And Then They Were Five | Libertyville Family Photographer | Water Street Dreams

Oct 30

Written By Alysa

Just like that,

this little family of four

became a family of five.

Of course I didn't have to go through pregnancy or labor,

so to me it was like a blink and it happened.

Katy might tell a different story!

Which is why I love documenting

a family year-after-year.

Kids that were only siblings like sweet Julia,

become big sister once over.

And before long they're a big sister

to two little brothers.

I can't wait for Baby Charlie's

smash-the-cake session,

already scheduled for his first birthday next spring.

I’ve done both of his older sibling’s smash-the-cake sessions

So this makes me over-the-moon happy to capture Charlie at one!

Those have to be some of my favorite sessions ever!

Seriously,

who doesn't like a baby trying cake for the first time.

It's magical and messy and

OH.SO.FUN.

Julia is just precious.

Yes?

Yes.

It took her all of about 3 minutes to warm up to me.

The beauty of repeat customers!

She’s a big girl now,

going to preschool

and learning to read!

I have to tell the sweetest story

about Andrew.

I think the boy is going to be a

landscape architect someday.

The whole session he was

pretending to blow the leaves

with sticks he found.

And while we’d walk

into the woods to do a bit of exploring,

he’d start "clearing all the brush"

so we could get through.

Moving it out of the way.

He takes his job seriously.

And he could hardly wait to get home after the session

because guess what day it was?

Lawn mowing day.

Apparently he follows Dad around the yard

with his own little lawn mower

and he just loves it.

After hearing that,

I wanted to follow them home

and snap some photos of that,

because I promise,

in decades to come,

Katy will remember looking out the window

at her husband and her son,

tackling the yard work together.

Andrew was very preoccupied with the weeds at the end of the bench.

It was killing him to not move them out of the way.

But I think this is one of my favorites

simply because it's real life

with

THREE LITTLE PEOPLE in tow.

Katy and Ray,
you're officially outnumbered.

Katy, you're such a great mom.
I don't know how you do it with three littles
and going back to work full time
with a little one that still wakes you up each night.
You get the award!
Look at Charlie looking at you in this one below.
Sweet thing!

Well peek-a-boo little mister.

How 'bout tonight you sleep all the way through

for your mama.

Deal?

Excellent.

She's counting on you little buddy!

Oh how every baby on the planet

needs to be photographed in a bucket.

Simply irresistible.

I'm not sure he really knows what to think about the bucket.

But he's diggin' the cozy afghan.

Isn't he just precious?

Near the end of a photo session,

if the kids are done

but we need to grab a few more images,

I play a little

'sneak up on mom and dad

and hug them GENTLY around the neck'

and we get some of my favorite images.

Every.single.time.

One of my best little 'tips' as a photographer.

Kids absolutely

LOVE

secrets and surprises

and sneaking up on mom and dad.

Littlest brother is completely oblivious,
but by this time next fall
he'll be ALL giggles.
Mark.my.words!

Happy Monday y'all.
Here's to leaf throwing just because you can,
and snuggles with your loved ones,
and surprises
and the little things in life!
Soak it up, folks.
Soak it up!