This sweet momma here was one of the first 3 women to ever trust me with the honorable task of capturing the birth of her first child. To be asked back into these families lives, years later gives my heart such joy. 

Stephanie and Bill followed suit with this pregnancy as they did with their first, and decided not to find out the gender of their sweet babe until delivery. The moment you hear, “It’s a girl!”, tears were streaming down nearly every cheek in the room.

And sweet Will, their son, oh you guys! When he sees his sister for the first time, repeatedly saying she was a boy, and that her name was Norman, it was too funny. But quickly, within a moment, he was adoring his sister and showering her with hugs and kisses.

All of my birth clients are so so special to me. You guy put your trust in me into be capture and be present for these sacred moments. But those first 3-4 families that were on board with my birth photography in the beginning, that saw value in these moments being captured before it was considered a commodity… my soul will forever be grateful to you all for setting me on this path, for providing me the opportunity to do something I love, and forever changing the trajectory of my life. THANK YOU! From the bottom of my heart!

This is the story of a NICU nurse, whose precious babe needed a NICU stay, albeit a short one. Momma was admitted at 32 weeks with low fluid levels. They kept her for a couple of days, giving her fluids, and monitoring her and baby… thankfully that helped, and bought her and him a couple more weeks of growth. But around 35 weeks, her levels were low again, and it was time for Barrett to meet his mom and dad. The c-section went beautifully, and Barrett came out pink and crying! It was a welcomed blessing for sure. And he was such a gentleman, as he kept behaving long enough for me to get photos of him and his parents in recovery before he decided to act up and need to go to the NICU.

I came back up in a couple of days, after he was settled in. Watching Hilary take care of her own baby in the NICU was something else. She maneuvered through the wires like a seasoned pro, and helped dad navigate as well. She nursed him, and they both bottle fed him. They loved on him. 

He would come home just a few days later!

Over the years of doing birth photography, and spending hours that have added up to days, that have added up to weeks, have blessed my soul with the time and opportunity to make friendships with some of the most amazing nurses. Sara Beth is one of them. If I was ever shooting a birth and she was the nurse, I knew my client was in good hands, and I knew I was as well. Two years ago, Sara Beth and I were pregnant at the same time. She was about 2 months ahead of me, and I remember watching her work on her feet those 12 hour shifts, 9 months pregnant and thinking what an amazing woman she was. There I was 2 months behind her, and barely keeping up! Not only is she a phenomenal nurse, but she’s an even more amazing wife and mother. She and her family love the Lord and His light shines SO brightly in their lives. I’m thankful for this job for countless reasons, so adding another to the list, is becoming friends with this chick right here (and about 25 other flippin’ fantastic women I could go on to list by name).

And dare I not forget to sing the praises of her precious husband, Matt! He was a champ! He was her ever steady, calm, and hands on partner. He loved and supported her emotionally. And as evident in the photos, he most definitely supported her physically, as he helped with lower back and hip compressions for hours. Melissa and Nicole, her midwives, and her nurse Patricia all doted on her, and quietly encouraged her through her journey to bring sweet Lanier earth-side. She was so beautifully supported through this labor, and the team that surrounded her, that covered her in love, was something to witness!

Sometimes, birth just doesn’t go as planned. Sometimes you labor hard, and give it everything you’ve got, and sometimes it’s just not in the cards. That was the case for my dear friend Sydney. Instead, she owned the alternative and welcomed her c-section with smiles and bravery in the face of adversity. I am beyond proud of her as well as her husband Jamie. They were each other’s rocks through this journey, just as they have been through their dating life, marriage, and now parenthood. I’m beyond blessed to have met these two, and even more blessed to have gotten to know them and call them friends. 

I often get a chance to bond with families throughout the process, but this family welcomed me as if I were one of their own. They were hilarious, and oh so welcoming to having me share the day with them…. Hey guys, I’m expecting my invite to Thanksgiving dinner ok?!