Those first days and weeks at home with a new baby are especially sweet. They may also be a blur due to lack of sleep, so documenting them can be helpful in that regard. ;-) A new baby is a big change for parents, even if they've done it before. For older siblings it can be the most momentous change they've experienced in their whole life. This little guy had been home about two weeks when I visited his family in Northern Virginia.
Though every family is different, there are some fairly common experiences that come with parenthood and childhood. One of them is the transition from three to four.
When I was pregnant with my younger son, even though my older son was very affectionate with my belly and interested in the baby that was growing inside, I still worried that bringing a new baby into our family might traumatize him somehow. It probably did on some level, but he seems okay anyway. ;-)
Children's responses to a new family member vary, but they are amazing at adjusting to change and it's amazing to watch them interact with their new sibling. The bond siblings share is different than their bond with parents and it's one, as parents, we hope will be forged in childhood and last a lifetime.
During a newborn session it might seem that the primary focus would always be on the baby, but I try to feature each family member and capture a glimpse of their role in the new family dynamic. Older children are learning to navigate life with a little less input from parents, new babies are simply adjusting to life outside the womb, and parents are on a moving spectrum of totally rocking it and just holding on for dear life. :-)
It's a mix of lots of love and a bit of chaos. And documenting those early interactions and moments of adjustment make looking back on this time a little easier and that much sweeter.
Want to learn how to document your own family's day-to-day? Check out 4 Steps to Stop Time and Savor the Moment with Your Family. It's a simple and fun guide to documenting your family's life with beautiful photographs.