2014_01_21 twohappylambsphotography boudoir maternity body image healing blog

“This has been on my heart this week…

My first son was born at 25 weeks gestation; meaning I was only 6.5 months pregnant when I delivered him.  Having a baby unexpectedly, the way we did, there were no belly photos, no baby shower celebration, no birth pictures of a beautifully chubby and pink new life.

There was a lot of fear and sadness.

Thankfully, five years later, my son is healthy and …thriving.

When we conceived again, I felt an urgency to document everything, knowing how quickly it all could be gone.  I chose Mary to help me with that task.  She took maternity photos at just 24 weeks, in case our second son decided to arrive early like his brother.  I felt radiant and glowing and loved every minute of an experience I’d missed out on the first time.  Mary understood my wanting photos even though my belly was still small and she helped me display it.

When the pregnancy made it to term, Mary took intimate photos of me and my belly.  I am not a person to be very comfortable in front of the camera but Mary made me feel exquisite.  She captured ME, my personal victory of making it to the end of a pregnancy, and all the emotion that went with that.  She showed ME bonding with my baby while still inside.  She captured a MOMENT that we never took for granted and was so hard fought for.

But beyond that, she helped me SEE what my body was capable of…a body that I’d spent the previous four years angry with and untrusting of.  She helped me get that back.  And she made it beautiful.  Just beautiful.”

— Sara

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you precious people. I hope that you recognize love all around you in all it’s forms today, but most of all, I hope you take today to love yourself and all that you have survived and achieved.

xoxo

Mary

Two Happy Lambs Photography specializes in newborn, baby, maternity, family, and child photography in Santa Maria, CA and surrounding areas such as San Luis Obispo, Avila Beach, Arroyo Grande, Nipomo, Buellton, and Solvang.