There are a lot of perks to living near a Space Force base. Rocket launches are exciting, the views are beautiful, and there is always something interesting happening. What is less exciting, however, is planning a photography session at a beach that suddenly becomes inaccessible because of a launch schedule.
That was the challenge with Christy and Sonia's maternity session.
The original plan was a beach location, but between launch restrictions, schedule changes, and a rapidly approaching due date, we found ourselves running out of options. Every location we thought might work seemed to hit another roadblock. Thankfully, my daughter reminded me about Miguelito Park when my brain had apparently decided to stop producing useful ideas.
As soon as we arrived, I knew it was the right choice.
Spring was just beginning to make its appearance along the Central Coast. Small patches of purple and orange flowers were starting to show themselves, and the park had that fresh, hopeful feeling that seems fitting for a maternity session. The clouds drifted in and out, but the light showed up exactly when we needed it, giving us some beautiful moments throughout the evening.
One of my favorite parts of any session is getting to know the people in front of my camera, and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Christy and Sonia as they waited for the arrival of their baby girl. Somewhere along the way, I found myself offering unsolicited baby name suggestions. Names like Saoirse, Fiona, and my personal favorite, Siobhán. I don't think I convinced them, but it was fun trying.
These two are genuinely some of the sweetest people. There was such an easy warmth between them, and their little guy brought so much personality and charm to the session. Watching him interact with his moms and talk about the baby who would soon be joining the family made this season of anticipation feel even more special.
The waiting season before a new baby arrives can feel both long and incredibly short all at once. Before long, this chapter will be replaced by sleepless nights, tiny newborn stretches, and all the beautiful chaos that comes with welcoming a new little person into the world.
For now, I'm grateful we were able to capture this moment right before everything changed. And despite all the location challenges, I honestly can't imagine this session happening anywhere else. Miguelito Park showed up for us, and so did this wonderful family.
