I’ve been holding onto these photos for officially one year (Memorial Day weekend 2018), so I figured it was finally time to share! Our dear friend, Kelsey Cowley, shot these at Newport Beach, Calif., on a rainy day. Ace was almost seven months old and just as sweet as can be. This was his first time to California and I remember how special this trip felt — our family of three heading to the beach for the first time!

His sweet bald head! Ace just starting to grown in some very light blonde hair!

The joy in his face just gets me — he was truly the happiest baby!

The sweetest duo! I always knew Scott would be an amazing father, but he has completely surpassed all of my dreams of who I thought he was going to be. Ace and I are endlessly lucky and grateful to have him.

One of my absolute favorite photos of our sweet family! I have this one framed and placed in our living room. This is absolutely how I will remember this time — together and oh so happy with our sweet, tiny baby.

Those bottom two teeth! I feel like I already forgot what his teeth looked like coming in. He only had the bottom two for a bit and then the baby fangs came in — those were my favorite!

All photos by Kelsey Cowley Photography!

And while this year is so different any many ways from the last, I am hoping to take Ace back to the beach once it’s safe to travel again. There’s just something so calming about the waves crashing together and that salty breeze. Anyone else missing the beach and traveling as much as I am?

-Chels xo