This is the story of Gabby and Maya, two adorable kid sisters.

Their mom, Jamie, invited me over for a spell one afternoon. Instead of traditional payment, we agreed to barter: I photographed her daughters in exchange for a huge haul of excellent used toys to bring home to my daughter Ruth! A great win-win situation.

Gabby, the eldest daughter, conversed with me freely and enjoyed hamming it up.

Maya was almost completely full of giggles the entire time.

Some of my favorite goofy shots were when I told the girls to spin around and be silly. By far, the best technique was to tell them, "Don't you smile at me!" in a scolding voice, or "Don't let me take your picture!"

Photographing these little girls gave me a little view into what motherhood will be like for me in the coming years. At every stage in a child's development, there are new levels of beauty and mystery!