Well actually, 14months. But you know, #life. I am SO happy I did these! We traveled to my hometown of southern CA last month and I figured it was the perfect time to capture this age and season. Thomas has so much personality right now, a shell of his newborn self and WIDE OPEN. I’ve selfishly been wanting photos with him too :).
I am so happy I talked Sonja Hammad (and my husband ha) into a last-minute session and when she suggested sunrise, I was immediately on board! Thomas woke up at about 3am in California (I’ll save that crazy experience for another post) so sunrise was like mid-day for us!
We met Sonja at Little Corona Beach in Corona del Mar. It’s such a nostalgic beach and area for me. I went to school at nearby CdM and spent Summer mornings running those same beaches with my high school cross country team. So much has changed, but it will always remain the most beautiful city I have lived in.

One Year Baby Boy | Newport Beach Photographer, Sonja Hammad | Victoria Austin

This session came at the perfect time for Thomas and I. I have mentioned before about this motherhood journey being a bit harder on me than I imagined it would and I haven’t sugarcoated the adjustments (or growing pains) I’ve been going through. Not to get all philosophical and artsy but the fog and sun beams represent SO much more than pretty imagery to me. I am again reminded of God’s hand on my shoulder and his unfailing love for me and my family. It’s not always rainbows and butterflies (ha!) but he’s lifted me up, and the fog has receded, finally. And just as it does, I feel sun beams again. I know that other moms who have been in these shoes can understand those feelings. I hope to one day have the courage to share more about that, and some stuff that has helped me (and some stuff that hasn’t). But for now, I’ll leave you with these pretty photos of a mom and her boy. :)

I should title this “Part One” because all moms know this is just the beginning. One of the things I love about motherhood is planning for stages (I find that I thrive on that too). So as Thomas seemed to get bored with everyday activities and his typical baby toys, I am excited to dive into the world of sensory play! I was given great tips from some friends in similar stages (like putting Thomas in the bathtub for water beads because, #messes). Share any of your favorite activities and tips! I am always on the hunt because I am convinced I have the world’s most active 14month old.

Felt Balls and Cups

This was so easy! And actually gave me some time to clean up the kitchen because Thomas could play independently (make sure they don’t put the felt balls in their mouth - choking hazard). Thomas liked stacking the cups, emptying them out, trying to feed them to our dog?, etc.. ha! But I originally found these at Hobby Lobby for another craft project so they were just sitting in office closet. It’s been three days and he is still interested in them… WIN!
As he gets older, we can organize by color and match to the cup.

Water Beads

Okay, these are really cool (even at the brink of 30!). First and foremost, they are small and slightly messy. Thomas can bite into them, swallow them and throw them. So he had to be watched but he had so much fun with them! The mini strainer was fun to use (a cup would work too).. and he loved rubbing his hands in the bin and seeing them bounce in the tub. Full disclosure: he cried (tantrum-like) when we were done and I had to put them away. So he definitely liked them! They sell them in a lot of colors and I am sure online has plenty of options (I found these, Orbeez brand at Target)!
I have a few more tricks up my sleeve for the next week and will update with ideas! I always post to my stories on Instagram so be sure to follow (@victoriaaustindesigns). If you have any ideas, I would LOVE to hear them!

xo,
Tori