Waiting on a Rainbow (with a little sewing on the side)

I had every intention of getting some maternity photos with this pregnancy around 34-35 weeks -- after all the heartache we've been through in the last four years, this "rainbow" pregnancy was certainly something to commemorate. And I've always regretted not getting decent bump photos with most of my babies (only Little Man has a handful of "maternity" photos, taken in my parents' back yard -- my goodness, my husband and I look like babies ourselves!). I knew exactly what I wanted to wear, the absolutely lovely "Eliza" dress from Emme Mama. The only problem was the price tag...it's hard to justify spending more on a cotton gauze everyday dress than I did on my silk wedding gown, even though it's a company I'd love to support because of their ethical manufacturing. I decided to try my hand at drafting my own dress, and even made a trial run before we moved (which was a significant help, as it turned out). 

And then our house needed more renovations than anticipated (well, not all of them were needed), and our shipment was delayed by a month... As you can imagine, sewing a new dress was hardly my top priority when our belongings finally showed up. I finally managed to squeeze in some sewing, and finished my "knock off" dress just before 37 weeks. Cutting it a bit close, wouldn't you say? Though during the delay, I remembered a local museum that has the loveliest grounds. It turned out to be the perfect setting, and we all wished we could stay longer (we were trying to find the happy medium between closing time and golden hour, so our visit was a bit rushed). I suppose we'll just have to go back! 

Back to the dress details:

Even with some experience to guide me, I had to tweak (and tweak, and tweak again) to get the fit right. After the first try-on, I had to reduce the length/circumference of the puffed sleeves and hack almost eight inches off the skirt -- which meant removing and reattaching the ruffle. At which point, I realized that the ruffle just wasn't full enough, and still a bit too long. So it was removed again, expanded to include an extra length of fabric, and re-hemmed. 

I feel a bit narcissistic posting so many photos of just me (and Kit, by default!), but I've omitted photos with my husband and children for the sake of privacy. I promise that the rest of the family was involved; the littles have been so excited to welcome a new baby to the family, and it was truly sweet to capture memories with them as we all anticipate this little rainbow's arrival.

It seems foolish to make a maternity dress only a few weeks from delivery! But it should prove a boon during that awkward postpartum stage (and beyond, for that matter); it's insanely comfortable and nursing friendly. Besides, it has a decidedly autumnal flair, so I suppose it wouldn't have been ideal for the blistering summer we've had.

I found my cotton gauze on Etsy -- the five yards I purchased yielded the dress with plenty to spare (in fact, I've already made a wee pair of Misusu Olli pants and a bandana bib for Kit with the leftovers, and still have a yard or so left). It washed up beautifully, with a slightly squishy texture. In the end, the fabric cost about a fourth of the "inspiration" dress...considerably more budget friendly.

I debated hiring a photographer for a maternity shoot, but in the end I'm glad it was just us -- I didn't need or want a whole album of photos, especially since there are only so many ways to pose with "the bump." But I did want to capture a few memories of a season that's come after so much waiting and prayer. Thanks to my in-house photographers (i.e., my husband and oldest son), a tripod/remote, and a bit of help from Lightroom, we were able to do just that. We even managed to get a full-family photo, which is a bit of a shock considering how many people and how little time we had. *wink*

It's surreal to be here, in the final days before we meet this sweet boy, Lord willing. My heart overflows with gratitude for the Lord's undeserved mercies in bringing us to this point. So many times as we walked (stumbled? crawled?) through the valley of grief and recurrent loss, I wondered if the clouds would ever part. The darkness seemed so consuming and so endless at times. It's true, the scars of loss will never fully heal on this side of eternity -- I will always be a mama missing her babies until He wipes away my tears for good. And let me be quick to say that a "rainbow baby" was not the inevitable outcome of our valley sojourn, nor the only way God could bring healing and hope to our hearts. But I am so grateful for this little life, this tiny soul who has already brought so much joy to our family. He is not a "replacement" for the sweet babies we lost; he is a precious gift entrusted to our care. A gift that we do not take for granted.

We're ready to meet you, Little Kit!