My second child arrived in a quick, 4 hour labor on April 20th at 2:33am! She was 7lbs 9oz and 20.5″ long. These portraits were taken when she was 5 and 7 days old. I found her easier to work with before the 10 day mark, because she started to become more alert around the two week mark. Timing is critical with these newborn shots, so I’m thankful that I recovered from the hospital stay quickly enough to get the shots I wanted!

Needless to say, I’ve been a little busy adjusting to life with two children, so I apologize for the lack of business updates in the past month! I will be back in the swing of things starting in June and look forward to working with my clients who have booked for that month!

The Nelson household is preparing for the arrival of our second daughter, Anne. I took some time to squeeze in another short Spring session for my eldest daughter, Olivia, this past weekend. She’s grown so much and looking through all of the tiny newborn clothing really reminds me of how much she’s grown and changed over the past 2 years. The time just flies by way too fast for us parents!

I’m due very soon, so keep your eyes peeled for the first shots of Anne!

Sometimes little ones don’t like to do the cake smashes, because they can be really messy. This little guy did NOT like the texture of the icing. It is quite sticky and gooey, so I can sympathize! Thankfully, his father was a great trooper and got involved in the smashing of the cake, which made the little guy much happier to see he wasn’t the only one subjected to the portraits.

Happy birthday L!

Let me start by saying how hard it is for me to get in front of the camera. I’m not really the kind of person who enjoys being on the receiving end of my art. Personally, I’d be happy hiding behind the lens for all time, but one thing I whole-heartily regret not doing with my first pregnancy was getting maternity portraits done. Anne is likely to be my last child, and I wanted to document my pregnancy in some manner much like I do for my clients. It isn’t about “oh look at how horribly fat I have become.” No no. I try to impress on all mothers-to-be that it is about highlighting the beauty and miracle of pregnancy. Sure, your ankles swell, you get stretchmarks, your thighs pack on a little cellulite, and your balance is off starting around 6 months, but you’re gorgeous! All mothers-to-be are!

So I suppose my lesson here is, if I can get in front of the camera, you can too!!!

{ Northern Virginia Maternity Photographer }