Amidst a haze of busy wedding activity, I was delighted to spend some quiet time with brand new Paudie and his wee family.

He was tiny perfection and I wanted to put the camera down and just cuddle him. And I got to meet Shea also, who looks well proud to be the big brother now:)

It was wonderful to work slowly again, having time to marvel at him while he slept. There are no times schedule with newborns. The one thing I truly love, on these sessions, are those skin-to-skin photos. No matter how tired the mothers might be, or how unsure they are about how they look at this stage in their lives, just days from giving birth, when they bring that baby so close, all I can see is beauty.

I’m holding my breath as I press the shutter.

There’s something precious there in front of me in the light.  And I find myself yearning deep inside, to roll back the years and have just one photo of this stage, this close to my babies. Breathing them in, the sweet smell of their skin, lips on soft silken crowns, the fingers wrapped around mine, the sounds. The memories, six years on, as hard as I try to hold on to them, the more faded they get.

Fiona, I hope these help you remember.

p~