Welcoming Baby Wes: Our Little Surprise

After 3.5 years of infertility, countless appointments, treatments, and heartache, we were completely shocked to find out we were expecting our sweet baby boy, Wes.

To say this pregnancy came as a surprise would be an understatement.

When we found out, I was experiencing a whirlwind of emotions. Excitement, gratitude, disbelief, anxiety—you name it. As a wedding and family photographer, I quickly realized that my due date landed right in the middle of my busiest season of the year. Between finding out I was pregnant and my due date, I was scheduled to photograph 13 weddings, hundreds of portrait sessions, and continue juggling life as a mom to our incredibly sweet almost five-year-old son, Beau.

While I chose to keep this pregnancy private, it was never a secret. Many people simply didn’t know unless they happened to see me in person. It felt good to keep this chapter close to our hearts and experience it without the pressure of constant updates.

One of the hardest decisions I had to make during my pregnancy was canceling four weddings. As a business owner, this weighed heavily on me. I spent a lot of time considering every possible option before ultimately deciding that my clients deserved the very best experience on their wedding day. I refunded each couple in full and connected them with talented local photographers I trust completely. While it was difficult, I know it was the right choice for everyone involved.

One of the unexpected gifts of keeping this season private was how intimate it felt. My husband and I spent months preparing for Wes’s arrival together. We completely transformed his nursery from the ground up. We took the room down to the studs, installed new drywall, replaced the flooring, painted, added trim, and poured so much love into every detail.

Everything in that room was chosen specifically for him.

This time around, we decided to wait until birth to find out the baby’s gender. Even though we didn’t know whether we were welcoming a boy or girl, I secretly hoped for another little boy. I had already painted the nursery with blue stripes because I had a vision and was committed to it regardless. Thankfully, when Wesley arrived, it all came together perfectly.

I also approached this pregnancy differently than I did with Beau.

With my first baby, I often felt pressure to keep things simple. I heard a lot of comments like, “We didn’t have that when you were a baby,” or, “You don’t need all of that.” Looking back, one of my biggest regrets is not creating more styled memories and photographs during those early newborn days.

This time, I gave myself permission to embrace what I wanted.

I bought the outfits. I bought the pajamas. I bought all the newborn photography props that made me happy. Most importantly, I gave myself permission to document this season exactly the way I wanted to remember it.

As both a mom and an Indianapolis newborn photographer, I’ve realized that photographs are never really about the props, outfits, or trends. They’re about preserving a season of life you’ll never get back. They’re about remembering how tiny your baby felt in your arms, the details you’ll forget sooner than you think, and seeing yourself in those memories, too.

Moms deserve to exist in photographs.

Moms deserve to feel beautiful in photographs.

And moms deserve to invest in memories that matter to them.

When it came time to schedule our newborn session, we knew exactly who we wanted to photograph our family. We booked with the incredibly talented Katelyn Ng Photo, the same photographer who documented our family when Beau was born.

Even more special, we chose to have our newborn photos taken at the property where we brought Beau home from the hospital, where we got married, and where so many significant moments of our lives unfolded. Although we’ve since moved, being able to return to that place and create new memories with Wes was incredibly meaningful.

Those walls have witnessed so much of our story.

And now they’ll forever hold memories of both of our boys.

Katelyn did a beautiful job capturing this season for our family. I’ve always admired her work, her use of color, and the way she preserves genuine connection. Looking through these images feels like reliving one of the sweetest chapters of our lives.

After years of wondering if this day would ever come, we are endlessly grateful to finally introduce our sweet Wes.

Welcome to the family, little guy. We love you more than words can say.