Its closing on a year since these photos of me were taken by the amazing Eleise Theuer back in the beginning of August in the height of the Virginia summer.  I’ve gone back and forth about posting them here for a long time, they are so personal.  And it makes me feel vain and weird to show them off.  But I felt inspired by Natalie and Craig’s session and it occurred to me that I ask my clients to bare their pregnant bodies and emotional moments on this blog so it only seemed fair for me to step up and do the same.   We’re getting ready to shoot family portraits with Eleise so this is a great way to gear up for that.

Like most photographers, I’m more comfortable behind the lens than in front of it.  And yet I need to post these because I want you to know that we spend our hard earned money on photography too.  I appreciate the business you give me because I know the sacrifices you make to hire me.  Photography is not just my profession, its something I value highly, something I tuck money under the mattress for.  As a result of my profession, I am more aware than most that there are moments you have to live to the fullest while you have them but you can’t get them back.  Photographs bring us back.

I knew Eleise was the right choice for these photos because of her dreamy, detail oriented photographs:  she translates gestures, texture, and color in such a poignant and powerful way.  It sounds cheesy but pregnancy truly felt like a dream for me, even when I reflect on it now.  The road to get there was longer than we expected and everything finally fell into its right place.  The baby was still so abstract then and I had no idea just how much our lives were going to change.  I like remembering this version of me.

I’ll even show you my ankle shot.  Lordie those pregger ankles.  I can still feel the numbness and pain when I look at that photo!  But I love that photo.  Maybe I’m in a better  place to appreciate these photos now that I am back to my pre-preg weight (after gaining 42 lbs!) or maybe the wonder of what a body can do only comes after the fact.  I don’t remember my belly ever being so big.

If you are pregnant, have it documented in a style you love, even if you aren’t completely in love with being pregnant.  If you have a baby, have professional pictures taken as often as you can.  I’m not talking about getting a friend with a nice camera to come over or buying yourself a better camera instead.  I’m talking about pulling someone in who “sees” for a living.  A photographer isn’t the product of their camera or equipment, a photographer is someone who sees things the rest of us don’t.  I don’t care if its myself or Eleise or someone else (sincerely)…just do it.  Pregnancy and babyness are like mist: they are here and then gone.  I have no idea what I will do with these photos of me ultimately but I am so grateful that I have them always.

Thank you so much, Eleise.  I love these forever.

Posted by Mel @ 5:24 pm, in Personal | 5 Comments | Permalink

The snow has been great but the Worthington family is taking off for sunnier weather and will return on Wednesday, February 17th.  We appreciate your patience with edits and print orders while we are gone and we look forward to sharing more photos here upon our return… Stay warm until then!

Posted by Mel @ 11:03 pm, in Personal | 1 comment | Permalink

Then comes marriage…

And FINALLY,

Sam and Mel are pushing a baby carriage.

We welcomed Samuel Madison Worthington V to our world at 10:14 in the morning on August 31, 2009.  He weighed in at 8 lbs, 4 oz and 20.5 inches long.  Momma calls him Fiver and Poppa calls him Madison.  We are madly in love and can’t take our eyes off of him.

The birth had a destiny of its own, he surprised us all by coming down breech and necessitating a cesarean section at the hospital.  While the loss of the opportunity to birth at home was devastating, I did go into labor on my own birthday after a great day spent with family and close friends and had the opportunity to labor naturally through the night and morning before the OR was ready for us.  He came out yelling and didn’t even need suction, he was healthy and aware.  We were given a very special gift:  he was passed directly to me under the surgical fields as he emerged for skin to skin contact before being cleaned up and assessed, a very special thanks to Nancy and Dr. Fitzhugh for making that happen for us.  Therese got these photos with our camera of that moment, I can’t believe we have the most joyful moment of our lives to date recorded like this (rock on, Therese….)

Here’s photos of our midwife, Nancy, helping us with our first latch moments later:

Here’s a few photos of what our first two weeks as a new family have looked like.  We can’t thank or friends and family enough for all the supportive phone calls, grocery store runs, home cooked meals and love.  We can’t thank our clients enough for their patience as we get settled as a family…  we may be a little slow to respond right now but we’re still here!  One thing about life with a newborn is that you are definitely living in the moment…

The nights are rough and the days disjointed but this is what I wake up to every morning.  Life is good.

Posted by Mel @ 6:06 pm, in Personal | 13 Comments | Permalink

Its hard to appreciate just how good we’ve got it sometimes.  Sam and I have never had to live apart unlike military families who have had to cope with deployments far away from their families during war time.  Having Dina and Paresh in my life gives me perspective on what’s important and leaves me ever grateful for the sacrifices they have made for their country and for the future of our kids.  A pediatrician and emergency physician, both have deployed to serve our military men and women as well as civilians of Iraq (Dina) and Afghanistan (Paresh).  I was so happy that Paresh was able to plan a two week leave to meet his newborn daughter Leela just a week after her birth and I hope that he is home to stay soon.  I spent an afternoon in Maryland with the briefly reunited family back in February and wanted to share some photos with everyone here.

I saw most things in black and white on this visit, maybe because time seemed irrelevant.   I’ve learned that your whole life is on pause when you or your partner deploys, that you are just waiting for the time to pass so you can pick back up again where you left off as a family.  Kids, of course, are never on pause and that makes it particularly hard to be away.  It was so nice to see life off pause and on play that afternoon and hoped the pictures I took could feel like yesterday or tomorrow.   

Tej is already such a great big bro!  And so happy to get some time in with his dad…

Paresh’s parents traveled to town for a brief visit with the family:

My favorite pictures came from some family TV time on the couch and I can’t wait to see everyone plopped on the couch together again soon.  Its funny how such an every day, ordinary action can become so extraordinary.

I love you guys and hope Paresh comes home soon.  

Posted by Mel @ 10:15 pm, in Personal, Wee Ones | 1 comment | Permalink