When Grace reached out to me to request a Mommy & Me session, I was thrilled. This would be my last session before maternity leave and what a way to go out! We planned the dresses and then the crowns and were so excited when the session day arrived. Grace and Katrina were so fun together and rocked their whole session! Here are a few favorites from the session including Grace’s choice for a canvas to hang in her office!
Where do I begin? I suppose our birth story begins right around 37 weeks. I began having contractions that I originally assumed were Braxton Hicks. They were consistent and strong so we made the decision to go into triage (those of you who are local understand the 222 trouble lately so we didn’t want to wait too long to get in). Long story short, it was a false alarm. Fast forward a few days and I’m still experiencing contractions, but also intense back pain. We went into triage again, again it was a false alarm. The following day, contractions are still strong and consistent, but this time we wait to be seen in the office. The car ride is misery and when we finally get there, I am bent over in so much pain. I will shorten the story as best I can to spare you the details. The midwife checked me and I was barely dilated. After more questions and examining, she suspected something related to the kidney or bladder and sent me over to triage…..my third visit in a week. This time, they ordered an ultrasound of my kidneys and bladder and discovered I had Hydronephrosis, or a swollen kidney. This explained all my pain and they suspected my body was contracting as a reaction to the pain. It took about a week and a half to recover, but I was finally feeling okay again. Then, two days before my due date, contractions started again. Back to triage we go. Again, they sent me home. The next day, I cleaned the house top to bottom - like on my hands and knees scrubbing the floor kind of cleaning. I couldn’t sleep that night because the contractions were getting stronger. Ben woke up for work at 5:00 and could tell things were picking up. He left for work and told me to keep him updated.
I did not want to get sent home from triage again so I did everything I could to stop the contractions. I took a warm bath, chugged a ton of water, laid down and put my feet up, but alas, they were getting much more intense and close together. I labored as long as I could, but when Jackson began to appear worried about me, I knew I had to make the call. The midwife told me to come in for a labor check. Ben was ready to leave work, but wouldn’t make it home in time to get me in to see the midwife. Lucky for me, I am blessed with sweet friends and family in my life and one of these friends didn’t hesitate to jump in her car and head over. She was at my house in less than ten minutes, packed up the boys and started driving us in. She was timing my contractions the whole ride and by the time we arrived, they were a solid three minutes apart and I was not able to talk through them. She dropped me at the door and took the kids to play at the mall for a bit. Ben was on his way so I just went in to get started. Fast forward a bit, I was 5 cm and fully effaced! I broke down in tears just relieved to not be sent home again. They brought Ben back to me when he arrived and off to triage we went again.
It took some time for a delivery room to open up and for them to get my IV started so there I was in triage breathing through contractions as best I could, but I was so ready for that epidural. Once I got to my room, got the epidural and was checked, I was 7 cm. The midwife broke my water and then we waited and rested. My nurses (shout out to the awesome nurses at Women & Babies!!!) had been with me from the start of their shift and would be leaving at 7:00 so the running joke was that we had to get her out by then so they could meet her.
It was probably around 6:30 I started feeling lots of pressure and let my nurse know. It was time! I was 10 cm and ready to go! The midwife was with another mama at the time so she told my nurses to help me with a practice push. Ben was on my right and my nurse was on my left. Here we go….I began pushing, but immediately was met with wide eyes from both of them and being told firmly to “Stop, stop pushing.” Apparently, Isabel was ready to come out and didn’t want to wait any longer. (She had made her appearance during that practice push, but we didn’t have our midwife in the room yet). Our midwife came in and quickly got ready. I had to breathe through the next contraction which proved to be very challenging. Then when the midwife gave the go ahead, I gave a big old push and Isabel joined us…at 7:01….just in time to meet the sweet nurses that had supported me all day. After pushing for over two hours with each of the boys, one push was a pleasant surprise. She was absolutely perfect and hung out on my chest for the next hour.
We arranged for the boys to come in right away to meet her and let me just say, there is nothing sweeter as a parent than watching your children become big siblings. Jackson was in awe and kept loving and kissing on her. Sawyer wanted to snuggle and hold her right away. The night will not leave my memory anytime soon. We were a finally a family of five and I can’t explain the feeling that rushed over Ben and I of feeling complete - as if Isabel was always meant to be ours, we just needed to trust God’s timing.
I have shared so much of our journey from our miscarriages to secondary infertility to my tumor and so much more. I pray that somehow our story can encourage another mama out there and if you are currently struggling with infertility or anything for that matter that is challenging to you and your family, please know we are praying for you. We are on the other end of it now, but going through it, I remember all to well the raw feelings and emotions. I am so grateful for the family God has blessed me with and I promise you that I am not taking a single day of it for granted.
Now for some fun…here are some shares from our hospital stay (phone pictures) and then some of my captures of Isabel in the studio.
Where to even begin. For those that have followed along with me for a while, you probably know much of our story already. Back in 2017, I organized a very special rainbow maternity project and shared a bit of my story there. To make a long story short(er), we found ourselves having trouble growing our family after Jackson. We lost a pregnancy in July 2014 and then struggled to get pregnant again until our first miracle baby (Sawyer) arrived in December 2015. I suffered some health issues in December 2016 which required surgery in May 2017. Once we received the all clear (I had a golf ball sized tumor in my sinuses that ended up being nothing of concern!), we decided we were ready to try expanding our family once again. (I share in a little more detail here). We were blessed immediately with a positive pregnancy test. Needless to say, we were thrilled! Sadly, we lost that baby a week after finding out in June 2017. Then began a painful waiting process. It wouldn’t be until October 2018 before we had another viable pregnancy (I had a chemical pregnancy as well in August 2018).
All of these dates may seem totally insignificant, but God’s timing is absolutely perfect. You see, Ben was working crazy hours for three years. I’m talking 7 days a week….swing shift….10-16 hour days….it was insane. It was beyond challenging on our marriage and our boys. Looking back, I can’t imagine juggling a third child in the midst of that chaos. Now go back to when we found out we were expecting in October 2018. We were so thrilled and knew we would just have to make it work whatever happened. Ben began job hunting more seriously to get out of his crazy schedule and we just prayed that something would open up. Eventually, in January, something did open up. At his current job, in a position he worked previously years ago. He made the switch and while his schedule is still a little unpredictable, we have him home! And we wouldn’t trade that for a minute. For those that know us on a more personal level, you know the struggle we went through to get here and what it means to have him around more now. Okay, that was a bit of a tangent, but all this to say, God’s timing is perfect. This baby will be joining our family at a time when Ben will be much more available and present in our home life.
When we found out this baby was a girl, well….I’m not sure I can put into words how we felt. Blessed. So so blessed. No matter what the gender, this baby was already so loved and so wanted. A girl just brings us something new and different and we are excited to see how she fits into our family. We decided on a name that mean’s God’s promise because that is truly what she means to us. God promises that He will make all things work together for our good….even when we don’t see it…..even when we have to go through a lot of bad to get to it. He is working things together for our good. This baby is such a sweet symbol of positive change for our family. An answer to years of prayers…not just to expand our family, but to be able to be a family. To be together and not just working all the time.
A lot of people ask if we are done since this is a girl. While I feel this is a pretty private question, I have been fairly public with my journey so why not answer this too. The answer is we don’t know. We want to fully enjoy our time with this baby and our time as a family of five (whether it stays that way forever or not). What I can tell you is this - I have never felt such a deep appreciation for a pregnancy than this one. I realize looking back how naive I was when I was carrying Jackson and not fully appreciating the miracle that it was. I definitely had more of an appreciation with my pregnancy with Sawyer, but this one has felt even more special. Maybe because it could very well be my last. Maybe because we waited so long for this sweet girl. Who knows.
I am very pregnant/hormonal/sentimental writing this so thank you for bearing with me! Maternity photos have always been on my mind, but when it came down to it, I just never felt like doing them. On this morning, the boys brought it up (Jackson did at least) and I warmed up to the idea. I decided to put my discomfort aside and just get it done! The boys helped choose my dresses and accessories and pushed the button on the camera for me. I am so glad I did it (and hopefully will still do some with the Mr). I am so grateful for the way God has blessed me and our family. Now for the fun part….enjoy some favorites from my session with the boys!
When Chelsea signed up for this year’s event, I did a little happy dance. See, Chelsea is married to Ben’s cousin and when family trusts me to capture their memories and chooses to invest in my small business, it is the biggest compliment I can ask for! Here’s a little Q&A with Chelsea and some favorites from her session with Cody.
What was your initial reaction when you saw the ad for the Mommy & Event for the first time?
Yay, I'm a mom now- I can participate!
What expectations did you have for the day of the event? What were your concerns?
I expected it to be fun, and was confident that Angie would have everything well set up, especially since she had done this event several times before.
What is something you loved about the event day itself?
I loved getting in front of the camera with Cody because he's such a ham. I could just kind of goof around with him and know that Angie would capture all the special moments.
What was your initial reaction to your images? How was your order appointment?
Loved the pictures. I brought my husband with so we could see them for the first time together, and it was so much fun to look through them in person so Angie could see our reactions.
What did this event mean to you?
It was so special to have those moments with my baby and to capture this stage on film. Even though it's only been a few weeks, I'm already looking at the pictures and feeling nostalgic!
In one word, how would you describe this event?
Memorable
Is there an image that stands out as a favorite? What is it? Why is it your favorite?
The one where my son is looking at me. We had such trouble getting a picture of him looking at me because he was distracted by the camera and the lights. When he finally did, Angie captured the moment and it was so special. Absolutely worth it, and that's definitely my favorite picture.
And now for the fun part, the images from Chelsea’s spot at our event! Enjoy!
Jen attended our first ever Mommy & Me {Dream Lighting} Event so I was excited to see she was returning again for our 3rd! Her and her girls are always a joy to work with! I asked Jen a few questions about her experience and here is what she had to say:
What was your initial reaction when you saw the ad for the Mommy & Event for the first time?
So glad you were continuing to bless mommas with a photo shoot/day for them.
What expectations did you have for the day of the event? What were your concerns?
Honestly I have become so trusted in Angie that I knew things would turn out great. No worries. Even waited to the last minute to check to see what I needed bc I put my full trust in Angie. And my pictures turned out better then I could have imagined.
What is something you loved about the event day itself?
I loved that their was a separate hair and makeup person to move things quickly but those girls were so personal and made each of us mommas feel so wonderful. I loved the babysitting also!
What was your initial reaction to your images? How was your order appointment?
I told myself I would not look at the faults of my body in the pictures and just look at the whole thing. And honestly I was so overwhelmed with joy how each picture captured the love and personality of myself and my girls.
What did this event mean to you?
This event was a milestone in my life. 2 years ago I decided to give it a go for the first year and trusted Angie when she encouraged me to do it even though I was very unsure. I was insecure about myself and had decided to start a journey into becoming healthier for myself and my family. She guaranteed that my daughters didn’t see the flaws that I did I myself. She captured the love that my daughters saw in me even though I had a hard time seeing it. Now 2 years later I was encouraged by my husband to have another mommy and me session after all the work I put into becoming healthier. And I am so glad I did another one. Because again I got to capture the “looks” and get all the “feels” that seeing how my girls look up to me no matter how I look.
In one word, how would you describe this event?
Perfect
What would you say to someone contemplating booking a spot at the next event?
You don’t ever get to do these moments over again while your kids are at this age. If you ever want to capture the way your kids see you this is the event to do. The pictures Angie captures are priceless and show the real love between a mom and her kid(s)!
Is there an image that stands out as a favorite? What is it? Why is it your favorite?
Honestly I have two. The imagine of me twirling both my girls. It captures each girls personality. And the other one is me tickling them. I can’t get enough of those laughs/smiles.
And now for the fun part, the images from Tasha’s spot at our event! Enjoy!
When Tasha signed up for this year’s event, I was so excited to have her there! I have clients who regularly see me throughout the year (Tasha being one of them), but have never done anything quite like this event. It’s always exciting to get to watch a mama experience it for the first time! I asked Tasha a few questions about her experience and here is what she had to say:
What was your initial reaction when you saw the ad for the Mommy & Event for the first time?
I loved the idea!
What expectations did you have for the day of the event? What were your concerns?
I was excited to not have to worry about hair and makeup! I was worried my daughter might get overwhelmed with all the people around but she did pretty well!
What is something you loved about the event day itself?
I loved the whole feel of the event, that it made me and my kids feel special and taken care of!
What was your initial reaction to your images? How was your order appointment?
I absolutely love all the images!! They are amazing and more than I could have imagined, it was so hard to pick favorites during my order appointment!
What did this event mean to you?
It meant a lot for me to be able to participate this year and I’m so glad I was able to. I’m so happy to have these images with my kids and even the memory of the day itself is so special!
In one word, how would you describe this event?
Special
What would you say to someone contemplating booking a spot at the next event?
Do it! It’s something you will never regret to have these special moments captured with your kids!
And now for the fun part, the images from Tasha’s spot at our event! Enjoy!
This event is the first time I have worked with Kara and I am so glad she was able to join us for this event! She is a mama to three of the sweetest little men (yes, they’re triplets!) and she is the best example of patience and grace! Her session was nothing short of exciting with Paul, Gabe and Dom keeping us on our toes, but the end results are nothing short of beautiful! I asked Kara a few questions about her experience and here is what she had to say:
What was your initial reaction when you saw the ad for the Mommy & Event for the first time?
It looked like a great opportunity to finally be in the photo with the boys instead of behind the camera.
What expectations did you have for the day of the event? What were your concerns?
My biggest concern was how the boys would handle all the excitement and being in a new place.
What is something you loved about the event day itself?
How organized everything was.
What was your initial reaction to your images? How was your order appointment?
I LOVE them! The order appointment went great.
What did this event mean to you?
I want my boys to always know how much I loved and wanted them. We lost 3 babies before they were born. In fact they were born a year to the day after we lost twin girls. I worked so hard to get those boys here, and sometime with three it is hard to make them all feel special. I love that these photos will be part of the tangible evidence they will always have or how much they mean to me.
In one word, how would you describe this event?
Perfect
What would you say to someone contemplating booking a spot at the next event?
Go ahead and do it. You definitely won’t regret it. If I can do it with 3 22 month olds, you definitely can do it.
Is there an image that stands out as a favorite? What is it? Why is it your favorite?
I have two favorites. The one of all of us sitting on the floor and the one of Gabe and I smiling for the camera that I picked for the locket. Gabe is such a daddy’s boy it was nice to have time with him.
And now for the fun part, the images from Kara’s spot at our event! Enjoy!
Emily was one of THREE mamas this year that was returning for another year at this event. She came to our first ever event with her firstborn and I was thrilled to see when she booked this year to come back with her second son. She decided to go with a blue lace gown this year and I think she looked stunning with her hair by Nikki and makeup by Andrea! I asked Emily to answer a few questions about her experience and here is what she had to say:
What was your initial reaction when you saw the ad for the Mommy & Event for the first time?
I was excited to do something fun with my little one.
What expectations did you have for the day of the event? What were your concerns?
I was anxious about feeling comfortable in front of the camera and hoped the kids would have fun. Angie made it easy for all of us and we got great pictures out of it!
What is something you loved about the event day itself?
It was fun to be pampered for the day and do something special with my little guy.
What was your initial reaction to your images? How was your order appointment?
I loved my images! It was so hard to choose favorites for my prints.
What did this event mean to you?
I love that i could do something special with each of my boys and have keepsakes to give them in the future.
In one word, how would you describe this event?
Memorable
What would you say to someone contemplating booking a spot at the next event?
You won't regret it!
Is there an image that stands out as a favorite? What is it? Why is it your favorite?
The one of Nolan playing with my hair. He was having so much fun!
And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Here are the images from Emily’s Mommy & Me Event spot with sweet Nolan!
When Jenna first told me about her pregnancy, I may have let out a little squeal! I have had the pleasure of working with Jenna since she was a mom of two and now she has FOUR beautiful blessings! Theodore was so mellow for his session and his older siblings just adored him which made for smooth sailing when it came to pictures! Here’s a little Q&A with Jenna and then some favorites from his session!
Please tell me some small details of your birthing process. When did you go into labor? Time of birth? Who all was at the hospital with you?
We decided to keep this pregnancy a secret from family and friends. I had a lot of health issues and we thought we were going to loose him that were unrelated to my health issues. We didn’t want to worry anyone. Let’s just say everyone was shocked after he was born! We had a c section scheduled at 36 weeks and he was born at 2:25pm. Since it was a surprise, it was just my husband and I.
What was the first thing you thought when you saw your baby for the first time?
I was really worried if he would have to go to the NICU since his sister was also born at 36 weeks and needed to. He ended up needing to go and I was so emotional since I knew the road we had ahead of us.
What was your favorite part about our session together?
My favorite part was knowing that Angie was capturing these precious moments and of course catching up with her!
Do you have a favorite image from your session? Was there any favorite setups or props used?
There are so many to choose! I love the ones with one of the kids and him. They show there personalities and how in love they are with him.
How did you prepare for our photo shoot? How was your experience? Were you nervous or worried before? How did it turn out?
I was worried about what everyone was going to wear and having the time to actually fix myself up. That comes very rarely now a days! I also was hoping everyone was going to behave since I have four kids. Thank you Angie for the candy! They all did wonderfully!
What would be your advice to someone getting newborn photographs taken?
To try and relax and know you are in good hands. Angie takes so many different photos that there are many to choose from. It’s always so hard to decide!
Do you have other children? How do they react to the new baby? Feel free to share a little about them here.
I have three other children besides him, four total. They all want to help and hold him. The last two are 18 months apart and she is constantly loving up on him, kisses galore! I’m really lucky they have all been so good with him.
Anything else you'd like to add about your session and final images?
They all were so precious! And now I have them to look back on for years to come. Thank you, Angie
Now, enjoy some favorites from Theodore’s session!
Marlliam found me on instagram and reached out about booking a maternity and newborn package. It’s been so much fun from the start working with her and both sessions turned out super dreamy! Here’s a little Q&A about her experience and then the fun part…shares from both sessions!
What have been the most memorable parts of this pregnancy?
Whenever I would sing my baby would move around like crazy and that was one of my favorite things, to know that they can hear you and already recognize mommy’s voice
Did you have any pregnancy cravings? What were they?
McDonald’s french fries and tuna
What was your favorite part about our session together?
You made sure I was comfortable and you made it super fun with having so many different outfits to choose from.
How did you prepare for our photo shoot? How was your experience? Were you nervous or worried before? How did it turn out?
I absolutely loved both of our sessions you are super sweet , you made sure to capture gorgeous pictures of both my baby and I and I loved ALL of them, I was a little bit nervous because I didn’t know what to expect I didn’t have a photo shoot since I was 15, but I couldn’t have asked for a better photographer! I am super grateful.
Do you have a favorite photo from your session? If so, which one?
It is so hard to choose just one! But I love the pictures of me with the white gown those were definitely my favorite and with the purple one because it just popped. My baby’s photo shoot I love ALL of them.
Now for the fun part, some favorite photos from each session!
Devon reached out to me early on in her pregnancy about a newborn session. I was thrilled because way back in 2014 when I first started my business, I captured their engagement pictures. I was honored they sought me out to now capture their first baby’s newborn photos. Jenna was awesome for her session and barely made a fuss! I asked Devon some questions about her experience and here is what she had to say:
Please tell me some small details of your birthing process. When did you go into labor? Time of birth? Who all was at the hospital with you?
I went in on December 27th to be induced for medical reasons. Jenna was born two days later via c-section at 4:50pm. My husband David was with me when she was born, but my mom And in-laws where at the hospital with us.
What was the first thing you thought when you saw your baby for the first time?
I couldn’t believe how alert she was! As soon as the nurse put Jenna on my chest We Locke’s eyes and it was the most incredible feeling ever. She was her safely and she was wide awake and looked right at me.
What was your favorite part about our session together?
I loved how sweet Angie was with Jenna. She worked with whatever Jenna was willing to give her. She captured all of the sweetness of her newborn smirks and was so patient.
Do you have a favorite image from your session? Was there any favorite setups or props used?
My favorite image is the naked one that is focused on Jenna’s face. She was on the beanbag with a coral headband on. My favorite prop was the tiny wooden drawer.
How did you prepare for our photo shoot? How was your experience? Were you nervous or worried before? How did it turn out?
We prepared by following Angie’s instructions, we absolutely loved our experience, because we had worked with Angie before we weren’t nervous or worried at all. We just love how all of the images turned out!
What would be your advice to someone getting newborn photographs taken?
Do it! After getting our photos done, I think it was so worth the price! We’ll cherish these images forever!
Now, enjoy some favorites from Jenna’s session!
I had so many big plans for announcing this little one, but the reality is, this pregnancy has been tough. I spent the first few months very sick and extremely tired and taking care of my two boys during this process has proven to be challenging. Please don't read this as me being ungrateful. That is so far from the truth. After our losses and trouble to conceive, this baby is our sweet miracle baby and I can't wait to share more with you.
Let's start back in 2017 when doctors found a tumor in my sinus that had grown to the size of a golf ball and was up against the wall of my brain. Can you say terrifying? Ben and I had to lean on our faith in God and trust that He would bring us through. We had a wonderful church family, our family and friends that came around us and supported us through the whole process. Many doctor appointments, scans and a surgery later and my wonderful doctor was able to remove the entire tumor and....wait for it...they found NOTHING but infection in it. My doctors and everyone around us were stumped. They had never seen anything like it, but we knew God worked a miracle and to say we are grateful would be an understatement.
Why am I telling you this? Because it was when we found out the great news that I was in the clear that we decided to try for a third child. We always knew we wanted lots of kids and with Sawyer in the toddler stage, we felt we were ready to add to the family. We got pregnant immediately which was a shock to both of us after our struggles to conceive before. We were ecstatic to say the least. We were coming out of a terrifying and challenging period and about to start a joyous journey to meet this baby. Unfortunately, about a week after we found out, we lost the baby. Anyone who has experienced a loss is probably reading this and reliving their loss and for that, I am sorry. It is one of the hardest things that we as women experience. The feelings of failure and inadequacy are relentless and as much as you try to fight them with the head knowledge that it is not your fault, it overtakes you and you fall into a bout of sadness and depression. With this loss, I was so blessed with a supportive husband who took care of me physically and emotionally and friends who came alongside of me, praying for me and encouraging me as I grieved.
I will fast forward a bit so I don't keep you here reading all day. I went to see my doctor about nine months later as we were having trouble conceiving again and after some tests, we couldn't find anything obvious causing the issue. We decided to keep trying for a little and revisit if we still couldn't conceive. It was August of 2018 when we had a trip planned to Great Wolf Lodge for my birthday. That is when I experienced a chemical pregnancy and Ben and I both decided we were going to take a break from trying. It was becoming too stressful and causing so much anxiety that we just needed to take a step back.
About a month later, I decided to take a test out of curiosity and about fell to the floor when I saw it was positive. I pulled out my digital test and it turned immediately. Ben had just laid down to sleep after working a night shift, but I ran upstairs to tell him before he dozed off. We both sat there stunned. Excited. Nervous. So many emotions.
The next few months were interesting. At our first ultrasound in November, the tech thought she saw a flicker, but couldn't confirm anything and I needed to return in a week. That was one of the hardest weeks of waiting I have ever been too. The next ultrasound we almost missed because of traffic, but I am so thankful for the staff at May Grant for being flexible and allowing us in very late on a Friday night. We saw the strong flicker of a heart beat and to say Ben and I were emotional would be an understatement. I was very sick in the beginning, but I was thankful for the sickness because after a loss, there is so much anxiety around whether or not the baby is okay. I can honestly say this pregnancy hasn't felt "real" until now, 15 weeks, when I am starting to feel light flutters that reassure me there is a healthy baby growing in there.
If you read all that, thank you. Thank you for following my (abbreviated) journey. When a pregnancy gets announced, there are inevitably a bunch of questions that come to follow. I have gone ahead and answered as many as could. Enjoy!
When are you due?
June 28
Any Cravings?
I had a few random cravings though out the first few months including strawberry Mentos, Auntie Anne's pretzels, Turkey Wrap with mayo (I HATE mayo!!), but was recently diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes again so I will likely have to fight the urge for my cravings the rest of this pregnancy unless I happen to crave a salad or eggs ;-)
Are you hoping for a girl?
No. When I say no, I mean because all I want is a healthy baby. My boys are the best thing to happen to me on this earth so if God gives me another boy, I would be grateful. I will be equally in love with a boy or a girl.
Is this your last?
This is a hard one for me. I feel like it's a very personal question, but because I've already been asked a bunch, I will address it. We don't know. This very well could be our last baby, but we are not making that decision right now.
What are the age gaps of your kids?
Jackson will be 6 when baby is born and Sawyer is 3. Jackson and Sawyer are about two and a half years apart and Sawyer and this baby will be about three and a half years apart. If you would've asked me ten years ago, I would've told you I wanted lots of kids super close together, but God's timing is perfect and my boys right now are best friends and fairly self-sufficient so I am excited to see Jackson be a big brother again and Sawyer for the first time.
Do you have names picked out?
We only just started discussing names, but we typically don't share the name until after baby is born.
What does this mean for Angie Englerth Photography?
Not a whole lot. I will be taking maternity leave from the middle of June to August, but will be back for the busy fall season. I may not be taking on quite as many sessions so if you want a fall session, I suggest booking as soon as booking opens.
Thank you to all of my sweet clients and followers for your support on my journey. Your encouragement and patience with me through the hard times has meant more to me than you could ever know. I look forward to sharing more of my pregnancy with you and eventually our newest little addition.
Highlights of 2018
When I sat down to pick some highlights for 2018, I had a hard time narrowing it down. I ended up choosing 20 images to share with you and they all have their own unique reason I'm sharing them. Please enjoy scrolling through the highlights. I can't wait to see what 2019 brings for AEP!
First up is sweet Adelaide. I am sharing an image from her session because of the sweet details. One of my favorite parts of photographing newborns is capturing their tiny details.
Next up is Michelle's baby plan. This is a vision I got back in 2016 and it took this sweet mama and her baby girl and over a year of sessions to make it happen. I couldn't be happier with the final result!
Next on the list is Saira's session because....baby smiles....enough said.
Saira's mama also made the list when she wore our stunning Plum Angora gown from Sew Trendy Accessories against this beautiful blue barn wall.
Michelle made the list ten times over but I had to narrow down my favorite from her session. I always come back to this image because it shows such strength in carrying a new life.
Logan made the highlight reel because of those adorable spit bubbles nestled between his tiny lips!
Lincoln was born at just the right time with mom and dad being fans of rival teams during the super bowl. I think we all know how this one turned out!
I love when parents incorporate special things to them and Keller's session was no exception with his Where the Wild Things are theme.
Of course these cuties made the highlight reel! If you haven't read their story yet, check it out here!
Magdelana's session was supposed to be outside but due to weather and other obstacles that came up, we ended up in the studio. Needless to say, it ended up being one of my favorite maternity sessions of the year. I mean, look at their adorable interaction together!
Alyssa has to make my highlight reel because she is the first mama to return to me for her third pregnancy and I am beyond grateful that she has trusted me to capture all three of her pregnancies and babies. This picture shows so much strength which of course I love!
Okay, this one is a little biased, but my niece Audrey has to make the highlight reel! She was so sweet to work with and her images are some of my favorites to this day!
Also a little biased, but when your best friend is pregnant and lets you play in the snow, magic happens! So thankful we were able to do this session!
Stephanie's maternity session makes the highlight reel for a few reasons. First because Stephanie and Mark have been coming to me since their son was just one year old and now I was able to capture this RAINBOW MIRACLE pregnancy and their sweet baby girl! This session was so special to me!
These guys make the list because it is not very often that we get such a successful shot of three siblings! I just had to include it!
Felicity made the reel for her beautiful hair. Also because I just love this image!
As a follow up to Stephanie's maternity image that made the reel, I am also including her sweet rainbow baby girl.
I love this shot from Cooper's newborn session. He is the third child for these two and I love seeing the love in their faces for him. It never gets old!
This was one of the most fun creative shoots I did in 2018. My sweet husband was more than eager to participate and we gave mama dino a dream maternity session!
This one is from our 2018 Mommy & Me {Dream Lighting} Event. I love everything about this image because Keana is such a sweet and spunky little girl. When she picked up the batman mask, we just rolled with it and I absolutely adore this!
The 3rd Annual Mommy & Me {Dream Lighting} Event
I can't believe it's almost here, but we are almost ready to open booking for our 3rd annual Mommy & Me {Dream Lighting} Event! It doesn't seem possible to put into words how amazing this event is every year! The emotions were high and mommies were feeling beautiful and loved! If you don't know what I'm talking about, let me loop you in!
The Mommy & Me {Dream Lighting} Event is a day of pampering for mommies and their babes. Each mom will get a two hour slot - one hour for hair and makeup (which is provided to you) and one hour for the photo session. Childcare will be available at the event so mommies can get pampered without having to worry about a thing! The wardrobe is also provided by AEP so all you need to do is get here and we will take care of the rest! This event has three custom product packages available to choose from all with different heirlooms that will be able to be passed down to your children (and their children) in future generations!
What you need to know:
When is the event?
Saturday, March 30
Where is the event?
At my home studio in Reinholds
What is the cost?
The session fee is $250. You will have three product packages to choose from at your order appointment beginning at $375.
What is included in the session fee?
Your two hour time slot, wardrobe, hair and makeup as well as childcare during your hair and makeup session.
When can I book?
Booking will open January 31. My VIPs will have first dibs to book and then I will open up any remaining spots to the public. Join the event page on Facebook to stay up to date!
What products are included in the packages?
When you return for your order appointment, you will view the images and choose which you love the most and what you'd like to do with them. Product packages will be announced soon, but I can tell you that each package includes a beautiful 8x8 Keepsake book to pass down to future generations!
Don't believe me with how awesome this event is? Here are a few reviews from last year's clients.
"She made it effortless! I walked in, picked my gown, sat down and got pampered with hair and make up, which by the way, I loved the make up artist! She truly made me feel beautiful. Then once it came to pictures, I had to hold back tears, because I could already envision the outcome of the photos and knew that Angie was capturing the magic that I felt! The slideshow was a perfect introduction to them!!! I had such anticipation for them and it was such a Special moment for me. I wasn't in Mason's newborn photos which I incredibly regret, and the bond that you can see in these photos have definitely filled the void of not having photos of the bond between newborn photos. I had been looking forward to this event forever, and had been talking about it to friends family and co workers and Angie had truly touched my heart in capturing these beautiful photos and moments of my best bud and I, thank you again!" -Angilee
"I was nervous about Wade in front of the camera since he is such a busy boy now at 6 months but Angie was perfect with him! I really loved that the time overlapped so we could share in the experience with other Moms, even if we didn't know each other, the energy was amazing. {At the order appointment, I was} Amazed! I was so glad to have such a beautiful experience and pictures to remember it by. It also meant a lot to my family to share in the ordering appointment." -Jessica
"{When I first saw the event, I was} Super excited!!! It's been too long since I had a session with my daughter and this was the PERFECT opportunity for not only updated pictures, but also, a day of mommy pampering that I have never had!! {At the order appointment,} I teared up, of course! There wasn't one photo that I didn't like!! Not only did I feel as if I looked beautiful with my hair and makeup done, but my daughter looked gorgeous and so grown up!! Sometimes I forget to just take a minute to really look at her among the daily chaos that takes place, so to stop and really see her in these images just made me realize how much of a little lady she is becoming and my heart was so happy. {What did this event mean to me?} Everything. It really puts into perspective the joys of being a mom and the special moments that you often forget to see or fail to see among the stress that a busy life can bring. Nothing means more to me than seeing the way my daughter looks at me captured in a photo. The sense of reassurance that of all the things I do wrong as a mom and all mistakes I make, she still sees me as this perfect human being who she looks up to and loves no matter what." -Lisa
When Magdelana's session was rained out (thank you rainy summer), we rescheduled for just before her due date and crossed our fingers she would still be pregnant. When it came time for the session, a storm hit the area and it got really dark and windy out. We were bummed, but took it with a grain of salt and moved to the studio. She nailed it. Take a look for yourself! But first, here's a little Q&A we had about her session.
What is the first thing that ran through your mind when you found out you were pregnant?
I was surprised, but anxious to be a parent again and watch my son be a big brother!
What have been the most memorable parts of this pregnancy?
This pregnancy flew by so fast, probably because I was chasing a toddler around too! My son called her "poo poo" and insisted on this being her name.
Did you have any pregnancy cravings? What were they?
I craved all things sweet (just as the old wives tales say with girls), specifically mostly slushies and anything over ice.
What was your favorite part about our session together?
I loved how beautiful it made me feel! It was so comfortable and easy to work with Angie. She gave direction well to capture images and help distract/keep my son busy!
How did you prepare for our photo shoot? How was your experience? Were you nervous or worried before? How did it turn out?
I did not really prepare for the shoot besides putting myself together with hair and makeup. The experience was so fun and enjoyable! Angie was so sweet and kind hearted, allowed me to relax and enjoy myself through the session. I was a little nervous but talking with Angie helped me to laugh and just be myself. They turned out so amazing!
Do you have other children? How do they react to the pregnancy? Feel free to share a little about them here.
My son, is 2 years old, at first he did not understand but he grew to be excited to welcome his baby sister into the world. We practiced what it would be like and how he could be a big helper! Lincoln, has such a gentle nature he was so great through the whole process.
Chelsea and Isaac came in for their maternity session on one of the hottest days of the summer. I mean, it was HOT! We did one gown outdoors on location and then moved to the studio for some relief! Fast forward a few weeks to when Cody arrived and we had an awesome newborn session with him! Here's a little Q&A I had with Chelsea and then some of our favorite images from both sessions. Enjoy!
How did you hear about AEP?
I have known Angie for many years, and have followed her since she first started her business. I always knew that one day when I had children, I would want her to do their newborn photos.
What is your baby's name? Any birth stats you'd like to share?
Cody
9 lbs, 4 oz
21.5" long
Please tell me some small details of your birthing process. When did you go into labor? Time of birth? Who all was at the hospital with you?
It was a dark and rainy night- or early morning might be more accurate. We went to the hospital about 1:30 am, and Cody was born at 1:55pm. My husband was the only one in the room with me when he was born, but my parents came to wait in the lobby. Cody was born on National Grandparents Day, and he is my parents' first grandchild- they were too excited to wait at home.
What was the first thing you thought when you saw your baby for the first time?
I couldn't believe that he was finally here! For so many months, I'd wondered what he would look like, and what he would be like. I watched my stomach move and tried to picture him. When I first saw him, I thought he was just perfect.
What was your favorite part about our session together?
My favorite part was seeing how Angie worked with Cody to keep him calm and comfortable during the shoot. She spent time shushing him and wrapping him, and you could tell she really cared about making it a good experience for all of us.
Do you have a favorite image from your session? Was there any favorite setups or props used?
I loved all the images, but I think my favorite is the one that Angie took of Cody and our puppy Shepard. She made sure that we could get the shot safely and she did an amazing job with the composite picture.
How did you prepare for our photo shoot? How was your experience? Were you nervous or worried before? How did it turn out?
I didn't really need to do much to prepare. I filled out the online survey about what colors/themes we were interested in. I wasn't nervous, because I have seen Angie's work before, and knew she would do a great job- and she did! The pictures turned out great.
What would be your advice to someone getting newborn photographs taken?
Take the time to think through if there is a specific shot or outfit you really want captured. You don't want to miss out on getting that one picture that you really wanted.
Do you have other children? How do they react to the new baby? Feel free to share a little about them here.
No other children, just our puppy, Shepard. He is very interested in his "little brother." Every time Cody makes a noise, Shepard's ears perk up, and he goes over to make sure the baby's okay. It's really cute how interested and caring he is. We had Shepard for 3 years before Cody was born, so it was important to us to have a picture of them both, since Shep is also part of the family.
Anything else you'd like to add about your session and final images?
I could not have asked for a better experience. It was wonderful, and the pictures are perfect- I love that we can look back and remember how little he was! (Well- relatively little, anyway. lol)
This summer was the summer of girls and Adelaide was one of them! She was a rock star and slept through the majority of her session. Her big brother and sister were excited to be a part of it all as well. I had the privilege of photographing all three of Nate and Alyssa's beautiful children and I can't even put into words how much that means to me. To be trusted with anyone's newborn pictures is an honor I do not take lightly. I can't believe I waited so long to blog Adelaide's session because there are just so many to share! Take a look for yourself!
Nischinta
When Nischinta came in for her dress fitting, I knew we were going to have a good session. She looked awesome in every gown. We decided on three gowns and our location. When it came time for the session, we were losing light much faster than we would've liked at our first location (the creek). It forced us to improvise and we made our way to a second location about five minutes away. What could've been a not so nice thing (running out of light) turned into a gorgeous second location with the most beautiful light peeking through the trees. Scroll down to see the images from both locations.
Did you know?!
I get asked often if dads and siblings can participate in a maternity session. The answer is YES, always yes! Of course! I would never say no to that!
Sometimes, when life gets crazy busy, I just need to be creative and have a little fun. My husband and I teamed up to welcome a very special guest in for a maternity session this summer. Fitting a t-rex was a little tricky, but with the awesome variety of sizes in our AEP wardrobe, we were able to fit her in a few different gowns. She looked stunning if I do say so myself ;-)
