waiting on baby Gatlyn… 41 weeks

We are all still waiting for my nephew to arrive. He’s taking his sweet time, and his mommy is getting tired of waiting. Jess has been blogging since the beginning of her pregnancy, http://bohobabybump.blogspot.com/ .

Soon and very soon we’ll all have a new family member.

Want more? I did some photos of Jess Pregnant at 24 weeks click here

A Carolina baby Shower! (Part 2)

So… my brother and sister-in-law’s baby is due in just a few weeks. Jessica looks great, she is an absolutely beautiful pregnant woman. And she works out like crazy. She just got dreads last week, and if you know anything about Jessica.. its perfect for her.

This photo was taken just last week… we got to see him all big and chubby. so cute.

We did a baby shower for Sam and Jess last month (blog here) in Dallas with Jessica’s family.But since we all live here in South Carolina, we wanted to do a pool party/baby shower for Sam and Jess with all their friends here in the area. We had the shower at our dear friends “The Webbs” home. And we had such a great time just hanging out..

Lilly Webb skyped in from Argentina.. we miss her so much!

Nothing like a good sword fight…

And we tie dyed a ton onsies and burp clothes. oh jess…

Baby Gatlyn should be coming soon…..

A Texan Baby shower and so much more

Brandon and I joined my brother and sister in-law for a weekend in Dallas this past week. Jessica (my sister in-love) is very pregnant and due in about 8 weeks. (You can see her maternity pictures here.) She is from Dallas and her family invited us to come celebrate her baby shower in the state she loves.

We had such a fantastic time while we were there. We got to go to antique stores, we walked around the Gaylord Hotel, went swimming, spent quality time with family and lounged around.

The beginning pictures below are of Jess’ baby shower. Jess’ mom, Rebecca hired http://www.iloveflipbooks.com/ to come. We had a blast, making 7 second videos and then watching them be printed out into little flip books. Of course Jess’ baby shower was decorated in mason jars filled with flowers and antique buttons. For her baby room she is doing a 1960′s forest theme. (I can’t wait to take pictures!) We decorated with owls and birds scattered here and there. And Whole foods catered sandwiches and cupcakes.

The 2nd part of the pictures is from our day at the Gaylord Hotel and hanging out at antique stores, being ridiculous together. I took a lot of pictures in mirrors that day. It was just the mood I was in.

And yes, everything is big in Texas.

The below pictures are of us doing the flip books. They brought props and signs for us to use.

Showing our flip books off.

Game time. Kinda like musical chairs…but not.

Jess’ friends gave her old antique bible story books, that she used to read when she was a kid.

yep, I bought that.

And that too.

Here is Jess’ parents, Ruben and Rebecca

Giant chess set at the Gaylord Hotel

Yes, this is a serious situation.

I love this.

Thank you again Ruben and Rebecca for everything! We love you guys!

Jessica Gatlyn Prego!

So, Jessica is my bestest friend and, to go along with that, she also married my brother in September. (See some of their wedding pictures – http://www.tirzahphotography.com/2009/09/samuel-and-jessica/ ) Now we are sisters!!! Jessica  and I spend just about every day together. I’m seriously over at her house every day, or she’s at mine. We eat a majority of meals together  and we share the deep places of our hearts with one another. It’s so good that my best friend is going to be my best friend FOREVER–she’s stuck!  haha….

Jessica and Samuel found out they were pregnant back in December, and it took us all by surprise. Brandon and I got to go see Jess’s 3D ultra sound a few weeks back. Pretty excited to find out that we are going to be an Aunt and an Uncle to a feisty little boy who looks just like my brother.

Now, I’m a little strange about maternity pictures. First of all, I have never been pregnant. Second of all, I feel like so many photographers make BEAUTIFUL pregnant ladies look horrible.  And… the bare-belly, half-naked maternity pictures often seem so tacky, and even cheesy.  I’m on a journey of trying to figure out how to take maternity pictures in a way that hasn’t been captured yet… where men who aren’t your husband feel comfortable looking through you’re photo album.  I definitely haven’t arrived in that journey of creativity, but two days ago, I took Jess to an old abandoned house and I shot pictures of her.  She is 24 weeks prego right now, and I’ll probably shoot more pictures of her when she gets closer to her due date in August.

I feel like so many photographers have seriously missed capturing the beauty of a mommy “with a baby in the oven.”  I like to look at it like this:

“I’m shooting a portrait session.

PS: She just so happens to be pregnant.”

Enjoy, and leave me some love!

These last two I think are my favorites…