October is Important.

As many of you know, I have a four year old daughter with Down syndrome.  In honor of October's Down Syndrome Awareness Month, enjoy these images of some beauties with Down syndrome.  These images are my daughter and three of her best friends.  If you or anyone in your family has special needs that require accommodations for your photo session, just let me know.  In my non-photography time, I'm also a special education teacher.

Commercial shot with Ellie, Charlie, and Lu.

From my personal files - baby Audrey.

Ellie in Puerto Rico 2014 from my personal blog.

Welcoming Lu home with big sister.

A birthday celebration.

This girl has come so far.

About half of kids born with Down syndrome also have heart defects. This is from a heart defect awareness post.

Introducing.....

Just a quick snap of the newest member of our family.  Caroline Grace was born on September 21, weighing in at 6 pounds, 13 ounces.  We're home now and she is simply a doll.  Big sister adores her.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be taking newborn photos of Caroline as well as some photos of our family.  It took about a week post-c-section for me to feel up to getting my camera out again!

I'll be sharing more family photos here until I resume my regular photography schedule on October 24.  Fall portrait slots and holiday card sessions are filling up fast!

Behind the Camera.

One reason I'm so booked for fall is that I'm taking a fairly limited number of clients until mid-November.  Our second baby is arriving via c-section on Monday, and I want to recover from her birth before I start chasing other kids around!

In the meantime, I finally got a few pictures of myself with this bump.  

Photo by Jessica Mellon.

Photo by Jessica Mellon.

Some maternity photo tips:

* Schedule for a time of day when you feel your best

* 32-46 weeks seems to be a cute but not "I feel like I'm going to topple" bump

* Wear makeup, an outfit you love, look great

I ignored all of my own tips when Jessica was over to have her grab a few photos of me expecting Caroline.  Ellie insisted in participating.

So here's me lately.... a bump-free version will be ready to get back out there and capture your memories in late October! And if you are rocking a bump this fall or winter, I have a few special maternity slots available!

Welcome Baby C!

We are welcoming our own baby C around here on September 21, but I got the opportunity to welcome another baby C this weekend.  She's three weeks old and absolutely precious.

On a rainy Saturday, I went to visit her family and get some shots of C with her parents and big siblings.  She looks exactly like big sister's baby pictures (which big sister proudly showed me!)

We're so glad you're here, C!  I know your big brother and sister are lucky to have you, and my own baby can't wait to be your friend.

The full session is available for viewing here.  Don't forget to follow along on Facebook and Instagram for the new few weeks to meet our family's newest addition, and if you are thinking about scheduling a fall session, lock in a date before September 21 to get my current rate before prices go up.

Family Fun in Old Town, Alexandria: Northern VA Family Photographer.

When this family called to set up their session, it was amazing we could fit it in!  My amazing high school assistant was available, I was free (and didn't give birth early) and the extended family was in town so we could capture everyone together.

These little girls are almost two and three, and were simply adorable.  The sprinklers in my favorite garden were on and at the end of the session, we let the kids give into temptation and get wet.  After all the posed shots, the splashing pictures are by far my favorites!

I Heart Faces: Hard at Work.

"Play is really the work of childhood."  - Fred Rogers

It's back to work and school around here, except that I'm taking a year off to give birth to Caroline and stay home with her.  I'll miss being in the classroom for both work and playtime with my students, but this is an important year to stay home!  The girls pictured here are giving me a glimpse of why - sisters playing in the sprinklers after their family photos.  That's the most important work they can do.

Two weeks from today Ellie gets her baby sister.

I'll still be running Megan Landmeier Photography outside of my regular work contract hours.

This photo is linked up over at I Heart Faces and you'll be seeing more of these girls in the next few days!  In the meantime, check out the "Hard at Work" shots at IHF!