Tuesday 21 June 2011

You Know Our Hearts Beat Time Out Very Slowly

I am a bear. A giant, lumbering bear. I grumble. I grunt. I swat at anyone foolish enough to get in my way. I plow through my day with a snarl ready on my lips. Shawn and Stella have learned to steer clear of my volatility but Wolfgang, sweet Wolfgang, is not the brightest pup. He follows me around from room to room, waiting for me to sit down so he can jump up and perch his tiny little puppy bum on my Willie-bump. He covers my face in kisses and makes tiny little grunty noises when I scratch behind his ears just so. He's driving me insane and keeping me sane (well, as sane as I can be) at the same time.


In an effort to feel less like a bear and more like a glowy pregnant lady (ha! am so not a glowy pregnant lady!) I made an appointment with a photographer friend of a friend to have some maternity photos done. Which is one of those glowy pregnant lady things I said I'd never do. Not that there's anything wrong with maternity photos, I just never thought they were something I'd consider doing. I have friends who have had them done and the photos are gorgeous and my friends look like beautiful earth mamas wrapped in flowy scarves and translucent fabric and I appreciate the beauty of the photographs while knowing that it's just ... not me. At the same time, I was tired of feeling like a giant, lumbering bear. I wanted to remember this pregnancy for more than just extreme mood swings and a horrible aversion to toothpaste (which is now back, in full force, after a lovely months-long break.)

I'm so happy with the photos. It's all about perspective. I feel large and heavy and slow but when I look at the photos I see a beautiful, healthy baby bump. Less bear-like, more glowy.


(all photos by the lovely Alanna Dyani)
(mustache teething toy by little alouette)

19 comments:

  1. You look beautiful, lady. And I love the ones with wolfgang!

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  2. You look gorgeous. And that last photo? STUNNING. Stunning.

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  3. Love the mustache touch. So you. :-) You look beautiful. I'm sure it is hard to have your body revolt on you in ways you can't control and to feel like you are lumbering instead of just plain ol' walking. I can only guess as I've never been pregnant. But to me you just look pretty!

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  4. You look amazing! I love the one of you and the pup smooching :)

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  5. aw you look fabulous and that last picture is so very you, adore it!

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  6. Love, love, love. I'm happy you ended up doing them - in YOUR style, nonetheless. Just perfect!

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  7. I really, really love the second-to-last picture a whole lot! It's very low-key and not at all "cheesy pregnancy photo". :)

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  8. Oh these are wonderful. I sort of regret not getting them done for myself. Seriously you look tiny though, everyone told me that too (and I thought I looked so stretched out I could barely stand to look in the mirror)... but just wait, in just a couple months you won't even be able to remember what it felt like to be pregnant! The whole experience is so crazy...

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  9. I adore the first photo and that "white T-shirt" photo. So cute! I think this was a great thing to do for yourself.

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  10. You look fan-freaking-tabulous.

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  11. You are so glowey! You can't deny the glow :)

    These are *beautiful* Hillary- thank you for sharing them with us! It's so amazing to see you pregnant and looking incredibly gorgeous <3

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  12. Wolfgang is so freakin' adorable.

    YOU, my dear, are GORGEOUS! I know you feel like a lumbering bear, but to me and all of us you are so beaaautiful!!

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  13. You, dear lady friend, are absolutely stunning. Bump or no bump. I love these photos of you - wonderful memories.

    Like you, I never thought in a million years I'd have maternity photos. I'd see framed shots of exposed bellies in other people's homes and shiver, not in a good way. And then I got pregnant and our (awesome!) wedding photographer asked if he could do a maternity shoot with us. And next thing I know, I have a belly-exposed photo, printed on canvas and framed, hanging in our bedroom.

    Who would've thunk. Food aversions aren't the only changes that come with pregnancy and your ensuing parenthood! =)

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  14. i LOVE these. love! and they're totally not gauze-wrapped-earth-mamma vibey.. they're just gorgeous photos, of a lovely lady :)

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  15. What awesome photos!
    You look totally amazing.

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  16. You are the most beautiful pregnant lady ever! :D

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  17. Gorgeous! When can I see more? ;)

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  18. These photos are absolutely AMAZING. You're stunning, absolutely beautiful.

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