Shana’s maternity photos capture the strength, compassion, and love already blossoming in this new family. Lifelong friends, Shana and her husband have been together since high school and they’ve been weathering life’s storms together even since. The pandemic put many things into perspective, especially how important family is. Even if it wasn’t an easy road, celebrating Shana and her growing family with these photos was a joy. The most precious moments are usually the ones you don’t see coming, or the ones you think you’ve missed. Welcoming their new addition isn’t just an expression of these new parents’ love for each other, but a tribute to how much life these two have and will share.
Our Rainbow Baby
"My husband and I have been together since high school and friends since grade school. In many ways, our relationship grew and evolved as we grew up - through college, a cross-country move, new jobs and experiences. When we got married, we made sure to take time to enjoy being newlyweds. We traveled, went to lots of happy hours, and focused on saving money for the future. Having a family was always on the to-do list but we kept finding reasons to put it off.
And then 2020 happened. The world came to a halt. It forced us to slow down and prioritize what was truly important in life. We talked about starting a family, but it wasn't until we lost my stepmother in August of 2020 that I realized just how precious and short life was. At her funeral, all her grandkids played outside and I couldn't stop thinking about how much she adored them and how proud of her family she was. At that moment, I knew I was ready to start a family of my own.
We were fortunate to get pregnant shortly after, but sadly, we lost that baby in early November. It was a deep grief that I had never felt before. I was mourning a person that I never got to know. From that painful loss, my husband and I realized just how badly we wanted to be parents. And it became all we could think about.
We are so grateful that in February 2021 we became pregnant with our "rainbow baby". Being pregnant is an experience that I am grateful for every day. Every symptom and physical discomfort is a reminder to me that I am with child and I'm choosing to embrace it. I am so excited to meet the little person that is half me and half the man I love.
My husband and I have been married for three years but we still celebrate our "dating" anniversary. This February 28th, I told my husband that I had the best gift yet. When he opened his eyes, it was the positive pregnancy test.
My love for our baby started with the first positive pregnancy test and continues to grow - From the first ultrasound to the first time hearing the heartbeat, to feeling the first kick. Recently, we saw the baby's face on a 3D ultrasound and I felt my heart explode a bit. I can't imagine what the love will feel like when we hold our baby for the first time.The biggest thrill of being pregnant is feeling your baby kick, move, toss and turn... Those are daily joys and constant reminders that there is a little person growing inside of you. I never realized how much I wanted to be a mom until I became pregnant. I've learned from my pregnancy journey how strong I am - physically, emotionally, mentally - and also how important the support of your partner is. I could not do this alone.
I'm ready for childbirth and motherhood! Of course, I'm nervous about the birth experience, but I keep telling myself that my mother, my grandmother, and so many other strong women have been through it. I see motherhood as an exciting new chapter that will be very challenging, but ultimately, so rewarding.
Having professional maternity portraits captured during my pregnancy was important to me because I wanted to document this moment in my life. A woman's body is so strong and the transformation over 40 weeks is beautiful. I took a mix of pictures - Some to share with family and friends, some to show my child one day and some for just me to remember my changing body and the confidence I felt."
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