An extended family dinner

I couldn't have been more excited about the opportunity to photograph this extended family hanging out at a restaurant in Grant Park. For one, I got to see baby Akira again! Secondly, I'm really fascinated with family dynamics, and these brothers and cousins were more entertaining than I could handle. Seriously, I was laughing so hard, I couldn't hold my camera still. The night was full in both heart and activity. Sister-in-laws gushing over the deliciousness of their babies, brothers playing jokes, and cousins making memories with sidewalk chalk. Just when I thought it couldn't possibly get any better, an uncle pulls out a big bag of swords and other goodies for the kids. By the end of the night, I had figured out the birth order of the brothers and was wishing I could hang out for the rest of the evening. No doubt family is special, and for all the drama and complications that often come with it, it's nights like this that make it all worth it.