Back in June I received a phone call, the kind that I guess that you never want to receive but also the kind that I felt blessed to have received.. and soon you will understand why..

Courtney, the sister of a dear friend and past client of mine rang me and mentioned that what she was going to ask me was 'quite a sensitive matter' both time sensitive and emotionally. 

She then went on to say that her sister Rachel was pregnant with her third baby and Courtney was wondering if I would be available to capture a maternity session for her sister and if possible bubs birth as well. 

Without a second thought my heart said yes... but before I could answer Courtney went on to say Rachel's little bub has Trisomy 18.. and after having many scans and tests done they had been told that that this tiny little bubba wouldn't make it.

My throat instantly swelled, tears fell and my heart seriously broke for Rachel and Jake...
I couldn't get my head around it, I mean this gorgeous couple already have two perfectly healthy, gorgeous kids.. so why and how... could this happen to them!!

I told Courtney instantly that I was in, that I would be honoured to capture their memories and document this little bubbas life!

I say it all the time but to me photography is so much more then 'images', its creating lasting memories of moments we may never get back.. and these moments for Rachel and Jake, well they were exactly that! 

Although baby Luca passed before his arrival, his little life, his story and the immense love of his family has touched my heart and changed me forever. It was such an honor to be present during this incredibly emotional time. 

Little Luca has taught me is to never take life for granted.. love those you have, with all that you have and live a life full of gratitude! 

​Bee x

To help give you a little information about Trisomy 18, here is an excerpt from chromosome18.org:
“Babies with Trisomy 18 typically have complex medical problems. Birth defects are very common in these babies. They may have defects of the heart, brain, spinal cord, and other internal organs. Cleft lips and palates are also more common in babies with Trisomy 18. They may have hand and foot anomalies. Babies with Trisomy 18 may have difficulty regulating their breathing and temperature. They may also be unable to feed properly. Because of the large number of potential medical problems, babies with Trisomy 18 are usually considered “medically fragile”. Most children with Trisomy 18 die before or shortly after birth.”
​

Amanda and Todd were the lucky winners of my Mother's Day 2018 Competition! So not only did I capture there stunning sunset Maternity Session.. I also got to meet and snuggle their amazingly gorgeous bubba, Romy! I deadset have the best job in the world!!!

On the 24th of July I popped into the Sunshine Coast University Hospital to meet and snuggle this gorgeous baby girl.. not even 24hrs after she arrived!

Jasmine and Jamie.. well done...!!! Addison (all 6.3 pounds of her) is utter perfection.. 

I don't have rules for my sessions.. I let your kids lead me. If they want to cuddle we cuddle, if they want to move and play, we move and play.. if they need food then I am totally ok to wait and have a chat. My sessions come with no pressure because I want you and your entire family to be comfortable and feel completely free to be yourself. In the unposed, unrestricted moments.. that is when the magic happens... 
I love my job... and I love capturing your story! 

It's hard to put into words how difficult it is to lose a parent, even as an adult, it's so damn hard. I miss my dad daily.
He was my superhero, my protector, my go to when the world was too scary to face. My dad was the person to give me advise and to give me direction, he was the silly that made me smile... he ran beside my pony when I was little and held my hand as I walked down the aisle. He was so proud of all my babies (even when they drove him bloody nuts with the ‘bullshit chit chat’ haha) For my entire life my dad was my best mate and I truly thought he was unbreakable…

Then, 7 months after having my third bub, when Jason and I were planning to relocate from the Sunshine Coast back down to Brissy, to raise the kids closer to my family, he told me he would be ‘leaving soon’.
I couldn’t get my head around the words ‘terminal cancer’. I mean… how could it be ‘terminal’, this is my dad… he could beat it!!!

But he didn’t.

He told me the news on Father’s Day 2012… Father’s Day! Of all bloody days!
And then he checked out on the 28th of November, only two months later.

He had known for quite a while before he told me but he chose not to let me in on it..  I had just had my little baby girl and wanted me to enjoy getting to know her without the 'extra stress'.
As a parent I can understand wanting to shelter your child from pain and wanting nothing but happiness for them..
BUT as his daughter… who would have LOVED a million more moments to make memories with him… a million more moments to take in every little detail about his face, to memory bank the way he cuddled and the way his hair smelt and the sound of his voice… I was SOOOOOO angry at him!

By the time he did tell me, he was already so sick.. and his weight had started to drastically drop, so he, being the proud man that he was, didn’t want me to take photos of him looking like that.
He wanted me to remember him in his healthier days… and it wasn’t until I was collecting photographs for his funeral that I realised, there really wasn’t a lot of photos with him in them. A majority of his photo collection was of me growing up or him and I when I was really little. My teenage years were a collection of horse photos and my friends and then as I got older there were heaps of me and Jason or us and the kids... but there really was nothing much {or anything nice really} of me and my dad! 

This literally broke my heart… and by the time I realised… it was too late!

I would never have the chance to be in the photo with my dadda ever again...!!!

If I had known earlier, how important something as simply as a photo session with my dad could be, no amount of money in the world could stop me from doing it. I wouldn't have taken no for an answer, I wouldn't have cared if I was still carrying baby weight... I would of made it happen!

Memories with the people you love… they are PRICELESS!

To this day, almost 6 years later, I still long for my dad.
I still have days where the ache in my heart takes my breath away…
There is nothing I wouldn’t give for just one more moment, one more chance to see him, to adore him… to tell him how much he means to me.

So, with Father’s Day approaching, as my own heart gets a little heavier… I urge you… cherish your dad…... tell him your grateful, tell him you love him..... and capture your memories together!! 

Get in the photo!!!

​Bee x

​https://canceraustralia.gov.au/healthy-living/campaigns-events/lung-cancer-awareness-month

Back in 2015 I had the honour of photographing Amy and Jim's magical wedding day in Noosa, so when Amy contacted me about being her newborn photographer, I was over the moon!
​I love being able to share my clients milestones.. I love being allowed to witness, and in a way share in their story.. 

Being a photographer is the best job in the world.. because it never feels like work. Every session is new and exciting and based around family and love.. 

​People always email me and ask if I have any space available for their newborn session.. and I ALWAYS say yes, even days before your due or when im otherwise pretty flippen busy.. When it comes to newbies.. I will ALWAYS find a space. These sessions are my fave.. my absolute happy place.. and how could they not be.. I get to snuggle perfect little bubbas all the time.. {sigh}

Having your session within your own home is amazing.. not only because it brings your own style and personality to the images but also because we don't need to wait for 'golden hour' and rainy days are no problemo, so yes.... I will be able to capture your bubba's arrival memories and I would absolutely LOVE too! 

Brand new baby wrinkles, tiny hands and feet, those gorgeous/humongous baby yawns.. I wouldn't miss it for the world! 

I met baby J on a rainy day back in May and boy, oh boy.. didn't he just deliver the cuteness!!

So today while my gorgeous husby was off working hard for our fam, the kids and I decided to create some memories together. 
I am always saying how important it is for us parents to be in the photos with our kids but when I was looking through my own photo albums I realised, other then phone selfies.. im always behind the camera. 
Today is the start of a new tradition.. every 6 months I will grab the tripod out and we will capture our adventures.. and next time Jason will be with us too! {whether he wants to or not... 'happy wife, happy life' haha} 

Amanda was the lucky winner of my Mother's Day Mini Package.. she won a 30 minute maternity session as well as a 30 minute newborn session, with 10 digital images from BOTH!
Over $800 worth of prizes..

The Maternity session was jaw dropping beautiful.. so bring on the newbie session and LOADS of baby snuggles!! I can't wait!! 

​As a mum of three I have literally experienced most, if not all of these with my babes but I also hear or see this so regularly with my clients & friends kiddos too! I know how stressful it can be for us parents and more so for our little babes BUT I have personally found a way to make it all better.. and her name is Dr Louise Christophersen and she is my amazing Chiropractor and friend!

Louise has been my first go to for any health or body problems for the past 7 years.. I first saw Louise when I was pregnant and on bed rest (from 18 weeks along 🙄) with my third. Doctors and my then physio had said that I may never walk properly again because pregnancy related pelvic problems and after months of seeing them and still feeling like a bag of poo I went in search of something that might take even 5% of my pain away..this is when I found Louise.. 🙌
After one adjustment.. JUST ONE.. I was walking properly and pain free. So she became my go to {fix it lady} for the rest of my pregnancy haha

When Bell was born she would only sleep on her belly or in our arms. With two other kids to look after this was really testing but after 2 weeks of struggling I booked into Louise for myself and spilled my guts about how hard things had been. She told me that she can't guarantee anything but 'may' be able to help Bella sleep if I wanted to give it a go.. um.. HECK YES!!! After ONE super gentle adjustment { or "back rub" as my kids call them} Bella was sleeping on her back..<3 As it turns out her labour had just moved her little body out of alignment and when she was placed on her back it was triggering nerves.. it does makes sense to me.. I mean, it's not like labour is all that 'gentle..' on mum or bub.. 
So we continued seeing Louise for me and bub and would you believe it.. at 6 weeks of age she started sleeping through.. from 10pm-5am!!!

So when this happened and I had a newbie sleeping through.. I thought Id ask about my older daughter Meisha's sleeping issues.. she was 4.5yrs old and still woke up once a night with night terrors. Louise checked her out and what do you know.. she was so, completely out.. in her neck, back and hips... no wonder my little monkey was struggling to relax. After her adjustment.. she SLEPT through the night.. I was like hallelujah!!!!!!!! Louise.. you are some kind of wonderful!

I cannot rave about this woman enough.. she is totally humble about it but honestly..she is THE BEST! She is gentle, easy to talk to, down to earth, talks you and your kids right through it all and believe it or not, her adjustments are affordable!

I have worked with newborns who couldn't breastfeed on one side, some that wouldn't sleep on their back, I have had friends with kids that had bowel problems and some that had kids still wetting the bed at 8yrs old. After referring them to see Louise and hearing that she has helped all their kiddies too I just thought it was about bloody time that I shared my stories with EVERYONE..

So from this mumma to you.. if you are having any of these issues and need help, please get in touch with Louise.. She will change your life.. just like she has changed mine!
​
Bee x