Maryland Family Photography // Charlie is One! // In-Home Session

I cannot believe that Charlie is almost one! Ashley and Ray are not only about to check “Survived Year 1 of Parenting” off their list, they also can check off “Survived Year 1 of Parenting WHILE Moving Into Our Forever Home” all in one swoop. In the weeks leading up to this shoot, Ashley and I talked multiple times about where to take their photos. After bouncing several ideas back and forth, we finally decided to take them right in their home! I’ve mentioned before how much I love in-home sessions, and this shoot only reinforced that.
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Let’s start with the fact that Ashley and Ray have a beautiful house full of bright color and natural light. They’ve truly created a home in the months since they moved there. I also loved our location selection on this particular day because it was a rainy day. I don’t just mean a little misting here and there. It straight up rained all. day. long. We attempted to push back our start time to try and wait it out, but when it was clear there was no real end in sight, we were just happy that we had an indoor option built right in. As a bonus, just as we were wrapping up the shoot, we realized the downpour had let up. We practically sprinted outside to their deck (decks are severely underrated, non-muddy outdoor options!) to grab some shots in front of some stunning trees in bloom. I’m pretty sure it was karma rewarding Ashley and Ray for being so relaxed about the weather!
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The Troddens are an incredible family. Charlie is both a rainbow baby (a child born after loss) and a miracle baby (a child born after fertility challenges). Ashley is very open about what she and Ray have been through as they worked to build their family. She uses her life altering experiences to encourage and bring hope to others. I am in constant awe of her strength and compassion. You can see in their photos just how grateful Ashley and Ray are to have this amazing little human in their lives.
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And Charlie really is an amazing little human. Just over a week before our shoot he underwent surgery and yet there was no shortage of exploring, smiling, and laughing from him. I found myself forgetting that he had had a major medical procedure. I may or may not have had some difficulty keeping up with him! He was just a one year old who wanted to grab the dinosaur attached to my camera and, of course, have all the puffs. Pretty typical stuff there!
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Didn’t I say this is an incredible family?
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With their flexibility and Charlie’s beaming smile, we were all set to grab some perfect shots. From fun and laughing to genuine and tender we got them all. I love spending time with these three and can honestly say my life is better for having them in it. I cannot wait to see all of the adventures (and shenanigans!) Charlie gets into in the future!