{little miss sparkles: 1st birthday and Christmas}

Most people who have seen my blog know that I usually try not to post the real names of the littles in my life, just for safety reasons.  In a year of hard, this little girl has been a bright spot...thus her name follows after the theme of my three kiddos nicknames - Little Miss Sunshine, Little Miss Giggles, and Mr Happy.  

Meet

She just turned one last month and we did some surprise pictures for my friend/her mama.

She is always happy, makes me laugh, can roar like a lion, loves bananas, loves music, does not love wearing socks (I don't blame her...neither do I!), tolerates me putting pig tails in her hair, and is apparently a true southerner with quite the accent on her "bye bye"!

~~~~~

Next it was time for some Christmas pics. I did Santa baby pics just last Christma...wait...ok so it was really eleven years ago (!!) when my Mr. Happy was about a year old...and I haven't used the hat and boots since...but it was time....

Apparently she had just told me a secret.... 😊

Little Miss Sparkles, I'm so thankful for your little life! God has great plans for you and you have a mama and a papa who will always remind you of who you are in Him.

I love you baby!  💖

{{11.9.18 & 12.4.18}}

{tracey family: christmas 2018}

Photo sessions with multiple kids is always an interesting experience haha! 

There is actually a fourth child in this family but... 

She wasn't so sure this was a good idea at first... 😊 

(Also...this is me in front of the camera...which is why I'm always the one taking the pictures lol!)

...the aftermath...happy, sticky kids! 😂

{{11.17.18}}

{claire: senior pics}

I have watched this little pipsqueak grow over the years from the time she was a baby...to the time I potty trained her (Sorry, Claire...that's just always gonna go with the story of you and me pretty much for forever...! 😂)...to so many summers at camp...to now getting to take her senior pictures and watching her getting ready to graduate from high school in the spring!

Clairebear, I will always love the memories of little you, but I love hanging out with this gorgeous grown up girl who God is going to continue to refine into the passionate, strong, warrior for Christ that He has created you to be! I can't believe you're graduating but I can't wait to see what all He has in store for you! I will always be here if you ever need me...and if you happen to decide to choose a certain college...you know there's an Africa room waiting for you if you'd like it!  😉 

I love you!

~QPW 

{{10.13.18}}

{little miss giggles: 13th birthday}

My Little Miss Giggles (the nickname I used to use for her here in the online world) turned 13...um...a while ago... 😁...and I had promised her a photoshoot since I had done one for her older sister's 13th bday.  I have been doing photo shoots of them since well, forever...here are just a few of LMG...

So leetle!!  😍  All three of my kids, as well as my little sister, Lauren, have always been awesome at letting me experiment with them in whatever crazy ideas I might have photography-wise...like the huge rainbow tutu in that last picture...and last Friday was no exception!  It started out normal enough with a little bit in multiple places...

So grown up I can't stand it!!  But gorgeous. 😘

 My goofy boy wouldn't smile big enough to show his teeth. Ha. I told him I was going to get him to grin at some point...challenge accepted!

 My sweet and beautiful girl! 😍😍

And then, since we were right there...a semi-recreation of an old pic! Slight differences we know, but it was still fun to do! 

My three littles are so not little anymore! But when I looked through my camera lens to take this picture on the right, I completely saw little them as they were on the left.  😊

Finally it was time for the last location! It was so hot outside and well...what better place to go?

"Great LMG!  Ok, now sit down!"

 Ha!  She's such a great sport! And always has the best expressions...always has. 😂

LMG, you're adorable.

Still working on getting that grin...In the meantime, he has a pretty good smolder...lol!

KIKI WINS!!!  😂😂

Little Miss Sunshine helped take a few of these above pics...including proof that I was there... 😊

LMG, I had so much fun with all of you!  Thanks for being willing to go along with everything...scary big glasses filled to the top 😂...100 degree weather...and getting soaked from head to toe!  I'll see you again soon...for your 14th birthday...! 😬😂😇

You know how much I love you....to the moon and back!! 💜💜💜