The Maternity Session

Here we are, three weeks into parenthood and we finally got around to ordering pictures from our maternity session.  Something told us that if we didn't do it now, it would never get done!  It's absolutely amazing how your day disappears when all you're doing is diapering, feeding, burping and repeating the process.  With being home, I have lost all sense of time (the other night I woke up in a panic because I had absolutely NO clue what day it was) so once we finally realized we never dealt with our maternity proofs, we decided to get on it!

 

One of our friends and Justin's clients is a local photographer.  In fact, he did our engagement pictures...

 

And then our wedding pictures...

 

So, when Rod found out we were pregnant, he offered to do a maternity session for us!  We happily accepted his offer--not only does he do great work, but it was neat that he, of all people, would be documenting the addition to our family.

 

Fortunately, Rod is a man of patience!  At 8 months, Rod stopped by and confirmed that yes, my belly still looked like a beer belly and would NOT be cute to photograph!  With that, we decided to wait several more weeks.  Occasionally, Rod would stop by our house, take a peak at my belly and each time, we decided we would just continue the wait.  Then, when the doctor predicted at our 37-week appointment that the baby would be here in just a few days, we called Rod and said, "it's now or never!"  Fortunately, Rod had just retired from his full-time job as a photographer for The Mercury, so he was able to drop everything and get his equipment ready!

 

That weekend, we met up at the historic Union Pacific Depot for our maternity session.  Not only have I always loved the building, it's also where we had our wedding reception.  I'm telling ya--Rod had it figured out when it came to sentimental value!

 

But in all honestly, Rod opted for the facility as he was hoping it would have some great natural light--and that it did!  For the session, the interior lighting was off and we worked with the sun beaming in through the windows.  My belly still wasn't ginormously cute (in fact, as you will see, it still looked like quite the beer gut when I would sit down) but we managed to take quite a few pictures in just an hour's time, and here are some of my favorites!

  

Pretty sure this is my favorite one!  Would it be weird to add it to our wall of family photos?!





I had to add this picture because it cracks me up!  Justin's bubble butt it rounder than my belly!  Lord only knows that when Akinya grows up, her little booty will be all or nothing!

Once we get through the holidays, we're meeting up with Rod for our first official "family" picture.  And yes, we ARE waiting until after the holidays!  Reason being--Akinya definitely needs to have a diaper on for pictures!  Last weekend, another friend and client of mine had offered to take newborn pictures.  Sarah is extremely talented, so I couldn't turn down her offer!  Well, Akinya managed to share her bodily fluids with us, projectile-style, several times during the photo shoot with Sarah...once we were done, Justin decided we were DONE.  We were scheduled to have Akinya's shoot with Rod the following afternoon, and yeah we get that babies have no bladder control, but we just weren't in the mood to volunteer ourselves for another round of messes!  At least we had a great maternity session, a great newborn session and we'll have the opportunity to document the baby's growth and changes in just a few months.  And as pictures become available, trust that I'll be posting them on here!!!