Every toddler shows up to a session with a whole world of feelings—and I welcome every single one. Over the years, I’ve trained my heart to arrive at a session with no expectations at all. This means I’m rarely disappointed! Toddlers are wonderfully unpredictable, and instead of resisting that, I’ve learned to embrace the life stage they’re in. Their moods, their whims, their fierce independence…it’s a rite of passage (which, by the way, repeats when they hit puberty…you’re welcome 😉). So here are my real thoughts about sessions with toddlers…

Maybe it’s because I’m a parent of teenagers (who have strengthened my patience), or because I’m not taking your toddler home (ha!), but your toddler’s tantrums don’t faze me. They’re kinda cute and weirdly nostalgic for me. I remember the days when my toddlers clung crying to my legs one second and dissolved into giggles the next. Their ups and downs were exhausting then, and I couldn’t see past them to the experimentation that was at hand. In the swirl of emotion that attends some sessions with toddlers, it becomes my mission to capture what parents are too frazzled to see…a child who adores you, who feels safest in your arms, and who can be gently guided back to joy with patience, play, and a little photographer magic.

So if your toddler brings their whole heart—pouts included—to our session, don’t worry. You bring you, let them be them, and I’ll take care of the rest. That’s my job! It’s your toddler’s job to act their age, and I embrace them for who they are today!