Toddler life. It's just so good. The tipsy, wide-stance walking, the clumsy acceptance of solid foods, the intense emotional responses to being submersed in a tub, made to put on clothes, or mama walking out of the room... They are utterly unselfconscious and completely miraculous.
Such was this mid-day session with Ms. Maris...
Whenever I get to photograph a family for the second (or third or fourth) time, my heart rejoices! It's seriously such a joy to watch families grow and change over time, adding kids, moving to new homes, taking on new ventures (or pets)... life moves on so quickly and with such astonishing beauty and pausing to freeze a small section of it in photographs is such a great gift to give to yourself.
Erin and Keith have moved AND added a child (who just turned 1!) to their family since last time I photographed them. They're feeling more settled these days, more rooted in a home that they really love, and more complete as a family of four. They're a fun bunch and I think these images clearly display their energy and connection as a family, from playing in their yard to tickling and popsicle dances in the kitchen. So much goodness.
Here they first laid eyes on one another, first called her daughter, first introduced her to her big brother. Here in these first 48 hours, magic and miracle happened, circled by grace.
"The birth went SO fast that there wasn't a whole lot of time to soak in the whole laboring aspect this time around. Jed and I went from doing our normal routine putting Spencer down to bed to sitting on the toilet feeling the urge to push and then the next thing I know, Yolanda (midwife) is here and things have moved to the bedroom where I didn't leave until Troy arrived."
Those are Kati's summary thoughts on the home birth of her second son. She didn't even make it to the birth tub as she had hoped, and I didn't even make it to the actual moment of birth! Troy was born just a minute or two before I walked in the door to the sound of a newborn's cry, then around the corner into the bedroom where I saw Kati and Jed still flushed and looking a bit stunned over the reality of a baby so soon in their arms!
It's a common question that I get, by the way, the question of "what if you miss the birth?" And I have to tell the truth, which is that in spite of all my fast-action to get out the door, the advance prep of my camera bag and birth bag, and my efforts of quick response time to any text communication, there WILL be those times when I miss a birth and it isn't anybody's fault, it was just unavoidable. The good news it that that usually means the birth was smooth and all is well, as precipitous labors tend to be healthy ones. There is, of course, that little shoulder-slump of disappointment when I narrowly miss THE moment. On the other side of that brief set-back, however, there's all THIS: the fresh glow of golden hour with a still-wet newborn laid on his mama's heart, the first latch, the fingers of parents tracing every soft curve of baby's face, the tender newborn exam, and -- if we're lucky -- the moment the older sibling(s) meet the baby, too. It's not too late for any of that. :)
Without further ado, I offer you, the very freshest moment of Kati and Jed and Spencer with their newest family member, Troy.
Do you remember when your own baby was 6 months old? How magical it was to watch his/her little personality begin to emerge? How widely he/she smiled at you with recognition of the biggest love you've ever experienced? That's pretty much exactly the state Reagan is in right now, and her mom and dad are eating it right up. Of course they are. I would be too.
After years of living around the Unite States, Meghan came home again. Because home is the place you go when it's time for a daughter to be born. Especially when that home includes your mother and grandmother (your baby's grandmother and great grandmother) and nearly a century of history in that small town, and nearly as long of a history in the very house you're renting out. There are roots here, and from deep roots one can grow the tallest branches.
Liesel is a lucky baby.
