Baby Zion came into the world at exactly the right time – born in the middle of a blizzard, he arrived two weeks early, on his grandfather’s birthday. His parents are dear friends of mine, and a group of us texted updates back and forth late into the night that night, waiting to hear word from the dad-to-be or the doula or the expectant aunt. When hours later a picture came through of a beautiful little boy and a happy, tired Momma, I cheered so loudly I woke up my own kiddo! Worth it.

I finally met little Z just a few short weeks later, when I photographed him and his parents Luke and Marcella in their Bridgeport rowhouse. We spent a few hours together, just soaking in the slow, magic pace of a newborn, of new parents, of a new life altogether. I love love love in-home sessions for newborns. There’s no agenda, no way that anything is expected to go, just for parents and baby to be together doing what everyone does with a newborn – diapers and feedings and snuggling and snacking, on repeat. Whether you’ve spent months arranging a beautifully designed nursery, or you’re just taking it a day at a time together, your home will never be just the same as it is in those first few weeks.

When my own son was born, we lived in a one-bedroom cottage, and we didn’t have a nursery. I think back to changing diapers on top of our dresser and that particular arrangement of my nightstand with special cards from friends and family and extra burp cloths and wipes, and even that one get-ready-for-baby book I was sure I’d have time to read.)

Luke and Marcella’s house is simple and beautiful, with so many lovely details that helped to make up the story of Little Z’s life. From a handmade wall-hanging from a dear friend, to the white brick walls of his nursery (painted by Luke and Z’s Aunt Laurie in the months before he was born) I had so much fun capturing their life as a whole. As Zion rounds the corner to 5 months old, its so sweet to look back on just how tiny he was in these very same spaces!