Last week I had the honor as a Seattle baby photographer to photograph a miracle. That miracle’s name is Gabriel.
Gabriel’s Story
Gabriel’s story starts with the story of his parents and his siblings that came before him and didn’t stay. Reading his parents blog about the pregnancy and pregnancy lost, I am filled with sorrow and joy. It is a weird thing to feel pulled emotionally in two directions. On the one hand there has been so much sadness and loss in the journey that led to Gabriel joining their family. But on the other hand there has been strength, love, and courage along with triumphant moments. This little baby is the eight baby but first to be born to his patient parents. I love that they named their lost children such beautiful names. Avery Miracle, Hayden Promise, Hadley Hope, and Riley Patience are the siblings that came before and couldn’t stay. Here are some poignant excerpts from their blog about the experinces with pregnancy that were especially touching to me.
“I wish I could describe all the way God demonstrated his love for us through our friends and family during this process.”
“The moment you were born, I was just overcome with emotion. I sat right down in the rocker after seeing you finally…”
“When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move,
When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through,
When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You,
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You!”
“I am not alone,
I am not alone
You will go before me
You will never leave me.”
“On Saturday, I stayed strong until Jessi went in for the emergency surgery, then I walked out to the lawn outside the surgery center and cried. What else could I do but cry, and write?”
“So here we are again. It’s just unbelievable. I can’t believe we’re here at the hospital again, here in the same room doing the same surgery that we just did in December. I just can’t believe that this baby isn’t coming to see us either.”
“The Lord really lavished his love on us during this time. He was there in the waiting, in the stillness, in the decision-making, and in the gut-wrenching tears. I am so grateful for His promise to be with us in all things.”
“Call me old-fashioned, but I refuse to let infertility steal away the joy of surprising my family and friends with the news that we are PREGNANT! “
How Gabriel helped to heal my heart:
Yesterday was a hard day. For me it was a day of years. Feeling like our world is filled with evil and that there are no more safe places. Seeing life snuffed out and chaos reign. I went to bed discouraged and my head pounding from tears that brought no relief. Today I sat down to write Gabriel’s blog post and as part of that I chose to read much of the blog that documented the long journey that brought him here. In a capsulized way I mourned with his family and celebrated as they triumphed at last in bringing a baby into the world. The feelings of peace and happiness that I felt have healed my heart a little bit. When I think about Gabriel and the miracle that he truly is it brings me hope and courage. His names translates to “God is my strength”. How beautiful is that. We must all take strength in the light that is there is our lives. There is always light. Even in the darkest of moments and reading a blog about pregnancy loss has shown that to me very clearly. There are good people. Strong people. Parents that will teach their children to make out world a better and a safer place. There is joy felt to the very soul when in the presence of innocence. Gabriel is innocence. He is hope. He is joy. And he is just plain darn cute to boot.
Gabriel’s Session:
I am so honored that in some very small way, by being his baby photographer, I have been part of his joyful arrival. What a privilege it is to meet this strong little muffin. He was full of smiles during his portrait session. His mommy had told me that he was trying his hardest to skip the sitting phase and go right on ahead to standing. So we had a props ready so that he could pull up and show off his strong little legs. I was struck by his big beautiful eyes. You could get lost looking into those eyes. Makes me wonder what he is thinking because they are so expressive. So I got a few closeups. I am so excited to share his portraits with his family and loved ones. Here are my personal favorites from his session.
Every year on my birthday I get an email from my mom and usually a facebook post from at least one of my sisters with this picture attached.
It is the worst! Literally! Why oh why weren’t professional portraits of babies and toddlers a thing. Every year for 40 years this picture has haunted me on my birthday. It’s always center stage on my facebook page. Does anyone leave a comment letting me know I was adorable (which I was, the cutest baby ever)? Does anyone comment on what an excellent picture of me this is? No they can’t get past the glaring yellow beanbag. Pictures and make or break you people. And parents that care to invest in pictures their children won’t mind gracing wedding slideshows or plastering social media for the rest of their lives are parents that truly get it. A picture is worth a thousand words. And you want those words to be…
What a cutie…
so adorable…
he is so handsome….
awe…
Hudson’s parents truly understand the power of a beautiful portrait. Not only are Hudson’s one year portraits bound to get all sorts of accolades for cuteness overload now, but in years to come they will do the same. I am a big fan of living in the moment pictures of real life at home. But they should be balanced by portraits that are classic and lovely. Posed portraits have a major role in history keeping. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be Hudson’s Gig Harbor baby photographer. He is perfection now. And with these beautiful portraits of him his parents will always remember him this way. When they look back at his one year portraits they will remember all the things they love about him. Not their prehistoric TV, ghastly yellow beanbag and green stag carpet.
Contact me to book your Baby’s milestone photography session
Jennifer Wilcox Photography is located in Puyallup, Washington. Jennifer is Puyallup’s premier newborn photographer. As a professional photographer, Jennifer captures maternity, newborn and baby, portraits for families in the Seattle, Tacoma and Puyallup metro areas.
“To be pregnant is to be vitally alive, thoroughly woman, and distressingly inhabited.
Soul and spirit are stretched – along with body – making pregnancy a time of transition, growth, and profound beginnings.”
– Anne Christian Buchanan
I love this quote because it so beautiful states two truths that I believe in heart and soul as a Puyallup maternity photographer. There is no other time when a woman is more womanly than when she is pregnant. Pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood are the crowning glowing of womanhood. It is the right of passage that boosts you into the throngs of Goddesshood (I made that word up). The other truth, that a woman carrying a child is “vitally alive”. Two lives protected by one body. And that body as it preforms biology’s greatest miracle is so perfectly gorgeous you have at one in one form the perfection of both nature and art. It is such a privileged to be a maternity photographer and to be a part of documenting the greatest miracle on Earth and the most beautiful rite of mother nature. Vanessa is stunning is a way that makes you victim to the mesmerizing powers of her strength and womanhood. She is a masterpiece. She is a life giver. A Goddess. A woman.
William will be one in January. I bet his mommy is wondering where the time has gone. Those doe eyes will soon be sparking with mischief and merriment. It all seems to happen with unpardonable speed once babies learn to walk. And I bet William is only a few months away from reaching that milestone. But for now we get to celebrate his newness still by photographing him doing all those little baby things that babies do; like playing with toes, sucking thumbs, teething and big gummy smiles. William is everything a little fellow that is half way through his first year should be. Perfect in every way. He is the happiness and joy of his family. It was a pleasure to meet his mommy and to be her Seattle baby photographer. I hope I was able to catch some of her favorite things about her baby son. I loved his big hazel eyes and that great big smile. He was such a pleasure to work with and I am so excited to share all of the wonderful images that I was able to get during his session! Enjoy a sneak peek and my favorite pics of sweet little William!
Contact me to book your Baby’s milestone photography session
Jennifer Wilcox Photography is located in Puyallup, Washington. Jennifer is Puyallup’s premier newborn photographer. As a professional photographer, Jennifer captures maternity, newborn and baby, portraits for families in the Seattle, Tacoma and Puyallup metro areas.
Where did all of that beautiful red hair come from? I had to go back and reference Logan’s newborn portraits after his session. I was thinking, how could I have forgotten such beautiful hair. But seeing as this little prince was mostly bald as a baby I am sure that gorgeous head of hair was a surprise to his parents as well. Logan looked so handsome for his portrait session, he has such bright eyes and an easy smile and growing big and strong so fast. Already, he has outpaced his older brother at the same age. That cute little outfit big brother wore for his birthday portraits was a little snug on Logan. This little guys session was rocket themed. He had the cutest cake with little gold stars and an awesome rocket candle and a banner for the backdrop. Surprisingly, Logan wasn’t interested in the stars so much. I can confidently say that 8 out of 10 of the babies that have come to see me for cake smashes in the past would have sat by that beautiful cake and one by one picked off every star. But this little man was all about the chocolate frosting. Fast first into the cake he went taking giant licks with his tongue. We even broke the cake open for him to show him there was yumminess inside as well. Nope. This one wanted chocolate. He got some on the tip of his nose and spent the rest of his cake smash looking like a cute little puppy. Happy Birthday little muffin! May all the chocolate cakes be yours!
Contact me to book your Baby’s milestone photography session
Jennifer Wilcox Photography is located in Puyallup, Washington. Jennifer is Puyallup’s premier newborn photographer. As a professional photographer, Jennifer captures maternity, newborn and baby, portraits for families in the Seattle, Tacoma and Puyallup metro areas.
