5-Year-Old Takes Adorable 'Up'-Themed Birthday Photos with 90-Year-Old Great-Grandparents
A 5-year-old’s birthday photo shoot is going viral this week after his mom posted photos of the little boy and his great-grandparents posed like characters from the classic Disney Pixar film “Up.”
Rachel Perman knew she wanted to do something special for her twins’ fifth birthday. The date marked a major milestone for the mom of three, who once had doubts about whether or not she would get to see her babies celebrate turning 5.
“Five years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer right after my twins were born, and had fears if I would even get to see their fifth birthday,” she told The Western Journal. “My oldest was 5 at the time and I hated not knowing if I would get the same time with them that I got with her.”
Now in remission, the part-time photographer decided something extra was needed to celebrate the occasion. That’s when she came up with the idea of giving her kids a custom photo shoot.
Obsessed with his favorite movie, “Up,” Elijah dressed up like the film’s boy scout character, “Russell” for his photos.
“Elijah is very particular,” Perman told The Western Journal. “He is borderline addicted to ‘Up’ and has been for several years. Its the only thing he draws and colors (the house with balloons) and the only books he wants to get at the library, and the only toy he wanted when we were in Disney World last year.”
“He was mad there was no house with balloons in Disney,” Perman said. “It almost disappointed his whole vacation.”
She decided to enlist her 90-year-old grandparents to help play the movie’s elderly couple, knowing that the photos would be extra meaningful with her grandparents included.
“I am so glad Elijah will have these special photos to treasure,” she wrote on Facebook.
Inviting his great-grandparents to the shoot was a surprise for the little boy, who couldn’t have been more excited. The photos included smiles, hand-holding and, of course, balloons — the movie’s signature prop.
Richard and Caroline Bain, Perman’s grandparents, were delighted to be a part of the birthday celebration even though they’d never seen the movie “Up” before.
“They were thrilled to participate and loved that I asked them. Grandpa even went to the thrift store to get the jacket and [garden] hose,” Perman said.
But the adorable birthday photo shoot went a long way for Elijah. He is seen beaming in each photo, happily holding his great-grandfather’s hand and playing with the balloons.
The mom shared that she was glad to find a way to include her work in her family life and make the milestone so meaningful. Since her kids spend a lot of time seeing her leave the house to take photos for strangers, Perman said they were thrilled to have photos of their own this time.
In addition to Elijah’s “Up” shoot, the photographer planned a special unicorn-themed day for his twin sister, Emilee, and is in the process of preparing one for her 10-year-old daughter, whose birthday was the same week as the twins’.
“Photography allows me to do something creative but I never want it to take away from being a mom and wife,” she told WTTG.
“I wanted to celebrate the things they love with photos,” she told The Western Journal. “Its a celebration for me and them!”
The photos have garnered dozens of likes and shares online, as users fell in love with the beautiful shots.
In response to all the media attention, Perman said it has been “fun to see how many people are touched by it.” She added, “I keep telling the kids, ‘You are good at bringing happiness to us, now you are making the nation happy too!'”
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