What are your hopes and dreams for your new baby?
“We hope that Allie will always feel loved and supported to be her true self.  Our goal is to give her many life experiences to help form the person that she will be.  We hope that she develops an independent spirit and has the drive to set and reach for her own goals, no matter what they may be!”

 Tell us a bit about the story of your baby’s birth.
“Allie’s dad is a public accountant, so April is his busiest month of the year, tax season.  Her actual due date was May 5th, but due to some complications I was induced on April 24th.  So Andrew ended up taking 3 days vacation in the busiest month of the year, she will never live that one down :)  Allie was born at WLMH just like her brother.  Mom & Dad say her delivery nurse, Jodey, was so amazing!”

Any funny stories to tell since Allie’s arrived?
“Big brother Carson was convinced that his new sibling was going to be a boy (we didn’t know in advance), but he is adapting nicely.  His favourite thing to say when she is crying is “What’s the matter sweetheart?”, which he learned from his Nanny (my mom).  Andrew and Allie always spend some quality time snuggling on the couch after Carson goes to bed each night!  He is thrilled with Daddy’s little girl and is totally embracing all of the pink that has invaded our home.”

Was there anything that happened at your session that really stuck out to you? 
“Whenever Allie is awake I always think of how curious her eyes seem to me considering that she is a brand new baby.  But most of the time she is a pretty big sleeper.  So it was really funny to me that she stayed awake for the whole session and seemed to reinforce my beliefs that she is very aware of her surroundings (even if it is just my thinking!).”

Tell us a bit about your session.
“I really enjoyed (our session) this morning.  Your organization and the way that you thought of everything was really something!  I so appreciated your patience and the time that you spent with our Allie.  ”

The magnetic covers are laminated for protection and your images are printed on the best photographic papers available. When you book your session between May 1st and July 31st, you’ll receive three of these adorable mini books to share with your favourite people. Your baby & family photos will be everywhere.

How did these parents meet?

“I first noticed Amy from afar at McMaster University where we both studied Kinesiology.  I was immediately drawn to her smile.  One day I watched her help an elderly man make his away across a crowded room and at that moment I knew she would be my wife.  The only problem was that she didn’t even know I existed.  After getting a mutual friend to introduce us, I asked her to go for coffee.  On that first date someone forgot to put the ignition wick on our fireworks (perhaps it was the interview style date I conducted on her life plan). About three months later Amy asked me to go to a movie.  That night we felt the fireworks.   That was 14 years ago, the rest is history.”

Their parenting philosophy?

“Our parenting philosophy is simple.  The nucleus of everything is God.  After Him or marriage must be solid to serve as a foundation for our family.  After that our children are our main priority.  We are most interested in making decisions that line up with this hierarchy of priorities.  We strongly believe that positive encouragement is far superior to bold correction (although both are needed).  We feel that allowing our children to dream and helping them know that their life is supposed to be lived abundantly will allow them to live out the destiny for which God has created them.  Above all, the most important of these is Love. ”

A funny story about their family…

“This past year I (matt) have spent many hours brain washing the kids to be Buffalo Sabres hockey fans.  We have taken them to Sabres games, bought Sabres jerseys and watched many of the Sabres games on T.V.  For our oldest Payton, she was the hardest to convert but is now a solid fan.  Matteo was a quick convert but has jumped ship to be a Colorado Avs fan.  Our second youngest son, Kaelan, has taken it so deeply to heart that he now insists that we call him Ryan Miller (the goalie for the Sabres).  He refers to himself as Ryan Miller and can often be heard saying “mom, Ryan Miller is hungry, can he have a snack”.”

Favourite place to go out to eat in the Niagara Region?

“We love to eat locally at Cibo’s and buy bread and baked goods at De La Terre.”

“We loved our portrait session.  Karen’s ability to capture candid photo’s in a studio environment is second to none.  She is patient with the children and allows them to express who they really are while capturing the images.  Her experience and attention to detail is amazing.  The way that she pre-heats a room for new born portraits and remembers incentive gifts to keep the older children engaged is very impressive.  Best of all is the finished product.  We have such gratitude to her for capturing these special times in our life.”

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How did Rob and Kim (her attentive parents) meet?  Rob was friends with Kim’s brother Brent.  They started hanging out together, going to movies together with a group of friends.   They officially started to date at a Corn Roast one year. They are easy going and like to have fun with their kids. Rob and Kim hope that Sarah will grow up and become really close friends with her big sisters, and hopefully have no allergies.  Big sister Anna doesn’t always pronounce certain words that well and it is really hard for them to differentiate when she wants her parents to ‘cuddle’ with her or ‘color’ with her.  She gets really mad when they think its the wrong one.  Something Rob and Kim have learned in the last 6 months is patience as they younger, but still big sister Leah has hit her Terrible Two’s.  They also learned that Anna didn’t really have any Terrible Two’s and are very grateful for that now. 

Their birth story was pretty routine, it was a planned c-Section at the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital.  Kim stayed for two nights, getting lucky the second night when Kim got a private room.  Dr. Gai and as always many great nurses helped throughout the stay, especially a nurse named Lori.  Kim is nurse at St Joesph’s Hospital in Hamilton and Rob’s an Electrical Technologist and and Electrician, mostly working at plants that make automotive parts.

In the future, they see themselves spending lots of time with family, doing active things with the kids, camping, skiing, hiking, biking, and maybe even dirt biking with the girls if Kim allows it.  If they could take their family anywhere in the world, it would be Disneyworld world right now because Anna and Leah would just love it, they are so in to Cinderella and all the Disney Princesses.  In the meantime, they visit parks in the area, they really like Happy Rolph’s and Zoo’s.  Kim and Rob like to get away for dinner when they can (not very often)  and they prefer simple meals so they’re into Turtle Jacks right now. (Hint to their relatives-gift card for date night!)

Something they loved about their session was how I was able to make the kids laugh and then quickly get a picture to capture the moment.  Rob and Kim through their session was very enjoyable as they always, very relaxing, never feeling rushed.  When asked if there was going to be any new babies coming in the next few years, they said only if they win the lottery, then absolutely yes.    But if not then I think this will be their last little one.  Congratulations, Rob & Kim, Anna & Leah.  God bless you in your parental adventures!

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And here they are with parents Kendra & Greg.

“Greg and I are both from the East Coast and met just over 10 years ago. We hit it off instantly.  He was the “strong, silent” type, and I talked enough for both of us.  I was in university so we continued a long distance relationship for 4 years.  When Greg moved to Ontario for a job opportunity, I, of course, followed. We were excited when Maddie came along and were just getting used to being parents when we were pleasantly surprised to find out we were expecting Blake.  Having two children under the age of 2 has its challenges, but we enjoy every minute.”

“Family is something that is very important to both Greg and I. We want our girls to grow up feeling the same closeness with our extended family that we experienced.  Living afar makes it difficult but not impossible.  Having our portraits taken is just one of the ways we keep in touch.  Our family loves seeing the photos and how the girls are growing.  We really enjoyed our photo session.  It was relaxed, and felt more like we were playing with our girls then posing for pictures.”

“Any new babies in the next few years?… none planned, but who knows…….”

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There are some things you can look for in a professional newborn photographer to ensure you’re bringing your baby to a safe place for his or her newborn portraits. Here are some helpful questions for you to ask, as well as the answers you’ll want to hear.

How much experience do you have photographing newborns?

The answer to this question doesn’t have to be a specific length of time, but how many newborns they’ve photographed. You can also tell if a photographer has a great deal of experience by their posing. You want to see that newborn expressions are not strained, and that their hands and feet look comfortable and cozy.

Have you taken courses in baby posing or newborn photography?

Reputable newborn workshops contain information about newborn safety. They show professionals how proper posing is done, and how Adobe Photoshop is used to enhance an image. Here’s one example of an image I’ve done as composite. The baby is warm and swaddled in many soft layers of fabric, safely held in position by an assistant, or Mom or Dad, during both portraits. The two images are then brought into Photoshop and combined to create the final image.

The approximate weight of a newborn’s head is 25% of their body weight. This means that newborn babies are quite top heavy. When photographing, professional newborn photographers use weights in the bottom of their buckets or bowls, counteracting the weight of your new baby’s head to reduce any possibility of injury.

In this classic pose, the newborn baby’s head is carefully supported by an assistant’s hands, twice. The first image is taken with hands supporting the top of baby’s head, and the second is taken with hands supporting baby’s head under their chin. This way the pressure of baby’s head is not resting on their little hands. Newborns cannot naturally hold this position on their own. Again, I’ve done this image as a composite where the two portraits are then brought into Photoshop and combined to create the final image.

If you see images on a photographer’s website that you’re questioning the safety of, politely ask them how they were done. Most are composites, and a professional newborn photographer will be happy to put parent’s minds at ease.

How long do your newborn sessions typically last?

In my experience, it’s very important not to be rushed during your newborn session. If the room is quiet and calm, your baby will be more likely to sleep and be calm as well. You must have time to listen to the cues your baby gives during your session, for example, rooting. Rooting is when your baby will turn his or her head and open their mouth searching for food. If your baby is doing this, you will need time to feed him or her. Also, not every baby will do every pose you’d like. Every newborn is different and comfortable in different positions. A professional understands the cues babies will give, and will encourage and help you to care for your newborn during your session. During my newborn sessions, I typically need two hours to achieve 20-30 unique images. I ask my clients not to schedule appointments immediately following their session, so if we need more time we have it.

Do you have references?

Many professional newborn photographers have testimonials on their website, but feel free to ask for references from parents of other babies they’ve photographed. When it comes to professional newborn photography, there are no official guidelines or skills required to start up a business. To ensure you’re working with someone who is committed to proper business practices, I suggest asking the photographer you’re considering if they’re an active member of the Professional Photographers of Canada.

Written By: Karen Byker, LPPO, Reflections of Life Photography

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How did Mom & Dad meet?
“Dave is a Realtor, he showed me some properties while my realtor was away.  We hit it off, talked easily about pretty much everything.  It was his bright blue eyes, honesty and boyish grin that captured me.”

What kind of parents do you think you are?  What’s your parenting philosophy?
“Attentive, loving, caring, protective.  You try your hardest to meet you child’s every need.  Simplicity is best, pay attention to them, give them boundaries, teach them morals.  They are a gift from God, entrusted to your care.  We don’t take that gift for granted.”

What are your hopes and dreams for your baby?
“To grow up with a deep faith, to be firmly grounded, confident and secure, to be happy and a blessing to others.”

Any new babies coming in the next few years?
“Daddy hopes so, Mommy says…one day at a time.”

Anything you would like to mention about your session?
“How calm Karen is.  She’s patient and willing to work with us in poses we wanted.  The session was calm and professional.”

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Her parent’s hopes and dreams…
“It is our hope and dream that Brooklyn grow to be happy, healthy and compassionate, confident in herself and in her ability to realize her life’s path.”

The Story of Brooklyn’s Birth…
“Brooklyn’s estimated due date was March 23^rd, 2012.  Clearly, she had other plans.  On the morning of March 7^th, 2012, Sue woke up to find that her water had broken.  As this was clearly unplanned, she was still expected to be at work that morning.  Being a teacher, she had to make arrangements for a supply to come in, last minute, and then travel to the hospital to be evaluated.  Being a first time mom, she had no idea if this was indeed labour, or something else.

Long story short … this was indeed labour.  Because her water had broken earlier, the contractions progressed quickly.  By mid-afternoon they were three to four minutes apart, but unfortunately she wasn’t dilating at an adequate rate.  By 10:00 a.m., on March 8^th, the doctor ordered a c-section due to a “failure to progress”.  After a difficult labour this was a decision that both Sue and Erin welcomed by this point.  They were ready to meet their little girl.

As soon as Brooklyn was born, one of the doctors in the operating room said, “Now that’s a conehead if I have ever seen one!”  LOL!  Poor little girl was stuck and no doubt was having a difficult time finding her way into the world.  Fortunately she is healthy and we are so thankful to have her.

We would like to thank Dr. Nwebube and the medical staff at West Lincoln Memorial Hospital, in Grimsby ON, for their incredible level of support and kindness throughout our journey.  We couldn’t have asked for a better team of people.”

“We enjoyed our portrait session very much.  Karen was extremely accommodating, welcoming, and professional.  We were incredibly impressed with how she was able to maneuver Brooklyn into the positions required for the photographs! “  Would you like to have your new baby featured on the Reflections of Life Photography blog?

What kind of parents are they?  Their philosophy?
“As much as possible, we try to do things together with the entire family.  We are careful not to have too many individual activities outside the home, and we make a point of eating meals together.  We teach our children to set appropriate priorities:  God first, family second, health third.”

What have they learned in the last six months?
“We have learned much about the importance of taking care of our bodies, and have made a concerted effort to make wholesome meals in which we can pronounce all the ingredients.  Daily exercise comes in many forms, including walks with the family and spontaneous tickle fights.  Structure and good order help reduce stress, as long as you can stay reasonably flexible.”

Their hopes and dreams for their kiddies?
“Even more than ensuring a proper education for our children, we want to equip them to live to their fullest potential to the glory of God.”

Would you like to have your family featured on the Reflections of Life Photography blog?  Send me a quick email by clicking here to book your session today!

How did they meet?   “We met at a games night that was hosted by friends of Anne`s sister and her husband who is Theo’s friend. Anne knew Theo was going to be there but Theo didn’t know Anne was going to be there.  They had fun playing cranium men against women, and when things died down Theo asked their now brother-in-law who in the room was single…Theo impressed Anne with his friendliness, young at heart attitude and of course his charm and good looks….Theo was intrigued by Anne’s down to earth personality and beauty, especially her smile.”  And of course, now they are inseparable.

“Theo teaches Millwright apprentices and enjoys working on his car and home renovations. He keeps active by playing hockey and baseball as well.  Anne is a family doctor who also delivers babies.  On her free time she loves to cook and entertain as well as participate in crafty activities.”

When asked what kind of a parent they thought they’d be,  Theo thinks “Anne will be a very nurturing mom and provide endless creative activities.  Anne thinks Theo will be a very patient, loving and extremely fun dad given his being “young at heart”.  Their hopes and dreams for their new baby are that he or she will be healthy, happy and lead a good Christian life.”

No names on the shortlist that they’re sharing yet!  That will have to wait till the birth date!