Baby Spotlight: 1st Birthday Portraits
Are you from the Pittsburgh area?
We are originally from the Pittsburgh area, but for the past nine years have lived in Connecticut. We just moved back a few months ago.
Do you have any silly nicknames for your child?
I used to call her “Babyroo” but now she isn’t a baby anymore, so we call her “Little Roo” or just “Roo.”
In your opinion, what baby items are essential?
Pacifiers or teethers, a lovey, something that plays music, a white noise machine, a nightlight, and books!
If you had a 25 hour day, what would you do with the extra time?
Probably sleep an extra hour
Do you have any favorite baby product brands? Why?
We use Honest diapers and love them for the prints. They’re also great if baby is sensitive to the chemical additives in popular diaper brands. I love BabyGap for clothes because they’re so cute, but Target’s Cat and Jack brand is also durable, affordable, and very cute.
What are your baby’s favorite book(s)?
She has so many favorites, but currently, she loves “Hippos Go Berserk!” and “Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaurs” by Sandra Boynton, “There’s a Bear on My Chair” by Ross Collins, and “Rrralph” by Lois Ehlert. She also loves Usborne’s “That’s Not My….” series. “Dear Zoo” was a favorite until the animal enclosure flaps kept getting mysteriously eaten by someone.
What are your baby’s favorite foods?
Our baby’s favorites include macaroni and cheese, fresh fruit, curry, tacos (especially with beans), olives, and Teensy Fruits.
What are your baby’s favorite toys?
She loves musical instruments, Baby Einstein’s Baby Neptune, LeapFrog’s My Pal Violet, stacking rings, shape sorter, and the recycling bin.
What places around Pittsburgh do you and your baby/family enjoy visiting together?
We love going to Phipps, Carnegie Museums, and the zoo. We also frequently go to Hartwood Acres for walks and concerts since we live nearby.
How did you celebrate your child’s birthday?
We had a small party at our house with a polka dots and balloons theme. It was around 10-12 people (all adults). We made everything from scratch and had sandwiches with beef tenderloin and curry chicken salad, a polka-dot inspired Israeli couscous pasta salad, and a vanilla cake with raspberry lemon buttercream (she loves berries and sour things!).
If you could share 3 pieces of advice with your younger self (before having kids!) what would they be?
1. Sleep more. 2. Travel more. 3. Get organized.
How did you chose Laura Mares Photography?
Before moving, we’d used the same photographer from our engagement photos and wedding all the way through maternity and baby photos. We were looking for someone with similar style whose portfolio we loved, and through internet searches, we found Laura. We were confident she was a good fit, and we were right!
What is your favorite photo from your child’s 1st birthday photo session?
There’s a photo of her standing alone with pink flowers that perfectly match her dress — we didn’t know the flowers were this color until we arrived, and I love that they complemented her outfit so well.
Would you like to include any other fun facts?
Nora has been walking since she was eight months old! She’s also named after her dad — her nickname spelled backwards is more or less her dad’s name, and we chose a longer version of it (Eleanora) for her in case she wants to have that option as an adult.
If any of your personal items were used during the portrait session, where were they from?
We used a Jellycat bunny that I think is from Hallmark, but she was a gift so I’m not positive. We also used our well-loved copy of “Hippos Go Berserk!”, which I think we bought at Barnes & Noble.
