3 Year Old Birthday Princess Shoot in San Diego

Three years ago today, my life began. Every cliche thing anybody has ever said about having kids is absolutely true. “You never knew love until you meet your child.” “It is so exciting to see the world through their eyes.” “Having kids is a lot of work.” It’s all very true. Literally, I have never been so fulfilled by anything in life. (photography is a close runner up, but then again Eden really pushed me into that as well.) I used to be so afraid I was not experiencing life to it’s fullest potential (Hence the reason I decided to go to California on my own with very little money and absolutely no plan whatsoever). I feel now that I have done it all. Having kids is the ultimate life experience. Everything about it. The pregnancy, to feel an actual human growing inside of your belly…the birth, to feel that human come out (which is insane and absolutely beautiful at the same time) and then watching them grow and develop into tiny little humans with very large personalities (and opinions).

Obviously, I was going to take some pictures to celebrate Eden turning three. The photographer in me really wanted to do something a little more trendy and unique. I thought about doing something with the concept “Threenager” as my inspiration. I thought it would be fun to style her like a teenager,  put her in front of a pink backdrop laying in a lounge chair with heart shaped sunglasses and drinking out of a Starbucks cup (filled with milk of course), maybe throw some curling iron and hair dryers in for details and even toss some confetti. But, the mother in me was against it. Dressing her up as a teenager does not depict her little personality. She is not a teenager. She is a 3 year old little girl who wants to be dressed as a princess at all times with a love for these stinky smelly winter boots that are basically the only pair of shoes she wants to wear. She also loves balloons. ( Her dad recently and randomly brought her home a balloon and she kept it with her at all times, brought it in the tub with her and also to bed with her. She also yelled at it to “get down!” a few times… ) This is her in all her 3 year old glory. (However, I am beginning to realize that this is who most 2-3 year old girls are as I see them out in public with similar dresses on over the clothes their parents make them wear underneath. When you see these parents with their little girls dressed as such, it is only natural to give them a little smile and head nod. We have an instant connection with these parents, like we are part of a secret society almost  the way motorcyclists have to wave to one another upon passing.) So, long story short – Eden got a brand new princess gown and a big giant number three  balloon and was let loose in a field to run around screaming “mommy stop” as I followed closely snapping my camera. I will let her be a teenager later. For now, I choose to enjoy her three year oldness. Enjoy. 🙂

Then sometimes, you just don’t want to be a princess anymore…