From the minute I set foot in their home, I felt so grounded and peaceful. They have the most amazing house and garden and play areas set up for the kiddos...and they're doing a very good job of keeping it earthy and organic. I quite enjoyed the afternoon there...especially the time spent watching the girls play--they were all so comfortable and relaxed and loving.
...and then sitting around chatting about the miracle of her birth during her newborn session. Maybe it's because her parents couldn't be any sweeter. Maybe it's because her grandma was so overcome with emotion when taking pictures with her we could hardly take pictures. Maybe it's because this baby girl is so danged adorable. I'm not sure what it is, but this session gets me...big time...each time I flip through the images.
I loved the deep, rich, bold colors of his session. I loved the relaxed nature of his parents. I love that he had that relaxed nature, too. *These* are the kind of newborn sessions that make me wish I had hired a newborn photographer for all of my babies.
I love that it was such a contrast to the misty, wintry feel of her maternity pictures:
[Though it seems like forever ago in looking at the newborn pictures, I vividly remember the day she came out to the studio for her maternity session...it was so grey and cold outside...I swear it could have snowed. When she showed up in the grey sweater dress, I thought it suited the mood and showed off her beautiful belly so perfectly!]
When I crested the hilly road on my way to their home, the sun was just barely peeking over the mountains. Okay...there aren't really any mountains here in Austin, but I was speechless as the fog rolled in over the hills and the sun cast a golden glow in the valley. I knocked on the door and said, "We've got about 10 minutes left before we lose this golden opportunity...do you think we can make it out to the hills in time?" They sure did their best to rush out of the house and oh, I was so excited to catch that beautiful "mountain" view!
As the morning progressed, the scenes were just as beautiful. Their home glowed with sunshine and love. Don't those children have the most compelling eyes?! I love that they're almost the same ages/genders as my own kiddos and it's wonderful to see those big brothers dote on their sweet baby sister. They love her fiercely ;-)
I promise you, there was not a dry eye in the house when her father held a prayer for the new parents-to-be and the unborn baby shortly before his arrival. It was one of the most memorable birth moments I've witnessed. When you become a parent for the first time yourself, there's no feeling like it in the world. To get to be a spectator and watch a loving couple go through all of those emotions just before, during, and immediately after they are initiated into parenthood...well, there's also no feeling quite like it in the world. It is an honor I do not take for granted.
