Our son has started this rather hilarious routine when he gets a bit overtired; he’ll spend a good ten minutes yawning and rubbing his eyes while we get him ready for bed and then, as soon as you set him down in his crib…he gets the giggles!  It’s as though he gets so excited about the prospect of sleeping that he doesn’t quite know what to do with himself!  He wiggles around, laughs and if you happen to put a limb within his reach, he’ll maul you like a bear in an attempt to get you to play with him!  Inevitably, this leaves all three of us in a pile of uncontrollable laughter!

Last night, we were all lying on his nursery floor waiting for the giggles to pass when Steve said “you know, it wasn’t even six months ago when we used to lie here laughing at the things he was doing in your belly”.  Hudson was a very active little boy in utero {especially in the evenings} but last night, as we began to talk about it, I realized that I don’t actually remember what it feels like to be pregnant.  I do remember the first couple of nights after Hudson was born, I would instinctively put my hands on my belly in the middle on the night waiting to feel him move, forgetting that he was really lying next to me for the first time.  But the actual feeling of being pregnant faded very quickly.  I was kind of sad about that because I really loved being pregnant.

That’s part of what made doing Kari and Lee’s maternity session so much fun…remembering what it was like to be pregnant; to be so excited and terrified and curious all at the same time!  Kari and Lee’s maternity session was one of the first shoots that I did after Hudson was born {I’m a bit behind on my blogging if you can’t tell!} and seeing them just a few short weeks from meeting their little one was so much fun to be a part of.  We talked about the trials and tribulations, the unbelievably glorious moments and everything in between!  Seeing them at that stage reminded me of how miraculous it is to be pregnant and experience life in that way.

As it turns out, Kari and Lee’s little package didn’t arrive quite as planned!  As we received the play by play on a daily basis via facebook, we even started to wonder if he or she was going to arrive at all {that will teach you to make such a cozy home Kari!!} but sure enough, a wee bit later than anticipated, their little lady {a girl – I totally called it!} finally decided to come out and play!

Kari and Lee, you’re such awesome parents!!  Thank you for letting me be a part of this beautiful time in your lives.  It was a honour to capture you both in anticipation of this amazing new chapter.  Be sure to let us know if Hannah needs a handsome date to the prom…I’m sure that Hudson would be happy to oblige!!

– gen