Denise River Maternity Session

“Hello, love. I’ve been waiting for you with all that I am … in all of my existence. I want to start off by saying thank you for bringing a whole new sense of purpose and meaning to our lives. Thank you for every kick and every hiccup that lets me know you’re okay. Thank you for bringing your Dad and I closer together, and being the reason we love each other more, even when we thought we couldn’t. Thank you for making us smile every single day, knowing we’ll hear you call us “Mommy” and “Daddy” before we know it.

The world will not always be kind to you, but in this adversity lies the opportunity to influence the world with your choice, even if it is one moment or one life.  Kindness is the hardest thing to keep, but the greatest thing to hold.

I hope you grow up to be hard-working like your Daddy. By the same token, I hope you aren’t afraid to show your softer side. I hope you know it’s OK to cry and be vulnerable. And although I hope you know the value of hard work, more importantly, I hope you make time for your family and friends and that you appreciate the little things in life. They are what’s most important, after all. Most of all, no matter what path you choose, I hope you become a genuinely good human being. I know this is a tall order, but I hope we can give you these experiences and teach you these qualities by example.

I promise to support your endeavors, encourage your interests and curiosities, and nourish your passions. My arms will be open for you, both when you succeed, and when you fail. I will strive to always protect you from pain, but when it’s out of my control, I will be there to ease the hurt.

I hope I can raise you to be kind and love with great abandon. I hope you grow up with a sense of curiosity about the world and the courage to explore all the beauty it holds. I hope your imagination takes you to places far and wide, and that, sometimes, you’ll let me come with you. I hope to teach you to listen with an open heart and look out for those less fortunate than you; to be compassionate to animals and free with your emotions; to respect women and treat people fairly, no matter who they are. No matter what, I know you’ll have a strong and independent spirit that will be all your own.

My love for you astounds me.

I’m excited to teach you how to be generous, to tell you how wonderful this world is and how you make it so much better, and make you realize how capable you are. To tell you how beautiful you are in ways your physical eyes can’t see, how fearfully and wonderfully you have been made.

You have given me strength that I never knew I had within me. You are a constant reminder to always stay true to myself and my values, knowing your little eyes will be watching and your little ears will be listening.

I will be different when you come along. The bits that make up my core will be the same, but the second you’re born, I’ll shed my independence like a skin. What’s left will be a raw vulnerability that will simultaneously thrill, terrify, and change me.

Your dad and I can’t wait to meet you…”- Mom

Makeup- Beauty By Kim Kim
Florals- The Floral Theory