Jessica & Najja {Chambers Creek, University Place | Maternity Photographer}

I recently had the distinct pleasure of photographing some cute mama belly along with my lovely partner in crime, Rosa. Who does this mama belly belong to? My cousin (by marriage) Jessica is expecting her first little one and it’s a girl! I think she and Najja are, like every first time parents, a little anxious and nervous about what to expect. Many of us have read that book, What to Expect When Expecting,  but really, these things don’t come with manuals. Sure its scary but for those who want children, there is no greater joy than parenthood. It is fun, sad, happy, anxiety-inducing, nauseating, a learning experience, overwhelming, surprising, mesmerizing, and absolutely awe-inspiring.  The list goes on and on. I can’t wait to hear the stories of how Jessica has looked down at her daughter in amazement and wondered how she ever experienced life without her: how despite her frustration over the tablet that mysteriously ended up in the bath water, also can’t help but laugh because she knew her parents were right about payback: how she made the right decision about a confusing situation on her own because her parents taught her well. Jessica and Najja are the epitome of stability. These two have been together since high school after all. I see in them a level of commitment I wish for my own, and something they’ll surely instill in their daughter. They clearly have so much love between them that God decided it was time they shared it, not just with a precious daughter but with the rest of the world. Little Amara will surely be a force to be reckoned with and this world is in need of more people like the person she is destined to become.

Jessica and Najja, it has been quite the experience being part of your family and I can’t thank you both enough for welcoming me with open arms. Thank you for also inviting me into some of these more intimate times. (My other cousin by marriage and their sister-in-law shot her wedding with me alongside her.) We all so look forward to meeting your baby girl. You guys are going to make the most amazing parents. Amara is already so loved and we all can’t wait to meet her. Love ya both! OOPS! I mean all three of you. =)