Okay just one more! Snap, snap, snap. I saw Hannah shutter in the cold beach wind. 54 degrees on Rehoboth Beach in the spring was proving to be a little chiller than 54 degrees in the sun at home. I wanted to finish up just a few more of just Hannah and her baby belly. I had already released Justin to go back up to the boardwalk to put his shoes back on and to get ready to take Hannah back to the warmth of the car the moment we were finished. While pregnancy seems to last an eternity through those 40 weeks, I knew looking back it would seem like a flash for her and it would be worth a few more minutes in the cold to have these photos to share with their sweet girl as she grows up.

Hannah was being such a trooper, continuing to whisper soft, sweet, loving words to the baby girl growing in her belly as I snapped away. The visible shutter was my sign that it was time to call it a wrap though. I hurried her to the spot on the beach where we had left my camera bag, her sandals and her jean jacket which I had folded neatly on top to keep it clean. As I hurriedly reached for the jacket to wrap around her, I looked and saw a single seashell placed on top, freshly plucked from the beach — dusty with sand. I picked it up and showed Hannah. “Is this from Justin?” She nodded and her face broke into the biggest smile. If you know Hannah, you know the smile I mean…the one that lights up a room…the one that you can’t help but admire and smile back at with genuine joy. “He’s a good one!” I exclaimed. The smile broadened even wider… “I know.” She pressed her hands together and shrugged up her shoulders both in glee and with cold. “He’s going to be the best dad.”

They both are going to be great parents. Only 7 more weeks to their due date and I couldn’t be more excited for them to start this next chapter in their lives. Watching my couple’s become parents is one of the greatest joys I get from my job and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to continue to document some of their lives past their wedding dates.

Hannah and Justin, again, thank you for having me out to your special place. It was really fun to be back to a place that has so many fond memories for me and also hear about how it is special for you too. Justin, I’m glad you survived yet another photoshoot. :-) You really are a one in a million. Thanks for being such a great sport for your beautiful wife and sweet daughter. I hope you both love this little sample of photos from your Rehoboth Beach maternity shoot. And, because I know how hard it is to wait, there will be a surprise in your inbox later today so don’t forget to check!

XO - Megan