I had the wonderful pleasure of going into the home of some dear friends this past weekend. I met this family a few months ago by chance (at the park with our kids!) and instantly knew that Rebecca and I needed to be mom friends. She has a radiance about her and a disposition that was very familiar (most likely because we are redheaded kindred spirits!) Anyway, she took me up on my wild offer of hiring me as their maternity/family photographer. We had a wonderful fall session and I loved hanging out with them.
Flash forward to 2 weeks ago when they welcomed their second beautiful baby boy Brian and they asked me to come over for a newborn session. I was of course thrilled and very honored.
Newborn sessions are one of the most special in all of the categories of photography and I believe that it is an investment that you will always value. Babies change on a daily basis and in those first few weeks of life there is something miraculous about these little beings. If you've had a baby you know what I mean, if you are about to have a baby here's what you should know...
- That sweet downy soft hair will fall out, leaving a 'special' little hairdo (if you're lucky it'll resemble George Costanza and provide lots of laughs)
- Their tiny curled up limbs and tightly balled fists, will soon stretch and grow and become somewhat gangling and awkward before plumping up
- Baby acne... yep that beautiful smooth skin with turn red and bumpy around 1 month
- They won't sleep as much or get 'milk drunk' and pass out anywhere, in any position
- And my favorite part about newborns...the smell! That wonderful fresh scent of a new baby is intoxicating... I know it sounds weird but holy geez I love that! And while I haven't figured out how to make scratch 'n sniff photos, photographs do have a special way of transporting you back to that moment when you held your sweet baby and tried to breathe in all of the wonder-- promising yourself you won't forget any of it.
But these babies grow and grow and the truth is, you do forget. I look at the pictures we had of when my first daughter was born and I love them more than any others I've collected. When my second daughter was born, we knew without a doubt we needed to do another session and I am so glad I did. My little Emmy is about to be 10 months old, she crawls all over the place, sleeps in her crib (not on me anymore) and often smells like whatever food she just ate... so far from that little tiny human I brought in to the world just a few short months ago.
The best advice I ever got as a new mom was, "the days may feel long, but the years are short". I try to remember that often and when I get to missing how little my babies were, I look at the pictures... or I happily embrace a new family and love all over them with my camera. Rebecca and her sweet family gave me a good fix this week for sure!
One last TIP on 'In Home Newborn Photography': Do NOT worry about cleaning your house or whether or not your home is 'decorated fancy'. All we need is a window with a little natural light, you and your baby (babies) and I take care of the rest. It's simple, it's beautiful and it's forever. So, expectant moms reach out! Let's talk about your newborn photography goals... I'll bring the camera and you just focus on snuggling that amazing baby. Deal?