A quiet in-between season before everything changes | Maternity family photography in Howden

At three years old, Daphne is right in that brilliantly expressive stage of childhood where everything comes with either a full story, a strong opinion, or sometimes both at once. Kat described her as funny, caring and sweet, and also admitted she keeps her “on her toes.” From the outside looking in, it was easy to see both sides of that. The sassy independence, and then the moments of pure affection that followed just as quickly.

When I asked what they love doing most as a family, the answer was simple: being outside together. Walking, exploring, reading books, and finding small pauses in the day… preferably involving a bench, snacks, and if Daphne had her way, a croissant.

There was something really tender about this season for them. Kat is expecting her second baby, a little boy, and spoke honestly about the mix of excitement and uncertainty that comes with it. The joy of meeting him soon, alongside the quiet worry of how everything will shift once he arrives. And in the middle of that, a strong awareness that this is the final stretch of life as just the three of them.

“The final chapter of it just being the three of us, but also capturing the excitement before our little boy arrives and completes our family.”

Like many mums in this stage, there was also a sense of not having documented much of this pregnancy, especially with a busy little person already keeping life full. But what unfolded in the meadow and daisies felt like a gentle pause in all of that.

Daphne arrived exactly as she is at home… full of energy, slightly tired, occasionally sassy, and completely devoted to her mum in the moments that mattered most. She warmed instantly, running through the daisies, collecting flowers, and proudly bringing her favourite teddy squirrel, Willberry, into every part of the evening like he was just as much a part of the family as anyone else.

One of Kat’s biggest hopes for the session was simply to capture Daphne as she is right now. The way she mispronounces words, the way she twirls in a pretty dress, her chubby cheeks, her belly laugh, and the way she still reaches for her mum with complete certainty that she is home.

And it was those moments that showed up most naturally. Not the planned ones, but the in-between ones. Daphne running straight into her arms through the flowers. The cuddles. The laughter when she was lifted into the air. The way she carefully placed daisies into the holes in her dress, completely absorbed in her own little world.

Kat later shared how different the experience felt compared to previous photoshoots, describing it as “Completely different. Worlds away from the other shoot I had for my last pregnancy. There was no stiff posing, no clothes that didn't feel 'me'. Just helpful suggestions. It was so natural, an evening walk in a field with a friend who has a camera.”

There was no stiffness, no pressure, and no need to perform anything. Just space to be together.

When she first saw the photographs, her reaction was immediate and emotional, particularly at seeing herself reflected back during a time when she hadn’t been feeling confident.

“I was sobbing… they make me look amazing and have completely changed how I view myself during this chapter of motherhood.”

What stood out most to her, though, were the small details; Daphne’s curls, her little wrist rolls, and a moment between her and Willberry that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.

These are the kinds of details that often pass quietly in real time, but carry so much weight later on.

What stayed with her most, and what came through so clearly in the images, was the way she looks at her daughter. Life feels busy and full in this season, but these photographs seem to pause it all for a moment. There’s one image in particular where that love just sits quietly in the frame; so natural, so instinctive, so her. She spoke about how Daphne won’t always be small enough to be running through a daisy field towards her like that, and how grateful she is to have these memories held somewhere she can return to.

When she first saw her photographs, her reaction was immediate and emotional. She messaged straight away to say she was sobbing, and that every single image felt like “absolute gold.” After a few comments about her size during pregnancy, she had been feeling less confident than usual, and wasn’t quite prepared for how she might see herself in this season. Seeing the images changed that. She spoke about how they not only showed her what this chapter looks like, but also helped her see herself with a bit more kindness again, describing her first reaction simply as shock in the best way: “is that really me?!”

Looking back through this gallery, what remains is a sense of a season in motion. The final stretch before everything changes, but also a chapter filled with laughter, closeness, and the kind of love that doesn’t need much explanation.

A little girl who thinks her mum is her whole world. A baby boy on the way. And a family standing right in the middle of all of it, holding on to what life feels right now, just a little longer.