Sweet Summertime | Lifestyle Photography | Birmingham Photographer
Am I the only one in shock that we are in the middle of Labor Day weekend? How did it get here so quickly? I swear it was last week that our beloved Y pool was opening for the summer and in just one more day, it will be closing. Say it ain't so.
We had a fun summer trying new things. We signed Dawson up for T-ball for the first time. It was a lot of fun watching him. I'm so glad it was super laid back, too. Every kid got to bat every inning and the games only lasted 45 minutes to an hour. In the Alabama summer heat, it's all anyone can stand. He did great and improved with every game. His favorite parts? Batting and the post game snacks, of course. We still need to work on the concept of actually stepping on the bag when running the bases, and not throwing the bat after he gets a hit. But, we're working on it. The coaches were so patient with him and I am one thankful mama for a good experience with his first time at it.
Daddy was even able to make it to all of the games. His work uniform ironically coordinated with the T-ball uniforms, so he just looked like part of the team. I'm dying over this photo of them. Their smiles (especially my husband's) gets me every time. So handsome!
Talking game strategy of course. (Or what he hopes next week's snack will be.)
Thanks to my parents, we were able to make a trip to the beach, too. Anselmo LOVES the beach. His goal is to see just how much sand he can dig on any given day. This worked out perfectly for me because I would much rather be under a tent feeling the warm breeze, admiring the ocean, and catching up with my mom and sister while the boys get sand everywhere.
My sister and her kiddos. Loved getting time with them.
All of the guys. Can you pick out the Brazilians?
Shortly after we got back from the beach, we celebrated "Water Day" with the kids and moms in our church. The kids had a blast! The moms kept a pretty safe distance from the chaos.
Popsicles for everyone! (Remember this guy from my summer photo session?)
There's Dawson scrambling for ammunition.
And these two...what a motley crew. We have to keep a close eye on them. They're sneaky.
The summer rolled on with more firsts. Caiden swam on his own for the first time with absolutely no prompting! It took us by surprise, but once he figured out he could float, it was all over. Now he can't stop doing cannon balls in the deep end!
I was asked to do team photos for the first time, too. The scheduled date didn't work out for Dawson's team, so they asked me to step in do it. From what everyone said, it was so much more convenient and (I believe) the pictures were a lot better quality than typical team pics. I loved making little package options with magnets, team photos and even the memory mates. I think it was a success and am hopeful for more opportunities in the future. (Interested in team pics for your kid's youth league? You can contact me here.)
I present to you the Pelham Y Tigers. Are they not the cutest??? These are some great kids and coaches!
I'm particularly fond of #9.
The coach asked if we could try and get a "cool" shot. I think we hit that one out of the park. (Ha!) I normally don't edit my photos like this, but it was begging for a vintage feel. Anyone else think of The Sand Lot when you see this? "You're killin' me, Smalls!"
Sweet friend of the boys there to cheer on her brother.
Dawson running the bases and getting cues from his coach.
This one? He and his friend kept themselves busy running up bleachers or finding new patches of dirt to play in during the games.
Speaking of this guy...he celebrated his 4th birthday in July. We decided to keep it simple with ice cream cones at the golden arches. The kids played hard on the playground outside while the adults talked inside...in the air conditioning. Win!
Head drenched from playing hard didn't phase him. He was just too excited to be with his friends. Those curls!
The next day was his actual birthday and we celebrated with a pancake breakfast. Then he opened a few presents from us and played with the presents he got the night before. Hello, bed head! This boy brings so much laughter to our lives. He is all or nothing. He gives with no strings attached and reminds us all to live life with a big heart. He keeps asking how many days until he's 13. Too may for you to count, sweet Buddy, but too few for this mama. Time slow down.
We kept the celebration going as we headed over to Atlanta the next weekend for the boys' first Braves game. We had THE best time. We were spoiled by family, and I even felt quite nostalgic as I watched the 1991 Alumni Team parade across the field. (Um, 25 years since they won the pennant that started their string of championships. Nope, that did not make me feel old. Um, not one bit.)
Then there was our boys' first memorable experience with the Olympics. Oh, my goodness! We were enthralled. It made us long for Brazil and be so proud of the country we used to call home. What about that gold medal soccer match? Hello?! Our hearts were about to explode. Ahhh! I miss "all the feels" already.
Another first: all of the cousins together! My twin sister and her family just moved to the States! I'm so excited to be living in the same time zone with her for the first time in 17 years!
A summer of so many firsts! Super thankful as I look back over the photos and realize what a sweet summer it was. It really seemed to happen SO fast, but I'm glad we have these images to keep those memories fresh in our minds. Looking forward to the fall, beautiful colors, and more opportunities to photograph families other than just my own.
