My Favorite Things

A long, long, long, really long, long, long time ago my girlfriend Bec tagged me in a post and asked me to share my favorite things. I was swamped at the time with grad work and photography stuff so I wasn't able to respond to the tag. (I am still swamped with said endeavors, but wanted to incorporate some answers into this post....)

If I was Oprah I would create a basket for all of you filled with my favorites; since I am not the talk-show goddess with pockets the deep as the world's banks, this metaphorical basket will have to suffice.

Favorite Things, Currently, In no Particular Order:

My favorite part of the day is when Jaren walks in from work, kisses me like I am a rock-star and then loves on our babies. OR when Jaren walks in from work whacks my bum and says, "Good Game!", and then loves on our babies!! ;)

My favorite current Hollywood celebrity. My favorite Hollywood Celebrity. Period.

Favorite way to pass time. Favorite way to pass more time.

This lip-gloss ,for sure my fav right now!

This fabric softener. I want to shower in it and bathe my children in it.

This restaurant will always be a favorite. TRUE STORY. California is getting one. A real one. In Lake Forest in 2010. Prayers really are answered.

Favorite Lens...EVER!

Favorite thing in our garage, and there are a lot of things out there, believe me...

Favorite secret thing I like to do right now: Dance while driving...not a secret any more!!

Favorite drink: A Diet Coke Big Gulp size from 7-11 with extra cherry syrup. I mean so much extra that it tastes like Robitussin.

Current Favorite TV Show. (No teasing allowed!) Summer Favorite TV Show. (Can I get a WOOT WOOT for May 21st?) Will always love this TV Show.

A lot of those things don't even fit in a basket, and the list could go on and on, but now I want to introduce you to  a new favorite Megan in my life, and she is sporting my favorite pregnant belly.

What belly? You are probably asking. I had the same question when we first met. I thought she was like 4 months along...she is 8, almost done and is so, so tiny. In fact it was tricky in a few of her shots making it look like we were shooting maternity. I had to tell her to push her stomach out...not kidding...

Don't hate ladies; we can't all be ethereal creatures when we are pregnant. That pregnancy is reserved for a few choice individuals, and New Favorite Megan is one of them.

Megan's hair and make up are brought to you by the letters K and H. The ultra, insanely talented Katie Hoffman gave Meg a little extra pregnancy glow with the perfect coif and awesome face paint. (She was totally right Meg; see how well it photographed! Always trust the stylist!! ;)) If you are in the San Juan Cap area or close to it book a session with Katie today. You will leave feeling like a million bucks; she really is a great stylist who will become your instant friend!!

We can't give all the credit to Katie however, New Favorite Megan has so much to offer in the gorgeous-to-look at category!

Love this one:

Megan was in town this past weekend for her baby shower. I was honored to be a part of her agenda. We clicked immediately and started telling each other all our stories right away. I felt like we could have been slumber-party friends. Our likes were so similar it was crazy! I love it when you meet someone that is so like you in so many ways. It is refreshing to me, to feel so understood so quickly. I also am fascinated by how two strangers can feel like they have known each other for a lifetime after minutes of meeting. Very surreal. Ultra cool.

SO pretty Megan, in such pretty light! I know, right? Where's the belly? ;)

She smiled a lot; I LOVE PEOPLE WHO SMILE A LOT! They are just good and nice, and the ones you want to be around. I think a smile says so much about a person and her perspective on life and living. 

New Favorite Megan seeks joy, finding it and sharing it. 

Not so much about the belly, but a beautiful portrait of Meg. I love how more and more women are choosing to immortalize pregnancy through portraiture. One mom I recently photographed told me, "One day she [the pending baby] is going to love these pictures." I thought that was so true. Our children really do love to look at pictures and yes, they will love the memories of what mom and dad looked like before they arrived.

Meg wanted a few pictures with her mom. I thought that was so sweet. No one loves you like your mother, and at a time like this the best person to rely on for empathy is that one woman who carried you and delivered you to this earth. 

It was obvious their relationship is something they both hold close to their hearts.

I found some toile that was in the box for the shower; I thought it would add some color...and clue you in to the type of baby she is having.

A BOY!!!  HAHAHAHAHA! I am killing myself here! She is expecting a baby girl: Elle Scott. (LOVE, LOVE THAT NAME! Elle because Megs loves it and Scott after Baby's Daddy; isn't that cool?)

The most perfect pregnant belly EVER. See why it's my favorite! ;)

A hug for Baby:

Little pink detail:

I usually don't go to a shoot with a concept in mind. I just arrive, scope things out, and let the picture taking cards fall where they may. I met up with New Favorite Megan with a concept. I wanted to get pictures of her doing things that she would eventually do with Baby. I ran it by her and she was totally up for the idea and was such a good sport. (I also thought it would be so cool to shot them both again later, back at the same places, Mom and Baby that time instead of Mom and Belly...)

They will read countless books together:

Blow innumerable bubbles together:

Hard to see the belly here...but LOVED these images:

Grandma will play too.

Once again, loved this:

They will shop the mac counter together and shoe shop together:

They will shop the Barbie and baby aisle together:

So fun:

Megs, I think you are going to need a bigger "baby-pusher" than that. ;)

They will shop Forever 21 together. (New Favorite Megan will fit in those clothes and be eternally hip to wear them even when her baby is old enough to sort through the racks.)

They will laugh and giggle and love being together while riding the carousel:

(Meg was a GREAT sport. I made her ride it twice. The first with me, the second alone. I had to get off, you know me, I get sick on the swings at the park.)

LOVED THIS IMAGE! Possibly my favorite from the shoot even though that is hard to label. It isn't about the baby at all but about her sweet, kind, fun, good, loving, and gorgeous mother! I also thought stylistically it was cool and the framing of the Megan was fun and distinctive.

Loved these two. New Favorite Megan is so photogenic and was so good with the camera. She worked it for sure!! There needs to be an America's Top Maternity Model. NFM (New Favorite Megan) would win.

She and Baby Elle will play at many a water park together and make and eat many a cupcake together:

Loved the framing on this one too:

Most importantly they will love and learn and grow together. Megan, you are someone very special. Baby Elle is going to change your life in so many ways, all of them bright and beautiful, and you will be the most important and revered person in her little life from the second she is born. No matter what you two do together may it always be time spent making memories. May you enjoy the last few weeks of time just you and Scott; that too is precious, sacred time; you will never get it back. May you look forward to turning the page on this chapter of your life and starting a new one with one of your life's greatest accomplishments. May you have an epidural; may it come the second you ask! ;) May you drink in your baby's every breath. May you hold her a bit longer, rock her a bit slower, and love her a bit deeper than you even thought possible. May you bottle up every moment you have watching her grow, and may they all be filled with smiles and laughter.

NFM,Thank you for spending the afternoon with me; I like you very, very much!  I could have spent the entire weekend with you laughing, sharing stories, talking about our favorite things, and would have been entertained the entire time. Until our next slumber-party, xoxo Kam