Can I get family pictures at my newborn session? | Dallas, TX Newborn Photography

Many times when I get inquiries mama asks if they can get family pictures at the newborn session too.

The answer is, YES! I am not there just to take pictures of your sweet newborn (though I may spend extra time doing this especially if they are sleepy and content!) I want to capture your full family, pets included at your session! This is about your growing family.

While I always make sure to get all the details of your sweet new babe, I grab a variety of pictures to make sure you can look back and remember these first few days or weeks with your baby.

Mama and BaBY

Mama, we capture you and your little one! These are some of my favorites. I want to capture you in your element. Snuggling your baby in the nursery or rocker. Admiring your new little one as you hold him or her. The things you do on the every day, and place you will spend so much time in the first months and year of their life. And not to worry, if you have older children, we capture you with all your littles!

Daddy and Baby

Daddy and his sweet baby girl or boy! It is always fun to watch how dad’s adjust to these tiny newborns. I love capturing the details of their little heads in dad’s hands or cuddled up on daddy’s chest. Many times dad’s are the ones that can calm the baby down. I also want capture daddy with all his kiddos!

MOM, DAD AND BABY

Yes, you may have more than one child, but these pictures of you and your baby are priceless. I want your little one to look back and see themselves with just mom and dad.

Family

Family pictures can be fun, candid and of course we try to get one posed looking at the camera. If you have older children, they determine how these family pictures go. Whether it be on the floor, standing, on a bed or around the crib. We will snap them wherever it works best!

SIBLINGS

No matter the age gap, siblings need a picture or two together! Sometimes we lay on the floor or big sibling holds the baby, other times we have to pull out all the tricks. Getting big brother or sister peeking in the crib looking for a ball, gummy or goldfish. You name it and I will work my magic!

Baby + All the details

Yes, I capture your baby in their crib, on a rug or piece of furniture. I want to make sure you get all the itty bitty details of your baby. I personally love their eyes open. We get to see them change over the first year, but sleeping is good too. I know so many mama’s want those sweet sleepy newborn pictures! I capture their little details from face and mouth to those precious little feet!

Nursery details

Lastly, we can’t forget all the details of your nursery! You dreamed of this space and planned out all the details. Some even include bits and pieces from your very one childhood. I love capturing all the details of the nursery during a break or at the end of our session.

Interested in more information about newborn sessions? I would love to send you more details, fill out my form here! I can’t wait to chat with you!

Welcoming Your Newborn | Dallas, TX Newborn Photography

As a mama, when we welcomed our second little boy there was worry and anxiety over what our oldest might do. How would he react? Would he act out towards me or his little brother?

Our oldest, Sutton, was just under 3. We had talked about baby brother coming for months. He had even been with us to an appointment or two, and he knew baby brother would be born at the hospital. In fact, one of our last appointments we went to, sweet Sutton asked if we were picking up baby brother. He loved to play in the nursery and rescue kitties from the crib.

We kept Sutton on his schedule going to Mother’s Day Out and getting to spend a few nights with his grandparents. He was even able to come to the hospital to meet baby brother shortly after he was born (before Covid). He could not have been more excited to hold him! To this day, he still asks to hold him in the mornings or when he gets home from Mother’s Day Out.

We included Sutton in so many of our daily activities: naps, feedings, changes, etc. He really just wanted more of mommy. Mommy to do bath and put him to bed. I reminded myself frequently to stop and enjoy the time. Though I was exhausted with a newborn, the time is fleeting.

To this day, big brother loves to hold his little brother, go in to wake him up in the morning and has been the biggest helper. He wants him to have a monkey as his lovey like he does (we will see if this takes), but yes we still get upset when little brother gets into our things. We are now building our firetrucks and setting them on shelves or a table out of reach of Sawyer.

Mama as you adjust to your first or forth baby, it takes time. Give yourself grace. Do something little for yourself. And remember this is a season, take joy in the every day.

2020 a Year of Unexpected Growth | Dallas, TX Newborn Photography

2020 was a year of unexpected changes, growth, and a lot of family time! We were looking forward to 2020 as we anticipated the arrival of our second baby boy in January! Little did we know how differently the year would turnout to be.

I took maternity leave from both my corporate job and photography, our oldest was in Mother’s Day Out and my husband was doing his daily work grind. I was soaking in all the newborn snuggles, having our mom’s help every couple of days (who thoroughly enjoyed the newborn snuggles too), and planning for some big changes in 2020.

We took Spring break with our oldest, played at the park, did a Costco run and went to the zoo with our cousins to round out our break. I had a few more weeks before maternity leave was up and had two Fresh 48 sessions planned for the following week! In a change of events (literally overnight), we kept making adjustments for the Fresh 48 sessions, but soon they would be completely cancelled. Little did we know this was just the beginning of our stay at home order.

I went back to work in early April, working from home and balancing two little boys. We spent our days playing, taking two or more walks a day, watching more Disney+ than I would like to admit, and Face-timing with grandparents. We have adjusted, made some major changes for our family, and to the wonderful clients Mallory Shelton Photography grew more than I expected during this unusual year, THANK YOU!

For us, 2020 was much different than we anticipated. Our youngest has been in our church once for a music concert for our oldest. He has seen few people outside of our family with no mask on. He still looks at us when we have our mask on with an unusual face and tries to pull it off.

But all that to say, I enjoyed the extra family time, learning to be a mama to two while working full time, growing my photography business and leaning on my husband for support and encouragement. Though there have been many challenges, it was a year we are grateful for and grew more than we knew possible!

Here’s to 2021!