Amanda Maree Photography » Amanda Maree Photography - Brisbane Newborn Photographer

But dear, sweet, second born…

Let me tell you this…

The truth is…

Before you were born…

I doubted the infinity of love…

and yet…

The moment they placed you in my arms…

Cocooned in blankets…

With your button nose and scrunched up lips…

Eyes shut firmly and so new to this world…

It’s as if I grew a whole new heart…

just for you.

The truth is darling…

it was you who taught me…

to really believe…

That despite the guilt, the worry…

The urgent need to be everything to everyone…

That, in fact, I am enough, as I am…

Yes, I was already someone’s mother…

when you came into my life…

But you made me a better one.

(Written by Rasha Rushdy)

 

You guys….my eye’s are leaking. I am full of sadness, full of joy, full of all the feels. My teeny tiny baby has just turned one. And while I am overwhelmed by the enormity the past year or so has brought, I am also overjoyed at just what we’ve achieved.

After all….from little things…big things grow!

 

photograph of embryoI shared a little blog post about me last week but since I am feeling sad my baby is no longer I thought I’d share a little bit about this special guy. Anyone who knows me knows I always wanted to be a mumma, but between my job and well, life…prince charming never arrived? So I took things into my own hands and set about doing things on my own. Fast forward 8 years later and I have two gorgeous little guys conceived via IVF with the generous gift of a donor. This is the story of my newest addition, sniff sniff, who is not so new anymore!

On the 20th of October 2016 I had this beautiful little hatching embryo transferred and yep, you guessed it, he decided to stick! I had a pretty rough pregnancy with every complication under the sun but thankfully I was rewarded and he stayed put.

I have been extremely blessed over his first year to have so many moments captured by my wonderful photographer friends and as I look back and reminisce on our journey I realize just how lucky I am. When I encourage my clients to capture every moment…it is so that when you have these feels, when you are sad your little one has gone and grown, you can look back and cry…just like me…lol!

 

Pregnant woman wearing yellow lace dress and yellow flower crown in forestI was extremely blessed to have my maternity and birth images captured by my dear friend Rana at Breathe Birth Photography. I hate being in front of the lens but I had my first pregnancy and birth captured and they are by far some of my most treasured possessions. This pregnancy I really resented my body, it had let me down, I couldn’t get pregnant, I couldn’t stay pregnant, and in the end I couldn’t deliver either. I just felt like such a failure and being so unwell I often felt a complete disconnect with the little life growing inside me. It wasn’t until this session and these images that I truly felt the beautiful bond with my little love nestled under my heart. Completely in awe that despite the odds my body had continued to grow and nourish new life. The pregnant body is such an amazing thing and it is a time in my life that I genuinely felt beautiful. Newborn being born via emergency csection in an operating theatre caesarian birthAnd there was never a question I would have my birth’s photographed, no matter what they looked like. The moments that I was not, present, the magic that I may have missed, the true miracle of birth and new life in all it’s wonder.

World…Meet Emery.x.

Newborn sleeping in brown bowl on brown backdrop with yellow flowersThen, like my first born, my dear photographer friend and mentor captured the most phenomenal moments of my little guy…all those little rolls and folds, the most luscious lips and squishy cheeks. At the time, I thought he was giant, much bigger than my first born, but now I look back and he was really just a teeny little guy. My heart literally lurches when I look at these and I do hope the families I photograph get the same visceral emotions when they look at their images.

These divine images were captured by my dear friend Luisa at Luisa Dunn Photography Sleeping newborn wrapped in rust coloured wrap and bonnet laying on leaf backdropIn hindsight, I should have left it to my sweet friend, I was in so much pain and feeling terribly unwell, props to those photographers who take their own newborn images, but I had to snap just a couple . Y’all know my favourite colour is mustard and these special things I had been collecting throughout my pregnancy not knowing if Emery would come out a pink bebe or a blue one lol!! Newborn sleeping in farmers basket with yellow wrap and yellow knit romper on wooden floor Newborn sleeping in white wool bowl with mustard wrap and cream blanket with mustard and cream soft toy owl on white wooden floorAnd then I blinked and six months had gone. We learnt what a sweet and funny little guy he was. And also his wild side…crawling at 4.5 months and into everything! Again I was blessed to have this gorgeous little personality captured by another dear friend….Kelly from Little Pieces Photography. Six month old baby laying on brown fluff wearing mustard singlet romper smiling Six month old baby on plum coloured backdrop wearing mustard coloured singlet romper and brown shorts with braces and mustard moccasins Six month old baby on plum coloured backdrop wearing mustard coloured singlet romper and brown shorts with braces and mustard moccasinsIt is amazing to see just how much growth happens with little ones during that first year. They grow, they flourish and they master so very much. I’ll be the first person to admit, I much prefer tiny bebe’s but people have always said to me that each stage is just as amazing as the last and as I get to know my boys, I am inclined to agree.

At ten months you are walking (running about!), talking and exploring the world around you. You are an absolute delight in our lives.

Here my dear friend Stefanie from Stefanie Plum Photography got the sweetest shots of Emery in her studio. Nine month old baby boy sitting on white bed linen wearing carkey green romper with brown buttons and brown shorts with braces Nine month old baby boy sitting on white bed linen wearing carkey green romper with brown buttons and brown shorts with bracesAs your first year draws to a close we celebrated our journey so far and Mother’s Day with the most magical session at my beautiful friend Amy from Fleurette Photography‘s property. I’ve shared a few from this divine session already but it was so important for me to get in front of the lens, to capture memories being made with my beautiful boys. Whilst I have been very spoiled to have so many stunning photos of my little men, it is not often that I am actually present in the images and this session was the most amazing gift I could ever hope for. Ten month old wearing cream knit romper standing on cream vintage iron bed with white blankets and pink pillows and pink and cream flower vine in field at sunset Ten month old wearing cream knit romper in field at sunsetAnd now…you are one. I do not know where the time has gone. The saying, the days are long but the years are short fits perfectly with a little one’s first year. You are an absolute joy and you have fit perfectly into our lives like you were always meant to be here.

At 5:01pm on 6.7.17 our worlds changed in the most unimaginable way. My soul yearned for you for so long & while the road was rough you have been the shining light. Emery Charles my love for you knows no bounds. Looking back on you first year makes my heart explode. I feel incredibly blessed to be your mumma.

One year old boy in field at sunset smashing cakeWe celebrated with a cake smash in the park (how lush are these mustard pants from Threads for Ted…merino wool all the way from New Zealand & custom made for Emery!) One year old boy dressed in wolf outfit on grey flokati and cream fur with cream bucketAnd the most adorable custom made wolf outfit made by one of my favourite vendors Holly from Pup and Frank especially for Emery’s woodland theme first birthday party.

I hope looking back on my little guy’s first year not only makes you nawwww with cuteness but also reminds you just how important it is to capture this time before they are grown and you have forgotten their roly poly fingers, their pudgey cheeks, their scrunch nosed smile. Blink and you will miss it…speaking from experience!

If you haven’t booked your newborn session or milestone session for your little one’s first year….get in touch now! I would love to give you these memories for your very own.

Ps…you guys I legit cried this week when I sent my mum to the chemist for some baby paracetamol and she returned with the 1-5yrs one…I NEED baby panadol, not toddler panadol I cried. I’m sure all you mumma’s of newly turned one year olds will feel my pain. Please stay my baby forever sweet Emery.x.

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From Nest I Flourish….A Milestone Package With A Difference

Blink and you will miss it…

your tiny baby grown.

One moment in your loving arms…

Now walking on their own.

Before you know it time has passed…

and one year with them done.

Your curly snuggly newborn

is chubby, busy, fun!

Don’t miss a single moment…

Capture memories as they come.

Celebrate each milestone…

Of your growing little one.

No longer in your loving nest…

nurtured as they grow.

They flourished from a tiny babe…

sweet memories to show.

Woman in cream dress standing beside autum leaves on a tree holding nest with egg

Big things are happening here at Amanda Maree Photography and we are now growing with you and your little one.

I am so excited to announce that I will now be offering a milestone package with a difference.

Sessions that capture your little one during the most important time in their lives….their first year.

Beginning with custom newborn sessions then following your little one as they flourish and grow throughout their first year with sessions at 3 months, 6-9 months and 12 months.

Continuing on with my signature styling of all things natural and nurturing….nests, felts and textures, bonnets and wraps….recreating set ups captured during your newborn sessions and watching your little one grow at every stage. All sessions will flow on from my newborn styling….a point of difference from your every day portrait session.

A 3 month mini session….with ISABELLA

Newborn baby girl sleeping in round wooden bowl wrapped in pink wrap laying on large pink quilted flower and second image of same set up with baby as a 3 month old Newborn baby girl wrapped in peach wrap laying in wooden trench bowl with knitted wrap on wooden floor and second image is of same set up with baby at 3 months Newborn baby girl in purple romper sleeping in wooden bowl with cream wrap laying on purple back drop and second image is same set up with 3 month old baby Sleeping newborn baby in wooden bowl in garden wrapped in green lace wrap holding green owl and second image is same set up with 3 month old baby

A 3 month mini session…..with HARRY

3 month old baby boy wearing mint knitted bonnet laying on mint flokati with mint wrap

A 3 month mini session…with VINNIE

3 month old baby boy laying in cream basket with cream fur and cream blanket

A 9 month mini session with…..ALEXIS

Sleeping newborn in green romper laying on pink flokati and second image same set up with 9 month old Newborn baby girl in puple lace romper in cream crochet basket on purple fluff on wooden floor and second image same set up with 9 month old Newborn baby girl wearing mustard romper laying on mustard suitcase with lace and mustard felt on wooden floor and second image is same set up with 9 month old

A 12 month mini session…..with EVIE-ROSE

Newborn baby girl sleeping in grey lace bowl with grey wrap and crey felt laying on wooden floor and second image same set up with 12 month old Newborn baby girl sleeping in wooden bowl wearing cream knitted romper with cream knitted bear on wooden floor and second image is same set up with 12 month old Newborn baby girl in duck egg blue wooden bowl with coral blanket and mint felt wrapped in mint cheese cloth wrap with pink knitted cat and second image is same set up with 12 month old

You will be offered the option of selecting the entire milestone package…the ultimate gift to you and your family to celebrate the most important times in your little ones lives or selecting individual mini session from the package. Missed out on a newborn session because life was super busy and time got away from you…why not book a 3 month mini session? Looking for a way to celebrate an amazing first year….why not book a 12 month session? But most importantly….see the value in documenting your babies first year through the beauty of photography.

I would love nothing more than the privilege to capture your little one throughout their first magical year.

Please get in touch for further information in regards to bookings and pricing for the

‘From Nest I flourish’ – Milestone Package today.

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In the light of the moon….a little egg lay on a leaf

Newborn baby boy wrapped in white wrap in white felt bowl on green leavesOne Sunday morning (well actually it was a Saturday, but for the sake of a good story!)….the warm sun came up and…pop! out of the egg came a tiny and very hungry caterpillar (there were a few snack breaks today so I can attest to this!)

Newborn baby dressed in knitted caterpillar outfit laying on leaf backdropHe started to look for some food….after lots of milk, he wasn’t a little caterpillar anymore, he was a big fat caterpillar. He built a small house, called a cocoon, around himself….

Newborn baby wrapped in brown wrap and knit felt cocoon hanging from tree branchHe stayed inside for two weeks (well actually just a short period of time because by this stage his big brother had had enough of the newborn photography session!) then nibbled a hole in the cocoon, pushed his way out and…

Newborn baby wrapped in blue wrap with blue knit bonnet on butterfly backdrophe was a beautiful butterfly!

Today I had the sweetest little guy in the studio…you may remember a couple of years ago I had his gorgeous big brother, Darcy, in the studio as a newborn and he had an amazing Very Hungry Caterpillar nursery theme. So, together with a few special people, we created some story book magic. When Darcy’s mumma got in touch to say they were expecting another gorgeous boy and that they had adored Darcy’s story, I just knew we had to recreate some beautiful magic again today!

Now we didn’t just capture a special story, mumma asked for some blue and grey set ups for their session and I think they worked perfectly with this little guy.

World…Meet Pierce.x.

Newborn baby boy sleeping on brown blanket with brown wrap and brown knit bonnet with brown and cream felt heartsHow adorable is this little love bug?

(Bonnet from Little Doe Designs and felt hearts from Little Jar Big Dreams)

Newborn baby boy sleeping in cream tin bucket with grey curly felt and grey wrap and grey knit bonnet and grey felt heart Newborn baby boy sleeping in cream tin bucket with grey curly felt and grey wrap and grey knit bonnet and grey felt heartThis little guy had the most amazing hands, long delicate fingers, and teeny tiny wrinkles….perfect for snuggling up with a little felt heart!

(Felt heart from Little Jar Big Dreams, bonnet from Little Doe Designs and wrap from Love That Prop)

Newborn baby sleeping on grey blanket with grey wrap Newborn baby sleeping on grey blanket with grey wrap Newborn baby in farmers basket with blue blanket and romper and bonnet on wooden floor with jute layerUmmmm…I have no words…one minute this guy was snoozin and the next he looked up at me with the most intense eye contact. Oh Pierce, you are everything.

Plus there’s just something about denim blue and footsie rompers!

Newborn baby in farmers basket with blue blanket and romper and bonnet on wooden floor with jute layer(Bonnet from Little Doe Designs and romper from Shooting Stars Props)

Newborn baby sleeping in wooden crate with blue blanket and knit layer and wrap and bonnet and felt heart on white wooden floor Newborn baby sleeping in wooden crate with blue blanket and knit layer and wrap and bonnet and felt heart on white wooden floorThese hearts are just so perfect for little hands….

(Felt heart from Little Jar Big Dreams & bonnet from Little Doe Designs)

Newborn baby boy sleeping in round wooden bowl on white wooden floor wrapped in baby blue wrap and blanketAnd a little bit of baby blue for their baby blue…

Newborn baby boy sleeping in wooden crate with blue wrap with sibling brother sitting beside the crate wearing white singlet blue shirt and brown pantsAnd last but by no means least…the first hungry caterpillar and the sweetest big brother Darcy with his darling little Pierce.

Darcy, I’m so glad you had fun today, even if it was at my expense with a pig toy on my head….

Pierce, you are absolutely divine and welcome back in the studio any time….

Paula and Jamie, the biggest praise is a family trusting you with their gorgeous new baby, even more so when they choose to return to you again with their new addition, thank you for coming back to me again and trusting me with your memories.

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It’s midnight…I’m drowning in laundry and I’m not sure who all the poop belongs to…newborn clients, kids…kitten? Who knows but that’s the joy of my life right now and I couldn’t be happier!!! Sometimes I wonder how I made it here…whether many would think it was fun to be sitting in a pile of poop at midnight….but this is my story…a little part of me from behind the lens….

My name is Amanda, I’m a Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) Nurse, mumma to two gorgeous little guy’s and a Brisbane based natural light photographer. I’ve always had a passion for anything to do with the teeny tiny newborns. My work as a NICU Nurse over the past 15 years has allowed me the privilege of holding new life in my hands on a daily basis. As soon as I held my first camera, I knew that this would be my path & give me the opportunity to combine both worlds into newborn photography.

Woman sitting on bed in field at sunset wearing pink dress with bay on her lap looking at cameraThen along came a teeny tiny little one of my very own, and then another & again my path grew.

It’s just me & the boys, so taking on the challenge of single mumma, photographer & nurse has been an interesting journey but one I wouldn’t change for the world. Both of my boy’s are born via IVF and a donor…lot’s of hard work and lots of pennie’s but I wouldn’t have it any other way and I know it’s shaped me to be the person I am today.

Finding the balance between my little family & the families of others is something that I am learning to master. I am so blessed to be able to do what I love & share in so many families little miracles.

Woman wearing pink dress holding baby wearing cream knit romper with five year old boy wearing cream knit jumper and tan pants in a field at sunset

So….what’s life like behind the scenes at Amanda Maree Photography….besides lots of poop?

My extensive experience as a neonatal nurse, means your little one’s safety & comfort is my priority at all times. There is no greater privilege than a parent trusting me with their sweet new baby. Each new life that visits my studio is just as special as the last and I hope that each family feels this way. This often means that we work on baby time…stopping for feeds, settling and snuggles. Sometimes parents nap while the magic happens in the studio. Sometimes I’m jealous that they are getting more sleep with their newborn than I am with my one year old….he he he!

Mother and father sleeping on the couch during a newborn session

I shoot from my cosy home studio & love combining the natural beauty of a curly unfurling newborn with classic pops of colour. As a mumma myself, I know how important it is to hold onto all the tiny details. Never again will they be this small, this precious & this new. I love nothing more than providing parents with precious memories to last a lifetime and capturing new life. Session’s are filled with lots of cuddles as well as some stunning set ups that allow me to capture these magic moments that will be gone in the blink of an eye.

Together with my families we work to create beautiful images with colours that sing to their hearts, that include special items from their family and their past, that will hopefully adorn their walls and their albums for many years to come. I am grateful I get to give this gift to so many families but ultimately I think that I am the one receiving the gift.

collection of behind the scenes images from a newborn session with a dark haired female photographer and different newborns being posed

And then I get the even greater privilege of watching these little ones grow and flourish throughout their first year with my stunning milestone packages. These are even more fun as we recreate set ups from the newborn shoot at 3mths, 6-9mths and 1 year to see just how much they have grown and changed over that year. Sitting a little chubba in a tiny wooden bowl that they were not that long ago curled right up in and then before you know it standing them in that bowl is pure joy! And getting to know their little personalities is the greatest gift.

Collection of three newborns in props then the same three newborns as babies sitting in props

Working with families and watching them grow is by far the best job in the world….

So when are you booking your session?

*Amazing photo credit of my boys and I to Amy from Fleurette Photography….it’s not often I am on the other side of the lens so these are a real treat!

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There was once a little baby…

a teeny tiny boy…

And then one day I blinked & looked…

my heart was filled with joy…

You see this tiny baby…

no longer was he here….

he’d grown and he had stumbled…

in to my little dear.

 

Today I had Master Eddie back in the studio for his milestone session…can you believe this gorgeous boy is already one? I absolutely adore newborn sessions but when these teeny tiny babies come back to visit all grown my heart literally explodes. There is just something about comparing all the growth they’ve made in such a small amount of time. Those little cheeks and pouty lips now filled out with baby chub…that downy little hair now wavy and lush….and that adorable little personality that I was seeing the beginning of in the very beginning now flourishing into the sweetest little guy!

Eddie wasn’t super excited when he first arrived at the studio and with one year olds you definitely have to let them dictate the show….so we played peekaboo and made pig noises and he settled right in and we had a blast!

Newborn baby boy in round cane basket on wood floor with grey blanket in grey pants and bonnet and same set up on one year old boyLook how big that elephant was back when he was teeny tiny? These sort of comparison shot’s are just the best to see just how much they’ve grown! Newborn baby boy sleeping in round wooden bowl on white wood floor with grey blankets and bonnet and same set up with one year old boyThat sweet little smirk…. Newborn baby boy sleeping in farmers basket on wooden floor with grey blankets and wraps with blue and grey elephant toy and same set up with one year old boyNow of course we had to capture this set up with Eddie’s little bestie, his blue elephant!!! Newborn baby boy sleeping in wooden crate in navy blue wrap with navy knit bonnet with toy knit blue elephant and same set up as one year old boy Newborn baby boy in wood log bowl with navy blanket and wrap and bonnet and same set up as a one year old boyI would love to say this is the cutest little lip pout but I’d be more honest if I said there were at least ten little baby puffs tucked in these chipmunk cheeks! Newborn baby boy sleeping on cream blanket with cream wrap and cream bonnet and same set up with one year old boyDoes it get any cuter? I loved this set up from Eddie’s newborn session so it was super special to recreate today..there’s just something so innocent and pure about all white. Newborn baby boy sleeping on grey blanket wtih grey knit bonnet and same set up with one year old boyI can’t even handle the cute of this little guy…. Newborn baby boy sleeping on grey blanket wtih grey knit bonnet and same set up with one year old boyLot’s of serious…but also lots of smiles…. Newborn baby boy sleeping on grey blanket wtih grey knit bonnet and same set up with one year old boy Newborn baby boy wrapped in grey blanket on grey knit layer and grey fur with same set up as one year old boyEddie what an absolute pleasure it has been to watch you grow and change into an adorable little guy over the past year!!

Thanks so much for bringing your cute self to the studio today!

Ps….Eddie’s milestone session was gifted to his mumma as his first birthday gift from friends….I can’t think of a better gift or a better way to celebrate this guy’s first year!

(Make sure you get in touch if you’re looking for a special gift for a little person you love!)

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