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If you frequent my blog,

A.) I love you, and

B.) it’s no secret that everyone I photograph is very dear to me.

(I’m going to get all corn-ball and sappy and “Hallmark card” on you. So, if you don’t like mushy talk, turn around and don’t let the door hit your keester on the way out).

My lens is a gateway… seeing straight through the eyes of “my” babies, allowing me to catch a glimpse of their souls. Beautiful little souls. Important little souls. Even before the babies can speak, their eyes say so much.  This gateway forms a connection between me and them… and they move right into my heart, pulling up a chair and making themselves comfortable amongst the other sweet souls I have photographed. This will forever be one of my most favorite rewards of being a photographer.

Normally, it’s easy for me to spill my heart’s contents all over this blog about each session I photograph… each soul I see into.  But this maternity session…

…

I’m having trouble coming up with the words. Perhaps some people take up such giant sections of my heart… so that the chair they pulled up is enormous, and its legs are glued to my heart’s floor because they are going to remain there until it no longer beats.

See, some people are so damn dear to me… I can’t come up with the words. I’m going to blame it on this giant lump in my throat… it is blocking the passage between my heart and my typing fingertips.

Because…

Because…

Words can’t do justice for how much I love my sister.  Words can’t do justice for how sad I am that there are 658 miles between us. Words can’t do justice for how elated I am that she is going to experience motherhood.

Words. Can’t. Do. Justice.

So, I’ll let the photography do the talking. And  I hope the photos tell you that as beautiful and glowing as she is on the outside, what’s on the inside is brighter and more beautiful than this sunset.

I hope the photos tell you that the photographer had teary-wet cheeks and the world’s biggest smile. And that the baby was kicking during this one…

I hope the photos tell you how much these two love each other. And how much they deserve to feel the truest form of unconditional love as they soon become parents.

I hope these photos tell you how much she can’t wait to be a mother:

I hope these photos tell you how very wanted this baby is… how very much they pray for him.

I hope these photos tell you how much I already LOVE the baby that waits inside this perfectly-proportioned belly. I hope these photos use a word bigger than the word “love”.

I hope these photos tell you how much excitement is bursting within our family as we all await the arrival of our newest member.

I hope these photos tell you what a big heart she has… and how much she deserves this happy feeling.

I hope these photos tell you that these two people are some of the biggest believers in ME and my business and my dreams. If their hearts can be so good to ME, it’s going to be incredible to see what they will be for their own child.

To my brother-in-law: Thank you for taking care of my sister and thank you for proving me right by being everything I knew you would be for her when I set you two up years ago. (You had to know I was going to toss that in there.) Without a doubt, you are going to be a remarkable father, and I am so, so excited for you to experience it.

To my beautiful sister: Cherish these last few days of pregnancy… and let each baby kick remind you of what a miracle pregnancy is and how absolutely stunning you look. As soon as your body tells you “It’s time”, those 658 miles are going to shrink down by the hour until I am there. You are brave, you are strong, and you can do it. And the minute your baby’s weight gets transferred from your belly to your arms, you are going to experience something so …… SO magical.

Forget putting my heart on my sleeve.  Posting these photos and letting them talk… is like slapping my heart on your computer screen and smearing it all around.  (There. I had to put something kinda gross in here to keep this lump in my throat at bay. I’m too tired to let myself do the “ugly cry” tonight.)

Faithful blog readers, (those that let it be known and those secret ones)… after smearing my heart all over your screen, I feel a little closer to you now. And I hope these photos told you enough to pull you a little closer to me, too.

Family is, and will always be, most important for me. These next three words ring truer than true: Family comes first. I am so grateful to have such wonderful clients who understand this and respect that I am going to high-tail it out of this town and be Kansas bound… baby bound… As soon as we get the call.  I will return home to my own babies (and your babies) ready to work my keester off as usual when things need to settle down for my sister. Your understanding means the world to me.

I can’t wait to see my baby sister become a mother.

Once upon a time, it was her wedding day…

(And once upon a time, I shot weddings).

She was a stunning bride and I think you’ll agree, she makes an equally stunning mama-to-be.  (I read my kids Dr.Seuss tonight, so my head is stuck in rhyme mode. Just be glad I’m using normal words.)

This is glow. The best glow I know.

Spring symbolizes new beginnings… just like pregnancy.   That’s why I love this next one.

(I know, I know… the tulips are an indication of how behind I am on my blogging.  IthinkIcanIthinkIcanIthinkIcan…)

She’s so, so pretty.

It was an honor and a privilege to photograph their wedding… and now, to see them anxiously awaiting the arrival of their baby boy… I really can’t put it into words.  (And I sure as heck know that Dr. Seuss-type words wouldn’t suffice.)  These two are every bit as in love as they were 4 years ago.  And they are the kind of people this world could use more of.  Good, good people.

They brought along the special bible that they have been reading to the baby.  This is just so sweet and so … THEM.  *warm fuzzy*

This next shot is a very popular one because I have a 24×36 on my studio wall of it.  It never gets redundant for me. Never.

And while we’re talkin’ silhouettes, here is a look at her wedding and her pregnancy side-by-side.

To the parents-to-be… I can’t say enough about you two.  What an honor that you drove such a long way for this maternity session.  You are a very special couple and I am SO SO soooOOOO excited for you.  There is nothing more wonderful than a baby on the way.  You are about to experience a love like you never imagined.  Deep and true… exciting and new… I’m so happy, so happy, so happy for you!  (Dr. Seuss… still there.)  Thanks for the tons of laughs during your session.  I’ll be anxious to hear your news soon!

Don’t let this smaller-than-most bump fool you.  This maternity session was held very close to the end… only a couple of weeks from her due date.  So… the baby girl inside has since been introduced to our world and since I am still WAAAY behind on my blogging, I have already shot her newborn photos.  And my-oh-my she’s lovely.  Those will come later, though.

Now, I want to take her parents back down Maternity Memory Lane for a quick recap of how beautiful this pregnancy was:

These two were so cool. From their attitudes right down to their shoes:

This beautiful belly contained a dancing girl.  She did the jitterbug a few times… and I even SAW this belly move quite a bit.  It also took on an entirely new shape at one point when the baby decided to reposition herself.  Pregnancy is so amazing.

I MAY have freaked out a bit when I noticed their shadow on the floor.  I turned on the lamp and freaked out some more… I just love the result:

Such a pretty pregnancy.  And, her freckles were the icing on the pregnant cake of preciousness.

To the new parents: It was so nice to meet you.  You are both beyond cool and I was glad that we clicked right from the start.  (Pun maybe intended.)  New mama… thank you for letting me try on your Toms… I like that we wear the same shoe size… now how far is your closet from mine?   I’m extremely excited to work on your newborn photos.  Give some snuggles to that sweet one for me.  I’ll be in touch!

Look at him… there’s so much little boy-ness about him, I just love it.

He exuuuuudes little boy-ness.  See, one of my own kids just so happens to be a little boy.  So, I recognize little boy-ness.  I understand it… and I love it.

Check out Mr. Big Stride:

But, for adventurous little boys… nothing stops big strides like a simple dandelion:

But, during this session, we knew this little boy wouldn’t be looking so little for long…

But, even though the word “big” would soon be associated with him and the word “brother”… his hand was still little in his mommy’s:

Oh, this little boy.  He is one of the darling ones.

And I just know he is going to be the best big brother.

To his mama: I just love you!  If we had some free time on our hands, we could be besties, I just know it.  The love you have for your little boy just radiates off of you, and I know you have just as much love for your new baby girl.  I’m SO excited to meet her and photograph her tomorrow!  I’m glad we did this little session to capture your little boy and all his little boy-ness before he became a big brother.  I know it warms your heart.

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