{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

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

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!)

Jersey Girls

I must tell you. I had a BLAST with these two gals!!! We hit lots of local spots on Clearwater Beach for this session... including splashing under the pier! I know Nancy has been waiting ever-so-patiently on this preview, so just for her I'm showcasing a bunch of images here. (Your gallery will be up before you know it!) :)

Take a look at these beauties.... like mother, like daughter!

I loooved this graffitti under the pier. :)

Loved all the signage too!

And perhaps my favorite....

Ohh I have so many more super-fun shots! I wish I could blog the whole darn session! And can you really believe I had this much fun with COLOR?! You just never know about me, do ya? ;)

Blessed beyond measure.

I have had the privilege of having Laura as a best friend for, oh, about 25 years! I really can't remember when we met, of course it was when we were little kids... but it just seems like I've known her since birth! I can't remember NOT knowing her. We have had SO much fun through the years. Our birthdays are on the same day, one year apart. So we had lots of birthday parties together. We've kept in touch no matter where life has taken us... my moving all over the country, our weddings, the birth of four (soon-to-be five!) babies, and everything that comes afterwards. We're really "kindred spirits", as Anne of Green Gables would say. :) I can remember hanging out in her bedroom drinking Coke from a glass bottle, calling up the local radio station to request our favorite New Kids On The Block hits (LOL!), dancing, teasing our bangs, and modeling for the camera like we were ready for the cover of Teen magazine. (Yep, I have a few early photos that I found at my Mom's house... my "budding photography career" at age 14! Remind me NEVER to share those embarrassing shots with you, by the way.) ;) Whew, the flashbacks! And the big hair!!

We still joke about all those summers we spent together... especially the bean patch. ;) Since she had a pool and we didn't, we'd get calls during late summer like this one... "Hi Stacey, do you and your sisters wanna come over and swim tomorrow? Good! Well, we gotta pick beans first....." :/ That stinker. She just wanted six extra hands to help her in the string bean patch!!! And I'm afraid we weren't very much help either.... bean-pickin' just wasn't my thing. Good thing there was a hammock about 10 feet from the edge of the garden.

Anyway, when I was in KY a few weeks ago, I got the chance to hang out with her family and photograph them again. All five of them this time, not just her three beautiful daughters! Take a look..... sort of a "day in the life." Without the bean patch. :)

Playin' on the bed.... what better way to spend the day?!

I loooove this one.......

Couldn't resist this one in her crib. She was a HOOT!

Then we headed out in the SNOW!

*sigh* They're growing up so fast on me. I remember when they were born, when they were babies, and when they were toddling around. Now it's swim meets (gold and silver medals for these girls, by the way!) and preteen stuff. I don't wanna even know about the boys. Don't even tell me!!

Yep, COLOR from me. I couldn't resist, what with all their gorgeous "bundled-up-ness" and all...

And what better way to warm up... than with a nice warm BUBBLE BATH?!

"Mommyyyyyy!!!" ;) The littlest one needed a towel every time bubbles got on her chin.... which was every 5 seconds, LOL!

This last one just tugs on my heart.... what sweet bliss.

I'm so proud of and happy for you, Laura, my sweet friend. Your life has been blessed so richly. I love you to pieces, and I hope you enjoy my little peek into your life... your fun, crazy-happy, laughter-filled morning with your family. XOXOXOX

Love, Stace

Shhh, I have a Crush...

I have a confession: I have a serious crush on this man. I can't get him off my mind. I think about him all throughout the day, and find myself daydreaming (yes, instead of proofing sessions, shhh!) about when I'll see him next. My Crush gives me butterflies in my stomach whenever he looks at me, and everytime he calls me "Sugah" or "Stacey Jo". I swoon over his deep Southern drawl, and the way his lip curls up when he's about to crack a joke that he knows will get to me. My Crush is the smartest man I've ever met; he just amazes me sometimes. He works so hard at his job, even with times as tough as they are in his industry. He's unbelievable. My Crush is extremely generous, compassionate, and a loyal, true friend. He lives every day to the fullest, and never, ever gives up on something he wants. He's an amazing father, the absolute best I've ever seen.... and his son adores him with every breath. He's my tall, dark and handsome Prince Charming. He's energetic, sweet, and completely hilarious. My Crush makes me laugh out loud even when I'm in a rotten mood, and he's so patient with me and our life, even when it gets hectic and all out of sorts, my Crush is there to put things in perspective and get things back on the right track again. Some days I need to pinch myself to see if this is really real... our wonderful, crazy, sweet life together.

I'm just so glad I snatched this man up almost 10 years ago!! ;) Happy Birthday to my Husband, my Crush, my Sweetheart. Chris honey, you just keep getting better and better. And I LOVE YOU to pieces.

XOXO,
Your Not-So-Secret Admirer

(Just a snapshot, since he's quite camera shy.) Imagine that, being camera shy in this house?! ;)

And I'm coming back to add a photo of our little birthday celebration..... Sweet Parker made this cake all by himself (well, with just a *tiny* bit of my help, but not much) and helped me frost it, and put ALL of the sprinkles on by himself, AND stuck in every single candle he could find! I think we offended Chris by having so many!!! LOL! ;) But just look at Parker's proud face as his Daddy gets ready to blow out the candles on his extra-special cake. It was worth every single crumb and eggshell I had to clean up, to see my two boys together like this. :)

Tub Time.

I have to post this shot from the other day.... just 'cause I love it so much. :) And I love the light that comes in from that bathroom window. Ahhh.

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Raccoons and Butterflies

I sometimes forget to come here and post personal life stuff. I need to get better about that!! Because, for one thing, I have the most hilarious three-year-old. The phrases that come from his mouth will keep you entertained, moreso than my photography I sometimes believe! So, here's the latest Parker-ism, complete with Southern pronunciation so you can get the full effect. ;)

Tonight I was tucking him into his big-boy bed, and we were snuggling on the pillow together, getting ready to say his prayers. He then started talking about a raccoon.... I asked him, "Honey what raccoon?" (Must have been from the cartoon Franklin or something, I thought. They're all named Rabbit, Bear, Squirrel, etc.) "Myy Blaynket Rack-koon," he says. Hmm... we were just talking about his little bed at daycare, so, hmm, maybe there are racoons printed on his sheet? "Where is your raccoon, Sugar?" "It's riiight he-yere." And he held up his blankie.... He then proceeded to tell me that his blankie was pretending to be a raccoon, "and 'den I turned into a buuuutttterrrrrflyyyy."

After a blink or two, it finally hit me. "Oh, Parker, honey, do you mean a COCOON??" :) "Yay-uh. I wrap up in da rack-koon and 'den I come out a buuttterrrrflyyy. Can you wrap me up in dis rack-koon so I can be a buuuttterrfly, Mah-muh?" And then he huddles down on the bed and throws his blanket over his back like a cape! After all of that back and forth, he obviously had his heart set on this... so how could I not play along?! I tucked his precious blankie up underneath him and counted, and then he popped up on his knees and began to flap his arms.... "Oh, Parker you're a beauuuutiful butterfly, Sweetheart! You have such a great imagination!" And then, in perfect Boy Form, he "crashed" down on the bed: "psshhhuuwww." "What happened to my beautiful butterfly??" "He broked his wings and cwrashed. Night-night."

Ah, my dear boy.... I never know what he's going to come up with next. And like I heard a friend say, it's amazing what you will learn if you just talk to your children. :)

The above snapshot was taken this past Sunday (technical flaws galore, but I'm wearing my Mama-Goggles tonight so I don't care!). Cheering on our Redskins, trusty Light-Saber in hand, just in case.... and good old Parachute-Man (who is missing his parachute here, poor guy) close by on the couch as well. The imaginations of little boys, I tell ya. Nothin' like it!

Happy Birthday, Baby!!!

My Baby Sister, that is.  Today is Macy's Mommy's birthday!  But, um, I won't say how old she just became.....  ;)

I'm having some computer problems tonight so I'll have to come back later to share images... grr.  But I'll pop them up as soon as I can.  Trish is a beauty!!  Such a good Mama... one of the strongest women, and strongest mothers for that matter, I've ever known.  She's been through more than I'll ever realize, I'm sure, but I know enough to say that this girl is TOUGH.  As nails.  Always has been.  And if you don't think so..... she'll tell you herself.  ha ha!  ;)  One of the absolute funniest people I've ever met in my life too.  Only she never knows it at the time!!  She's just being real, being herself, while it always comes out hysterical.  If I'm ever in a sad or cranky mood, I always call her first.  Her stories and jokes and regular "Trish-isms" never fail to put a smile on my face.  "That Trish," as Nanny used to shake her head and say.  :)  I love That Trish to pieces.  And I'm SO proud to call her my sister.  I miss you, "Thris"......  XOXO

Catching up..... lots of posts today!

Okay, so I've been a little busy!  ;)  I've got a lot to share with you today!!!

First off, **HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY** to the hardest-working 1-year old around.  She turned ONE on August 24. 

The Miracle Baby:  Macy Abigail!  She's been in and out of hospitals more in her first year, than I have been in my whole life.  Breathing tubes, chest tubes, heart surgery, respirators, a pacemaker, IVs (and all the failed attempts at them)...  it's a wonder her Mama and Daddy had strength enough to throw her a party after all they've been through this year.  But who else deserved a party more than this girl???  She's now a thriving, sitting-up pretty, eating-every-time-I-call, chunky-monkey sugar-pie Birthday Girl.  She's gone from this....

...to this.......

to this....

But I haven't photographed her since March.... :(  and I don't feel right posting photos that are not my own (I know that her Mama has some great ones!).  I will get to see her again at Christmas!  Happy Birthday, again, Macy-girl!!!  XOXO  We love you, "Sugah"!

I'll be back with more updates!!!  ;)

Birthday Girl!

Yesterday a very little girl had a very big party!!  Happy Birthday, Miss Charley Elizabeth!  Her actual birthday was on Wednesday, August 8.  No, I didn't miss it!  We called, sang, sent a present, awwed and cooed that day.  :)  I just was proofing some of her last night, and wanted to show ya'll how much she's grown!  My sister and brother-in-law and their three girls (including Little Miss Cha-Cha) were here in July, and I had the opportunity to photograph them (almost) to my heart's content!!

Love her!  She's gotten so big in a year.....

She was only a few weeks old in this photograph.  My, how time flies.  Hug your little ones extra tight tonight!!  They just don't stay little for long... 

Macy-girl

Okay, this post is different from my usual....  it's a plea, actually.  Please, while you say your prayers tonight, whisper a prayer for my littlest niece... Macy Abigail.  (I've featured her here on my blog before.)  Macy had open-heart surgery last Monday, and is recovering in the ICU at Kosair Childrens Hospital in Louisville, KY.  She was born with a heart murmur and several holes in her heart.  She's now 10 months old, and in the end surgery was required to repair the two largest holes and a thickened valve.  She is a very strong little gal (hmm, like her Mama)  ;) and she is recovering so well now, finally; but she has had an extremely hard week-and-a-half in the ICU.  So have her Mama and Daddy:  my sister, Trish, and brother-in-law, Chad.  I know it's been hard on them "living" in the hospital as well.  And going through all they've gone through together.... this battle has been so trying, and so difficult.  Trish has been giving us all daily "Macy updates" via email from the hospital, and Macy is on more prayer-chains across this country than you can even count.

If you can, please, add her tiny heart to YOUR prayer list tonight.  Thank you....

Oh, and... "Happy 4th Wedding Anniversary", Trish and Chad!  XO

Sa-wiiiing, batter!

Thanks Daddy and Papa Donnie.  I now have a lovely white wiffle-ball scuffmark on the hood of my 85mm lens.  However, I'll admit, I have learned my lesson....  NEVER stand behind the pitcher and try to photograph the batter, no matter how young that batter is.   He WILL find his groove and crack the ball directly at your head, as you're happily clicking away.......  ;)

Haappy Biiiirthdaaay Tooo Yoooouuu....

Today is my sister Amy's birthday!!  I won't be rude and tell her age, but at least she'll always be younger than me!  ;)  I've talked to her already today, so I know she had a great day... guinea pigs and all....  lol!  (Say hello to Wilbur and Charlotte for me!  *waving*)

I love both my sisters to pieces.... they're seriously my very best friends on this entire Earth.  Even though they're hundreds of miles away.  But, since today is about Amy......  she's a wonderful person.... an amazing mom, so supportive of her three daughters and what they want, love and need.  She's a fabulous sister....  I couldn't make it without her almost-daily doses of parenting humor and advice; because, although I'm the oldest sister, she gave birth to two kids before I ever had one!  (I still owe her one for helping me through potty-training with all of those Hot-Wheel bribes!!!)  She's got the funniest sense of humor.  Don't let us stay up too late at night together though, we get slap-happy and you'll think we've lost our minds.  :)  Amy's generous, sweet, kind, caring, giving, loving.  And those are only her faults, as Dad would say.

Here are a few of my favorite photos of her.....  she's so beautiful, inside and out. 

Happy Birthday, Aim.  I love ya to pieces!  XOXO