Emily Dean Photography » Lifestyle & Family Photographer | Based in Birmingham, Alabama

Things have been pretty slow for me these past 3 months.  I made it through the Christmas rush & then I lost some steam.  However, even though I haven’t been super busy shooting, I’ve been using this time to prepare.  To learn, to grow & to put new systems into place.  I’m so thankful for this down time to really focus on getting myself organized for the upcoming busy season.  Once April arrives, I hit the ground running and don’t slow down for quite a while.  I’m so excited!! God is so good.

Happy Monday, y’all!

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I’ve had stitches 3 times (5, if you count the 2 from the surgeries I had to repair my broken arm).  I’ve broken my nose twice, knocked out a couple of teeth (baby teeth, thankfully) and been on crutches once.

I used to practice my balance beam routine across the top of our swing set at home.  Enough said.

Happy Friday, y’all!

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If you’ve ever been to a southern wedding, you know that we love some bridesmaids {and groomsmen}.  It’s not uncommon to see an enormous bridal party here in the south…what can I say? We love a big party!

A bridesmaid’s purpose is to help the bride with anything she needs.  They serve as a beautiful support system on the wedding day & can even help to ensure that everything runs smoothly.  This takes a huge burden off of the bride and allows her to just relax & enjoy her day.  However, this wasn’t always the case.  In ancient Rome, it was believed that evil spirits attended wedding ceremonies in an attempt to ruin budding relationships.  So, Roman law required witnesses to dress in similar or identical clothing as the bride & groom in order to confuse the evil spirits.

All I have to say is, I’m glad that I didn’t live in ancient Rome.  I love my friends to the moon & back, but I don’t really want to catch their evil spirit juju!  I’ll stick to bridesmaids luncheons, gifts & bachelorette parties, thank you very much!

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It’s been almost 4 months since this sweet girl graced us with her presence & I can’t even believe how big she has gotten.  Elizabeth Elliott Pettinato was born on November 25, 2012 to my bff, Jordan.  It just occured to me that I never got around to blogging her newborn session!  We took her pictures so close to Christmas that the holiday rush got in the way & I dropped the ball….but better late than never, right?!

We’re already trying to pick a date for her 3 month photos (ahem…a MONTH behind! hint hint Jordan!) & with spring just around the corner and all of the gorgeous weather we’ve been having lately, I’m dying to get outside with my camera and a certain chubby-cheeked baby girl & her precious blonde brother.

I love looking back at these images and seeing how completely different she looks now.  I wish I had a recent photo of her to show you, but hopefully we’ll get those soon!

In the meantime, take a look at my gorgeous friend and her stunning family!

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Today I am recovering from one of the busiest and most nervously-charged weekends I’ve had in a very long time.  If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you probably remember that I am a Nervous Nellie.  I get nervous about everything new…I didn’t used to be this way, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten more and more nervous about things.  This weekend was no exception.

My weekend was JAM PACKED with new and exciting adventures.  I met with the 2 winners of the engagement session giveaway, so, of course, I was super nervous prior to each of those meetings, but luckily these 2 couples are AMAZING and absolutely precious and I’m over the moon thrilled to work with them.  Their sessions will be coming up soon, so get ready to see some new gorgeousness joining the Emily Dean Photography family this spring!

While both of those meetings were super exciting, the most exciting part of my weekend happened on Saturday.

Let me back up a little and start from the beginning.  Months and months ago I came down with puppy fever.  All of a sudden I started thinking about getting a dog.  This was a HUGE surprise to most of my friends, because, while I grew up with dogs and have always loved them, I’ve NEVER expressed any interest in owning one in my adult life.  Regardless, I started obsessing over getting one.  I poured over dog adoption sites and Craigslist days at a time, but eventually I would talk myself out of it and give up the search for a while.  But, the thoughts always came back….I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed a new friend.

So, fast forward to last week.

During the visit to my mom’s last weekend, we started talking about it again and she agreed that it was a good idea and I should just go for it.  We searched a ton of different adoption sites and rescue groups, looking for the perfect dog.  I came across an ad on Craigslist for a “purebred labrador retriever, 3 years old, good with children, up to date on shots, reasonable adoption fee applies, etc…”  The ad listed very minimal information and did not include a photo, so I passed it by.  I wanted to see photos first.  However, something made me remember that ad, so I went back to it.  I re-read it and thought, “Well, I’ll send an email and see if they can send me a photo and give me some more information.”  So, I did.  I got a response almost immediately.  To make a long story short, we emailed back and forth for a few days, I asked a ton of questions and after several consultations with my friends and family, I made the decision to go and meet this pup and his current owners…in ATLANTA.  I was super nervous about meeting these strangers that I’d “met” on Craigslist in a different state!  All I kept thinking was “Craigslist killer, Craigslist killer, CRAIGSLIST KILLER!!!”  I’d never made any sort of transaction via Craigslist, so I was skeptical to say the least.  However, the dog sounded exactly like what I was looking for and the guy sounded very reasonable and as normal as a person can sound via email, so I got 2 of my great friends, Heather & Candice, to agree to go with me and we made the trip.

We met in Piedmont Park on Saturday afternoon, and fell in love instantly!  Deuce is pretty much the PERFECT dog.  I’m not just saying that because he’s now mine, he really is.  He is ridiculously well behaved, super chill and relaxed, extremely smart and absolutely GORGEOUS.  I’m so thrilled to have this sweet boy by my side.  He is going to make my life a million times better, I just know it.

So, without further ado, meet my sweet new boy, Deuce!

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Happy Monday, y’all!! (Woof woof, says the Deucester.)

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