I quite enjoy the opportunity to photograph a maternity session where the focus is on the family. Here they are...at this time...together...getting ready to bring a new life into their family. In spite of having a toddler, it's peaceful compared to what changes are about to take place.

We all came together at one of my favorite parks to throw leaves, laugh, and enjoy the amazing fall air last holiday season (yes...I'm still about 10 posts out from blogging 2011 sessions ;-). Mom's eyes had me captivated, but the little ones...they definitely stole my heart. I know family sessions aren't always the easiest thing to get everyone together for (who am I kidding...it's got to be more difficult than childbirth), but as I'm reminded by my own children every day, you don't get this back...not one second of it.

Tonight was so surreal. See that little guy sitting on dad's lap? Yeah, this was him two years ago. And now he has a new brother that could possibly be his twin. And then to see how the older two kids (I use "kids" for lack of a better term, I promise, G) have grown into handsome/beautiful young adults. I just kept having to rub my eyes and pinch myself. In mom's words when I asked her to describe her vision for the session: "...document where we are. son taller than his mom, but not dad. daughter getting so pretty and surviving as the lone girl. j being crazy. baby being snuggly." Is this for real? Is this what I'm going to be staring at in a few years myself (son taller than his mom???). Wow. I'm so not ready for that. But they are. And they take everything in with such grace and love. They set a pretty darned good example--well, minus the little run-in with a rogue stroller and a sidewalk. Yeah, other than that...pretty amazing.