I'm going to be really honest with you.

The photos are my craft. I've been behind the camera for almost 20 years, and I will always love documenting families in the thick of it: the newborn haze, the toddler chaos, the quiet moments between the big ones.

But if you asked me what I'm most passionate about right now? It's this: the village.

The people. The places. The communities here in Seattle that are showing up for moms and families in ways that actually matter. Not in a curated, Instagram-perfect way, but in a "show up in your sweats and cry if you need to" way. The kind of support that makes you feel less alone during the hardest, most beautiful, most humbling season of your life.

Over the last few years, I've built relationships with some incredible local businesses and communities, not just as a photographer, but as a mom. As someone who has needed every single one of these resources myself. And I want you to know about them.

This is my village. And I hope it becomes part of yours, too.

We Are Your Village (WAYV)

I'm going to start with the one that has my whole heart right now.

We Are Your Village is a movement cultivated by Erika Medina that is doing something I think Seattle has been missing: creating real, in-person spaces where mothers can find each other and find the local resources and practitioners who can support them.

Erika is building a directory and community that closes the gap between moms who need support and the people with deep knowledge who can provide it. Her vision is to reduce the scrolling and the noise and give mothers somewhere accessible to find who they need, when they need them. And she's doing it with so much intention and care.

WAYV hosts three types of gatherings:

Womb to WAYV (quarterly): These are the big ones. Think: a beautiful space filled with local practitioners (herbalists, chiropractors, pelvic floor PTs, mental health support, lactation consultants, and more), thoughtful activities, and a genuine sense of welcome. My son and I went to the last one at Sunlight Gallery Studio in Edmonds, and I left feeling so full. Kids running around, moms actually getting to breathe and connect, ice cream, flowers, and real conversation. It was everything.

Mother Lover Meetups (monthly): These are exactly what they sound like: relaxed, picnic-style hangouts for moms and kids. No agenda, no performance. The last one I went to with Fitz (my 4-year-old) was so lovely and peaceful. They had the most thoughtful activities for the kids: flower crowns, chalk, snacks. And the moms just got to be. Talk. Sit in nature. Connect with other people who came for the same reason: to feel a little less alone. Bring a blanket, bring your baby (or come solo!), and leave feeling more supported. That's the vibe.

Rooted Resources Gatherings (monthly, invite-only): This is the practitioner side of WAYV, and I'm so honored to share that I'm now a Rooted Resource. These gatherings bring together local practitioners and business owners who are aligned in the mission of supporting mothers and families. Being in a room with chiropractors, herbalists, birth workers, pelvic floor PTs, lactation consultants, and other healers who are all building something special from the ground up? That's my kind of room.

I'll be sharing more about what WAYV is building as it unfolds, but for now, the best way to stay in the loop is to follow @_weareyourvillagee on Instagram. That's where you'll hear about upcoming Womb to WAYV events and Mother Lover meetups first. If you're a Seattle mom looking for your people, start here. I mean it.

Your Rooted Resources:

Erika Medina | We Are Your Village
Meredith McKee Photography (hi, that's me!)
Tree of Life Chiropractic | @treeoflifeseattle
Held In Arms Birth Services | @held_in_arms
Moss Herbalism | @mossherbalism
Seeds of Vibrance | @seedsofvibrance
Dr. Trilisa Madison | @drtrilisa
Full Circle Natural Medicine | Jennifer November
Spring Physical Therapy | @spring_physicaltherapy
Heartroot Lactation | @heartroot_lactation
Sacred Bloom Pelvic Care | @drtaramorrison
Riza Haas | @rizahaas
Seattle Natural Wellness | Sterling Maximo

Aditi Yoga & Wellness

If there is one place I send every pregnant and postpartum client, it's Aditi Yoga & Wellness.

Aditi is a yoga and bodywork studio in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle, and their pre and postnatal program is truly unmatched. I don't say that lightly. The instructors are deeply experienced (several have 15+ years of teaching pre and postnatal yoga), and the community that has formed around their classes is the kind of thing you can't manufacture. People show up as strangers and leave as group-chat friends. It happens over and over.

They offer prenatal yoga, postnatal yoga, Baby & Me classes, prenatal and postnatal massage (most insurance accepted!), and even a prenatal yoga teacher training. Whether you're looking for movement, pain relief, breath work, or just a room full of other pregnant people who get it, Aditi has something for you.

What I love most about Aditi is that it doesn't have that corporate studio feel. It's warm, welcoming, and genuinely inclusive. Their whole philosophy is rooted in the idea that when you nurture and listen to your body, your potential for growth becomes limitless (that's actually what "Aditi" means: limitless). It's a beautiful space and a beautiful community, and I cannot recommend it enough.

Find them: aditistudio.com | @aditiseattle | Wallingford, Seattle

The Heybrook

I have to get a little personal here, because The Heybrook isn't just a recommendation for me. I spent the last year working as their Director of Community, helping build what they've become, and it was one of the most meaningful professional experiences I've had.

The Heybrook is a child development studio and community for ages 0 to 2, with locations in Seattle (Wedgwood) and the Eastside (Kirkland). Their signature offering is Purposeful Play: structured, weekly classes designed by a pediatric PT and play therapist around what your baby actually needs developmentally, physically, and socially at each stage. They have classes for pre-crawlers, crawlers, and walkers, and every one of them is thoughtfully designed to support your child's development while also giving you connection and support as a parent.

But here's what I think makes The Heybrook truly special: it's not just about the classes, but about the conversations you have with the other parents there - the community that being together in person grows.

I'm no longer working there in an official capacity, but I will champion this place forever. If you have a baby or toddler in Seattle, go check it out. Seriously.
Find them: theheybrook.com | @theheybrook | Wedgwood, Seattle + Kirkland

Tumbles Ballard

OK, I have to shout out Tumbles Ballard because the people behind it are just as wonderful as the place itself.

Tumbles is a children's activity center in Ballard offering gym and gymnastics classes for kids ages 4 months to 12 years, plus birthday parties, camps, and events like Kids Night Out (hello, date night!). Their classes follow a developmental curriculum that blends skill-based learning with physical activity in a non-competitive environment, which as a mom of two, I appreciate so much. It's about building confidence and coordination, not about being the "best" at anything.

Full transparency: Tumbles' owners Chris and Becca are photography clients of mine, and I want you to know that because their story is part of why I love this place so much. They're parents themselves (four kids!) who saw a need in Seattle for a space where kids could move, learn, and explore, and they built it. They're the kind of small business owners who are in it because they genuinely care about families, and you can feel that the second you walk in.

If you have a little one who needs to burn energy (so... all of them?), or you're looking for a birthday party spot that doesn't make you want to run screaming, Tumbles is your place.

Find them: seattleballard.tumbles.net | @tumblesseattleballard | Ballard, Seattle

And One More...

If you're pregnant and looking for prenatal chiropractic care (or just want to feel like a human being again in your third trimester), I recently published a full blog post with my chiropractor Shea of Tree of Life Chiropractic. She shares her best tips for third trimester comfort, explains the Webster Technique, and talks about how chiropractic care can help prepare your body for birth. Shea is also a fellow Rooted Resource and one of my most trusted collaborators.

Read: How to Actually Feel Good in Your Third Trimester

Why This Matters to Me

I know this is a lot of information. And you may have just shown up here for some photography inspo.

But here's the thing: when I show up to photograph a family, I'm not just taking pictures. I'm stepping into someone's most intimate, vulnerable, joyful, chaotic chapter. And every single time, I'm reminded that the families who feel the most supported, the most connected, the most held by their community? Those are the ones who are thriving.

That's why I care about this so much. The photography is how I serve families. The village is how I make sure they're not doing it alone.

If you're expecting, newly postpartum, or deep in the toddler trenches, I hope something on this list helps you feel a little more connected. And if you're already part of one of these communities? Tell someone about it. That's how villages grow.

Let Me Document Your Chapter

Whether you're growing your family, navigating the newborn fog, or just trying to survive (and celebrate) the toddler years, I'd love to capture this chapter for you. I specialize in lifestyle photography for maternity, in-home newborn, and family sessions in Seattle. No stiff posing. No trying to look perfect. Just your real, beautiful, messy life, and the love that fills it.

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