When i blogged the birth of Remy a couple of weeks ago, i got so many beautiful responses from people inspired and brought to tears by the deep connection and beauty of his birth. Nothing makes my heart sing more that allowing people to witness the extraordinary power and beauty that birth can possess.
Well that little family went home and cocooned themselves in a baby bubble while they got to know each other, allowing the outside world to pass them by while they snuggled, fed, slept and looked after themselves.
Here is a little window into those scared early days.
Oh, and introducing….. Remy’s costar, Pai the pooch. x
Man i’ve loved this journey with these guys. I knew it would be divine as soon as i met them to shoot Trinity’s gorgeous 37 week belly. To then photograph their homebirth, and now their newborn days… they represent everything i love about capturing these stories of families transforming… morphing into their new, expanded, overwhelming form.
And just like any good trilogy… i do hope there’s a part IV, V & VI to come…
Thanks for having me along for the ride guys. xxx
ps there’s some pretty special history going on here… the outfit little Indigo is wearing at the end is the outfit her dad wore home from the hospital after he was born… cute, huh. x
Oh how i love stepping into peoples lives in these early days…
The newborn wonder. The bleary eyes. The heart melty love.
And that combination of just getting though the days however you can, coupled with trying to get everything…. just right.
I adored Maureen and Doug as soon as i turned up at their front door to capture the magic of their newborn baby girl, Olivia. It helped that Tex, their enchanting golden retriever was the first to greet me at the door- everyone’s favourite doorman. In fact Tex was convinced the shoot was for him.
It could have been.
He’s so damn beautiful.
But he couldn’t outshine the little lady they had welcomed into their lives just weeks before…
For a 4 year old- the wait for a baby sibling must feel like FOREVER! Little Mia was very aware of every passing day while she waited for her mother to give birth. Her baby dolls were mothered into oblivion as she waited for the real thing to arrive. Sometimes patiently, sometimes less so. Mind you, her beautiful mum also had her moments on the patience front. You may remember them rock hopping and exploring in the final days of pregnancy here.
Well birth, as it always does, finally happened, and little Mia got her wish of a new baby sister named Ivy. As she very eloquently and gleefully exclaimed to her dad when she found out it was a girl, “Now there are THREE girls and ONE boy in this house.”
Yes, darling. Yes there are.
Here is a little glimpse into their early days of being a family of four. The constant feedings, the need for double the attention, double the pairs of hands, double the patience…. and the pay off… double the delight.
My love to families in this phase right now! I know a few of my mamas are in the midst of it as i write…
Sometimes, birth doesn’t go as we planned it. As we imagined it. As we hoped with all our hearts it would.
Sometimes we need to dig very deep in our souls to accept that we cannot always control how things unfold, despite all of the preparation we undertook to get there.
This beautiful family has gone on such a journey. Lisa and Peter were doula clients of mine, planning on a natural birth for their first baby. But after 3 nights of labouring like a goddess, Lisa’s babe wasn’t budging. The decision was made to go to theatre. It was not made lightly.
However, this glorious woman refused to lose her sense of humour… that theatre was filled with joy and laughter, and thus, their daughter was born into a room of warmth and love.
It is possible this babe was waiting to share her birthday with her mama… which she now does. Together, they celebrated with a glass of very well earned French fizz.
Birth is an overwhelmingly spectacular event, however it happens.
I introduce to you… Evie.
Is there anything more scrumptious than a full mop of hair on a newborn baby?
Long eyelashes?
Teeny tiny milk spots?
Cherubic lips?
This delectable newbie got a bit greedy as she passed the Cuteness Collection Point, i feel.
Throughout her mum’s pregnancy, Ziggy was the working title for this little babe who’s gender was a surprise. Ziggy turned out to be a girl, and has been blessed with the name Annabelle. But she’s still Ziggy to everyone… so she gets to keep her moniker.
Ladies and Gentlemen… meet Annabelle Ziggy, with her support cast of a besotted mum and dad, and a DOTING grandma direct from Canada.
