The One Year Old Portrait

We are a picture taking, album making, photo loving family!

However we take precious few professional portraits.  In fact we have yet to pay for a professional family portrait and other than the occasional church directory family picture all our family photos have been taken by a friend or family member with our personal cameras.  We do “splurge” for two professional portrait sessions per child –  a one year old baby portrait and their senior picture(we have yet to arrive at the wedding era – yikes!). And when I say splurge…I simply mean we pay the sitting fee and purchase the smallest package available. 🙂

Almost eighteen years ago when we began the baby portrait tradition, we were given the heirloom dress that I and my two sisters had worn for our one year old baby portraits.  It was a simple creme colored knit dress with puff sleeves.  I was so excited to have my daughter, Michelle wear the same dress I had worn as a baby.  When Amy came along three years later, I thought “I want her to feel just as special” and so I had her wear the dress as well!  As each daughter arrived, they too had their professional baby portrait taken…in the same dress, at the same studio, with the same background, in the same red velvet chair.  Thus a family tradition was established and the dress has become a priceless heirloom in the Lambdin family.

My hallway is now lined with six 11×14 framed baby portraits of each of our beautiful daughters.  My Mom recently passed on to me my baby portrait as well which is hung across the hall for all to see and compare.

Daniel turned one this spring and it was time to take his professional portrait.  Of course we were NOT going to put him in the dress!  Since my husband did not have an outfit to pass on to him, we set out to find a simple, charming and special outfit that could also become a family heirloom someday for our boys.  Not an easy task. (in fact I am amazed at how hard it is to find nicer, more dressed up clothes for boys at all – an unfortunate sign of our times in my never to be humble opinion)  We finally found one at a local upscale clothing store and set the appointment with photographer, Janie McCoun who has taken every single one of the girls photos.  We called just in time as Janie is closing her studio this month and only had a few sittings available.

• Our photographer and dear friend, Janie McCoun

Several of the sisters wanted to come watch Daniel get his portrait taken and he was by far the easiest and happiest of all our babies on picture day. (Joy was so uncooperative that she fell of the chair and bloodied her nose!)  We now are sitting with dozens of proofs that are all darling with the task of picking one to add to the hallway and start a wall of baby boy portraits opposite of the baby girls.

My favorite thing about these photos are their bare feet and little fingers and toes.  I also love the simplicity of the photos which does not distract you from looking at their distinct features, soft skin and shiny wet lips.  As a mommy I never tire of walking down my hallway and looking at each of these little lives that we have been so blessed with.  The years go by so fast and the baby stage is so short.  These photos are a sweet reminder of what a unique, special miracle that God has created in every life.

I want to remember and capture every smile, every sweet smell of baby breath, every touch of their soft skin and wiggly toes, every sparkle in their eye, every deep belly laugh, every squeal and every moment of their baby years.  If you are a mommy of a little one right now, stop & touch their soft skin, wiggle their toes, smell their breath and kiss their lips….because life is like a vapor – here for a moment and then it vanishes!

All too soon another wall in my home will be filled with senior portraits. <sigh>