*Trigger warning: pregnancy loss is discussed*
I photographed Fehren & Alfonso and their son Matteo earlier this spring. I have been fortunate to know them for a while, and I even photographed their wedding a few years ago, when I myself was pregnant with my first baby.
Filled their hearts with so much love
I have always admired Fehren and Alfonso and the way that they just "get" each other. I knew that when they became parents, it would only unite them further. Matteo brought a beautiful joy to their lives (that you can see all over their faces in these photos), and being his parents filled their hearts with so much love that they decided they wanted to have another baby.
Their hearts may get broken once more
Their path to their next baby was not easy. They suffered through a pregnancy loss, and that left both of their hearts broken. When I photographed them here together, I could see the timid excitement, the nervousness, all of that emotion was just bubbling below the surface. I could feel their desire to experience the joy that pregnancy can bring, but I could also feel their fear that should they love too strongly, their hearts may get broken once more.
Every single day of this pregnancy mattered
I could tell that this pregnancy had been so much different than her others. Instead of happily counting each day, although she did still certainly do that, she also breathed a sigh of relief at the end of every day that she was one step closer to meeting her beautiful son. Every single day of this pregnancy mattered.
Their love was so strong for one another
As a mom myself, sitting with Fehren and Alfonso in the stillness of each of these moments, I could feel that their love was so strong for one another, for Matteo and for this unborn baby. As we talked, they truly gave me a sense of how courageous they were, and how this baby was going to be born into the most loving and grateful home.
We're all okay
So as I edited their photos, I couldn't help but hear Jewel's lyrics softly playing in my head, "If I could tell the world just one thing it would be, we're all okay...and not to worry because worry is wasteful and useless in times like these."
A long sigh of relief
At the end of our session, Fehren and I stayed chatting for a while about what life with two boys was like, and how someone can manage and survive with two kids under two. And although it's difficult on many days, it's also filled with so much love and our house is filled with so much laughter. I reassured her, from one mom to another, that she was going to be okay. And just a few short weeks later she welcomed a beautiful, baby boy into the world, and breathed a long sigh of relief.
So Fehren & Alfonso, if you're reading this, thank you for allowing me to capture such an intimately beautiful time in your family's life. I feel truly honoured to have helped you remember this part of your journey. This path your family is walking is one I am grateful to walk alongside you with.
Cheers,
Katie