Nicole's Maternity Leave

Can you believe it's June already?!?!

Our sweet little baby girl is almost here, and Jeff, Grayson, and I are so excited to meet our newest family member that we’ve been dreaming about and planning for during these past nearly-40 weeks!  The nursery is just about ready, our hospital bags are packed, and we are counting down the days and just waiting to welcome our new baby into the world in the next few weeks.

Of course, I’ve been busy behind the scenes to start preparing for maternity leave!  For a business owner, taking a break is a pretty big deal.  Luckily I learned a lot before & during my 2018 maternity leave when Grayson was born, and getting ready for time away from the business for baby #2 is a whole lot easier.

So, let’s get into the details!

When is it happening?  

It’s been a busy spring as I’ve been fitting everything in before the baby arrives. I have finished my last sessions, and I’m currently wrapping up client appointments and orders now so that everything is all set before our baby arrives. With Grayson, I was induced 3 weeks early and it was quite a surprise as first-time parents, so this time I’m making sure to leave even more time as a buffer before our little one’s due date just in case an early delivery happens again.

I will be on maternity leave for June, July, and August. My email auto-responder will be on for the whole summer as we spend time bonding as a family of four.

How do I reach you?

Email is best!  I imagine that the first few weeks I won’t be logging in much, but eventually I will be checking in every couple of days to stay on top of my inbox and get back to any urgent messages and new inquiries for fall portrait sessions.  

When you send me an email, you’ll receive an auto reply with more information about timelines and maternity leave, and I want you to know that I truly appreciate your patience as we spend time putting our family first. I will definitely get back to your message to help you plan your session, just know that it will take a little longer than usual while I’m juggling a baby and a preschooler at home.
 

When are you taking sessions again?

The fall calendar is filling up!  I am currently booking sessions for September 2022 through next winter. If you’re hoping for outdoor family portraits this fall, be sure to reach out early to get that on the calendar because dates are extremely limited. I also have studio availability this fall, so plan ahead for your cake smash, newborn portraits, maternity, or milestone session.

Wait a minute… why do I see new posts on social media? 

There are so many amazing tools out there for business owners to plan ahead and automate their businesses, so although I might be rocking our baby to sleep, my blog & social media accounts will still be churning out new content! 

With the help of my incredible virtual assistant, I’ve been prepping plenty of sessions, new blog posts, educational posts, and so much more to stay fresh online even while I’m on maternity leave. 

The best part?  I imagine I’ll be taking LOTS of photos of our two little ones, and I can’t wait to start sharing those with you, too!  Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on all of the baby cuteness!

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So, that's the plan!  I can't wait to get back into our sessions this fall and to celebrate all of your babies' milestones with your family.  I am so excited for September already -- we have a bunch of birthday babies on the calendar for their cake smashes, and it's going to be such a fun month with all of those birthday sessions to look forward to!

Plus, it’ll be November before we know it, and that means holiday portraits are right around the corner! Be on the lookout for our holiday event announcement coming this summer!

Baby Starr | Grayson's Fifth Month

Time is flying by, and our sweet baby boy is already five months old!  Each day Grayson grows a little more into his amazing personality, those chunky thighs, and those two very expressive eyebrows!

We have been working so hard on tummy time this month, but our little man has decided he would much rather skip tummy time and go straight to sitting up on his own!  After weeks of sitting on our laps, we tried him out on his mattress without any support last week, and he surprised us by keeping his balance for much longer than we imagined he would!  There have been a few head bumps since, and maybe a face plant or two, but he is LOVING this new perspective! 

His favorite game is sitting in his crib and looking at us through the slats in the crib bars, and when we move to a new angle or up above the railing he follows us with his eyes and starts laughing hysterically.  It's adorable!

Speaking of adorable....  I had way too many favorite photos this month, so we're just going to fill the blog up with all of these cute Grayson moments!

Doesn't he look like he's reaching out for a hug in this one?

He hasn't found his toes yet, but I know that's coming next and I'm sure by next month he'll be playing with his feet non-stop, and even getting those little toes into his mouth.  For now, he is 100% about kicking his legs -- in his stroller, on the floor, while swaddled in his bed.  Those legs are pumping up and down all day long, and he gets so excited about it that he lets out happy shrieks.

This month Grayson spent another week on the Cape with me, and he got in lots of walks to the beach.  He enjoyed so much family time with a full house on the Cape, playing with his cousins Natalie & Nathaniel, snuggling up with my cousin Kori (who put him to sleep every time with her cozy hugs!), and walking up and down the street with Grandma to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine any time he got fussy.

We went to visit Daddy at work, and Grayson dressed up in his little suit to match Dad.  Everyone fell right in love with this little guy!

We had a lot of visitors this month!  We started off with Auntie Kirsten & Uncle Dave, and Grayson pretty much charmed their socks off.  My personal favorite part of the visit was when Dave asked, "Wait, so you haven't had 6 consecutive hours of sleep since April?!?!"  And Jeff chimed in that it was likely more like since December!   ;o)  

Travers Weekend has always been a special weekend for me & Jeff, and we don't even go to the track!  It's always the last weekend of the summer that we love enjoying downtown Saratoga Springs, and it happens to be the very first weekend we ever got together in 2012 when we started dating.  This year our little man put on his most dapper outfit and hat and charmed all of the ladies downtown.  

Then our friend Wendy came to visit with Addie (6) and Zack (8).  This was the highlight of Grayson's month and he looooooved watching these two kids.  Zack was obsessed with Grayson and kept asking me when he could give him a bath, so of course we sudsed right up on the kitchen counter and played "Splish Splash" on the radio.  We had many playground adventures, enjoyed lots of cuddles on the couch with Addie reading books to the boys, and got in lots of snuggles with Wendy every chance he got. 

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A few milestones this month...

• Baby G, you've discovered your voice!  You babble nonstop, and you've recently discovered this fun little shriek that you enjoy making over and over again.  Your face lights up when you "talk", and it's really amazing to watch and listen to.
   
• You've graduated to a "big boy stroller", and you no longer need the car seat in the stroller when we go for walks.  Of course, you're very excited about this new perspective and your legs kick like crazy when we're out and about now.
   
• We're still waiting for teeth, and those hands are constantly in your month.  You grab anything you can reach to put it in there and chomp down -- our fingers, my wrist, our water bottles, your toys.  Nothing is out of your reach!
   
• You went to your first wedding!  Katie McIntosh & Jeff Torch got married in central NY, and you came to the ceremony.  We were excited that you were asleep in the pews, and we thought we were sooooo lucky that you would sleep the whole time.  We jinxed it, and you woke up right in time to start babbling during the vows.  
   
• We started taking you to a chiropractor to help with your (lack of) sleep and your (excessive) reflux.  You loooooove visiting her, and you get so calm and smiley in her office.  Now let's keep crossing those fingers that this works because we are desperate for sleep and clean clothes!

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And some of our favorite cell phone shots from Grayson's Fifth Month!

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Watch him grow!

Grayson's Newborn Photos
Grayson's First Month
Grayson's Second Month
Grayson's Third Month
Grayson's Fourth Month

Baby Starr | Grayson's Fourth Month

I can't believe that our little baby boy is now FOUR MONTHS OLD!  

Grayson, you charm us every single day with your sweet personality, your bubbly laugh, and those round rosy cheeks that we seriously can't help but squish and kiss all day long!  

Your personality is coming out more each day, and you really are a chill, mellow, happy baby who loves to relax.  You're very observant and you take in everything around you through those bright blue eyes of yours, and now you're starting to interact with your surroundings more now that you've discovered all the cool things you can do with those hands & feet that, as it turns out, ARE ATTACHED TO YOUR BODY!  Seriously, that was the best discovery ever for you when you realized you could make things happen simply by waving your hand through the air!

You've become a super vocal baby, and you're always testing out new sounds when we leave you by yourself on your play mat or in your crib.  It's not uncommon to hear a sudden "Whooooaaaa!" emerge from your corner of the room, and all sorts of little shrieks. 

You love "talking" to anyone that will talk back to you, and the cutest thing ever this month was when you sat on Grandpa Schwalm's lap and talked so earnestly to him, back and forth with a whole little conversation between the two of you!  You're so earnest when you're talking, and you pause for us to answer and ask you questions, and your whole face lights up as you babble away.  These photos below are a few of your "talking faces".  ;o)  

You and I spent two weeks on Cape Cod visiting Grandma & Grandpa Schwalm in July.  You were a pro road tripper, and that 5 hour drive was no big deal to you, little man!  It was a pretty big adjustment for you to learn to sleep in a new space (we're still recovering from that one!), but you loved all of the extra cuddles and play time with your grandparents, plenty of fresh air, and you got to see the ocean for the first time!  (Though, the first two visits to the ocean you passed out the second you heard those waves, so you didn't actually "see" it until your third trip there.  Must be all those ocean sounds we listen to at night and during nap time to help you fall asleep -- they really work!!)

This month Daddy taught you how to stick out your tongue as a little game when you're on the changing table, and now you want to do it all the time.  It's pretty adorable.  You're also teething, and while no teeth have poked through yet, you drool like crazy and everything you find goes straight into your mouth.  Your favorite are my fingers, and you've gotten pretty good at chomping on them to massage those little gums of yours.

We've been working hard on tummy time, and while you're not the biggest fan, you've started trying to wiggle out of it.  Most babies roll.  You choose to inch forwards and sideways while on your tummy, as if you can just skip this whole tummy time thing and go straight to crawling.  Slow down, baby boy!

You adore your dad, and your face lights up every afternoon when he comes home from work.  You have the biggest smile just for him, and you're always cuddling up close to him.  You've even started to let him put you to bed at night, which is a nice little treat for you & for me!    Everyone says you look just like your dad, and you're really his little mini-me.  Lucky me, I get to share my house with the two most handsome guys!

This is the smile you give us when we say "I love you."

You really do light up our lives.  Love you lots, little man.

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A few of your firsts this month:

• The big one for you is that you've discovered how awesome sitting upright is. You're still too little to sit on your own, but you love when we pull you up and support you on our laps (or on a table, the floor, the bed -- anywhere that puts your head above your legs!).  You get the biggest smile, and when we hold both your hands you even start to pull yourself up to sit to show us that you want to go up.  
   
• You met Nana for the first time.  She's 91 years old, and she loved getting to cuddle her newest great-grandson, and show you off to everyone that lives in the retirement home with her!
   
• Your first trip to Cape Cod was a success!  We went to mommy's favorite beaches in Dennisport, the ice cream shop where she used to work, and met up with a few friends while on the Cape, too!
   
• You had your first (two!) visits to Urgent Care, where they misdiagnosed conjunctivitis both times.  Oh well!  You're a trooper, little man!
   
• You also had your first official diaper blowout... All over mommy's lap.  It was followed by a string of funny texts to dad letting him know what had happened, including an "Omg!  It's still coming out!  I'm afraid to stand up now!"  Daddy of course said, "Good job, buddy!"
   
• You also had your first trip to the Saratoga County Fair!  You loved the colors and the sounds, but eventually you fell asleep before we made it back to the car.  Mom & Dad's priorities?  Fried dough, play a carnival game, win a toy for the baby.  But really, fried dough.

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Some of our favorite cell phone photos this month...

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Watch him grow!

Grayson's Newborn Portraits
Grayson's First Month
Grayson's Second Month
Grayson's Third Month

Vivian Jane's 3 Month Milestone Portraits | Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

With the launch of our new Baby Plan & Milestone Sessions in 2018, I am so excited to see so many of my newborn clients return to the studio for their milestone portraits throughout their baby's first year!

I first met Vivian Jane during her at-home lifestyle newborn session.  Her parents mentioned then that they would be doing a traditional 100 day celebration for their daughter, and so of course we started planning her 100-day portraits!  We added a bit of sparkle to this sweet girl's session to fit the mood of the celebration, and her sweet smiles just lit up the room!

Her mama brought the cutest little knit outfit & beret, and this sweet 3 month old looked like a little French girl with that beret perched on her head just so!  The white bed is always a classic look in our milestone sessions, and I love how simply it complements this adorable baby girl.  

So, what is a good milestone to photograph?  Honestly, the first year flies so quickly and you're going to want to remember all of them!  Here are a few of my favorites to photograph during our milestone sessions:

• Tummy time
• Smiling
• Before the first teeth come in
• Celebration of the first tooth
• Discovering their toes 
• Sitting up unassisted
• Crawling
• Standing
• Walking

Rocking your business & your baby: Planning for maternity leave as a business owner

Hey, mom-preneurs!  

This one is for you.

We’re starting a new series on the blog called “Rocking Your Business & Your Baby.”  As I enter into motherhood with the arrival of our baby boy this spring, I am excited to connect with so many other mamas out there who have learned (and are still learning!) how to balance business & babies.

I’ve been a business owner for SIX YEARS.  Think about that for a second — my very first newborn clients are going to be first graders in the fall.  Wow.

For 6 years, this business has been my baby.  It’s held my hopes and dreams, it’s connected me with so many amazing people, it’s been the big thing that I work hard on every single day.  I’ve truly loved watching it grow and evolve over time, and seeing how I have grown and changed as a business owner in that same time, too. 

And now I’m adding on a new role, the most important role of them all: MOM.
 

I know that things are going to change for me as a business owner with the arrival of our baby boy.  This little business of mine won’t be my only "baby" anymore.  Working from home will hold a whole new meaning, and my time is going to look a lot different moving forward.  I’m excited to connect with other business owners who are rocking their businesses while rocking their babies, and to share some insights with all of you as I learn as I go!

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Today we’re going to talk all about preparing for maternity leave as a business owner.  If you’re waiting on your little one to arrive — CONGRATULATIONS!  You must be so excited as you count down the months and the weeks until the day you finally get to meet your sweet little baby.  But if you’re anything like me, you might also be a little bit nervous wondering,
How in the world am I going to get everything done? 
How will I continue running a business with a baby at home? 
What will happen if I just drop off the face of the earth for a few months when the baby arrives? 
Can I even afford to take maternity leave?

I have had all of the same thoughts, worries, and concerns over these past 9+ months, so I’m sharing a little insight into a few things that helped me prepare for maternity leave with the idea that hopefully they will help you as you embark on this new adventure, too!

It’s never too early to prepare.
 

I hired a virtual assistant long before we even decided to have a baby.  Kristina started working with me a full 16 months before my due date.  I knew back then that there were so many things in my business that I could outsource to free up my time and attention that would be better spent focusing on other areas, and I found the perfect assistant to do that for me.  

We spent more than a year establishing a solid workflow where she completely took over some of the behind-the-scenes tasks that allowed me to focus on growing my business in other areas.  For example, because she took over social media and blog prep, I could streamline my marketing to bring in even more clients, and my sales to bring in even more revenue. 

Which leads me to number two…

Save, save, save. 
 

Save up as much extra income as you can before you go on maternity leave to cover your expenses so that you can enjoy some downtime at home getting to know your new baby.  You’re going to want to take time off to rest, bond, and find your groove at home as a family of 3 (or 4, or 5!).  Having the financial freedom to do that will give you one less thing to worry about.

As soon as we got pregnant, I started saving every penny because I knew that I wanted to take a few months off once our little one arrived, but we would still have bills to pay.  Actually, you’re likely going to have even MORE bills to pay than you do now because of hospital bills, baby items, formula, diapers, and all of the other expenses that come along with bringing a little 8-pound human home with you.  So plan to grow that business well before your due date so that you have enough saved up to cover at least 2-3 months of expenses during your maternity leave.

Automate your business as much as possible.
 

Preparing for my maternity leave felt a lot like what it was like to prepare to take a sick day when I was a teacher, times about 1,000!!!  I wanted my business to continue running, so I scheduled blog posts, social media posts, and newsletters that would go out automatically during the weeks I planned to take off.

This way, I can be out for a walk with my baby and a new blog post goes live.  I might be struggling through a sleepless two-day stretch, but my social media posts are still fresh and my followers see that we’re still an active business with a lot going on.  We could be visiting with the grandparents, and  a newsletter will go out advertising our summer sunset sessions.  

As a business owner, you are always marketing and reaching potential clients and past clients.  It's important to stay fresh in their minds so that they remember, "Hey, I really want to work with you!"  Automating some tasks to keep your business running even while you're taking a break will help to do that for you.

Your business can run itself if you prepare ahead of time.  IT’S A LOT OF WORK, but it’s worth it not to have to worry about a thing when all you really want to do is stay at home and marvel at how perfect your baby is. 

Block off time on your calendar, and stick to it.
 

I stopped traveling for sessions 1 month before my due date.  Since I drive back and forth between two states for sessions, I didn’t want to worry about going into labor while crossing the Berkshire Mountains, so early on in my maternity leave I planned which weekends would be my last ones in Massachusetts, and I made those dates known to all of my clients, stacking them full of sessions to save time and maximize profitability.

I also planned to stop working around week 37, so I wrapped up all of my client work by then.  All orders from sessions were completed, albums were designed, print orders were placed with my labs, and everything that I could package and deliver was sent out so that I wouldn’t have to worry about anything being left unfinished in case the baby arrived early.

I knew that I could still do behind the scenes work after week 37 (blogging, social media, newsletters), but it was important to me that all client work and obligations be done to have one less thing to worry about.

Plus, you’re going to want to take it easy before the baby gets here!  I was in full-on nesting mode and I spent months looking forward to having a few weeks “off” to clean, organize the nursery, prepare food for after the baby arrived, and spend some extra time with just my husband.  We fit in a few extra “date days” and other little things that we wanted to do that would be so much easier without a baby in tow, so take your time to relax and enjoy that end stage of your pregnancy without working up until the end!

Have a plan in place in case your baby arrives early.

It happens.  Babies arrive whenever they are ready, and if you’re counting on your little one not making an appearance until you’ve accomplished x, y, and z…. well, you might find yourself in a sticky situation!  So be prepared to be flexible and just go with the flow.  

If you allow yourself enough time to wrap things up before your due date, hopefully you won’t have to deal with too much of a surprise and be scrambling to get things done.  But let those clients towards the end of your workload know that you’re approaching your due date and that it’s possible you might need to reschedule their appointment if the  baby arrives early, or mail their order to them if you can’t deliver it in person, or that you might wind up meeting through video chat or FaceTime if you can’t be there in person for an appointment. 

This actually wound up being a blessing in disguise since our little one arrived THREE WEEKS EARLY, as soon as I had finished up many of those loose ends with my business tasks!   I had to reschedule one gallery reveal appointment, and one cake smash session.  Thankfully those clients were incredibly understanding and knew that my due date was right around the corner back when we booked, so it was no issue marking a new date on the calendar for them.  I was even receiving messages from them "just checking in" while I was at the hospital with our baby, and I thought it was the sweetest thing that we were on their mind!

Give them enough heads up, and thank them for their flexibility.  They’ve been in your shoes before, and they will definitely understand and be accommodating!

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The most important thing is don't stress too much about stepping away from your business to focus on your family for a bit.  Your business will be there when you're ready for it, and you're going to find a whole new balance to your life as you adjust to being a mom AND being an entrepreneur.  

Do you have other topics you'd like to see in our "Rocking Your Business & Your Baby" series?  Let me know by sending an email to education@nicolestarrphotography.com.  I'd love to hear from you!

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Celebrating 6 Months | Lila's Floral & Hearts Milestone Session with Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

Lila's mom & dad wanted to celebrate her first 6 months with a perfectly whimsical & girly session filled with pretty little details, soft colors, flowers, and hearts.  Of course, they came to just the right photographer because I LOVE creating sets like that here in our Saratoga Springs studio!

This sweet baby girl was so happy to show off her new sitting skills, and she loved playing with the hearts in our little Valentine's set-up.  We also created this set-up to honor CHD awareness and her personal medical victories, and I love that we were able to incorporate something so special that meant a lot to her parents during the session.

But the very best part of Lila's session?  These SMILES!  Only her mama was able to get her to laugh like this, and this beautiful baby girl couldn't take her eyes off of her mom.  She adores her, and that shows so clearly in her expressions in these portraits!

Our Baby Plan is the perfect way to celebrate your baby's milestones throughout the first year!  Come to the studio for the first smiles, tummy time, sitting up, crawling, the first tooth... there are truly so many possibilities!  

Blake is ONE! A Sparkly Pink and Gold Cake Smash with Boston Baby Photographer

I love when our newborn clients come back to celebrate their first birthday at the studio!  It's hard to believe that it's been a year already since Blake's newborn session, and I truly enjoyed getting to celebrate this vibrant baby girl's first birthday with a very special cake smash session at our Attleboro baby photography studio.  

Our popular paper flower backdrop is at it again, this time with a little SPARKLE!  This drop is now for sale with our Designer Line at Baby Dream Backdrops.  Check it out here!

Blake LOVED her cake, especially once she was able to dig in with a spoon!  She surprised us all by keeping her birthday crown on the entire time (rare for a one-year old!), and she had the best time giggling away while we did her cake smash.  Isn't she adorable?!?!

Of course, I can never resist clicking the shutter on a good crying photo, and Blake ended the smash with the perfect reaction.

No birthday session with Nicole Starr Photography is complete without some family portraits!  We did some classic portraits for this Boston family, with neutral colors and a simple background to let them shine together.  This sweet little girl is so, so loved!

Oscar & Miles: Simple Studio Portraits with Brothers | A Milestone Session at the Nicole Starr Photography Studio

We have been celebrating so many baby milestones in the studio since launching our new Petite Milestone Sessions and Baby Plan for 2018!  Oscar came to the studio to celebrate his first 6 months, and his big brother Miles joined him to celebrate his second birthday! 

I saw Miles last year for his first birthday cake smash, and again in the fall for family portraits when his brother was still teeny-tiny, so it was especially nice to watch the two interact now that they've gotten to know each other for the past 6 months.  One thing is clear: little Oscar ADORES his big brother, and when he's nearby he can't take his eyes off of him!

Milestone portrait sessions at 6 months are some of my favorites.  Usually between months 6-8, babies are sitting up solidly on their own.  They have great neck strength and can rock tummy time, enjoying it just as much as they do laying on their backs and playing with their little toes.  Babies are truly perfect, and you know I don't use a lot of props to distract from this perfection.  We keep the focus on the baby and create truly timeless portraits that let your little one's personality shine!

And boy, did their personalities shine!!!  :o)  

Have you been wondering if a milestone session is right for you?  Check out more of our milestone sessions here:
 

Behind the Scenes of our "Three of Hearts" Cake Smash | Down Syndrome Awareness

Three babies.  Three cakes.  And one very special cake smash.

Enjoy a behind-the-scenes peek into our "Three of Hearts" cake smash with Mae, Harper, and Catherine.  This was such an amazing session with three beautiful babies, that we couldn't help but share a peek into the making of their cake smash images!  Check back later this week for the full cake smash gallery to see the stunning & hilarious moments that we captured together with the birthday girls!

The full story will be coming to the blog later this week, but these three little girls all happened to celebrate their first birthdays three days in a row, and they all underwent lengthy hospital stays and surgeries due to heart complications when they were born in Boston last summer.  These heart warriors pushed through and were all able to successfully breastfeed this year, too!  They also happen to have Down syndrome, and they met for the first time at our photoshoot with Julia's Way in June, just a few short days before they all turned one!

Of course, these little heart warriors rocked their Julia's Way onesies before the cake smash got underway.  Just look at how excited Harper is to show off her stylish onesie!

We had all three moms in the studio for this session, plus the founder of Julia's Way, Ella Cullen, with her little girl Julia Grace.  A huge thank you to our behind-the-scenes photographer and my good friend Jamie of Koss Photography for capturing the event for us!

When designing a setup for these little heart warriors, of course we went with a heart theme!  Catherine, Harper, and Mae rocked the most beautiful tutus and pearl necklaces that perfectly framed their heart scars on their chests.  

The girls all LOVED the camera, and they did such an amazing job during their session!  I went in fully aware of the possibility of three meltdowns, but we didn't have any -- well, at least until the very end!!  Their curiosity & sweet personalities all shone through, and it was such a joy to capture them individually and together on camera!

So what happens when you put three cakes in front of three babies?  

Some babies love it, others hate it.  Some are curious and cover their whole body in frosting -- Harper!!  Others think about face planting into the cake and rock their body back and forth to get their mouth closer and closer to the cake -- Mae!  And others are much more interested in playing with their pearls than actually getting any frosting on their fingers -- Cate!

Follow us on social media to see the first sneak peeks later this week, and we will update this blog post with a link to the gallery post as soon as it goes live!
 

Portraits of Motherhood: Slowing Down to Capture the Moment (Saratoga Springs & Boston Family Photographer)

I just love our motherhood sessions.  Every time that I am so lucky to capture a mama and her babies in front of the camera, it's my absolute favorite experience!  So often moms hide behind the camera, shying away from stepping in front of the lens, focusing instead on just their children and saying that another day, another time, another month, then they'll get in a picture with their children.  For so many moms, it just isn't a priority right now.

But I like to think otherwise.  

I think that motherhood is such a beautiful journey (even the tough bits!), and that you deserve to capture this on camera.  I believe that getting moms in front of the camera with their babies is one of the most amazing gifts that you can give to your children.  

During every single phone call I have with moms before their sessions, I always tell them how they will be so grateful they spent a few minutes capturing a handful of portraits with their babies, because soon their little ones will grow up.  They won't cuddle up in your arms anymore.  They will no longer fit on your lap.  You'll forget how their cheek felt rested against your shoulder, and the way their tiny hands wrapped around your fingers for comfort.  They'll go out into the world as independent children, then teenagers, then adults.  And that is the moment when you'll be so grateful for these images that take you back in time.  

These images freeze a moment and bring you back to the early days of motherhood filled with chubby baby cheeks, melodic giggles, and that amazing baby scent that you'll be so nostalgic for when they are grown.  These images will remind you of sticky fingers, goldfish cracker crumbs, and boo-boos covered in colorful bandaids.  You'll recall the way they sang their favorite songs in a high-pitched voice, making up the words to the parts they didn't know yet.  You'll remember the way they held their baby brother and sang lullabies while giving their new sibling a kiss on the forehead -- you'll even remember the part where the kiss turned into a toddler tackle because... well, toddlers!!  

And then one day, when your babies have babies of their own, you will give them these portraits of the two of you.  You'll show them just how tiny they were, how loved they were, and how much happiness they brought into your life.  They will see a glowing and confident mom who was proud to be in a photo with her little one, a mom who put herself first sometimes and made it a priority to capture these beautiful moments with her baby rather than always hiding behind the camera.  

And they will understand, and treasure these portraits that much more when they have a glimpse of you as a new mom.

If you've been hesitant about getting in the picture, giving a long list of reasons why you shouldn't be in front of the camera right now... stop.  And think of the even longer list of reasons why you SHOULD step in front of the camera.  

Or, just think of the one reason why, the most important reason in the world: your child.

Motherhood is a crazy beautiful journey, and you're doing an incredible job.  Celebrate it!

Our popular Celebrating Motherhood Sessions will be on May 6 (Attleboro) and May 20 (Saratoga Springs).  I would absolutely love to see you there!  

Registration opens on April 3, and spots are expected to fill very quickly as this event always sells out within a couple of days.  Be sure to join our newsletter for more info, and follow our Facebook page for announcements and links when registration is open!   

A Valentine's Day First Birthday | Saratoga Springs Albany Cake Smash Baby Photographer

This Valentine's Day cake smash was simple and sweet, and I loved styling this February baby's first birthday backdrop.  Lila's mom was so excited to plan a red & pink Valentine's Day session for her daughter's first birthday, and we kept it simple with just a banner and a few hearts on her cake, allowing the birthday girl to be the star of the show.

As much as moms (and photographers!) dream of babies that love their birthday cakes, who dig right in and leave little bits of frosting on their hands and cheeks.... that is not always the case.  And it's normal and totally alright if your baby is like Lila and really isn't a fan of her cake!

P.S.  My favorite part of this image below is the combination of angel wings & the great big, angry scream!

Though she did make a few adorable kissy faces for us -- Valentine's babies certainly love their smooches, and Lila enjoyed making this little face with her lips again and again!

Below is my favorite angle that I try to capture at every single cake smash session.  Look at those beautiful, big eyes of hers!

The angel wings weren't really Lila's favorite, so they certainly didn't last long.  We managed to snap exactly one photo of this baby girl in her angel wings, but I still think it's pretty adorable!  Find a photographer with a sense of humor who will go with the flow when your baby is fussing, and know that images like this one below will be among your favorite ones to show your daughter when she is 17 years old one day.

Of course, Lila loved cuddling up with her mama on the bed and she was all smiles and giggles when crawling around and giving her mama lots of hugs and kisses.  These were the perfect "mommy & me" portraits, and I'm so happy we were able to capture these for this family!

A Very Hungry Caterpillar Birthday: Boston & Saratoga Cake Smash Photographer

Amalia Marie has been looking up at me with those sparkly blue eyes of hers since she was a newborn baby.  I first met Amalia's family last winter when they visited me for her newborn session, and then we got together last summer during a visit to Cape Cod for a family portrait session on the beach.  

When Amalia's mom started planning her birthday portraits months ago, I was so excited to help her bring her first birthday party ideas to life in a colorful portrait session!  

Amalia celebrated her first birthday with a Very Hungry Caterpillar cake smash inspired by Eric Carle's popular children's book.  This was definitely my most colorful cake smash to date, and I love how perfectly her outfit came together with our rainbow cake and banners.  Bringing together all of these creative elements is always my favorite part of preparing for our cake smash sessions, and of course watching our littlest clients taste their sugary treat is always a fun experience, too!

Just like with all of our birthday sessions in the studio, we made sure to capture some family portraits to celebrate Amalia's parents surviving their first year of parenthood.  Amalia's grandparents taught her how to throw her hands up when they exclaim, "TOUCHDOWN!", so of course we got an action shot of her and her daddy scoring a touchdown together.

I have loved capturing the three of them together this past year.  The walls of their home are now filled with so many beautiful memories from the past 12 months, and I'm certain that they're going to love adding many more memories to their walls as their daughter grows.  

Happy birthday, baby girl!

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Did you know that we often start planning a baby's birthday session when they are 7-10 months old to ensure a space on the calendar close to their first birthday?  I'd love to chat with you about your little one's cake smash this year!  

A Whimsical Pink & Teal Cake Smash with Albany and Boston Baby Photographer

Be sure to read all the way to the end for a special announcement about our upcoming Limited Edition Holiday Sessions...

When Eliana's family visited me for her milestone session this past winter, I loved every single image that we captured together of this sweet little girl.  She has the most beautiful eyes, and when a camera is nearby she turns her full attention on you.  

As we talked about planning her cake smash session to celebrate Ellie's first birthday, I was excited to see this sweet little girl again and capture those big, beautiful eyes of hers!  I always love watching my littlest clients grow, and it was so amazing to see this sweet TODDLER walking around and showing off her big personality that had blossomed so much since the last time I saw her family.  

Just like her milestone session, we planned a clean, classic, organic, and neutral look for her session, and this time with just a touch of whimsy.  Her mom wanted a beautiful pink and teal theme for the cake smash, which I was excited to also carry into another little set up for Ellie before her cake smash began.  I'm having such a hard time choosing just a few favorites, so I hope you'll enjoy these whimsical photos from her session!

These next photos with the miniature hanging mason jars and fresh blooms?  Oh my goodness, I love this set up so much!  Can't wait to use these jars again for some upcoming sessions!  They are definitely my new favorite decoration for our whimsical set ups!

Just a reminder to mark your calendars!  

We're planning stunning holiday sessions this year, and I can't wait to share all of the details with you.  Sign ups for our Limited Edition Holiday Sessions will be released on October 3, and if you subscribe to our newsletter you will have priority access to scheduling your family's session.  Trust me, these are going to be SO GORGEOUS and you don't want to miss this!  Join our newsletter list today!

SESSION DATES:
October 29 & 30, Attleboro, MA
November 5 & 6, Saratoga Springs, NY

2015 Year in Review Video by Nicole Starr Photography

2015 has truly been an incredible year, and I want to thank all of you for sharing so many magical moments with me!  

Enjoy this beautiful little video of some of our favorite images from the year.  I look forward to another beautiful year of storytelling in 2016!

To every family that asked me to tell their story: thank you.
To every mom who let me cuddle her newborn baby: thank you.
To every dad that wanted to surprise his wife with a keepsake gift: thank you.
To every creative entrepreneur that connected, laughed, shared, asked, taught, and learned with me this year: thank you.

And to every single person that connected with the stories in my photographs, commented on my images, shared their own stories with me, and let these beautiful families into their hearts through the images that I shared with you: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

A Personal Post: From Teacher to Photographer

You know what I loved about being a teacher?  The one thing that absolutely fired me up and never got old?  Bulletin boards. I was the first grade teacher that fell in love with bulletin boards long before I ever had my own classroom.  As a child, I loved the stacks of colored construction paper in my third grade teacher’s closet and the way they magically transformed into a beautiful scene on our walls overnight.  At 16 I started working at a preschool center, and it wasn’t long until the owner was paying my sister and I to come in extra and decorate the lobby with seasonal and thematic murals made from cut paper.  In college, our education professors actually graded us on our bulletin board creations, and by then they were these elaborate 3-D projects.

And then I had my own classroom, and I was the teacher that found pure bliss in having a room filled with 24 students, the floor covered in construction paper, and the children running to the hallway eager to place their creations on our bulletin board.  Whenever the week was feeling a little too long, you know what we did?  Art Day.

I was the teacher that found value in teaching my first graders how to cut, glue, trace, follow step-by-step directions, collaborate, and negotiate amongst themselves.  I loved the sense of pride that they developed when they marched into the hallway and pointed out their handiwork to their peers.  I loved the wonder and the exclamations of “WOW!” when they turned the corner and saw their hard work come together in a beautiful creation.  I loved the sense of ownership that was fostered, and the little community that grew from our Art Days.  I loved the way that from those bright squares of construction paper, a fun & whimsical scene was born that really pushed their imaginations while brightening up the bare cinder block walls of our school.

So, yeah.  Bulletin boards.

But what does that have to do with photography?

Well, yesterday I spent the entire day crafting.  The floor of the studio was covered in tiny paper hearts.  I was up and down a ladder, hanging fishing line from the ceiling for my next studio set up.  At one point I had to hang up the phone because of what can only be described as a “tissue paper explosion”.

The past two weeks have been spent hand-painting frames, giving a vintage high chair new life, creating a dreamy Christmas bed, drawing Thing 1 and Thing 2 from Dr. Seuss’s books, and prepping for a cake smash.  I make more trips to AC Moore in one month than I do to the gas station, and my collection of upcoming projects for the winter months just keeps growing.

Pure bliss.

I feel so fortunate to enjoy a job that I can do with such passion, weaving together all of the things that I love:  creating, storytelling, and working with babies & children.

My husband came home from work yesterday and told me about this meeting and that meeting, these customers, this paperwork… And I told him about the floating hearts in our Valentine’s set up, the Dr. Seuss backdrop for the next baby boy’s cake smash, and the styrofoam cake I’ll be making tomorrow (more on that later) for one sweet little boy.

So while I may not be a teacher anymore, I’m happy to see that the one thing I have always loved is still a huge part of my day-to-day life.  After all, when you do what you love, it doesn’t feel like work.

Here’s to many more playful days spent crafting and creating.

A Dreamy Session with Newborn Twins | Albany & Saratoga Springs Newborn Photographer

Sometimes miracles come in pairs.

Finley Grace & Bella James

I love photographing newborns.  Absolutely adore it.  But when you bring newborn twins to me?  Oh my gosh, I'm in heaven!

After arriving one month early and spending some time in the NICU, I was so excited to finally snuggle with these baby girls in the studio.  They are just the sweetest little things, and I adored our session together.  Creamy, dreamy, whimsical & soft are my favorite types of sessions, and this one was no exception!  I love the soft, neutral colors that allow the babies to be the focus of the session, the way we had the most perfect light streaming through the studio windows to illuminate these new parents and their love, and the most peaceful little girls that slept the entire time.

I adore the stunning mama and baby portrait, below.  I recently came across a motherhood quote, and when I read it this photograph immediately came to mind.

"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born.  

She never existed before.  

The woman existed, but the mother, never.  

A mother is something absolutely new."  ~Rajneesh

Love this fun shot of the babies in their daddy's arms!  They won't be that tiny forever, and it's amazing to see and look back on.

The best compliment that you can give a photographer is to have an emotional connection to the portraits that we take and the moments that we capture.  The photo below is the one that brought tears to their mom's eyes during our reveal session.  I just LOVE that a photograph can do that, and I'm truly honored that the photographs I take of your children mean so much.  <3  

And we'll finish with my favorite shot of Finley & Bella, two little twins all snuggled up together.  I love how they just curl up together and mold their limbs together into one tiny little space.  

Check out other newborn twin sessions here, here & here.

Love the clean and organic look of these photographs?  Me too!  View Lucy's clean and simple newborn session.

Extraordinary Stories | Photo sessions for the Down syndrome community

As many of you who have been following my Facebook page know, October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month.  Down syndrome is considered the most common genetic condition, and one in every 691 babies is born with Down syndrome.  According to the National Down Syndrome Society (www.ndss.org), there are more than 400,000 individuals living with Down syndrome in the United States. This month I started a photo & community outreach project to connect with local families whose children have Down syndrome.  My best friend’s son, Zack, was born with Down Syndrome 5 years ago.  I'll never forget the night my best friend told me that her brand new baby boy had DS.  I'll never forget the incredible journey of love, learning, and acceptance that this little guy's family and all of his loved ones embarked on. I'll always be SO thankful for that blessing. We count ourselves lucky to love this little boy who is blessed with an extra chromosome and lots of hugs and kisses to go around.  Because of Zack, I wanted to give back to this community and bring their stories to life through my photographs.

This month I decided to offer complimentary sessions to families who have a little one with DS.  When I reached out to this (not so little) community, I was amazed at the overwhelming response from families across Massachusetts and New Hampshire who got in touch with me.  My inbox was flooded with the most amazing, heart-warming stories, and every single one brought happy tears.  They opened their arms to me, welcoming me into their lives and sharing their stories with me.  They allowed me to play with their children, capture their true personalities, and let their little ones shine in the spotlight of my camera.  We shared hugs, giggles, tickles, “peek-a-boo” games and “ready, set, go” races.

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is just that little “extra”.

These children are not defined by Down syndrome.  That extra chromosome is a blessing in disguise, helping the families to love deeper, dream bigger, and advocate more strongly.  Their stories are the ones that deserve to be heard.  Enjoy their stories:

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Meet Audrey  (age 9)

“Audrey is a very funny clever girl who has the most wonderful sense of humor. Her smile can light up a room and she has the most contagious little laugh and the BEST hugs that come with a pat on the back.  Some of her favorite things to do are to sing and dance to her favorite, Taylor Swift. She also loves swimming.  She could literally swing on a swingset for hours. She loves to play with her sisters and is great at bossing her dog, May, around.”   ~Audrey’s mom

“The best part of having a sister like Audrey is the way she brings us and everyone that meets her so much happiness. I like having Audrey as a twin because it makes us unique.”  ~Audrey’s twin sister

Meet Drew  (age 3)

“Drew has the ability to make people fall in love with him, his outgoing personality and endless expressions. His sense of humor, curiosity and attention to detail make me smile and fall in love with him even more, if that's possible. He loves to learn, and run around and will no doubt change the outdated perceptions of what it means to have Down syndrome. I will continue to teach him to know no boundaries, and to dream bigger until he reaches the stars!

My experience in the Ds community has changed my life. Quite literally. We were given information on the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress while in the hospital after Drew was born. And they were the first organization to reach out to us when we got home. From them, we were connected with our local Ds group, the Morning Travelers, where I've met dozens, if not a hundred families, many who are close friends now. When you find a community that understands, encourages and celebrates similar life journeys, you never want to lose touch. I've been empowered to step outside my comfort zone in many ways by Drew, one being taking the Chairperson role for our local MDSC Buddy Walk! I was honored to address over 3,000 people in our community this past October, 11th and applaud all of them for being a strong community of advocates. Together with the help of the MDSC, we are bringing awareness, inclusion and opportunities to live fulfilling lives to individuals with Down syndrome in Massachusetts and across the globe.”  ~Drew’s mom

Meet JJ  (9 months)

JJ is a very social little boy with big, curious eyes that are made that much cuter by his new glasses.  He is incredibly expressive, and we captured so many of his little faces on camera during our session together.  He loves to laugh and babble, and it’s clear that he brings so much happiness to his mom, dad, and big sister every single day.  This little guy is a fighter, and he had heart surgery at only 2 months old. He rocked our session together — even the tummy time, which you wouldn’t know by looking at the amazing photos that he’s not the biggest fan of.  ;o)

I just love how he's talking to his little toy in the photo below.  What a sweetheart!

Meet Lucy (2.5 years)

“Well, let me tell you about Lucy... She's very much "a Lucy". She's bright,  hilarious, loving, and clearly the prettiest girl I've ever seen. She loves cats, music, and Frozen! She's incredibly expressive, she's speaking more lately but has about 100 signs.  Sign language has been amazing for her.  She shines brighter than a diamond, and that's what I would most like to capture.

The definition of the name 'Lucy' is 'light', and that's exactly what she is. When we found out that she had Down Syndrome, I can honestly say I was not scared. I have never feared for how her life would be. She's been through so much in her tiny little life, I have no doubt she can and will achieve whatever it is she wants to do. That extra chromosome is part of who she is and I would not give it back for the world. She is exactly the little girl I always knew she would be.”  ~Lucy’s mom

Meet Maeve  (8 months)

“I found out when I was about 6 months pregnant that there was a 99% chance Maeve would be born with Down syndrome. We found out about her having Down syndrome and the fact that she had a heart defect that would require surgery within a couple of weeks. Needless to say, that was a rough time. But we decided pretty quickly that we would do what we needed to do for her and stayed pretty positive for the rest of my pregnancy so by the time she arrived we were more excited than nervous.

She had open heart surgery when she was about 3 months old. Her first 3 months really just seemed like a lead up to the surgery day. But she did great, she was in and out of Children's in 6 days. And now that it's been months, it almost seems like it never happened. I say a lot that I wish we could go back in time to when we first found out about all of this and tell ourselves "Don't worry. You'll love her like crazy and she'll be awesome."

I guess I'm biased but Maeve really is the best baby. She's happy, super chatty, sleeps well, smiles a lot. Honestly, we don't even think about Down syndrome all the time. She may get to milestones a little later than other kids her age, but for the most part she's just like any other baby. She sleeps, eats, cries, poops, smiles, and makes us laugh every day. She just got her first 2 teeth a couple of weeks ago and in the past week she started sitting up on her own! Something new every day.”  ~Maeve’s mom

Meet Liam  (23 days new)

“We love so many things about Liam. His beautiful eyes, that always appear so alert and attentive when he is awake, are adorned with gorgeous eyelashes. He is happy and content to be held and cuddle when he's not eating. He sometimes shows off an adorable pout that may be hard to say no to when he is older.

The first few days were a mix of a lot of different emotions. Much of Liam's arrival was a surprise. I delivered at a birthing center because we wanted an out of hospital experience. My labor moved at a rapid fire pace and only lasted  4 1/2 hours. My husband travels for work and missed Liam's birth by just 2 hours. When I first held Liam in my arms, I had a feeling he might have Down syndrome, but I didn't want to ask the midwife until my husband arrived. I learned later that the midwife noticed physical characteristics right away but decided to wait until my husband was with me to say anything. I will forever be grateful for these first few hours when I was able to meet my son, hold him, and bond with him before I knew he had Down syndrome. I knew him as Liam first, before I knew he had a disability. He was my perfect, beautiful baby boy who I loved immediately and unconditionally. Learning he had Down syndrome did not change any of this.

When my husband arrived we asked the midwife if she thought he had Down syndrome. She explained that she noticed the palmar crease, low set ears, and large space between his first and second toes. Then we discussed being transferred to the NICU to check his heart and lungs. The NICU was an incredibly hard experience as we didn't even want to be in a hospital in the first place.

We drew strength from taking one moment at a time and the love of our family. Our parents flew out immediately to be with us. They shared in our sorrow, but also rejoiced in Liam's arrival. This was so important for me. As a new mom, I so wanted people to celebrate and gawk over my beautiful new baby. I needed to see people delight in his presence. This helped get us through the 10 days in the NICU.

Right now we are still in the process of letting go of some previous expectations we had before we knew he had Down syndrome.  We are making room for new ideas as we begin the journey with Liam. We are trying not to focus on Liam's limitations but all of his potential and gifts.

When I hold Liam in my arms, I just see my beautiful baby boy who is an absolute gift. Sometimes I think, "oh yeah, he also has Down syndrome." But that's never my first nor most important thought when I hold him. I hope this is always the case. First seeing Liam for the amazing person he is, while learning about and embracing all of his unique qualities including the fact that he has Down syndrome.”  ~Liam’s mom

Want to learn more about Down syndrome?  Check out the National Down Syndrome Society's webpage here:  www.ndss.org

Do you know someone who would love this post?  Share it with them!  :o)

25 families contacted me this month about sessions for their little ones with DS.  I'm excited to make this an ongoing project, and I've compiled a list of families that I will be in touch with for photo sessions throughout the year.  Want to share your story with me?  Email me at nicolestarrphotography@gmail.com.  I can't wait to meet your little one and hear your heartwarming story!