The wind was out for blood. It howled, it tossed, and it made me question every life choice that led to scheduling a beach session in May. But then came the VonProtz crew, and suddenly it didn’t matter as much. Emma was calm and steady, even as her hair tried to take flight. Mike quietly anchored the chaos and was an absolute pro with Wyatt. And Wyatt? He was mostly focused on the injustice of sand in his shoes.

At one point, I handed him what I thought was a flawless sand dollar. He looked at it like I’d just offered him a piece of trash. Toddlers keep you humble.

Despite the wind trying to ruin our plans, we caught the joy, the calm, the toddler side-eyes, and the sweetness of a family about to grow by one. Who needs perfect weather when you’ve got a trio like this?

Thank you, VonProtz family, for trusting me to capture this special time.