Neil has the Best Cheeks!||Newborn and Family Photography

December 6, 2016 WillowBaby

set of three photos of a newborn yawning, smiling and falling asleep

5 year old boy holding his new baby brother

Soooooo, HERE'S a super cutie! Meet Neil, the winner of Best Baby Cheeks! At just about 5 weeks old, this little guy is actually not so little..... at 12 pounds and super alert, he is oh-so-ready to join his big brother in all sorts of mischief!Seeing their expressions as they check each other out makes me chuckle....

beautiful momma smiling at her baby with him smiling back

And now, I present this lovely Momma of two:

Clearly Neil is a BIG fan - he couldn't stop smiling at her!

family of four snuggling new baby on the bed

Neil's Dad was able to sneak out of work early to join his amazing family..... After all the fun and excitement, Neil finally gave into sleep. He rewarded us with calm chubby cheeky perfection!

His momma and I already started scheming up next session ideas, and I'm so excited to watch this cutie grow. I can't wait to see Neil and his brother as they begin to play together. I have a feeling they are going to be quite the duo to behold :-)

Congrats to you four.... it was wonderful to be on hand to capture this amazing time for your family!

All the best,

Ceilidh

Postscript for my readers:

Do you have a little person arriving soon? I suggest booking ahead of your due date to ensure session availability. It’s never too early to contact me about a future session – I generally schedule a few months out – 617-480-0387 or cwy@willowbabystudios.com

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagramand follow me there for babies and other loveliness every day! #willowbabydaily

I’d be honored to capture lovely photos of your favorite people soon.

Willow Baby Studios specializes in newborn, toddler, child and family lifestyle photography for Boston area families – including Arlington, Cambridge, Somerville, Charlestown, Boston Proper, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, the South End, Newton, Wellesley, Burlington, Bedford, Winchester, Wakefield, Reading, Lexington, Belmont, Weston, and more.

Owner & photographer Ceilidh (“k-lee”) Willow Yurenka, is trained as a fine art photographer, and received her BFA in photography from MassArt in 2007. A momma herself, she loves to be silly with your kiddos while capturing the beautiful chaos that is family life.

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Little Guys on the Go!||Lincoln, MA Family Photography

November 4, 2016 WillowBaby

At the beginning of this session, when these two cutie pies were still getting a sense of what was going on and who this goofy lady with the camera and a stuffed lion on her head was all about, we got a few shots of them sitting still.

It didn't hurt that they were entirely outnumbered: five full sized humans encouraging them to sit for just another shot or two :-)

three photos of two brothers playing outside

two family photos of parents giving their young boys piggybacks

momma hugging her two year old outside on a fall evening

And then, their grandparents, visiting from warm Texas, needed to go inside to fight off the fall chill. Which left myself and Chase and Carter's parents to try and keep up with their adventures.... exploring the garden, finding beautiful leaves, following the wild turkeys, wandering far, far, far down their quiet street....Every once in awhile their parents grabbed them up, while I captured the delight and.... skepticism....And just before heading inside, this lovely momma caught her baby for a sneaky smooch.

Such a joy to help you all get your holiday photos done! Thank you for choosing me as your photographer :-)

With love,

Ceilidh

Postscript for you all:

Needing a unique and amazing gift? I believe that a family photo shoot is one of the best gifts you can give! (Okay, I may be a bit biased, but I'm also kind of right ;-) !)

To purchase a gift certificate or schedule a session, please call 617-480-0387 or email me at cwy@willowbabystudios.com

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagramand follow me there for new adorable-ness every day! #willowbabydaily

I’d be honored to capture lovely photos of your favorite people soon.

Late Autumn Hugs||Arlington MA Family Photography

November 1, 2016 WillowBaby

set of four photos individual portraits of four siblings

The colder it is, the more essential the photo shoot snuggles..... although this family is pretty affectionate with one another and I'm pretty sure we would have gotten some great shots even without all the chilly fall wind encouraging closeness.Not only were we contending with the bitter wind, the clouds were having a field day keeping the sun from warming us up = group hugs!We did get one little peek of sunlight, which felt as fortuitous as all the kiddos holding hands *at the same time* in the shot below. Each of these characters had a few solo shots taken, which allowed me to hear about the amazing variety of their imaginings - each one shared with me their ideas of what the red leaves looked like (and I got four different answers! Now - with "busy season brain" don't ask me what they all were cause that info is no longer in my head!) The photo below is my new favorite sibling shot - I lucked out with these cuties!Thank you all for braving that chilly day - I think we did a pretty awesome job of making the best of it!

Love,

Ceilidh

Postscript for you all:

Needing a unique and amazing gift? I believe that a family photo shoot is one of the best gifts you can give! (Okay, I may be a bit biased, but I think I'm also right ;-) !)

To purchase a gift certificate or schedule a session, please call 617-480-0387 or email me at cwy@willowbabystudios.com

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagramand follow me there for new adorable-ness every day! #willowbabydaily

I’d be honored to capture lovely photos of your favorite people soon.

Ana and David Got Married!||Waltham, MA Family Photography

October 30, 2016 WillowBaby

family of four celebrating their fall wedding

husband and wife sitting in the fall leaves on their wedding day

mother and 10 year old daughter sitting in autumn leaves after wedding ceremony

bride and her 1 year old daughter looking at bouquet together

The lovely momma below approached me about photographing a very special day for her family.... the official celebration of the wedding of her and her longtime partner, David. Along with their two daughters, they had an intimate ceremony at City Hall, and afterwards they bestowed upon me the honor of taking this especially important family photo session.Ana embraced her wedding day with joy and humor, and was very excited to refer to David for the first time in their nine years as her husband.Her older daughter couldn't have been happier - or more excited about twirling in her fancy dress! - although she did take a good moment to tease her parents about their honeymoon plans sans children. Their darling one year old took the affair quite seriously, including her inspection of Momma's bouquet.

husband and wife embrace on their fall wedding day amidst the leaves

black and white image of married couple embracing outdoors

Ana - thank you so very much for inviting me to take part in this day of yours. It was flattering to be chosen, and quite an honor indeed.

And to Ana, David, and your daughters... congratulations to you four! May so much joy continue to bless your family.

Love,

Ceilidh

Despite my current "Busy Season Hiatus" from social media, I will be back soon with lots more lovely photos every day! Please jump on over to Instagramand follow me there...... #willowbabydaily

And, if you're wondering why you haven't had a recent photo session -please do reach out and we'll be sure to change that!

I’d be honored to capture lovely photos of your favorite people soon.

2016 Fall Mini Sessions! ||Boston Child & Family Photography

October 18, 2016 WillowBaby

three different fall family and sibling photos

three photos showing different kids smiling outdoors

three photos of three different families hanging out in new england fall

This fall's mini sessions brought a few new faces, and many familiar ones, who braved some fierce wind and chilly weather. The cooler the weather, the more essential the snuggling - which, in my opinion, is never a bad thing (to clarify: snuggling is always fabulous, chilly weather can decidedly be kind of a bummer). From snazzy dressed boys who claimed to be lawyers, to crazy winds that threatened everyone with long hair, to a tree stump covered in crazy orange mushrooms (nicknamed the "Trump Stump") this year's mini sessions brought many new superlatives.... including a rescheduling record of no less than 3 different dates due to the hurricane induced rain.One of the cuties below I've been photographing every year since he was a year old and the little miss in pigtails I last saw when she was ten days old. It makes me so very happy to see these kiddos grow bigger, sassier, silly and more talkative....Little goofballs, toddling twins, and mini-movie stars all showed up for their photos.Sun-kissed and snuggly is the way to go, if the opportunity arises....

To all the families that joined me this year - it's such a joy to help you get your holiday season started!

Thank you for taking part.

With love & gratitude,

Ceilidh

Postscript:

Curious about mini sessions? They are a fabulous way to get stunning family photos just in time for holiday gifts and cards, with a smaller time and financial commitment than a full length session. Held every fall (and sometimes one other time throughout the year), sign-ups are first announced to my loyal newsletter readers, so jump on over here to get yourself on the list!

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagramand follow me there for babies and other loveliness every day! #willowbabydaily

I’d be honored to capture lovely photos of your favorite people soon.

Connor's Cuteness||Dedham, MA Newborn & Family Photography

September 28, 2016 WillowBaby

Here's baby Connor! A-not-so-tiny newborn with an adorable sleepy smile and the best little newborn hair whorl I've ever had the honor of photographing.

three year old sister snuggling with newborn brother

set of three photos - momma snuggling newborn son, daddy cradling his son, 3 year old yelling

A few years ago, I took his sister's newborn photos. Now, Miss Hailey is the big kid - three years old, and settling in to her new role as big sister. Let's just say she's embracing her new role with a LOT of energy. And incredible story-telling skills! (she needed a break during the session, and it involved spinning quite a tale for myself and her parents). As for their parents? They stayed impressively calm and collected during the various photo session shenanigans. Ages 2-4 tend to be the hardest to photograph, and when parents get (understandably) stressed about how the session is going, it tends to just rev the kids up more. But these two embraced the chaos, and we ended up with some pretty cute - yet realistic! - moments captured.

Congrats on becoming a family of four!

Fondly,

Ceilidh

Postscript for you all:

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagramand follow me there for babies and other loveliness every day! #willowbabydaily

I’d be honored to capture lovely photos of your favorite people soon.

Naaz Sits!||Baby & Family Photography

September 26, 2016 WillowBaby

six month old baby laying on her back and smiling at the camera

black and white photo of 6 month old staring intently at the camera

family photo of smiling mom, dad and six month old daughter

momma holding up her smiling six month old

Remember this sweet pea? It's Naaz!!! She still rocks the darling headband her momma had for her to wear to her first session, and her full head of newborn hair has turned into these luscious curls. Naaz is now over six months, and sitting up like a champ. Despite her getting over being sick recently, she did an amazing job with her photo session. Her adorable smile in the family photo below makes me quite happy indeed :-)She *loved* being held up in the air like this. And her conversation with daddy made her very thoughtful indeed!

Just as her newborn session was attended by extended family, this sitting session was also a full gathering of many adults who adore her dearly. Her Auntie, who schemed up the amazing surprise gift of the First Year Package, is clearly over the moon for her baby niece.

extended family photo of three generations

Surrounded by her parents, an aunt & uncle, and one set of her grandparents, darling Naaz has an amazing base of caring grownups.

6 month old in pink romper sitting on a blanket in the grass

Darling girl! You are so blessed with such a wonderful family, and your family is so blessed to have you! I can't wait to see you again for your 1 year session..... Love,

Ceilidh

A postscript for you all:

Do you have a little person arriving soon? Are you curious in learning more about the first year packagethat I offer? It's such a wonderful gift to yourself to have the different milestones captured multiple times throughout that first sleepless, glorious year. It’s never too early to contact me about a future session – I generally schedule a few months out – 617-480-0387 or cwy@willowbabystudios.com

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagramand follow me there for babies and other loveliness every day! #willowbabydaily

I’d be honored to capture lovely photos of your favorite people soon.

Fresh Pond Frolicking||Cambridge, MA Family Photography

September 22, 2016 WillowBaby

big sister hugging little brother on a fall afternoon

mom reading a book on a blanket with her two young children

dad kissing his 5 month old son on the cheek on a fall day near fresh pond

3 year old girl playing in the woods cambridge ma

Ready for a serious dose of cute? Here's Arthur:And, um, there's more. Here he is being thoughtfully snuggled by big sister Ava. The sweetness of this family doesn't stop there either. That's right! It's Ava-led story time.... The dad of these cuties noticed the lovely texture of this tree and was excited to snuggle his little guy in front of it. This next photo is brought to you by the magic of stickers, promises of blue m&ms and a little performance of "Let it Go" (from Frozen, of course)..... (Despite a small run in with a large branch, Miss Ava was more than ready to sing for us!) Such a beautiful early fall evening with this darling family! I'm so happy to have had the honor of being the your first "Family of Four" photographer!

A postscript for you all:

It's only mid-September, but holiday cards and gifts will be needed oh-so-soon! And you know what is one of the best presents ever for the grandparents? A new photo of their grandkid(s)! I only have three full-length sessions still available to get family photos done in time for holiday goodies so please reach out soon: 617-480-0387 or cwy@willowbabystudios.com

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagramand follow me there for babies (and other loveliness) every day! #willowbabydaily

I’d be honored to capture lovely photos of your favorite people soon.

Pink for Victoria||Wellesley, MA Newborn Photography

September 14, 2016 WillowBaby

colorful photo of momma and her newborn baby girl Wellesley ma

set of two photos showing two big brothers with newborn sister and grandparents with newborn boston

Baby Victoria is here! Welcome, darling one.She joins two playful and energetic big brothers. Austin, the oldest, is ready to be protective and watchful, while Cam (whose newborn photos I took a few years back!) is a little less certain about how this new family dynamic is going to go. He's a bit shy with his baby sister right now, being very careful and gentle. (Side note: how adorable and perfect are his collection of bandaids? I find them most endearing).I think this new momma of three (!!) was ready to add some pink to the home! Victoria's fluffy pink tutu tried to steal the show a few times, but we (mostly) managed to keep it tamped down :-).One set of grandparents were on hand to be helpful and doting, and they happily had their photo taken with their newest little grand baby.

family of five snuggling on bed with new baby sister

To this new family of five - congratulations! Victoria completes your family perfectly.

With love,

Ceilidh

A postscript for you all:

Do you have a little person arriving soon? It’s never too early to contact me about a future session – I generally schedule a few months out – 617-480-0387 or cwy@willowbabystudios.com

Also, for more cuteness, please jump on over to Instagramand follow me there for babies and other loveliness every day! #willowbabydaily

I’d be honored to capture lovely photos of your favorite people soon.

Finding Light||Boston Family Photography

September 9, 2016 WillowBaby

mom, dad and 2 kids laughing outside, boston family photo

Where do I even begin when writing about this session? I'm not sure, so.... I'll start with this photo instead. So.

This Momma and I met a few months ago, following tragedy: she witnessed the accident that took the life of Amanda, one of the baristas at my favorite coffee shop.

Backstory: For the past few years, I have spent anywhere from 30- 75 hours a week at this coffee shop, working away on computer related tasks for my business. I joke about it being "my office" but in truth it is really one of the places that I feel home. And so, even though I only knew Amanda peripherally - we'd exchanged a few short conversations here and there - her accident pulled at me hard. She was young - just 27, and she was extraordinarily kind. She was in nursing school, and she was biking in a helmet, and in a very short amount of time, she was no longer alive. This Momma saw it.

I couldn't stop thinking about the accident - how it abruptly ended one life, and irreversibly altered the lives of so many others - her beloved partner, her co-workers, friends, family, fellow nursing students, and a large extended community of others. Spending time at the coffee shop following her death was extraordinarily painful. Her co-workers carried on, but most were crying, or walking around in daze, or hugging, or quiet. The grief was so big inside there, in this place I'd come to think of as a home, and feeling the sadness of so many people around me felt extremely heavy.

I thought of this Momma, of how it might be to witness something like this. I thought of how hard parenting two young children while processing this might be.

When I met her at the vigil, I tried to think of what to say. It was all so horrific and devastating. And I thought of the words I heard from a dear friend of mine after other tragedies: "When you don't know what to do, do what you do know how to do". I realized that I did have something I could give - I could capture her young family in their vibrance and alive-ness, and give her some beauty to hold onto anytime she was overwhelmed by sadness or needing a reminder of the goodness of life.

boston momma reading to her two young children outside

two photos - one closeup of little boy, one of mom hugging daughter and getting a big kiss on her cheek

set of two photos - toddler showing her dad a toy camera and son kissing his mom on the cheek

two photos: mom and dad, toddler girl grinning-cambridge family photos

Black and white photo of big brother hugging littles sister in Cambridge

And so, her she is, with her stunning group of loves.The light that evening was perfect.

Thank you, Amanda, for your light. We honor you.

With love

Ceilidh