Hooray! I’m coming out of blogging hibernation to share some photos from this lovely Sunnyvale family session!
Funny story - the Lai family and I originally scheduled their family session for last spring when Crystal was still expecting but then.. baby Kit came earlier than expected :) So more than a year later, I was so excited to finally meet the 4 (!) of them in person…
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Our dear friends Kellie and Min were recently expecting their first child (past tense, because as of this post, baby Tenaya has graced us with her presence!!!), so we spent a lovely morning in Sunnyvale documenting this precious season. We started the morning with some classic portraits with some cute outfits among the trees in the park, and even some fun shots on the playground since they both have really fun spirits (one is especially good at childlike joy, I’ll let you guess which one :D). However, my favorite part of the session by far was in their famous #minllievan. These two transformed a regular ol’ mini van into a transportable home when they went on a months-long cross-country road trip a few years ago, and it was important to them to be able to document their special space. I love these photos because they are so relaxed and at ease, and at the risk of sounding redundant, you can tell they just feel at home.
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It was a sunny afternoon, but the wind was picking up. The Huynhs were bundled up in puffy jackets and warm coats. Both Elyse and Miriam were understandably reluctant to shed their cozy outer layers. Their mom, Lia, knew just what to do: "I'll take off my jacket too! We'll run back and forth and then we'll get warm!" Oldest sister Elyse agreed, and soon the whole family was chasing each other around the park, jumping and giggling and hugging. Nothing like a four person race to get your body moving!
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It was just the two of them. Octary and Hilmu, strolling through the trees, gazing at each other with the sweetest little giggles. As I snapped away with my camera, I heard raucous laughter and singing behind me. We turned to see an adorable sight: Octary's two siblings dancing and hopping around, her mom bouncing baby Mikayla, her dad grinning off to the side, and little Nayla in the midst of it all with the hugest smile.
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He darted from tree to tree. He gleefully threw leaves into the air. And then, inexplicably, little Cason bent over backwards into a tabletop pose. His parents watched in amusement, but not surprise. Such is the life of a family with four kids - you never know what new skills they've picked up along the way!
I've known Pat and Gloria for a few years now, ever since I started going to the same church in 2014. They've been married for 12 years (I know, they still look like newlyweds!), and you can tell just by watching their family that the Yaos have built up a beautiful family on a solid foundation of love, respect, and FUN!
The kids tend to be more reserved and behaved on Sunday mornings, but I loved seeing them let loose at our park session! Addie and Laina were the best older sisters, sprinting through the trees to make the younger two laugh. Cason constantly hammed it up for the camera, and youngest Kayli took some steps on her own before returning to the comfort of her parents' arms.
Gloria and Pat, thanks for meeting me on a precious Saturday morning and letting me spend time with your family! I'm looking forward to growing with you over the years and seeing your children grow into the strong and compassionate adults you are raising them into. Love you all!
"Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street? Sylvie, do you know the muffin man?" Sylvie looked up and grinned at her grandma, who turned to me with a sheepish smile. "I only know one line from each song."
Sylvie's mom Jamie contacted me a few weeks ago to get some family photos while Sylvie was still in that sweet 9 month stage. Jamie's parents and sister had flown in all the way from the East Coast for the Thanksgiving holidays, so it was perfect timing to grab some photos with the whole gang!
Throughout the entire session, Sylvie was showered with affection, whether it was her dad Sruli tossing her in the air, aunt Fran giving her a tight embrace, her very own grandma jukebox, or the whole family dancing and jumping around to make her laugh. And laugh she did!
Jamie and Sruli, thank you for inviting me into your precious family time together. The love you have for each other spills out in hugs and laughs and jokes. And Sylvie is such a relaxed and happy baby - she is so lucky to have so many people who care for her!
