Baby "M" / Columbus Ohio Newborn Photography
/I'm not quite sure where to start with this story. I received a call from my dear friend who had a co-worker whose son was in NICU at a local hospital and wanted to know if I could travel there to take newborn photos of him. I did and instantly fell head over heels for their sweet boy. Mama sat by his side day after day and we discussed plans for a session in my studio once he was released from the hospital. The second call I received was another session in the hospital as it looked as if their sweet boy would never make it home. With my heart in my throat, I pulled into the parking lot at the hospital, said a prayer and unloaded my camera gear. I had no idea how I would manage to keep it together for this session, but I knew that these portraits would be for a lifetime...so I took a deep breathe and headed upstairs. They looked at their sweet boy so intently and held him so close while they whispered goodbyes.....My heart broke for them.
I will be forever grateful for them sharing their sweet boy with me one last time and trusting me to capture it. They gave me so much more in that day than I could have given them with photos. I saw first hand what true love looks like. I was able to see unconditional love within an arms reach...I saw the generosity of nurses and physicians whose job entails so much more than I ever realized. And I was able to see the value of time. I actually SAW time and what it meant. You can't hold onto it but you can certainly live IN it. That you can be fully present...so present that the whole room can feel it. And it also helped my to realize that the tool in my hand really was the only way to make that day stand still for them. Again, them trusting me with that means more to me than they will ever realize.
Fast forward to an Instagram scroll many months later and I see that this amazing, resilient couple is expecting again! I cried happy tears! I am in awe of the strength and love these two share. And sweet little baby M. Their ray of sunshine after a storm that left them heartbroken. She's so sweet and tiny and perfect. I was so happy to incorporate some of her big brother's items into her shoot .... and I'm pretty sure she was happy to include him as well because just when I wrapped the teddy bear made from her brothers blanket around her....she gave the sweetest smile.