Childhood memories have a funny way of sneaking up on us in the most simple moments, and this session with Tucker, Katherine, and Ari took me right back to when I was a little girl. As a Boulder family photographer, I get to see so many of these tiny, unplanned moments — the ones that have nothing to do with posing and everything to do with just being together.
I remember running out the front door one afternoon, just walking around doing kid stuff, when I saw a lady bug flying nearby. It landed on the ground right next to my bare foot. I sat down and just looked at it, thinking — I wonder if they can think. I wonder if this lady bug was my age. Did she feel the same way I did? I used to make up little stories about lady bugs going on big adventures with their friends, and I'd even imagine them packing little bags for the trip. I'd completely forgotten I used to do that — until a lady bug landed on Tucker's leg, and he picked it up and handed it right to Ari.
Ari and Her New Best Friend
And this lady bug did the same thing for Ari that it always did for me as a little girl — it made her stop and be still for a moment. The second Tucker put it on her arm, she went quiet and so content, just watching the little lady bug crawl across her hand and up her arm. She was completely in the moment.
I was so happy that lady bug showed up when it did, because just a few minutes before, Ari hadn't been loving the camera much — and that's totally normal for her age. She wants to explore, run around, do her own thing, and that doesn't bother me for one minute. Because when we let kids be themselves — run around, get a little wild, have their own fun — they end up calmer, more like themselves, and that's when the best photos happen.
Enter: The Raccoon
When working with toddlers during a family session, I won't lie to you — sometimes it can be a little tricky, because toddlers are unpredictable and have their own agenda. But that didn't bother me for one minute. As a mom of four, I know that the moment a camera comes out, they suddenly don't want to be wherever they are. So I had to get a little creative to get Ari to look my way.
She'd brought along a small stuffed raccoon that her mom said she's become completely obsessed with. When she arrived, I let her set it on the yellow stool, got down on her level, and let her help me take a few photos of her favorite stuffed animal. That raccoon ended up making quite a few appearances throughout the session. When we moved into family photos, I actually put it on my own head. "Ari, look — the raccoon is on my head! That's so silly. Look, he's even wearing my sunglasses!" Did I feel completely ridiculous? Absolutely. Would I do it over and over again? Also absolutely. Because showing up for a toddler session really just means showing up to be a little goofy. And it worked — she looked right at the camera and gave me the best smile.
Bubbles, Rocks, and Going With It
Honestly, this was a session where Ari wasn't really in the mood to sit still or pose, and that's okay. She didn't want to cuddle up next to her mom's belly or sit close with her parents, and instead of fighting it, I just let her do her own thing. At one point I pulled out my bubbles, ready for a little distraction — except when I opened the bottle, there weren't any bubbles left inside. I remembered Rusty had dumped them all out, and Juniper had taken the empty bottle to the kitchen sink to make her own batch with Dawn dish soap. So, no bubbles. But Ari didn't mind one bit — she found some rocks instead, filled up the bottle, and happily carried it around the whole time.
Ari was honestly so fun to follow around that whole session, even though she wanted nothing to do with the camera most of the time. She had her own little world going on, and I loved getting to be a part of it for an afternoon.
A Moment for Katherine, Boulder Family Photographer
This was a family session, but it was also a maternity session — and those are some of my favorite kind to shoot. Katherine showed up in the most beautiful outfit, one that fit her so well and showcased her bump perfectly. She was so natural in front of the camera, and these turned into some of my favorite maternity photos I've taken. She looked relaxed, but you could still see the excitement in the way she moved and talked — especially talking about getting to raise two girls, two sisters.
This is exactly why I love being a Boulder family photographer who also gets to shoot maternity — you get both stories in one session. I hope Katherine knows she's going to be an incredible mother to both of them. She already carries herself with so much confidence and grace. It's a big responsibility, raising two girls, but one every mother of girls is glad to carry.
"Wow, Funder!"
While I did some maternity photos with Katherine, Tucker sat with Ari on the blanket. That's when I heard it — "Funder!" Ari was pointing up at the sky, saying it over and over, "wow, funder, funder," and something about the way she said it, just slightly wrong in that perfect toddler way, made me miss when my own kids were that little. I could've listened to her say it a hundred more times.
While she was still so excited about hearing the funder, another lady bug showed up out of nowhere, right there on the blanket. Nobody planned it, nobody posed for it — it was just Tucker and Ari together, watching this tiny bug crawl across his hand while she reached out to get a closer look. I didn't say a word. I just got to capture it.
What I Hope They Remember
I'll be honest — I was sweating half the session, working to catch her in these small, real moments before they passed. But that's exactly what I hope Tucker and Katherine feel when they look back on these photos one day.
It might have felt a little overwhelming — maybe they worried she wasn't cooperating, or that things weren't going the way they'd pictured. I want them to know: this happens at almost every toddler session. It's normal. It's okay. And we still walked away with beautiful photos of the three of them together, just before they welcome another little girl into their family.
As a Boulder family photographer, this is the kind of session I hope for every time — not the perfectly posed one, but the real one.
If you have a toddler and you're worried about how they'll act during your family session, let me show up for you the way I showed up for Tucker and Katherine. No stress on my end — we just follow their lead. click here to get more information!
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