Is there a better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than to rejoice over the beautiful life made from the love of a man and woman? Sweet baby Cora hasn’t met us yet, but she is already well loved! Just look at the way her mama and daddy look at her.

A unique dimension to Sean and Maylissa’s session was the addition of her mom and sister. Having family out of state myself, I know how special it is to have your family near, especially for something like a baby shower! Maylissa’s mom and sister were thrilled to love on baby Cora and celebrate with photos.

During our Saturday afternoon session it was COLD! I think the high was 33 degrees but the wind chill was quickly turning us into ice cicles. No one is more willing for a big group hug than in the freezing wind. But look at how that cold wind brought out sweet, joyful laughs and showed the love between this family. I love this family portrait!

This image is one of my FAVORITES from this session and from all the sessions I have ever done. Having a baby is equally exciting and scary. It truly takes a village to bring a child into the world, and a woman’s mother is such a special part of that journey. I love seeing the bond between Maylissa and her mom. The excitement in their smiles, the love for baby Cora, even the bond over “It’s freezing out here!!”

I’ll be the first to admit that dads-to-be often get the short end of the stick when it comes to celebrating a new baby. Yes, the hard and admirable work of growing sweet baby is all mom, and kudos to her! But dads often have an unseen role of taking care of mom, which is incredibly important. I often remember Chris feeling somewhat helpless because he wanted to help during the pregnancy but obviously both of our boys were inside of me. His food runs, listening ear, and gentle hugs helped me get through those 9 months.

I could tell that Sean was that same type of helper to Maylissa. He continued to encourage and compliment her during our session, and he even wanted to sneak in a kiss to baby Cora. What a great daddy he will be!

 

The glow of motherhood was all over Maylissa. She even had a peace about her when thinking about baby Cora and their future life together. Her pastel pink dress was such a lovely compliment to the maternity session and exuded a feminine touch perfect for celebrating a baby girl. I also couldn’t help but admire her beautiful hair. It was the perfect balance of elegance and effortlessness.

From pregnancy announcement to maternity session, I have enjoyed watching baby Cora grow and the excitement in her parents blossom. I’m always taken back when thinking about how I get to share some of life’s most exciting moments with all of you. Thank you for inviting me into these celebrations of life!

Baby Cora, we can’t wait to meet you.