the newborn stage, the BEST stage.

the hardest to remember stage. especially when one day you hug your baby and your baby whispers back to you, "buv you, mama." wait, when did *that* happen?? and though it is the best feeling in the world (right there with eating fudge and sipping a coffee drink under a shaded tree on the beach...in Hawaii..) you wonder when did my baby become a PERson. a little, cute, adorable, person you love more than anything in the world. even that fudge under a tree thing.

sweet baby Reid reminded of just how fragile life is and just how itty bitty and perfect the newborn stage truly is. all seven scrumptious pounds of him. because this boy? deFINES the newborn stage in its utmost perfectness. sweet newborn fuzz, beautiful soft skin, flaky little fingers and toes. he is just absolutely precious and just nine days old and, well, see for yourself...







and combine all of that with the fluffy irresistableness of a soft lil teddy bear?? well, I can hardly stand it.














the strength and sheer willpower to be curious has always amazed me. really? nine days old and you can do *this?* put that head back down, you are too little I say!




and did I mention the sheer willpower it took to stay awake for pretty much the entirety of the *two* hour shoot?? but we didn't give up.... and eventually, even if only for a few moments, he just *had* to....

sigh. there is nothing like a sweet sleeping baby.

and even better yet? when you put him in some sort of basket contraption...(yes, yet *another* new prop discovery...)





possibly one of the sweetest, most favorite-est moments ever....



















the whole family even got in on a few (in one way or another....)

even teenier in daddy's hands....





mommy's little man already...



and maybe big sister, Avery, wasn't *quite* ready to join in all the baby oohing and aahing hoopla just yet but in her new princess costume, she deserves a moment all to herself....(because let's face it, there aren't going to be many any more...)







the newborn stage. it may pass us by in the blink of an eye....

but it will never be forgotten.



and sometimes, if you're lucky....



you get *really* lucky.