These photos are a little bit indulgent, but Augustus turned 1 year old on August 10, which means that I’ve been breastfeeding him for a year and also that I’m almost DONE breastfeeding him.
In the past 3 years, I’ve had 2 beautiful, healthy, perfect babies cut out of me. I pumped round the clock for a year with Xander. I breastfed Augustus for a year. Through 2 pregnancies, I gained 50 pounds. After my second c-section, I had searing pain every time I bent, lifted, turned or stood up for a full 7 months. My body has not been my own in 3 years and often I don’t recognize myself in the mirror. But, my abdomen is starting to heal and get stronger. And soon, I will not be a milk machine and I’m excited about that. I’ve loved breastfeeding Augustus and I will probably miss it. I knew I would regret it if I didn’t get a nice photo of us together.
I felt a little ridiculous requesting these photos, but they are a celebration of the last 3 years- 2 babies created, fed and growing up too fast. Reid, our camp photographer from last year is visiting this week and he’s an awesome artist. I knew he could take a pinterest-worthy photo that made me look beautiful, even though I was super sweaty, tired after a long day and wrangling 2 boys up past their bedtime (so we had the best light). He’s a 20 something dude who mostly photographs bands, so there’s no way he can understand how meaningful these are, but he did such a great job and I couldn’t be happier.
