Messy Momma Memories

06/11/2026

Some of the best childhood memories start with permission to make a mess. 🍰

That’s exactly why I love cake smash sessions.

They aren’t just about celebrating a first birthday. They’re about letting your little one explore, play, get messy, laugh, and be completely themselves. No pressure. No expectations. Just a whole lot of personality packed into one session.

And the best part? A cake smash can be anything you want it to be.

Love flowers? Let’s do flowers.
Obsessed with summer? Let’s add water play.
Want something simple and timeless? We can do that too.
Have a completely wild idea? Those are usually my favorite.

The days of every cake smash looking the same are long gone. Let’s create something that feels like your family and your little one.

Summer milestone and family sessions are filling up quickly, and I do offer weekday mini sessions for busy families who need a little more flexibility.

What theme would your child have chosen for their first birthday? Tell me below 👇

06/09/2026

Messy Momma Memories wouldn’t be where it is today without all of you.

Every session you’ve booked, every post you’ve shared, every friend you’ve referred, and every family who trusted me with their memories has helped build this little dream into something bigger than I ever imagined.

So while this nomination has my name on it, it really belongs to all of us. ❤️

If you’d like to support my business, I’d be so grateful for your vote. You can vote once per day through July 5.

A win for Messy Momma Memories is a win for this amazing community that has supported me every step of the way.

Vote here:
https://shawnews.secondstreetapp.com/NWH-Best-of-the-Fox-2026/gallery/?group=549228&brid=YWdncwF4AnBsrQ9Yvl13A2MbCWSm

06/08/2026

Hey everyone. Can you please take a moment to vote for me for best of the fox it would mean the world to me!!!

Vote now in the 2026 McHenry County Best of the Fox Readers' Choice contest. Tell us who your favorites are in categories such as Dining, Entertainment, Retail and more!

06/06/2026

There is something about summer maternity sessions that just hits differently ✨

Maybe it’s the warm nights, the city lights reflecting off the buildings, the way golden hour wraps around growing bellies, or maybe it’s because this season of waiting feels a little softer in the summertime.

Pregnancy can feel long while you’re in it. The appointments, the planning, the exhaustion, the wondering who this tiny person will become.

Then suddenly, they’re here.

That’s why maternity photos matter. They freeze the in-between. The waiting. The excitement. The version of you that is becoming a mom for the first time or all over again.

Downtown Chicago summer sessions are quickly becoming one of my favorite ways to document this chapter. Big city views, dreamy evening light, and your story right in the middle of it all 🤍

Also, a little heads up because I never want moms scrambling last minute... summer weekend availability is filling FAST for maternity, birth, and newborn sessions.

If you’re expecting this summer or fall, now is the time to start planning.

Tell me below... city sessions or nature sessions? 👇

06/06/2026

One minute you’re counting contractions… and the next, you’re counting fingers and toes. 🤍

Birth is one of the only days in your life where everything changes in a matter of moments.

The shaky hands.
The deep breaths between contractions.
Your partner looking at you like they’ve never been more proud.
The moment your baby cries for the first time.
The tiny details you swear you’ll never forget… until sleep deprivation and survival mode take over.

That is why birth photography matters.

Because these images are not just for today. They are for the moments years from now when you want to remember exactly how strong you were, how loved your baby was before they even arrived, and how your family story began.

Being invited into labor, delivery, and those first quiet Fresh 48 moments is something I never take lightly. These are the chapters that deserve to be remembered.

If birth photography has ever crossed your mind while planning your delivery, this is your sign to ask the questions ❤️

Would you want your birth story documented, or is it something you never considered before?

06/03/2026

Maybe love doesn’t always look like grand gestures. Maybe sometimes it looks like climbing into a canoe, floating down a river, and forgetting about the rest of the world for a little while 🤍

This image from our styled shoot this past weekend feels like something pulled from a memory instead of a photo. The kind of image you look back on years later and remember exactly how that season of life felt.

And honestly? These are the sessions I want more of.

The adventurous ones.
The playful ones.
The ones where you leave a little wet, laugh a lot, and create something that actually feels like you.

Also… can we talk about how incredible this setup turned out? Because I’m already dreaming up more water sessions and more creative shoots for couples, families, and photographers this summer 👀

Would you get in the canoe for photos or stay safely on shore? Tell me below ⬇️

Model:
Photographer: Messy Momma Memories

06/03/2026

📔🍋 Some sessions deserve to feel like they belong in a storybook… and this one did. ✨

This was the VERY first styled shoot and I ever created together and honestly… we had no idea what to expect.

What happened? We completely sold out. 🤍

Seeing photographers show up, create, connect, and bring our vision to life made us realize this definitely won’t be the last one. Thank you ladies for showing up and showing out! More styled shoots are coming this year and we already have ideas brewing 👀

When we dreamed this up, we wanted something playful, romantic, a little nostalgic, and full of the kind of moments families actually want to remember years from now.

Because the truth is… your kids will never remember if your hair was perfect or if everyone looked at the camera. They’ll remember twirling barefoot, snuggling close, laughing too hard, and feeling loved.

Summer sessions are officially in full swing and if you’ve been saving inspiration photos wondering if this is your sign… this is probably it 🤍

Would you want to see more styled shoots like this? And if you were booking your own session, would you choose dreamy and romantic or playful and messy? Tell me below 👇

Styled + photographed by:
Styled shoot partner:
Model:

05/31/2026

Isn’t she lovely 🤍

One day those tiny fingers won’t wrap around yours quite as tightly. The sleepy stretches, milk-drunk smiles, flaky little toes, and the way they fit perfectly on your chest changes faster than anyone warns you about.

My studio newborn sessions are designed to be calm, baby led, and focused on preserving this chapter exactly as it feels right now. Family photos, sibling snuggles, tiny details, and all the love that brought your baby here.

Because these first days deserve more than phone pictures hidden in your camera roll.

Currently booking newborn sessions based on due dates. Reach out early so we can save your spot ✨

05/30/2026

I wanna smash cake all night and make messes every day 🎂

And honestly? That’s exactly what turning ONE is all about. Sticky fingers. Frosting-covered toes. Cookie crumbs in places Mom will find three days later.

Because the best birthdays are the ones where you let them make the mess, eat the cake, and laugh way too hard. 🍰 🥛

Who else thinks cake tastes better when you wear half of it? 👇