Maeve is Three Months Old Today!

If you've been wondering why there haven't been more pictures of Maeve on the blog, it's not because I haven't taken enough pictures of her.  On the contrary, I've taken so MANY pictures of her that I was trying not to overwhelm Blogger!

 

But today, for her 3 month birthday, I thought it was time to catch up.  I've pared down the images to the very very best, and put them in collages. 

 

So here you have it...The Maeve Sessions!

 

SESSION I:

Maeve in a Nest

 

I found this rattan bowl at Pier One years ago, and it's been moved around the house a dozen times as an accessory, but I really bought it to stick a baby in someday!  That someday was the first time the sun came out after we brought Maeve home.  We had two lousy weeks of cold, cloudy, gray days - ugh!  But finally the sun came out!  So I cranked up my space heater, put a heating pad under a blanket in the bowl, and snuggled sleeping Maeve in on top.  Then I wrapped one of my old pashminas (from the wedding blitz of the 1990's) around her. 

 

I am ever so glad I did this because these are the only images I have of her tiny baby parts in those early days.  It was so hard to get her naked because it was just so stinking cold outside, and even inside it was too drafty to keep her happy without layers of clothes on.

 

 

 

SESSION II:

Maeve in Molly's Doll Bed

 

I have wanted to take pictures of a baby in this doll bed since the first time I laid eyes on it back in 2007.  It was the Christmas Molly was 17 months old and Nana and Papa bought her this bed from Pottery Barn.  I knew the first thing she'd do with it wasn't put a dolly in it, but that she would climb in herself, and I was right!

 

I never took pictures of Ben in the bed because I couldn't figure out a way to make it masculine. I could kick myself now, because thanks to Pinterest I've got loads of ideas!  But at that time there was no Etsy, there were no cute boy accessories like knitted hats and diaper covers, and I wasn't clever enough to make it work.

 

When Maeve was born, I knew it was now or never, and was mildly obsessed with the idea of getting her into this bed.  I even hired a professional photographer to come to the house to take her newborn pictures, specifically in the doll bed.  But the photo session was a bit of a bust, with Maeve crying and miserable, and the photographer never even used the bed.

 

So it was up to me!

 

The moment presented itself when Maeve was out cold sleeping and the sun was shining in through Molly's bedroom windows.  I knew I couldn't take her clothes off, lest I wake her up, but her outfit was neutral enough that I thought I could make it work.

 

And it did!  She slept so soundly, with a white noise machine blaring and a space heater aimed in her direction, that I was able to switch out accessories and even backdrops while she snoozed.

 

 

 

 SESSION III:

Maeve in Mommy's Maternity Sash

 

When we had professional maternity pictures taken, I'd made a sash to wear around my belly, in the hopes that I'd get to take the baby's picture with it after he or she was born.  This was then...

 

and this is Maeve!

 

 

 

 

 

I even managed to cajole Marc into a few of the pictures, which I'm thrilled about.

 

 This was the session that I managed to get her alllllll the way down to her diaper...but then I blew it and tried to roll her over onto her back so I could put her in a crocheted 'cocoon'.  She woke right up and was hopping mad!  I never got her this sleepy again, so I missed the opportunity to get a completely naked picture of her.  Again, I assumed the professional photographer would do that, but you know what they say about assuming things! 

 

Ah well, we all have to have a few regrets in life, and if this is one of the worst I have to deal with, I'll consider myself lucky.

 

 

SESSION IV:

Maeve in Pink

 

Just a random day when her eyes were wide open for the first time.  She was so sleepy with her jaundice those first three weeks, that seeing her eyes open was a luxury.

 

 

 

 

SESSION V:

Nonnie's Outfit

 

When Molly was born, my friend and coworker Janice Mariano, known as Nonnie to her grandkids (and all kids I think - she's that kind of Italian grandmother!) brought her this outfit.  It was, and still is, one of my all time favorites.  I could not wait to get it onto baby Maeve, and she didnt disappoint.  She was just as cute in it as Molly was, and I'll be so sad when she ultimately outgrows it.  She has a few more wearings in her yet, though, as she's just starting to wear her 3 month clothes.

 

 

SESSION VI:

Auntie Treecie's Dress

 

There is a picture of Auntie Treecie in this same pose, wearing this dress as a baby.

Nana passed the dress on to me at one of my baby showers I think, and I wanted to get a picture of Maeve in it while Treecie was here visiting.  Treecie is camera shy, but Molly and ben were happy to jump in and smile for the camera!  We needed to layer a long sleeved onesie and a coverall underneath it because it was so chilly, but she sure did look cute in it, though I think asking her to raise her head was a little too much - she wasn't quite strong enough to do it, though she was happy to munch on her hand.

 

 

SESSION VII:

Maeve in Purple

 

When Nannie was visiting us I bought some flowers to brighten up the guest room.  They were so pretty, that one day when Maeve was wearing a purple outfit (another one of Molly's hand-me-downs), and a beautiful flower hairband from my friend Sandy, I managed to get some pictures.  She has a furrow in her brow, like she knew what I was doing and was on the verge of waking up and complaining, but she let me have my way this time. 

 

 

SESSION VIII:

Maeve's Coming Home Outfit, Redux

 

Much to my surprise, my newborn baby girl started to grow, and she was on the verge of growing out of her coming home outfit, which she'd been swimming in only weeks before.

 

I don't know how this happens, but it's a dirty trick!

 

I wanted to snap a few more pictures of her in it before it was time to put it in her memory box.

 

Remember, this is what she looked like in it in the hospital...

 

 

And this was her at one month old...look at those cheeks!

 

SESSION IX:

Prelude To Orange

 

Two wonderful mommy friends of mine gave us the most amazing petti-romper and matching headband as a gift for Maeve.  These are my people - they totally 'get' me.  One loves photography almost as much as I do, and one is a bona fide artist.  I have visions of a gorgeous setup for a future session in my head, but for now, I just snapped a few pictures to test out my new 18-200mm lens.

 

Other people get 'push rings'.  I dont' need a ring, unless it's red and it's around a Canon prime lens.

But since those are out of my current price range, this Tamron lens will do just fine!

 

 

 

 

And that's all she wrote...er...photographed!

 

(Okay, I lied.  There's more.  But the kids might want to eat dinner before bedtime tonight, so I have to go be a mom.  More to come soon!)

 

For today, happy birthday baby girl!  You are growing more beautiful and more loved every single day.  We can't imagine our lives without you!