what will you be...

...are you a girl {like i get the feeling you are} or a boy?

* * * * *

this is my very camera-shy mama-friend... 

i have no idea why she's so camera shy, 'cause she's freaking gorgeous and photogenic. {surely she believes that she is, too, and is just being modest... 'cause my camera loves her! and i know my camera well... it never lies!}

i most recently blogged about her being with child here... much earlier in the pregnancy, right after they had made it public knowledge. shortly before that, the six of us had gone to the beach together... to celebrate babies and summer's end. i've known her since before she was married. i watched her get engaged, then married {when i, myself, was about as pregnant as she is right now, which is why i don't have wedding photos}, and now have had the privilege to watch her become a mother as her belly grows more and more. 

it's so very exciting. and needless to say, i can't wait to get that little peanut into my arms to say hello for the first time. i still precisely remember the day when she and her husband visited isaac to do the very same.

anyway, isaac and i just spent a few hours with them yesterday, as sweet kellie is on maternity leave and her bobby had not yet gone to work. we giggled and chatted and ate gummy bears and talked baby-stuff. i got to see the nursery for the first time {so precious!} and they got to play with chase isaac and keep him from tearing their place apart, thereby getting much needed practice at the art of wrangling and reigning in a little one.

but most importantly, i was able to squeeze in an impromptu maternity shoot... and it's a good thing, 'cause she only has one month of pregnancy left... maybe less if they end up having to induce two weeks early.

as i said, she was a little hesitant. i remember that... not wanting my picture taken at that stage. i mean, i wanted pics to document my belly and that stage of pregnancy, but i so didn't feel like i had any business being in photos. however, i also remember having a friend gently encourage me to let her take them, even though i didn't feel up to it. i was glad kellie let me convince her, too. her dress was gorgeous, her face was glowing, and she was way beyond beautiful enough to take part in her own photo session. 

we simply set up an area for her to sit and stand in front of some windows that were allowing light to pour into her home. these shots are not technically perfect. but they caught the beauty of her smile and bump, and i'm okay with that. i so want her to be, too. i want her to appreciate having these photos some day... something to look back on to remember exactly how this amazing time was. i'm pretty sure if i had not gotten some pics of me eight months pregnant, i would have regretted it.

this was my biggest argument and plea in trying to convince her.

as you can see, she relented. and wouldn't you say it was the best decision on her part? isn't she beautiful?

it was to be a fun little mini-shoot. i liked the casual aspect of it... it always helps when you know your subject well. what you don't see here is all the laughs we had in between shots... and all the sarcastic snickers and banter back and forth, as only true friends could do without scarring the bind of friendship.

after a while, i could tell she was getting slightly exhausted from standing... oh, how i remember that too!

so i switched to photo-journalistic mode and stopped making her pose. i just let the camera roll as isaac climbed up onto the couch to hang out with his auntie and future pal/playmate.

these ended up being some of my favorite shots. they had a vintage quality about them... partly because of the dress she is wearing, partly because of the vintage couch she is sitting on, partly because of the old car isaac is playing with, and partly because of the way i processed them. but mostly because of kellie... she is a stylish, throw-back, young, hip, mama with an old soul. and i've always thought she had a very unique look that harkens back to former days... sometimes jacki-o-like, sometimes seventies fashion-model-esque. the latter in these photos, especially...

cute, no?

isaac also spent some time with "uncle" bobby. there's something about uncle bobby that isaac is so drawn to. he can get isaac to laugh so quickly, and isaac will follow him around like no other. i'm guessing he's good this way with all kids. but i like to think it's just isaac that he has this bond with. either way, it's a blast to watch them hang out.

so i'm glad i got a few pics of them doing just that...

after a few hours and many laughs, i knew i had to get my little guy packed up so we could drive out to see his grandma for valentine's day. but not without the mama-and-dada-to-be together for a few photos. like i said earlier, i am happy to look back and be able to remember my pregnancy through many photos that a couple of friends took of me.

but one thing i regret not getting more pictures of was mr. b. and me together during the pregnancy. he was usually at work when the light for taking pics was good enough. so i have very few of us both during that time. for these two, i wasn't able to get much more than that. but the few i did get, i like very much. they were some of my favorites of the day.

now that i think about it, it's not just for kellie and her soon-to-arrive baby that i'm happy to have taken these pictures. i've got selfish reasons, too!... i want photos of her in this time of her life. i will treasure these always. i think that's what you do... you treasure the photos... the memories... of the ones you treasure and love.

so, i'm sorry kellie... you're just going to have to grow accustom to this, 'cause i'm going to be following you around with a camera for a quite a while when that sweet little person gets here!... for you and me! so get used to me and this black contraption constantly strapped around my neck or perched in front of my eye. we are not going anywhere, my camera and me! ♥