After hearing about me from a friend (who’s adorable little girl you’ll see around these parts soon!), Carmen contacted me for maternity photos. The weather had been super icky (and I like to shoot outdoors)…and it was her husband’s birthday…and it was the 4th of July.

But, we made it work. And we had some hilarious outtakes. Carmen had bought some sparklers to use in photos (think: those awesome wedding send-off pictures with sparklers). We snuck off to a secluded place in the park we were at (we didn’t want to get in trouble lighting sparklers in a park!). But it went so, so wrong. The sparklers basically put off NO sparkle…and TONS of smoke. Within seconds of lighting them, both Carmen and Donovan were consumed in a cloud of smoke–it was an inevitable fit of laughter from us all. I was *sure* we would get busted for our little fireworks!

Carmen was absolutely glowing. She had the most adorable baby bump, and made me miss my own pregnancy (the things I thought I’d never say…).

Little Miss Harper was born a few weeks after—I’ll post some of her newborn photos soon 🙂