Clara's photo shoot

Before we get to the photo shoot, I just wanted to share a quick picture. Yesterday was Clara's first visit to the adoration chapel:



I hope it's not sacrilegious to take a picture of this, but I really wanted to capture what will hopefully be the first of many visits to the Blessed Sacrament throughout her life. We prayed for her here, and at the chapel in Utica, for many years, so it was wonderful to be able to bring her with us for the first time.

It was also in this very chapel that Ryan first came up with the name Clare. He was reading Raymond Arroyo's book about Mother Angelica, a Poor Clare, when he looked up at me and asked, "What about Clare?" I was like, "What about Clare?" He then told me he was drawn to the name Clare while reading the book, which talked a lot about St. Clare, and wanted to consider naming a daughter after her. I responded, "I don't know about Clare, but I'd go for Clara," even though I felt like we would first get a baby boy. Little did we know that that conversation was laying the ground work for a quick decision we'd have to make six months later!

Yesterday was also her first photo shoot and she did amazing! A wonderful and very talented local photographer was looking for newborns to take part in a free mini-session, so she could use the images on her website. While Clara is not newborn, she is still smaller than most of them, so she qualified. The photographer is like a baby whisperer, because she got Clara to pose in several adorable positions, all while staying sound asleep! She just posted a sneak peak on her blog of two images, and before I give you the link (because then you'll go there and never come back here!), I want to ask you to please leave a comment on the pictures of Clara. If we get ten comments, we get a free mini-album, so please comment!

Okay, here's the link: www.fireflyphotographyva.blogspot.com