It was about this time last year — I was sitting on the couch, in front of the tree, wondering where we would be spending our next Christmas. 

Tyler and I had been itching to start house-hunting again, and we knew that come spring, he would graduate and (hopefully) land a job he loved. 

Fast forward 12 months, and I’m realizing that everything and not much at all has changed. 

In July, we said goodbye to our little home in Roanoke, and hello to a new adventure in Charlottesville. It was so hard to leave the place that held our first memories as a family of three.

And while I still remember the creak of those floors, the grooves in the kitchen counters, the smell of the radiator heat, and the slam of the screen door, I'm learning to love things like that here, too.

The weeks following our move, I barely picked up my camera. Partly out of exhaustion, partly because I felt like this house hadn’t earned that honor yet, like I was betraying our first home by documenting life in this one.

But then I started seeing the same kind of beautiful moments happening here that made me fall in love with our life in Roanoke. 

Evening summertime walks. Watching Tucker splash in the backyard and finger-paint on a towel. His first jump into a leaf pile. His last night in his baby bed. Carving pumpkins. Helping Tyler bake brownies. Dancing to Christmas music on the kitchen floor — all an endless string of magic that has carried me from crying in an empty house to sitting here in front of the Christmas tree once again.

So this year, I take comfort in knowing that, really, we’re exactly where we were last year: together. And I’ll let that carry me into the new year, and all the years to come.

It's been a year since we found out our son has a peanut allergy. In that time, my husband and I have learned (sometimes the hard way) what to do and what not to do. Everything from eating out, grocery shopping, trick-or-treating and attending birthday parties has changed because of his allergy.

On one hand, dealing with it now — while Tucker is still so young — is easy, since we're the only ones who give him food. On the other hand, he has no idea he has a peanut allergy and can't speak up for himself. He would eat anything that was given to him. 

I hope sharing what we've learned this year will help educate and spread awareness. Peanuts are responsible for the most food-allergy-related deaths in the United States, so staying knowledgeable is important!

1. Peanuts are different from tree nuts. Peanuts are actually a legume, which puts them in a different category than tree nuts. But while Tucker can safely eat cashews, pecans and others, many tree nuts are processed in the same facility as peanuts — making them unsafe. 

2. You can eat at Chick-fil-A. They use refined peanut oil, which does not contain peanut proteins. 
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3. You can ask to be the first to board an airplane, in order to clean your seat and tray. Most airlines have stopped serving peanuts, but they can't control what food passengers bring aboard, nor is there time to clean between flights. (On our flight to Colorado, the woman beside Tucker and me had JUST eaten a peanut butter sandwich before she boarded, so you never know.)

4. You should always wipe down the high chair and table at restaurants. It's always possible that the person who sat there before you had a cross-contaminated dish or a peanut butter sandwich (which is on tons of kids' menus).

5. It's possible to safely eat at an ice cream parlor by always asking the employee to wash the scoops before serving. Our favorite shop, Blue Cow, is SO nice about doing this!

6. Bakery items are a no-go. We've found that because most coffee shops, grocery stores and restaurants get their bakery items from off-site facilities, it's impossible to guarantee if items are safe. There is one exception locally, and that's Corbin's Confections in Salem. They run a completely peanut-free, tree-nut-free and gluten-free bakery. 

7. This leads me into the challenge of birthday parties. Most store-bought cakes have peanut contamination. As Tucker gets older, we will always need to bring our own safe dessert to parties, including those at school. 

8. Halloween will be a challenge, but not completely impossible. Of course, we will always have to monitor what candy he keeps (the list of peanut-free options is short). This year, I learned that when homes are passing out non-food treats, they can place a teal pumpkin outside. Great candy alternatives include balloons, stickers, pencils, silly putty, and glow sticks. 

9. Never offer other children food without asking their parents. This can easily happen at a park, school, a play date, birthday party or family gathering. A child, especially Tucker's age, is completely innocent to what someone is giving them. 

10. You have to check every label. Products you wouldn't expect to have peanut contamination sometimes do. One I found surprising was Whales Cheese Crackers, which are made at a facility that processes peanuts and tree nuts. Another one is Neapolitan ice cream, which we bought for Tucker's first birthday. Not all brands do, but the one we purchased actually listed peanuts as an ingredient. 

I can feel it — 2019 is going to be LRP's best year yet. But you know what would make it even better? If I could cross off everything on my photography wish list!

Do you know anyone who would be interested in one of the five sessions below?

I'm a journalist at heart, so I have such a passion for documentary photography. For me, there's nothing more exhilarating than turning everyday moments with my family into storytelling photographs. Each one is like a small love letter to your children and grandchildren. Whenever I document my own family, I always think these will be some of Tucker's favorite photos one day.

My husband and I did this for our own maternity session in 2017, and I absolutely love the story they tell. We snuggled on the couch and on our porch swing, read books in our son's nursery and laughed a lot. It was so us, and I would love to give that experience to someone else. 

What could be better than having your hours-old baby documented in the place you brought them into the world? Not much! These documentary hospital sessions are just the sweetest, and I need more of them in 2019!

Will you or your parents be celebrating a milestone anniversary this year? Chances are, they haven't been professionally photographed as a couple since their wedding! They'll love the experience of creating new memories together — as well as having beautiful, tangible artwork from their session that they can pass down to you one day.

Know anyone who makes or sells something beautiful? I would love to help a fellow local business owner create imagery and art for their store!

Storytelling has always been a huge part of my life.

I pored over journalism and photojournalism in high school and college. I used photographs, interviews and my own memories to tell a story of my dad after his death in 2010. I shared the stories of more than 50 men and women living at the Roanoke Rescue Mission in 2014.

And now, I use my experience, skill and creativity to document my own family — our little, in-between moments that often slip by unnoticed. I've been doing this since the day we brought Tucker home, of course, but every so often, I become very intentional about it, documenting for several hours throughout a given day. Below are a few of those days.

I get so much joy out of turning small moments into cherished art. Together, these memories tell a meaningful story of how we lived and loved — in many ways, they're little love letters we leave behind to our children and grandchildren.

​Stories come in all shapes and sizes, and I feel so honored for every one I get to tell. If you are interested in a family documentary session — and turning those images into heirloom art — please email me!

It was an unusually warm evening in January, about 65 degrees. With Tucker's new ball and my camera in tow, we headed to the park. He swung, ran, climbed, explored. Capturing his newfound little-boyhood is so fun for me. Every time I turn around, he's doing something I didn't know he could do. It's hard to let go a little, but always worth it in the end.

Our first snow day of the season. Tucker was so amazed when Tyler held him up to look out the window that morning. The first part of the day was slow — breakfast, playing, TV. Then we bundled up and headed outside, where the snow was still coming down hard. It took Tucker a few minutes to get used to the snow, and it was too deep for him to walk around — but he did love picking it up! Afterward, we took our cold, red faces inside to warm up and nap. 

An afternoon at the Virginia Transportation Museum. I love capturing Tucker's joy over experiences adults take for granted. 

A quick golden-hour dinner at the Roanoke Weiner Stand, a little boy who didn't want to get into his car seat, and a bedtime routine with Dad. It's simple evenings like this that I don't ever want to forget. 

Hey, friends! This is the first of a monthly newsletter where I'll be sharing personal and business highlights of the past month, as well as what's coming down the pipeline. If something resonates with you, I would love for you to reply to these emails — I love hearing from you!

I kicked off September by celebrating my 28th birthday. Nothing too extravagant, just a day at home with my two favorite boys and my husband's famous short rib dinner. So, so good!
 
September also marked my first product deliveries, woohoo! Let me tell you — delivering beautiful, tangible artwork to my clients (instead of a digital gallery) is an amazing feeling! Seeing their faces as they unwrap their albums, wall art and folios is by far the best part of the whole experience.

Toward the end of the month, my husband and I went to the first wedding since our own three years ago. We were so grateful to Tyler's parents for babysitting Tuck so we could dance the night away!
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This past weekend, we checked out the Pumpkin Festival at Sinkland Farms in Christiansburg. Tucker loved petting the farm animals (after he warmed up to their gigantic size) and picking out two little baby pumpkins :)

We booked tickets to Denver on a whim one evening a couple of weeks ago. It was one of those "do now, think later" moments — and because we were traveling with a 1-year-old, there was a lot to think about later: Where will he sleep? How many diapers should we bring? What about a car seat? How will we entertain him on the plane? 

​I also went into this trip knowing that vacation is just parenting in a different location. We'd still have to deal with the tantrums, the wrangling, the bedtime routine, etc. We were up for the challenges, though, because adventuring with our son meant more than the frustrations.

My biggest worry was that Tucker wouldn't behave well on the plane, but he actually did great! He either slept or played with the bag of toys I packed ("toys" is a loose term — they were mostly random items from the kitchen, which occupy him the longest). 

We were supposed to arrive in Denver late Wednesday night, but because of a flight cancellation, we didn't get in until Thursday mid-morning. We were running on about three hours of sleep (Tucker included, yikes!), but we made the most of our day by exploring downtown Denver with our host and one of my college besties, Erica.

Feeling a little more refreshed on Friday, we ventured into Boulder for Pearl Street and Boulder Mountain Park, then checked out Red Rocks. 

Saturday was pretty rainy, so we spent the day at an indoor art fair, eating doughnuts and checking out a local brewery. By 11 p.m., we were back at the airport for our flight back! 

​Recap: 

• Thursday | Walked around downtown Denver and RiNo District 
• ​Friday | Pearl Street in Boulder (we loved this because it reminded us of the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville), Boulder Mountain Park (breathtaking overlooks that made me jealous of all the local photographers who have this as an everyday location) and Red Rocks Amphitheater (unfortunately, there were only high school graduations going on here last weekend, so we would love to go back and actually see a concert!)
• Saturday | Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair in Denver (bought this gorgeous print from artist Noelle Phares), Voodoo Doughnut and Our Mutual Friends Brewing Company

On Pearl Street in Boulder. The pedestrian walkways, shops and restaurants reminded us of the downtown mall in Charlottesville.

At Boulder Mountain Park — look at those snowy Rockies way in the back!

View from the trailhead. 

At Red Rocks.

This is such a bittersweet Tucker update! On one hand, it's packed with so many fun "firsts" — first time playing in the snow, first (and second and third) park experience, first spoonful of ice cream and his first wagon ride. On the other, it's the last update on life with my infant — because in two short weeks, we'll have a toddler! This year has flown.

In January, he started standing by himself and climbing the stairs like a pro. By the end of February, he had taken his first steps in the kitchen floor. He also got his first two teeth in February, and now he has a total of four. 

Another major milestone is that he's started napping in his crib — which means mom and dad get so much more done during the day! He mostly sleeps through the night, only waking up once or twice. 

We also had another big first this year, but no photos: his first ambulance ride. At the end of January, our suspicions were confirmed that he has a peanut allergy. He did so great with the whole scary experience (I think he actually enjoyed the ambulance and gurney ride), and we've loved trying almond butter and Nutella. 

Each month really does get more fun than the last, but I'm hanging on tight to these last few days before toddlerhood.

9-month photo

First trip to the park!

He did not enjoy his first swing ride...

...but loved the slide!

He basically ate all my ice cream.

10-month photo

Learning to walk with Dad's golf clubs.

11-month photo

First wagon ride!

In my last Tucker update (July through September), he was so close to crawling, and now he's preparing to walk!

He recently started standing unassisted for several seconds at a time, and climbing the stairs is his new favorite activity. (He seriously books it up the steps.) I have to remind myself every day that he's only been in this world eight months. 

Since September, he's also discovered a love of food. His favorites are green vegetables, bananas and pumpkin pie. ​

Not new, though, is how much I continue to adore his funny personality. Currently, my favorite thing is when we tell him, "Shake it!" and he dances his head all around. He also does this when he hears a good song (but who doesn't?). 

Top: December; Bottom Left: October; Bottom Right: November

My monthly mirror shots have started getting difficult to take. He's so wiggly and just ... large.

We had to have two costumes this Halloween: Gryffindor Lion and a pumpkin. 

Love this one with Tyler's parents!

7 months old.

Favorite pastime: Pulling Dad's hair.

Gameday attire.

Always on the move...

Christmas morning with his gifts from Santa.

His favorite was his first set of golf clubs.

And he's eating the bag that has "naughty" printed all over it...

Dear friends, 

​This year has been good to us. It made us a family. It made us more thankful for the small things. It made us older and way more tired. 

In April, we finally met our baby boy Tucker. Born four days past his due date, we were starting to think he was never coming out. (Walking laps at the mall didn't work. Eating spicy Indian food didn't work. Eating an entire pineapple didn't work, either.) But after 20-some hours of labor, there he was, handsome, perfect and all ours. 

Now 8 months old, he is one of the coolest and funniest people we’ve ever met. He smiles constantly and makes friends wherever we go. He loves speed-crawling to mischievous places (like behind the Christmas tree) and inspecting common household objects (like spatulas and remotes). 

Where April gave life, May took it away; I lost both of my grandmothers in the same week. The lives they lived couldn’t have been more different, but they were both strong, funny, independent women and mothers who saw more than 90 years of life. 

This summer, we enjoyed two trips to the Outer Banks. On our first trip — when Tucker was just 3 weeks old — we learned a very important lesson in midnight newborn poops: They can and will project onto the wall. On our second trip a month later, we learned that your ears won't totally explode when exposed to eight hours of baby screaming. 

In August, Tyler started back to school full-time to earn a degree in graphic design. He also began a part-time job in October. With his first semester in the books, we’re excited to slow down a bit and catch up on lots of family time. 

The photography business has been amazing this year, thanks to so many sweet clients. If you’re one reading this, know I am extremely grateful for you. The time I've spent talking with you and hanging out with your family is the most joyful part of this job. I hope to see you in 2018 as well!

But in the meantime, I'm trying to capture every moment of Tucker's first​ Christmas. I'm trying to bake all cookies and see all the lights. I'm trying to savor every day left of 2017. 

Because this year has been good to us. 

With love, 
Laura 

This Tucker update is way overdue! Day-to-day life still looks the same (busy and tiring), but we are loving every minute of watching Tucker figure out his little world. Pretty soon, I think I'll have a great photo assistant!

These days, he's a rolling pro and is well on his way to crawling. He has the best sense of humor (and an equally awesome smile) and gets a kick out of us barking at him and making up songs. Basically, Tyler and I act silly 95 percent of our awake time. 

My favorite development, though, is the long-awaited open-mouthed kisses he gives. Tyler and I have been talking about these since before he was born! They're a mix between sloppy, wet dog kisses and a leech attaching itself to your face. It's the best.

Comparison of July, August and September (3, 4 and 5 months old). I look forward to the fourteenth of every month, so we can take our mirror photo!

July was a big month for mouth bubbles. 

Just before he turned 4 months old, he began rolling from his back to his belly. (Look at all those arm rolls!)

4 months old! 

I love that his big 'ol toes still curl in. 

He clasps his hands so often that I started singing, "If you're Tucker and you know it, clasp your hands! ... If you're Tucker and you know it, then your hands will surely show it!"

One of his favorite toys, which Tyler and I named Mr. Ellie. 

He never stays on his blanket more than five minutes. Before I know it, he's almost made it under the ottoman. (Not quite crawling, but he can definitely move!)

We gave him his first taste of solid food at the very end of August (not this picture), and we have yet to have any success with him liking anything. So far, we've tried avocados, bananas, sweet potatoes and carrots. My guess is he's not quiet ready. Alternate guess: We're completely doing it wrong. 

Basically sums up our whole experience with solid food.

We took these on my birthday, and of course I made us all wear fall outfits.

Our 5-month pictures didn't go as well. This little meltdown came out of nowhere!

His first documented tear.

It only lasted a minute. 

This past weekend, we went to the Harry Potter festival in Staunton, and let me tell you – if you ever want to feel like you did a great job making a baby, put them in a costume and take them to a crowded place. I can't tell you how many compliments Tucker got! (For all you Muggles, he was dressed as the Gryffindor Lion).

I mean, come on.

Then on Sunday, we went with my family to the Peaks of Otter for a picnic. These were some of my favorite shots!