When you see the photo below, I won’t even need to tell you how over the moon mom Heather is to welcome her baby boy Elias to the family! She’s absolutely glowing, and her smile says it all as she holds her handsome new arrival snugly in a loving embrace. You see, Elias is her second child, the first boy in the family, and little brother to Sophia who was born 16 years ago!
So, although it’s been a minute (or a several years) since mom has welcomed a little one into their family, she is thrilled at the birth of her son and couldn’t wait to get his newborn portraits taken at the Andrea Sollenberger Studio, where I specialize in creative and one-of-a-kind professional newborn photos.
PRECIOUS BABY BOY, SO SMALL AND SWEET
In this photo, Heather gazes lovingly down at her new baby boy as he’s swaddled comfortably in her arms. And I love that he has his eyes wide open for this image, too! You may not know it, but it is actually pretty difficult to capture a lot of photos of infants with their eyes open because they sleep so much when they are at their tiniest. And since that’s exactly when we want to plan their very first photo session, we usually end up getting several sleepy, naptime pictures, which you’ll see are also just as adorable!
I love mom’s navy blue dress in this image, too, for a couple of reasons. First, it serves as a lovely backdrop to make tiny baby Elias really stand out in his off-white swaddle. And secondly, she simply looks gorgeous and glowing in that color, and it sets apart the reddish tones of her hair. Heather’s expression in this photo is peaceful and serene, and it evokes all those sweet memories of the early days of motherhood.
SO MUCH JOY FOR ONE LITTLE BOY
It’s always a bonus when family members are able to attend and participate in baby’s photo shoot! For baby Elias’s session, we were lucky enough to have mom, big sister, and grandma present, and it was smiles all around as all three ladies wrapped loving arms around a quietly sleeping baby boy.
With these three strong, and loving ladies by his side, it’s pretty clear that little Elias will grow up feeling protected, encouraged, and loved every single day!
ENOUGH LOVE TO GO AROUND
As sweet Elias grows, there might be a little spoiling in his future, too—well, if grandma and big sis have anything to say about it! This little man is a treasure to this family, and he is welcomed with so much love and anticipation. Sophia has already jumped into her important role as big sister, advisor, confidante, and partner in crime—and she’s rocking her new job! For now, there’s a whole lot of sleeping and cooing going on, but I’m sure there will be shenanigans in the future for these two!
And when it comes to grandma, you can bet there will be walks in the park, cookie baking, and plenty of sleepovers, but for now, there are lots of warm snuggles and sweet baby smells to help her bond with her new baby grandson.
RESTING PEACEFULLY IN BIG SISTER’S PROTECTIVE ARMS
Showing off their look-alike dark hair, big sister Sophia gazes at her baby brother with a loving smile and holds him close for a sweet snuggle. She’s seated on a soft surface that’s both neutral for the photo, but also super-safe for changing positions and moving around with baby. Isn’t it the sweetest to see how carefully she’s supporting his tiny head? When it comes to being loved and adored, this little guy has it made in the shade!
PROFESSIONAL NEWBORN & FAMILY PORTRAITS IN GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA
I work with families in and around the Gainesville, Florida, area, so if you’re looking for a professional newborn photographer, be sure to visit my website to see what packages and sessions might work for you! My focus is always on individual clients and families, and my goal is to deliver unique, artistic portrait collections that reflect your preferences and tastes—and that you’d be proud to hang in your home and share.
A GIFT FROM HEAVEN ABOVE
This photo captures the serenity and peacefulness that are in a mother’s heart as she holds her brand-new baby boy close. Cheek to cheek with baby Elias, Heather closes her eyes, and with matching dreamy expressions, mother and son share a loving moment of bonding as they lay together on this soft surface.
Mom’s navy blue dress is a nod to all things boy and really pops in this photo that is primarily filled with creamy off-white tones.
PRECIOUS BABY BOY…A BASKETFUL OF JOY
Sleeping soundly atop a soft and furry blanket in a rustic, woven basket, adorable baby Elias flashes a hint of a grin. Maybe he’s dreaming of his next snuggle with mom! Whatever may be on his mind, he’s relaxed and dreamy as he drifts off. He’s swaddled in a super-soft textured knit wrap that features a tiny baby blue heart clasp.
SLEEPY BABY BEAR
If you thought baby Elias couldn’t possibly get any cuter, guess again. Well, he’s adorable in ALL of his images, but wearing the baby bear ears? It doesn’t get much cuter than that!
Here, he’s sleeping soundly and wrapped loosely in a light blue hooded wrap that features small baby bear ears. Tucked into a vintage wooden bucket that’s lined with a soft, fringed blanket, he’s snug as can be for his photo session nap!
TO THE MOON AND BACK
Reach for the moon, little one! The adorable scene below features tiny baby Elias nestled within the crook of a fleece crescent moon and surrounded by tiny coordinating stars. Swaddled in baby blue and wearing a soft cap with bear ears, it’s easy to see why the entire family is over the moon about this handsome new arrival!
TWINKLE, TWINKLE
Surrounded by stars and resting on the tip of a plush crescent moon, baby Elias sleeps soundly in his birthday suit and shows off a head full of dark hair as he snoozes the day away. A sweet take on the traditional naked newborn photo, this one is a modest version that shows baby’s bottom, fingers, toes, and curled sleeping position—all without showing too much. It’s a sweet way to photograph all of baby’s tiny little newborn details, all while adding a modern and discreet twist.
TUMMY TIME
Little Elias isn’t laying on his tummy…but just look at that newborn tummy! This is exactly why newborn photos are so important. It won’t be long before this little guy starts to wiggle more and move around. Then, he’ll start to crawl and toddle—and before you know it, that poochy baby tummy will give way to a trim little boy tummy. Professional newborn photos are a way to capture every little detail of their very first days, so that even after they start to grow up you can remember those sweetest early baby expressions, smells, poses, and more!
It was a joy to work with this beautiful family and make sure they have a professional portrait collection they can be proud of! Heather was so much fun and so vibrant and beautiful after having little Elias, and her love for her family is an inspiration. It was so much fun to include mom, grandma, and big sister in newborn Elias’s portraits, and I’m thrilled that they’ll all be able to enjoy these photos for years to come.
If you’re expecting or looking for a professional newborn photographer in the Gainesville, FL, area, contact me so we can chat more about what you’re looking for. Be sure to read more of the blog to see complete sessions and get inspiration for planning your own creative session, and visit the website for extensive session information. You can also find tons of images and ideas on my social media, so be sure to visit me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, too. Let’s plan your dream session!
Oh my goodness, I think my baby fever is coming back! What a gorgeous collection of newborn photos for mom and family to cherish forever! Welcome, baby Elias!
Little Elias was handsome in all of his photos and a superstar among all these ladies! His beautiful photos are a delight to the women in his life! Thanks so much for your comments, Ashleigh!
What a special bonus to have big sister and grandma participate in the photo shoot!! The photo of Elias in the wooden bucket melted my heart!! Absolutely precious!! And of course the photo of him wrapped in blue nestled on the moon is adorable!!! Excellent work, Andrea!!
Thank you Marty! We had a grand time with lots of cuddles for all the ladies. It was an absolute honor to capture all of them with their little fellow. Photos of a new baby boy for all the generations of ladies!
Over the moon and back indeed!! What a great group of newborn photos of the little guy, and, of course, those with all of the women in his life.
It was the best that not only mom but big sister and grandma were able to be present in newborn photos of Elias. It was party time for these ladies with one handsome man in the center. I hope this baby will grow up to know how loved he was from the start! Thank you Selena for your helpful comments!
So lucky for big sister Sophia! They will be siblings with a special relationship. You can see already that what they share is so special! You have made newborn photos filled with joy Andrea!
I agree, a sibling relationship like this is amazing. I am glad you can see the joy that was felt during the photo session. It was such a good photo experience for everyone, including tiny Elias who was a great napper throughout! I appreciate your thoughtful feedback.
Big sister Sophia must be over the moon excited to be able to help care for her newborn brother. I still feel a very special bond with my youngest brother who was born when I was 10. How I would love to have photos like these to remember that special time.
I do love the pastel blue, along with the moon and stars theme. It looks so peaceful! Sweet dreams Elias ❤️
How interesting that you have such a similar sibling situation to relate to, Susan. I hope that your memories serve you well, but it is a blessing to have caught these special big sister baby brother newborn photos for this family to cherish. Thanks for commenting!
I love how you were able to incorporate not only mom, but big sister and grandma into this sweet boy’s newborn photos! You can tell he will be one loved little boy.
Mom and Grandma were so wise to be photographed with their newborn. These are moments to preserve and they will be glad that they took this opportunity. I am glad that you loved this newborn photo gallery! Thanks Brandi for your comments!
What a beautiful baby boy and so alert! Love that grandmother and big sister are included in the session. Andrea has the best props. The moon shaped pillow and stars are perfect props for these adorable pictures. Great photo session that will be treasured for generations to come.
Thank you Nadia! This mom had a particular moon theme in mind for her newborn photos and I decided I needed to buy a moon prop to make the session perfect. When a client asks for a prop that I do not have in the newborn studio, I consider making a purchase. In this way my newborn studio collection has grown over the years. I think this moon newborn prop set the stage for the perfect moon newborn photos. And of course Mom loves them as they fit perfectly in her baby nursery.
This newborn photo session of Heather and her family are gorgeous! I love how you mixed their colorful outfits for family pictures, then more neutral for her baby boy. Such beautiful portraits, as always!
It is always a delight to photograph newborn with mom and sister and even Grandma came to the session! We had fun with colors and textures and stars and moon! So much joy this newborn boy brings to the family!