Ohhhh Baby! Pregnancy Announcement Photo-Shoot

We are expecting our second child. Even writing that one sentence freaks me out a bit. We have been a one child household for so long (because 4 years is clearly forever) and as I have been settling into this thought and clearly growing, as verification that the thought is a reality, I decided to wait a while to make an announcement. A Jolie has been so busy with events and truth be told, as they say…every pregnancy is different, well this one….is why they created that saying! (Trust me! I will share that side of this journey another time)

With all things life swirling around us, I sought out to find a photographer. Hoping someone could help me bring my baby announcement to some kind of creative happy medium. Let’s be honest here, baby announcements have evolved, even in the last four years! It’s like a thing. I felt more pressure then I do designing, while trying to think of an announcement theme. Do I do the “big sister”…”baby on board”…baby shoes on floor…. I mean the footprint is out there for duplicating an awesomely creative idea.

Here is where the creator in me met a brick wall. I, of course, wanted to do something different. I thought about altering one of the ideas I saw on Pintrest or in my google search, but that just wasn’t my style. So in true Justine fashion, something so simple made me toss and turn and lay awake for a few nights. Oh the life of a mom!

I thought of Aidan and the things she loves, and I finally arrived at two ideas. At the end of the day this transition will be life changing for us all (of course all parents of multiple children have been drilling that in my head). I want Aidan’s transition to be as smooth as I can make it, she is my sidekick after all. In putting all this together, I came up with the one thing we as a family have been lovely  tortured through since she was two…tea parties!Oh yes! A Family Tea Party!

We live, work and play in sunny South Florida. Of course we have done the beach photo shoots a lot and I do love the beach but wanted something different! Kudos to my photographer because she found the perfect park! I didn’t even know that a park so familiar to me growing up in the north east existed here in Florida.

We had the park and the theme, woho! Now onto accessories! The tea set was a thing I had to find, knowing I wanted something traditional, large and antique…to the thrift store I went. Finally coming across the perfect set, I must admit…in design and my personal life… oh how I love a thrift store! The sign, after playing with the idea of getting a reserved sign from a restaurant, I decided to add a little A Jolie Design to the announcement and create our own sign. This one is gender neutral and even includes our little ones picture.

Here are the photos! The all time best bonus was that my longtime and most trusted  OB/GYN Dr. Laanalee Araba Sam of Elite OB/GYN (www.eliteobgyn.com) made an appearance to make our photo-shoot all the more exciting and fun!

The essentials: Tea-set (Thrift Store) Table and Chairs (Ikea) Cupcakes (Local Supermarket) Aidan’s Dress (Gymboree) Custom Reserved Sign (A Jolie Design)

Photo credit: Natalie Atick Photography www.natalieatick.com

-J