Things have been crazy busy over here at the Spenla household.
But even with returning to work (thankfully my office is at home), caring for baby girl full time, more grandparents and great grandparents in town (no complaining here – love their help), spending three days down with the flu last week (again! and I got a flu shot this year), balancing the new San Diego Magazine articles, and keeping up with all of our remodel/home projects, I had to squeeze in adorable newborn photos before Liv was no longer pint size.
I ended up capturing these first precious moments with the help of Jennifer at Papaya Sky who caught most of Liv’s awake & alert moments while I later snapped up a couple of sweet-basket-baby-moments.
There were just too many to choose from so here’s a whole bunch of goodness…
This is one of my favorite Liv poses, she does it all the time while she’s sleeping or stretching:
Ahhh cuteness.
Now a bit more on these nakey pillow shots, because if there’s something thing trickier than getting a sleeping, naked baby atop a pillow, I’d like to know what it is. Lessons learned: #1 Babies do not like to be naked, especially while sleeping (brrrr), #2 Cool air + naked babies = more trips to the washing machine with blankets and pillows than I can count, #3 Liv doesn’t curl up, she actually prefers a legs-and-arms-fully-extended position while snoozing. BUT if you’re persistent (it took me three mornings of what Kev thought was pure baby torture) you can capture the moment.
Naked sleeping baby solution: Set up camera at perfect height on tripod, get Liv in her birthday suit prior to nap, wrap (but don’t pin) a cloth diaper around her bum, nurse until soundly asleep in the curled legs/lotus position, immediately transfer (while removing cloth diaper) to top of pillow and snap, snap, snap away! Totally worth it.
UPDATE: A reader suggested using a blow dryer during these shoots to help keep baby comfortable, a friend also mentioned that a space heater near the basket would have helped. Next time I’m definitely trying out both suggestions!
Of course it’s perty easy to hide a diaper in a soft & cozy blanket, too (without all of the mess), and this is another favorite photo:
Maybe even perhaps my favorite.
We put together a collection of images for Olivia’s birth announcements from Tiny Prints. I was so happy that I didn’t have to choose just one picture – they have plenty of options for 5 & 6 photos.
And the back of the card:
Oh sweet preciousness! I can’t wait to plaster these all over the house.
These photos are FLAWLESS!!! She is so gorgeous :o) Your family is simply beautiful!
Janelle, Congrats on your new grandson!
~Morgan
Oh my goodness gorgeous! These photos of your precious Olivia are adorable!!! Well worth the effort for every single one of them. (Easy for me to say, huh??)
Good tips with the hair dryer & space heater. I’ll have to remember those when my grandson, Charlie Ian, arrives in July!
Oh Morgan she is SO GORGEOUS! Love all the photos. And my little gal turns one on Tuesday and I can’t believe in such a short amount of time she has changed so much.
She is so adorable, what beautiful photos :) xx
My Olivia is about to turn 10 and I can absolutely remember those munchkin days. So precious. Your girl is gorgeous and the shots are really lovely. Carol
Those are so cute! :D
The pics are so pretty and she is so cute! She looks so beautiful and fragile…
Congratulations.
The pics kind of glow and are flooded with happiness.
Every single one of those photos is so precious! You’re going to have to change her name to ‘beautiful’!
T spent the first three weeks in the hospital, so we actually missed the recommended window for those curled up, sweet shots – so I’m now living vicariously through you!
gorgeous, she is seriously such a sweet little thing… thanks for sharing her pictures with us!
The only thing missing are the wings on this angel :)
I have a son 23 and a daughter 17. Life is changing fast around here so I share with you a saying from a plaque my mom gave me when I had my first baby
Let me sit for a while
and forget about all of my work with a smile.
For lullaby moments
and peek-a-boo fun
are life’s little treasures
meant just for today.
For babies grow up
and the years slip away.
(I may have missed some lines, I am doing it from memory. Google search didn’t find it)
Congratulations to all of you!
Marie, that is so beautiful! Thank you for posting!
~Morgan
Adorable!! enjoy!!
Olivia is absolutely gorgeous! Beautiful pictures, I love her little expression with her hands by her face, so sweeeeet! :)
Just as a suggestion: a hair dryer works wonders when posing a baby for a photo shoot. Put it on warm and low and swish it back and forth on her while someone else snaps away. Sometimes even just having the hair dryer running in the room but not pointed on the baby soothes them enough. Beautiful baby…congrats!
Erica, That’s a genius idea, I’ve amended my post to include your suggestion!
~Morgan