Carmen VanDyck Photography » Anaheim Hills family photographer

Okay, this session didn’t really take place in Anaheim Hills, but both the photographer, and the adorable child now live here so that is just the location I am going to put. I still have a ton of sessions and mini sessions from BC to post, but this birthday post is rather late (seems to be a theme with my kids these last birthdays). But they really are very important to me, so I don’t want to wait too long. If you know me at all, chances are you know that I just am totally, madly, deeply, completely in love with this child. And that’s an understatement.I remember when I was discussing (read: begging, pleading, groveling, bribing, etc) having a third child with my husband, one of my feelings was that I really just needed to know it was my last when it was my last. Does that make sense? I wanted to to really just thoroughly enjoy the whole thing knowing it was my last. Well, my pregnancy was maybe God’s way of convincing me to never have a biological child EVER again. So I did not enjoy that. In fact by the end of it I was almost convinced that I didn’t want a third child after all. And then he was born. And my heart was overwhelmed. Oh I was in love the second I met him. And I can honestly say that I have cherished almost every minute since. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I cherished all three of my babies. But knowing that he was my last I held onto everything a little more. I have carried him on my hip years longer than his older sister and especially brother. I baby him, I know I do, and I am totally okay with that. But it is hard not to. He is my cuddly boy. He tells me “I need a snuggle” all the time. And I will never turn down a snuggle. He is so funny, and he knows it. The things he says just crack me up. His favorite these days is to pull out an “awwwk-ward” at every chance. He asks me for a kiss and then says “Gross!” when I give him one. He swaps out my drink for his when I’m not looking and sometimes tricks me (and laughs hysterically every time!). He puts toys in his clothes when I’m getting him dressed to make me laugh. He talks to anyone, and everyone that so much as looks at him. He loves to tell everyone about our big move from Canada. (though he totally doesn’t get it and gets mad almost daily when I say that Adam, or Eden, or Danae can not come over no matter how much I would love them to!) He still walks almost entirely on his tip toes and sucks his thumb while he snuggles Giraffey. He adores his mommy. We are pretty attached to each other, which is a really good thing since we are spending a LOT of time together here. Time is still going too fast for me. He is losing more and more of his little-ness all the time. He’s not fitting so well in my lap, he’s getting rather heavy to carry around, he wants so badly to be one of the “big kids”. Even still, he will always be my baby. Always and no matter what. And I will cherish my babies every step of the way. Oh, and he’s pretty darn cute too

I did his photos last year at the same location. And that day too it was a bright and sunny, and bitterly cold day. He looks happy, but we had to keep running back to the car to warm up, and then jetting back out for a few minutes with the promise of hot chocolate (which this child also gets WAY more than his older siblings). I think for his 5 year old photos (GULP!!) we will be a lot warmer!

He is beautiful, and goofy, and fun, and sweet and just absolutely, totally and completely wonderful. I am so thankful that God chose me to be his mommy. For the joy he brings to our family, for the way he made us all just feel complete. I love you my big precious four year old, you bring SO much fun to our family! xoxo