Casey and E just two girls on the beach… Before there are 4

Whenever I go back home to Virginia Beach, I always make it a point to see these two gorgeous girls!  They are some of the best friends anyone could have.  They are fun and silly and have the biggest hearts of anyone I know.  Recently, Casey found out she was expecting and what was more amazing is that their family is expanding and will be hearing the pitter patter of little BOY feet pretty soon.  I knew it was absolutely necessary that we get some one on one girl time between this dynamic mother and daughter duo before they added a wild and free spirited little boy to the mix.  So that was exactly what we did!  We met up at one of our favorite spots on the beach for a gorgeous (and quick) mommy and me session that just exploded my heart into tiny little pieces!

I honestly believe that every mother should have a daughter like E!  I’m telling you, she is the BEST~  She is the sweetest and if I could bottle her up, I would in a heart beat and I would give her away for free!

While we were walking along this path, I told her she was just getting to be so big!  I told her I wanted her to stop growing up!  Being in Florida it amazes me how just in a few months time, how these little ones that I love so dearly grow and change so much.  Do you know what this big little 3 year old told me in answer to my statement?!  She told me “I have to grow up because I have to help with my baby brother!  I have to change his poop diapers and help mommy!”

Now she said it in such a cute way with that little 3 year old accent.  You know the one I’m talking about, with the emphasis on the w sound.  The one we love so much and we hope never goes away.  Well… it does sadly.  When they are 5 they get big and all that cuteness and emphasis on the lisping and the l’s that sound like w’s… it goes away.

So for me, capturing E in this exact moment, before baby brother comes into the fold and she is still the only one… it was more important to me than I could ever describe!

We made it down to the beach about 3 minutes before sunset, so we didn’t have a whole lot of time, but you know what?!  That’s all we need really.  We ran down the beach and we just played together!

We had cotton candy skies that night and a breeze that washed the salt over your skin and washed away any troubles you thought you could ever possibly have.

It was truly magical…

Here are some of my favorite moments from our evening spent playing at the beach… one on one E and her mama!  There’s a special bonus at the end so keep an eye out and stick around!

Part of the reason I picked up my camera in the first place was because these moments fly by so incredibly fast. we don’t get to keep them and more often than not, our memories fade and we can’t quite remember all those little details we want to remember so desperately.  Photography helps us to do that.  Images help us hold on to those details forever so we can re-visit them any time we like.

More importantly though and recently I’ve been trying to add in a little something extra for my clients when I can… and that’s movement and music.  I think there is something that just touches us emotionally when we can see how our  moments play out with stills and real life and then hear it as well.

So Casey.. this is my gift to you!

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