From a mom to a mom- invest in your family memories. Invest in your mamahood relationship.Â
When I was making my way through pregnancy, birth, newborn moments- I didn't prioritize the moments and that they should be captured. I took the cute phone photos when I saw them, and didn't spend time investing in capturing the high quality photos to hold onto a cherish forever. Suddenly he's 4, and soon he'll be 15, and then before I know it he's out of the house. I didn't realize how freakin' fast time flies, and how valuable those moments are when you living in them. The timeframe for your little in your belly? Just 9 months out of their entire lives. The timeframe for newborn photos? Even shorter- only a TWO week timeframe while they are still small and sleepy right after birth. The time for Fresh 48? Even SHORTER- just a 48 hour timeframe after baby is brought earth side. Don't even get me started on how much I had WISHED I had a birth photographer there. It was something I thought was so strange, to have someone there taking photos while you are so vulnerable- but looking back (even before I was a photographer and had a biased opinion) I desired so badly that opportunity lost to have been captured. That was my most life changing moment, and I'm here picking up pieces to remember what happened while everybody tells me that moms don't remember it. Take the dang photos. Invest in your family. It is SO important and valuable.Â
Get the photos printed, get them put over your fireplace and look at them every day. Update them as the yearly photos get done, do special photoshoots of moments you love as a family. Hire a photographer to photograph a fishing trip, hire a photographer to come over and capture your self care day with your little. Do a painting day and get all messy. Do a bubble bath! Whatever you love to do as a family, invest in capturing those moments together. Someday you won't do them anymore (or not nearly as often)Â and that is such a sad reality.Â
When my kiddo was growing up I only ever had phone photos of him, and the possible selfie of him and I that I took. There are RARE occasions of somebody else taking a photo of both of us (and there was usually a garbage bin in the background, or my eyes closed, not the best). Mama- you deserve to be in the photos too. You want them to look back on (no matter what stage of motherhood you're in right now, or how often your hair gets brushed). GET IN THOSE PHOTOS WITH THEM. You deserve it.Â
On the flip side- they deserve it too. They deserve to grow up and have these moments to cherish. After all- they may not remember them as clearly as you do. They deserve to have photos of YOU to hold onto.Â
Sob story here- bare with me. When my father died I found SUCH comfort in looking at the photos of us together. We didn't have a lot of money and didn't prioritize professional photos (the occasional JC Pennies ones with my sister that just aren't the same). I looked through them and picked out my favorite- I still hold onto them dearly. My favorites aren't the ones where I'm sitting next to him smiling at the camera. No, they're not the posed ones. The photos I find so much comfort in now that he's left earth are the ones of me on his shoulders and we are both genuinely laughing. They're the ones of us holding hands after a snowstorm and walking through the fresh snow with my 90's pink snow suit. The one of us looking through the glass at the lynx at the zoo. The one of us sitting in the shade at the lake while he reties the fishing rods (that I probably completely messed up 5 minutes earlier). The moments. Not the poses. Now that he's gone, that's all I have to hold onto. As sad as that is it is so true in all of our families, photos are all we have when somebody is gone and that is SO valuable.
So here's what I'm saying- value the heck out of those photos. Budget for the photographer of your dreams to take photos for you. If you can't afford it that year- look out for model calls or mini sessions. Look out for discounts, and take advantage of those ASAP so you can prioritize your family moments. Because that ish is so important. Â