congrats Katrina and Stuart!

Katrina and Stu’s maternity photos here
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These guys are excited to meet their new baby! So, so excited!  So much so that when i asked them to describe themselves in three words they responded with:

very excited Mummy.

very excited Daddy.

Katrina holds the record for earliest booking for her newborn and maternity photos… Something we laughed about when I finally met her in person last week.  I got this message from her way back in early October last year, and it still makes me giggle to think I have ‘fans’

Hello Renee, I’m so very excited we finally can book you in! I’m a massive fan follow you on Facebook & know heaps of the beautiful bubs you have photographed. I’m still very early so no one knows we are pregnant yet. My due date is the 15th of May 2013 I just know how popular you are an wanted to make sure we don’t miss out. Can you tell me how we go about booking please? Thank you, Katrina

So, a tiny little bit of q+a time with Katrina and Stu about their pregnancy journey so far, and then you can enjoy all the gorgeous image from their session last week…

Describe the moment you first found out you were pregnant… I rang Stu balling my eyes out so he obviously thought something was wrong & I was yelling “We did it! We did it!” But he had no idea what was going on through all the yelling & crying!

What memory are you most looking forward to making with your new family of three? Taking him or her to the beach and dipping his or her little toes in the ocean.

“Baby brain” is often used to excuse any forgetful behavior up until your child is aged 18. Tell us your funniest “baby brain” moment… Baby Brain is real! im dreadful!! cant remember what ive done this morning let alone anything else before then…

How is nesting working out for you? When my Bestie’s could read this they will laugh ~ I am sooo organised! I haven’t really had the nesting in the rest of the house, but the babies room is all set ready to go everything’s washed, folded, set up, stocked, fully decorated in unisex colours. All we need now is the baby to put in it!

What are you most looking forward to when baby arrives? Just watching him/her grow & develop everyday.

One last note from Stu…

Katrina has already been the perfect mum, everyday I can see that she is devoted to, and loves our child more than anything.

Do you have a favorite image, a comment on Katrina’s nesting and baby brain moments this far, or some well wishes to share with this lovely couple? Please share them below in the comments!
Also a big thanks to Katrina’s friends who all contributed as a baby shower present to this maternity session. Cant wait to meet bubba soon!!

Want to enquire about newborn or maternity photos for yourself? Contact me here!

Brax is so soft, sweet and squishy. He loves curling up in a little ball and having snuggles. He smells just like a newborn should, so perfect and new. You so easily forget how perfect and wonderful newborns are, till you have one again. WE ARE IN LOVE!!!!

Brax is the only one of our 3 kiddies to have a full head of beautiful hair as a newborn.  It is so soft and even gets itself into cool boy “spikes and mohawks” – so very cute and such a novelty since he is our first boy. He has gorgeous, long fingers and fingernails, which he got from his Grandad and the most adorable long, skinny legs and giant feet!  Everything about him is so loveable and perfect! Brax is very much a mix of his 2 big sisters when they were born. He has Charlotte’s grumpy expressions and her eyes, while he has Piper’s button nose and squishy forehead. His feet are also a perfect mix of his sisters, he has Charlotte’s long, skinny feet and Piper’s wide, chubby toes. Almost everyone said he looks just like Piper and his Daddy.

Brax’s name…

Despite what most people think, we DID NOT get Brax’s name from “Home and Away”, we don’t even watch the show and didn’t know the significance. We quite simply found it on an internet baby name site. According to the internet site, it’s a short version of Braxton, which means “Brick’s Town”.  To us, it’s just a cool, edgy and fresh name, perfect for our baby boy. As 2 of Brax’s 3 Grandfathers don’t have any sons to continue their family name, I wanted to have their names as middle names. Kris wasn’t a fan of 2 middle names, but he would only go with it, if the name spelt a cool acronym. So, with this in mind, the first name had to start with “B”, so it spelt “BAM” (as the middle names are Anthony and Michael).

First baby boy, means lots of new experiences…

Most of the lessons learnt happened with the first two bubbas, but the one thing we took particular notice of was, “always point it down”.  As Brax is our first little boy, we are trying to be very mindful of “fountains” at nappy changing time. Although neither of us have had the experience just yet, we are always on the look out.

Lots of feeding, and BIG personality…

Brax LOVES to eat! He never stops, feeding most of the time every 2 or 3 hours. He has only a few times slept for 5 hours before waking to eat, but then he’s right back on the 2-3 hour feeds. He is a little hard to settle back to sleep at night after a feed and when I put him back in his bassinet, it’s done with military precision. Brax is our first baby to wake for feed during the night, so of course we are a little sleep deprived. We’re coping ok with this, considering we still have school and pre-school runs to do in the morning. As a result of limited sleep, I have been known to try and put the milk and butter in the pantry. I even tried to put a baking tray of chicken nuggets in there!

Just like his sisters were, Brax is not a fan of being all wrapped up to sleep. Those wiggly little arms, just keep popping back out again. He also has the same grumpy faces and unimpressed looks, just like his big sister Charlotte, which leads me to believe we might have another feisty Chapman on our hands.

Some of the words we have already for Brax are: Mum – snugly, adorable, perfect. Dad – happy, hungry, handsome. Charlotte – sweet, cute, cuddly. Piper – cute, cries a lot, I love him.

Brax is our third bundle of joy. His 2 big sisters are totally in love with him (just like his Mum and Dad are). They always want to have cuddles with him and never stop kissing him. If he’s upset, the girls will sing to him, which is the cutest thing ever. When I was pregnant, Piper wanted a sister, so she could give her all her old shoes and clothes, but she is so in love with her baby brother, this didn’t matter anymore. Charlotte did say after Brax was born, that she wished he was a girl. When I asked her why, she replied “So I would have a baby sister”. I told her she already had one! haha.

A big shout out for my Hubby…

Kris is amazing! Just like the last 2 times, he was there providing as many encouraging words as he could. I don’t know how I could have got through having any of our babies without him. Everything went just as smoothly as the first two pregnancies and births. Thankfully, labour was again, short and sweet (although, not pain free). Thank goodness the experience was another good one, cause it was the last time!

Brax Anthony Michael Chapman
Mar 08 2013

I had so much fun photographing Brax a few weeks ago.  This was a mammoth 2 day photo session as part of a mentor workshop with Photographer Sally Williams from She Shoots and I am incredibly thankful for Brax’s family for being so patient with us and coming to the studio twice while we played with their little guy!

If you want to book a newborn session for yourself or if you want to chat about some mentoring, please get in touch. 

]]> http://nfedesign.com.au/2013/04/newcastle-newborn-photography-brax/feed/ 14 http://nfedesign.com.au/2013/03/newcastle-baby-photographer-zac/ http://nfedesign.com.au/2013/03/newcastle-baby-photographer-zac/#comments Wed, 20 Mar 2013 23:51:12 +0000 nfe http://nfedesign.com.au/?p=944 Zac is a sweet little man but with a very cheeky side. Since he was a newborn he has always been very alert and aware what is going on around him. He has such an intense knowing stare, that looks right into your eyes, he knows exactly whats going on and uses his long eyelashes to melt his mummy’s heart. He does the cutest little things that brighten each day – he rocks from side to side when he hears music, he just loves to be on his feet and bounces like crazy in his jolly jumper. He acts all tough but when its bed time he loves to snuggle his blanky and rub it on his face while sucking his dummy. We describe him as being bright, cheeky, happy, snuggly and determined… All at once sometimes!

a little q and a time with Zac’s mama…

What has been your favourite part of this adventure since Zac has been born?
Watching our little man flourish and grow in just a short 6months has been just amazing. Everyday is a blessing and the love that he has filled our hearts and lives with blows me away – each and everyday is an exciting adventure.

[i want that] If you could have one character trait of Zac’s which would it be and why?
His smile it is so cute….he does a side smile and then a huge big smile that lightens up the whole room.  He is always happy which is contagious!

[you're funny] What is one thing your child does that always makes you laugh?
Just hearing his laugh makes us laugh- its so pure and innocent. He always laughs when we make the noise buzz and it is so funny!

If Zac were a colour, what colour would he be?
He’d be a vibrant green – fun and playful and full of life….It’s his favourite colour too!

What is your favorite physical feature of Zac’s?
I love his mouth- its the smallest cutest little mouth- he is so expressive with it. He purses his lips shut tight when hes finished eating his dinner and gets his bottom lip wobbling when he is sad.

Rosie, as we like to call her, like all newborns, is very soft. That’s what I remember most from each of the births of my children, when they are laid against my chest, tiny faces red and screaming- how very, very soft they are.  Throughout the pregnancy, Rosie’s big sister Issy insisted the new baby would be a girl, a sister called Rosie. We didn’t know the sex of the baby, and had a few names picked out either way, but when she arrived decided to call her Roseanna just as her sister predicted.  As a extra bonus for Issy, Roseanna looks just like her!

Rosie is our third baby, so we have done this before. It is such a beautiful experience – there is nothing like meeting your baby for the first time, holding them in your arms and experiencing that special kind of falling in love. This newborn time passes so quickly! I am going to try and remind myself a every step to remember this. I want to remember exactly how she smells, and feels, and sounds during this time. How tiny her toenails are and how she snuffles when she begins to stir from sleep.  Rosie is very alert when she’s awake, and she doesn’t like to be fiddled with- makes dressing her difficult! Issy and Oli are coping beautifully- they both love their new baby sister and have been very good helpers.

Rosie arrived a week overdue, the day after I finished all of the work I had to do… Perfect timing!  3580g and 49.5cm long with sweet cherub lips…

Meet Roseanna Eve ~~

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Hi,
My parents named be Elspeth Pepper, but you can call me Ellie.
I am 2 years old, my favorite colours are pink and purple and my favorite toy is Kitty Cat McQueen
Some people like to call me Ells Bells and I call myself ‘Cutiepie’ and ‘Mayor of CuteTown’. I am very particular about my clothes. I love to wear swimmers all the time, but especially to bed. Please do not ask me to wear dresses or skirts unless you have some form of bribe in chocolate form. I am a shorts girl, and my favourite outfit is my ‘Boutfit Skellington’ given to me by Aunty Nicole, mummy’s best friend. I am also partial to my Bangelina Tutu (it has Bangelina Ballerina on it).

Four things about me…
~ While I like to do things on my own, I do not like to be seperated from my sister, Penny.
~ I am adventerous and have what my mummy likes to call a wicked sense of humour.
~ I am currently partial to Star Wars, especially Darth Vadar and the Ewoks. Princess Leia is ok too. Lightsabre fights are lots of fun.
~ I am extremely strong and flexible. My mum likes to tell people that I  can do things that gymnasts can only dream of.

I am getting stronger, more daring, more cheeky with every day. My parents adore me and I rule them. All I need to do is smile and they are mine to do with as I will.

My mum says that my smile is unforgettable, and the five words she would use to describe me are ~ bright, strong, cute, cheeky and loving. She says: I would love to have Ellie’s carefree abandon and vigour with which she tackles every aspect of life. She is confident, happy and always laughing.  My dad says: If he could choose one thing he would love to have my ability to do a perfect squat.

Mum also says that if she had to describe me as a colour i would be a sunny, bright, cheery yellowy yellow, with a centre of brilliant orange, full of love and energy and (at times) a quicksilver temper.

My big sister Penny is 4. She didn’t have photos, she already had hers when she was 2 just like me.

I love my sister, being with her is my favourite thing in the world. As much as I fight with her and push her around a bit, she is always nice to me (except when she holds me down and tickles me till I cry, but really I love that too).   Her favorite colour is red and she has a toy that is called Big Ted that she loves SO much!  We call her Henny Penny and she hates to wear shoes!

Mum says that Penny’s eyes are to die for and that she is beautiful, loving, careful, clever, ambitious. Dad wants Penny’s skill with a foam lightsabre (she always wins).  They says that if she were a colour Penny would be a rich rose red – full to the brim with love of family and life, passionate, glowing with love.

Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed looking at my photos,

Love Ellie

PS: I loved this pettiskirt so much (especially because it was purple) that I didn’t even demand chocolate before I put it on

Knox William 02.01.13
A name meaning “Rounded Hill Top” chosen for it’s strength and individuality….

We wanted a name that was distinct but not strange, one that would be cute as a boy and strong as a man. Knox shares his middle name with his brother Oscar. William is a family name and he has the same initials as his poppy.

Kirstie and Brett ~ please tell us about Knox in your own words…

Knox looks perfect. He is so smooth and everything about him is perfect and in proportion. Each time we touch him we are filled with love, pride and excitement, he feels like life inflated!
Baby smell – LOVE! We have been waiting for it to fill our life for so long… Knox’s smell is innocence and purity.

We love every part that completes him. He has the most amazing full lips and the cutest round little head. His feet are adorable with the most distinct life lines, that we know will take him on many adventures.

Who does Knox most look like?

He is a complete mix. When he is asleep and calm he looks like his mummy and big brother Oscar. When he is awake and alert he looks like his dad.
When he frowns mummy says he looks exactly like daddy

Please tell us about Knox’s arrival and your first few weeks…

Knox was due on the 11th, but arrived early on the 2nd January.  We chose to have an elective c-section. The whole experience was planned and calm and we couldn’t have wished for better. At the moment Knox has great sleeping patterns. We have been using a co sleeper to reduce the amount of time we have to move him and save energy.   The three words we would use to describe him would be calm, beautiful & funny.  According to his big brother Oscar those words would be BUSY! handsome and funny! Oscar has waited a long time and was positively ecstatic when he found out he was getting a brother. He is completely besotted with Knox and a very proud brother. The bond of brothers is special & forever, it has been wonderful to watch it form rapidly.

We feel that Knox is an old soul. He is so calm and relaxed! He does not like night time changes, displays good vocal ability then, but he loves the bath and snuggling into your chest.  Feeding is his favourite thing. He and Kirstie are the perfect team. From day one he knew what to do and how to do it. It is amazing to watch him, so happy, relaxed and nurtured.

When we chose to have Knox there was one rule. Kirstie gets whatever she wants… So far so good! Dad is very hands on, nappy’s and bath time are his domain. He is pushing to get a breast pump so he can do some feeds Yes! There has been poo and wee and lots of mess and late nights, but all taken in stride and with a smile.

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We are in a complete love bubble, Renee captured all our love, pride and excitement in our family shots.
We were thrilled at how beautiful Knox looked in his individual shots.

Thank you so much Brett, Kirstie, Oscar and Knox.

Please tell us a little about Kai…
Kai has beautiful clear soft skin. He looks just like his daddy. He has big blue eyes and at times a cheeky grin. He is so chilled out relaxed and pulls lots of funny faces while he sleeps and he has his own unique baby smell that I wish I could bottle and use as perfume.

What is your favorite part of Kai so far…
It’s his beautiful lips. They are perfect and we love the way he sticks his little tongue out.

Who does Kai most look like?
He looks like his Daddy. We had our own baby pics out and people thought that the pic of Todd was Kai.

How did you come up with Kai’s name?
Kai means ocean in Hawaiian. We both love the ocean/ beach and Hawaii is a special place for us both. We fell in love with Hawaii on our honeymoon and returned again the following year.

What has been the biggest lesson you have learnt since Kai was born?
Have a wipe on hand when changing his bottom. He likes to have an audience and sometimes when you think he is finished he will proudly show you that he has not!!

From pregnancy, to labour, to the little bundle you now hold in your arms, has this experience been everything you hoped and dreamed it would be or has it been the total opposite? Is there anything you would do differently?
I had such a good pregnancy. I was not sick at all. My labour was also fairly quick and not too horrific. I am really lucky! To be honest I can probably describe it as being nice. It was lovely to have Todd and my mum there to share the experience. Kai is sooo loved and has this relaxed calm aura. (except for when he’s hungry at 3am!) It still amazes me that he is finally here and he takes my breath away whenever I look at him. He is more than anything I could have wished for and I have honestly never been so in love in my whole life. He has brought smiles and happiness to so many people and we are so lucky that he is ours.

How is Kai’s personality developing already?
Kai loves to be cuddled and likes to fall asleep on dads chest. He doesn’t vomit or burp all that often but sure let’s his wind out at the other end…

Can you please describe Kai in three words…
Beautiful, loved and amazing.

A final word from Kai’s parents…

Renee was so wonderful with Kai. We just loved the pictures she took and would highly recommend her to anyone wanting to capture those special pics of their new bundle of joy.

If you are interested in a similar session for yourself please take a look around the site and contact me if you want more info or to make a booking!  Also if you know a friend who might love to look at these gorgeous photos then please share this post using the buttons below!  Lastly, if you want to say hi, please leave some love in the comments below, I am sure Kai’s parents will love to read them (and so will I!).  Have a fabulous day!

loved the beautiful energy from this family! Knox is going to be very loved, that’s for sure!