Newborn photoshoot with four-day-old Ettaley

Danielle text me on Monday to say she’d just had a baby (on the Saturday) and would like to book in for a photoshoot. She was already out and about on the school run – but with three other children, there’s no such thing as having a rest, even if you have just given birth!

Danielle and Darren have one of the best meet-cute stories I’ve ever heard.

They already had some connections in Bicester: for example, Darren’s mum was a dinner lady for Danielle’s year group at school, and his older brother was in the year above Danielle.

But it was at a service station in Northampton that Darren and Danielle clocked each other.

Danielle commented to her friends that she thought the boys she had spotted were from Bicester, and the boys overheard her.

When Danielle and her friends came out of the toilet, the boys wanted to know how they knew where they were from, and the conversation between them started from there.

Darren had always wanted two children; Danielle wanted three.

But after their third they decided to test fate to see if they might have one more before Darren went for the snip.

Almost immediately, Danielle became pregnant, with little Ettaley arriving on the last day of November.

Amazingly, Danielle didn’t miss a beat.

She was in hospital at 5am and back home for breakfast at 8am.

She even got Elf on the Shelf started as usual the very next day!

Thankfully, help is close at hand, as Danielle’s parents live next door.

They are now retired, are veteran grandparents with 11 grandchildren and are always happy to look after the children and get jobs done around the house.

This means that Danielle and Darren have had the opportunity to have date days and overnight stays as a couple, but they’ve always found they’ve missed the children.

Bradley is 10, and loves playing Fortnite on his PlayStation.

Twice a week he can be found at dance class, along with his sister Lilley and their cousins.

Lilley is nine years old, and loves the two-step dance the best, out of the many hundreds of variants available. 

Three-year-old Oakley loves testing out new paper planes.

His nursery reported back that they’ve taken to using paper from an old atlas, as it’s thicker and more effective at achieving the speeds and distances Oakley requires!

The siblings are all besotted with the new arrival, beautiful little Ettaley, taking turns to cuddle and hold her.

Indeed, they were an absolute dream during their photoshoot with me.

I never expect children to behave flawlessly or do everything that’s asked of them, but these three were incredibly patient and helpful throughout.

Danielle tells me they love spending time together as a family, whether on days out or just playing games at home in their pyjamas.

And after seeing them together at their newborn photoshoot with me, I’m not surprised they enjoy each other’s company so much. 

And lucky little Ettaley will be joining a family that is incredible in every single way – right from the story of how her mum and dad met! 🥰

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If you’re interested in newborn portraits or family photography in Bicester, Oxfordshire, please get in contact.

Sarah Plater AMPA is an award-winning qualified, certified professional newborn and family portrait photographer based in Bicester, Oxfordshire.

She is the Master Photographers Association Young Families Portrait Photographer of the Year 2022 and Newborn Photographer of the Year 2019 for the Central Region (covering Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire).