Zaina and I were due with our sons ONE day apart! Imagine two 9-month-pregnant women waddling around the Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanic Gardens looking for a waterfall. After 10 minutes of walking around and asking people where the waterfall was, we found it RIGHT by the parking lot we parked at. At least we got our cardio in!
My best friend Katrina coordinated this session! She found Lake Katherine and even drove me and Zaina here. She even watched my equipment while me and Zaina took photos in the waterfall and took behind-the-scenes photos and videos! If you know Katrina, you know just how sweet and giving she is.
Zaina found her emerald dress and hairpiece on Amazon. Emerald is my birth stone (May) and I asked Zaina if her birthday was in May. She told me that it was actually her late sister, Kat's, birth stone. I was washed over with overwhelming emotion. Zaina and Kat were like two peas in a pod and I can tell just how much Zaina loves and misses her. Whether it was intentional or not, her emerald colored dress is a great tribute to little sister. I'm confident Kat would've loved to be here for Zaina's first baby boy.
I'm an adventurer and love nature. So of course I had to try to capture Zaina in the middle of the waterfall! You should've seen how worried Katrina was watching me and Zaina walk through the rocky waterfall to get her into the perfect pose. I guess I wouldn't know what to do if I saw 2 VERY pregnant women walking close to the edge! It's not a huge fall, but it would've been for us two. I'm confident Katrina would've caught us and our baby bellies!
The weather was perfect. The sun shining through the trees during golden hour was amazing. Zaina's smile was contagious, and she gave me the best poses when I yelled over the loud waterfall, "GIVE ME A DEEP BELLY LAUGH! HA-HA-HA"
I had to break out the angel wings for this session. I just got the wings a few days prior and was super excited to use them! Zaina was all over them and look how beautiful she is!!!
I asked Zaina if her necklace meant something to her. She told me it was given to her by her sister-in-law, who happens to be her son's soon-to-be God Mother! This necklace means so much to Zaina, she never takes it off. I had to get a close up of it.
Zaina, I'll never forget our adventure during your maternity session. You made it so fun and easy, and people even thought we were shooting for a magazine! I can't believe how many people took their phones out to snap pictures of you in the waterfall. You were the definition of PREGNANCY GLOW.
I can't wait to meet your sweet boy!
Alyssamay