I don’t really want to say that anyone had a great pandemic, but Shannon and Jason came as close as it gets when they purchased their amazing downtown Raleigh condo and adopted their sweet pup Frasier. Their patio view is just incredible and they’re within walking distance to everything, but maybe the icing on the cake is that they can hear all of the Red Hat concerts and have the best seat for fireworks. BUT if they didn’t want to hang out on their own patio, they can also go up to their condo building’s patio, which is equally incredible. They enjoy everything that the city has to offer and love walking to restaurants and around the little neighborhoods downtown. And the best part is that Frasier enjoys every bit of this. Frasier is their tiny pup who is SO adorable and very smol and sweet. Frasier is obsessed with Shannon and Jason. He follows them everywhere. He gives them non-stop adoring stares. He panicked for the two seconds that they went into a room without him. He climbs on top of them and looks super pleased with himself. Frasier is living his absolute best life, and so are Shannon and Jason. I’m so happy for them and their newfound home in the city! Thank you guys for having me out to documenting your life and love.
Ohhh, friends of the blog will remember Jessie and Dan’s wedding at the Pittsburgh Aviary in 2018 where I met a really lovely little penguin named Disco who pooped on my shoe and it was the best cocktail hour ever. I also met a very small adorable owl. It was the best. Anyway, it was also the best because Jessie and Dan were there and they are absolutely two of the kindest, sweetest people in the universe. I like them a lot. I’m sad that we’re far away from each other, especially since I developed a strong, undeliable, and presumably lifelong bond with their cat Lola in the 1.5 hours I was at their house. Lola is an *extremely friendly!* cat. I’d like to assume that she only loves me, but I don’t think this is the case since she seems to also really love Jessie, Dan, their dog Charlie (also very sweet!) and their lovely little toddler Lilli (also VERY sweet!). Lilli is extremely close with Lola and Charlie. She hugs Lola a lot, and Lola is totally cool with it. Charlie also accidentally hits Lola in the face with his wagging tail a lot, and Lola is totally cool with it. Lola recently went to the groomer and came away looking like a small little tortie lion, and she is totally cool with it. Lola is cool with a lot of things and I am totally cool with Lola.
I love toddlers who love animals and treat them gently and lovingly and I know that Lilli will grow up to be a sweet and kind person like her parents. She offered both of her parents her crackers. She offered both of her parents her ice cream (!!). She even offered Charlie and Lola her ice cream (we intervened). I can’t say that I’ve voluntarily offered anyone my ice cream ever, and maybe I think I should take some notes on sharing from Lilli. It was so much fun to see this family all together – cats and dogs getting along together, toddlers and cats getting along together, world peace and harmony. I’m so happy to have gotten to work with Jessie and Dan again and to meet their amazing little crew!
Geoff and I photographed Chelsea and Austin’s wedding a few years ago down in North Carolina, but now they live in our hometown of Pittsburgh, PA! They absolutely love it and are even recruiting their NC family and friends to join them up north. They know I’m from there, so on a recent trip to my native city, I had the pleasure of reuniting with Chelsea and Austin in their home and taking family photos of them with their son Fox. Fox is an amazing kid with the best head of hair in the entire world and an extremely enthusiastic disposition to match. He is *high energy!* and likes *vacuuming!* and *unloading the dishwasher!* and *umbrellas!*. He is very excited about the fact that Chelsea is pregnant and that he’s about to become a big brother, and I know he’ll do an amazing job. Everyone deserves a sibling who is so excited, and Fox is the best.
You know who else will be a fantastic big brother in this household? VIRGIL. Virgil is an orange and white tabby cat and my hero. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cat who more closely resembles a cartoon version of a cat more in my entire life. We locked eyes and I fell in love with him instantly and he knew it, so then he proceeded to follow me around and presumably ask me for food, which I did not give him. But I did pet him. I love Virgil a whole lot. I also love this whole family a whole lot and am so excited for their family adventures with their new little girl. Congratulations friends, and thank you for having me!