Little Love Stories creates custom family & bridal  films, and we have lots of corporate and small business clients too!

In the sample below we’ve paired with Tears Of Joy Photography to combine photos and video- for her clients FB page.

We call this one FAMILY OF FOUR.

Hope you love it. Hope you’ll share it. Hope you’ll visit Mary’s site at : www.tearsofjoyphotography.com

For more information on your own Little Love Stories video please check out our samples/portfolio page (to your left) and contact us on the CONTACT US page.

Hello Friends. Thank you, each of you, for your sweet sweet thoughts on yesterdays post. My friends were very happy to see their names in lights! (I’m kidding- seriously kidding) Truthfully they should find a friend with some clout so they can all be recognized on a global platform.

We are visiting Nana & Papa in sunny SC and Sunshine is really not getting the hang of this walking on grass thing…I show her the grass, she opts for the sidewalk…

Now that’s a NYC girl right? Her Dad is somewhere beaming with pride. Only New Yorkers can really appreciate gravel and concrete.

Moving right along… scroll down (or up?) on your right hand side (see the not so small button) and SUBSCRIBE TO OUR BLOG- some of you might have done this already and some of you did it when we were back at our old blog, but you have to re-do it because I’m still getting the hang of this website thing and frankly I made a few mistakes.  So feel free to SUBSCRIBE to us, LIKE us, LOVE us, SHARE us, TWEET us; whatever I’m over Social Networking but its necessary and important and my kid has to eat- so there you have it.

Also, I have a new show that I’m SUPER EXCITED ABOUT.Have you seen adds on Lifetime for this show,  COMING HOME! I’m warning you- you will cry. I’ve seen it 100 times and it makes me cry and I just can’t even start to tell you- so watch follow the link below.

http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/coming-home/video/previews/coming-home-preview

EVERY SINGLE TIME I CRY! God I love TV – GOOD GOOD TV.

Also, for those of you redecorating a house or planning a wedding I think you should check this out: http://www.theperfectpaletteblog.com So this lovely lady has this awesome blog where she pairs colors together. Here’s the thing you know how you’re getting married and you’re like I LOVE the color yellow but what the heck color goes with yellow and doesn’t make my wedding look like my high school band uniform? That’s were Perfect Palate comes in. I’m not planning a wedding and I don’t have a house to decorate but I go there for fun with colors, and though I’ve never met Perfect Palate- we are friends in my head and on Twitter.

And if you are getting married then please look at these great folks at http://www.jwjewelers.com You know how diamonds are scary but stunning and you want to make sure that you know what the heck you are buying and who you’re buying them from? Right, me too- that’s why I LOVE James & Williams Jewelers. They once created a beautiful diamond necklace for me when I was in desperate need of  a little change to an old engagement ring I had- old life, different story- more on that another time.

And if you are looking to take a vacation or a honeymoon, or a get me heck out of the snowy-weathermoon then please visit here: www.casasandracostarica.com- Good clean fun- I should send you some photos so you can day dream, or you can just visit their very cool website. It’s sort of like watching House Hunters International.

Also, I found this adorable little food blog recently called Mangoes & Chutney-  So if you’re reading this thinking whats for dinner tonight, search no further than….. http://www.mangoesandchutney.com

And now friends I have to go, because I took this photo and then my little one fell and busted her bottom lip open and she’s pissed because I gave her ice and hugs and then started returning emails and blogging- about her love of concrete. This is a bad mommy moment…gotta go.

Matt is in Italy. Erin is (for the time being) here in New York visiting, and my baby just went down for her morning nap.

I got to talk a lot this weekend and somewhere in the shadow of midnight Erin and I got to talking about the choice to stay at home with children or return to work. It’s a question I’m now asked pretty often. You’d be surprised how many people and other moms will ask “what do you do?” and that one little question can make you scatter to find an appropriate answer- in truth nothing sounds as impressive as you would like for it to.

Erin is a teacher. I find that very impressive. I wish that everyone else found that as impressive as it truly is. She’s smart and beautiful and fun. She’s caring, kind, and giving, owns her own condo and moved across the country twice; she’s impressive. My friend Nora is a stay at home mom of two beautiful boys, she’s funny, nurturing, and calm- her oldest son does baby sign language and is now talking, running, and spinning in circles. Her infant is a snuggle-bear who loves to be held and loved. She’s juggling two kids under one and trust me when I tell you she’s impressive, so impressive. My friend Susan is a vice principle of an inner city school in Indiana. She’s pregnant with her first child and taking care of hundreds of other peoples children every single day; very impressive. My friend Andrea is a marketing exec at a very big company. She once rode in a private plane, was bridesmaid in a wedding in New York the same weekend she flew to Vegas to run a very important trade show. She’s beautiful, a great friend, married, and pregnant with her first- she’s uber impressive, I’m impressed by her. My friend Dana is an actress and singer who lives in New Orleans, has her MFA, and gives the greatest hugs in the entire world, I find her live fascinating; she’s impressive.  My friend Jesse is a single mother and attorney for a major law firm in New York City. She can sleigh a dragon, fix boo-boos, work 80 hours a week, and still spends her weekends at Sesame Place with her 2 year old. She’s creating a magical life for her magical daughter all by herself and she’s succeeding in spite of all the odds- tell me that’s not impressive; she’s so damn impressive. My friend Tricia is a grade school teacher who lives in a home she owns and pays the mortgage on month after month all by herself. She knows every single one of her neighbors, raises three shelter dogs, and mended a broken heart after a brutal divorce. I don’t know anyone more impressive the Tricia, she’s so impressive.

My point, lovely readers, is that regardless of our decisions as women what makes each of us impressive is who we are outside of what we do. The women in my life are good people, who if you need them will drop everything to be by your side. They visit new born babies, they answer the phone regardless of the hour, they sing happy birthday LOUD on your answering machine, and wake up in the middle of the night to care for their babies. So maybe they aren’t millionaires….yet. I couldn’t be more impressed with my friends; they’re so damn impressive.

This weekend I was fully impressed with Erin’s ability to roll with our punches. Nap times, diaper wedgies, melt downs and all she hung in there with us.  I’m blessed because Erin has been my best friend since we were 6. We have been best friends for 24 years, do you know something more impressive then that? No. You don’t. We’re so damn impressive.

(Forgive the old photos- I didn’t have my camera at all this weekend….NOT impressive!!!)

This heading is sort of a lie- let me explain.

Matt leaves tomorrow for a 1 week trip to Europe! He’ll be flying in to Milan and flying home from Barcelona- lets all give him a collective Ahhhhhhh! His school is taking a big-ole trip and he and a few of his teachers will be joining them. I’m super jealous that he gets to go to Italy, France, and Spain! However truth be told I was invited a long but bowed out because I can’t conceive of leaving my daughter for 10 days. For a time I was signed up, even paid in full- but when I called the nice travel people to see if 1 year olds were allowed to attend they met me with a big fat N to the O! Whatever I party with one year olds 7 days a week- they are awesome.

PS. I didn’t edit this video, Matt took this one on his phone and I just posted it. Still entertaining though right?

Anyway while Matt is a way thinking of how he can make up this 10 day leave of absence to myself and Sunny, Auntie Erin is coming for a visit! She’ll get here this evening and we can’t wait! Truthfully she is coming in to see Baby Rory- but that’s besides the point. Lets not harp on whose coming in for what reason, lets just say that she’s a fantastic friend who is volunteering to stay here at casa-la-crazy with Sunny an me. She has this misguided notion that Sunny is lots of fun all of the time and keeps saying things like: “I can’t wait to see her!!!!! I just want to spend so much time with the babies!!!!”

I love her for her enthusiasim but 3 days of Aidan, Sunny, and Rory should be enough to send her happily singing the praises of singledom- Can I get an Amen from the choir? AAAMMMEEEENNN- thanks! (Is it weird that I answer my own questions?)

Today its 60 degrees here! S.A.D be gone! Sunny and I will be out and about picking flowers and taking a LONG well deserved walk! Actually this is Brooklyn so a fair amount of dodging dog shit and stepping in fumed slush will be taking place- but again lets look for the beauty in that. I’m also blasting my buddy Bob- as in Mr. Bob Marley. After my I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S STILL STUPID WINTER – I’M GOING TO JUMP OUT OF TH WINDOW- type of depression I read your emails and took your advice. So now we blast Mr. Bob Marley in the mornings and pretend it’s Spring. We’ve even gone as far as to make frozen fruit drinks ( okay it’s a yogurt and blueberry shake but same difference) and open the windows for some fresh air.

Oh good people how I wish you a great weekend. Did you hear about our 1st giveaway? If you can spread the word that would be loverly! (see post titled OUR 1st GIVEAWAY for details)

Have a phenomenal weekend you phenomenal women- we’ll be soaking in some Rory snuggles and some Auntie Erin time, and sending Da-Da off  on his much needed Va-K.

Hello Friends & New Friends,

Little Love Stories is sponsoring its 1st GIVEAWAY! Sound the alarms! We’re soooooo excited!

Wanna help us spread the word? OKAY! YOU WIN A CAR! YOU WIN A CAR! YOU WIN A…. Oh, sorry- never mind- I’m not Oprah, damn it!

It’s here! It’s here!

LittleLoveStories.com announces its first GIVEAWAY!

Little Love Stories is a full service post-production media company based in Brooklyn, New York. We specialize in personalized documentary memory videos for families and brides.

Our clients are looking to organize their home videos and photos, creating a year in review video that organizes their photos & home movies.  You can view our samples here on the samples page!

Our 2011 giveaway will feature a free personalized photo memory video  of the lucky winners family! We’ll provide an edited DVD  & web video for the winners blog, website, or Facebook page!

All your readers need to do is LIKE Little Love Stories on Facebook and leave a comment telling us what makes their family unique and winner of the 2011 giveaway will be announced on March 25^th 2011.

Find Little Love Stories on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Little-Love-Stories/162830493752450

If you’re blog/website would like to participate please contact Stephanie Willoughby at info@littlelovestories.com and I’ll promote your blog/website on my blog/website.

See more samples HERE!!!!!!!!!!

Little Love Stories provides web video content for businesses and websites. If your site is looking for video tutorials, unique wedding video ideas, or web content please contact Stephanie Willoughby at info@littlelovestories.com

Yesterday Sunshine and I joined a group of friends (some old and some new) at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum! A favorite stop for anyone in our area it’s packed with awesome activities for the little ones, including a water feature, balls, sand box, puppet show center, theater, soft room, and doll houses. VISIT THEIR SITE HERE!

This trip was more fun for Sunny then usual, because of course, now Sunny can walk and is trying to run. She was chasing behind “big boys” and of course one boy in particular named Marco- she has a thing for Hispanic 3 year olds I can’t explain it but my kid has a “type”- anyway we had a fantastic time. Except for that one moment when I almost started to cry during lunch.

Sunny can eat- you all know that- but once she was finished with our group lunch yesterday she threw her hands up in the air and was ready to get down from her high chair- the other babies and Mama’s were not finished though and so when I put little miss sunshine down on the ground she took off. She walked up and down the hallway- turning the corner and saying Bye-Bye. I’m yelling ( over one of the new friends head) COME HERE! NO! STOP! and then sharing a quick “Sorry” to the group of Mom’s whose children were sitting so nicely enjoying their lunch.

I took Sunny into the bathroom for a diaper change  and that’s when I felt my eyes well up with tears. Its very hard to explain but from the second you bring your new baby home you want everyone ( particularly family and friends) to think that your baby is “good”. I remember her being hours old and me saying to my Mom, “She’s really a good baby. She never cries! She’s so good!” even though I had no proof of that, she was literally 3 hours old. Even now I’ll report back to her, “Oh, she was such a good girl! So verbal and kind! She  just loves SO and SO and loves SUCH and SUCH!” It’s disturbing, I’ll give you that. Maybe more so when my tears yesterday were literally based on the fact that these new friends would think that my baby was wild and crazy- she was actually kind of “bad” during that lunch.

In her defense she was exhausted and it was nap time and she pushed through.

After emerging from the restroom I spotted Jill who I confessed to. She replied in perfect Jill style saying “Not to worry I know Sunny well and I know shes nice girl.”  Her simple reassurance was all I needed to move on with our day.

Once lunch as over, Sunny returned to her happy “good” self. She chased little Fia around, played with some “big kids” and enjoyed the remainder of her day at the museum.

We’ve entered a new phase; with walking comes freedom. I’ve told you all before how she’ll leave me places saying bye-bye, retrieving her gear and walking away from me often. She is extremely independent and is no longer satisfied by shinny objects and baby talk. At 14 months old she says OK, a lot. She ask me Why, often. She seems to realize that this big big world, is meant to be explored. I’m very very grateful for this child of mine.

And just for the sake of comparison here’s Sunny at 4 months!

I have to confess when I look at her 14 month photos she looks exactly like her Father. It’s her smile I think- I’m searching but I just don’t see me in her features….personality though- she’s got my eye rolling down!

With so many friends pregnant I get to talk baby talk a lot!

I do realize that this period of them asking me my opinion will be short lived. Soon they’ll have their new babies and soon after that they may have another and another….I will still be here with Sunshine taking it all in, getting excited for my friends, holding babies and giving them back to their mothers.

Sunny & The Goose 1 year ago

A recent trip to Queens to visit Mother Dear and The Goose has me a bit concerned about the idea of more than one. There went The Goose running at top speed, Sunny trailing closely behind her: Play this, watch this, eat this, what’s this? Wanna see, chase me, say 1-2-3 then go, okay? Love, love, and more love spills from my heart while pain, pain, and more pain is felt in my aging joints. I looked at Mother Dear and said, I’m not sure I want to do this…2 is different then 1. Our girls are 1.5 years apart and as adorable and sweet as any little girls can be- they are in a word…easy- so why did I feel like keeping up with them was is so hard? There was them and then there was me:  Not too rough, watch out, don’t jump so high! Don’t put that in your mouth, are you okay? Mama needs a rest, Aunt Stephie can’t catch you again, 1-2-3 here I come!

At the end of the night there was  movie about a Princess who kissed a frog. I watched our girls watch the screen- a black princess in New Orleans- they were mesmerized. How stunning they both looked there, so cute and perfect. I imagine us touring their first apartment, wedding dress shopping, and visiting them in Paris one day. Couldn’t I invest in the kids that are already here? Couldn’t I be their crazy-but cool Aunt who raised one kid really really well? I have an imaginary second child- somewhere floating in my head, dancing through my thoughts as we toured this home today….http://106montclairave.com

Imaginary is not the same as real, it’s a thought so small and fleeting that even I have trouble catching the gender and face.  Still it’s fun to indulge, to see, to listen.

Happy Valentines Day to each of you. Today is Sunshine’s 14 month birthday- tomorrow we’ll post her photos. A little love quote for my baby girl on Valentines Day:

“I love her and that’s the beginning of everything.” –F. Scott Fitzgerald

My baby could have a Wii video game in her honor. Check out her first music video- Starring Sunny & her Da-da!

Happy Friday everyone! Have you been to our FB page? We got a makeover! LIKE US & Share this video or any of our others HERE.

Sunny is walking. She walks everywhere all of the time.

Here’s what I love, I LOVE when she calls my name and then extends her arm so that we can walk and hold hands together. We walk through the kitchen, around the living room, through my office, and to the bathroom. We walk hand in hand up the street to her friend Noelle’s house ( the one who she stole the grapes from). We are buddies, me and my girl and now that she can walk- she’s even more fun then ever before.

Her wild hair blows in the wind that she generates from walking fast, hands extended in the air, eyes squinted shut, and laughing in hysterical giggles. She is a walker, hoping to become a runner, hoping apparently to run away from me.

NO- (you’re laughing!) Stephanie she will never ever leave you she LOVES you! We see the pictures, watch the videos- she will never leave you! Well I have news for you people, she already DOES leave me…and she doesn’t come back!

We made our way to Books & Babies at the local library. All of the regulars were there and Sunny appeared to be having a fantastic time. All of a sudden I hear a faint “Bye, Bye-Bye.” and when I swing around looking for Sunshine she’s not there. She had grabbed her free book (she gets a free book for attending B&B) and her hat and was walking down the hallway- ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I literally had to chase her down, bring her back ( kicking and screaming) while I put on my coat and grabbed my purse.

Then we were at our play date and she picked up her coat and hat and gave Noelle a kiss and hug and literally walked to the door! “Bye-bye, bye-bye Mama.”

Can you spell C-A-L-F-O-R-N-I-A this kid is on her way. Of course she’ll leave me for the west coast of course, this after I spent much of my day speaking to pregnant friends about the joys of working from home and taking care of my sweet baby girl who I’m so bonded with and so connected too…Don’t stay home ladies- they will move away regardless- your best bet is to never teach them to walk.

My friend Mary is a VERY talented photographer who specializes in family, infant, and maternity photography.

She has graciously invited me to work along side her business by creating photo memory videos using her clients portraits. You can share this video on Facebook or send a link to this site!

Some thoughts- when creating a video it’s very important to create a mood. I use backgrounds to add layers, and the backgrounds are actually the  families photos that I animated and distorted. The song is “Baby Mine” by Alison Krauss, some of you might recognize it from the film DUMBO. Haunting and beautiful Mary’s photos make the most magical videos.

You can find Mary’s website here (www.tearsofjoyphotography.com) & to get updates and more information please visit her Facebook page and LIKE Tears of Joy Photography!

If you’re a new or returning client of Mary’s you’ll be hearing from me. Little Love Stories will create a web video of your family portraits to be shared on Facebook & Twitter with your friends and family free of charge! Yep- you read that right! For more information LIKE US on Facebook and contact us on Facebook.

SIDE NOTE: As you know Little Love Stories makes memory videos for every occasion- contact us today for more information.

See you all there!