Interview with a Pleasant Hills Mom | Pittsburgh Newborn Photographer

When was your baby born?

January 10, 2017

What was your baby's height and weight at birth?

21", 9lbs

Was your baby early, late or on time?

Two days late

What area of Pittsburgh do you call home?

Pleasant Hills

What was your first thought when you found out you were pregnant?

When we found out we were pregnant with our second, we were elated and nervous. We wondered what the baby's gender would be, as we already have a son. We were a bit nervous because the kids would be so close in age (16.5 months apart).

How did you tell the father you were expecting?

Mark and I were together at home when we read the pregnancy test.

How did you style the nursery?

There is no specific theme to the nursery. The colors are grey, pink and blue. Many stuffed animals are positioned around the room, and the nursery furniture is a deep cherry color.

How did you chose your baby's name?

Choosing Adelie's name was very difficult. I was positive I was having a girl three weeks into my pregnancy, and her gender was confirmed a few short weeks later. We tossed around names for, literally, nine months, but neither of us was in love with any specific name. My husband kept going back to 'Adelynne Rose', and I liked 'Kiera Lynne'. We went through baby name books and websites regularly; I even went as far as to research American Girl and Cabbage Parch Kid names!  When I delivered, and up until the night before we left the hospital, baby girl still didn't have a name. She was (jokingly) referred to by my Dad as 'Ralphina', and to the hospital staff (again, jokingly), as 'Baby-No-Name'.  It wasn't until the night before discharge that we started looking into names from our shared German heritage. 'Adelie' struck us both, and her middle name, Rose, would be shared with our ten year old niece. Adelie is a German name that means 'noble', and we couldn't be happier with it.

What are you looking forward to doing with your baby?

We are looking forward to watching Adelie grow into her own little person. We plan on guiding and cherishing each stage and step of her transformation. Family vacations are definitely one thing we are excited to share with her. We are anxious to see her reactions to water, sand and maybe Mickey one day!

Write 3 adjectives that describe your newborn baby.

Sweet, Tolerating (of her 'helpful' big brother), Snuggly

Share a piece of advice to an expecting mom.

It's great to have a plan in mind, but never expect it to work accordingly. It's best to be flexible and try to think of various options ahead of time.

What has been the biggest struggle since coming home from the hospital?

The biggest struggle is being a Mom of two very young kids. My husband works quite a bit, regular shifts and overtime, so it's challenging to establish a routine and try to stick to it. I feel like I have a 'cycle' established, and it changes soon after due to teething, feeding increases, extra diaper changes and a toddler who doesn't want to sleep. I wouldn't change anything for the world, though!

What was your favorite part of your newborn photo session ?

I can't even begin to think of what my favorite part of our newborn session was! Everything was absolutely perfect! Laura was open to new ideas, props and poses; she and I bounced ideas off of one another, producing amazing results! Specifically, trying the potato sack, froggy and hammock poses were my favorite part of my session. I'm always open to new and exciting things - especially knowing the photo shoot results I would get with Laura behind the camera!

Why is newborn photography important to you?

Newborn photography is so important to me because this time goes by so fast.  Capturing Adelie's first few days of life was so important to me because I'll never have her that way again. Delicate, dainty hands, tiny feet, back wrinkles and baby fuzz are captured so I can refer back to the incredible innocence and perfection God blessed us with.

If any of your personal items were used during the portrait session, where were they from? Target, Pottery Barn, Etsy, etc.

Adelie's pink police outfit was custom made by Evonne Umbel, owner of ETSY Shop Cuppa Stitches, Pink bunny was a gift from Papa and Grandma and some hair bows were purchased at The Children's Place, Target and Walmart

Where did you deliver?

Jefferson Hospital

Who is your OB/GYN?

Dr. Remtulla (Dr. Logan, Dr. Smith, Dr. Lantzman, Dr. Poot)

Laura Mares is an experienced photographer specializing in capturing timeless family keepsakes. Laura works on location and in her fully equipped home studio, located in Mt. Lebanon, eight miles south of Pittsburgh, PA. Laura’s style is creative, natural, and timeless. Would you like beautiful portraits of your newborn baby, to update your child and family portraits or to document a milestone in your life such as a wedding, graduation, birthday or reunion? If you are interested in high quality, timeless photographs, book your session today, call (412) 654-3367 or email [email protected]. To view a wide range of gorgeous portraits and to get great tips, advice and beautiful inspiration follow us on Instagram and Facebook.