We have been friends with Zach and Melissa for over ten years now and we have had the privilege of doing a lot of life side by side. We’ve been through many major milestones together. The most fun part though, has definitely been raising kids. And now, they are just a few days away from welcoming baby number two. It’s insane how fast time goes, isn’t it?

It seems like only yesterday that I was in this living room taking pictures of a very excited mom and dad to be. Three years ago we were talking about what it would be like for them to welcome a baby into their home. All the excitement and the adventure of being a parent. All of the hopes and fears. And me, being a relatively new mom myself at the time, gave them all the advice I had gleaned so far. Adam and I had welcomed Lydia only 9 months earlier and we were so excited to see our friends join us in this crazy season of life. And now they are in the same season as us again! From a family of three to a family of four in less than 2 weeks (or later this week if you ask Melissa!!)

When we planned to get together and photograph them in these last few days as a family of three, the main goal was to set up this living room shot the same as we did when Madisyn was on the way. I had snapped a photo of a candid moment between them...Melissa with her head in Zach’s lap, her belly swollen with a baby due any day. They were just being themselves and I tried to preserve the memory of what it felt like for them to be on the precipice of such an enormous life change. After Madisyn was born, we took the same picture in the same spot, only this time she laid on mama’s chest while her adoring parents looked on. It became a side by side representation of the before and after of their life as they knew it. The “before we were parents” and the “after we were parents”. I think every parent can identify with that because it is such a defining moment in your life. Everything becomes very separate, it either happened before, or it happened after. Melissa has had these two photos side by side on her fridge ever since. So it was only fitting that we recreate this moment for the new baby.

Again, I have walked this road from ‘mom of one’ to ‘mom of two’. And while I have lots of advice I could give them as they get ready for their new little one, I realize it’s unnecessary. These two have so much love in them already and that’s really the only thing they need right? Nothing prepares you for parenthood anyway... You just have to be willing to give your heart to these tiny humans each and every day. The new baby will bring even more love into their home and I can’t wait for him (or her) to make their grand entrance into the world! Plus, it’ll have the best and cutest big sister ever… am I right??

I’m so excited to share these moments with you and I am really glad you stopped by to take a peek. If you are looking to preserve a special time in your family’s life, please message me for details. It would be my honor.