Baby Gwendolyn was born on a Thursday evening. (Click here if you missed the photos of her birth!) I went back to her family’s home that Saturday morning for some pictures of her with her big sisters. There was a whole lot of loving going on.
This is a long overdue post of my second annual pre-Christmas card photo shoot with this family of seven kids. I’m so excited to go back this year because baby #8 is due in June!!! I feel like I’ve known them for years and years even though this was only my second time photographing them. Such sweet, fun kids!
When I walked in the door, I was greeted with several smiles, and was asked to dance by a very sweet man. I danced with him, of course. Most of these family members had traveled from Canada for a Birthday celebration. The Birthday girl invited me to her home the day after the party to capture their time together. We did a few posed pictures, and most of the time they did the things you see here, while I walked around with my camera and a smile. What a happy and kind group of people.
If your family is getting together and you would life to have photographs like these, please e-mail (maegandougherty@gmail.com) or call ((201) 994-5610) me to talk about scheduling an extended family session. So special, right?
My tiny Jasper is 14 months old now. When he wants something, he points to it, and then points to himself. He knows how to show us where he wants to go, and where his nose and his belly are. If we ask him to go get his shoes so we can go outside, he will get them from our show basket by the door, bring them to us, sit down, and put his little feet in the air. He has an irresistible shy smile. He wants to do everything Xander does and they adore each other. He’s a pretty quiet little guy, and when he laughs or says “Da” when we call his dad at work, it’s the sweetest sound.
I love the way he plays with his daddy and the way he snuggles with me every nap and night to go to sleep. My sweet baby.
April 2, 2013 - 3:11 am
He is precious!
April 2, 2013 - 3:16 am
What a gorgeous little guy! Of course I’m prejudiced! XX G’G’Ma Doris.
April 2, 2013 - 3:17 am
Miss you, Grandma!
April 2, 2013 - 4:06 am
ADORABLE!!!
April 2, 2013 - 8:27 am
What a cutie! <3
April 2, 2013 - 10:27 am
Oh Maegan! So adorable. He’s gotten so big. I love this age. I see so much of you in him. Love this post.
In my earliest childhood memory, I am sitting on the floor in the hallway of my home, eating bread with my Aunt Marianne. I remember only those details. I wasn’t yet three years old. The rest I know from pictures and stories. My baby sister was born that day, in our cozy little trailer home in Northern California.
My next experience with home birth came 31 years later, in a cozy house in New Jersey, where my friends Jenn and Michael welcomed their third baby girl. Jenn had been having contractions on and off, and the due date had passed 10 days before, so Jenn and Michael were ready and waiting. I was thrilled to get the call from Jenn that Thursday evening that the midwives were there and she was 6-7 centimeters. My boys were in bed. I nursed Jasper a little, knowing I might be gone for several hours, and then headed to Jenn and Michael’s house. I arrived about 20 minutes after she called, assuming there would be time for some labor pictures. I took one. 🙂
Five minutes later, Jenn gave birth to their baby, Gwendolyn Elizabeth, who was lovingly caught in her daddy’s arms. It was natural and normal and amazing and beautiful.
Here, in pictures, is the story of the few minutes before, and the two hours following Gwendolyn’s birth.
This next picture is a little blurry, but I love it. Such a cool, funny couple they are.
Gwendolyn’s big sisters slept soundly through the birth, and awoke in the morning to find their new baby sister. I went back for more pictures that Saturday and will share those in another blog post!
If you are expecting a baby and are considering having your baby’s birth photographed, or if this is your first experience with birth photography and you like these pictures, but aren’t yet sure if it’s for you, please e-mail or call me. I would love to talk about it with you.
maegandougherty@gmail.com
(201) 994-5610
March 25, 2013 - 7:55 pm
I LOVE these pictures and the story you shared…..love it all. Beautiful!
April 1, 2013 - 12:52 am
Stunning pictures. You do incredible work.
April 1, 2013 - 1:39 am
Thank you, Lisa! Please feel free to share this post, and let me know if you would like any of the pictures for the Midwives of New Jersey website.
April 1, 2013 - 1:59 am
We just need to make sure it is ok with Jenn and then we would love some of them for our website. Where do you live?
April 1, 2013 - 12:20 pm
Yes, I would want to run any pictures by Jenn and her husband first. I live in Bergen County (Paramus/Hackensack area). I was also at this birth with Cindy…
https://maegandougherty.com/new-jersey-birth-photography-vbac-waterbirth/
I’ve just started photographing births this year and am so excited about it! Taking a limited number for now until I am more prepared (I have an almost 4 year old and a nursing 14 month old) for the on call lifestyle.
Maegan, these are incredible! I love the one of the mom and dad dancing and of course the grandpa ones. Wow!
Thank you, Jill! I love when I have chances to photograph grandparents. 🙂
What a lovely family – how nice to have those pictures for them! Those Canadians are wonderful people – we have some wonderful friends from Canada down here each winter.