Week 40

So this is it - Week 40 - and just like that the maternity series is all done... It felt so good to have this little wiggling happy ending all wrapped up in Cole's arms for this last picture. We took this on Sunday morning, so it was exactly one week since Cole felt that first big contraction and labor began. As promised I am going to sit down tonight to write the big long winded blow by blow birth story of little Tessa Tangerine, when I get it all remembered I will post it up. I also have to mention that I have a pretty amazing project nearing completion that involves the maternity series, I had originally planned it as a surprise for Cole, (but as mentioned before I cannot help myself and told her what was going down a few weeks ago). I will do my best not to ruin it for all of you, but my buddy at Category Five Films has been hard at work, and my friend Devin of Rabbit fame joined in, and we are hard at work to get this done soon. So there will be one last surprise with the series... and I am so freaking excited to see it all finished and tied together. It takes a ton of time to finish, and it has been impossible with Tessa in the house being all cute and adorable.

I never could have guessed that when I started this series for Cole that it would get so much love from around the world and draw people to this blog the way it has, but it has been amazing to see it pop up all over the web, it was certainly overwhelming at times. I would track it down and read the descriptions wherever it would make an appearance, and I always think how wonderful it was that someone liked what we were doing so much that they re-posted it. And to all the peeps over at American Apparel that got involved and befriended our little family, thank you so much for not only reading along, but spreading the word. It feels weird to want to thank so many people for the love they gave this series, but it meant so much to us that people were touched by it. The plan from the beginning was to make a hard cover book for the baby to give to Him/Her when they were older. Cole and I both decided that we would make it a little more involved than we had originally planned, we are going to place in posts that are relevant from here, and I want to include some posts from Cole's Live Journal about the pregnancy. Geez, for a couple of people that have a hard time keeping gifts a secret, how the hell are Cole and I supposed to wait till Tessa is old enough to give her this book?! I'm not sure when the right age will be, I figure we will just know when she needs to see it, or maybe it will be one of these things that she gets the first time she tells me she hates me because I won't let her date a boy that is a few years older, has bad tribal tattoos, smokes the pot, and drives a car with bench seats. Ugh. Either way, I hope she will know when she sees this book how excited we were to meet her, and will enjoy this gift.

So here is the last in the maternity series for Tessa, Week 40.

Fine Jersey Leisure Dress by: American Apparel

A few people have asked if I had planned to keep going with a weekly series of the baby growing up. And the short answer is: I have no idea. I figure something will come up all on its own. These kinds of things tend to get cooked up when Cole and I sit around and talk. So I would guess that a new series will start eventually. I am hoping that LB will get over his camera shyness soon and go back to wanting me to take his picture again. We are going to give it a try this week.

I do have a new idea for a weekly maternity series that I want to get working on sooner than later, but I need to find the right subject, location, and convince someone to donate the wardrobe. I'm looking at YOU Nicole Richie and your new maternity line that will be out next year. No pressure. Just think it over. Make it rain. Don't be a dreamsmasher :)

When the next maternity series happens, I will be setting up a separate blog for it, and just post the weekly work, and any other maternity, or baby birthing related work I do. I never would have guessed that I would have so much fun shooting pregnancy, but this experience really drew me in, I am hooked. And I would love to continue creating original concepts for expecting clients interested in making a series. So if you live in Orlando... I am open for business. Pregnancy is a gorgeous thing, and I love the emotion that is attached to the subject.

All the Love in the Universe ~ Me

P.S. I plan on posting a ridiculous amount this week, so look out for a ton of noise from me, and sorry in advance if you left an awesome comment and I didn't even say thanks back. I hope you know that I sit and read them to Cole at night and they mean a lot. I also have a new folder in my inbox marked "people I HAVE to write back or I am a huge asshole" and it is filled with every nice email I have ever received (even some mean ones). Letters from this week to months ago. I feel awful that I haven't written back, it is hard for me because i am such a long winded loud mouth and it takes me forever. So I am making an effort to get back to people this month. The best way to get me to write back right away, is to offer me a job :)

P.S.S. For any of you going to that lady party Blog Her I will be there for a hot minute. I'm flying in for a quick hang with the hilarious Mama Pop crew, and then shooting classy pictures at the big Mama Pop party, then getting my ass back home to this family early the next morning. So if you are going, look to say hi. I will be the creep hiding behind my camera and shooting your pictures partying like you're a 21 year old lunatic.

P.S.S.S. If you did not stop by here this weekend, be sure to scroll down I posted a couple of pics and thoughts over the weekend which I usually never do.