Hudson Davin's Birth

 Dusting off the old blog!  It's been years since I shot my last birth, but one very special family got me out of my nursing school-imposed retirement.  When Tara and Courtney asked me to take pictures at their baby's birth, I cried, because their baby isn't just any baby, he's my first nephew!

His birth was not the easiest birth, but I'm pretty sure his adorable little face makes up for that a hundredfold.  :)  Congratulations Tara and Court!  I can't wait to watch Hudson grow up!

Inspiration Through Art - Rowenna

I've been on an extended break from paid sessions, but am still volunteering for Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep and Inspiration Through Art, because I believe strongly in the work both organizations do. Today I shot my first session for Inspiration Through Art, which is formerly known as The Littlest Heroes Project. ITA's mission is to help provide and capture memories for families who are dealing with hectic schedules due to having a child who is suffering from a serious illness or life altering disability. It's a fabulous organization and I'm proud to be a part of it!

This afternoon I had the pleasure of working with Rowenna and her parents Melissa and Carl. Rowenna has Down Syndrome and also had a Complete Atrialventricular Canal that was repaired when she was just 4 months old! As you'll see in her pictures, her smile could brighten even the darkest of days - I found myself grinning like a fool just looking through the pictures because it's infectious!

This is just a sneak peek of the photos I took today - I will add more in the next week or two. Thank you again to Melissa and Carl for allowing me to meet Rowenna and get to know her a little better! She truly is a hero!

Sweet Alyssa

I had the pleasure of photographing my dear friend Geri's brand new baby girl this week. Oh my goodness, she is teeny! I made sure to steal some cuddles in between poses. :)

The birth of Lorelei B.

Dusting off the blog! It's been a busy summer, capped off with my third birth! Melissa and I had been chatting on and off throughout the evening and we each kept saying that we should go get some sleep, as she was in labor and we both needed our rest! Of course, it's hard to sleep when you're anticipating a phone call, which came about 30 min. after I finally fell asleep at 2:30am!

Melissa and Brian had chosen to deliver at a hospital down close to the city, so I was actually quite thankful to make the trip in the wee hours of the morning rather than during rush hour! We were treated to some gorgeous views of the sunrise over the Chicago skyline - what a way to labor!

Melissa's midwife was off shift at 9am, and she was really hoping to be there for the grand arrival. As the hours ticked by, it was looking like she'd be cutting it very close! But around 8:40am, Melissa was pronounced complete, and it was go time!

This was my first midwife-attended birth (besides my own, of course!) and the differences were amazing! There was no frantic rushing around, preparing the room. No gowns and masks, just a pair of sterile gloves for the midwife. And Melissa, being the rock star that she is, wasted no time in bringing her beautiful baby girl into the world!

Lorelei entered the world at 8:57am, after (literally!) 2 pushes! She weighed in at 7 lbs. 6.9 oz. and was 19" long. And what an adorable little girl! She was wide awake and taking in her world very calmly. So cute!

Congratulations to Melissa, Brian, and big brother Nikolaus! Thank you for allowing me to be present to welcome your beautiful girl into the world!

(For some reason this video doesn't display properly for everyone - if you only see half of it, please click here to view it properly.)

In photography news...

I am booking clients like crazy lately! Looks like May is going to be a busy month - I can't wait!

I did a session a few weeks ago for my friend Tina. They struggled for years to get pregnant with their daughter Avary, and because of that, Avary's cousin is many years older than her. As an anniversary present to her parents, Tina and her sister wanted some pictures showing the differences between the two. :)

An award! :D

This just made my day! My good friend Stephie at King Max Cried... passed on this Blogger Buddy Award! Thanks Stephie!!



And now I get to pass it on. :D

To my hilarious friend Sara, who really needs to write a book. Sara's Cul de Sac Manifesto

To my awesome friend Kate, who is making history! Fostering Pride

And to my great friend Michelle, who is the strongest person I know! Healing Journey

The birth of Maxon Louis D.

Murphy strikes again! :D Maxon Louis decided to make his grand entrance on April 19th, quite conveniently while yours truly was in Chicago for a photography workshop! All I can say is thank heavens that the Metra runs until 12:40am!

Maxon made his grand appearance at 5:13am on the 19th, weighing 6 lbs. 15 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long. And what a grand time it was! Both grandmas were there for the delivery and the 5 of us had quite a few laughs. One of the most fun births I can imagine being at. :)

Congratulations to Amber and Keith and big sister Sophia! Maxon is a gorgeous little boy and I am so honored that I was able to be there for his birth.

(For some reason this video doesn't display properly for everyone - if you only see half of it, please click here to view it properly.)