Can you believe it?? My lil man, is 1!!!?! Oi that went fast! Looking back over this past year, it’s hard to believe how much has changed. He’s grown into the sweetest little toddler! He knows just when you need a hug or a kiss, his “thank you” is “bap!”, and he runs non stop! He is FINALLY sleeping through the night (can I get an amen?!)! I can’t even begin to imagine what my life would have been like if he hadn’t come along. All the early mornings, and late nights, those first smiles, and giggles. His first time crawling, or those first steps. The first “Mama”, or even when he says it now, it just melts my heart! He has brought such a joy to everyone around him and I can’t wait to see just who he’ll continue growing into. Now, how else would I celebrate his birthday than with a cake smash session?! Worth every little bit of the mess it made!! Cheers to a great year, and to many many many more!! Maybe I’ll have to make this a tradition! hehe! If you’re looking to celebrate your lil one’s birthday with a fun cake smash session, email me at info@amandahaydenphotography.com to book an appointment! The look on their face will be priceless!

Well, here we are, 2012! 2011 was an AMAZING year, but I feel like 2012 is going to be an even better year! I definitely started it off the right way, I took my lil man for his first sled ride!! We bundled him all up and headed out! Drove to Mer Bleue here in Ottawa, and just started to walk! It was an absolute gorgeous day!! Cheers to a great year!

During my holiday mini sessions this season, I was fortunate enough to photograph a family that are not only close to my heart, but that I have photograhped in the past! They’re simply the best, and luckily I remembered a little series we had shot before. How fun it was to recreate it 2 years later! So here is Mr. Oliver from 2009 and again in 2011! He may have grown, but he’s still just as cheeky!!!

I realize our Canadian thanksgiving and even the American thanksgiving has come and gone, but I saw a post on Photographers: Do Not Bend and it encouraged me to post a photo of something that I’m thankful for. I don’t think it took me even a millisecond to decide what I would photograph to show what I was thankful for. Yep, you guessed it, my son!!! He has changed my world completely, and changed it for the better! I can’t even begin to describe just how much I love him! I wanted a photograph that wasn’t a “shot”, I didn’t set the stage, dress him accordingly, try to get him to say cheese.. it’s the moments in between the “shots” that make up life… messy face, goose egg and all! So this year, and probably every year from here on out, I’m thankful for my lil monkey!!!

This past summer I decided to really step out and do something I’ve never done before! I shot my FIRST WEDDING!!! EEP! I can’t even begin to tell you just how nervous I was! Luckily, I was extremely fortunate to meet an amazing couple, and we got along right away! They were just so in love, so happy. It wasn’t 3 minutes into the day that I was relaxed and excited! Filled with adrenalin! Being with the couple throughout their day made me so happy that I was chosen to capture memories for them that will last a lifetime! We got to walk around the beautiful grounds at Strathmere and even played a little in the corn fields! At the end of the speeches, the couple is thanking everyone for their support and love, and raises their glass to cheer Canada. It stopped me for a moment, and I took a moment to reflect. I couldn’t agree with them more. Thank You Canada, what a great country you are to allow us to show that love is love. Plain and simple. Strong and Free.