Irene's Maternity & Family

Daniel, Irene & I have known each other for a loooooong time.  Of course I jumped at the invitation to document her second pregnancy - another bouncing boy!  I met them at her parents' home - stocked with beautiful accents and furniture straight from a magazine (the kind of home I only wish I could create for myself), and we got to it. 

Ethan, their two-year-old, kept things exciting because as we all know, toddlers don't stay still very long!  I managed to catch a few silly faces from Ethan, but ended up getting some really sweet lifestyle shots of them as a family. One of my favorite moments was when I snapped an adorable shot of Mom & Ethan sitting with their feet the same way.  They didn't even know that they had the same mannerisms!  It is those moments - those glimpses - that I strive to capture and preserve because kids just don't keep.  These moments are incredibly fleeting.

I hope you enjoy some of our fun from this session!

The Baby With The Special Name

Baby Bryce Jackson is a very special boy to me.  His parents and I have known each other for years and seen each other through the highs and lows of life.  One of the most challenging experiences we shared was the short life of a beloved baby named Jackson.

My best friend (Irene's sister-in-law) courageously carried her son, Jackson Bryant Liberatore with love and prayer after a fatal diagnosis: trisomy 13 and a heart defect at 20 weeks along.  I traveled to be with my friend in the middle of the night when she was 36 weeks (she has a knack for having babies in the middle of the night) on March 9, 2014.  "Baby Jacks" as we'd called him throughout her pregnancy was born and he lived miraculously for 2 hours before going home to Jesus.  I held him and I held my friend.  Jackson's short life continues to impact me today.

Later, Irene found out she was pregnant with her second, another boy, and she and her husband knew they wanted to honor the life of Baby Jacks by giving their son the middle name: Jackson.  You can imagine my delight that she asked me to take Bryce's newborn photos, with him being Jackson's namesake. 

Bryce's birth was a big deal too, as Irene had been preparing for her VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean).  Having experienced my own VBAC and the triumph it brought, I knew Bryce's story held a great significance for all of them as a family.  I am proud to report that Irene successfully (and powerfully) birthed Bryce by VBAC and I celebrate her as a sister!  There is much misinformation out there that once you have a cesarean, you must always have cesareans - which just isn't true!  It is just another testimonial that your birth stories are individual - they are based on your personal choices as a family, and your desires as a mother.  Each mother is different, and I celebrate them all!

Baby Bryce gave me some sweet smiles during our session and at 6 pounds 4 ounces, he was just the sweetest little peanut to snuggle at his session!  My favorite part of this session was capturing the breastfeeding bond between Irene and Bryce at the start of our time together.  We had the most beautiful lighting, both inside and out, and I could sense the supreme peace they shared together in those moments. The images turned out beautifully, and his milky dreamy smiles made me melt!  You may recognize the following image from my portfolio and business cards...it is definitely one of my absolute FAVORITE images as a photographer.

Welcome Baby Asha

Back in June, our neighbors sold their home and moved out.  We were sad to see them go and interested to see who would fill the void in the neighborhood.  Our neighborhood isn't exactly the typical keep-to-yourself, just wave, you-don't-really-know-anyone neighborhood.  We know each other, have monthly get-togethers, and choose to spend time together.  There's a party in our cul-de-sac almost daily!  But back to my original story...

I finally got the opportunity to meet our new neighbors, Sue and Jason, a week or so after they arrived.  Sue and I immediately clicked.  Her effortless, easygoing disposition compliments my eager over-planning personality perfectly!  :)  At this point, Sue was thirty-something weeks pregnant with her first baby, a girl.  Things were getting close!

After a few chats, I offered to photograph her new baby when she came.  Sue - being the sweet, go-with-the-flow gal she is, immediately agreed and we went from there.  I reached out to her to schedule a few dates for baby's arrival, and got the most surprising response.  Baby Asha (meaning Hope) made her arrival at 35 weeks, all on her own!  She was doing great, but did have to spend a few extra days at the hospital. 

A week later (round-about) I got the opportunity to behold this 4 pound, 10 ounce precious angel called Asha, meaning "hope".  She was the perfect model during her session and I felt honored to photograph her. I had the opportunity to play around with my tiny suitcases (yes, she fit inside at less than 5 pounds), and my vintage scale!  I was in heaven getting to try all different things with her. 

One of the most special things about this session was a specific piece Jason wanted incorporated into the shots: a Coke bottle with Asha's name on it.  Jason works for Coke, and had the bottle specially made for her.  I love it when parents bring their own ideas and inspiration to the sessions!