I am at a loss for words, I never believed something so long awaited could be the most beautiful feeling in the world.  I didn't think much of my pregnancy as it was pretty normal and easy to say the least in comparison to others' experiences.  I had energy during the second trimester and into the third I was just ready to meet our little one. 

Aldo, my husband, and I decided early on that we didn't want to know the sex of the baby until the day came to meet him or her.  It's incredible that we didn't cave in and actually had fun not knowing, because in the end, it didn't matter to us.  Our baby, whether girl or boy, would be loved no matter what and as long as the  baby was healthy, that's that that mattered.

Finally the day came and my doctor opted to induce me.  The reason being is because our little one was not growing inside anymore and since they were full term, it was best to let him or her grow outside of the womb.  I was all for it.  I just wanted to meet this little one already!  We got to the hospital, Aldo meeting me there a couple of hours after. 

Friday came and our little Leon was born at 3:21pm weighing a solid 6 pounds.  First words out of my husbands mouth when Leon finally made his debut:  

"He is perfect.  Just perfect."

And he continues to be.  Everything they say about having a child is completely true, you have to live it to really appreciate it.  But never could you feel a love so intense and so natural.  Thanks to God for this little blessing.  I'm excited to watch him grow and get to know him.  

World, meet Leon.  

When I found out I was pregnant, I immediately thought of doing a studio type of session when the time came.  I was super happy to have my husband take the others in the mountains for me and they are some of my favorites, however, these in studio just have a different feel.  I am so happy with them!!!

If you know me, you know that I'm not particularly fond of showing so much skin but being pregnant I feel like the tummy needs to be shown off!  I love it when my clients show off their baby bumps and so I too had a lot of fun. 

We took our own photos right here in our home last night and it was such a great experience to be able to take photos and pose all while trying to beat the 10 second timer, haha.  

So here they are! (You can see Part I HERE.)

Sometimes, things don't go so according to plan and you end up with even better results! We were headed to the beach on Saturday to take these but low and behold, it was pouring rain.  Like thunderstorm and wind pouring.  No chance of getting any sunlight at all.  So we aborted the mission and on our way home, Aldo turned to me and said, "Can I take some with the hills and the fog if we find a good spot?" I said, "Sure!"  As we made our way back home, we found a few good spots and quickly jumped out to take some photos.  

I love that Aldo has such a different perspective when it comes to taking photos and he can always make me feel absolutely comfortable in front of the camera.  

I LOVE these photos!!!

This is only part one.  Part two is coming soon ;).   We are so ready to meet this little baby of ours... the due date can't come soon enough!

I've been living outside of the US for almost 4 years now.  I can't believe that it's been that long! I have to say that since moving here to Nayarit, the pros definitely outweigh the cons.  

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Some of my favorite things about living in Nayarit in no particular order.

• Being so close to the beach!  Within an hour and I'm on a beautiful beach with the most beautiful sunsets and lukewarm water.  
• Being close to bigger cities like Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta- which means we have access to lots of festivals, concerts, and major events and don't feel like we miss out on anything. 
• Having so many places to go and see! There are so many beaches, the sierras, the lagunas, waterfalls, trails, natural springs, and many Pueblos Magicos like Tequila, Sayulita, and Jala just to name a few.  We have so many places to explore still!
• The people here are just so nice.  Everyone is very amicable and always helps you out if you need it.  
• Direct flights to Tijuana so that I can always be a  3 hour flight away from my family just in case I need something.  Or when they come visit :D
• THE WEATHER.  I have to put this in caps because we have simply the best weather out of all the regions nearby.  During the spring it's cold morning and evening and during the day a little hot and humid but never over 90 degrees.  In the summer the fog rolls in and it rains non-stop the whole time.  Fall and winter get cooler and fresh with out any of the humidity but you'll get perfect 75 degree days in between.  Still perfect weather to hit the beach!
• Public transportation is really functional here.  Taxi's are not at all expensive and there are more buses passing through at all times of the day.  We've used them to festivals, events downtown, or at night when we want to go to a bar. And if you live here without a car, you can even take a bus to the beaches and surrounding cities.  
• Destination weddings! I love to photograph weddings and weddings that take place on the beach are my absolute favorite!!! I love it when people come here from the US or Canada and get married here.  It's just so much fun! If you want to know more about destination weddings click HERE to read the post I wrote ;).  
• We adopted Sasha, which has brought sooo much joy into our lives and she loves to go out and adventure with us.  We take her with us whenever we can, otherwise we just think of her the whole time! 

And now that we're expecting a little one, we can't wait to go to the beach and explore all of the amazing places we've been to and still have left to see! It's like every time we leave the house, there is something new - we love that feeling.

It's been a crazy ride but sooo worth it.  The Riviera Nayarit is full of adventure and relaxation so if you're on a fence about coming, just do it already.  You won't regret it at all ever! 

Matachen Beach

Tequila, Jalisco Pueblo magico

Tequila, Jalisco

Puerto Vallarta

Corona Sunsets Festival Puerto Vallarta

Santa Maria del Oro Laguna

San Blas Beach

Puerto Vallarta

Tovara (Crocodile Sanctuary)

Sayulita Pueblo magico

Puerto Vallarta

How can I begin to describe this incredible journey we have been on for the last two years? From the moment I made the decision to move and "see how it'll go," to the nerve-wrecking walk down the aisle to find your hand in mine as we said "I Do,"  to the 15 hour car ride full of "only the important things" and making a new life together in Nayarit.  Now, as we embark on this new adventure of becoming parents, I can say with certainty that God has always had bigger plans for us.  Always showing us that we were meant to walk this path together.  

Mostly though, I love how we've been able to just groove to each others' vibe and make our lives together worthwhile.  Thank you for going on this crazy wild ride with me and always knowing that our philosophy in life is the glue that holds us together.  I can't wait to see what this next year brings! Other than a baby, of course!

Like they say, "All love stories are wonderful, but ours is my favorite."  This couldn't be more true.  Here is to many more adventures together on this journey called Life.  

Wedding photos by Brenda at Bravo Weddings.  

I'm not one to announce big news to the world - mostly because I don't like the attention but I do think this is such incredible news!

I was not sure if I ever wanted to have a baby.  It sounded like a good dream but then you get married and the pressure starts to set in with everyone asking "when are you going to have a baby?!" couple that with my age (30), pressure is an understatement.  So, my husband and I discussed it and we felt that leaving it up to God was just the right thing to do.  Plus, it took all the pressure off of actually having to make the decision.  Three months later, we were surprised with the news that it was really happening.  

We'll be a family of 4 now :)

As my belly continues to grow, I get more and more excited that there is a life inside of me.  That it is growing and taking shape.  I don't feel much of anything yet, I'm only three months in, but it's really incredible.  Pregnancy isn't easy though, I do have to admit.  There's the nausea, morning sickness, the weird way old smells get worse, and the never ending hungry streak... but I know it's not forever and I am excited to see how it goes from here on out.  

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So that's the big news guys.  Just wanted to write it out here :). 

Just as fyi, I won't be able to photograph anything from August until November.  I plan on taking that time off to enjoy the last bit of this process, this journey.  I'll keep you updated as time goes on :).  

haha my husband was set on sending out this announcement... mine was more frilly.  but i can't help how funny it is!

Have any good advice for this new mama-to-be?? Tell me in the comments! I need all the advice I can get ;)

One of the perks of having your husband work in a school is Spring Break! He gets the two weeks off and since I work from home, I do too!  It's great for planning trips or having people visit or just lounging around and binging on Netflix.  

After we had some friends come and go, we were left wanting to explore some place new.  So we got in the car and headed down the highway towards Guadalajara, which is only a few hours from us here in Nayarit.  We stopped in Tequila, Jalisco.  Yep, that shot of Jose Cuervo that you get at a bar for a whopping $10 bucks, or whatever the going rate is now, is made right here in Tequila.  All official tequilas are made here and if it isn't made here, then you're not drinking real tequila.  So make sure you check your labels and know what you're buying.

This beautiful Pueblo Magico (magical town or historical town), is absolutely breathtaking.  With it's cobble stone streets and lively mood, this is definitely a place we plan on visiting and staying a few nights in.  In town you can tour the various tequila factories like Jose Cuervo and see how they make their tequila from the farm to the bottle.  It's actually really fun! And they let you taste the tequila, which is a plus in my book.

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We got a little lost on the way and ended up at Tres Mujeres Tequila and stuck around for the tour of the agave fields and how they make their tequila.  It takes about 15 years for one agave plant to go from seed to tequila.  There are barrels and barrels of tequila that are waiting until the perfect moment to be bottled.  Never knew that it took so long and that the process was so intricate to make tequila.  

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We really enjoyed the whole road trip, even the getting lost and look forward to staying there in the future!  

Oh, on the way from Nayarit to Tequila, there is a volcano! A real live volcano that erupted and now you see all of the lava / obsidian rock flanking each side of the road.  Pitch black.  Of course we stopped to take a few photos! It was amazing.

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San Blas, Riviera Nayarit

I don't know about you but today was officially my first day of 2016!  I can't believe that it's 2016, I still remember the whole fiasco of the year 2000 when everyone freaked out because it was a new millinium.  Oh, those were good times!

Along with starting a whole new year, I had the unfortunate  accident of losing my phone for the first time since I can remember.  And because of that, I've had to change numbers.   If you've seen my posts on FB and in your email, here I am again, reminding you to add this number to your contact list under Jackie - best photographer in the world! Haha, too much? Okay, well just put it under my name and delete whatever other number you have for me.  And while you're at it, send me a message, I'd love to chat with you!

+52 311 187 7292

If you have my USA phone number, then you're safe, that one will never change ;).

Thank you and have an amazing week!! I'll be back soon with some great photos of two sessions I had the most fun photographing!

xoxo,
Jackie

Happy Holidays from me to you!  
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to photograph you!
Enjoy this time with loved ones and cherish each fleeting moment.

Can't wait to see you in 2017!

xoxo,
Jackie Lamas

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P.S. Feel free to share, pin, and save the photo above ;).

I'm so grateful for this year! More than most because it has been full of lots of amazing-ness.  So to go out with a bang this 2015, I will be away from my desk from

December 13, 2015 until January 7, 2016.  

So if you send me an email during that time, I might get back to you a little later than usual.

I would love for you to follow along with all of the holiday merriment on Instagram!  We will be having both sides of the family here and there will be lots of happiness, laughter, food, and all that good stuff!  

Have an amazing holiday where ever you are and see you in 2016!