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There was a plan, and then there was Leo.

Two and a half weeks ahead of schedule was not the plan. Clearly, he was ready to be here.

Ellen and Jake were expecting a little more time. Instead, they got a rush to the hospital where Ellen’s information was either incorrect or missing, which she described as “a total nightmare for about 30 minutes.”

Luckily, the registration team sorted everything out and Ellen was able to get to her C-section. Definitely a memorable start to parenthood.

I met Leo just a few day later when he came to the studio for his Chicago Newborn Photoshoot.

Leopoldo Abundio Reniva’s name carries a lot of heart. His first and middle names both honor Ellen and Jake’s maternal grandfathers. A meaningful way to carry on their family history.

Their birth announcements were thoughtful. Jake’s brothers were told they had gifts waiting for them. Inside the bags were baby onesies, which made for a very memorable reveal. 

Ellen told her mom by showing her the ultrasound photo, which is always a special moment for a new grandma. Everyone else found out the fun way, through social media.

There is something about all those congratulatory messages rolling in that makes everything feel very real, very fast.

Pregnancy cravings were minimal, which may feel unfair to anyone who spent nine months dreaming about pickles and ice cream. The one exception was Portillo’s cheese fries. A very classic Chicago craving.

If you spend five minutes with Leo, you will notice one thing right away. He looks like Jake. According to Ellen, the “very expressive eyebrows” give it away.

Genetics were not subtle here, and the photos speak for themselves.

Throughout his chicago newborn photoshoot, Leo was not shy about using those eyebrows to let me know exactly how he felt about being photographed!

When I did the baby personality portraits, or as I like to call them, the “mugshots,” I could not capture those faces fast enough. He was already saying a lot without saying anything.

Leo was so comfy in Ellen and Jake’s arm’s that it honestly felt like he had been doing this forever. It was the kind of comfort that makes your arms get tired because you don’t want to move and wake him.

He slept like a rock, fully settled and completely unbothered. A moment that makes you pause and realize how safe he already feels.

There is just something special about hands and feet when a baby is brand new. Right now, they fit perfectly in your palm. They curl, they stretch, and you barely notice the change day to day.

Then one day they just don’t fit the same way.

This stage is quiet and loud at the same time. Lots of holding, staring, cuddling, crying and LOTS of dirty diapers.

There are days that not much happens and days where everything happens. This chicago newborn photoshoot covered it all.

Leo ran the show, as newborns do, and I followed his lead. He was very cute and very squishy.

Those cheeks say it all (I may have had to squeeze them…).

When we went through the photos together, it was obvious how much love they have for this perfect new addition to their family.

What Ellen and Jake love most about being parents is that they “made this small human who brings so much joy into their daily lives.” Life feels brand new every day.

The surprises keep coming, especially with milestones.

Watching Leo reach things at his own pace has been the biggest adjustment. You think you know when things will happen, and then it completely catches you off guard.

Sometimes parents don’t even realize how fast the changes are happening. Then a few months pass, they come in to pick up their album, and suddenly it is impossible to ignore. 

One of the perks of being a photographer is that I get to see those changes in bursts. Seeing how much Leo had already changed was so fun.

And don’t worry, the cheeks were still very much there a few months later.

Thank you, Ellen and Jake, for trusting me with Leo’s first chapter. Getting to document this season for your family and freeze these early days for you is something I am always grateful for.

If you are in this season right now, whether you are waiting, adjusting, or already running on very little sleep, this is your sign. These days are long but the years go fast.

Newborn photoshoots are not just pretty pictures they tell the first chapter of your baby’s life.

These are the moments you want remember .

If you’re pregnant and looking for an awesome Chicago newborn photoshoot to capture the moments that only happen once. I would love to hear from you. The newborn phase goes by quickly — the photographs are here to stay!