Update! Wow!! I’m amazed at all the responses I’ve gotten from this fundraiser for sweet Layla! Thank you all for the incredible outpouring of support for this sweet family!

ONE SPOT LEFT!! Who wants it???

Please tell a friend about this blog post after you are done reading it!!! Help spread the word so we can help this precious family!!

Sweet little Layla Grace, age 2, went home to Heaven yesterday after battling 10 months with neuroblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer. My heart has been so heavy for this family since I found out about her a few months ago. I’ve been down on my knees more times praying for little Layla than I have for my own children. She was truly an angel and brought out the best in everyone who was touched by her heartbreaking story. She leaves behind two sisters, age 4 and age 9. Her parents, Ryan and Shanna, have been the connection between all of us and sweet Layla, updating their Twitter regularly and posting heartfelt blog posts as they coped with the reality that their baby girl wasn’t going to win her battle with cancer.

I can’t imagine their loss. I can’t imagine waking up tomorrow with their reality. And all the tomorrows that follow. And being strong for their other two precious daughters. And keeping Layla’s legacy alive. And facing the mountain of medical bills that lay waiting to be paid….

So, I am going to do something with my sadness for this sweet family and I want you to be a part of it!

I’m having a one-day Layla Grace Mini Session Fundraiser on Sunday, April 11th from 2-5pm!

What: Layla Grace Mini Session Fundraiser!
Where: Mayfield Park
When: 15 minute sessions from 2-5pm
Cost: $100 (100% of this fee will be donated to the Layla Grace Marsh Medical Fund!)
What you’ll receive:
* 15 minutes of photography time for up to 2 children (you can buy two blocks of time if you want to do your entire family!) - up to 10 edited proofs in your private gallery to choose from!
* 1 - 8×10 custom storyboard art print (see samples below!!)
* Additional prints and a special “Layla” digital collection package can be purchased after your gallery is available! 50% of all print and digital collection purchases will go towards Layla Grace’s Fund!
* Optional: Dress your girl(s) “Layla style” - in a hat with a big flower, or a Matilda Jane style outfit, and receive an extra 8×10 print from your session for free! (Disclaimer: if you only have boys, you can still participate in the mini session event!)

Only 6 “Layla Grace” mini session spots left! Please contact me ASAP if you want to reserve one of them!

PS. If you are unable to attend the mini session event but want to donate to Layla’s medical fund, please visit their website here: http://www.laylagrace.org

PPS. Here are 2 samples of the adorable custom storyboards you can choose from after your session!

PPPS. Did you know that “Layla Grace” is Google’s 3rd most popular search word for 3/9/10? Wow!!

The trees are budding around Austin, the green grass is returning and I’m starting to find patches of wildflowers! It’s almost Spring! We’ve had an unusually cold winter in Austin, so we are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of warmth, and flowers, and days spent outside playing under the sun.

Remember these adorable babies? These twinkies are 9 months old now! You can take a walk back through memory lane and see their newborn session and their 6 month portraits. So much growth happens during the first year of life! I love watching my baby planners grow up! (Little Miss “C” is also the 2009 Ella Bella Photography portrait of the year winner!) Enjoy your sneak peek, “F” family! See you in a few months!!

I met this sweet boy last week for his newborn session. He was such a good baby, slept for me the entire time! Definitely a laid back personality!! Such a dream! Enjoy your sneak peek, “W” family! Your baby is precious!!

I also wanted to rave about my favorite new Etsy seller, CapsofGrace! I absolutely love the quality, colors and hat styles of this Etsy store! Check them out! Their crocheted hats are so well made and they come in all sizes from newborn to preteen! CapsofGrace is also having a free hat giveaway going on right now too! No purchase necessary to enter! Here is more info:

** Announcing the CapsofGrace Spring GIVEAWAY! For all orders placed between now and Mar. 21, we will enter you in a drawing for the “hat of your choice”! You’ll get one entry for each item or set purchased. Another way to enter, send us a link to your post about us and our products, on a blog, facebook, twitter or other social network, and we’ll enter you in the drawing again for each separate post! No limit to number of entries and no purchase required. Contact: [capsofgrace@yahoo.com] Winner to be announced March 22nd…so stay tuned! **

And one with daddy. I love this one!

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Spring! We had a really nice day yesterday in Austin, so I took my wild haired boys outside for some kite flying and running around their favorite park!

Check my blog this weekend for an adorable newborn and early next week for my favorite set of twins who will be making their 9 month sneak peek appearance!

The big news is out!!! Ella Bella Photography will be on the new television show “Too Many Babies?” on the Discovery Health Channel! The show follows the Jones family through their first year of parenting quintuplets! There are several webisode trailers on the Discovery Health website, including one with Ella Bella Photography! Click this link to watch me in action behind the scenes of the quints 9 month photoshoot!

PS. Be sure to set your DVRs to record the new show “Too Many Babies?” - the show airs Thursday night, March 4th at 8pm EST! (That’s 7pm for us Austin peeps!) Tell your friends!!

Click here to look back at the sneak peeks from their session!

One of my favorite things about my work is having the priviledge of photographing my families again:) I am always amazed at how much my little ones have grown and developed since the last time I saw them! The last time I saw these twins was about 14 months ago here, before they were completely mobile. This time around they gave me (and their parents) a good workout! They are also the proud big brother/sister to a little brother, who is now 2 months old. They love their baby brother so much! It was great to see you again, “H” family! Enjoy your sneak peeks!

UPDATE!!! Only 2 Mini Session Spots Remain!!! Contact me soon if you are interested in one of them!!

Yay! We had snow in Austin today! And LOTS of it!!! There were loads happy children throughout the great state of Texas! I heard of snow reports in Houston and San Antonio too! It looked like a winter wonderland around 1pm this afternoon. My boys spent most of the day outside soaking up the snow. Some highlights of their day… Enjoy!

Meet Sweet “P” - this darling baby girl slept through her ENTIRE newborn session. Such a dream! And my infamous bunny hat is making it’s reappearance again as we march closer to Easter! Look how cute she is in it!! (She held that pose like a pro!) I hope you enjoy your sneak peek, “B” family - your daughter precious!!

Just a few snaps of my little loves from today. Gorgeous day, 70+ degrees. If only they would cooperate for pictures!