Chicago BIRTH, chicago family, home birth, women

Hannah and Eric, Lincoln Park maternity session

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

Sweet December is here, and the time to meet this sweet little baby is nearing. Time has absolutely flown by. I’ve been pregnant a number of times and have given birth just twice. Both times it was a defferent experience. I brought those babies home and I was a different person. After my son I was a mother for the first time, he was big and beautiful and full of wonder. My daughter surprised me with difficultness. I thought I was a pro by then and she swiftly humbled me with her big big cries. I’ve said it before that being a photographer means you’re often meeting people at the highlights in their life. Hannah and Eric are about to be first time parent’s and it is my honor to capture and witness it. Being a part of someone’s birth team is the biggest deal of my life and I cherish it so. I’m so happy we were able to find a moment in the current world chaos to capture their happiness emerging. You can feel the love, you can see the devotion. Little do they know that the way they will parent is apparent in the way they see each other, in the way they hold each other.

[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]

BY E. E. CUMMINGS

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

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at home documentary, chicago family, Client session, family

The Dryfhout Family session | Homer Glen IL photographer

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

The absolute most kind of people also happen to be the most beautiful. We did the math during their session and I have been photographing their beautiful family since before little miss E was even alive. How insanely special is that. I’ve seen two of their stunning homes and have seen the kids go through various changes. Now they’ve added an adorable pup. I always say that Matt won the wife lottery (mainly to myself) but you can see from these images that theyre all so beyond lucky to have each other. I cannot stress enough how welcoming and lovely they are. Getting to catch up and see the brand new adventures they’ve made is so much fun. Miss Z + E make me jealous, for my own little Zoe, I know she wishes she had a sister. I myself had 2 but they came almost a decade after me. It’s also crazy to see just how tall Mr. A got, close to being over six feet. He will absolutely surpass his dad. He’s just as handsome as ever and so clever. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, there’s no such thing as a bad location. We shot these in their front yard, around their house and in the back. There is always some kind of magic everywhere.

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chicago family, personal

Life is amazing, a little personal – Itasca IL family photographer

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | Photographer1 Comment

Last time at this year I dragged my little family out to a beautiful field for some photographs. I didn’t get to book a photographer early enough and therefore I took these myself with the use of a tripod and self timer. Would absolutely not reccomend it’s so tedious. Oh did I mention coyotes came out of nowhere and scared the crap out of us. But nonetheless we did the best we could with that we had. This year things are different. No I still did not book someone early enough, and I will have to ultimately figure it out somehow. But life is looking differently for other reasons. Life is changing. In many ways it’s staying the same because even though love evolves it persists if its real. Our family moving forward will look different. I don’t mean to vaguely brush over the changes happening but I feel like I’m still working to accept my new normal even though I am the one leading the charge for change. A change that comes with so much love & respect to the life we’ve built and saying goodbye to. 10 years of a relationship that made me grow tremendously.

2020 has both simultaneously been the worst and the best experience. It has propelled me begrudgingly forward. I’ve always loved staying and living in my positivity and I know that the grass is greener where ever I stand. We will be ok, we’ll support each other through the changes. Currently my heart is with my kids, I know that grown up situtations can be so hard on little ones. In my life I have know hardship and have always worked to overcome it, it hasn’t made me tough or think less of the world, if anything it’s made me much more grateful. I love my softness, I think it opens others to think that not everything has to be hard. Changes are scary but well take it day by day.

“This life is mine alone. So I have stopped asking people for directions to places they’ve never been.”
― Glennon Doyle

“A broken family is a family in which any member must break herself into pieces to fit in. A whole family is one in which each member can bring her full self to the table knowing that she will always be both held and free.”
― Glennon Doyle

beach session, Chicago BIRTH, chicago family, maternity, oak park newborn, schaumburg newborn session, women

Jessica and Alex, Maternity session in Hyde Park- Chicago IL

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | Photographer1 Comment

Im completely in love with this location. Let me just start by saying that. Sometimes you get little victories and surprises by taking the time to venture out some way out of your comfort. So much of what makes a good photographer is their ability to connect their clients to the enviroment. Love was certainly ever flowing during this session. First time parents are so beyond special. There is something about the unkown that is so scary and at the same time thrilling. A new baby that just creates a brand new dynamic. If you don’t know, i am completely obsessed (understatement) with clouds so this beautiful weather was just pure perfection. I had such a blast getting to know these two. I also love how important it was for Jessica to include parts of their culture into our session together.

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chicago family, children, family

McCallum extended family session, Long Grove Illinois photographer

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

This past weekend was just incredible weather for sessions and exploring. I had a chance to catch up with the lovely McCallum family and they brought along her sister and family. Karissa is such a kind and wonderful soul, she is just one of those inviting people that I think everyone should have in their lives. All of her warmth transends onto her children. Her and Patrick are just doing an amazing job raising those three. I look forward to many years of checking in and seeeing them grow and expand into their beauty.

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chicago family, chicago weddings, children

The Anderson Family | a beautiful cloudy morning at Busse Woods In Elk Grove Village

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

So we managed to see a few beautiful elk cows in the grass on this lovely morning. I love when I meet new families especially close to the holiday season. I learned that Mama is a native to Minnesota and Dad is originally from Wisconin so naturally baby was not even going to be remotely bothered by the slight chill in the air. We had originally planned for a sunset session but you know how weather is and we landed on this lovely cloudy morning. It honestly worked out perfectly. The rich beautiful colors in this gorgeous backdrop have to be a new favorite. & can we just talk about the adorable pup. Oh my goodness. I hope I get more and more clients with their dogs. I couldn’t be more of a dog person if I tried.

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at home documentary, Chicago BIRTH, chicago family, Client session, family, infant, kids, minisessions

Front porch session | Davison Family, Downtown Chicago session

August 21, 2020by Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

During the middle of quarantine I offered my clients a tiny front porch session. This is the Davison’s beautiful front porch. I was so excited when I was the beautiful tree oasis right in front. Im always so happy when we can venture and do a few different things. It was so lovely to see them again. I had just photographed their birth story and getting to see a real life update

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Chicago BIRTH, chicago family, newborn

Fresh 48 Baby Ana Maria | Best Downtown Chicago and West suburbs newborn photographer

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

I came back to visit with this little lady the day after her birth. It was so worth it to be able to see her lovely face again with a little less puffyness and much more calmness. I would honestly recommend a fresh 48 if you budget doesn’t allow for a birth package. It did seem thought that over night the covid guidelines got that much tougher, the air had changed. There was a heavier feeling that things were about to change. This baby was slightly early and I’m so grateful I was able to be a part of documenting her arrival. Also how cute are her grandparents. They were there to welcome her the night before and stayed for a while to help around. I bet they were an amazing help.

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at home documentary, Chicago BIRTH, chicago family, hospital birth

Davison birth at Prentice Hospital | Downtown Chicago family and birth photography

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | Photographer1 Comment

“Don’t be afraid of your fears. They’re not there to scare you. They’re there to let you know that something is worth it.”
― C. JoyBell C.

Birth is such a high. After every single birth I leave with a little bit of strength and joy. It’s absolutely joyus to see a birthing human relish in their strength. To actively see someone reach a finish line is incredible. Birth is always such a team effort, this beautiful couple worked together with a lovely goal in mind. Meeting sweet little miss A. The funny thing about birth is how unpredictable it can be, for this experience it seemed that everything happened so quick. But the pushing was such a prolonged state for this mama, variations of normal. Her absolute grace shone so brightly . She worked and worked her body into so much in order to meet her daughter. Womxn are amazing.

As always I am incredibly grateful to have been a part of this story. & I have already seen this beautiful family again. & they are doing wonderful even with this wild and crazy current

at home documentary, chicago family, family

Radford Family, the end of a nursing journey, Chicago and west suburbs family photographer

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

I know I’ve written before about how insanely special it is to be a part of my incredibly beautiful families journies. I have been capturing this beautiful family for a few years now. From little miss A’s birth up until now and the end of her nursing milestone. The Radford’s are such a unique and beautiful family. Big sister completely fills me in on all of the amazing things she learns with her mom at home. She loves nature and bugs. She had to pint out to me, to not destroy the milweed nessesary to Monarch butterflies, as I was stomping around in this beautiful field. Then right after I fell in a hole. But it was still hilarious and a great session. I look forward to our many other years together.