Baby items | my favorite things

Since I'm in baby mode I thought I'd post some of my favorite baby items. I'm amazed at all of the baby "stuff" out there that you're led to believe you think you *need*. This time around since it's our third and final child, we are trying to only buy the absolute necessities unlike with our first where we registered and received every possible baby item there is! By the time you have your third you just realize what a waste certain things are.

Boppy: This is nothing new and we had one years ago with the boys but I just wanted to state this is an absolute must! If you are on the fence about getting one, there is no decision to make. You NEED one.
This is also a must in my opinion. Halo Sleep Sack Swaddle: We received one in the hospital and it has been the *best* thing we have that we never had before. I hated swaddling before because my boys always squirmed their way out the blankets and it was just a pain. These are so warm and cozy and really help keep the baby firm instead of floppy. I always wrap him up before my older boys hold him so he's not so fragile and vulnerable.
I don't actually have this but I saw it at Target yesterday and thought it was so cute! Boon Grass Drying Rack:
Children's Place Stretchies: These are great pajamas because they are fitted to little newborn bodies and have a zipper! Very convenient for middle of the night diaper changes.
Baby Trend Snap 'N Go Stroller: I ended up getting a great deal on a Chicco Keyfit30 carseat on craigslist but didn't have the matching stroller to turn it into a travel system. This inexpensive little stroller does the trick! I hate to invest a lot of money during the infant stage because it goes by so fast. This is perfect.
Tommee Tippee milk bibs: These are great for the occasional newborn bottle feeding. The neck hole is small enough and there is a wide padded lip around it to catch and absorb the excess milk. Plus they're super soft!
My favorite Etsy stores:

Nini's Handmades:

Laundry Monster:

Nissa Lisa:


There are SO many other talented artists on Etsy and this list could be endless. If you're looking for great and unique outfits and accessories for your next photo shoot, don't forget Etsy! Often times parents feel limited to whatever Gap or Old Navy has out but don't be afraid to think outside the box or mix and match! Always feel free to email me for clothing ideas, I'd love to help!

One last newborn tip: Oliver just had his first newborn tub bath. He has HATED baths from birth but I finally figured out how to bathe him without freaking him out. I wrapped him in this thin towel and lowered him into the water while he was still wrapped up. I knew he hated the feeling of the hard plastic tub on his skin so this trick worked and he enjoyed his first bath!
Feel free to share your favorite products or tips. Is there anything I am missing? I can't believe how fast this time is flying by! I already have a couple of shoots scheduled later this month!

18 days old

Oliver's Birth Announcement

This is Oliver's official birth announcement. I found this hat on Etsy and fell in love. I spent a week brainstorming what to do with the announcement, then it hit me! Since it was a cupcake hat, the birth announcement HAD to be a recipe card! I was so excited, I had it designed in one night while I was still pregnant. I photographed him when he was just 4 days old.

See the white blanket? Well, originally I intended for him to be naked in the photograph, but two minutes into shooting he decided to poop! He was so content and I didn't want to disrupt the peace (I had spent all morning getting him happy!), so I just kept shooting and folded up the blanket to cover the mess. Now that's a story to tell him someday. :)

Here are a few shots taken when he was 6 days old. He's still a bit jaundiced in the photos.



This shot is truly a gem. He was sleeping on the couch and I happened to have my camera sitting there. I picked it up to get a shot of him sleeping and he suddenly smiled like crazy! I think he was having a good dream!
The boys love having him around and are always asking to hold him. Aidan especially loves to cuddle with him. They've been such good helpers and they look forward to playing with him when he gets a bit older.
Life at home with Oliver has been great so far! He's a very good baby and is pretty much only fussy when he's hungry. Feeding him, however, has been a full-time job! It's been 6 years since I've taken care of a newborn and I forget how demanding their schedule is. I thought they were supposed to sleep all of the time? :) I don't have much time between feedings and being sleep deprived so the computer, dishes, and everything else just has to wait!

Thanks for sticking with me and I'll try to update more often (as my schedule allows). Thanks for all of the well wishes! We are truly blessed to have him!

Introducing... Oliver Robert Wagner!

He's finally here! I went into labor late Saturday night and he was born early Sunday morning.

Meet my new little Valentine:
He's absolutely perfect and we're all doing well resting at home. I want to thank my wonderful nurses at Queen of Peace Hospital for helping me with my recovery. It's been a rough road but I was finally able to get some photos of him before we went home. Here he is!




I am so in love and completely blessed! What a wonderful Valentine's present! As for the contest, I don't have much time at the moment to look through the entries but if you think you won please contact me.

No baby yet!

I'm officially 39 weeks tomorrow and this little guy could show up ANY day now! I'm starting to get uncomfortable so I. am. ready.

It's such a mix of emotions, we have all our preparations made so I am excited for him to get here but I also know there are big changes ahead so I am trying to relax and enjoy this time.

I will definitely keep you updated and of course will post pictures so you can meet him! Thanks for checking back!
For those of you wondering when I'll be back to work, I will start to take a limited number of sessions in March and April so feel free to shoot me an email to set something up. I expect to be back in full swing by May. Hopefully all of this snow will be melted by then!

An OWP giveaway!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately but I've been wrapping up all of my loose ends before this baby gets here. Speaking of, I am officially full-term as of today so technically he could come any day now! I thought I would do a fun post to get my readers involved and what's more fun than a giveaway!

I'll be giving away a free session and/or gift certificate for anyone who correctly guesses the baby's date of birth as well as his stats. Leave a comment below with your guess of his:

-date of birth
-time of birth
-weight (lbs. and oz.)
-length (in inches)

If anyone guesses all four stats EXACTLY, I will be giving away a free studio session along with a CD package.

To the person who comes the closest, I will be giving away a $50 OWP gift certificate, good towards a future session and/or product credit. (closest without going over)

I'll give you a couple of hints- my official due date is February 15th but I was early with both of my other boys. Will this little boy follow or will he be the stinker and be late? Or will I have him even earlier?

Leave a comment below! Don't forget to check back to see if you win!

Deadline for photo orders| Please read

Just a reminder to get those photo orders in! Please submit orders by Monday, January 25th. This ensures that I will be able to get them processed in time.

I also ask that you NOT place any orders on the online gallery in February. The gallery runs on an automated system and I cannot guarantee that I will get to them in a timely manner and the prints will ship out without any retouching. If this happens, I will not be able to refund your money.

If you have any questions let me know!

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Happy New Year!

I was a little late with Christmas cards, but I managed to send out a New Year's card!


front/back:

I can't wait to do a birth announcement! I never sent one out with either of the boys and my mind is already planning out the photo shoot. :)

Wagner Family Photos | by Tasha

I've been so excited to post these but I had to make sure that my New Year's cards went out first. My friend Tasha shot these of my family right before Christmas. I am so glad that this time in our lives was captured. I will cherish these forever!

The baby in my tummy | by Aidan

Welcome back old friend.

Years ago, I owned a manual version of the 100mm macro and sold it. I didn't regret it at the time but have felt the void in my lens line up since then. I recently added the USM version back into my collection, particularly with the new baby on the way. I don't want to miss a second of those tiny hands and feet.

SO excited.

Jamie and Eric | Lakeville, MN

They say opposites attract, right? Jamie was so incredibly calm on her wedding day. After months of planning, brides often get wrapped up in the importance of everything going exactly as planned. Jamie had no worries, she was focused more on the upcoming marriage vs. the events of the day. Eric was pumped and ready to have a good time! I think he had enough energy for the both of them so that she could relax. It really brought a level of excitement to the day!

Here's just a few of my favorites from the day:

Jamie and Eric are HUGE Vikings fans so of course purple was the choice of color for their theme.









Congratulations Jamie and Eric... GO VIKES!