Fadazzle Wazzle

We went to Fadazzle Wazzle yesterday!! Fadazzle Wazzle is an event our church MCA puts on for the children each year. There's always a theme, this year it was "Out of this world". So, aliens. Since I'm somewhat obsessed with Halloween and making the perfect costume for my daughter (and now son) I can't ever seem to go along with these themes. Valley had a blast, walking around with her 2 best friends Violet and Mia. They were a small parade of winged cutness.




Everywhere they went people stopped and aww'd. This is my favorite photo of the night. Well, it's actually one of my favorite photos of Valley ever. It just seems to capture her whole being in a nutshell!



I wasn't overly thrilled with her costume this year, so next year I will be putting in extra effort to make it perfect! Plus, there was just one too many bee's. I have a brillant idea for next year and NO ONE will think of it but me :D



You know how hard it is to get a good family photo...so here is our best one :P



And one of me and Lyric just for fun :)

Landon [Alaska Child Photographer]

I went to school with Tristen's sister Stephanie and to church with her family. It was very exciting when Tristen had Landon and now he's 3 years old!! Tristen had warned me that he might be shy, but she couldn't have been more wrong!! He was a ball of energy and we got lots of fantastic shots of him having fun!

Baby Lane [Alaska Baby Photographer]

This was a referal from the Seay (Izzy and Canaan). This family was so fun and this little one was so full of joy! His eyes are piercing blue and he did a fantastic job even at only 7 months. It makes me excited for when my little guy is 7 months!

Israel and Canaan [Alaska Child and Sibling Photographer]

I also met these 2 adorable boys when they were born! Canaan was a super grump the whole time but livened up when we got to the swings and Izzy was a ham! We had to climb up and over a fence with the boys for the train track shot but I think it was worth it. I hope their parents do too ;)

Jaden [Alaska Child Photographer]

I remember visiting Dana in the hospital when she had her precious baby boy, Jaden.

Now he's walking and she's expecting another baby boy in March! It's very neat when I get to photograph a friends baby, and Jaden was no exception. We happened upon a gorgeous bull moose and Dana was daring enough to let me capture this photo. Which just happens to be one of my favorite to date!

Colin and Wren [Alaska Child Photographer]

Colin and Wren, what can I say? They have such and adorable relationship. Both have the "essence of child" about them. To describe them in 2 words? Whimsical and free. Perhaps this is because their mama is so whimsical and free. =)

Sweet Penelope [Alaska Child Photographer]

I had the privilege of photographing someone that is very dear to me today! Penelope Cardenas. I've "known" her and her mama since she was only 5 weeks old. Look how little Valley is! The last 2 years have just flown by!




Janelle is expecting baby #2 now, and I'm honored to have been asked to photograph her birth. Can't wait until the big day! Penelope was a joy to photograph!

The birth of Beverly Elise [Alaska Birth Photographer]

I met this amazing strong mama at a MOMs club I attended a few times...I want to attend it more, I just can't seem get my kids out the door on time. :P She was gracious enough to allow me at her birth for practice. 2 days after the birth of Paulo, at 2 am I was called for Jeanines, she was almost 2 weeks overdue and still looked amazing. So calm and in control during her whole labor! I can definetly learn from this woman! Her surprise baby girl Beverly was born on 10.12.10 weighing 9lbs 13 oz! Welcome to the world baby Beverly!

You can see the whole story here and I'll post some of my favorites!

The birth of Paulo Matteo

I will never forget when Joy called me to tell me she was pregnant. They'd been trying for one month and she had already conceived! I was sitting at my moms house - 25 weeks pregnant - when Joy called. "guess what! I'm pregnant" I was over the moon excited because we had daughters close in age that were best friends and now we would (hopefully) have sons close in age! I asked her when she was due and she replied October 10th. OH MY GOSH! Coolest due date ever! 10.10.10!! We talked for months about her fears about her VBAC, my fears of having an 11 pound baby, and both of our fears of our daughters resenting the baby. My baby was born in may, a surprise boy (9lbs 15 oz) and 4 days later she found out she was expecting a boy! We joked about how there was no way she'd actually birth on 10.10.10, no way she'd be that lucky but she DID!

Welcome baby Paulo Matteo born on 10.10.10 weighing 6lbs 12oz his sisters exact birth weight. A sucessful amazing VBAC! My first birth photography experience. And I loved it!

You can view the whole story here, but heres a few of my favorites.

The birth of my business

Welcome to my tiny corner of the internet! My name is Danielle Wakefield and I've just opened up Alaskas first birth photography business!! It all came about when my sister in law and I were pregnant together. Both having boys, both mothers to adorable daughters. She asked me to be her doula during her VBAC. I was so excited! I had recently purchased a DSLR and was photographing my friends children for free. At a LLL meeting a sweet mama mentioned she had no one to photograph her birth and I volunteered. Then a light bulb went off! Was there a such thing as a birth photographer? Would I be any good at it? I loved photography, and had the equipment, and love births! So I asked my husband who origionally said "um, no. there is not a market." (haha) But quickly changed back into his supportive self and marched me right downtown to purchase my very own business liscence!

The posts that follow will be about me and my journey of being a trailblazer and introducing Alaska to the idea of birth photography. They'll be full of glowing blossoming mothers, exciting news of babies being born, tiny sweet innocent newborns and of course all about my life as the stay at home mom of 2 spirited little ones! I hope you'll join me for the ride!