Let’s Hear it for the Boys

I am the mom of four rambunctious boys ages 2-10 so I did not bat an eye when the Jordan family scheduled their session with their three boys. Three?! That's a piece of cake! But honestly, they were three of the sweetest boys ever and parents are equally amazing.

When I arrived at the family home, Brady was equipped with a fanny pack. He informed me that a mountain lion had been roaming their property and he needed to be prepared. A boy after my own heart--because young Calli did the same thing on our acreage in northern Iowa.

The family recently finished their new home and just moved in. The boys are enjoying the space to run but Dusty commented about the amount of time it will take to do the lawn maintenance. They're working on growing grass in the backyard and Brady promptly sat down in the dirt near the beginning of our session. Later he hid among the trees and acted as a sniper.

I love that the Jordan boys are so close in age to my own boys. Parker and my oldest are both in 5th grade, although they don't have any classes together. I asked Parker if he ever smiled with his teeth and he promptly told me, "No!" No problem.

Ben will be celebrating his third birthday in December and he is very much a two-year-old boy. He found a random pop can while we were doing photos and he insisted on carrying it around with him. I snapped this photo of Ben and Brandy on the family's back steps and it's one of my favorites in their gallery--pop can and all. I later convinced him to give me the pop can and I placed it on my head to get a few giggles. Ben, like my own two-year-old is in a Daddy Phase. Us mamas, can't ever catch a break!

I love how these three brothers got along so well. The family even held hands without anyone throwing a tantrum--I feel like the Jordan boys should give my own young men some lessons on being kind to one another.

Family photos don't have to take a long time. I frequently give prompts to the family members that are fun. Kids and parents will leave the session feeling optimistic and they had a good time together. Capturing kids' genuine smiles and giggles is one of my favorite things about being a photographer. I think my own experience as a mom helps bring that out. Kids quickly view me as a trusted person while also being someone they can be silly around.

I'm so glad the Jordan family invited me to their new home to take photos of their boys. It'll be so fun to see how their boys and landscaping changes overtime.