paola // baby belly

I was 26 years old when my girlfriend Paola had her first child. A beautiful baby boy. I remember the day like yesterday, my mom and I went to visit her at the hospital together. I was wearing vintage 70's leather heels I had bought just north of houston in NYC, a white tank top, shorts and suspenders. He was so tiny and I was so nervous, I remember feeling so insecure holding this little human being in my arms, like I would break him. But I didn't. I fell in love instantly. He was just beautiful.

And then only a  little over a year later, she had her second child, a chubby little girl. My dear friend Mary and I went to see her at the hospital together. I was wearing a colorful striped wool sweater from the Gap with a pair of BDG jeans and my frye boots, and we were a little more confident this time around holding babies.. her adorable fat cheeks had us mesmerized.

Last month we took the kids to the beach, packed a few pretty dresses and around 6 pm we whipped out the camera and took some incredible photos of this beautiful woman at the end of her third pregnancy. We laughed so hard we cried. The camera almost got devoured by the ocean(a few times). And at one point I actually thought Mathieu was going  have to come in to rescue us.. but we survived and we have the pictures to prove it.

Any day now, my girlfriend Paola will be having her third child. I can not wait to meet this little boy or girl. I wonder what I will be wearing...

the first beach day.

It has been months. I mean months since you have been on the glorious beach. But today is the day. It's the beginning of May, and the sun has decided to give you a sneak peek at what's to come in the summer months. You pull up into the empty parking lot, and step out onto the asphalt. A brisk ocean breeze hits your exposed skin, which has been comfortably hidden under jeans and sweaters all winter long. But this feels good. It is waking you up. You can feel the life seeping back into your hibernating veins. You get the kids out of the car, and grab the cooler and towels and you throw everything into the oversized bike stroller(which doubles as the beach cart). You begin walking toward the dunes where, just on the other side, lies the big, blue, beautiful Atlantic Ocean.

Your reach the sand, and the kids are running now, as fast as they can to get to the top of the dune. The wind has picked up, and you can actually feel the sea-salt hitting your face. You have arrived. And at this very moment, life is just the way it should be.

I came across these images today while working on my website, and I was reminded of what a special day this was. So I had to share. AND, the fact that I am in some of them(thanks to my lovely and talented husband) was a plus.