Five Investments I'm Happy I Made in 2017

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Five Good Investments

Business Talk

As I worked through my Goal Setting process for 2018, I naturally did a lot of reflecting on the past year. Something I love to do is read what works for other people in their lives: routines, planning systems, books they loved, etc. While I understand what works for one person may not work for the next - there are times that I’ve discovered something life changing from another person sharing what worked for them.

That said, I really wanted to share with you all some of what I think are the best investments I made in 2017. As a note: you will see that I consider both time and money to be an investment. :)

Without further ado, here are the top five investments from 2017 that I’m really grateful I made.

 

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Date Nights

At the beginning of our marriage, date nights were basically a default every night. (When it's just you two at home together every night, it just happens! :)) So to put a weekly date night on the calendar seemed a little pointless. Then with just one baby, having her tag along didn’t seem like too much of a big deal. (In fact, we were both pretty infatuated with her so we really liked having her with us all the time!) But once we had two kids, time to connect just became less and less and before we knew it, we felt a bit like strangers passing in the night. (Honestly, it’s a little scary how that can happen so quickly.) At the end of 2016, I made a goal to put my marriage FIRST before everything in 2017. And I am SO glad I did!

At the start of the year, I hired a weekly babysitter; every Sunday night. At first, this was to cover our MarriageWorks community gatherings, but soon after I made this arrangement in preparation, they announced they weren’t meeting at all until wayyyy later in the year! Ah! (Which we DID participate in and loved.) However, I kept our sitter lined up anyway.

I budgeted for this and made a long-term commitment to the sitter. She was setting aside her Sunday nights for this weekly job (and we got a pretty good “per job” price since we were committing to this on a regular basis). This really helped us stay accountable, because it wasn’t just us to consider if we wanted to cancel our date night.

Of course there were some Sundays we were out of town, in which case we would let her know weeks ahead of time. But there were also some Sundays where just one of us would be out of town. In that case, we would still have her come and it allowed the one who was at home with the kids to have some kid-free time and a night on their own.

While this investment was financial, it was also a large time investment... (just ask my Sunday Night Football loving husband!) But it was so very worth it. We got into a routine of going to the same place for dinner and drinks and it allowed us to create a new, safe place for us to open up and have some really awesome conversations this past year. I’m SO glad we made our marriage a top priority last year and we are both walking into 2018 with the same goals for our marriage this year as well. 

It’s exciting to look at how far we’ve come in one year, where will another year take us?! We are definitely continuing on with this investment as long as our bank account allows us to!

Self-Care

This is a really personal one for me. I was diagnosed with postpartum depression when Izzie (my second child) was four months old. She just turned three years old this month and the past six months or so I have finally felt like I could see through the fog. I attribute this to my girls getting older (Izzie can do so much on her own now! It has really freed up a lot of my time), my marriage growing stronger (it’s been rewarding to be able to share these burdens/thoughts with my husband in a way that doesn’t burden him but simply allows him to understand me more), and self-care.

What IS self-care, you ask? Well, this answer will and should look different for each person. In essence, it is taking care of yourSELF. Whatever that means to you. In my experience, it was learning WHO I am and WHAT I need most to be the healthiest, happiest me. And then, of course, giving those things to myself.

I’m a big fan of personality tests. Through these tests I have learned SO much about myself, my strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly - the good I bring to this world in my natural state. Meaning, when I am at my healthiest and happiest, what comes most natural to me? What is the good that I can provide to the people I love, and what do I not do well? Self-Care for me this year meant a whole lot of learning what I do best, what I don’t do great, and how to fill in the gaps for the needs of myself and those around me.

In practical terms, this is what all that looked like for me:

  • Learning more about my Myers-Briggs personality and embracing my truths.

  • Reading StrengthsFinder 2.0 and, again, embracing my truths.

  • Speaking my truths outloud to myself, my friends and family. Some examples:

    • I may not be as driven as so-and-so, but I can handle a social environment with grace and I can make people feel loved and comfortable in a way that not a lot of other people can.

    • I may be sensitive, but instead of thinking of this as a negative, I now respect it as a privilege. I can sense when something is “off” in my body almost immediately. I can sense the energy in a room and try my best to either contribute or counteract it, whichever is necessary depending on the circumstances. I can sense when someone nearby is dealing with something heavy and I can be empathetic and careful towards them during that time.

  • Clearing space on my calendar for things that fill my cup. This included a retreat weekend with The Motherhood Collective (for staff), a lot of one-on-one coffee dates with girlfriends, a marriage retreat weekend with Tommy (through our semester with MarriageWorks, which we really loved!), a monthly massage at MassageEnvy, and occasional travel to visit friends and family out of town. All of these things renew my spirit, my body, and help me feel “normal” again during seasons where sometimes I can feel anything but.

  • Indulging in daily connection conversations with friends over the Voxer and MarcoPolo apps on my phone. Mama friends - if you haven’t downloaded Voxer, you are missing out! This is such an amazing way to connect with friends in a low-pressure way! My friends will send me voice messages while they drive down the road (because when else do mamas have time to themselves?!) and I’ll listen to them when I have a few minutes to open the app and listen in. I was able to rebuild and strengthen some of my closest friendships by using these simple apps in 2017.


Shifting to more business and professional investments…
 

17Hats (Client Management System)

For the past few years, I have been using a Client Management System by 17hats. Through this app, I manage all client information, contracts, invoices and workflows. This app is basically my business brain! If you are a photographer and you have more than a handful of clients a year, it would benefit you in huge ways to outsource your business management to an app like this one! It also has capabilities to manage client scheduling, bookkeeping and more.

One big change I made this year was to start using their Lead Capture Form feature. So, now when prospective clients fill out the form on my website, they receive an immediate email response with all of my pricing information and a link to the next step in the booking process! Basically this means my inquiry to booking process is almost fully automated. This has changed my WORLD! I used to spend so many of my office hours trying to tackle emails. However, because of my life season, I also was not in the office every day. That meant that sometimes prospective clients waited many days to hear from me! That’s totally unacceptable this day in age. I am excited for this new automated process and very grateful for the 17hats Management System!

I don’t think I’ll ever run my business without 17hats!

--> My goodness, I wrote this blog post a few days ago and it's amazing what can change in a matter of days! While I LOVE 17hats, it's the Client Management System that really was the game-changer for me. This week I made the decision to begin the process of switching to Tave. I'll write more about this as I settle into a new system and I'll keep you posted about whether it was a good move or not!!  

Acuity Scheduling

Another investment I made in 2017 that I am SO glad I did is using a scheduling software. Setting my business up through Acuity Scheduling has saved me SO much time writing emails back and forth (“Would these dates work for you? No? How about these?”)! Not only that, it has helped me set healthy work/life boundaries for myself and my family.

I created a couple of types of appointments such as Outdoor Portrait Session, Newborn Portrait Session, and more. Then I set my availability for each type of appointment. I can also put a price point on the appointments and require full or partial payment at the time of booking. While this is not currently my practice (because I do most of my invoicing through the 17hats program), it is nice to have available for mini session booking!

But the most valuable aspect of using Acuity Scheduling for me has been protecting my family days. It sounds basic: if you don’t want to book clients on certain days, don’t offer those days. But as an ENFP (see personality type notes above :)) and people-pleaser, I found myself constantly making exceptions for repeat clients and having a hard time saying no. Now I don’t say no, I simply don’t offer. :) It’s a win/win!

Thank you, Acuity Scheduling, for giving me my life back!

Studio Pieces

Throughout 2017 I invested in a couple of projects, furniture and wardrobe pieces in the studio that I am LOVING. Among these investments were new flooring, a nice wrought-iron bed, a neutral colored settee, a new neutral colored wingback chair and a handful of new pieces of clothing for the wardrobe. Having these items sprinkled throughout my images I think have really increased the quality of my work.

The white flooring has added more light to work with in the studio with a great floor-to-ceiling light-bounce, while also bringing a cleaner look to my clients final photos. With white floors, there’s less yellow in the space to work with so the whites are whiter and my images are overall brighter. I really love the new flooring!

In the past, I’ve photographed on a simple air mattress and while it did the job, there’s nothing like the look of a quality bed frame! I am excited to have a new bed in the studio in 2018 as well as a new settee and wingback chair to create different set-ups and add variety to studio sessions!

Here are a few pictures with some of the newest pieces:

 

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And lastly, I’ve gotten my hands on a couple of gems for the studio wardrobe: dresses, blouses, and a few new items for children! I just received the mannequin I ordered (and my friends on Instagram named her Florence ;)) so I can begin creating an online catalog of the wardrobe pieces so clients can peruse the wardrobe from the comfort of their own space. For now, if you are interested in checking out the new wardrobe pieces you’ll need to schedule a complimentary, in-person consultation to come by the studio and see them yourself! I’d love the chance to meet you and talk with you about your photography needs! :)

So those are the big investments I made in 2017 that I’m SO grateful for! They each added quality to my life in their own ways - but all BIG ways! Did you make any big investments last year that you love? I’d love to hear about them!!

You can read more about my reflections on 2017 by clicking here.

Liz Cook is a familybirth and wedding photographer in Central Virginia. She loves to photograph emotional and discreet birth stories, the details of parenthood, and fun and easygoing couples in love.

2018 Goal Setting, Pt. 2

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2018 Goal Setting

With Lara Casey's Powersheets, pt. 2

Yesterday I shared in my 2018 Goal Setting, Pt. 1 blog post about my reflections of 2017 and what I learned throughout the year. Today I am excited to share with you what my goals are and some of the small steps I will be taking to reach each of them!

Much like my goals wayyyy back in 2014, I have found that I am still very content with the idea of enough. I simply want a healthy and happy home life, I want to do everything I can to raise good, God-loving kids, and I hope to contribute to my community in a positive way. So while my goals may not seem all that exciting at first glance, I am really excited at how much I know I'll grow as a person through the work I'll be doing to achieve them!

 

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Without further ado here are my 2018 Goals and the first few steps I plan to take to achieve them this year:

Cultivate a deeper relationship with God.

  • Memorize & meditate on one piece of scripture each month
  • Attend/participate in 1-3 bible studies at my church this year
  • Read: Fervent

Continue to nurture a stronger, healthier marriage.

Give more focused, quality time with the girls.

  • Monthly one-on-one dates with each girl
  • Social Media Free Sundays (or total phone-free Sundays?)
  • Weekly morning devotions with Sunday before school (create a routine with this)

Improve physical & mental health.

  • Be more disciplined with my quiet time/journaling routine and pray about keeping it a priority
  • Explore new podcasts and listen to them while editing in the office (instead of music)
  • Register for 1-3 5k Fun Runs (I'm already registered to do a 5k Foam Race Obstacle Course with a friend in March!)
  • Participate in a 21-30 day yoga challenge/retreat (I hope to do this in the summer when the girls are home and they can do it with me)
  • Allow chores around the house to be exercise! Turn on music and break a sweat while working!
  • Read: Boundaries & Rising Strong

Work towards becoming more financially responsible.

  • Absolutely NO business debt in 2018
  • Close my one and only business credit card
  • Participate in a contentment challenge before July (I'm considering Nancy Ray's challenge)
  • Request a copy of my credit report and analyze it

Continue to seek and implement ways to simplify and automate my business.

  • Pray and ask God to show me what this can look like! Social media assistant? Virtual assistant? Batch editing/writing/projects? I don't know just yet.
  • Research possible editors for session images, pray about this step.
  • Add Monthly Tending dates to my calendar and stick to them!
  • Write / plan blog posts in bulk (I've never done this before but am going to give it a try!!)
  • Read: The ONE Thing 

Seek and implement ways to simplify, automate, and create routines at home.

  • Continue using my weekly planner to keep up with life and stay on top of things
  • Work through the Intentional Mom's Toolkit to explore other possible systems that may work for our family
  • Make Sunday Meal Prep and Taco Tuesdays a weekly routine
  • Design a solid AM & PM routine for the household and make it a habit/rhythm
  • Read: The Miracle Morning & The Lifegiving Home

 

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I know that seems like a lot - but it's really not! It's completely doable and here's why I think this: 

Another big change in my mindset this past year is my plan/hope to approach this year with the 12 Week Year mindset. This means instead of planning ahead for an entire year, I will plan for the upcoming twelve weeks. (Because one year from now my whole life could look different! It doesn't make a lot of sense to plan so specifically for a season so far away.) This has changed EVERYTHING! I can look at the list above and not be overwhelmed at all I have listed because I know so many of those items are for the 2nd, 3rd or even 4th quarter of the year! I'll get to them eventually, but right now I am simply focusing on this first quarter and the progress I can make now. That's so exciting to me! 

Here are ten action steps I've either already taken or I plan to take by the end of January to start reaching my 2018 goals:

  1. Call and close my one business credit card. (done!)
  2. Begin reading Fervent. (started!)
  3. Schedule dates in January for special dates with each girl. (done!)
  4. Register for the winter/spring semester of MarriageWorks. (done!)
  5. Register for the upcoming women's bible study at church. (done! We begin meeting this week!)
  6. Register and begin training for the 5k Foam Race in Charlotte, NC in March. (done!)
  7. Set an alarm on my phone on Sunday mornings for "Social Media Free" days and move social media apps to another screen. (This plays a trick on my mind and when I go to the usual app location out of habit I am reminded that's a social media free day!!) (done!)
  8. Tape this month's scripture card to my bathroom mirror (done!)
  9. Begin researching other fun obstacle course races to do later in the year.
  10. Gather all of my quiet time / journaling materials and place them in a basket near my favorite reading chair. (done!)

So that's that! Let's see how this goes! 

What are some of your 2018 resolutions or goals? I'd love to hear! 

    Liz Cook is a familybirth and wedding photographer in Central Virginia. She loves to photograph emotional and discreet birth stories, the details of parenthood, and fun and easygoing couples in love.

    2018 Goal Setting, Pt. 1

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    2018 Goal Setting

    With Lara Casey's Powersheets

    It is hard to believe January is more than half over! Between the crazy weather (and countless snow days we’ve had), Izzie’s 3rd birthday, Tommy traveling for work, and wrapping up the holiday season, it’s hard for me to believe this month is almost behind us! I spent the last few weeks of December resting, reflecting, of course enjoying the holidays, and also working through my annual Goal Setting process with my favorite goal setting workbook.

    I’ve been using Lara Casey’s Powersheets for my goal planning the past few years (with the exception of last year which I simply declared The Year of My Marriage :)). I love Powersheets because before you even begin to set your goals, there’s an entire section dedicated to walking you through a process of looking back over the past year at what worked, what didn’t work, what your big dreams are, and also asks you big questions like where do you want to be when you’re 80 (talk about perspective!), and more!

    Today I want to share a bit about my personal reflection of 2017 and also what some of my goals look like for 2018. I love to document my annual goal setting process here on the blog because it’s fun to reflect years later and read how far I’ve come.

    So, let’s dive in!

    Cultivated Life Evaluation

    Starting with one of my favorite spreads in the Powersheets this year, the Cultivated Life Evaluation walked me through rating myself in eight areas of life: Health, Friends, Spouse, Family Finances, Spiritual + Personal Growth, Work, and Recreation. For the first time that I can remember, I saw more positive than negative about each of these areas of my life (and also gave myself so much more grace than I usually do). While there is always room to improve in any area, it was so nice to look back and see that I really am doing alright in most areas. And the areas where I’m not doing great - at least I can recognize I’m not doing that great - and I can do something about it!

    The areas I gave myself a positive rating in were: Health, Spouse, Work, Spiritual + Personal Growth, and Recreation. Mostly I recognized that I have improved in those areas over time and I gave myself credit for coming so far! The other areas (Friends, Family (I considered this extended family relationships versus immediate), and Finances) all have room for improvement, but mostly they simply need more of my time. While all of these categories are important to me, there are always going to be items at the very top of my priority list and I feel okay about where things stand for now. Though I do look forward to moving forward and continually improving in all areas.

     

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    What Matters Most To Me

    After working through a series of pages and answering a variety of questions, I was brought to this spread which points to one simple question: What Matters Most To Me?

    Here is what I wrote: A healthy and happy marriage, healthy children (mentally and physically), a business that brings a steady income and healthy routine to our family while adding quality to our community, a core group of friends to love and support, and connection with our extended family.

    I love that every few pages, the Powersheets bring you back to what matters most. They do this by asking specific questions like “Where do you want to be when you are 80?” “What matters most to you today?” Because ultimately, this is the good stuff. Sure, I’d like to put together a freebie download for my website visitors and get my newsletter up and running consistently. But when I’m 80 years old, is that what I will reflect on and be grateful I spent my time doing? Probably not. So while some things matter today, it is always good to remember to focus on what is really important in the long term!

    What Did and Did Not Work?

    Okay, so here we are at one of my favorite parts of the Powersheets prep work. Looking back at what DID and DID NOT work over the past year. I always open my calendar and look back at every appointment, photo session, family adventure, and any other activity I participated in to get the most accurate perspective. As I did this exercise and my lists grew and grew, I got really excited! What amazing lessons I learned!!

    A few of the things that DID work for me were:

    • weekend meal prep

    • regular date nights with Tommy

    • having lunch with the girls at Sunday’s school once a week

    • using a scheduling software for my business

    • embracing audio for books and podcasts

    • family time at the local Jump Trampoline Park (exercise + fun + family = huge win!)

    • indulging in a LOT of self-care (cooking, friend time, personal reflection, etc.)

    And a few things that did NOT work for me were:

    • over-filling our weekends and months

    • not planning ahead for busy seasons of work

    • putting the girls in extracurricular activities (they really haven’t shown a lot of interest and it only adds chaos to our routine)

    • losing a healthy perspective (and focusing on the negative) in certain areas of life

    • not having a consistent morning/evening rhythm/routine at home

    Some of my biggest lessons I see as I look through the items above are:

    • my family thrives on rhythms and routines even if I do not (they are all judgers to my perceiving personality type!! [myers-briggs, anyone??])
    • having the right perspective can change everything
    • keeping things SIMPLE is good!
    • weekly meal prep is completely vital to my success in my personal wellness journey :)

    Once I worked through most of the prep I was directed through steps to find a recurring theme in my work. On p.29 “The Big Picture” page, I wrote the following:

              Simplify

                       Automate

                                 Routines

                                           Rhythm

                                                     ASK for help!

    What can I implement in 2018 to create a peaceful and calm home with predictability for my people?

     

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    Turning the page brings me to the “Choose a Word” page. I considered so many words for this year: space, simple, system, slow, rhythm, cycle, surrender. I shared in my Instastory recently how I had settled on the word SPACE until God laid it on my heart to choose “Surrender” as my word instead. I was genuinely fearful of the word at first. But after some thought and reflection, I thought it only appropriate to surrender to Him and begin the year on the right foot. 

    My word for 2018 is Surrender.

    My question to myself in 2018 is: What will I let go of in 2018?

    Tomorrow I will share Part II of my Goal Setting Process: the goals I’ve come up with and the steps I plan to take to make them happen! If you’ve read this far, Thank You!!!

    Liz Cook Photography specializes in maternity, newborn, birth and family photography in Lynchburg, Virginia and the surrounding areas.

    My Postpartum Story | Maternal Health Matters

    If you've been following me for a while, you are probably no stranger to The Motherhood Collective. This local non-profit is changing lives and I am one of their biggest fans. :) This month (through Mother's Day, May 8th) they are running a campaign to help raise funds to continue the great work they are doing. 

    Every day women around the world give of themselves to nurture and grow the next generation, yet statistics report as many as 1 in 8 women feel ISOLATED and ALONE in their journey from preconception to postpartum. By giving to our campaign, you will be investing in the very foundation of our community.
    — Maternal Health Matters Campaign

    I have set a goal to raise $500 through this campaign and I hope you will help me achieve my goal! Please read my story below about how TMC has personally helped me and deeply affected my life. If you feel led to give to this organization so that they can continue their impactful work, simply click here


    My Postpartum Story

    Because of The Motherhood Collective, I had a safe place. 

    I had a place I could go and connect with other moms. In this safe place, I didn't carry the burden of worry about breastfeeding in public, or letting a few tears of solidarity fall while listening to another mother discuss her new-mama challenges. I could ask for advice and not fear a condescending response, but rather receive support and encouragement. This group was truly a treasured place for me. 

    For years, I attended The Motherhood Collective Cafe and enjoyed camaraderie, asked and even answered questions, and didn't feel quite so alone. 

    But my story really begins years later. 

    Four and half years after I first attended the cafe, I gave birth to my second child. After a few weeks of pure bliss and enjoying every moment of my brand new babymoon... my happy hormones faded away. I found myself in a constant state of anger... lack of patience... using my "cranky" words, as my then three-year-old would say. Sure, I was exhausted. And no, I wasn't sad. Just... impossible. My family was walking on eggshells and my husband began to lean more into his hobbies than his family. I started to become scared for our future together. My family was struggling because I was struggling.

    My years at TMC had prepared me for this. 

    Their informational panels, small group discussions and even recent blog posts had left more than a few important facts in my arsenal. Because of TMC, I knew sadness wasn't the only symptom of Postpartum Depression. After more than a few weeks of my family doing everything they could to help cheer me up, something triggered a breakdown. On the third day of (almost) non-stop crying, I called my midwife's office. I was able to be seen the very next morning and my midwife confirmed my fears: I had Postpartum Depression. I promptly received the help I needed. 

    More than offering me a safe place, The Motherhood Collective saved me. 

    Quite frankly, it saved my marriage. The power of knowledge and the cherished friendships I gained from attending the cafe and playgroups are, for lack of a better word, priceless. 

    Motherhood and those early days of the postpartum season is a passion of mine. As a birth photographer, I have a unique opportunity to connect with moms during this fragile and short season of life, and you better believe every single client of mine receives a direct invitation to attend the next TMC cafe on my calendar. :) 

    My goal for this campaign is to raise at least $500. If my story touched you or if you found it relatable in any way, I would love it if you would spare a few extra dollars to help continue to support this incredible non-profit. 

    The work The Motherhood Collective is doing is saving lives.

    10 Life-Changing Blog Posts for New Moms & Moms-To-Be

    A few weeks ago I was finally able to meet the beautiful and unique soul behind the online personality, Way Crunchy. Azalea moved to my town recently from a city that didn't have a huge natural living community. In fact, she was the leader of the Crunchy Moms group in her larger city. So when she moved to our town with the motivation to bring her philosophy, vision and passions to life in a new area, she was met with a huge natural living community that wasn't necessarily in need of a leader (her words, not mine!).

    After this quick conversation with her, I had a MOMENT! I realized how easy it is to forget that I live in a beautifully unique area with an incredible amount of support available for mamas and that the education I was led to is not always as available to women in other areas. As if I needed another reason to blog about the First 100 Days of having a new baby, right?! :)

    I will say that my chat with Azalea got me off my tush and gave the motivation necessary to work on a handful of new blog posts for my mama blog readers! This brings me to the latest in my First 100 Days Series... 

    Blog Posts for New Moms

    20 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Postpartum
    "20. It Gets Better. Postpartum kind of sucks. It just does. But it does get better. Your baby will sleep eventually. Your boobs will go back to normal (mostly). You’ll have sex again. Life will go on and you’ll figure it out. The haze will lift and you will love motherhood. This time feels endless, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel."

    Tips for New Moms: A Girlfriend's Guide to Birth and the 4th Trimester, Part 2

    10 Self-Care Tips for New Moms
    "3. Buy Postpartum Clothes. Everyone talks about maternity clothes, no one talks about postpartum clothes."

    Ten Things To Keep You More Comfortable Postpartum
    "NO guilt. I just had a patient the other day say “Should I feel guilty when I leave her in the crib like that?” I did a exorcist head spin and said, “NEVER feel guilty for putting your baby down.” The guilt. Leave it behind."

    A Toolkit for Postpartum Anxiety and Panic Symptoms
    "The term postpartum depression can be a disservice to many, many women who struggle during pregnancy and/or postpartum. Many of these women don’t reach out for help because, well, they are not necessarily depressed and so therefore assume that their struggle is not with postpartum depression."

    Blog Posts for Moms-To-Be

    100 Little Things About Pregnancy, Birth, and Being a First-Time Mom 
    "7. Don’t feel guilty if the gender of the baby on the ultrasound isn’t what you were expecting (or hoping for). It’s normal and will pass. (And you will be so happy about your little boy or girl that you’ll forget about it anyway.)" (Sidenote from Liz: I do want to say I completely disagree with #9. Buy whatever it takes for you to feel cute and happy, because 9 months is a long time to feel frumpy and uncomfortable... carrying a baby is tough enough on your body. :))

    Tips for New Moms: A Girlfriend's Guide to Birth and the 4th Trimester, Part 1

    3 Things We Would Have Done Differently
    "As we were driving home from a wedding in Richmond this weekend, Mikey and I reflected on some things we were glad to know now but definitely didn’t for our FIRST born"

    My Biggest Birth Plan Regret
    "My birth plan ended with routine procedures we did and didn't want for our newborn in his (or her) first hours. But the part of childbirth I completely failed to plan for was recovery and bonding."

    No-Fluff Baby List - What Do You REALLY "Need"
    "Unless otherwise noted I recommend getting almost ALL these things used.  Hand-me-downs, buying at consignment stores or thrift stores are a GREAT option.  You have quite a long period of time to get ready for your new baby, spend that looking for great prices on the essentials — that way you’re not stuck with a big bill right as you head into maternity leave."

    These posts speak my language, friends!! I love the variety of information available around the internet, but as great as it can all be, sometimes it can really drain us. I hope a few of the blog posts I shared above will help ENCOURAGE you and help you prepare for and/or feel better about where you are in your motherhood journey. 

    You are doing GREAT, mama! :-*

    P.S. If you are a local mama and you have not yet joined The Motherhood Collective at any of their variety of programs, PLEASE do yourself a favor and treat yo'self to at least ONE attempt at showing up. That's the hardest part, friends... but I know it is SO SO worth it! (And goodness gracious, if you do come and I'm there also, say HI!)


    Liz is a wedding and birth photographer in Central Virginia. She loves to photograph fun and easygoing couples in love as well as emotional and discreet birth stories and just about anything in-between.