If I had to use one word to describe little August, it would be the explorer. During our recent family session at Schmitz Preserve Park in West Seattle, he was our trail guide taking us down all the paths at lightning speeds. He was tough to catch, and often had many toddler opinions on which direction we should go. He showed some adept negotiation skills with his parents and in the end, showed them exactly who the most qualified guide in the family was. After all, he’s had 3 years of experience.

It was a gorgeous Pacific Northwest kind of winter day, chilly with some coveted sunlight. This was my first time in this particular park, and I think as a location for a photo shoot, it hit all the marks. It’s a forest in the middle of the city, and it felt like you were away from it all amongst the moss-covered trees, ferns, and birdsong. We did group high-fives, had several worm hunts, and had a good game of hide and seek going, and no, there was absolutely no cheating by anyone. All in all the perfect weekend urban hike.