San Francisco Bay Area Family Photographer | Five Years Old

I am about to bombard you with images.  I can’t help it.  I LOVED this shoot.  Like, maybe more than any session ever.  Yes, they’re my kids, and I’m super duper very very muchly fond of them, so there could be a case of mommy goggles goin’ on here.  I will admit that.  But I also loved this shoot because I had an idea and was able to make it happen.  And for me, it happened better than I could have ever expected.  Maybe it was fate.  Maybe it was luck.

Maybe it’s because of the gigantic amount of love I have coursing through my veins for my boy.

My boy.

Turning five years old.

My little baby boy, who melts me with just one sweet look with his brown eyes.

My boy, whose voice really should be bottled and given to all those that are hurting, because, I’m telling you, his voice fills me heart with just crazy, shaky, can-hardly-stand it, type of joy.

My boy, who tells me with sweet and clear conviction every.single.day that he loves me.  He loves me the best.  And he’ll ALWAYS love me.  And he’ll ALWAYS want to snuggle me.  And I can call him my baby even when he’s bigger than me. Sigh…. I love that bugger.

Just so it’s clear, I love my girl with crazy deep love too.  This session, though, was for my son because he’s turning five.

And that’s how many fingers you have on one hand.

I love my boy.  And I kinda think that after seeing these pics of him and his sweet sister, that you too, may be feelin’ a little bit of the love I have for them.  Enjoy!  And I love blog comments, so feel free to gush about how cute my kids are and to leave my little man some happy birthday wishes, mmm-kay?

I love how the balloons look like a smile here.  :)  Five balloons for the five years we have been blessed with his presence in our lives.

Oh, this one is one of my favorites!  He was dancing around and just doing what he does.  I can just picture what his face would look like.  He’s being silly and fabulous. At the time, I so wanted him to be looking at me, but really, this shot is one of my favorites of the whole series.  Just goes to show that forcing a kid to do what you want doesn’t always get you the pictures you’ll end up loving.

My sweetie girl had to join in the fun.

Mommy, can you make me look higher in Photoshop?

Yes, dear.  :)

Me too, Mommy!  Me too!

Yes, dear. :)

I just love the simplicity of this one.

I love how her hair turns golden in the sun….

As a photographer, I am very often FIRMLY planted BEHIND the camera.  I am hoping to rectify that this year and will be doing my best to get myself in more pictures with my family.  I  had the forethought to bring my tripod and remote trigger, set to a two second delay, so that I had time to trigger it, and hide it.

I am crazy about these shots.  My son is growing up.  There will come a time when I cannot pick him up, and despite all the sweet things he tells me about always wanting to snuggle up with me, I know there will come a time when I won’t be cool, and he’ll want and need his space.  When that happens, I will wipe a tear from my eye and go and look at these pictures.

And then I’ll go and wrestle my boy to the ground and DEMAND that he snuggle with me or I’m taking the keys to his car and he’ll be GROUNDED, YOUNG MAN.  Hahhhaaaa….

And this one.  This one.  The very first one I edited when I got home.  This one fills me with that INSANE kind of happy happy woot woot holla kind of feeling.  This one’s getting printed big.

If the sun hadn’t set, I don’t think I ever would have left….

Thank you for looking.

And Happy Birthday to my boy who made my family whole.

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38 Comments:

  1. Kara Layfield
    January 25, 2011
    Reply

    Happy Birthday little man!!! Laura – your kiddos are with out a doubt just the cutest!! I can see that they are full of life just like their Momma!! I adore the ones with you in them. That’s something that I need to more of. These are creative and beautiful!!

  2. amy
    January 25, 2011
    Reply

    i adore this session!!! so much fun! you kids are gorgeous as are you!!! looks like they had a lot of fun!!! you are so full of creativity laura!!!

  3. Laura
    January 25, 2011
    Reply

    Ain’t five grand? What a magical time in a child’s life and you captured it sooooo beautifully and your words so touch my heart. As the mama of five I hate to tell you this but you will not believe the lightning speed that the grown boy with keys to his own car will be here. These photos will be more of a treasure than you can imagine. Beautiful, beautiful work Laura.

  4. Courtney Jozsa
    January 25, 2011
    Reply

    Ummm….Laura……Are you kidding me!!!!!!!!!!! I love you!!!! I dont even know you but I love you!!!!!!!!! What a stunning session any mother would LOVE to have – Happy 5 years old to your handsome little man!!!! I have the same type of love for my 18 month old son – my daughter too of course – but a son just does something a little different to my heart. Great stuff laura….Kudos to you for thinking to get in front of the camera – you ahve now inspired me to add a tripod and trigger to my tax return wish list!.

  5. Shelby
    January 25, 2011
    Reply

    :sigh: Laura – I loved reading this post as much as seeing the photos. Your kids are beautiful and so are YOU Momma! Time passes too quickly and I know that these photos will forever hold a special place in your hearts. Happy Birthday to your baby!

  6. Virginia
    January 25, 2011
    Reply

    Happy 5 years old! Laura, your kids’ joy is but a reflection of the joy and love you lavish upon them! I love, love love your work!

  7. Jonni
    January 25, 2011
    Reply

    Laura,

    Such gorgeous pictures of your beautiful family and happy 5 years birthday to your special and handsome little guy! :)

    Hugs,
    Jonni

  8. Leah Jent
    January 25, 2011
    Reply

    Happy Birthday to your boy, Laura! These photos are gorgeous. Of course my boys will never be five years old, because that is too big and too old and too grown up, and I am going to find the magic pause button to keep them babies with bibs and sippie cups and tiny fingers and little hiccups and soft chubby cheeks pressed against my face. I am not going to let my kids ever get so big they will need space and won’t want to cuddle. They won’t ever be bigger than me. No. Gosh, babies don’t keep…

  9. Paola
    January 25, 2011
    Reply

    Beautiful Laura your post is so heart felt and sweet and the pics are just amazing.Happy Birthday to your little guy.

  10. Julie Wagoner
    January 25, 2011
    Reply

    Well, you don’t have to encourage me to gush over these because I love every little thing about them. Happy Birthday to your little boy. You will always be able to relive the joy of five through these beautiful, magical images!

  11. Tiffany Bender
    January 25, 2011
    Reply

    These are amazing…as usual. Happy birthday sweet boy!

  12. Miriam
    January 25, 2011
    Reply

    Love, love, love all the pure joy in these pictures! And the colors… And those super high jumping shots! Truly amazing! A very, very, very happy, happy, happy birthday!

  13. Helen Savage
    January 26, 2011
    Reply

    Gorgeous work Laura, these are great and your kids are gorgeous! Happy Birthday to your little man x x x x

  14. Anne
    January 26, 2011
    Reply

    Oh my gosh!!! Happy Birthday! Happy Big Sister-ing !! Those photos are breath taking. I love the ones with you and your son, Laura. Your kids will treasure these images–and I bet their children will too!

  15. Kel Ward
    January 26, 2011
    Reply

    I am in love with the 9th photo (the simple one). It’s just…simply perfect! These are all so fun and colorful and I just adore them all! You, of course, are cute enough to put in my pocket and carry around with me all day.

  16. Dezarae
    January 26, 2011
    Reply

    Wow Laura. I mean, seriously! These are fabulous! What a super fun shoot! Happy birthday to your little boy!

  17. Cheng
    January 27, 2011
    Reply

    Laura, these are just breathtaking! Love love love!

  18. Jen Gasper
    January 27, 2011
    Reply

    The way you capture your children puts me in constant awe! Your love for them explodes through the pages of your posts and the images are worlds beyond amazing. Your talent is one to be inspired by! Happy Birthday Little Dude!

  19. Santina
    January 27, 2011
    Reply

    Happy birthday to your little man! Your photos are beautiful. I think I’ll be calling you soon to take some photos of my little boys!

  20. Krissy Allori
    January 27, 2011
    Reply

    I always look forward to your blog posts. You take your readers into your world and I love that. My absolute favorite is the one of the five balloons where he’s holding the fifth. Its absolutely stunning. I can’t wait to meet you, lady. Is it weirded that I want you to be my bestest friend in the whole wide world???

  21. Carrie
    January 28, 2011
    Reply

    Your blog is pure joy Laura!!!! Happy birthday little man 😀

  22. Nicole Z
    January 28, 2011
    Reply

    LOVE EVERY ONE of these!! Your kiddos are just too cute, and your work is just stellar!!! You are so talented girl!

  23. Fabiana Beatriz
    January 28, 2011
    Reply

    Happy Birthday Mr. Man! You are so lucky to have such an amazing mama!!! These are just magical, Laura.

  24. desi
    January 29, 2011
    Reply

    laura! you’ve outdone yourself on these girl!
    no seriously…they are beyond awesome.
    well, well done

  25. Azure
    January 29, 2011
    Reply

    These are all incredible! Happy Birthday to your little man! I adore the images you captured of the two of you together. Beautiful. :)

  26. Kelly Mack
    January 31, 2011
    Reply

    Happy Birthday to your little guy. These are just beautiful Laura they made me smile and tear up at the same time. Magic!

  27. ashley
    February 01, 2011
    Reply

    Just fantastic! I love every single one so much! Brilliant work!

  28. I looked and looked an I could not choose a favourite! Each one just showed his great personality and your love for him! BEAUTIFUL work!

    HAppy birthday, little dude!

  29. Marzena
    February 03, 2011
    Reply

    This is one of my favorite sessions from you! Amazing, vibrant and so positively energetic. LOVE.

  30. Sylvia Borgo
    February 05, 2011
    Reply

    Awwww, Laura! I love this session. I’m almost sobbing over here, too b/c I CAN see how powerful your mommy’s love is for these two cuties. You’re pretty cute, too, you know . . . . I adore them all, but if i had to choose one – just one to have it be my fave I would choose 10 – with that magical swirly cloud and with your boy being a total goof boy!

  31. Claire
    February 08, 2011
    Reply

    I LOVE this session!!! These are fabulous! Your creativity blows me away along with your talent! Happy Birthday to your little boy!

  32. Becca Wersland
    February 09, 2011
    Reply

    happy birthday! I love love love these, laura. so much personality in your kiddos, and you! Love the shots of you and your boy specifically- such a great mama!

  33. sherral
    February 10, 2011
    Reply

    I love everything about these photos! What a fun idea. Love. Love. LOVE!

  34. Zoe Berkovic
    February 13, 2011
    Reply

    These are wonderful!

  35. Tori Piercy
    February 15, 2011
    Reply

    How in the heck did I miss these!!! Laura. Dear, sweet Laura. Just when i think you can’t out do your fab self you do these! Wow :) These are gorgeous and I can only imagine what they mean to you and your heart. You are pure awesome!

  36. Kate Craft
    February 16, 2011
    Reply

    I love these! I love you! I love your kiddos! :)

  37. amy
    February 22, 2011
    Reply

    These are all just so stunning. I love this session..

  38. CKH
    February 22, 2011
    Reply

    Happy Belated Birthday! These are so much fun Laura! Wonderful job!


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