NICU Family Portrait Session Loma Linda Children’s Hospital | Jay, Julie and Penny

One of the most breathtaking experiences of my life was being present for the birth of my precious niece. From the moment she was born we smothered her with kissed, counted toes and fingers, sang lullabies and rocked her to sleep. Every moment was so special and so unique. She was in our arms every moment she could be.

As an aunt and future mom I cannot imagine being unable to hold my baby during the first moments of their life and yet that is just what happened to Julie and Jay when they welcomed their first baby, Penny, into the world. Born premature, weighting just over 1 pound, she was quickly hooked up to machines and lines inside a plastic incubator. Through the dedicated care of doctors and nurses at Loma Linda Children’s Hospital and the unwavering love of her parents Penny grew and is now 2 months old and weighs over 4 pounds. Recently, she was healthy enough for a special photograph session. We had such a great experience capturing the details of their story and the love between them all. They are counting down the days until Penny is at home which will hopefully be soon. Penny is truly blessed with two parents whose love for her just radiates out of them.

I was connected to this family through The Tiny Footprints Project, a non-profit that connects families with children in the NICU to volunteer photographers who provide services free of cost. To learn more about The Tiny Footprints Project click here.