they always ask when I'm due and what am I having. I always say the sex of the baby will be a surprise and usually I hear one of the two responses- either they couldn't wait or good for you! I feel strongly that we will be having another little girl. I am anxious to see and hold them, but thanks to this recent scare, I can definitely wait until late November or early December.

Thanks for stopping by,

~Keshia

Free Accordian Wallets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, that's right! These babies are free with a booked photo session with me. You get 3 books to show off 10 pictures of your choice from your photo session. They fold easily and are actually wallet sized. This makes them easy to carry around in your purse or pockets. Also they stand alone and are great for sitting on desk tops. They are great as gifts (hint! hint!). The holidays are just around the corner. If you're interested contact me

Thanks for stopping by,
~Keshia

This was the view in Maximo Park, the morning I was out shooting pictures of the accordian wallets.
~Keshia

This makes me smile!

I like portraits that you have everyone sitting and looking at the camera, but the ones that make me smile are portraits that when I look at them they evoke a memory or emotion. So while the following are not what you think of as "traditional" family portraits these are often the ones that make me smile.

This portrait reminds me of a conversation that I have about a million times a day with my toddler, Cailin. She points and says, "Look at that Mommy!"

I always respond and ask, "What do you see Cailin?"

She says, "A plane."

I always ask, "Where is the plane going?"

And without fail she always tells me the plane is going home. After all doesn't everyone always go home?

This is Cailin's mad face. She gives this face when she is upset or when something is not going her way. Ariel and I then try to make her laugh.

Cailin is such a touchy feely child. Even right now she is sitting next to me stroking my arm. She gives hugs and kisses all the time. Ariel is humoring her, but sometimes I hear her saying to Cailin, get off of me or quit touching me.

Now here they were supposed to be sitting down and smiling at me (the camera), but Ariel my true gymnast seized the moment to climb and hang. She can be found doing stuff like this all the time. She watches television upside down using the couch to stand on her head. And Cailin just tries to mimic her sister.

I'm printing this series of pictures and a few more as an accordian wallet, but more on that later.

Thanks for stopping by,

~Keshia

A Sweet Moment

Back in June, I went back to my hometown because my little cousin was getting married. I am editing pictures to create her a wedding album and just had to share this one. I think her look is so sweet. This was the moment were the Officiant asked them to join hands in preparation for saying their vowels. "Awwww" was the only thing that comes to mind. Congratulations Ashley!

Thanks for stopping by,

~Keshia

Back-to-School

This year, Ariel is off to Middle School and while she has been excited about the prospects of going to a new school and changing classes, I have been the exact opposite. I was feeling like she just wasn't ready or at least I wasn't ready to have a child in Middle School or all the other stuff that comes along with having a child on the cusp of the dreaded teenage years.

After helping her making it to her first class, I was a little teary eyed when I got back to the car. It reminded of the time I was dropping her off for Kindergarten and that I am forced to face the fact that they will grow up and not be a baby forever.

Every year I take a picture of her and her teacher on the first day of school. Now, because she is older, I wasn't going to actually take the pictures in class. However, I did have my eye on taking them with the lake that the school sits on, in the background. She had other ideas. I grabbed the camera on the way out the door and I heard a loud long breath behind me. Then as we were getting out of the car, she said to me that we can't take pictures there. Let's go right here. Now right here was a far away corner. It was about as far away as you could possibly get from the other students. This is the first picture I got. I call this "The this is so lame look!"

But she knew that I wasn't going to stop until I got a pretty decent one. So this is the picture that was next. So I got exactly two pictures before she was off. Sheesh!

~Keshia

And real estate too!

I met Amy while working at Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH). We both were working there as Respiratory Therapist. She joined me on night shift, and we bonded easily talking endlessly about our mutual passions; hers is real estate and mine is photography. She recently contacted me and asked would I take photos of her house that she just renovated and is now listing to sell. I never pass up a photo opportunity :0)!

Amy is a Real Estate Agent for Prudential (and as soon as I find the link I will post it!). She is really good at what she does and I can tell that she absolutely loves it. I guess that's how you can tell if people love what they do because it just leaks out of them. I hear the excitement when she talks, it makes me excited too. Also, the fact that the work she has done to her own house is absolutely impressive. Congratulations Amy and good luck!