Pittsburgh Baby Photographer, Pittsburgh Child Photographer, Mt. Lebanon, South Hills, Sewickley, Upper St. Clair, Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, Cranberry, Mars, Tracy Montarti, Villa Montarti Photography

Lovely Southern Family

I recently had the pleasure to meet and photograph this family who came up from Georgia to celebrate their Grandfather's 80th birthday. Lots of love there :)

 

Spring Portraits! 2nd Annual Daffodil Days Mini Sessions

 

If you have already discussed doing a daffodil session with me, contact me directly to schedule. 

Cheers, tm

Nesting and regrouping

YES! I'm still here. This last year has been pretty consuming in several ways that the blog just ends up getting the short end of the stick. You know that analogy of the big rocks and all.

(Ok, for those of you that don't know, there's a famous time management exercise where you have a jar, some rocks, pebbles, and sand. You try to put them all in the jar. If you put in the sand or pebble first, you won't get them all in, but if you put in the rocks first, then the pebbles, and then the sand, they will all fit. The rocks are your highest priority tasks.)

But I digress. Late summer and fall my son started school with us (we cyberschool) so there was a lot of adjustment in figuring out how to meet both of their schooling needs at the same time. Plus fall is the busy time for sessions and last year was no different. And of course the holidays, and we have 4 family birthdays to add into the mix right after Christmas through mid January. 

I always look forward to that lull in late January, early February to regroup for the year and catch up. Unfortunately, this year my maternal grandmother, whom I'm very close to, had a stroke mid January. Being from California, my immediate family lives out there. But we have a very large extended family out here in Pittsburgh and Ohio mostly. My grandmother is one of 11 children, so you can imagine how big that can get. Anyway, she is well-loved by all, even friends of relatives who've just met her once or twice find that they make a connection right away. We all have friends that haven't seen her in 20 years that STILL ask how she's doing and chuckle about the times they remember with her. 

So I gladly helped my mom out by being the point person for letting the rest of the family know what was going on. We set up a phone tree to make it a little easier and really everyone has been so helpful. 

She was in rehab working very hard to regain some strength so she could come home. 

Then 3 weeks ago or so, she took another turn for the worse so they sent her home with hospice care. I flew out the next day with my cousin (also a nurse) from Columbus and spent the next 10 days taking care of Bubba and helping my mom. She's holding on for now. She has her wits about her and still has some sense of humor. She's not in any pain, nor is she feeling hungry or thirsty. She's watching lots of old favorite movies that she loves. 

My other grandmother (Millie) is also under hospice care right now. She's 97! I wasn't as close to her growing up but visit her whenever I'm back home. I'm so grateful that I got to visit her while I was out there as well. 

My incredible husband held down the fort at home managing the kids, their schooling and his job. Other family members and friends have stepped in to help out as well, and we are so appreciative. Once I got home I was just trying to catch up. 

So I although I'm sad that this is all happening, I am also grateful.

Grateful for having such wonderful friends and family in my life.

Grateful that I was able to go spend time with Bubba and help my mom and visit Grandma Millie.

Grateful that she's not in any pain or discomfort. 

Grateful that she's at home where she's comfortable. 

Grateful that she was able to come out here and visit for 6-8 weeks at a time, 1-2 times per year and spend so much time with us and the kids. 

And I'm grateful that *I* got to be her granddaughter. 

So we're just getting back into the swing of things and taking each day as it comes. I'm sure the next couple of months will be a bit scattered for us. 

We'll still be doing Daffodil Days at Gilfillan Farm in April and I will still be doing sessions this year, just on a limited basis. I'll do my best to blog here and there, but that's another story all together. You might notice that I don't put a lot of personal information out here on the blog. What's so odd (in a funny way to anyone who knows me) is that I tend to be too open many times just in my normal conversations... like REALLY open... like many times I've started statements with "This is probably too much information, but..." and whatever is on my mind tends to come right out of my mouth. But I'm pretty quiet when it comes to blogging and facebook, etc. Weird, huh? 

Cheers, tm

p.s. here are some pictures of my Bubba...

UPDATE: Bubba passed away peacefully on April 9th, 2011. We held a Celebration of Life event the day before Mother's Day. My mom came here that week which was extra special since we haven't spent Mother's Day together since I left California to move overseas 16 years ago. 

 

 

 

Pittsburgh Newborn Photographer {baby R}

This was my fourth session with this family and it's just a wonderful perk of my job that many of my clients become friends and I get to be a part of each new milestone. 

This little peanut looks EXACTLY like her big sister did when we did her newborn session 3 years ago, but with more hair... (maybe she's going to follow in the footsteps of her rocker dad)

 

  

Pittsburgh Baby Photographer {toes}

This is a sneak peek for a client whose daughter has been on my website for a long long time... one of the images from our first session is one of my favorites. So I was thrilled when she called me to come and do a session for her little boy. I love this age... sitting, but not crawling, giggly with full belly laughs and the TOES!!! 

 

 

  

Pittsburgh Child Photographer {Spring}

This spring we had some fun with the daffodil sessions (though it was SO very cold that day.... we had a big heavy warm blanket just off camera to keep the kids from freezing between shots) but they were troopers! Last year it was perfect weather, so you just never know. 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

     

a couple of other spring sessions

I also did a couple of quickie communion sessions for my friend Paula and her friends... her daughter and my daughter have been friends since they were 3 years old. 

 

   

And a lovely family came in from out of town to see their daughter graduate college - Congratulations!

 

 

so there I was...

in the throes of crazy spring season, projects, mini sessions, newborn sessions, end of school (we cyberschool), gardening, holidays and vacation planning... and I've once again sorely neglected my poor little blog here. I have a bunch of sessions to post and stuff to share. 

But vacation did me some good... my husband and I just celebrated our 10 year anniversary and went away (sans kiddos for the first time ever) to La Playa resort in Naples, FL. It was glorious and exactly what we needed. Lounge chairs and umbrellas on the beach set up for you with a little flag that you raise when you'd like a drink brought to you... gourmet restaurant, relaxed atmosphere (we were there during the week which I highly recommend... as we were leaving on Friday they got super busy), and we saw a dolphin swimming by one morning at breakfast. It's also a direct flight to Ft. Meyers from Pittsburgh so we were on the beach by one o'clock (after lunch, travel to the resort and checking in). We also renewed our vows on the beach and met some new friends from the UK who were there celebrating their 46th anniversary. 

I'll add some pics shortly. Plus a bunch of recent sessions :)

~tm

Noticing today's blessings

We all get so busy... rushing, working, parenting, appointments, making sure that everyone is clean, fed and where they're supposed to be every day. Every so often I try to stop, notice and be grateful for what the day brings. 

Today, brought beautiful weather and playtime at the park down the street, an important teachable moment for my daughter, three more business opportunities (one display and 2 bookings), homemade guacamole and steak fajitas for Cinco de Mayo, another glorious visit with masseuse extraordinaire Judy Amick at Ease A Petite Spa and yet another reminder from my sweet husband and kidlets that I love my life just the way it is. 

A good day indeed. 

~tm

Mommy & Me Portraits

 

 Happy Mother's Day!

So often we moms forget to include ourselves in the pictures with our children, either because we're the ones taking the pictures, or because we think it's only the kids we're trying to capture. But when your children are older, they'll want to see mom in there too, and not just mom, but them WITH their mom. Those will be the images that mean the most to them.

Mommy & Me mini sessions are the perfect solution to focus on you and your relationship with your little ones (or you with YOUR mom if you'd like)!
 

Special Offer!

Mini sessions are $350 and include:

~ 20 minutes session at your convenience sometime after Mother's Day

~ 5-8 digital files

~ 5x7 print of each digital file

~ complimentary 5x10 desktop storyboard with easel ($65 value)

(Storyboards include 3-4 images from your session and are mounted on 2mm styrene)

Please order by Friday at the latest by calling 412-207-4718 or email me. Checks, Cash, and Visa/MC/Amex accepted. I can get the Gift Certificate to you (or your husband) on or before Saturday.

Have a wonderful Mother's Day!