Outdoor breakfast. Soccer. Tag. Frozen yogurt. Water guns. This Cornwall documentary family session had lots of activity and plenty of emotions to go with it all.
Tara, Mod and the boys were staying with Grandma Bev before heading back to Courtice after a long weekend together, and they asked me to come by and spend time with them that morning while they played together.
Let me just say: these guys play. I felt like I was witnessing the World Back Yard Tackle Soccer Championships. :P Cosmas’s ever-changing rules provided endless amounts of entertainment while Kostas stuck his tongue out with the effort of chasing the ball. The memory of watching Mod strategically block key body parts as his 3 year old lined up what would inevitably be a wildly unpredictable kick still makes me laugh. The boys clearly inherited their mom’s competitive streak because she wasn’t about to let anyone win purely due to age or inexperience. If they wanted to beat her down the field, they were going to have to take her down. So they did. :) Or, at least, they made every effort.
Watching this gang play together and openly express frustration, joy, and parental sarcasm kept me fully entertained. Parents who play with their kids have always been a large source of inspiration for me, so hanging with Tara and Mod as they chased and cajoled Cosmas and Kostas was a perfect way to spend a morning. You know you’ve put in thousands of hours of work to raise good humans, and the reward is getting down and dirty in the soccer field – er, back yard – with them so that you can tackle and tease mercilessly.
There were so many moments of glee during our time together. Tara sat on the ground with Kostas and was quickly joined by Cosmas, which issued a reminder that space on Mom’s lap is quickly becoming a hot commodity as the boys grow too big to both be there in any practical sense (but that’s certainly not going to stop them from trying). Kostas’s face when Mod gave him a chance to celebrate his goals. Cosmas’s effort to get past Mom and his full-body sulk when his plan didn’t come to fruition. Grandma’s time with Kostas, collecting rocks and directing traffic. The mischief at Menchie’s, when the boys learned that they both like milkshakes, particularly when they come from Mom and Grandma.
Tara and Mod have been with me since 2013 and their family has come to feel like part of my own. Celebrating them through photos is the best way I can honour the connections that they’ve worked so hard to build with their boys and maintain with Bev. It isn’t easy to live four hours from Mom, but they show that the effort to stay connected is always worth it.
Here’s a look at our half day together:
I’m Ang. I’m a family photographer offering coverage like this Cornwall documentary family session, as well as family portraits in Cornwall, Brockville, Ottawa, and throughout SD&G. Laughter is important in my life and in my work and I want to show you the beauty, the humour and the timeless little moments of connection in your everyday. Half day documentary sessions are an absolute favourite amongst my offerings because they’re a great way to capture the nuances of the age-specific realities of your family right now. Want to see more of what can come from a half day documentary family session? Start here!
