As a baby photography mother-daughter team in the Potomac Falls, VA area, we value “Mommy time”! Let’s face it: Being a mom is hard work which is why we believe in the importance of taking the time for ourselves. “Mommy time” is important, and studies have found it’s not just good for our health but just as important for the health of our children.

Recent studies have found – yes, we love to cite studies – that it’s not about how much time you spend with your children, it’s the quality of that time. In 2015, The Washington Post reported on one such groundbreaking study. The prevailing belief in recent years that spending a lot of time with our children is better for them could be wrong, according to researchers at the University of Toronto and Bowling Green State University.

The study found that how much time parents spend with their kids between the ages of 3 and 11 has almost no relationship to how the children turn out, and it has a minimal effect on adolescents. The study also found that “stressed, sleep-deprived, guilty and anxious” mothers could have an adverse effect on their children.

We don’t think it takes a researcher to tell us that if we’re stressed, a child is likely to know it or feel it. As mothers, we can’t avoid all stress, of course, but taking time for ourselves can make a big difference to our families. Happy Mommy, happy family!

As owners of a busy portrait photography studio, we can’t always take several days off and run off to a pricey spa. Busy mommies can’t either! But sometimes just taking a few hours for ourselves is all it takes. Whether you head out for a mani-pedi, a walk, or a few hours of gardening or a movie, it’s important to do something for yourself.

Even a portrait session can be a getaway for a busy mom. Whether it is a maternity, mother and daughter, or family portrait, it’s something focused on you with no work involved for you. We’ve had clients at the end of a session tell us how much fun they had and how easy it was to do their portraits. It was an easy escape with tangible results – beautiful, fine art portraits.

Whatever you decide to do for yourself away from your daily schedule, pick something relaxing and enjoyable!

As a mother-daughter team working with family and baby photography in the Potomac Falls, VA area, we know how important it is for us to take at least a few hours away from our work and everyday home life. We hope you take some time for yourself as well – and do it soon!
 

Baby Photography, Baby Photographer

Ever After Baby Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter baby photography team located in Potomac Falls, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits, including newborn and baby portraits. Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.

Best,
Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!

View Our Portfolio | Ever After Baby Portraits

Our baby photography in the Potomac Falls, VA area comes with the bonus of getting to spend time with our tiniest clients during their portrait sessions! When they are not having their portraits taken, however, there are many things our little clients and their “chaffeurs” can do this summer in the surrounding communities of D.C., Northern Virginia, and Maryland.

Here are 5 fun family ideas from our portrait photography studio for Mom and Dad to do with the baby:

1. The movies. Can you really take a baby to the movies?! Yes, you can! Some area movie theaters offer movies that welcome and accommodate little ones. Check out these:
Silver Babies in Silver Spring, MD.
Cry Baby Matinee: The Angelika Theatre in Fairfax hosts a weekly Cry Baby Matinee for families with young children.

2. The Zoo. When the weather is good, head outdoors to view some wildlife at the National Zoo. Bring your stroller and enjoy the animals – as well as the exercise of pushing the stroller!

3. See all the fishies! If the weather isn’t to your liking, then head indoors to enjoy the aquatic life at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. You’ll need a baby carrier rather than a stroller as strollers aren’t allowed, but you’ll love introducing your child to underwater life.

4. Barnyard animals. If your little ones prefer barnyard animals, then head to the National Park Service’s Oxon Cove Park and Oxon Hill Farm for some farm-style fun.

5. Tour a museum. Don’t hesitate to visit a museum with a small baby. It’s never too early to introduce a child to great art; and pushing a stroller around a museum – especially on a slow visitor day – is a great way for the parent to enjoy themselves as well. You can plan on enjoying the museum’s cafe, too, so pack your baby’s lunch or a snack.

We hope you enjoy the many bounties of the Northern Virginia, Maryland, and DC area! There’s much to offer families with young children. If you’d like to schedule your next family portrait, newborn portraits, or baby photography, please contact our studio near Potomac Falls, VA.
 

Baby Photography, Baby Photographer

Ever After Baby Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter baby photography team located in Sterling, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits, including newborn and baby portraits. Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.

Best,
Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!

View Our Portfolio | Ever After Baby Portraits