This is the story of three sisters.
Ella, Kate, and Olivia are special girls. They are beautiful and sweet and fun. They love to play together and smile and care for each other. In each other, they have found best friends. It was such a joy to photograph these three beautiful girls. A protective and devoted older sister, caring for two endearing twin girls with playful smiles and sweet giggles.
This session was not only a fun sister shoot, but also a celebration of life. Kate and Olivia are twin sisters, and they will celebrate their fifth birthday next month. Any birthday is a special one, but I was specially blessed to celebrate this one, because these sweet girls were miracle babies.
Twins can be a high risk pregnancy for anyone. I mean, there are two babies in there! That thought alone makes me exhausted. But halfway through the pregnancy with these girls, Kate and Olivia's parents heard the devastating news that their was something very wrong with one of the babies (Olivia). She had dwarfism, and most likely would not survive. Many ultrasounds and appointments later, there were not a lot of concrete answers of how well these little girls would do. But Olivia's future did not look promising. They were told that she most likely would not survive the pregnancy, much less the birth. I cannot imagine their momma's anguish as she waited and hoped for a miracle. That both her girls would be just fine.
Olivia and Kate were born in September of 2008, several weeks before their due date. Kate was 4 lbs, 11 ounces, a typical size for a twin. Olivia was 1 lb, 14 ounces. And other than her tiny size,
she was just perfect. Aside from some breathing issues on Kate's part, these girls were a picture of health and beauty. Miracles.
And now, they are five years old. Kate is hilarious and dramatic and dynamic. She is a performer and a charmer. She loved making us all smile and laugh, and loved posing in front of the camera. She was forthcoming with her ideas and was not afraid to ask me for a photo op. And her blonde curls and dazzling eyes are mesmerizing. She loves gymnastics and princesses. And she loves her sisters.
Olivia is an amazingly strong person. Through her whole life, she has met and exceeded
everyone's expectations. She is healthy, beautiful, smart, and sweet. She is SO far from that grim future that the doctors predicted five years ago. Her life is a miracle and a blessing, and only beginning! She will always be a littler girl, but she has a huge heart and personality. She loves Minnie Mouse and being silly, but also has the sweetest side ever. Throughout our whole shoot, she kept slipping her hand in mine or reaching up so I could give her a piggy back ride to our next location. She was so loving to me after having met me mere minutes ago. And she also loves her sisters.
Ella, the gorgeous older sister, is definitely a source of stability and protection for these girls. Instead of being annoyed with her goofy younger sisters, she played right along with them. She cared for them so so well, always putting her arms around them, helping them with any struggles they had during the shoot (Kate was not a fan of loud noises. Olivia was not a fan of the rough ground). I can tell she is a tremendous help to her parents, and that she is someone her sisters will always look up to. She was so kind to me and energenic, and also wise beyond her years. And I also hear she is quite an accomplished horseback rider, too!
I just loved meeting this family so much. They are a perfect picture of the blessing of sisterhood and the miracle of life. These girls are each incredible, and I am so grateful for the short time I got to spend with them. And Happy Birthday, Olivia and Kate!
