Not even 12 months ago

When I photographed Lorne, Caite and Annie-Rose less than 12 months ago, I never expected that I would be photographing them agin in the same year having moved back to Townsville from Japan and with newborn twin girls! How beautiful it was to see so many of these photos printed and hanging on their walls in their new home.

As I arrived

I arrived and walked in the door at the very the moment my friend had milk projected all over her. She laughed and said, “This is life right now”. I looked at her and couldn’t have had my heart filled more seeing her in her lounge, still wearing her pyjamas caring for her twin girls. I felt overwhelmingly proud. This was my first time meeting these baby girls. Caite was changing Elliana, and Sophia started crying, I asked her what she does when one cries (as if I hadn’t had three babies of my own) and she said you can pick her up. I wasn’t expecting my tears to start spilling from my eyes. I just felt overwhelmed with joy for my friends.

As I photographed Lorne and Caite at home with their girls, I thought so often…I cant wait for them to look back at these photos to see how they rocked this time. You know years on…when those early months and years become a blur of feeding, feeding, toddler chasing, cups of milk spilt over, masses of milk being burped up with great and powerful gusto, feeding, feeding, swimming lessons, nappy changes, studying, exams, feeding toddler, feeding baby, swap babies, feeding the next baby, ready story to the toddler while feeding and on and on it goes.

 

The Swap Over

One of my favorite things about photographing families is noticing and capturing something that they may not even realise it so special to this time in their lives. In this case, with the twins it was the “swap over”. And they do it effortlessly.

This happens in a variety of ways. One baby sleeps the other baby cries. Swap over. One baby feed finishes, the other baby needs feeding. The swap over. One baby’s nappy is changed, the other needs changing. The swap over. There is also an element of parent swap over where they tag team for a shower and thankfully Lorne’s great big arms can hold the two at once.

These parents have pretty much become professional jugglers. With a Baby held in one arm, they play  oleka boleka (a German game)  with the other. One baby on each of their lap and one hand from each parent supporting the one year old over the cot railing. Similarly she was removed from the cot with a one arm backwards swoop from her father.

 

Lorne and Caite are an outstanding couple who just keep getting more wonderful in every way.

Thankfully this is the first photoshoot I have had with them that I didn’t have to ask them to move back to Townsville….because they are back and for now and staying (for a long time I hope) . We all couldn’t be more thrilled.

 

 

The mum stands smiling in the lounge room in her pyjamas holding one twin who is crying while the other lays in the feeding pillow on the couch. The little legs and toes of a twin baby girl. Twin girls four weeks old lying in their cot next to each other. The little legs and toes of the other twin baby girl. The big sister reaches out over the cot to touch the babies leg.Dad is dressing the one year old while mum holds one twin in her arms and the other twin lies in the cot happily. Dad is doing the little girls hair The little girl playfully jumps off the change table and Dad catches her in the air Mum looks down at her baby girl on her lap. The baby is looking up at the Mum Close up of tiny newborn feet The big sister rests her hand on her Dad's knee. Dad has one twin in his lap. The baby's tiny fingers are wrapped around Dad's index finger. The mum holds the baby and the big sister lovingly cuddles her baby sister. The big sister who is one leans down and kisses her new baby sister Mum and Dad each have a twin baby in their lap and with one hand each the help the toddler climb over the cot rail. Mum is passing the baby to Dad. Mum is feeding a baby whilst playing oleka boleka with the toddler. Dad is holding the other twin.Mum and Dad swap over the babies for feeding. The toddler ducks under their arms. Mum is holding the wins on her lap in her rocking chair while having a coffee. Dad is playing blocks with the toddler on the mat. The toddler is drinking milk and it is dribbling down her cheeks and chin.Mum is sitting in the rocking chair. The twins are on her lap and covered with a book that she is reading to the toddler. Dad is holding the twin girls and the big sister is gently touching the twins cheek. Dad reads a book on the couch to the toddler while Mum sits in the rocking chair with the twin girls.

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