Jamie's birth story was so awesome for me to capture because I got to photograph every little detail. She let me know that things were starting, but I had some time. Since I live almost 3 hours away, I headed to Des Moines so I wouldn't miss anything!
She labored at home for several hours...
She was able to kiss her boys goodnight in the hopes that they would wake up in the morning and their baby sister would have arrived...
Her wonderful mother-in-law held up the fort at home while we all headed into the hospital...
We had no idea just how long of a night and next day it was going to be!
There was lots of walking...
...and waiting.
Jamie was so amazing...waiting until almost the very end for pain relief.
I am always in awe of the strength a woman has while laboring and delivering her baby!
Things were rough, but Jamie toughed it out!
As the sun came up, it was clear to us that Alice wasn't quite ready to meet us all yet.
Things definitely started to pick up as the morning went on...and exhaustion had certainly set in as well!
Watching someone labor can be intense and when it is your dear friend, it is so hard. I wanted to take the pain away from her...
I am sure that no one was as relieved as Jamie was when the anesthesiologist walked in the room! I know that though Jamie was relieved more than words, ALL of us were also so happy to see him! We knew that it was nearing the time that Alice would be making her entrance and having been up for almost 36 hours straight at this point, Jamie needed some rest before Alice's big debut!
Only there wasn't time for rest...Alice was ready!
And just like that...she was here!
She was perfect!
9 months of waiting and almost 30 hours of labor for this moment...
Finally in Mommy's arms...
The relief...
The exhaustion...
The intense love...
The joy...
What a miracle!
Perfect...8lbs of perfection fresh from God!
I think the beautiful Alice Monroe was pretty happy too!
In Daddy's arms for the 1st time...
Then the calm set in...the peace, the quiet.
Such beautiful 1st moments...
Finally, it was time to have their whole family all together!
It was time for Alice to meet her big brothers...
The ones who will adore her and love her and protect her...just like Dave and Jamie will.
When I watched as Jamie received hugs and congratulations, the tears were flowing. If only everyone could have seen her strength, her determination...it was so incredible, so beautiful!
Meeting Grandma and Grandpa...
The sense of relief that filled the room was so clear. The sun was shining, it was a beautiful new day.
Joy and relief.
You were long awaited, Sweet Alice, and so incredibly loved!
I love this family!
Finally all together as a family of 5!
To experience someone's birth, the intimate, personal, miraculous moments of their birth is something that is hard to put into words. It is a joy and honor that I cannot describe. To be invited to capture such a time is something that makes me know I have the most amazing job in the world. Handing these images over to my clients to cherish for a lifetime is why I do this job. Many of these moments would be lost forever...because of all that happens during such intense moments, so much of it can be forgotten, but with these images, it can be protected and remembered. The beauty of what a mother endures and the joy and love that is the result of it all is the most emotional thing that can be captured in images. I get to photograph miracles, life changing moments, the instant when someone becomes a mother or a father for the 1st time and every time there after. To say I am honored and humbled does not adequately portray how amazing it feels that I get to provide images such as these for my clients.
Thank you, Jamie and Dave. Thank you for asking me to capture these moments for you. I hope you treasure these images and remember all of the wonderful moments. Alice is such a perfect little addition to your already amazing family!
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