Letters to Evie and Max | August

My dearest babies,

Life has been nuts the last five months, have you noticed?

My kiddies, one thing I hope you will gain in life is confidence, not entitlement. I hope that you'll be sympathetic and empathetic but wise enough to know when you are being taken advantaged of and brave enough to walk away and say no. I wish you an open mind and grace to accept and learn from others' ideas and feedback or criticism for you and your work but strong enough as an individual to not let them change who you are or cause you to do things you don't want to do or to do them just to be part of the crowd. And kids, sometimes shit happens, and yes, shit happens even when you do your best. You can only control what you choose to do and how you do it. Don't sweat what other people, especially those who do not deserve your respect, think or say about you.  I think if you can remember that, you'll be a lot happier in life! 

Guys, we went to Florida for the first time and hung out at the beach for a whole week. You had a super blast with your cousins and it was so so great to be with the entire family. Most days, we'd go to the beach in the morning after packing sandwiches and snacks and we'd hang out at the pool house after we've played in the waves long enough. Even though it rained the last 3 days we were there, it was so great to have all that time with you! Max, you'll want to remember this: You are apparently a master at playing the game of chicken fight! You, baba, Evie, Ava, Graham, Carter, Uncle Chuck, and Uncle Dave went to the pool and Grambo later came home and told his mama that you beat him at chicken fight. Aunt Court couldn't believe it since you are 2 and Grambo assured her that you were really really good and then proceeded to demo the moves - a mix of rapid hand movements, cat fight style. Apparently you did this while on Baba's shoulders and Graham was on Uncle Chuck's and Chuck was laughing his head off. Good times, keep up the good work, my honey boo. 

This makes baba and I sound so sappy but man, who knew one could get overwhelming feelings and actually want to cry while watching one's child conquer her own fears and anxiety. You both started swim lessons and Evie started with lots of hesitation (despite being so excited) and a lot of tears and screaming for baba at the beginning of the lessons. Evie, you'd make excuses and even lie to get out of swim lessons BUT we also witnessed your growth as you learned to respond to our pep talks and baba's stories about not wanting to join little league. You conquered your own anxieties and hesitations and even started enjoying it. We are so incredibly proud of you, not just for taking the lessons but simply for trying and for recognizing that yes, you are worried but you CAN still do it. You continue to amaze me with your wit and ability to scheme. You drive me nuts with your sass and eye rolls but gosh, I can't say that you didn't inherit those traits from your dad and I. And while I might have to take this for a bit, I am so so glad that you are such a strong person already.

Max, you are talking so much these days! Your latest thing is using the word "because." You are determined and know exactly what you want. You learned to ask to be excused from the dinner table  and you're always saying things like "Come play with me. Let's go now. Let's go play with the choo choo track over here." You also tell me when it is time to go to sleep and that breastmilk tastes like ice cream or chocolate.  I'm fascinated watching you grow. You are stubborn and you love to tell us no, sometimes in not so nice ways. You love to throw things and wack people on the head with objects but we are trying pretty hard to teach you not to. You're also hilarious, loving, affectionate and sweet. One night you sang Country Roads ten times before you finally fell asleep. At any given night, I can find 2-7 vehicles in our bed. For a week, you'd clutch your little red Porsch car to sleep. You're truly a little boy these days and not my little baby anymore. Ahhhh. Oh yeah!! One of the best news this month was from your 3 month post cavity treatment appointment at the pediatric dentist. The dentist was really pleased with how everything looked, I was so happy I wanted to cry.  You were visibly scared when we walked into the exam room though. You recognized the place where you were kind of strapped down, so the dentist let mama hold you in the chair for the entire check up. I told you to trust me and saw you hold back your tears and tried your best to work with the dentist; my mama heart bursted. 

Guys, there's a lot of fighting in the house these days, over toys, who gets to choose a tv show, over snacks, over who gets to sit on my lap, over who gets which cups, and even who gets to turn the TV off. The house is messy, it's always kind of noisy, baba and I don't always have a lot of energy to play but man, how lucky we are to have all this? I am grateful every day. I have been angry at myself lately, for letting stupid things bother me and take away my focus on what's most important. I am going to try even harder and I promise to not let unnecessary things bother me and take away my energy, time, and patience to be a better me, a more loving mama, and a better partner to your baba.  Let's focus on what makes us happy, content, and kind. The world would be a better place if we all did that. 

Love you to the moon and back,

Mama

Swimming - Ventura Family Photographer 
Crab Island by Po Chi Fung Photography / Ventura County Family Photographer 
Seaweed mustache by Po Chi Fung Photography - Ventura Family Photographer 
Watersound Beach Photography by Po Chi Fung Photography / Ventura County Family Photographer 
Paw paw and Doctor by Po Chi Fung Photography / Ventura Lifestyle Family Photographer 
Contemplative by Po Chi Fung Photography / Ventura Documentary Family Photography 
Underwood Farms (Somis) by Po Chi Fung Photography / Ventura County Family Photographer
Father & Son by Po Chi Fung Photography / Ventura County Family Photographer 
Frog Creek Lavender Farm by Po Chi Fung Photography / Ojai Family Photographer 
Good times 
Chubby thighs by Po Chi Fung Photography / Ventura Family Photographer 
Holga fun by Po Chi Fung Photography / Ventura County Family Photographer 

 

Po Chi Fung is a Ventura County Lifestyle Family and Newborn Photographer, also serving Ojai, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, and other surrounding areas. She captures real-life moments with a documentary approach on film to tell your family's story. 

Celebrating World Breastfeeding Week | Ventura Newborn Photographer

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Breastfeeding certainly doesn't always make us feel like goddesses because god knows it is often rushed, crazed, exhausting, and stressful. We even have to multi-task! I'm at the phase where nursing almost always entails a toy truck running up and down my neck and arms. But there are also moments of peace, gratefulness, and contentment, and sometimes...even giggles and conversations. 

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week and all the mamas who are nursing or exclusively pumping..and all the ways in between, I want to celebrate with nursing mama minis. Whether you are nursing a newborn or a toddler, I would love to document these days that are going to fly by in the blink of an eye in the most beautiful way possible.

If you live in Ventura, CA or nearby cities (Oxnard, Santa Barbara, Thousand Oaks, etc), then contact me to book right here

Details below! These minis are available for booking the whole month of August; sessions must take place prior to 1/1/2018. 

 

Nursing Mama Minis

$250 (tax included)

30 minutes

Online gallery for viewing

5 digital files (your choice) with print release

 

 

Po Chi Fung is a Ventura County Lifestyle Family and Newborn Photographer, serving Ventura, Ojai, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, and other surrounding areas. She captures real-life moments with a documentary approach on film to tell your family's story.

Letters to Evie & Max | January - Gin and Tonics, Takis, and Each Other

My loves,

I feel as crazy as those faces of yours in this photo. BTW, that giant Peppa Pig won best Christmas gift of the year in our household. Good job, Nonnie!

Gin n tonics, takis, and each other...that's what I have been clinging to to numb my pain since the election. And if anyone from child services is reading this, please do not worry, I am the biggest light weight and I only have 1/2 of one or a full drink on a particularly wild night. In all seriousness, it has all been pretty sad since the election and worst after the inauguration of our new President. Kids, thank you for being my source of comfort and giggles when I feel like the world is dark and I wake up in disbelief everyday wondering, "what is happening to our country, what will happen to our world?" I am pretty sure I'd be crying in bed curled up in a fetal position if you guys weren't there to wake me up at 6:30am every morning. I am sickened that you guys are going to learn that the leader of our country is a selfish liar, a scumbag, a racist, a misogynist, and a bully.  It might seem as though the bully won this round but I assure you that our country will fight back and one day soon, the world will be a better place again. It has to get better because I will always firmly believe that kindness prevails, it is only a matter of time. And we have to work even harder ourselves to be extra kind and play a bigger part in our community to improve things, we have got to be a part of the solution! When the time is right, I can't wait to show you all the photographs from all the Women's Marches that happened all across our globe the day after inauguration. It was inspiring and energizing to see so many people from different walks of life making their voices heard. That was the day I felt better, lifted and regained some sliver of hope that there is humanity left. Mama admits that she hasn't been the most fun lately but I'm glad you guys are holding down the fort in that department! I'll be back soon, promise. 

E - You continue to challenge me to become a better person and a mom. You remind me that my job is to be a mother and not a boxer fighting you in a boxing ring. Perhaps you are going to be the biggest trainer to help with my low reservoir of patience!  In other news, you are becoming quite an artist! You drew this bunny at Nonnie's house with markers that just blew me away. I might have mommy goggles but this was the coolest bunny drawn with markers I've ever seen. You don't know this yet but I am getting that bunny drawing mounted and framed really soon.  I am amazed at the way you think about what you want to draw and how you execute it because I think so much more linearly. I can't wait to see more of what you create.  You love using your orange plastic kid scissor that I got you from Taiwan and you are getting better and better at recognizing and writing your letters. You love your little brother and I am always surprised at how much you protest when I joke that maybe we'll just leave Max at his school. Oh yeah! That other day, you said something really funny. You said your friend at school broke his arm and missed school for two days. The next day, you came home to tell your Baba that your friend "still had both of his arms!" We had a pretty good laugh from that..I mean..what else can a "broken arm" mean if it didn't break off right?? 

M - TANTRUMS, TANTRUMS...but gosh, you're still so sweet. Terrible twos (or my more positive phrase that I am trying to use- major transition phase into toddlerhood) is on strong! You've been saying a ton of words, wanting to read books over and over again, and showing your continued love of cars. You've been hitting when you get frustrated and upset and we've been learning to work on that. You adore E and now says "evie..ewieeee" when you see her in the morning. You love the small little routines of reading or watching cartoons with a blanket over your legs and asks for it if there isn't one. You often times play with your big red car while you nurse and want to hold onto to it until you fall asleep. Your favorite book a few weeks ago was Goodnight Gorilla, it currently is Birthday at the Zoo and you'll say "birfday birfday" when you want to read it. You love to sing and dance...we were watching a music video together and afterwards, you sang "wooooooo" all while you squeezed your eyes shut. It has been so fun watching you become a big boy. 

And kids..late afternoon yesterday, we received great news. I can't wait to tell you more about it but I am so excited to start a new adventure with you both.

Love,

Mama

Yup, that's our messy house..that's your mama's uncombed (But hey, it's clean) messy hair. Oh yeah, this is our real life! LOVE IT!

Yup, that's our messy house..that's your mama's uncombed (But hey, it's clean) messy hair. Oh yeah, this is our real life! LOVE IT!

Ready for memories like this with your family? Contact me to book a session near Ventura, CA!

Po Chi Fung is a Ventura County Lifestyle Family and Newborn Photographer, also serving Ojai, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, and other surrounding areas. She captures real-life moments with a documentary approach on film to tell your family's story. 

Film Friday - Hong Kong | Ventura and Santa Barbara Photographer

What reminds you of home? Is it the smell, the food, the architecture, or the people? I left Hong Kong 24 years ago and to be honest, I don't remember much. What I do remember fondly is the smell of stinky tofu - deep fried pieces of fermented tender tofu and eaten with hoisin sauce and hot sauce; a smell that I could detect blocks away, luring me to a giant wok full of oil churning out all sorts of delicious fried goodies. These street vendors are harder and harder to find but luckily I found some near our airbnb two blocks away!!! But I digress. What I missed the most about Hong Kong are the wet markets - fresh meat, seafood and vegetables lining the street; a robust and familiar community of vendors working hard and citizens grocery shopping and bargaining over strands of green onions as a way of life. That is home.

The best part of the trip was undoubtedly watching my maternal grandmother, my paw paw, with my kids. It was the first time they met and every second of the "i want to kill myself" feeling that I felt traveling 20+ hours with two toddlers was worth it for just that moment. Lugging a camera with a clingy toddler made photographing challenging and there were so many aspects of the trip that I wish I could capture but just couldn't - ah, sometimes parenthood isn't about doing everything we want to do, correct?

Anyways, sharing my favorite photographs from Hong Kong here...these remind me of my roots and I hope you love them too.

Developed and scanned by the amazing FIND Lab. All taken with the Pentax 645N and Rolleiflex 2.8E.

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Po Chi Fung is a Ventura County Lifestyle Family and Newborn Photographer, also serving Ojai, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, and other surrounding areas. She captures real-life moments with a documentary approach on film to tell your family's story. 

Letters to Our Children | DECEMBER

As you get older, you will see that mama does not sweat a lot of the details: mismatch socks, letting Baba dress you guys stripes on stripes, and dinners that are Chinese, Mexican, and Mediterranean all at the same time. But my babies, sometimes...sometimes it actually IS all about the details and the small things. I am terrified of forgetting our experiences together, especially the tiny subtle things about each of you.  What if I forget what our home looked like and felt like? Evie's bear bear, Boris abandoned in the sun room, heaps and piles of toys thrown all around - the most ordinary, most constant details of our lives that seem to be the least photographed and appreciated. These are the tidbits, the mess that makes me crazy on a daily basis but are the exact things that remind me how thankful I am that this is our constant because you two, my most precious babes, are with me. 

Kids - we had a wonderful Christmas at home. We picked up our perfectly shaped Christmas tree with your Aunt Jen just two weeks ago. It took us a while to get it up and decorated and it was a bit of a mess since we could only hang ornaments on the top half of the tree. Max hasn't quite learned the 2-finger ornament touch rule, instead choosing to tippy toe and yanking ornaments and lights off, so now our tree really matches our family's messy, low key style.

Evie - without having talked about Santa with you, you somehow knew everything there was to know about Santa Claus and his reindeers. For Christmas, you asked Santa for water, juice, milk, a peppa pig cup, candy, strawberries, and blueberries. You were excited that you got the peppa pig cup but told me that he must not have gotten your note (which was hand drawn btw) because he forgot your milk. You and Max both loved the giant Peppa Pig doll that Nonnie got you and you have been such a wonderful sister sharing as much as you can. E, you keep getting wittier and funnier and it seems overnight you've become such a big girl. How did that happen? You are a sensitive girl who seem to really love one on one time with us and your teachers at school.  Sometimes it is hard for Mama to relate to you because I am not the most sensitive person on earth but I'm trying! The two weeks after our vacation was rough on you - there was a lot of crying at home and at school and it was challenging to deal with. You said that you just want to be home with us and I understand. I wish we could just hang out all day and not go to work/school too, trust me!

Max - you are a riot and you are so funny. You LOVE cars, making silly faces, dancing and listening to music. We love watching you dance...gosh, I hope I never forget the way you bend your legs to the beats, it might be one of the cutest things I will ever see. As exhausting and aggravating it is nursing and co-sleeping with you at this age, after venting and consuming caffeine, I would not give up all the snuggles and the giggles we share while singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. You certainly can make your Baba and I crazy these days throwing food on the floor, breaking plates(!), and hitting! You're also giving your sister a run for her money, often standing your ground when she takes your favorite toys and sometimes being a giant butt taking her things and pulling her hair. We are definitely all learning to work together! I love that you are such an open book (like your mama!), straightforward, and uninhibited. Stay that way, my boy.

This year flew by so quickly. It is weird to think that Max was crawling this time last year and he is now running around kicking a soccer ball. It also hurts my heart a little to watch my little chubby toddler transform into a tall little girl. Gosh guys, I feel so so so fortunate that this is what we have together. I will never take it for granted.

I love you, my little bears.

-Mama

Ready for memories like this with your family? Contact me to book a session near Ventura, CA!

Po Chi Fung is a Ventura County Lifestyle Family and Newborn Photographer, also serving Ojai, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, and other surrounding areas. She captures real-life moments with a documentary approach on film to tell your family's story. 

Film Friday - one of my most favorite outdoor lifestyle sessions! | Ventura Family Photographer

Happy Film Friday!!!

We just got back from our trip, so I am still jet-lagged and working slowly. But before I get on with the 20 things I have on my to-do list, I want to show you some of my most favorite photographs from a recent session. P.S. I'm now available to photograph your family in Ventura! Spread the word!

Having recently been photographed for a family session with my grandmother in Hong Kong and feeling so so grateful to have these memories and interactions preserved, my feeling of wanting to document their families the way that reflects who they really are really intensified. 

Daphne, I hope you'll look back on these photographs years from now and be transported to these precious moments with your gorgeous family.

Love, Po

Dad and daughter hike through woods during Ventura Family Photography session
Ventura Family Photography by Po Chi Fung during outdoor photo session
Baby boy with mom and sister during Ventura CA lifestyle family photography session
mom and son during outdoor family photography session near Ventura CA
Girl pony tail as she explores forest during Ventura Family Photography session
Ventura lifestyle family portraits with daughter and parents 
Little boy holds leaf during Ventura family photography session
Mom snuggles her children during Ventura CA family photography session
Dad plays with son during outdoor family photography session near Ventura and Santa Monica
Girl laughs in forest during Ventura Family Photography Session
Family plays during their lifestyle photo session with Po Chi Fung
Family walks through forest during Ventura family photography session with Po Chi Fung

Ready for memories like this with your family? Contact me to book a session near Ventura, CA!

Po Chi Fung is a Ventura County Lifestyle Family and Newborn Photographer, also serving Ojai, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, and other surrounding areas. She captures real-life moments with a documentary approach on film to tell your family's story. 

Letters to Our Children | November

Your baba told you that that is a "river stirrer."

Your baba told you that that is a "river stirrer."

Dear Children: 

I am typing this blog lying in bed because someone is having major bouts of separation anxiety. You (Max) just woke not long ago sobbing and screaming devastatingly "mama mama maaaamaaaaasaaaaa." That was one thing I dreaded knowing that you are using more and more words...it's kind of heartbreaking. Not wanting to have that happen again but not wanting to miss my deadline, I decided to be techy and download the blog app. See kids, always be a solution seeker!

Alright guys. This week's sole focus is to recover from jetlag after returning from Taiwan and Hong Kong Saturday evening. We are all waking at 2 or 3 am and you and M are completely overtired by dinner time. The trip to Taipei, Hualien, and Hong Kong was worth it though! Esp when you guys met my grandma - I will be forever grateful that we got to spend this time with her. Though I am not going to lie that it stressed me out A LOT that you guys rode in cars and buses and vans without car seats and seat belts. 

E - you said that Hong Kong is your favorite because of juice. Juice means this juice booth about two blocks from our airbnb that makes fresh juice. I was surprised at your willingness to learn and speak some Chinese, especially strangers. Your dad and I were also so proud at how much more willing you were to engage others and were really surprised that you seemed to be less shy in Asia. You would pay for things yourself..going up to cashiers and saying "xie xie" in Taiwan or "hm goy" in Hong Kong. You told me that you want to go to Chinese school, so I definitely want to make that happen! Notable memory from this trip: you got your hand stuck in between two glass sliding doors at a bakery in Taipei. You stuck your hand in and then got caught when M triggered the automatic doors. The rescue was quite dramatic and the bakery lady wasn't too thrilled. 

M - You were a handful. It was rough battling separation anxiety and losing your mind because we won't let you do everything that you want to do...like roaming the crazy busy streets of Asia or stomping around on the subway and MTRs. I can't blame you though...age wise, it is rough traveling as a 1.5 year old. You threw so many tantrums that I lost count. But I won't forget the tantrums you threw face down in very dirty public spaces and then picked up a mild case of impetigo. We have photographs to remind you once you are older. 

Can't wait to get our film scans back on this vacation and to relive our travel adventures with you two.

Mama is too jet lagged and tired to write more right now..GOOD NIGHT.

Love,

Mama

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Ready for memories like this with your family? Contact me to book a session near Ventura, CA!

Po Chi Fung is a Ventura County Lifestyle Family and Newborn Photographer, also serving Ojai, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, and other surrounding areas. She captures real-life moments with a documentary approach on film to tell your family's story. 

A lifestyle newborn photography session | Ventura County Newborn Photographer

Today, I'm going to be diligently packing for our big Asia trip but before I start that boring task, I'm sharing some squishy baby photos to brighten our film Friday!  It was so fun to get to photograph this sweet sweet baby boy with his glowing mama for their newborn photography session. Every time I photograph a newborn, it reminds me of my early days with Evie and Max - utter exhaustion but filled with moments where it just feels as if the time slowed down and a tiny human perched on top of me, their belly rising and falling against your chest, and the whole time I wonder how is it that I can love someone I just met so so much.

Such a joy to be able to document these fleeting days for others. Thanks for having me!

Developed and scanned by the FIND Lab.

Need sweet memories with your new baby? Contact me to book a newborn photography session near Ventura, Santa Barbara, Thousand Oaks, Ojai, Santa Monica, or Oxnard!

Po Chi Fung is a Ventura County Newborn Photographer, also serving Ojai, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, and other surrounding areas. She captures real-life moments with a documentary approach on film to tell your family's story.