Beyond precious, right? And just one of many moments you’ll want to preserve, because the calendar pages are flipping a lot faster these days.
And with that, dear readers, today we announce the last (but certainly not the least) of our December giveaways:
A free photo session, including an 8 X 10 print from that session
from Crista Acosta Photography
(This session must take place between January-April 2010 in the greater Hartford, CT area.)
Crista has photographed us, our families, and many of our friends, and we know you’ll love her beautiful work as much as we do! She also has one of those awesome, easy-going personalities that make you forget you’re her subject; even the camera-shy (i.e. active toddlers) come out looking like willing participants.
Good luck!
To enter, please complete this sentence in this post’s Comments area:
I’m so glad I have a picture of ________, because ______.
Official Contest Rules
1. This contest is open to entrants who are able to schedule a greater Hartford, CT area session between January-April 2010. Participation assumes The Entrant’s agreement to these terms.
2. Winner selection is at the sole discretion of the My Mom Genes bloggers.
3. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, December 23, 2009.
4. The winner will be notified via email and announced on My Mom Genes.
5. Arrangements for session and print delivery will be made directly between the winner and Crista Acosta Photography. My Mom Genes is not responsible for scheduling, cancellations or any aspects of prize collection after the winner and vendor have been introduced.
All photographs belong to and have been used with the permission of Crista Acosta Photography.
December 22, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Crista’s work is amazing! Whomever wins is one lucky reader!
I am so glad I have some pictures from the first 24-hours of my sons life because I don’t remember any of it.
I know we all have our stories but my induced labor (with no ability to get pain medication) ended in a general anesthetic c-section. The medications they had me on afterwards left me loopy and sleepy. In particular, I cherish a picture of me holding B because I don’t remember it at all. It helps to know that I was forming bonds with him early on, even if I don’t have any recollection of it whatsoever.
December 22, 2009 at 2:29 pm
I’m so glad that I have pictures of DD with her three sets of great grandparents from various times in her life to date. She’s very lucky to have so many family members in her life that love her so much. A lot of friends our age have lost grandparents, and DH and I are lucky enough to have 6 surviving between the 2 of us.
December 22, 2009 at 2:29 pm
I’m so glad I have a picture of Nate holding Jack for the first time, because it is truly one of my most cherished moments in life thus far and I look back on those pictures and tear up every time.
December 22, 2009 at 2:30 pm
I’m so glad I have a picture of my husband holding his son for the first time, because it shows the love & bond starting from the very begining. Seeing my very tall husband hold this little baby in his arms, brings tears to my eyes everytime I look at it.
December 22, 2009 at 2:37 pm
I’m so glad I have a picture of my grandfather and I, because he means so much to me and won’t be around to meet this baby. But, the pictures I have of him will allow me to create a story in this babies head of who he was and how much he meant to me.
December 22, 2009 at 2:38 pm
I’m so glad I have a picture of me seeing both of my girls for the first time. Their whole birth seemed to go by so quickly and I can’t even describe what it felt like to find out they were girls – but these photos captured how amazing that felt and what it was like to take the first glimpse at my little beauties.
December 22, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I’m so glad I have a photo of my son with my grandfather holding him in the hospital right after I had him. It is THE ONLY photo I have of him holding my son because he passed away suddenly 3 months after my son was born, and since he lived in FL, he wasn’t able to see my son again. The one photo I have is truly my most treasured possion. My grandfather raised me, and it breaks my heart every single day to know that my son will grow up without ever knowing this wonderful, amazing man who meant the world to me.
December 22, 2009 at 2:53 pm
I’m so glad I have a picture of my daughter with everyone who is important in our lives because I want her to see that she is loved by so many wonderful people.
December 22, 2009 at 2:58 pm
I am so glad I have a picture of my grandmother, my mother and I together, because it reminds me of the bond we had since they are no longer with me.
December 22, 2009 at 3:08 pm
I am so happy to have a picture of the three generations (and the fourth on the way at the time) in my family. It was a picture of myself, my mother and my grandmother, along with a new baby in my belly. At the time, we did not know my baby was a girl, and my Nonna always wanted her granddaughters to have daughters of their own. My Nonna never met my little girl, as she passed two months before she was born. I am fortunate to have that picture and memory of that day forever b/c it was one of the last times we were all together. On the day of my daughter’s birth, it was so bittersweet, my Nonna wasn’t there to meet her, but she will forever be a part of my little girl, as she carries my Nonna’s name as her middle name.
December 22, 2009 at 3:19 pm
[...] another opportunity to win a free session for yourself! Awhile ago, the awesome writers over at My Mom Genes contacted me to see if I would be willing to donate something to their December giveaways. My [...]
December 22, 2009 at 3:27 pm
I am so glad i have a picture of my daughter when she was first born because she is changing so much. she is already 7 weeks old and it is amazing at how different she looks!
December 22, 2009 at 3:31 pm
I’m so glad I have a picture of my family because they inspire me each and every day.
December 22, 2009 at 3:32 pm
I’m so glad I have a picture of my parents with my 2 brothers and myself from my engagement party. We rarely had a picture of the 5 of us together, as my mom or dad was typically behind the camera. With my brother Daniel having been in Iraq for well over a year, and my father passing away suddenly just days after Deniel’s return to CT for leave, this was the final picture of our family of five. It is a photo I will treasure forever.
December 22, 2009 at 3:32 pm
I’m so happy I have a picture of DH’s late father holding the memorial vase for his mother from our wedding. I have to say, it was the only picture that moved us both to tears when his friends gave it to us at FIL’s funeral a few months later. It wasn’t a perfect or flawless picture but the moment captured was priceless and means a lot to us.
December 22, 2009 at 3:55 pm
I’m so glad I have a few pictures of Sean’s mom and Sarenna because she got sick shortly after she was born and died when Renna was just 9 weeks old. My mother in-law was so in love with Renna and called her every week to sing happy birhtday to her, even the day she went into the hospital. I hope Renna wil grow to cherish those photos as much as we do.
December 22, 2009 at 4:06 pm
I am so glad I have a picture of myself pregnant with my first baby because it is the only one I have before I miscarried. You can’t even tell I am pregnant by looking at that picture but I know I am. It reminds me of a time when I was full of hope for that new life. So grateful a copy of the photo made it to my hands and there is something tangible I can hold onto from that moment in time.
December 22, 2009 at 4:10 pm
I’m so glad I have a picture of my daughter’s first huge, gummy smile, because it makes all of the frustrations of parenthood so so worth it and for practical purposes – it makes pumping breastmilk so much easier!
December 22, 2009 at 4:20 pm
I’m glad I have a picture of my foster son because we were able to hang it up in the house to help him feel part of the family and transition into his new home.
December 22, 2009 at 4:49 pm
I’m so glad I have a picture of my (now husband) proposing, because it signifies the start of our life together. It means more to me than our wedding photos. Every time I look at it, I see the love in both of us, from my surprised expression to the love in my husbands eyes as he’s showing me the ring on one knee. It reminds me of how happy we were (and are) and the start of our lives together. If we have an argument, all I need to do is look at that photo to feel better, because I know we can forgive and go back to that happy moment that started it all. I see our future in that picture, even though it was so long before our daughter was born, yet I see her in both of us.
December 22, 2009 at 5:06 pm
I’m so glad I have a picture of Rob proposing on the jumbotron at Fenway because it was such an awesome moment and I was in a state of shock as the stadium chanted, “Say YES!”
I would drive down to CT just to have a session with Crista. Her work is amazing!
December 22, 2009 at 5:23 pm
I’m so glad I have a picture of my father standing in front of the lakes of Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland because it not only was one of the last pictures taken of him before his death but because it reminds me of what a strong and proud man he was, especially of his heritage. December 13th marked the 16th year since his passing. He always wanted to ‘go back home’ and when I look at the picture, and the smile on his face, I know that is probably just what he did in the end.
December 22, 2009 at 6:19 pm
At my bridal shower, my sister had a picture (one of those photo booth pictures) of my parents from their honeymoon blown up, framed and put on the mantle.
I can’t even describe my emotions when I saw that photo. I didn’t even know she had it and it was so amazing. From a different time, when they were young, full of hope and happy.
They both have since passed away, but that photo honestly made me feel like they were there with me at my shower.
I also made a locket-sized copy and carried it with my bouquet on my wedding day.
The original now hangs in my daughter’s (their first granddaugther!) room and it always makes me smile.
December 22, 2009 at 10:54 pm
I am so glad to have a picture of the four generations of women in my family. I am so greatful to have wonderful, strong, giving women in my life as well as my daughter’s life.
December 22, 2009 at 11:24 pm
I am so glad to have a picture of my mother and I when I was 4 because it reminds me what a gift not only my mother is but what a gift I have been given in becoming a mother. I reminds me that she is human and her mistakes may be my mistakes one day and that my new baby girl will look upon my actions as I did hers….the words I have been saying to myself… acceptance and gratitude.
December 23, 2009 at 12:13 am
I’m so glad I have a picture of my husband after finding out that we are expecting our first child. I will never forget the look on his face and it just makes me so happy.
December 23, 2009 at 12:36 am
I am so glad I have a picture of my first positive pregnancy tests. After struggling for 18 months, various treatments, medicines and even a major surgery I had given up hope for at least a few months to give myself a mental break for the holidays. And then 3 weeks later, I found out I was pregnant. I keep the picture on my desk to remind me every single day for the goober I have inside me, the goober that, before s/he was even a twinkle in my eye, taught me to never ever give up.
December 23, 2009 at 1:39 am
Just had time to catch up on your blog and see all of the amazing giveaways you ladies planned for this month. How awesome!!! You guys really know the true meaning of Christmas!!!
December 23, 2009 at 2:30 am
I’m so glad I have a picture of everything, because life moves to fast to quickly and you don’t always remember to stop and take a picture. Each and every picture I have is worth 1,000 words. Whether it is of a deceased loved one, a special place I’ve been with my family, my daughter when she was first born, pets, or the beach in Hawaii on my honeymoon which was the most peaceful place on earth. Pictures allow us to freeze time for a moment and travel back to a place when the world was perfect in our eyes.
December 23, 2009 at 2:55 am
I am so glad I have pictures from my grandfather’s funeral. As weird as it sounds to some people, these pictures are treasured among my family members. My grandfather was creamated, and the pictures of my aunts and uncles looking at the urn and touching their hearts are amazing. The picture of my grandmother receiving the flag from a Marine is so moving it still brings tears to my eyes.
I know almost everyone here has talked about first moments, but sometimes last moments are just as moving.
December 23, 2009 at 3:11 pm
I am so glad I have a picture of my childhood home, because it reminds me of the innocence of childhood and a time when things were simpler and less complicated.
December 23, 2009 at 3:48 pm
I am so glad I have a picture of my son with his great, grand mother just a few months before she passed away. The simple things like a picture keep people in our lives for many years to come.
December 23, 2009 at 6:44 pm
I’m so glad I have a picture of my boys with their Poppa bears at various stages of their little lives so far because it’s a wonderful reminder that although my father and they never met physically he will be with them throughout their lives. My mother had teddy bears made out of my father’s golf shirts after he died. She saved a couple of those shirts for future grandchildren and when she found out I was pregnant with twins she had bears made from them as well and brought them to the hospital when they were born.
December 23, 2009 at 9:32 pm
I’m so glad that I have a picture of myself in a blue bikini at 16 looking absolutely beautiful, strong, healthy and youthful. Everytime I see the photo I remember all the teenage voices in my head. “There’s a little chub over here.” “Your friend looks so much better in her bikini then you.” “Will my crush look at me?” Looking back at the photo, I can see how beautiful I truly was and how so many of the worries were not important. Everytime I take another picture and say cheese, I wonder what I’ll look back and see that I couldn’t see in the moment.
December 24, 2009 at 12:43 am
I’m so glad I have pictures of my husbands homecoming. Because after an 18 month deployment, the moment I saw him was one of the BEST moments of my life.
December 24, 2009 at 1:06 am
I’m so glad I have a picture of my Dad and me dancing at my wedding because it captures so many emotions. I was such a Daddy’s girl and I remember being so excited to dance with him at my wedding. This picture that I love so much doesn’t even show my Dad’s face. It just shows me resting my head on his shoulder with my eyes closed and such a happy smile on my face. My Dad passed away unexpectedly a few months later but I’m so grateful to have that photo because the photographer was able to capture everything I was feeling on the inside and now I can relive that moment every time I look at it.
December 24, 2009 at 1:49 am
I am so glad I have picture of my twins when the were minutes old because it was hours before I met them and days before I held them. They were born at 31 weeks and just under 4 pounds each. I am happy to report they are 1 year now and very happy and healthy. Even though parents of babies in the NICU tend to think they won’t want to remember that time because it is so painful. They will. Take as many pictures as you can.
December 24, 2009 at 4:11 am
I am so glad I have a picture of my grandfather at my wedding, because it reminds me of a time before he got sick and looked truly happy.