Marlana + Matthew

Couples

Mar 5

Wisconsin Maternity

The snow and I haven’t been as friendly with each other this year as we typically are. Most winters, Kev and I out snowshoeing regularly, letting the dog romp and play in the fluffy powder as we explore the trails. This year, we were excited to get the little mister out with us for his first experiences with a Midwest winter and had his mini sunglasses, adorable bear suits (I mean, come on - snow suits that make him look like a baby bear when the hood is up…can it get any cuter than that?!), and fuzzy flannel hat lined up with a handy baby carrier to make outdoor excursions easier on Mom and Dad.

Are you sensing there is a massive “but” that’s about to pop up and cramp our style? Well, here it is! Buuuut, then we found out that our pup needed surgery on her knee right as winter was hitting its stride. She has been required to be on a leash every time she ventures outside in order to limit the running and jumping that she loves so much in order to ensure she heals well and gradually rebuilds the muscles in her leg without injuring herself even more in the process. Now, things could definitely be much worse; we’re beyond grateful that her procedure went well and she does seem to be making improvements each week. However, when our options for outside-the-home activities are already quite limited due to general Covid-19 restrictions (along with baby’s nap schedules, in our case), not being able to include her in our usual snowy excursions took a bit of the fun out of it all.

Couple that with the crazy cold streak we had a few weeks back, and I was BEYOND ready for spring to arrive. That is, until I drove back to central Wisconsin for Matthew and Marlana’s maternity session and discovered fresh snow on the ground, temps in the upper twenties, and stunning scenery on his family’s land…this, my friends, is what maternity session dreams are made of! (Did typing that immediately get “What Dreams are Made of” from the Lizzie McGuire Movie stuck in my head? Oh yeah. Am I dating myself by calling out that reference? Definitely…but I don’t mind at all. I’m too busy adding it to my watch list on Disney+ to worry about that.)

Mother nature smiled down on us and gave us the soft, sparkly flakes of a magical snowglobe just as we were finishing up the shoot. If I figure out how to recreate that magic on demand, I’ll be sure to pass it along. :)