What’s better than a photos strip of dad and newborn son? One where dad copies baby’s expression and makes us all laugh!

I had the pleasure of meeting and working with baby Nolan and his family recently. They were so fun, even bringing along portable speakers so we could jam (when Nolan was awake, that is!) during the session. We went outside, took traditional newborn shots as well as some other fun setups!

Enjoy reading all about baby Nolan’s newborn beginnings from the perspective of his beautiful momma…

Parent’s Name
Joanna & Miller
Baby’s Name
Nolan Jaymes
How did Mom & Dad meet?
We met on St Patricks Day 2013. I had just moved here from New Orleans and he was performing on stage with a band called Spank the Monkey and as soon as I saw him-I had to have him. :) I even told my friend that I was with that he was the one!! I just knew as soon as I saw him he was going to be special to me. I built up the courage to go talk to him after the show and the rest is history.
How did you tell family and friends you were expecting?
We waited until I was 3 months and we called all our friends and family and asked them what they were going to be doing in October which was Nolans original due date. We have alot of family out of town. We called them and made them think we were planning a vacation or something like that. Miller called his Dad and said “Hey, what are you going to be doing in October, you got any plans?” And of course with it being so far away his Dad said “No. Not right now. Why? Whats up?” Then Miller would say “Well, I was wondering if you could come down to Jackson cause youre going to be a grandpa.” To hear their reactions was so much fun!!!
What was the best, most surprising or most difficult thing being pregnant? ( Dad can answer, too)
I think the best thing about being pregnant was the fact that Miller and I had broken up 2 days before I found out I was pregnant. And when I told him, it made us realize how silly we were being and really made us feel like more than ever that we belonged together. I loved being totally spoiled the whole time I was pregnant!!! ;) Not only by Miller, but the great people at my job really went above and beyond to make sure I was ok and well taken care of. Nolan was the easiest pregnancy ever, but I didn’t let anyone know that. Hahaha. :) They also threw us the most beautiful co-ed baby shower that will go down as one of the best days of my life.
Did you find out the gender beforehand? What were both Mom and Dad’s reactions.
We did not find out. It was a total surprise!! I did not want to do that, I begged the whole time to find out. But, Miller was so excited for it to be a surprise that I respected his wishes and I’m so glad we did. I’ll NEVER FORGET that feeling of hearing “IT’S A BOY!!!” It was so fun having everyone guessing what it was when I was pregnant, too. Literally, everyone thought it was going to be a girl, except Daddy and I. We just knew it was a little boy the whole time.
List the possible baby names, and how you narrowed it down?
We really always knew what we would name the baby because we both liked the idea of using family names. We went with Nolan Jaymes because Nolan was my mothers maiden name and Jaymes is his Grandfathers first name – both have passed away. And if it was a girl, we were going with Embry Marie. Embry is Millers grandmothers (Mammy) maiden name and Marie was my great grandmothers first name and grandmothers middle name.
Was labor and delivery what you expected? If not, tell us how things were surprising or not what you expected.
I ended up having to have a c-section. I was so, so, so nervous that I was shaking on the operation table. But, I think it was the best way for us. He was born in 23 minutes and I had no pain. The very best thing is that our Dr allowed us to have the song “Let it Be” by the Beatles playing when Nolan was coming into the world, which is the first song Miller and I danced to on our first date. It was the most beautiful moment of my life.
Did baby look a lot like Mom, Dad or other siblings? Did you have fun with comparing baby photos?
Nolan looks EXACTLY like his Daddy and their side of the family!! Which is ok with me because Daddy is so so handsome!! :)
What were Mom’s first thoughts when she saw her baby? And Dad?
We both agreed that he was the most beautiful baby ever. I mean he really was. I know all parents think that, but even the Dr and staff commented on him. Being that he was a c-section baby and he was almost 9 lbs, he was just so plump and he had his eyes opened looking around at things from the moment he was born. Plus, we were elated to find out he was a boy. We both really wanted a boy.
What have the first few weeks at home with baby been like?
They have been a roller coaster!!! We don’t have grandparents to help us and neither one of us have been around newborns a lot, so we’re like the blind leading the blind. Thank God for google. It has been amazing to see Miller becoming the greastest Daddy ever and he calls me the best Mommy in the world. Even when we haven’t slept and are walking around like zombies, it’s all so worth it.
You can even write a little bit about your baby’s newborn session if you’d like.
Our session was just perfect!! We have both never done professional pictures before and were stunned at how beautiful and warm and welcoming Destiny and her studio was. I felt totally comfortable with her from the moment I met her. I handed Nolan over with ease she knew exactly what to do when he got fussy. She was so patient and was excited to let us do whatever we wanted to. She had an airplane prop in her studio which she hadn’t planned on using and once I told her I worked in the airline industry she said “well then we got to use it” and got some precious shots of Nolan on the airplane which I loved. She will definitely be our family photographer.