This has got to be one of the most touching stories I’ve ever heard. Sebastian was born on June 20. When he was 4 days old some unfortunate circumstances arose and his parents were no longer able to care for him. Unless a family stepped forward immediately to adopt him, he would be going into the foster care system. Brandon and Summer had very recently decided to become foster parents when this opportunity landed in their lap. They followed their heart, trusted God and jumped in with both feet! A few days later, they were parents! Summer says, “It has been so amazing how many simply MIRACULOUS things God orchestrated to make this happen. The natural birth community and church community have stepped up and made everything possible. We’ve received donations of baby items and breast milk, as well as an adoption attorney on a minute’s notice.”
Summer is a student midwife and was in attendance at the twin birth I recently blogged about. The attending midwife, Heather, called me a couple weeks ago and asked me if I’d be willing to photograph something like a birth session for Summer, Brandon and Sebastian. She said she had asked Summer who she would like to do it, and Summer picked me. I was so incredibly touched by that. It sounded like such a sweet (and unique) idea that I said yes without any hesitation. Heather wanted Summer to experience the bonding that happens between a mama and her newborn the way so many of their clients do. And so we photographed Summer and Sebastian in the birth pool having a relaxing bath together. We weighed him and Summer and Brandon discovered he had gained nearly 2 lbs. since they’d joined his family. We got his footprints done. And we took some lovely skin-to-skin shots, as well as a few with a beautiful afghan around them, symbolizing warmth, and a joining together forever as a new family.
As a birth photographer I witness some incredible things, obviously. This was no different. Seeing how Sebastian looked at his mother, and how she cared for him, and how soft Brandon was with him – it warmed my heart to the brim. In fact I think it grew a few sizes! I truly enjoyed capturing this special time in their lives. – Leilani Rogers, Photographer {http://www.photosbylei.com/}
Recommended Reading
This is Breastfeeding {Take 2}
The Birth of a Family {A Story of Foster Care Adoption}
Birth Without Fear’s THREE Year Celebration Giveaway- Come and Listen to a Story about a Mama {Breastfeeding and Formula Feeding}
This is Breastfeeding
Birth Without … Me! {A Story of Adoption and Supplemental Nursing}
Cute {Maternity} Adoption Photos
My CBAVBAC – Cesarean Birth After VBAC
Community Support and Breastfeeding {Make a Difference}
Harry Potter, Zumba, & a Home Water Birth
20 Comments
Melaine
Some of the most beautiful pictures I’ve ever seen! What a wonderful idea!
May God continue to bless your precious family!
Deena
Love the pictures, Leilani! Summer and Brandon, I am so happy for you and your little family! Sebastian is so in love with y’all and he is getting so big!
Kory
These are stunning, the love comes right through these images. <3
Ashley Ruth
So beautiful. I wanted to cry.
Sarah Nezar
Such wonderful photos! Bought tears to my eyes!
May God richly bless your precious little family now & always!
I think that was a very beautiful idea & so wonderfully captured,just precious! God bless xoxo
Mish @ EatingJourney
love it.
Ashley Vazquez
What a beautiful and touching story! Many blessings for this new family!
Jennifer
The way he is looking at her in that second picture! My heart stood still for a second. That’s a BIG Love!
Linda
These are gorgeous photos. It doesn’t matter if they are not blood related, they are still meant to be together. What a beautiful little family. These photos brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing such amazing photos of such amazing moments.
Amy K
Beautiful and encouraging! The love between these three is undeniable
Lauren Yamada
Congratulations! Y’all are such a beautiful family 🙂
Sarah Board
Absolutely stunning photo’s, love all of them but especially love the one where Sebastian is looking up at his mummy. Love, love, love
Gaby
Oh man sat here crying tears of joy. This is simply one of the most touching photoshoots I’ve seen & stories I’ve ever read. Such a beautiful idea & adoption stories should be celebrated more like this. Such a beautiful family…………………you’ve warmed my heart thoroughly this morning xx
Heather
This is one of the most touching stories I have read! It goes to show you that you do not have to give birth to the child for the child to love you, just the way he is looking at his mom and dad shows that he already loves them!
rachel king
What a beautiful story and photo session. Every family deserves pictures of their family’s beginning and she did an amazing job.
Kevin
Love makes a family. I am happy for your family and the blessings God is showreing on you!
Andy
The photos are stunning and beautiful and on their own they would be a wonderful way to celebrate any family. BUT…..
I am both an adoptee and and adoptive mother. One thing that people often forget is that the cute little babies grow up. What seems like a wonderful idea through the rose coloured glasses of new adoptive parents, or the Hallmark version of adoption that people not connected to adoption believe, are not always wonderful ideas to people on the other side of the adoption triad.
I love both the first pictures my parents have of me and the first pictures I have of my son. They celebrate the milestone of each of us joining our family. None of these pictures try to react the pieces and moments of our lives that do not belong with the families we now live with, but belonged to our first families.
I showed these pictures to my (adopted) 11 year old son and explained what they were. His response was “that’s kinda dumb, there’s nothing wrong with adopting.” And that is how these types of photos can make adoptees, like baby Sebastian who will one day grow up, feel – adoption must not be good enough for you if you needed to stage a pretend birth and bonding moment.
Gale
As a mother of an atopted son who is now 40 years old I loved this May they have all joy that we have had with our special son blessings
Anne
The photography is lovely, but it seems like this couple is trying to rewrite this child’s story. I am an adoptive parent, and I know that my child’s story did not start the day she came to me. It started the day she was born, to her first mother. I would never pretend otherwise.
Erin
I wish there was an update to this. I am an adoptive parent and I disagree with the people who think they are trying to rewrite the birth story. I think they were just taking some intimate newborn photography. I have a feeling the adoptive parents know just how very important their babies first parents are and will be for the rest of his life.