Crista Acosta Photography »

1. I always have the greatest intentions of keeping up with 10 on Tuesday, but it never works out as well in reality as it does in my head.

2. Confession: Our Christmas Tree has been up since the week before Thanksgiving. C and I love this time of year, and we were extra anxious to get in the spirit this season.

3.  Speaking of holiday spirit, we took a ride yesterday down to my parent’s retail shop in Newtown CT.  They own Black Swan which is a home and hearth shop.  Holy smokes, talk about a Christmas wonderland this time of year.  Seriously, if you’re in the area – go visit.  While this sounds like a shameless plug, I swear you’ll thank me.  We picked up a basket full of beautiful and unique ornaments for our tree.

4.  This year we’re also starting the tradition of the Elf on the Shelf, inspired by the antics of Lyndsay’s elf last year.  So L.A. is still a little young, but C and I are having fun with it.  L.A. named our elf Ming Ming, and I’ll be sure to share some of Ming Ming’s adventures in the next few weeks.

5.  As I type this, L.A. is snuggled up on my shoulder.  He has croup – AGAIN.  If you’re keeping track at home, this is probably the 9th or 10th time.  It just seems like whenever he gets sick it manifests itself as croup.  Not fun, but considering he’s typically bouncing off the walls from sun up to sun down, I’ll take the extra cuddles.

6.  It’s definitely the holiday season as the UPS man has been dropping lots and lots of my clients’ beautiful holiday cards off here.  I have been having so much fun seeing them come in and packaging them back up.

7.  I’ll admit though, I’m insanely jealous of the holiday card photos that my clients have.

8.  Hmm… why Crista, whatever do you mean?  Well, you see… a few weeks ago I decided to take the boys out to take their holiday pictures.  I figured I’d get a head start and I had a great idea in my head.  L.A. is hardly one to sit still, and P2 isn’t quite sitting up on his own, so I decided I’d use the old vintage Radio Flyer wagon I have to contain L.A. and have P2 propped between his legs.  It would take 2 seconds, and I really only needed one shot.  It was an epic FAIL.  Instead, L.A. thought it would be fun to pull P2 around the yard like he was on a stretcher.

Exhibit 1:

Exhibit 2:

Exhibit 3:

9.  I’m going to go ahead on record and say that if all my clients were as difficult to photograph as my own children, I would not be a photographer.  I also still have no clue what we’re doing for our holiday card considering it’s already December 8th.

10.  Exciting news, though!  The segment that I filmed for Better Connecticut on Custom Newborn Photography is scheduled to air on Monday December 28th.  I’ll be sure to post a reminder and link the online segment once it’s up.  That way we can all laugh and point together at how foolish I look on camera.  ;)  There’s a reason I’m usually behind the lens.

In just the first day, I’ve already had ten nominations for the Giving Is Awesome session, and that makes my heart happy.  Thank you!!  I have no idea how we’ll select a winner, each nomination is so wonderful and well deserving.

You know what else makes my heart happy?  This video.  I was cleaning out my hard drive today and came across this video of L.A. from last August learning to eat bananas.  Maybe it’s just mommy goggles, but I love this age when they’re discovering new things.  I just want to reach through and pinch his little cheeks.  Crazy to me that P2 is only 2 short months behind this, and I was pregnant with him (though I didn’t know it yet) when I taped this.

I love how he uses two hands to get it in his mouth and then looks so proud!

Excuse the quality, this was taken on my old point and shoot camera’s video option. Also excuse my voice here… funny how your voice never sounds like it does in your head when you hear it played back.

To kick off the month of December, one of my very favorite months of the year I want to say thank you.  Thank you to my wonderful clients for inspiring me, for challenging me and for making me a better person, a better photographer.

As a thank you, I want to to give back.  So here’s the deal…

You know someone.  You know someone who’s experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances.  You know someone who can’t afford custom photography, but who would cherish it this holiday season.  You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family’s spirit, love, and beauty.

You know someone.  I guarantee it.

I want to know who they are, and I want to give them the chance to experience complimentary custom photography – $1000 worth, to be exact.  Whether it’s canvas or albums, prints for Grandma, or digital files to reprint as they choose to enjoy forever.  It’s in your power to give them the artwork they deserve this holiday season.

Oh, and the best part?  The person who nominates the winner receives a $200 print credit.  What better reason to show some love could there possibly be, people??

The rules:

*  You cannot nominate yourself, and the person nominated must be sincerely incapable of purchasing my services.  (Being unable to make mortgage payments for a two-million-dollar-vacation-home in Paris does not qualify as sincere financial need.)

* The nominee must reside in Connecticut.  Tell me who you know, what they’re experiencing, and why they deserve my artwork.  Please include a way to contact both your nominee and yourself as well.

* You must email me the full story to:  crista@cristaacosta.com

The winner will be announced on Christmas Eve — get nominating!  I can’t wait to read all of your entries!

Open your heart to someone this holiday season – and thanks for giving me the opportunity to open mine.

Much love,

Crista

Sweet perfection.  This little lady was a dream for me, and since I know her parents are patiently waiting for a sneak peek… I won’t be long winded.  Love her.

Every so often when I’m photographing newborns, there’s this magic moment that happens.  It’s not always the same moment, but I know it when it happens.  This was that moment:

… and what would a newbie post of mine be without some sweet little baby pigs?  One of my favorite tootsie shots of the year.

What a gorgeous family, and in a way semi sort of related to me (maybe)?  Mom is the sister of one of my aunts (by marriage), so I guess not technically related at all, but I like to think of most of my clients as family anyway, and the M family is no different.

Big sister Abby was far and away one of my best helpers and greatest models I’ve had this holiday season.  We talked about the American Girl dolls, and she helped me test my light out, she was so much fun to photograph – and gorgeous too!

Matthew wasn’t sure of me AT ALL, but a couple silly conversations between us without me even holding the camera, and look what I got!  Love this one.   It’s like he’s saying, okay maaaaaaybe I’ll trust you.

and lastly, sweet little Leah.  Such a doll, and loved so much by her family.  I want to reach through and just squeeze those little cheeks.

One of my favorite little guys (and I adore his parents, too!).  I couldn’t believe how much he’d grown since the last time I saw him. He seemed to remember me though, and flashed me a flirty smile as soon as I walked in the door.  Love that.  If I wasn’t up to my eyeballs in work, I’d seriously share every image from this session because I love them ALL.  Thanks for your patience, K!

For kicks, click here to see just how teeny Jake was in this chair last year.

Two years ago, at 8:26 in the morning I heard a sound that would forever change my life.  As I anxiously waited, scared and excited with C by my side, L.A. was lifted into this world and let out the angriest cry you could ever imagine.  That cry of anger was (and still is) the most beautiful sound I have ever heard.  It was the moment I became someone’s mother.

In the past two years, L.A. has taught me more about myself than I ever knew in the 27 prior years.  I have learned that I’m more patient than I ever thought I could be, I’ve learned that the exception to that is when I’m tired, and then I’m less patient than I ever wanted to be.  I’ve learned that though my voice may not be perfect, most things can be made lighter if I sing.  I never realized how much better my world could be when someone comes bounding towards me with arms wide open screaming “Mama!!”  I never knew how much two bright little eyes could be a window to someone’s world.

I’ve also learned so much about this little person that we first met two years ago.  L.A. has been feisty since the moment he was born, anyone who knows him knows that’s an understatement.  He has his own agenda, and he has never been afraid to let anyone know that.  Along the way though, he has also developed a silly sense of humor.  Lately he’s been trying to tell us knock knock jokes except they usually go like this: “Knock knock”  ”Who’s there?” “Dada”  ”Dada who?”  ::silence:: “Knock knock”  ”Who’s there?”  ”Gandma”  ”Grandma who?” ::silence::  ”Knock knock”  ”Who’s there?”  ”Bobo” “Bobo who?” ::silence::   and he continues down the list of people he loves, thinking each is more hilarious than the last.

While I was unsure if adding a baby to our family would seriously change the dynamic, L.A. never once skipped a beat.  He loves his brother, and has just recently started saying his name (over, and over, and over again) so proudly.  When he’s not being a total punk, he’s an amazing little helper and will do anything to make his brother laugh.

L.A. is an observer, just like his daddy.  He needs time to warm up to a new situation, and even if he’s seen you a hundred times, he still needs to take the first 20 minutes or so to get his bearings.  He soaks up the world like a sponge.

L.A., when you read this many years from now, I want you to know that the last two years of my life have been the best years of my life, and you are an incredibly integral part to that equation.  You have changed my life in ways that I knew you would, and ways that I never imagined would be possible.  I love you.  I’m far from perfect, but I try.  Sadly, you won’t remember these times, but I hope one day when you’re 17 and have gotten on my very.last.nerve, I never forget the way when you were a toddler that you would grab both sides of my face and squish our lips together in a forceful, sloppy little kiss.  I don’t want to forget how sweet your voice sounded when you say “Mama, way down” and pat your pillow as I get ready to read you bedtime stories.  I hope that you’ll know how much I love you, and that every night when I kiss you goodnight, and you whisper back to me “night night mama” my heart hurts because I’m so incredibly grateful to be your mother.  Happy Birthday little boy.  Don’t go growing up too fast.

Are you pregnant with a baby due in the next week or so?  Do you have a friend, sister or cousin who is?  I have a very exciting (top secret!) opportunity and I need a brand new baby and a mom who is interested in a free photo session.  Yes, FREE!!  If you know someone who fits the bill, shoot me an email at crista@cristaacosta.com or by clicking the contact button above.