Maternity Shoot with Nicole Kristen Photography

All I can say is wow. Nicole is such an undeniable talent and we will cherish these photos for a lifetime. Visit her website to book with her and follow along on her instagram! http://nicolekristinphotography.com/ @nicolekristenphotography

I never had maternity photos taken while pregnant with Johnny. It was so special to include both of my boys in the shoot. She captured such a beautiful feminine power I believe is present in us all when we carry our babies, what some might refer to as "pregnancy glow" - I'd rather call it "pregnancy power".

So many aches and pains, no sleep, no appetite. I was ready to get my body back. But I also have so much gratitude and admiration for that tired aching body - I’ve grown another life, a life with wondrous potential. Cell by cell he’s grown and developed inside ME. This pregnancy has really made me appreciate the beauty of my femininity. Not in a shallow way, but in the way I’ve always wished I’d feel beautiful. I feel powerful, strong, capable, and gorgeous. I feel confident that I’ll be easier on myself this time postpartum. Kinder to my body when I look in the mirror and see the bulges and ridges and curves I didn’t see before. Because I feel like I’ve finally reached a place in a more mature woman’s mind where I appreciate all types of femininity as gorgeous and divine. Last time around the weight couldn’t come off fast enough, I felt like I had something to prove. See!?? Look everyone! I’m still beautiful! I can still be skinny! To be honest I was obsessed with it to the point where I took it too far. Ugh, I regret treating myself so unfairly. I guess I’m putting this out there so I can remind myself on the days in the coming weeks and months where I feel like a soft lump of play doh that I made a promise to myself. I will be kinder. I will love this body that’s grown and stretched and CREATED. I’ll repeat it out loud - I feel powerful, strong, capable, and gorgeous. ♥️✨ in the words of Ariana Grande - “God is a woman”