10 years old.

I'm going to cry through this whole thing.  Just have to warn you now.  It's a side effect of being a sap.

10 years... How?  I'm so overwhelmed by how quickly you've grown Hailey. It both shatters my heart and fills me with pride in the same moment (weird mom thing... you'll understand someday)

You decided to make us into a family well before my "5 year plan", and while I cried in fear at the time, I don't think I could have fathomed the love and joy you would bring into our lives... into everyone's lives. Any time I question anything in my life- any "why me?" or trial- I just look at you, my sweet girl, and I am reminded how much good there is in our life.

You were the beginning of it all for us. You taught us how little sleep we could live on, how much crying we could actually tolerate (Your poor little colicky tummy), how little we knew about adulting, and how very little we knew about our capacity to love before you were in our arms.

Hailey, when they say someone can light up a room, they're talking about you.  You bring light and joy with you everywhere you go- it radiates from your soul. I pray every day that teenage years (that are approaching far too quickly for my comfort) don't try to rob you of that. 

Today, we say goodbye to single digits. I didn't imagine how hard it would be for me - to recognize we are coming to a place where our relationship is going to change, that we are coming to a place where our years of being with you every day are less than more. I just want to keep you!  Yet, in that same breath, the excitement I feel for you and the years ahead is just as overwhelming.  (Again, weird mom thing)  

I love watching your relationships with friends blossom. I love the crazy plans you make together (winter dog wash... no.) - but most of all I love the ease you have with each other.  You do you.  They do them- and none of you feel the need to be anything else. My hope for you is that your friendships can always stay this way, and that you never compromise yourself in an effort to "fit".  There will be people who love you and see the amazing that is you and won't ask you to change it.

Your love for volleyball inspires me.  You've worked through so many hard things- and even if you might have wanted to give up, you never said a word and kept going.  Your dedication through those moments is going to last a lifetime- and I am so crazy proud of you.  You achieve a goal and you keep on trucking to the next.  I want to be more like you. I am so glad you have that to share with your Daddy, and hopefully will also have to share with at least one of your siblings.  It's been so cool to watch your relationship with daddy grow this year.

Thank you for being so amazing. I know there will be times in your life that you might make choices that aren't super, and that's okay.  We will be here for you.  It's part of growing up!  Thank you for loving your siblings so much.  I know they make you crazy sometimes, but I also know you love them dearly.  Thank you for always having a heart for service.  Sometimes when I tell you not to help, it's because I want you to savor being a kid.  It's okay not to grow up too fast.  You'll look back and wish you were 10 again someday. Thank you for loving us despite being the oldest (a.k.a. tester child) as we navigate the craziness that is parenting all you little personalities.  Thank you for conversations, and always wanting to fill me in on every part of your day.  Thank you for giggles and our silly jokes.  Thank you for still holding my hand in the car, and for only rolling your eyes at me when I'm being EXTRA nerdy.  

10... a whole decade.  I am so proud of you Hailey.  I love you. 

Today, Noah is 8.

Today, my precious Noah is 8.  He's got a tender heart, and an intense sense of justice for all things. He is a fast (yet stubborn) learner.  He loves animals & Pokemon, Minecraft & music.  His favorite song this week is Fireflies by Owl City.  He just got his own pinboard on my pinterest and has been pinning up a storm!  You can check it out here. (Can I just say, it is SO neat to see them start doing this kind of stuff?)

Noah is an avid animal lover- so much so that he never really took an interest in cars/planes/trains.  He would just sit and line his toy animals up 2 by 2... heehee- I'm kidding. For Christmas, he asked for a baby lion.  So, my parents "adopted" a lion cub in his name from The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, CO.  He has a certificate, a photo, and can visit any time. To say he is over the moon is an understatement (added bonus, telling your friends you got a REAL lion for Christmas... AND your mom backing you up- score.)  He is currently dreaming up ways he can save up to buy things Leonardo the Lion needs when he gets to go visit. *side note- this is an awesome program to donate to if you are ever looking for a great cause to give to*

His reading is really starting to gain speed, and he is always asking what signs mean when they say __________.  I am so excited this reluctant reader is starting to see that reading can, indeed, be fun.

We play pokemon together (only recently with cards), and on the nights that he is struggling to fall asleep, I ask if we can meet in our dreams to have a battle.  It works almost every time to help him sleep, and the next morning I get a full detailing of what he dreamt of.

I constantly wonder what kinds of adults our kids will be.  This has been particularly on my mind as our oldest 2 are quickly approaching being tweens- and, as most of us do, I worry if I've entirely screwed them up, or if they will at least turn out okay.  Then, things happen that remind me that they are resilient and incredible.

We played Risk for the first time with Hailey and Noah on New Years Eve.  We played and everyone laughed hard as Mommy (me) got SO angry at Daddy for beating me so handily.  Midnight came and went, and since I am a big wuss when it comes to staying up late, we decided to finish up another night.  Sunday evening, we pulled the game back out, set up the pieces according to the photos we took of the word, and got back to playing.  I was out within 5 minutes (thanks for wiping out my last 5 men Chris... HUMPH) Hailey was out shortly after, and it was down to the 2 guys.  Noah did a great job bolstering his countries, but he started to get overly excited and cocky.  "You're gonna get it!" "BOOM!" etc.  It was fun to see the excitement, but a lesson in getting overly confident (and a little nasty about it) too early was about to happen.  Chris's turn was up, and once he turned in cards, counted up countries, and added bonuses, he got to add a whopping 54 armies to the board.  Roll by roll, Noah's army dwindled, and soon he realized he was going to lose.  Do you know what he did then?  He kept rolling.  Tears were silently falling, but only once, at the end, did he say "I don't want to roll"- but he did anyhow, and with that, Daddy won the game.  Instead of stomping away or having a "fit", he crumbled into Chris's arms and cried for a few minutes.  "That was really hard>" was mumbled into Chris's shoulder- Yes, it was.  Most of us would call it before it was official defeat and walk away without truly finishing.  I asked him to shake his dad's hand and say "good game"- and then I asked him to say "I played well" (which he really didn't want to do, but I'm a meanie and make them say these things out loud and clearly so they can hear themselves)  These kinds of moments give me the most hope for their futures.  Facing the hard stuff and seeing it through.  I am so SO proud of him- heart burstingly proud.

Dearest Noah, I am so excited to find out what this year has for you.  Thank you for choosing us as your family. Thank you for being my buddy, even when you think moms are totally gross and embarrassing.  Thank you for retorting my taunts (like, "you're a NERD!" with "I got it from YOU MOM!"), and for always saying "I love you more! There's at least 1 possibility".  Thank you for being so enthusiastic about Minecraft and Pokemon, always making it highly interactive for us all.  I love that you love comfy clothes and soft things.  I love that you scream when you're excited and that you can't contain yourself sometimes (okay, it makes me a little crazy too), and I love that you cry when something touches your heart.  I love you more than I can express, bug.  I am so glad to be your mommy.  Happy, happy birthday.

Impressions from November & December : a personal project

I'm breaking the rules and posting more than 8 images... But it was a fun couple months!  I didn't take very many pictures on my camera this holiday season.  I kind of promised myself I would drink in more of the days together and worry less about photographing it all. In December Teagan turned 5- which is a big birthday in our house.  The girls get jewelry boxes on their 5th birthday that are heirloom quality.  It's pretty special.  We had a great time shooting pictures for holiday cards (which isn't standard... usually they are rushed and filled with crying!  haha!) - It was a good couple of months. When you've looked around here, head over and visit Antonia to see her lovely work!

‘Impressions‘ is a creative project by an eclectic group of female photographers from around the globe. We aim to share the inspiration behind what we do through our bi-monthly posts.

Every other month, we will be sharing 8 images that tell the story of what inspired us in the previous weeks: our families, nature, weather, or maybe even work itself! We are free to explore the meaning of ‘impressions’, and it is likely to change month to month.

{6 days new} | Denver Newborn Photographer | Posed + Lifestyle Photography session

Happy 2015!  I hope your holidays were amazing.

Combo Newborn sessions are my favorites I think. We start with beautifully posed images of baby, and then move into lifestyle portraits, and I get the chance to capture families just loving each other.   It's a great alternative for mommies who might not feel up for posed images of themselves.  I encourage parents to be in pictures (even if no one else sees them), as these precious moments with new baby are fleeting, and I promise you- children treasure them when they are adults.

2014 Fall Mini Sessions Part 2 | Denver Family Photographer

I hold Mini Sessions twice a year, and my fall sessions are always a big hit.  It's a great way to get your holiday pictures (and cards!) taken care of in one fell swoop.  It's a huge gift to me too, seeing all these wonderful families.  This year we shot at Cherry Creek Reservoir. It was stunning- and we couldn't have BEGGED for better weather.

2014 Fall Mini Sessions | Denver Family Photographer

I loved so many images from mini sessions this year... so get ready... this is a 2 part post!  Thank you to all of my families who trust me with their precious images- you honor me. New families, and those I have watched grow for years, thank you for coming to see me this year.

Blue or Pink | Gender Reveal | Denver Maternity Photographer

I have been blessed to know Chloe since my freshmen year in high school.  She has always been the epitome of grace and kindness to me, and she has been even more so through her pregnancies.

We had so much fun creating this announcement!  Big brother Noah was in charge of letting you all know... Is he getting a baby sister?  Or is he getting a baby brother??

A BROTHER!!!!  Congratulations Ryan, Chloe, and Noah!!!

Impressions Blog Circle | July & August edition | Denver Portrait Photographer

It's Impression blog circle time!  When you're done here, please visit Natalie to see what the last 2 months have brought her.

I've (as usual) been rather lack-luster about blogging.  So here we are in September, and I still haven't blogged about our newest addition, Harper!  She arrived in July and absolutely lights up our life.  I was hoping this post would be her birth story, but that will come soon.  We had quite the adventure for her coming earthside.  I can't wait to share it with you along with the images and video my dear friend Sarah captured for us.  Prepare yourself for a bit of photo overload... I had a hard time narrowing it down!  Here are a few of our first 2 months together  (she's going to be 2 months tomorrow!!  Holy moly!) If you want to see more of our day, follow me on Instagram @brinkstreet

Newborns look so wise to me.  I believe they know something we don't when they are that fresh.  She is so deeply loved.  Her brothers studied her for hours.  Also, am I the only baby foot junky?  The deep wrinkles just make me swoon.

Some of the newborn images I took of her and her siblings.  Sam had photos with her when our wonderful friend Cristine came to take photos!  (Another blog post for sharing!)

Then suddenly, she was a month old.  Teagan is insane about her. She isn't sure how she feels about Teagan ;)

Here she is at 7 weeks.  Hopefully it won't take me 2 months to share more for you!

Denver Colorado Fall Mini Sessions

I have 4 dates open for these super-fun Mini sessions.

Ready to book??  Here’s what you need to do!

1. Look through the dates and times below.  If it isn’t crossed out, that means it’s either available or the deposit hasn’t been received for that time

2. Pick your top 3 times (just in case!)

3. Email me kim@brinkstreetphotography.com or call me 970-227-4927 to request your spot!

4. Put $25 down to save your space (Paypal, check, cash, and credit cards are all options)

October 4th /5th Fort Collins

Saturday

4:00pm

4:45pm

5:30pm

Sunday

8:00am

8:45am

9:30am

4:00pm

4:45pm

5:30pm

October 18th/19th Denver Metro Sessions

Saturday

8:00am

8:45am

9:30am

4:00pm

4:45pm

5:30pm

Sunday

8:00am

8:45am

9:30am

4:00pm

4:45pm

5:30pm

One weekend will take place in the Denver Metro area, and the other in the Loveland/Fort Collins area.

Please email me at Kim@brinkstreetphotography.com or call/text me (970)227.4927 to set your time.  Make sure you have a top 2 times, just in case the one you like is already taken.

A $25 deposit is required to hold your time.

Once you book, I’ll send you an invoice for  to reserve your space.  I can’t wait to hear from you!

Impressions Blog Circle | May & June edition | Denver Portrait Photographer

May and June were busy, busy months for us!  Noah graduated from Kindergarten, Sam had his first "beach" experience (a reservoir is about as beach as you get in Colorado), we went to birthday parties and saw family!  It's been a wonderful start to our summer and a fantastic way to wait for our newest addition who will be here any day now!

After you spend some time here, head over to Vinita's blog to see what they were up to this May and June!

{The S Family} | Denver Family Photographer

This weekend was my last weekend of shooting before our newest addition arrives- and I have to tell you- I couldn't have asked for more beautiful, wonderful families to start this maternity leave.  Isn't this family stunning?  We had SO much fun at Daniels Park outside of Denver, and these beautiful girls kept us on our toes!  Thank you S family for choosing me for your pictures.  I am truly honored.

Impressions Blog Circle | March edition | Denver Portrait Photographer

March was full of births, bellies and babies, which left me picking up the big camera at home less than I would have liked.  We had a fabulous playdate with the kid's cousins, welcomed a new family member, and in general were very very busy!

When you finish looking around here, go visit Natalie at her blog to see what she's been up to!

2014 Spring Mini Sessions | Denver Family Photographer

It's time for Spring mini's again! We had so much fun last year, despite having to reschedule because of snow. This year I've scheduled them in May in hopes of avoiding any big storms, as well as it being green. Our location this year will have an option of shooting on the beach as well as a field, and as always, there will be cookies and lemonade.

Ready to book??  Here's what you need to do!

1. Look through the dates and times below.  If it isn't crossed out, that means it's either available or the deposit hasn't been received for that time

2. Pick your top 3 times (just in case!)

3. Email me kim@brinkstreetphotography.com or call me 970-227-4927 to request your spot!

4. Put $50 down to save your space (Paypal, check, cash, and credit cards are all options)

5. Get ready for fun!

May 17th & 18th

Saturday

7:30am

8:00am

8:30am

9:00am

9:30am

10:00am

5:00pm

5:30pm

6:00pm

6:30pm

7:00pm

Sunday

7:30am

8:00am

8:30am

9:00am

9:30am

5:00pm

5:30pm

6:00pm

6:30pm

7:00pm

$50 is due at the time of booking, with the balance due the day of your session. Spots are already booking, so please contact me quickly to grab your spot.

Location and session information will be sent via email 2 weeks before mini sessions take place.

Have questions?  Email me at Kim@brinkstreetphotography.com  there are never too many or any silly questions- so don't hesitate!

Impressions Blog Circle | October Edition | Denver Family Photographer

'Impressions' is a creative project by an eclectic group of female photographers from around the globe. We aim to share the inspiration behind what we do through our monthly posts. On the 8th of each month, we will be sharing 8 images that tell the story of what inspired us in the previous weeks: our families, nature, weather, or maybe even work itself!

We all know I've been a horrible blogger, so to help change that, and to help all of you get too know my and my crew, I joined a circle of incredibly talented women to share a little bit of  "us" every month.  Make sure you click through all of the links.  These women are amazing!!

Here is a little bit of our October.  It was filled with mini sessions and lots of other business- it was so hard to choose only 8!

I had 4 very full days of mini sessions last month (blog posts to come!), but here are a few of my personal favorites.

Halloween is our opportunity to go over the top with dress up.  Wigs, hand made costumes- candy is low on the totem pole compared to the characters they get to play.  Sam wasn't feeling the individual pictures, but I love how how looks like a little stuffed horse.

 Head over to Antonia's blog to see what inspired her last month.

http://www.mamzenko.com/impressions-october-personal-project/

Mini sessions are here! | Denver Family Photographer

I have 4 dates open for these super-fun Mini sessions.

October 12th /13th Fort Collins

Saturday

8:00am

8:30am

9:00am

4:00pm

4:30pm

5:00pm

Sunday

8:00am

8:30am

9:00am

4:00pm

4:30pm

5:00pm

October 26th/27th Denver Metro Sessions

Saturday

8:00am

8:30am

9:00am

4:00pm

4:30pm

5:00pm

Sunday

8:00am

8:30am

9:00am

4:00pm

4:30pm

5:00pm

One weekend will take place in the Denver Metro area, and the other in the Loveland/Fort Collins area.

Please email me at Kim@brinkstreetphotography.com or call me (970)227.4927 to set your time.  Make sure you have a top 2-3 times, just in case the one you like is already taken.

Once you book, I'll send you a paypal invoice to reserve your space and an attachment  with all the little details of the day.  I can't wait to hear from you!

Sweet Princesses | Golden Newborn Photographer

You know it's going to be a great shoot when your first frame is this.

"WHAT is that thing in my face?!?"

I love when babies spend some of our session awake.  Their eyes are so amazing.  Literally everything is a discovery to them.  I wish I could have taken a picture of her when she saw my face the first time.  She was so puzzled by the new face.  It warmed my  heart to watch her discovering my face.  Her big sister was incredible.  Such beautiful girls these two were!  Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your lives for a little while!

Axel Birth and Homecoming | Denver Birth Photographer

Shannon and I had been emailing back and forth a lot since she was a few days over her EDD.  Her first two labors had both been 18 hours, the first ending in a c-section, the second in 3 hours of pushing.  We were preparing ourselves for another long birth, and hoping it would be soon!

I got "the call" at about 3 am that her water had broken. I was still groggy, so I forgot to ask if she was having contractions yet, and almost went back to sleep.  I am so glad I decided to get up and shower because less than 30 minutes later they were headed to the hospital. One of the nice things about where I am is it takes me less than 10 minutes to get to the hospital where she delivered.  Shannon was in the tub when I arrived.  Her strength through her intense contractions was incredible.  I am always moved by how amazing women in labor are. The nurses noticed that Shannon was starting to push a little and encouraged her out of the tub (which was getting a little chilly) so they could check her.

The nurses and midwife were so gentle and patient.  They didn't rush her and let her be in whatever position was most comfortable.  After only 2 hours, she was pushing- although a bit in shock because it was so fast!

At 5:30am, just a few short hours after her very first contraction, Axel was born.

His daddy happens to be a Respiratory Therapist in the NICU at the hospital where she delivered, and he pretty quickly noticed that their little man was struggling to get a good breath.  The nurses let Rob basically do his job- what a blessing to have the ability to still have a parent being the caregiver!  Axel's O2 saturation was really, really low every time he didn't have oxygen on, so they decided to transport him to the NICU.  It was discovered later that day that he had Pneumonia, so he had to stay for several days.  I went back that evening to take some photos of him with his mommy in the NICU.  It's part of his story, and I feel it is important that even if a birth doesn't go exactly as planned, that we capture all of it.

Since his big sister and big brother weren't allowed in the NICU, we planned to do a homecoming session.  My very favorite part of births (next to baby being born of course) is when the family meets for the very first time.  I arrived a few minutes before brother woke up from nap and sister came home from school.  What a precious way to meet your baby.  They both stared and just drank him in- and I was blessed enough to be there. Both of their eyes sparkled with wonder and love.

If a delivery doesn't go as planned- or if birth isn't what you would like captured, but instead these precious moments- please know that I offer this as an option.  Also know I may cry, because of all the love in the room.  Because it's a lot.  And it makes me happy cry. Have I mentioned how blessed I feel to get to capture these moments?!?

Thank you C family for trusting me to capture your family as it grows.  I have loved growing to know you all.

Spring Mini Sessions! (I'm so excited!!) | Denver Family Photographer

Date TBD!! These have NOT occurred yet- contact me soon to stay in the loop!

I don't normally offer spring mini sessions, or at least I've never offered them before.  This year, however, an idea hit me and I just had to make it happen.

There isn't much that says "Spring!" to me more than fruit trees in bloom.  And where better to find fruit trees in bloom, than an orchard?  So I went on a hunt for a local orchard. I found one, right in Golden.  Nelms Farm is an all natural, pick your own apple orchard.  Mr. Nelms has graciously allowed us to use this space for mini sessions this year when the trees blossom!

With that said, I have set a tentative date for our mini sessions.  If they aren't showing signs of being blossomed by 2 days before the sessions, we will move them to the next weekend.  Same time spots, same days.

There will be stunning trees, apple crates, a quilt, perhaps some vintage chairs- lots of options. Oh, and cookies!  I'll definitely bring cookies!

These sessions are a perfect way to check out custom photography.  Bring your baby bumps, your boyfriends, bring your babies.  I can't wait to see you!

These kinds of portraits don't happen very often on this side of the mountains in Colorado. I can hardly contain myself.  I've done so many happy dances- I hope you're excited too!  I am so thrilled to be able to offer them!

Saturday

7:30am

8:00am

8:30am

9:00am

9:30am

5:00pm

5:30pm

6:00pm

6:30pm

7:00pm

Sunday

7:30am

8:00am

8:30am

9:00am

9:30am

5:00pm

5:30pm

6:00pm

6:30pm

7:00pm

The fine print:

$50 session fee is due at booking to reserve your time.

Paypal, credit card over phone and check are accepted.

Session is for up to 6 people.  $10 per additional person

Barring a blizzard or monsoon, sessions will be held at these dates and times.

Fox Family | Denver Family Photographer

One of my favorite parts of the year is getting to spend time with the Fox's.  I have been so lucky to be trusted with their family portraits year after year.  I always have fun getting the kids to goof around with me- even if they think I'm a little crazy.  I have been so bad about blogging sessions... I didn't even get 2011's sessions up- but here is 2012.  I am so looking forward to doing it again this fall!

Grace | Littleton Newborn Photographer

Grace was itty bitty- but still a moose compared to her brother.   Just a touch less of a pistol too ;)