Day in the Life Family Sessions

I once heard a story that resonated with me. I don’t remember all the details but let me paraphrase it. You are taking the kids to the beach. It was a long drive. The kids were bickering and getting tired of being in the car. “Her foot is touching my foot!”, “Stop looking out the window of MY side!”, “She’s farting in my direction!”. You know, the usual nonsense. You finally reached the beach. The kids run out while you grab the beach chairs, blankets, toys, sunscreen, floaties, cooler filled with food, kitchen sink, etc, etc. It’s like a mad juggling act all while holding the youngest toddler in the other arm as he squirms as if trying to commit suicide. So much work, for a few hours at the beach. So much stress for what is supposed to be a day of “fun”. And it just started. While you continue to stumble carrying everything and are yelling at the kids to slow down and stay in sight, an older couple, maybe in their 50s, pass by and you over hear them say “Oh look at that family. Sigh. Those were the days, right? … How I miss those days.”

They are right. These are the days. As a parent, you are currently living “THE DAYS”. As a father of 3 kids, I know that life is hectic, crazy, and far from perfect. It’s straight up difficult. No matter how hard it is, years from now these are the days you will look back on. These are the days you will miss. The days you will long to experience again.

As much as I constantly yearn for a break from the kids, I already know I will eventually miss all the chaos. It is why I’m taking things slow this year. I’m shooting less weddings, less blogging, less social media. This year I’m focusing on my family (still taking on weddings, but only through referrals). Kids grow fast and I don’t want to feel like I missed it. I already feel like I missed a lot of the best years with my other kids. So for our youngest, our last (please be our last!), I’m taking things slow and soaking it all in, because soon they won’t need me.

I will miss the noise of kids running around and being loud instead of lying on the couch looking at their phones. I will miss brushing my toddler’s teeth. I will miss the nonsensical baby babble. I will miss them running to me after the smallest boo-boo so I can rub it better even though it barely hurts and doesn’t need rubbing. I will miss the unreasonable crying over silly things like their cracker breaking in half when they bit into it. I will miss pushing them in the cart at the grocery store. I will miss buckling them into car seats. I will miss the messy eating as they struggle to get food in their mouth with their baby spoon. I will miss how reliant they are on me. I will miss the unconditional love. And yes, I might even miss the diapers …. maybe.

These are the moments I want documented. These are the moments I want to remember. I want photos of regular every day life. I want photos about imperfection.

For the longest time I’ve wanted to do a different type of family session. One that was more true to real life. Not about matching outfits and props. One just about a regular day. A Day in the Life.

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And with all that, here are a few photos from a Day in the Life of The O’dells