A couple of weeks ago I met with Megan, Tony, and 9-month old baby boy Sebastian for family photos in Lincoln Park. We used The Nature Boardwalk and the park outside the zoo as our backdrop. Both of which are practically in their own backyard! It felt like they were right at home, having tickle fights in the grass and helping Sebastian walk around to see the world at his eye level.

Sebastian was such a trooper and a real natural in front of the camera - flashing big smiles the entire time! You can see how much bigger he is since the last time we did photos together - 6 months ago!

I had so much fun catching up with this beautiful family. We talked about how much Sebastian has changed and how their first overseas family vacation went! Check out our Q&A below, and scroll a little further to see the photos from our time together.

Babies change so quickly! The last time I saw you Sebastian was only 3 months old. What have you and Tony learned about him in the last 6 months? 

At 3 months old, we had a really good baby. He was sleeping through the night and napped really well during the day. When he was awake, he was happy and just learning to smile. Since then, his happiness and personality have reached a whole new level! He's still an excellent sleeper, and his wake time is bursting with laughs, smiles, and curiosity. He's adaptable and friendly, accepting attention and hugs from anyone who will notice him. We feel so lucky to have this little human in our home day-to-day.

You just got back from traveling to Italy as a family! How did Sebastian do on his first overseas adventure? And do you have any advice for new parents traveling with a little one? 

We'd be lying if we said we weren't nervous about a 9 hour flight and 7 hour time change with a baby (who at 9 months has an opinion about things). He really surprised us with his adaptability. He was great on the plane and even better in Italy. He was happy (interrupted with the occasional time change confusion/cry) and equally curious. The best advice I can give is that every baby is different. Expect it to be difficult so you can be pleasantly surprised when it isn't! Also, book an overnight flight if you can! There were 10-15 minutes each day when Seb struggled. The rest of the time, we were so thrilled to be experiencing Italy through his eyes. It was an amazing trip and we'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Sebastian has a lot of “firsts” coming up: Christmas, New Year’s, AND his birthday! What are you most looking forward to?

We don't want to rush anything, but we can't wait to see him learn to walk, talk, and engage even more. His personality is already so exciting to see. We can't wait to see what he will be like over the next year of his life!