Welcome Baby Mia // Naperville Newborn Photographer
Welcome Theo // Wheaton Newborn Photographer
There is something about getting to photograph a stage you just left. After I got married, I loved photographing weddings and getting to relive those feelings as I watched others experience the joy. Lately, my heart gets so full from getting to watch other families growing and adjusting and surviving the day to day of bringing a new baby home. I’m always impressed by other moms and their ability to figure it out. It’s hard! I’ve transitioned to doing mostly families lately because it is something I connect with so personally. Having “just” lived through having my second baby and adjusting to all that entails, I’m so aware of how those tiny toes keep growing, but how you are, at times, just living day to day, barely able to see above the fog of fatigue. I want these families to remember how their babe’s little feet fit in the palms of their hands or how their toddler looked at their new sibling, or how the babe kept their arms up or down while they slept or fussed at having a diaper change. The transition to two kids is an adjustment for sure, but it is full of countless sweet moments that I know every mom wants to cement into her mind. Watching your first born fall in love with their first sibling is one of the most heart melting experiences I’ve ever been through. Getting to witness other families walking this path brings back so many fresh memories that warm my heart. I love hearing how the family is doing and watching them rock it! Families are incredible; Moms, Dads, sibling bonds…they are all a joy to watch.
I loved getting to capture this sweet and beautiful family and the moments they shared while I was with them. I felt so privileged to capture the “behind the scenes” of what life looks like for them. Watching these brothers love each other made my heart swell. Please note the guitar serenade that happens in the middle of this session. I’m excited to share a look at some moments highlighted below. I hope the photos bring a smile to your face like they did to mine, the entire time I was editing. Meet Theo and his precious family.
Wheaton Newborn Photographer // Welcome Etta
Oh my goodness. I cannot get enough of sisterly love lately and Winnie and her new baby sister, Etta, are my newest obsession. Being friends with Caili, I got a sneak peak of a video of Winnie meeting Etta at the hospital and offering her A DONUT (melt me) the first time she held her newest family member. Caili and I met through a mutual friend a few years ago and were fortunate enough to have one another through our very first pregnancies. We were just 1 week apart and our text messages probably should have been made a book for other first time expectant mothers (who are photographing weddings too late into their pregnancies). It would be filed under comedy…or something like that. When my first was 5 weeks old and freaking out, Caili literally took a picture of every single page of BabyWise and made a shared album for me in the middle of the night (which I finished before morning) in an effort to figure out how to get Easton to sleep. Going through pregnancy and postpartum with Caili around was a big help because I really admired her natural intuition and knowledge she had and so appreciated learning about new tricks she was trying. I trusted her. We didn’t time our second pregnancies together, which was actually sort of sad (for me) to not have my texting buddy. However, after last week I’m SO glad we didn’t have newborns at the same time because it meant I was out of the fog enough to meet and document her SWEET, SWEET Etta! (And I got to hug the one and only Winnie again who I could squeeze and listen to all day long). Getting to document the four of them was such a sweet time for me. I loved getting to watch Neil be attentive to and love on his ladies (and watch them all ADORE him right back) and witness the sweet calm that is Caili in the midst of what I know can be chaos in those newborn days. They can keep having babies as far as I’m concerned. They get an A+++ for all things baby, toddler, and looking good while doing it. I’m super impressed by anything this fam does. Loved getting to soak up some hours with all four of them in their beautiful new home. I hope you enjoy some of these sweet moments below.
Downtown Downers Grove // St. James Farm Engagement Session // Nik and Gina
Not much can beat a stroll in downtown Downers Grove with some Ice Cream to kick off an engagement session! We had a beautiful evening for Gina and Nik to be the perfect love birds that they are. They live in Downers Grove and have been no strangers to this sweet ice cream shop so it was fun to stop and enjoy with them.
I’ve been privileged to get to know these two through teaching. They are musical geniuses and Gina and I worked together on two productions for some amazing children with autism; she is the talented voice teacher while I bounce around and choreograph all the moooves. I was so honored when they reached out about having me photograph their wedding next September. Their love was so easy and fun to capture. Between Nik’s big hugs and Gina’s little giggles, I was smiling away behind the camera this whole evening. Congrats you two! So happy for you both!
6 Month Portraits // Harvey
My brother and sister-in-law know how to make one cute babe. If I wasn’t pregnant, I would have gotten some serious baby fever because Harvey is 6 months and 6 months is my favorite age for babies. They are happy, content, on a schedule and can’t really move or complain (hah!). That said, every stage with my own girl quickly becomes my favorite stage, but mom’s of toddlers have to totally appreciate the blanket bound babe who can’t say “no”. I was home in Ohio last month and Easton and I got to hang out with her very first cousin, Harvey. Of course, we had to do a quick session because those chubs won’t last forever and who doesn’t want to stare at those crystal blue eyes all day?! I hadn’t seen this sweet boy since Christmas and loved how smiley and snuggly he was. Josh and Carrie know how to make him squeal with laughter, it’s so fun to watch. They are doing such a great job, love that they are loving it so much! It’s fun to have siblings finally entering the parenting stage with us and that Easton gets cousins to play with. Donnie and I are both from families with 4 and 5 kids so I’m counting on not having to be pregnant every other year and still getting to enjoy lots of little squeals from those little voices. Lots of fun awaiting these kiddos at family get togethers. Hope you enjoy some of these snaps of this adorable family…I’m admittedly totally biased.
Tayler and Ned |Lincoln Park Engagement Session | Chicago Engagement Photography
This Lincoln Park Engagement has me bursting with all the heart eyes. Loved getting to capture Tayler and Ned in Lincoln Park last week. Enjoy some of my favorite snaps from their sweet and sun drenched engagement session! ❤ 
Blossom Lane Photography 