I’m so excited to have a guest post from Cathi Green of Cathi Green Photography.  She’s a fellow blogger (check out the lovely pics on her blog), an amazingly talented photographer, and a long time friend (around 25 years – yes, she’s got tons of dirt on me).  Since every photo I’ve taken recently of my toddler is a blur, I’ve asked her to share some tips on getting great pics of kids.  I hope you enjoy her post as much as I did!

I’m a photographer in Southern California. I have always loved photography, and about two years ago, decided to pursue it as a profession instead of a hobby. I’ve travelled to numerous states and to the UK to photograph people and events. It’s been an amazing experience so far, and it just keeps getting better.

When I photograph children, I have a couple of things in mind. First, my goal is to truly capture their personality, emotion and essence. Second, it’s to chronicle that specific moment in time. If your kiddo is glued to his superman cape, embrace it! Superman isn’t going to be happy in the corduroy pants you bought for his photo shoot when he really wants to wear his cape! I want my pictures to stir your emotions and help keep your memories fresh. Lastly, I want my clients to have fun, be comfortable, and just be themselves. I’ve found that with these things as my goals, I get some awesome shots that make families very happy.

Kids are super fun to photograph. Whether you are taking portraits of your children for holiday cards, shooting a birthday party, or just taking some pictures to scrapbook, I hope you find the following 7 tips helpful. [Read more...]

When you travel with an infant or toddler it seems like you’re traveling with 3 extra people due to the extra luggage you have to bring: stroller, Pack n’ Play, car seat, favorite toys, several sets of clothes in case of possible messes, diapers, wipes, bottles…you get the picture.

As I wrote in a previous post on surviving an airplane ride with a toddler, we’ll be traveling with my 2-year-old in early August. Being 7 months pregnant by then, I will NOT want to lug around more than I have to.

So I’ve been asking my friends if they have any tips for making travel easier, and a friend just told me about Baby’s Away which rents out baby equipment like cribs, high chairs, strollers, car seats, toys, and swings. It’s located in over 70 locations throughout the U.S., including major resort areas and large cities, and they actually deliver the equipment and pick it back up at the end of your vacation.

I will definitely be looking into renting a few big items during this trip. About.com also has a listing of several other similar companies in case you can’t find a Baby’s Away in your area.

If anyone has used a service like this, please comment and let me know how it worked for you.

Picture by bellybliss08