{the blog} of stacey woods photography

Yes.... there are more....

I really HAVE been photographing my daughter the past 2-1/2 weeks.  I just haven't had time to process and upload them!!  Ahem, so it's been a little hectic, okay?!  ;)  No really I have to send a huge THANK YOU to my Mom, she and my Dad have been staying with us since right before Lila was born, and I would not have been able to hold my eyes open at this moment if it weren't for her.  She's made breakfast, lunch and dinner, cleaned our house, taken care of Parker, taken care of ME, and let Chris actually get some work done instead of being bombarded with all of the "helping out" on his own.  I secretly think Chris will miss her as much as I will, if not more!

 

And... we've had a breakthrough over the past couple of days!  Parker has relented it seems, and has been calling his baby sister by her real name for two days in a row!!  I'm so relieved.  I was just anticipating my little girl being confused about her name all the way until kindergarten.

He's already assumed the role of Protector, and has been keeping a watchful eye on her while she's in her carseat, so her tiny head won't flop over without Mama knowing about it... also putting her pacifier back in her mouth every time she spits it out in complete disapproval.  ;)  

Oh how I love that shot.....  she's lying in my dad's hands.  :)

And of course I'm on maternity leave... but I'm still here.  :)  I'm returning all phone calls and emails as soon as I'm able... albeit on a delay.... catch as catch can these days!  Thanks for bearing with me.

I also wanted to send lots of hugs and appreciation to each and every one of you who have sent us such sweet love notes and comments here on the blog... to our friends, family, and clients, my goodness... to all of y'all who have emailed or called to congratulate us!  We are so grateful for this much care and support right now, and we love you all dearly!  Of course, Parker has been highly anticipating the UPS guy's almost-daily visit to our door now too... so thank you to everyone who has been so sweet as to send presents for Lila, and to Parker!  I can't tell you how much it means to us.  :)  xoxoxox

The Early Weeks

Just thought I'd post a few images of our sweet girl from the past two weeks.  We're all adapting well to the sleep deprivation slight adjustment, to a family of four instead of three.  ;) 

Lila is a great baby, and her big brother Parker is SO proud of her... and he's being such a big help to us as well.  Even though he refuses to call her by her real name -- he insists on calling her by the name HE wanted for her.  So we are finding ourselves going behind him and correcting friends and family who have been told, "My new baby sister's name is Ava Caroline!"  Love his heart though.  He was so disappointed when we decided on Lila Kate at the eleventh hour.  (Hey, I did all the hard work here though, so shouldn't I have gotten the final say?!  Yes, that's precisely what I thought.)  ;)


I dearly love the above shot.  Poor Lila -- although Parker is beaming like he's the best babysitter ever.  LOL!


Who can resist a shot of a baby's feet??  Or a baby's bum, for that matter?  :)

Happy Father's Day BABY!

Yes... she's here!  Our little girl has arrived.  She's simply captivated us, and has melted all of our hearts!  Meet our newest darling....  Lila Kate Woods.

And she was the perfect Father's Day present for Chris... she was born on Sunday morning, June 15.  She also shares her birthday with her Papa Donnie.  And you can bet he was floating a few inches off the ground that day too.  ;)  I love this shot of my tiny Lila in his big hands....

Lila and I are both doing wonderfully, thanks to my amazing doctor, the angelic team of nurses who cared for us while we were at the hospital, and all our friends and family who drove 12-15 hours to be with us for her birth, and who are so generously giving of their time and talents to help us settle in.  You'll never know how much you all mean to us!  

Thanks again to my sweet friends Amy and Stacy, for coming over to "play" today.  I had sooooo much fun!  And I can't wait to see the gorgeous images you created for us!  We love you both!  xoxo

I promise to post more photos of our sweet girl  later on...  oh I've got tons to show you!!!  :)

I'm officially too pregnant for this gig....

Yep.  I scared Grandma half to death when I climbed to the second floor of the kids' fort, trying to "get the shot".  Now photographers, tell me, was this sibling image not worth it?!  YOU would have climbed the fort too, right??  ;)

I admit, I'm a very "physical" shooter, as my clients have witnessed.... they've seen me climbing walls, perching tiptoe on chairs and ladders, lying on my tummy in the middle of the street (well, not in the last nine months or so!) sitting down in fire-ant infested grassy fields, straddling a bathtub or two (or three), the list goes on and on.  Given my history, I didn't even question climbing the stairs to sit in the fort with these three kiddos.  (And oh my goodness, they certainly kept me laughing!!)  The only downer was when the girls ran off to change clothes, and little Jack here ran off behind them.... I'm standing at the top of the fort yelling, "Um, Jack!  Hey buddy, can you come help me down from here???"  LOL!  So, yeah, I've officially reached my limitations while shooting client sessions.  Not bad though, for 8-1/2 months pregnant, eh?  ;)

Even the dogs were fun, jumping into the pond and everything.  As soon as I opened the door and walked into the Kennedys' home, this sweet St. Bernard lay right down on my feet.  What a lover.

I can't even TELL YOU how much I ADORE this next shot of all the kids together....  The girls' sweet giggle and their brother's "bleh, GIRLS!"-face just melt my heart!!  (Yeah, this shot was taken in the fort too!)

And one with Mom.  Can you see where these gorgeous kids get their looks?  They also inherited her totally relaxed attitude.  (Which I definitely appreciated, lol!)  It was so refreshing!

Loved this swing shot for some reason....

And possibly my favorite......  a perfect way to end a photo session, right?  :)

Did I mention how RELAXED this family was??  :)  I LOVED that Mom let the kids jump into the pool, clothes and all!  Look what sweet faces I got after the girls jumped out.....  priceless, I tell ya.

Thanks, Wendy and Company, for the super-fun, awesome evening!!!  I feel like I went out with a bang!! 

I'll be taking off the rest of June and most or all of July (except for some last-minute editing, placing a few orders, and delivering clients' prints, etc.).

Keep your eyes on the blog for announcements of when my little girl makes her grand entrance, and when I'll be back to shooting!  It won't be long, I promise!!  :)  By the way, I'm already booking for August, September, and Christmas sessions for October!  Shoot me an email (stacey@staceywoodsphoto.com), or drop me a line (727.698.0344), and I'll put you down in my schedule!

THIS is what Family is all about.

I really meet the most wonderful families in this blessed job of mine.  This particular family was such a treat to work with, and so unique.  We held their session at a local beach, and at their former home, which tragically burned in a fire several months ago.  It was a way of personal healing for them, I think, a way of remembering and documenting a life that WILL very soon be rebuilt!  Although in a different way, I'm sure.
 

One of the things that touched me the most was how the Chaboudys truly KNEW that a family is not about the home you live in, or the "things" you possess; rather family is about EACH OTHER, and being grateful for life and love.  I can honestly say that I left this shoot so incredibly inspired by their strength, courage, and determination.







LOVED her shirt.  :)




We kept "discovering" subtle symbolism everywhere. (Don'tcha love when that happens?!) Really, what an upbeat, positive, strong family this is.  Just amazing!

 

The FUN part... a local beach at sunset!  :)





And YES, I absolutely made them tromp through the muck and mud for this shot, while my big ol' pregnant self stayed up on the drier sand.  LOL!  Well, my Cole Haans did get stuck in some goop once or twice.  ;)  But I think that we all would agree that it was TOTALLY worth it, even if only for this next image.  (My faaavorite!)  Just look at that fabulous sunlight!







Last one....  so appropriate, I think.  :) 



Thank you, Chaboudy family, for allowing me into your hearts for this session!  It was truly my pleasure.

xoxo, Stacey

Going once... going twice...

I am both excited and proud to let you know that my work will be part of the All Childrens Hospital VIP Charity Auction this Saturday evening, May 31!  This annual event is part of the 25th Annual All Childrens Hospital Telethon, and all proceeds will go DIRECTLY to All Childrens Hospital and its west-central FL outreach locations.  News Channel 8 will be covering the Telethon itself, on Friday night and Saturday... please, if you're able to pledge $20, $50, $100, or even $1,000 to this amazing cause, your gift would be much appreciated, and very wisely spent!  The Telethon is also a part of the Childrens Miracle Network!

One lucky bidder will be able to take home a Custom Photo Session with Stacey Woods Photography, AND a complete Keepsake Session Album including ALL the images from their session with me (package valued at $1,025)!  Other fantastic items to be auctioned include: Trace Adkins concert tickets (yes, the country singer who made me wax nostalgic on Mother's Day)... trips to Costa Rica... the Bahamas... Beaver Creek Falls, Colorado... backstage passes to see Jay Leno and Rachael Ray.... one-of-a-kind Chihuly glass.... and YES, even SUPER BOWL  TICKETS!! 

To find out more about the and how to attend the VIP Auction, please visit www.allkids.org, www.allkidsfoundation.org, or call Jessica Petot at the Hospital Foundation, at 727-767-8422.  Here's to a record-breaking Telethon this weekend!!

A bit of a facelift.

A few quick updates for those who follow my blog (yes, all three of you, lol!)

You might notice some little changes here and there on my website and blog! My awesome designer, Eva Talley, has just finished customizing my splash page and the homepage slideshow on my site. Just wanted to make my branding consistent throughout my work! My site's colors are darker to match my branding and design, and a few of my logo and design elements from my business cards, trifold brochures, postcards, etc. have been added as well. Some gallery images have been changed and updated too. And NEXT up will be my NEW BLOG... to be unveiled soon! Keep your eye on this blog, though, for updates on that project. My new blog will have a different web address so you will need to change your bookmarks on down the road. But no worries, I'll let you know when I get everything ready to show off! :) I'm excited!!

Another tidbit is that the Stacey Woods Photography website address is now www.staceywoodsphoto.com. I used to have a different web address (staceywoodsphotography.net), and believe me, if you type it in your browser, it'll still getcha there! ;) However I've removed it from all my marketing pieces, just so there won't be any confusion... there is another photographer with my same name and a similar website address (in another country though!) and I've had some clients go to her website by mistake. Nope, that's not me! :) So, just to ease the confusion and make it easier on y'all (and the other photographer who, love her heart, receives a bunch of emails intended for me!), I just changed my web address. Easy as pie, right? :) Right.

Also, just because I've been asked about this a lot recently, the gorgeous cello music you hear on my website is by the amazing Shaun Paul, and is titled "Footprints In The Sand". You can click on his website and order his CDs if you want! Or, you can just log on to my site and hang out there looking at my galleries and listening to my music for hours. :) Which I KNOW that some of y'all do! Hey, I check my web stats, okay?! ;) And I love it, I promise!

Lastly, I'm finishing up my final sessions before I sit the rest of the summer out waiting on my precious little girl to arrive (just 4-1/2 weeks until my due date!). To my sweet (and oh-so patient) clients, the last of my outstanding session galleries will be up by the end of the week, if you haven't had them published already. AND I've got a TON of print orders that are due here by Thursday and Friday, so watch your mailboxes and doorsteps for print deliveries very very soon!

Okay, that's it... back to work!

Yep, another sweet newborn!

I can't get enough of 'em! This little guy was as good as gold for me. Made the funniest faces and kept me laughing the entire session.... when I wasn't smiling and sighing at him, anyhow. ;) Makes me so anxious to meet my soon-to-be-here little one!

So here's little Benjamin.

And his teeny toes.

I can't stop giggling at this one. I'm sure he was thinking.... "Why did this lady put me on a chair?!" LOL!

Really, I can't stop staring at this next image.... I always fall for the shots with Mommy. Why? Because usually Mamas are the ones behind the camera, getting all the shots of their own little ones and those treasured moments they want to remember. But for me, it's a true thrill to give a Mother an image of her child that she's actually IN! So that her child can look back on it some day, and see just how much his Mama loved him at that very moment. The look on her face and the love in her hands. Ahh, gives me chills.

(Oh, and by the way.... can y'all tell that this pregnancy is making me even gushier and more sentimenal than usual?! ;) And I was bad already, lol!)

I know they're going to be wonderful parents. Just look. How can you not smile seeing this one?? :)

Mom and Dad, I had so much fun with you and your sweet little guy. And I hope you love your images!

I'm SO gonna miss this time with my "boys"....

You're gonna miss this.
You're gonna want this back.
You're gonna wish these days
Hadn't gone by so fast.
These are some good times
So take a good look around.
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this.
~Trace Adkins

Yesterday I had a PERFECT Mother's Day. We all stayed home and just relaxed and enjoyed each other's company. And I, actually, did NOT work a single minute! Yep, a whole day off. I slept late, and even took a nap. We blew up the kiddie pool and let Parker splash around the backyard to his heart's content, and I must tell you... it was so refreshing to actually sit my big, overheated pregnant self down in a pool of cool water. Even if I was surrounded by little plastic sharks, alligators, whales and squirt guns. It felt like Heaven. :) The smell of confederate jasmine and honeysuckle filled my backyard. Chris grilled steaks, shrimp, and corn on the cob. We ate yummy watermelon and drank the absolute BEST lemonade, and it just tasted like summer. I didn't even cook it! Chris did it all. It was perfect. I got a homemade card, time to myself, and lots of snuggle time with my two favorite "boys" in the world. Quite certainly the best part, after all that splashing and playing, my sweet boy fell asleep in my arms, wrapped up in a beach towel, while I rocked him in the patio chair and sang this song to him, which happened to come on while I was gently rocking him and stroking his face and hair (which still puts him to sleep, just like it did when he was a tiny baby).... to be honest, I sang this song *to* myself, as I tried like everything to burn this image of him, curled up sweetly in my arms, all sunny and warm and smiling sleepily, into my memory forever. Sometimes, just sometimes, you don't need a photograph to remember the most amazing moments in your life....

And to help your imagination here, and so you can understand why I went all mushy and nostalgic in that moment... have a listen... And yes, it's country music. I'm from Kentucky, what do you expect?! ;)

Hope you ALL had a blessed and happy Mother's Day!! (I love you, Mom!)

Him.

I love this child like you would not believe. The way he talks (that sweet Southern drawl gets me every time). His lanky not-a-baby-anymore stride, swinging his arms and humming. The sparkle in his eye while he tries to sneak another cracker before dinner. His pride in his accomplishments... "I did it aww by mysayelf." The way he's NEVER hungry for soup, or spaghetti, or sandwiches, or vegetables of any kind... but how he's ALWAYS, miraculously, hungry when we mention ice cream. His squint-eyed giggle, that sends me into fits of laughter myself.

How he always brings me the blue light-saber and asks me to be Luke Skywalker... and he'll be Darth Vader. And how he immediately tries to "chop my arm off". ;) The "little boy sounds" I hear him make while he's playing pretend in his room: "fyoom! pshhht! krrrk!" And then, always, a crash.

His amazing hugs, that are so tight you almost fall over. The way he runs with abandon, not a care in the world, his "surfer-hair" flowing in the wind. The way he says, "Watch me this time!!" and runs even faster.

The way he sleeps. One arm around Rabbit, the other hand clutching a Star Wars or pirate figurine. The way he crumples his beloved blankie into a ball and holds it close when he's sleepy. The way he thanks Jesus every night for "Mama an' Daddy" and how he innocently prayed every night for two weeks: "Dear God, please let Mama say it's only one day 'till my birthday."

Well, my "baby" just turned four (::stacey weeps now::). Seems like only last week I was rocking him in my arms, singing "You and Me" by Lifehouse.... now he knows all the words and sings it back to me. :)

Ahh, my big boy. :) I just love him.