CHICAGO FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER: MELISSA MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY: KRAUS FAMILY

I've known this family for a long long time. So it's been real sweet to capture some of their grown milestones. Though the "kids" will forever be like 8 years old in my mind, who they are growing to be, are wonderful. I jokingly make my 4 year old promise he'll stay my "baby" forever. Obviously things will change over the years, but at the core of that wish is I want him to still want to sit with me. Tell me what's bothering him. What amazing things big or little he's seen in life. Of course I'll always be my kid's parent, but as they grow I hope we continue to deepen our friendship too. It was so sweet to see that within the Kraus family. Her grown boys not afraid to unannounced hug their mom. And when Noel (mom) recently had a very severe anaphylactic allergic reaction, (though it should have been 911) her first instinct was to call her daughter. I could cry, that's so sweet to me. Being a mom of two toddlers currently, so much of my life is being there for my family to rely on. I can't imagine when that dynamic more-so intermixes. Where it's more a mutual respect and friendship. But I hear it's a thing. And with the Kraus family, I see that it is.