A precious new life. A gift that keeps on giving for years on end. True, this sweet little life gives the good AND the bad - you know - diaper blowouts, temper tantrums, attitude… but all these memories which we try oh-so-hard to forget are outweighed by some unforgettably great memories! Folks say that the love you have for a child is a love unlike any other. And you know what? That is undeniably accurate! It’s a love you simply cannot fully comprehend until you have a child of your own. However, before I go on, I realize that while many wait impatiently for this precious gift, there are many others that, for one reason or another, have a higher mountain to climb to reach the gift of life. For each of you struggling to become pregnant or receive the gift of life, I pray that you may one day experience this love. <3
Flashing back to almost four years ago, I can remember pacing in my son’s nursery as I rocked him back to sleep. We kept an old iPhone in his room and would play Pandora’s baby lullabies to help him sleep (or maybe it was simply for my pacing pleasure, LOL!). I often found myself overcome by the hormonal emotions as I breastfed or rocked him to sleep. There was one song in particular that got me every time - Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years.” I don’t know what it is about this song (and no, it’s not because it’s a Twilight song - I’m not a huge fan, #sorrynotsorry), but the tears would simply roll as I whispered “I have loved you for a thousand years, and I’ll love you for a thousand more” to my sweet newborn. Maybe it was the hormones, maybe the sleep deprivation, or the abundant love for my precious child - who am I kidding, I am sure it was a trifecta ! But every time I stop and think about life with our almost 4-year-old son, I’m speechless. The joy and memories he has brought us are indescribable.
Perhaps this is why I just ADORE every opportunity I have to document newborns. When clients welcome me into their homes to capture their new baby boy or girl, I am taken back to those early, heartfelt emotions. I promise I don’t get sappy during these sessions! In fact, it’s quite the opposite - I’m pretty sure I smile behind the lens the whole time. Witnessing the love new parents exude is an amazing thing to see as an outsider. I can only imagine how new grandparents must feel!
This sweet couple welcomed me into their beautiful home for a lifestyle newborn session with their little lady. I will preface these photos by sharing that Ella did not want to miss much, and you know what? That’s okay! While we were able to capture a few sleepy moments, she was otherwise alert and ready to party… or maybe just get milk-drunk. In any case, we captured beautiful, raw, emotion-filled moments of this new family of four. Yes, she has an older sibling - wait and see! ;-)
She’s just a tiny little thing in daddy’s arms!
I’m not alone when I say that mom has amazing style, right? When I walked into that nursery, I had to pick up my jaw. It was GORGEOUS! And that little lace romper… O-M-G! Boys clothes are SO not as fun!
Oh, and the B&W image below is one of my favorites! That squishy little face and mom’s kiss… *SWOON*
Heather and Kevin, thank you so much for trusting me to capture these special moments. Ella is lucky to have the two of you for parents and I hope as time [quickly] passes, you’ll find joy in reflecting on your photos from Ella’s first weeks. <3
For those that have sweet children of your own, I’d love to hear about your emotion-filled memories! Is there a song that gets you every time you hear it? A moment with your little one that you’ll never forget? I’m sure there are only a million! Leave a comment below to share!