Durham Newborn Photographer | The Best Nap

Durham Newborn Photographer | The Best Nap

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I know this Mama was a little stressed when I arrived that her little one was not going to sleep, but oh my, he slept like a dream…his session was just the best nap for this little one. He was so content to just be held and rocked by his Mommy and Daddy. And his parents were just so much fun. They are readers, so I loved that they had their books out and could make recommendations. They are also big board game fans, which is super cool, so this little guy will always be surrounded by so many fun memories. This was just a cozy weekend morning at home, and this little man didn’t wake up until the very, very end.

According to Mom…

What was the first thing you thought when you saw your baby for the first time? James was due May 1 but starting from when I was around 6 months pregnant, everybody kept telling me he’d be early based on my size and how I was carrying. I work with nurses and other medical professionals, so I thought they probably knew what they were talking about. My mom was also two weeks early with her first child, so that also made me think James would be an April baby. By the time my due date rolled around, I already felt like James was late–then I thought for SURE I’d be a mom by Mother’s Day–and yet again, that milestone came and went with no baby! It was agonizing waiting those last few weeks. I was finally induced on May 13 and James was born after only 7 hours of labor. My first thought when they put him in my arms was “You’re finally here! Finally!!” I was just so shocked to suddenly have my baby in my arms after waiting so long.

What was the best part of having a newborn session at home? It was a relief not to have to pack up James and all of his accessories and take him to a strange place–I’m sure he cooperated so well partly because we did the shoot in a familiar place with all of the usual sights and sounds. I’m also so pleased that our cats Rupert and Delilah got to be in the photos. They are an integral part of our family and the pictures of them with James are priceless!

How did you prepare the baby for our photoshoot? The day before the shoot Jeremiah and I gave James his first sponge bath at home. We’d like to think that that tired him out enough to make him sleep through the whole shoot!

How was your experience having your newborn photographed? Were you worried or nervous beforehand? How did it turn out? I was nervous that James wouldn’t cooperate and that we’d be dealing with a screaming baby the whole time. Luckily he slept like a dream! I loved how Becky came in and did such a quick assessment of our space to find the best places to take pictures. It was a relief for her to take charge and to get her advice on the wardrobe. Everything turned out great!

What would be your advice to someone getting newborn photographs taken? My advice for someone getting newborn photos would be to go with the flow and be yourselves! The pictures of Jeremiah and me with James turned out so well I think because we felt so comfortable and were just being ourselves instead of worrying about trying to pose.

Did you have a sentimental item at our session? All of the blankets and quilts in the photoshoots were made by family members. Nobody told me they were making those blankets for him–they were all surprise gifts. One of my mothers-in-law actually learned how to quilt just to make James that turtle quilt! It was touching for me to see James welcomed with such love by all of his extended family.

I started knitting the white blanket very early on in my pregnancy, before we even knew we were having a boy. It is my very first gift for James and I hope he will treasure it. I made the “It’s a Boy” wreath on his due date while I was impatiently awaiting his arrival.

Do you have any other children? How did they react to the baby? James’s only siblings are his cat brother and sister, Rupert and Delilah! He actually has a couple onesies that say “My Big Brother/Sister is a Cat”. This photoshoot was the first time the cats really came in contact with James; before that they had really been keeping their distance! This was a great ice-breaker for them.

Any advice to other families picking out wardrobe or preparing for a session? My only advice would be to have multiple outfits picked out in advance. The night before I laid out several different combinations of outfits for James, Jeremiah and myself. We saved a ton of time when Becky arrived for the shoot and it made it easy for her advise us on what to wear. I’ll also add that mommas should dress lightly–you can’t see it in the pictures but I was very warm from all of those pregnancy hormones!

What’s your perfect Saturday as a family? Jeremiah and I like to do a big Saturday breakfast–bacon, pancakes, coffee–while listening to Prince or Beatles records from our vinyl collection. (James’s middle name, Harrison, is after George Harrison.) In the afternoon we’ll do something outdoors like a walk on the American Tobacco Trail, a trip to Duke Gardens, or an outing to a UNC football game. To cap off the night, we’ll snuggle on the couch with the cats for a movie or a few episodes of one of our favorite shows. We can’t wait to introduce James to all of our favorite things!

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Rebecca Keller is a Raleigh Maternity and Family Photographer featured in People Magazine and on The Bump. Contact Rebecca Keller Photography for more information about family photography and travel sessions.