Family / Maternity Shoot with Acres of Hope Photography

And if you can believe it….these aren’t even all of them! Sorry for the photo onslaught, I am just terrible at narrowing them down! My sweet friend Erica, who I’ve known since high school, is the incredible talent behind Acres of Hope Photography. We’ve worked together a lot in the past, and I am so lucky that she was able to capture my family at this special time in our lives. If I remember correctly, we were one of the first weddings Erica ever shot, all the way back in 2009. Proud of where she’s come with her photography business and especially blessed to still call her a dear friend.

It’s strange to sit here and think about how this will mostly likely be the last week we have together, just the three of us. I remember it was a challenging transition for me after having Rylee….learning to balance my work, time with Sam, friends, home responsibilities, and being a momma to this new baby girl. Of course, over time, together we learned what worked for us and what didn’t, and things eventually got a whole lot easier. I learned to let things go, to give myself grace, and at the end of the day, to always remember what is important. Over the last three years, Ry has filled our lives with more joy than we could have ever imagined. On one hand, I am more than ready to welcome our baby Cru into the family. My body is echoing…”MORE than ready!”. But on the other hand, I do have a bit of fear over how this will change our “groove”. I know he will come and we will love him like mad….but I suppose my fear is mostly rooted in Rylee. Wondering how she will adjust and if I will be able to be there for her as much as I’d like to. It’s probably a silly fear, but one that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. I know with Cru, I will have to find a new groove taking care of two kiddos. I’m sure I’ll face some similar challenges as I did when Rylee first came into our lives. But when I look back and remember some of those trials, they pale in comparison to everything we’ve gained in her. I can’t wait to meet this boy, and for our lives to be turned upside down and for all of us to fall head over heels in love again. Crossing my fingers it’s only a few days (hours!?) away!

Wearing // Top photos: Lace Dress – Free People, Boots – Matisse ; Bottom photos: Fly Away tunic & Ikat Kimono – Free People, Minnetonka Hat