Yesterday was doomsday. The day of all days that I have been dreading. The day my itty bitty baby turned ONE YEAR OLD! Cue the tears. Yes, that is right, my baby will soon no longer be a baby, and I’m sad about it. Sure, I love how fun and animated she is now. And I love the age she is at where I can get snuggles and kisses unprompted from her. And I love how she giggles when we play. And I love how she brings me her favorite books and crawls into my lap while I read them to her. I love how she cuddles with me and plays with my hair while she’s falling asleep. I love everything about her 1 year old self. But I miss that squishy little newborn. I miss how she would curl up into the tiniest little ball and sleep anywhere. I miss her coos and ahhs. I even miss getting up with her in the middle of the night for feedings and an extra snuggle or two. Growing up is rough on mommas out there let me tell you! Sheesh! I survived the big day though pretty much unscathed besides a tear or two.

We celebrated Avalyn’s birthday on Sunday with friends and family at our house. Avalyn is such a little ham that we often say we are watching “The Avey Show”. So that’s the theme we decided would be best fitting for our little star’s first birthday

FYI: My mom made the food, and it was awesome. Thanks Gramster!

The cake smash started out so well…

Happy birthday sweet Avalyn. Life has never been more amazing than it is right now with you in it.

Cakes and Cupcakes: Cakes by Erin Salerno

Clapboard Cookies: Cookies by Design

Angela Martinsen is a Madison wedding photographer and Madison newborn photographer who loves to travel for weddings. She also runs the Bomb-Tastic Madison Photo Booth. If you like what you see, contact her {here}.

True story, today could have been my daughter’s birthday. When we first found out that I was pregnant, today, May 1st, was the estimated due date. Then later in my pregnancy it was changed to May 12th, and my daughter finally decided to stop torturing me on May 21st when she was born. I remember hoping and wishing (and walking!) every day from May 1st on last year willing her to be born. But she was stubborn and decided to stay put. And although I was so annoyed with that decision of hers at that point in time, I’m pretty sure she knew what was best. Because right now, at this moment, if it was my daughter’s birthday, I would be a blubbering mess. Can I get a Praise Him for three more weeks of my baby not being 1?!

Happy May Day and NOT happy birthday

Even Avalyn is throwing up a little praise

I just wanted to thank all of the families that came out for the Mommy and Me (and Dads too!) mini sessions yesterday. The weather was perfect, you all looked amazing, the kids were adorable, and I had so much fun. For everyone else who missed out, don’t you fret, I’ll be hosting more mini sessions this summer and fall. I have lots of theme ideas that I want to play with and get my craft on with. So look out for announcements on a super awesome deal

Who: 12 month old baby H and her family (Plus cousin C)

What: Baby Session

Where: Milwaukee, WI

When: April 2013

Just a little humor to end your day with

Can’t you just feel it in the air? The birds are chirping, the days are sunny, the ground is showing new life, and the trees are beginning to wake up from their winter slumber. Ahhhh, spring in Wisconsin… errr wait, our spring has been NOTHING like this. This is more like spring time in Texas, where I was all last week. Oh how I miss the 70+ degree weather, the nice calm breeze, the green. If only we could have such a spring here in the midwest. Hopefully the saying, “April showers bring May flowers” is right because I can’t deal with this snow one day, sun the next, followed by rain and sleet after that. It is driving me and I’m sure everyone else a little crazy.

While in Austin, I was on the hunt for Bluebonnets, Texas’s state flower. After a little investigation and lots of driving around, we found the perfect patch! Then I just had to plop my nieces and daughter in the middle on them and capture the spring wonderfulness that we don’t have back home. Oh Spring, how I miss thee. And sun, I miss the sun so much!

Angela Martinsen is a Madison wedding photographer and Madison newborn photographer who loves to travel for weddings. She also runs the Bomb-Tastic Madison Photo Booth. If you like what you see, contact her {here}.

Happy Easter everyone! And watch out for those Easter bunnies. I hear they eat small children.

Who: 9 month old baby Z and her family

What: Baby Session

Where: Madison, WI

When: March 2013

Someone please tell these babies to stop growing so fast! Little Z is 9 months already, and full of laughs. She is so fun! The last time I photographed her she was TINY! Her momma and I are photog friends, and we had the sense of mind to exchange sessions through out the first year of our little girl’s lives. It is always so fun seeing Andrea and her adorable family. Enjoy the cuteness (there is lots of it)!

Hey folks, yesterday I had a blast showing off some adorable babies at the first (hopefully annual!) Natural Parenting Expo at the Monona Terrace. I have always loved looking at my newborn images, but to see them in print was just awesome! I think a lot of other people thought so too because I swear every person who walked by or stopped over to chat had huge smiles on their faces when looking at the adorable baby squish that encompassed my booth. Everybody loves babies! If you don’t, well, you suck. Ok, not really, I’m sure you have some decent attributes in spite of your lack-luster love for precious little ones. Let’s hope anyway…

At the show I held a contest for a free mini-session. And the winner is… Emilie Kalpinski! I’ll be sending you an email soon Emilie with your session details. Don’t fret if you entered and didn’t win, I’ll be having plenty of mini sessions throughout the year. So hopefully I will see most of your smiling faces again soon.

Here’s a little peek at the booth. Enjoy

Angela Martinsen is a Madison wedding photographer and Madison newborn photographer who loves to travel for weddings. She also runs the Bomb-Tastic Madison Photo Booth. If you like what you see, co

Let’s face it, you are never in pictures. You are the one always asking your little babe to smile for the camera, or if you are like me you can barely find the time to get everyone fed and dressed, let alone make yourself look decent for the day. So,  why on earth would you want pictures of yourself like that? I get it. It’s me, it’s you, it’s every mom out there with any children who can’t feed, bathe, or clothe themselves. I get it. Trust me. But I also understand how important it is to get in front of the camera and capture a few special moments with your littles.

This mini session is a day for you to have hubby wash and dress the kids (in the clothes you laid out of course!) while you take a little time for yourself. Then you get a 20 minute session with the kiddos, showering them with love, kisses, belly tickles, pretty much every blissful moment that motherhood is about. And I’m there to capture it for you since we all know we can’t capture those moments ourselves (try as I might, it is seemingly impossible). So give yourself and your children this gift. Trust me, their childhood flies by too fast, and before you know it they will be heading off to college and then starting a family of their own. You’ll want to remember them at this age. Plus, these sessions are a great Mother’s Day gift either from your husband or just to yourself

Angela Martinsen is a Madison wedding photographer and Madison newborn photographer who loves to travel for weddings. She also runs the Bomb-Tastic Madison Photo Booth. If you like what you see, contact her {here}.