It was her first time celebrating Mother's Day as a mom, and Star Farms' Justine Morehart said she had come to the right place.
Waterside Place hosted a special event for moms on May 10 that was highlighted by the Petals and Poses fashion show.
"This is surreal to me," said Morehart, who was carrying her 6-month-old daughter, Mabel. "I am so full of joy."
She said Lakewood Ranch knows how to throw an event.
"This is the best thing in the world," she said. "It's a hit, and I hope they do this every year. We (moms) feel so special."
Waterside's Andrew and Kristine Santucci didn't expect to be celebrating Mother's Day. At 38, Kristine had been told going through breast cancer would prevent her from having children.
But there they were, pushing a double baby carriage with their 2-month-old twins, Scarlett and Zayden.
"It's all about me today ... and them," Kristine said. "It's nice to have a day to celebrate you and your babies."
The couple was all smiles.
"This has been an amazing surprise," Andrew said of the twins.
They said they love living at Waterside because so much is happening all the time in the community.
"We can just walk over," Kristine said. "It's one of the reasons we moved here."
They weren't sure how much of the event they would be able to attend.
"It depends on them," Andrew said of the twins.
Waterside's Andrew and Kristine Santucci hold their 2-month-old twins Scarlett and Zayden during the Mother's Day event May 10 at Waterside Place. At 38, Kristine said she was blessed to be celebrating her first Mother's Day as a mom.
Photo by Jay Heater
Nicole Houser shows a little attitude as she makes the turn at the end of the runway during the Petals and Poses fashion show May 10 at Waterside Place.
Photo by Jay Heater
Natalia Tkacz models an outfit for La Chíc Bohème during Petals and Poses May 10 at Waterside Place.
Photo by Jay Heater
Brittany Fordham, Brittney Jolin, Nicole Houser, Audriana Vandenoever and Natalia Tkacz modeled outfits for La Chíc Bohème of Lakewood Ranch during the Petals and Poses Fashion Show May 10 at Waterside Place.
Photo by Jay Heater
Audriana Vandenoever begins her walk down the runway during Petals and Poses as part of the Mother's Day special event May 10 at Waterside Place.
Photo by Jay Heater
Waterside newcomers Syrena Tosco, and her mom, Brittany Tosco, are regulars at Waterside Place, who were checking out the Mother's Day event. They moved to Lakewood Ranch from Anaheim, California in January.
Photo by Jay Heater
DJ Truth handled the entertainment during Petals and Poses May 10 at Waterside Place.
Photo by Jay Heater
Marsida Mania, and Grace, Chloe, and Jetmir Salihi get great seats for the Petals and Poses fashion show at Waterside Place May 10.
Photo by Jay Heater
Heritage Harbour's Morgan Bettes-Angell, her 1 1/2-year-old daughter Louise Angell and her mom Patti Bettes were checking out the booths at the Mother's Day event May 10 at Waterside Place.
Photo by Jay Heater
Ellen Hillier is celebrating being the mom of Samantha Hillier, who is the mom of 4-year-old Palmer Hillier. Samantha and Palmer live in Lakewood Ranch while Ellen was visiting from Massachusetts.
Photo by Jay Heater
It might be a day to celebrate mothers, but Lakewood Ranch 2-year-old Josie Hillier was having plenty of fun herself at Waterside Place in the Kids Zone.
Photo by Jay Heater
Some moms like to test their hitting skills as Christina Wichmer did during the Mother's Day event May 10 in Waterside Place.
Photo by Jay Heater
Sarasota 11-month-old Bryce Bauer is having the time of his young life in a vat of plastic balls during the Mother's Day event May 10 at Waterside Place.
Photo by Jay Heater
Face painter Gina Backhoff holds a mirror so 4-year-old Kenna Wichmer can check out the unicorn painted on her forehead during the Mother's Day event May 10 at Waterside Place.
Photo by Jay Heater
The letters that spelled out Mom at Waterside Place during the special event May 10 also became a play area for mom Michele Mittiga and 11-month-old Vanessa.
Photo by Jay Heater
Sarasota's Donna Hendricks was loving the Mother's Day Event at Waterside Place even though she has her hands full with her children, 8-year-old Darla, 3-month-old Delilah, and 3-year-old Julia.
Photo by Jay Heater
Star Farms' Jorge Diaz, 7-year-old Eleni, 4-year-old Diego, and Zenida came to the special Mother's Day event as a treat to mom Zenida, whose birthday was the next day on May 11. Jorge says Zenida is a great mom who is caring and detail-oriented.
Photo by Jay Heater
Christine Coney, the birth designer at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, was handing out gifts to moms who visited the hospital's booth during the Mother's Day event May 10 at Waterside Place.
Photo by Jay Heater
Cynthia Gohil of Lakewood Ranch takes her 7-year-old daughter, Sanah, and her friend 6-year-old Illyana Recher to the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center booth during the special Mother's Day event at Waterside Place May 10.
Photo by Jay Heater
Brittany Fordham was the first model to take to the runway during the Petals and Poses fashion show at Waterside Place May 10.
Photo by Jay Heater
Samantha Baeza, 9, and her mom, Loriana Soria, begin checking out the Mother's Day event at Waterside Place May 10.
Photo by Jay Heater
Star Farms' Justine Morehart and her 6-month-old daughter, Mabel, enjoy the Petals and Poses fashion show at Waterside Place May 10. Justine is enjoying her first Mother's Day as a mom.
