J Cooper Photography

In the spirit of Thanksgiving….a partial list of my many thanks.

big
1. A God who loves me, died for me, and cares about the mundane details of my life.
2. A husband who loves me despite myself, provides for me, and cares about the mundane details of my life.
3. Kids who love me and share each and every mundane detail of my life
4. 2 beautiful girls whose personalities are so vastly different that I am constantly challenged on how to be a good mom.
5. A beautiful baby boy whose birth made me realize that little else matters than the care of my children.
6. Parents who call, email, drive long hours, to take part in the mundane details of our lives.
7. Sisters who will stay up all night to discuss the mundane details of my life as well as share the mundane details of their lives.
8. A creative spirit and encouragement from many that make the mundane details of my life somehow enriching, inspiring, and well worth living.

side note: The older I get…the more I realize that life isn’t about what we do but who we share it with. And although some days my life feels full and rich..and others mundane and dull…the journey is so worth taking if you share it with others.

little:
1. chocolate
2. baby socks
3. autumn color
4. eskimo kisses
5. bedtime snuggles
6. snow days
7. a good Sharpie pen
8. the perfect pair of jeans
9. little voices
10. a full nights sleep

May the mundane details of your holiday be richly blessed by sharing it with those you love!

If you don’t have it yet…hold on to your hat. Cause this little baby is the sweetest thing ever! She was only 10 days old when I got to meet her. This was my 8th newborn session and this gorgeous girl was such a breeze. She slept, had a little snack and a big blow out (hope your shirt is ok!!) and fell right back to sleep At under 6 lbs. she looks just like a baby doll. I love her little wrinkled feet and peely skin…those tufts of dark hair…and those long skinny toes! She was a breech baby and was so content to wiggle her little feet right up to her face and fall asleep. The new parents were so cool…and totally prepared! They even came with a lint brush Talk about having it all together!










Promised a few sneak peaks for her eager mommy and daddy! Thank you for sharing your beautiful girl with me. I can’t wait to see how she grows. She is gorgeous and such a blessing. Sleep tight little sweetie…til we meet again!

I’ve been busy these past few weeks with client sessions, proofing, ordering, etc. So once I got these packaged up on Friday night I felt we all deserved a little R&R.

Little S has been sick all week with an ear infection and a viral tummy bug. On Wednesday he hit 12+ dirty diapers by 3 pm…that’s when I knew a trip to the pediatrician was unavoidable. He’s such a sweet baby….trying hit darndest to be chipper even though he felt like poo (no pun intended). This morning the smiles were back in earnest. So we cuddled and played (and I took pictures of course!)

He practiced one of his newest tricks (by the way…check out those thighs!)

Rolled around a bit.

Played peek-a-boo through the slats on his crib.

Stopped to suck his thumb.

Lounged around on his comfy denim chair.

Practiced sitting up like a “big boy”.

And even played with his tootsies for a bit.

So glad he is on the mend…I missed all those gummy smiles!

I also had a newborn session today with some fabulous new clients! Their gorgeous girl arrived a few weeks early and she was such a rock star at her photo shoot. They purchased my “grow with me” package…I can’t wait to see her again and see how much she has changed. Here’s a sneak peak…I’ll share a few more soon!

is oh-so-lovely! So were these sweet kids. I have known their mommy for a few months now. We have struck up a friendship chatting and waiting for our two little princesses in ballet class. So when she asked me to squeeze in a session yet this fall, I jumped at the chance. I love it when other moms really get the importance of capturing beautiful images of their kids! When they are new to us as babies we are so eager to document every new stage. But somewhere along the rocky road of toddlerhood we seem to forget that they are still changing everyday! I loved that she was “frantic” to get a session in this fall. That sense of urgency to “hold on to time” is what makes her such a great mom! Her children are so beautiful…full of spirit and life. I hope I captured that for her!

Oh…where to start?
How about with this young guy?
He pretended to be shy…but I know the real story

And before long we were discussing Star Wars and kindergarten and he was full of sweet smiles.

I’m pretty sure I’ve never met a little guy with eyes quite like his. And I know for a fact it should be illegal to have lashes that long! They ought to win him more than a few dates down the road!


Here’s his spunky little sister. I thought their Mom might like these images frames together!

As you can see…gorgeous eyes run in their family. Hers are the prettiest shade of sapphire and just leap out at you…full of fun and just a bit of mischeif!

They make an awfully sweet pair don’t they?

J came along on the photo shoot to play. She adores this little gal. Definitely two little girls cut from the same mold…separating them is quite the challenge!

And then there is the littlest guy. Oh is he cute…and such a tease. That sheepish smile was almost completely allusive…he only brought it out to run away from me. But we caught a few!

And who needs a smile when you’ve got that soulful attitude down pat?

Thanks for spending this lovely day with me! You were lots of fun!

This weekend we had S dedicated at our church…a wonderful service that allows us to make a commitment to the church and ourselves to teach and raise him to know his Creator. We have so many prayers for him as our son. We pray that God’s grace and character will be evident by the way he leads his life. A momentous occasion…indeed.

So…it would have been a great day to have my camera battery charged. lovely.

I did manage to snap a few pictures after the service of our sweet little guy. And thankfully the church photographer captured his dedication during the service and should provide a few images for us in a few weeks. Still…

Then yesterday we had some of our favorite friends over to play. With a new baby in their house too, the play dates have not been as frequent as we normally like. This little guy is just the sweetest bundle of baby love! Check out his baby blues!

Of course…we are hoping that the two little guys will be fast friends as they grow! Not sure they have really even noticed eachother yet But a year from now I think they will be serious partners in crime!

I have so many things to blog about these days…but the busy-ness of my schedule as mommy, photographer, wife, seamstress, etc. are getting in the way. I’ll be back with more tomorrow I hope!

Time to share a couple more recent client sessions. It is cooling off quick here…we’re losing that gorgeous fall color and I’m trying to wrap up as many sessions as possible before our first snow fall.

These twins….oh my. Talk about cute outfits and the perfect setting! I’ve known their parents for years. We sang together in the William Jewell College choir. So when they suggested a trip back to campus for a photo session I was so excited. We braved the windy hill and frigid temps. These two were little troopers…running outside to snap a few pictures…and then darting back into the warmth of campus buildings! But it was totally worth if for this cute shot!

And one with a nostalgic twist.

Later that weekend I met up with another gorgeous family! These girls were so fun…and talk about photogenic. I’m thinking Gap will be calling them soon.

Of course…when you have parents that look like this!

At the end of the session we hit some gorgeous light walking back to our cars…so we stopped for a few final images


Thanks to all the families who have spent time with me! I love how every family is different…love the challenge of capturing their unique personalities and beauty. And I love that we can freeze time and remember these gorgeous, sunny days and sweet, innocent smiles.

since I’ve listed on ebay? Well shame on me. To make up for it I am offering this nifty CUSTOM monogram blanket. Think Christmas…and be sure to check out all the lovely IVYLANE listings!

As moms we are called to be flexible…re-arranging schedules at a moments notice, coming up with a meal in 10 minutes and an empty fridge, changing plans at the last second when your child throws up on you as you are heading out the door…you all know the drill.

But sometimes…I wonder. Can we be too flexible? Could our schedules (and therefore…lives) be richer if we stuck to the plan…or is it that aimless wander that creates a fullness of life? I tend to be a wanderer by nature. Trying my hat at many different things. Getting caught up in the excitement of something new. Letting my creative spirit take control.

But something has got to give. I like to believe I am superwoman. When I was a teacher (boy that seems like a lifetime ago) the kids called me “Super Coop”. You might say I am high-energy. But I am realizing I can’t do it all. The questions is: WHAT am I going to let go of? That’s the question that has been plaguing my mind and zapping me of any creativity what-so-ever. Anyone have any thoughts?

And speaking of flexibility and all…and on a much lighter note…S and I had a little Wednesday morning yoga session today. We strapped on our leg warmers (or babylegs) and spent some quality time together. He is just such a sweet little guy…couldn’t resist sharing some of his favorite poses with you

(the “foot in mouth”)

(the “pretzel”)

(the “big boy sit”)

(the “baby airplane”)

(the “first position”)

(the “pancake”)

(the “Richard Simmons arm stretch”)

(the “I didn’t eat enough breakfast”)

(the “push-up”)

(the “new BFF”)

And if you can help me answer the “What should I be when I grow up??” question…be sure to post a comment. Or if you don’t know what you want to be either…post a comment. Or if you want to tell me how cute my baby is…you guessed it

(By the way. If you must have a onsie like this for your own yoga session then you will want to head straight over to Amy’s fabulously fun site Tote and Tee. We have recently done a bit of modeling for her and you won’t be disappointed in her fantastic array of goodies!)

REBEKAH….YOU WON!!!!
Head on over to Jennifer’s etsy shop and introduce yourself! I can’t wait to see what kind of masterpiece she creates! Stop back and share the final result!!

I have teamed up with a great gal over on Etsy. She is providing fantastic baby announcements and Christmas cards for my photography clients. We’ve had a great time working together to offer some really fun, fresh cards!

Remember my post about our Christmas card photo shoot? Well..Jennifer rocked our cards right out of the park…I couldn’t be happier! I love the non-traditional color scheme…and I’m even more pleased that I can check the cards off of my ever-expanding list of things to get done in the next few weeks!

So head on over to Etsy and visit her shop called NOUNCES. Then leave a comment here to be entered into the contest to win 40 FREE CARDS! Post it on your blog (be sure to tell me you did so…I’m not psychic!) and I’ll throw in 5 extra chances to win. HURRY though…contest ends Wed. at 8pm!!!

This little guy belongs to a dear friend.

We’ve known each other for over 25 years and I am so lucky to have her as a friend.

She’s beautiful in every respect of the word. Kind. Intelligent. Genuine.

This fall she has been asked to endure the unthinkable. And my heart aches so badly for her.

I am so inspired by her grace, poise, and dignity. Her strength and resilience are a telltale sign to the rock of a woman she has become.

And if she reads this post…I hope she knows how very much she is loved. How many others wish they could help in a concrete way.

And I hope these images provide a tiny glimmer of sunlight that will warm her heart. And I hope she knows that when all else fails she is loved by God in a powerful way.

You are beautiful in so many ways you two. Thank you for letting me share in your life together.