Onto pictures…

The above didn’t quite turn out how I envisioned, partially because I’m wearing different outfits and partially because I forgot to take the “after” picture til James was 2 months old and much bigger than his birth size.  Oh well!  Guess I’ll try again with the next baby, Lord-willing. Baby eyelashes. James is generally a happy baby, but of course we get our share of tears and fussiness!  ”Mom, stop taking pictures and pick me up!!” He did not want to take a family photo that day!…but he calmed down a few minutes later, once we started playing with him. CAPTAIN ADORABLE!!!Passed out on Daddy’s shoulder.  Just had a bath so the hair is everywhere. So cute!We very rarely take photos of just the two of us now!

Also, here’s a list of a few items that have been invaluable in our first couple months of parenting.  Maybe this will help someone, someday.

• Aden + anais swaddle blankets – love these. They are big, thin, breathable, and cute. We swaddle James every night so he sleeps better.  Can buy at Amazon, Nordstrom, or baby stores.
• My Brest Friend nursing pillow – I use this multiple times daily. Provides more support than boppy nursing pillows.
• Side-snap short-sleeve shirts – found these at Macy’s and bought on my mom’s recommendation. Mom knows best! They are so much easier to put on & take off a newborn than regular onesies which go over the head. I don’t know why side snap shirts are not more common, they’re so practical!  I bought the 3-month size.
• First Year Calendar – highly recommend!  I’m not good at journaling daily (plus there’s no time), so this is perfect… a calendar w/ stickers and just enough space to jot down the day’s milestones. My mom kept a similar calendar for me and my brother, now I’m keeping one for James.
• Baby mittens – because babies come out of the womb with nails… which in our case were a bit long and rough!  I kept mittens on James to prevent him from scratching himself until I worked up the courage to cut his nails.
• Bravado nursing bras – if planning to breastfeed. I had no idea where to start, so went with a friend’s recommendation to try the Bravado line and am happy with them. I bought them off bare necessities and saved even more by googling a coupon code.
• Johnson’s nursing pads – again, if planning to breastfeed. These are disposable pads, which I found to be more absorbent and convenient than reusable ones.
• Carseat & stroller – we got a Graco snugride and a stroller frame. It’s probably the simplest and most light-weight option of all carseat/stroller combo out there.
• Baby carrier – we have a Baby Bjorn carrier, but I wish someone had told me that an Ergo carrier might be better for my back. I haven’t used this too much yet, but I do feel like the Baby Bjorn puts all of the baby’s weight on my upper back rather than distributing some around the waist/on the lower back.
• Other things to buy – what I consider “first month essentials” (as opposed to the BabiesRUs list with hundreds of items):  DIAPERS, WIPES, a trash can WITH A LID, a few receiving blankets, baby nail clipper, a crib or bassinet, changing table and changing pad, baby bathtub, a couple bath towels & washcloths, a diaper bag for going out, soap/hand sanitizer. Oh, and just a few outfits (unless you have hand-me-downs) because babies outgrow clothes REALLY FAST, like no joke!
• Nice-to-haves: a swing, playmat, boppy pillow (I use this for propping the baby up, more than for nursing), a few toys & books, nursing clothes, nursing cover.

OK that was fun.  Time to sleep!

First up are a few photos with grandma (and eyes wide open!), followed by a few creative shots… five “scenes” in all.  And last but not least, a family portrait.  Enjoy! 

By the way, thanks to those of you who drop comments every so often. I appreciate each one and it encourages me to keep posting!

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Last Sunday, we had the privilege of photographing Hannah and Peter’s newborn daughter, Sophia.  She is so precious!!  As we clicked away, she drifted in and out of sleep… and she sleeps with arms raised, like her mother… it’s too cute!  As for her waking moments, boy does she like to work the camera with her beautiful eyes and chubby cheeks. =)  Thank you Peter and Hannah for inviting us into your home and allowing us to document Sophia at 5 weeks.  We hope you enjoy these pictures!!