{newborn} The McCracken Family
It's not every day that I get to photograph newborns, so the days I do I believe are extra special. The day I met Elizabeth, her new big sister, Mabel, and Charlotte and Mike was no exception. There were some last-minute changes, and we decided to do the photoshoot at Nitre Hall in Havertown, a new-found treasure in my book! It was August 30th and the air was thick and sticky, but Nitre Hall not only provided a lot of amazing sunlight, but also pleasant shaded areas. Cute old-stone houses, wooden cabins, tall trees, wild flowers and unpaved trails instantly caught my attention and I knew the setting was perfect.
The first person I saw was Mabel. Her adorable dress and messy hair greeted me shyly as she gripped Charlotte's hand. Baby Elizabeth was asleep and so tiny in her precious blue and white flowered outfit. Charlotte and Mike looked incredibly put together for just having a newborn baby and a toddler and their friendly, laid-back personalities made getting started natural and peaceful. Charlotte brought blankets and a wicker basket to use that Mike held his weights in at home (hey, whatever works!). We started by the steps of the hall where Mabel requested. She loved the steps...yes, we climbed all of them!
Elizabeth was the ideal little model. She slept most of the time and seemed to know wherever I was because she turned her head to face me every time I moved. Mabel was very coy at first and didn't want to take any pictures with her sister. After a few trips up the stairs and some Daniel the Tiger talk, she warmed up and even showed off her new Big Sister bracelet to me. It was when she started playing hide-and-seek with me behind a tree that I knew a made a new friend.
The McCracken family were a bunch of troopers. Despite the heat, everyone had the biggest smiles on their faces; they were so patient and willing to try different ideas. When Elizabeth started to get a little hungry, Charlotte fed her and I was able to take some pictures of Mabel. Some of my favorite ones were of her exploring through the flowers, peeping through the windows of the log cabin and walking (again) up the stairs with her dad. She was then ready to take pictures with her new baby sister. The happiness and ease of Mabel posing with her sister were precious. She was giggling and kissing Elizabeth and loved laying with her on her baby blanket. Their matching headbands were an adorable touch, especially when Mabel kept fixing her sister's. We were able to get a few family pictures in too. True to life, Elizabeth woke up and was consoled by her loving family and Mabel kept wanting to climb more steps. The pictures were authentic and the family was glowing with the joy of having two beautiful little girls.
