What a lucky family, to live smack in the middle of city but just down the street from the most awesome park, complete with its own mini prairie. After tossing some location ideas back and forth with me, Mom decided that this would be the best place for us to have the session. This beautiful park is where the family spends much of its free time, and is the place where many happy memories have been (and continue to be) made. It was an inspired choice!!
I was told that this family of four likes to stick close to home in its spare time. And why wouldn't they? This wooded wonderland features a variety of swings, each one made with love and hung from big, strong old trees. And if the kids ever tire of swinging (!), they've got a great sand box and climbing area. And let's not forget about the fully-outfitted firepit ('smores anyone?) or Kenzie the dog who seemed to spend most of our session with a ball in her mouth in anticipation of a game of fetch... Click your heels together and repeat after me: "There's no place like home."
No, not *that* kind of tub! After spending most of our session fully dressed - and very well dressed at that - this oh so handsome family decided to wrap up our time together with a dip in the hot tub. It started as a fairly ordinary (but extraordinarily pleasant) lazy, soupy, hot tub soak but ended as a rollicking riotous tub-a-palooza. Splash!!!!
Ok, so there was a little mud "issue" this session. To avoid sinking or stinking, we spent a lot of time just hanging around -- on the swing set and in the hammock. I had so much fun getting to know H and S a little better. This was my first time photographing them but our paths have crossed again and again... at tennis, at preschool, and goodness knows where else. They are awesome kids! And major kudos to mom and dad for being such excellent sports throughout our session, especially in light of the dreaded "fishbowl incident" earlier in the day.
Young Mr. O loves his rattle! It's just fine for shaking, eating and displaying to friendly photographers...
My family and I had a little unexpected medical adventure this week. On Sunday, what started as an odd-looking rash on my daughter's lower legs in the morning had progressed by nightfall to something scary-looking enough for me to take her to the ER at Highland Park Hospital. They were concerned enough there to send us on an ambulance ride, our first ever, to Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. As it turns out she was suffering from a relatively rare blood disorder that caused her body to attack it's own platelets. Over the course of that one day, her platelets dropped from their previously normal levels to a dangerous low. She had two days of treatment at Children's, returned home this afternoon, will be going to school tomorrow and is expected to recover fully over the course of the next few weeks.
How many people were singing that song this past weekend? At last, at last, after two of Chicago's rainiest days ever, the sun finally did come out and we have now had two beautiful days in a row. Of course, we have nothing to complain about compared to those hit by Ike and I am ever so grateful for the rain's limited impact on my life apart from some a couple of rescheduled sessions and a little found time to *finally* clean out my very neglected laundry room. So, no new images to post on the blog until later this week but I did want to report in that there are a couple of spots remaining for my "Simply Studio" mini sessions this coming Sunday at Principessa Children's Boutique in Highland Park. Please call or email if you are interested or have any questions. Have a great week!
"You Rock My World" was spelled out in rocks on this little stretch of sand, an apparent love note from one beach goer to another, left behind for all to appreciate. Unfortunately, the words are pretty hard to make out in this shot -- I needed to be a whole lot taller (where is a big ladder when you need it?) -- but it also expresses my feelings about this session. This was my first time photographing this family but I've known their mother for several years through mutual friends. I haven't seen the kids since they were teeny-tiny so it was a bit of a shock to see three big girls so full of personality and life. Mom and Dad were pretty rockin' too! It's always fun when the grownups are relaxed and up for a good time at their family session.
Despite the fact that I have shot these kids twice before, two year old "D" wasn't quite sure what to make of me on this particular morning. He was a little more shy than he had been in the past, and more hesitant to leave his dad's side. But there's no icebreaker like a walk in the woods! Led by fearless "Sissy," we marched and marched through their own little forest, peeking under rocks and fallen branches for millipedes and other natural treasures. We walked, we explored, we played a little hide & seek, and even pretended at one point that I was a bear. We didn't come out until there were twigs in our hair, brambles on our clothes, and a dead battery in my camera. I can still hear their joint shouts of "Millipede!!!!" each time one was spotted, as well as "D's" absolutely adorable cry of "I coming!" as he tried to keep up with his big sister.
This was the first session of the season where it actually felt like Fall is just around the bend. There was a bit of a nip in the air, some leaves on the ground (the victims of a bad rain a day or so before), and three lovely ladies in knits and corduroy.
