{MATERNITY} Ashley + Scott

My first session with parents-to-be, Ashley and Scott, included their sweet pup, Dax, but this session was all about the two of them. So we headed into downtown Frederick this past Saturday, whose historic charm was the perfect backdrop for this sweet couple...

They are so stinkin' cute together, which made my job crazy easy. And look at Ashley's gorgeous bump! Only a few weeks away from delivery and she could not be more beautiful.

Congrats, Ashley and Scott! And thank you so much for letting me be a small part of this journey with you.

MATERNITY SERIES #2: 30 WEEKS

I've got to be about the luckiest mama in the whole world... you know why? Because somehow I ended up having you, your sister, and your dad as my family. I'll be honest, I felt lost for a long time when I was younger - and then I met your dad and knew I was home. And then your sister came along, and now you, and my heart is more full than I ever thought possible. If I wish one thing for you in your life it's that you find people who make you as happy as you all have made me.

Maternity Series #2: 29 Weeks

You are getting so big! My belly better start stretching out more because you're running out of room in there. Your movements are getting stronger by the day and your feet have found a new home in my ribcage. But as uncomfortable as I'm getting, it just means we're that much closer to meeting you.

{Maternity Series #2} 28 Weeks

We're in the home stretch now! I'm officially in my 3rd Trimester and can't believe how close we're getting to your arrival! The bigger my belly gets, the more protective Rocco gets of me. Hopefully you'll like our crazy pup as much as your sister does.

Maternity Series #2: 27 Weeks

We were back at the cabin this weekend for the 4th of July, and as usual we had a great time. It was HOT so I was just a wee bit uncomfortable, but your dad made sure I stayed cool and drank lots of water. I think you were just as excited as I was to get back to our bed on Sunday night because you kicked so much I could barely fall asleep! :)

Maternity Series #2: 26 Weeks

This week's photo was taken by Kristy Dooley Photography.

I had the most wonderful time in Raleigh this weekend with my girlfriends. We met in an online photography class last Fall, and it was so nice to finally meet in person... it felt more like a reunion than the first time we were meeting! They were sweet enough to take some maternity photos for me and I couldn't be happier with how they turned out. The photos are so special to me, not just because they so beautifully document part of my pregnancy journey with you, but also because they're taken by people who are so dear to my heart.

It is my sincere hope for you that you find something you're truly passionate about, and that you're lucky enough to find a group of friends that share that passion.

Maternity Series #2: 25 Weeks

Your big sister is getting SO excited to meet you! She loves giving my belly kisses and hugs and saying, "I love you, baby!" And you always seem to start kicking whenever you hear her voice. I'm sure you guys will drive each other crazy from time to time, but I have a feeling you're also going to have a lot of fun together.

Maternity Series #2: 24 Weeks

I got to see you again this week! You're growing right on track and cute as a button. It's fun to compare how different your ultrasound photos are from Emma's. She looks a lot like me, but I think you're going to look just like your dad.

Maternity Series #2: 23 Weeks

Oof... your mama has been BUSY this week! Lots of late nights and little time with your dad make me pretty grumpy, so I'm hoping things slow down soon. If nothing else, I keep reminding myself that in four short months I'll get to spend my days with you and your insane cuteness and my work stresses will be far behind me.

Maternity Series #2: 21 Weeks

Now that we know you're a boy, I've been in full-on nursery planning mode. While I didn't have everything planned out before we left the doctor's office last week, I did have it planned out a few hours later. I'm so excited to get started on everything, especially your special name quilt. Now if only we could decide on a name... :)

Maternity Series #2: 17 Weeks

I'm sorry if you've been feeling how stressed I've been this week. You'll find out some day when you're a parent that you'll spend a lot of time worrying about your kids. I worry about your big sister, who's been struggling to adjust to some unexpected staffing changes at school. I worry about you and you're probably the safest and most protected you'll ever be in your life right now. Worrying just comes with the territory when you're a parent. But, if there's one thing I've learned in my short time as a mother it's that there's a whole heap of stuff I have absolutely zero control over. So I try to focus on what I can control... I can't promise that I'll always be able to protect you from life's hardships, but I can promise I will do my best to make sure the smiles and the giggles far outweigh the tears - and that when the tears do fall, I'll always be there to hold your hand and dry your eyes.

MATERNITY SERIES #2: 16 Weeks

You've been growing up a storm these past few weeks... so much so that I can't button my pants anymore! And I promise that's not just due to my increased ice cream intake. I'm starting to feel you move around a bit and I so love those unexpected little thumps in my tummy. It's only a matter of time before those kicks become an hourly occurrence, and I can't wait. We love you so much already.

MATERNITY SERIES #2: Weeks 4 through 12

That’s right! Our little family is expanding. :) I’m thrilled to announce that Baby Shellaway #2 is due in early October. We’ve officially made it through the First Trimester and I, for one, am quite relieved. And it’s so nice to have our little secret out of the bag. (Although it was MUCH easier to hide this one since I work from home now!)

As you can see, I decided to start my maternity series a little earlier this time with a few photos during my First Trimester. (I’ll start the weekly photos with the letters once I hit 16 weeks, just like with Emma.) I also thought I’d switch things up for this series by doing the photos as lifestyle self portraits.

The photo above was taken right after we found out I was pregnant… the excitement on my face says it all. And then the morning sickness set in…

I wasn’t Kate Middleton sick or anything, and I wasn’t even as sick as I was with Emma… as long as I ate small amounts fairly often I felt somewhat okay. But the problem was nothing in my fridge looked appealing. And I was bone tired all day every day. So naturally, I decided that was a perfect time to potty train Emma. Seriously, do NOT potty train your toddler during your First Trimester. Epically terrible decision. Potty training requires immense amounts of patience and energy, neither of which I had in spades the past few months.

But, we made it… we made it through potty training, and we made it to 12 weeks. Emma is so excited to be a big sister. She points to my belly and says “baby!” and has become so interested in the baby doll in her classroom. She reads to it, gives it a bottle, and puts it to bed. And if she sees a baby sleeping anywhere – a book, real life, the box of wipes – she says, “shhhhh! Baby sleeping!” It’s quite endearing.

Thanks as always for your support! I’m so looking forward to sharing this journey with all of you. If you want to follow along with my maternity series, be sure to subscribe via RSS, email, or like my page on Facebook.

{maternity series} week 17

{maternity series} week 16

I hinted last week that I had a big photography project planned for 2011... well here it is! Welcome to the first week of my maternity series project. Inspired by two other moms-to-be (Lexia and Cole), I plan to post pictures of my growing belly along with a note to the baby every week until delivery day. I realize that this week's set might seem a bit more like my weight loss "after" photos from several years back than pregnancy pics, but I promise I have actually gained weight. Hopefully my bump will be a bit more prominent in next week's post. :)