I’ve told this story before, about how I was standing alone at work when a text pinged my phone and I saw a video my husband had sent me from home. My 4 month old son, enjoying tummy time, decided at that moment that he had enjoyed enough time on his belly, and rolled over to his back. The emotions hit me like a brick wall, and I spiraled as I imagined I was missing all the milestones because I was at work. Long story short, that moment propelled me to leave my job at VCU less than 2 years later, and to make my family photography business here in Richmond my full-time job. But this post is not about that.

This post is about those milestones. The ones you want to document during the first year of your baby’s life, when there are so many firsts. A list of things for you to bookmark or screenshot and refer back to, or set loose calendar reminders on your phone so you remember to pick up the camera (more necessary for second and third babies, I’ve found). But if you remember to document the milestones, you can end their first year with photos ready to be printed in a book.

The Newborn Weeks

The newborn phase has a few firsts: Their first day here, for example. That’s a big one. First sleepy smile, yawn, first bath. First trip to Hardywood or Belle Isle. Meeting relatives and close friends usually happens somewhere in this stage but not always. They reflexively grab fingers in the first eight weeks, too. Also, as a sidenote, during this age, when you lift them under their arms (while supporting their head), a lot of times they’ll arch their back and stick out their little butt, which is objectively adorable.

Baby girl grabs dad's fingers during a newborn photo session at home in Midlothian, VA. Mom is putting booties on her feet.

3 months

Once you reach the end of newborn stage (it lasts a lot less time than you think), babies start spending a little more time awake, and have more head control. You can start documenting tummy time, little gummy laughs, coos, and when they find their hands and feet and start putting their fingers and toes in their mouth. Rolling might start here, too. First teeth might start popping as early as three or four months (like my son). Or not (like my daughter). Babies at this age range also like to be held vertically with their feet on your lap or the floor, giving the illusion of standing up.

A 3 month old little girl grabs her toes while laying on her back and staring at the camera, at home in Richmond, VA.

6 months

Sitting up on their own is a big milestone, usually happens around six months, and is the gateway to eating real food. Don’t forget to document the first foods, whether or not they end up in the mouth or on the face. Personalities start popping around this time too, with their interest and attention lasting longer and rolling becoming the dominant way for them to maneuver. You can play hide and seek with them at this age and get them to laugh, tickle them and give them raspberries. They find most things hilarious.

Mom feeds her daughter with a spoon and supports her back in the high chair at home in the dining room in Richmond.

6-9 months

As you round the corner into the second half of their first year, some babies will start army crawling, and some may skip it and start regular crawling. Both are cute milestones to document. Clapping, waving, and other nonverbal communication develops here, and are easy to document when the baby starts signing them.

A curious baby girl crawls toward the camera with her tongue stuck out in concentration. Mom is on the floor behind her, at home in Richmond.

9-12 months

Pulling up to stand tends to start between nine and twelve months, which is a fun surprise when you’re on the couch and they suddenly appear at your knees with a big grin. Our overachiever babies may start walking on their own during this time, and lots of babies like to walk with assistance in this last quarter of their first year. Lots of opportunities for cute milestone photos of them walking with you or someone else, around the house, in the yard, or maybe even a stroll through Carytown or the gardens at Lewis Ginter.

An 11 month old girl steadies herself as she stands in her Midlothian, VA back yard, holding onto her dad's pants with both hands. He is standing steadily for her.

12 months

First birthday! The party, the cake, the friends and family who come… it feels a little ridiculous considering your child won’t remember a bit of it. So it might be helpful to remember that the party, however big or small, is for you and your family, as a celebration of a year of surviving together and learning how to be a family together. This might be a good time to get someone else to be in charge of the photos, so you can be in them and enjoy the day.

Kids keep right on growing after the first year, and the milestones are just as exciting, while they tend to space out a little more. Walking and talking will likely happen in the early months of toddlerhood, so keep on photographing.

Baby boy's first birthday party, with blue streamers and orange and blue balloons and cake. Mom and Dad are smiling at him while he smashes a cake in his high chair in Chesterfield, VA.

Some extra tips:

You don’t have to capture “the very first” of any of these milestones. If the baby does it once, they will do it again, over and over and over, and you don’t need to feel pressured to be on it all the time. In ten years, you won’t remember exactly when they started grabbing their feet.

None of these photos need to be posed, complicated, or perfect. The goal is to document the changes your baby is going through, and you need no backdrops, props, special outfits, or lighting setups to make this happen.

Back up a little bit to get context photos, too. Where are you? Who else is there? How are those other people responding to the milestones? Context photos are great for later, when all of that fades into the background and you can’t remember.

Just like I tell my newborn clients before I come over, we’ll have better photos if we turn off overhead lighting and rely on natural light from windows. This means you’ll also probably need to open curtains and blinds and let in sunshine, for better light. You can use your phone for all of this, without needing to buy and learn how to use a camera.

Take it outside! Lay out a blanket on the VMFA lawn for tummy time. Embrace whatever season Richmond is in while embracing your own season of life, and get some fresh air. Let the baby feel the grass tickle their feet at Maymont.

Get in photos with your baby. Take turns with a partner or other family member who knows how to use a phone camera; use a mirror; take selfies; use a tripod or a coffee cup to set a timer or use remote settings. Hire an RVA family photographer! You’re hitting all these milestones, too.

Don’t forget to document all the holidays of their first year, too, both at home and around town. Baby’s first Richmond Christmas parade! Baby’s first Halloween on Hanover! Baby’s first Easter on Parade! Richmond has so many fun festivals and holiday celebrations, there’s no shortage of where you could document milestones.

When you’re done with your baby’s first year, don’t forget to print your photos in a book, so you can all enjoy looking back at them year after year. Here are some tips to help you with that.

Baby Milestones to Document in the First Year - Richmond Edition