So here we are at 22 weeks! Skipper is doing great and I’m adjusting to my growing belly. I’m at a point where my pants and shorts won’t button so I’m using the hair tie trick or a belly band. I did hit up the Memorial day sale at Old Navy for lots of maternity t-shirts and tank tops to get me through the summer! Here is something I learned, those shirts with the elastic on the sides to create ruching look really dumb until you put them on and then they are genius!!!! I was totally judging them sitting on the table but thought what the heck let me try one on and they are fabulous, extra room in the front where I need it without looking like a tent! Plus they are long enough to cover that panel of fabric in my maternity pants and shorts. I spent Memorial day cleaning out my dresser and making two piles, one for hopefully will fit me next summer and one for hopefully will fit me this winter after this kid arrives! It’s nice to open drawers of my dresser and see things that fit instead of rummaging around finding something that isn’t too short or too tight.
After two weeks in a row of my weekly photos where I wore the same boring thing, navy shirt and jeans I realized I needed to find ways to embrace my new figure and look cute rocking the bump! Of course that meant heading over to Pinterest and spending many hours one evening scouting celebrity and fashionista baby bump styles. I learned that skinny belts will be my friend, at this point they help make the difference between is that a baby bump or a beer belly! Plus I had already pinned an article with pics of different ways to tie off my skinny belts in cool knots. My friend Tori from Marvelous Things Photography does a weekly Wardrobe Wednesday column where she finds an outfit on Pinterest and then recreates it! Now I think she rocked some pretty cool outfits before Pinterest came around but I know she is having fun trying new ideas!
So inspired by Tori I decided to recreate my own Pinterest inspired outfit and what better occasion then when having lunch with two fab photographers, Korie and Heather. I even tried out the Chrissy curl method which is a super cute website another photographer friend put together, she has fabulous hair and style I might add! I need to keep practicing this one. Oh and I did my makeup which most people know is a big deal, I’m just not a makeup girl. Since I was feeling pretty cute I twisted Heather and Korie’s arms to take some pics of me to send off to David, he was getting tired of iphone pics and was bugging me for “real” photos. I think that conversation went something like this : Me: Hey so I um curled my hair and did my makeup and have on a cute outfit and I have my camera gear in my car and um would one of you take some pics of me to send to my husband? Yeah it was all one sentence and I’m sure I smiled very sweetly to seal the deal! They are awesome so of course they said yes to the cute pregnant lady ;). So not only did this shoot take place in a parking lot but it was pretty much high noon with sunlight directly above us, while Korie snapped away Heather kept an eye on the clouds over head to let us know when it was safe to shoot and when to stop because the sun was about to come out full force. I have to say those girls are awesome they took pretty much a nightmare location and conditions for photographers and worked through it to get me some fabulous photos! So a huge THANK YOU goes out to them for a little mini maternity session, I know I will treasure those images and memories!
So here is my inspiration outfit idea from Pinterest! The photo comes from Project : Babies.
I loved the all American look her outfit had with the jean shorts and red striped shirt!
Now for my version the top is orange and cream striped and from Motherhood Maternity. The shorts and necklace are from the Loft. Sandals from Target last year. 
My favorite from the session is the one on the left which is why it is now my FB profile pic 🙂
Melissa Arlena is an award winning lifestyle newborn photographer in Charlottesville and Richmond, Virginia who has earned her Master Photographer Certification from NAPCP in maternity, newborn and family photography. Her natural and simple work has been featured in magazines and online blogs worldwide. She has been named Best Maternity and Newborn Photographer in Richmond and Charlottesville, VA in 2023.
you are adorable 🙂