You feel like a house. I get it.
You cannot wait for the due date. You are ready to have this baby. You’ve refolded the onesies 17 times, you picked out names, changed them, picked a new name and gone back to the first name. Why can’t I be like the cute robins in their nest and just sit on an egg? Instead you have an ever expanding waistline and someone just told you that you need pictures.
Probably the last thing on your mind right now, but from my own experience—since I’m now a grandmother and have a wonderful grown son—you will want these. I regret that all I have to document my pregnancy visually is a single polaroid image of me standing in a jumper in front of my closet. I look at it now and realize I was so young, cute and ready to be a mother. But I felt like a house. I hid from the camera but what I wouldn’t give to glance back upon those moments of my son in my tummy. I didn’t know at the time that this would be my only pregnancy. I just didn’t feel like having my picture taken. If I sound nostalgic it is because I want more for you.
My daughter-in-law’s maternity photos
Fast forward to three years ago. My beautiful daughter-in-law AJ was pregnant with my first grandchild. (As I write this, he is in my office turning the lights off and on and announcing each change boldly—LOL). As you can imagine, I was beyond thrilled and had anticipation that was second to none!
I tried to be gentle in my suggestions of getting maternity photos done, but as we were coming down to crunch time, I had to twist her arm. I know she only did them for me. But I also knew that she would love them and wouldn’t regret it.
Her fear was that I would reflect back what she felt in herself. She felt huge and slow and uncomfortable and she didn’t want that documented. But again, to appease me, she came in. These images are some of my favorites that I’ve ever made.
Knowing that our precious Scout was curled up in her womb about to meet us all for the first time (like literally days later) brings me to tears. She saw herself in a new light. Not as a bloated awkward balloon but as an ethereal goddess carrying the most important cargo. She thanked me for pushing her to do it.
Let me be your fairy godmother and wave my magic wand
We will celebrate this very short time in your life with beautiful portraits.
You will come in and get your hair and makeup done. We will plan out which gowns, props and backgrounds encompass your vision of the life that is to be.
Do you want to be enveloped in flowing fabrics? The quintessential earth mother? An angel with wings? Boho beach theme? Taking a milk bath? Adorned in flowers? However you want to be represented, we can capture it.
Do you want your partner in the photos? Other kids? I’ve had sisters in a maternity session. Perhaps your mom? This is the time that YOU get to choose what is significant to you and how exactly you want your maternity photographs to look.
Let me be your fairy godmother and wave my magic wand. I have dresses, gowns, and fabric in all shapes, colors, sizes and moods. I can pinky promise, I got you girl!
Do it for your child
We just found out last week that AJ is pregnant again! And this time, she assures me that I won’t have to twist her arm. She will come in willingly and I cannot wait to see what we capture.
As the clock is ticking down to go time, I implore you. If you don’t want to do it for yourself, do it for your child. The child who will look upon these pictures in 10 years, realize that they were in them, and know how wanted they were. Know that you did this to celebrate them and that they were about to join your family with giggles, snuggles and tears of joy.
Here’s how much I know that you’ll appreciate this—if you have a maternity session with me, I will waive the session fee for the newborn photoshoot.
Celebrate you and your unborn child
Don’t regret not having maternity photos of you. Book a photo session of you and that precious cargo!