Pictures of moms with their little precious kiddos are definitely some of the most important pictures I will ever take. I was incredibly honored that Callie asked me to photograph her family since she is also a photographer and one of those people that everyone loves (including me!). I got to know Callie through The NotWedding (a fake wedding to inspire real brides- an amazing experience!). Callie comes up with ideas and makes them happen as seen in starting the NotWedding, The GuestBox, and her photography business, Achor and Eden. I have so much respect and admiration for her, but I would say the greatest part of her resume is being a wife and mom. Callie and I talked about me coming into their home to capture life as it is on an everyday basis: playing outside, reading books, taking baths, playing snuggly crib. These are the kind of family pictures I adore taking. They are a real depiction of this passing stage of life. And this was even more significant because David and Callie just sold their home and are preparing to move, so these photos will help them remember life in the little years.
Callie's husband, David, serves in the US Navy so it was fitting to get some pictures of him in uniform with his girls. Wells even put on David's sailor hat which was the cutest:) It was fun for me to see two little sisters (Wells and Charleston, aka "Charlie") love on each other and play because I always imagine that girls are so different from boys. But it turns out they are very similar, just different clothes and toys than my little boys. Although I do wonder if Wells ever knocks over Charlie with the same amount of boy aggression as mine! Wells and Charlie have become sister-friends by playing "snuggly crib," which is when they both get in the crib and play around with pillows and blankets. It was fun for me to photograph snuggly crib and made me think about the significance of taking everyday pictures of my family.
Charlie loves to take play food, put it in her mouth, and crawl around with it. Callie had told me about this and then a little later I looked around for Charlie and found her wandering with a plastic chicken drumstick in her mouth. The camera came out and Charlie was caught with her food. Meanwhile Wells was giving Callie a checkup with her stethoscope, and she determined everything sounded good.
I could have posted even more pictures than I did because there was so much life and energy and joy in this home. I know Callie blogs about so many other people and causes through her different businesses, so I thought it would be special to blog about her. What really stands out to me about Callie is her commitments and values. She is committed to being present with her little girls, even if that means working early hours before they wake up and using their nap times to be productive. And Callie isn't afraid to ask for help from others or through Mother's Day Out programs. She is balancing being a successful business owner (multiple businesses!) with being a present and loving mom, which is one of the hardest tasks I've ever encountered. Callie and I got to talk over dinner about what it looks like to spend quality time with your husband (i.e. not editing pictures while they are talking to you) and what limits are helpful in how many weddings you photograph a year. I believe Callie is super wise beyond her years and will reap abundantly some day for all the sowing she has done in so many people's lives. Thank you for letting me photograph you and your family- it was a privilege for me and a reminder of the beauty of life at home.
Photographing families like this is my dream for family photography- thanks for letting me be a part of your family for a few hours, Callie!!
xoxo,
Kaitie