Traverse City Family Photos

The day after a giant snowstorm in Northern Michigan is something special. The trees were perfectly lined with fresh snow, like each branch had been carefully painted white overnight. Everywhere you looked was breathtaking contrast. Truly, you couldn’t find a single inch of Northern Michigan that wasn’t absolutely stunning that day.

I met up with Matt and Marit (and their adorable pup) at DeYoung Nature Preserve in Leelanau County. The air was cold. The kind of cold that almost hurts to breathe in. But the beauty around us was so mesmerizing that none of us cared. We were all in.

You could feel the anticipation between them as we walked. Matt and Marit talked about their plans for their little boy. They weren’t quite sure what to name him yet. They weren’t sure what life would look like even days from now. Marit was due in just a couple of weeks, and little did she know their sweet baby “Mush” (as they lovingly called him) would be arriving only six days later.

Needless to say, we were all very glad we didn’t postpone because of the “inclement weather.” I had been oohing and aahing the entire drive there while cautiously cruising down the highway at 20 mph. That was mostly because of the ice… not because I was distracted by the scenery.
We were only at the park for about fifteen minutes, hopping from one beautiful spot to the next and making sure no one lost a limb to frostbite. But the session didn’t end there.

At one point I simply asked, “Hey… do you have your nursery ready? And do you happen to have a kitchen you love?”

Next thing we knew, we were headed to their house just off M22 for some cozy in-home photos.

When we got inside, we admired all the sweet new baby things and talked about the excitement that was just around the corner. Then I asked an important question.

“Have you had any fun food cravings? Do you happen to have a favorite ice cream in the freezer?”

They both immediately smiled and ran straight for the fridge to grab the recently purchased local ice cream.
We broke all the typical “mom and dad” rules. Sitting on countertops. Two people squeezed into one chair. Puppy paws up on the counters. Ice cream straight from the carton.

It felt like one last carefree moment before stepping into parenthood.

A quiet, snowy afternoon. A house full of anticipation. And a baby who would arrive just six days later.
Sometimes the most meaningful sessions happen when you lean into the moment instead of waiting for perfect conditions. And this snowy Northern Michigan day was proof of that.