These soon-to-be parents had their maternity session back in June (ok, so I’m a liiiiitle behind on blogging. ;) ) Baby Tucker should be making his appearance very soon! I can’t WAIT to take his newborn photos, and anytime I get to see his parents, that brings a smile to my face.
This session was a birthday gift! What a fabulous idea. We all met at one of my favorite locations in Laguna Beach and focused on the goal of getting this extended family an updated photo with all of the new family members, as well as smaller groupings. Such a fun time, and the little grandsons were such a blast!
Baby Jace arrived in May, and he made for the third boy in the J family! I always smile at three-boy families. I think how awesome it is for the boys to have all their brothers, and laugh that I always thought I’d be a “boy mom.” Didn’t work out that way, but I definitely have a heart for all-boy families. Look at how sweet he is, and how his big brothers already adore him!
This family is near and dear to me. I’ve watched them marry, then grow this family of theirs and I couldn’t be more proud to call them friends. While visiting from Santa Barbara, we planned to carve out time for long overdue family portraits. I am so glad I got to capture the T family doing what they do best–playing and loving on each other.
This little man’s sweet parents shared with me at their maternity session that they would be waiting to find out whether itty bitty baby was a boy or a girl. What a fun surprise it was for them when they found out he is a BOY! And what an adorable little guy he is. I had so much fun snuggling with him that day, it was difficult to hand him back over.
Before I show all his adorableness, check out his awesome nursery! Mom did such a great job during the planning stage keeping it modern as a gender-neutral nursery, and dad did a spot-on job with the perfect painted chevron wall. Love, love, love the gray and yellow.
Let’s try playing a little game of catch-up, shall we?! I am a wee bit behind on blogging my sessions. So we’ll start with sessions from *ahem* May. I blame it on those littles running around my house I blogged about the other week. ;)
First up, the R family. They’re all gorgeous. And sweet. And just plain adorable. They recently made a huge move across the country (thank you for serving our country, R family!), and wanted to capture some family moments at the beach. Their session was WINDY! We shot anyway, and then rescheduled a makeup session. And what would you know, it was windy again! But they rocked their session anyway. R family, thank you for letting me send you guys off with some sweet pictures of your family in California!
I have a confession: I am slightly terrified of my girls turning two today. And it’s not because turning two makes them officially toddlers, and they’re no longer babies, and I don’t have baby stuff in my house anymore and OHMYWORDWHEREHASTHETIMEGONE! It’s because they’re two, and there are two of them. And big bro is only 3 1/2, and didn’t he JUST leave the terrifically awesome two’s, and finish getting his molars in, and OHMYWORDNOWTHEREISTWOOFTHEM. It’s slightly…crazy…at my house sometimes. And in my car. And out in public. Does it stop me from taking them everywhere and running around like the crazy little gang we are? No. But I’ve noticed our public appearances are getting a wee bit hairy at times. I am in for a RIDE, friends!
Now that I’ve confessed I plan to live this next year with one eye open hoping my girls will spare me some of the tantrum-induced drama that is bound to happen, I feel like I can properly reflect on the fact that my. babies. are. two. Toddlers. Little big girls. Talking. Exploring. Forming opinions about food and clothing preferences. They are going to live this next year either loving the camera or hating it. Perhaps potty training. Swimming. Less time hanging on my hip, and more time playing with friends. And each other. Which makes me so happy for them and all the adventures they will go on, right by each other’s side, sometimes on the back of brother’s heels.
It is the absolute raddest thing ever that my girls get to do life together. They aren’t just sisters. They’re TWINS. They don’t have to like each other every second of the day, but they’re always going to have sissy by their side. The other day Jake and I were talking about the girls being in my belly at the same time. Jake had that look where he realized, whoa, they were both in there. He asked me if they talked to each other and hugged each other when they were in my belly. Stifling my giggle I answered, “probably.” And then serious as ever he asked, “and were they biting each other?” That’s pretty much twin life right there. Always someone right there to talk to, laugh with, hold hands…and maybe a little biting each other. Ok, probably a lot of biting.
Apart from being twins, they are completely unique beings. From their personalities, to their height, hair color, preferences, and demeanor, they are certainly their own little people.
My Ava Marley, you are sunshine wrapped up in a two-year-old. You have a noticeable strut that takes your little legs on your wanderings. I would pay big bucks to get into that mind of yours. I know you’re always thinking and processing your world around you because your facial expressions are ever-changing based on what you’re thinking and taking in.
I know you’ll dream big and serve with your big heart. Thank you for your endless patience with sissy, brother, and especially with me, as I often times take your easygoing nature for granted. I love your jibber jabber and that you copy everything we say. You are such a gift to me, sweet Ava, and have so much to offer the world.
My Chloe Harper, your smile can brighten anyone’s day. When we go on errands, you’re constantly waving and shouting “byyye!” to passersby. You don’t walk anywhere, you RUN, and boy are you fast. I love that you want to be first to get there, always hurrying by on your own little missions. It shows how excited you are about your world and all it has to offer.
You are so helpful to your brother and sissy, thank you for that. I love how you’ll help get their clothes, shoes, look for their toys, take ANYTHING from Brody’s mouth he’s not supposed to have. That selfless behavior is what this world needs a lot of, so you keep showing your love to others. Your snuggles mean the world to me and Daddy, my sweet Chloe.
Suddenly, I’m not quite as terrified having two two-year-olds. I’m super stoked about the growth they’ll have this year and I’ll have in my mama journey. The ladies are TWO!
This sweet couple should be expecting their little bundle sometime very soon! I can’t wait to do her newborn session once she makes her appearance. I love maternity sessions because I think women are just so gorgeous during this time in their life, and I just love all of the love and anticipation surrounding the baby. It’s so easy to get genuine smiles out of these dads because they’re just stoked on what’s coming! Such a joy to be part of my clients’ special times in their lives.
This function has been disabled for Harley Jay Photography.