We weren’t sure if Ben and I were going to be in the states or not when Arica went into labor.  But when she called to let me know they were going to induce her the Friday before we left for Paris, I was SO thankful and SO excited!!

My mom has been such a hero since Catherine was born and has done so much for us in helping out with her… I honestly don’t know how I could keep doing what I do without her.  I was able to drop Catherine off with my mom Friday morning and drive up to Nashville.  I met Arica and Chris in their hospital room and was able to see Arica’s parents and grandmother shortly after.  They had just driven up from Texas and all of us were so excited to be there and meet this precious baby soon.

Chris and Arica had decided to wait until the baby was born to find out if it was a boy or a girl so they had two names picked out and no inkling as to which it would be.  Selfishly, I wanted it to be a girl just because she would just be about 4 months older than our baby girl that’s due in February!  But, if it was a boy, then we could at least go ahead and start planning their wedding ;-)

I was just thankful to still be in the country so that I could be there for my best friend and my newest niece or nephew!  Plus, to be able to document this for them will always be one of the most wonderful things of doing what I do.  Don’t get me wrong, I love photographing births for ALL of my clients!  But when it’s your best friend, it just escalates to an entirely different level.

Enjoy some of my favorites from their birth story…

No, this isn’t their hospital!  I just wanted to document that I had entered Tennessee :-)

After about 6 hours in the car, I made it!

I was so excited we could get a photo of us both pregnant at the same time.  We never thought this would even be a possibility!
Now I can’t wait until these two babies meet in person :-)

It was just before Halloween so they brought candy to share with the doctors and nursing staff… and their family and photographer!

Things weren’t progressing extremely quickly so everyone came in to say goodnight and to head out to try and get some rest.  Arica and Chris were able to sleep some too, especially knowing that everyone else was comfortable in beds and not in those uncomfortable waiting room chairs.

I told Chris to call me if anything changed during the night and at 4:30am, my phone rang.  I thought things were moving right along but after the doctor had come to check Arica, they decided that a c-section would be best for her and the baby.  I know it’s not what most people want, but he said they’d prayed together and were at peace with it.  So I prayed for them and their sweet baby on the way to the hospital because I knew just what Arica was feeling… being in labor and ended up in a c-section isn’t what most sign up for, but they knew a c-section was a possibility.  And most of all they just wanted Arica and the baby to stay safe and healthy!

So at 5:15am I pulled back into the hospital parking lot…

And then it was time!

Arica was taken to be prepped while Chris dressed in his scrubs.
The nurses wrote both chosen baby names on the board and I could’t find out which one they would get to use!

After a quick camera lesson, Chris took my extra camera into the operating room with him since only one “support person” was allowed in the OR with Arica.

And I’m so glad he had the camera with him because he was able to get these photos and then I was able to get photos of her family waiting outside the nursery as we were waiting on Chris and the baby!

So precious!!

He didn’t give us ANY signs as to the gender!!

But we fairly quickly were able to figure it out… it was a GIRL!!

After Arica’s mom came out of the nursery, I hopped in for a few photos.

Daddy was already holding his baby girl’s hand and was not going to leave her side!

This one gets me every time I look at it…

Chris’s mom lives on the west coast and wasn’t able to be there in person, but thankfully FaceTime works so she could meet her new granddaughter!

Hey there beautiful, Savannah!!

I loved her from the moment I found out Arica was pregnant with her, but getting to hold this bundle of pure joy brought all the happy tears to the surface.

But really, who can resist those first photos of a daddy with his newborn daughter??

Arica, you have taken care of so many babies and so many children.  You have been “Auntie” for ages, but I know that you’ve always longed to be called mom.  And now here she is!  The baby girl that made you a mom for the first time.  She is perfect and you are exactly where you are supposed to be… I know it all took longer than you would have liked, but Chris was completely worth the wait God had planned for you.  And now Savannah is another reminder that waiting on the Lord is always ALWAYS worth it.  I love you so much, sweet friend and am so thrilled for you guys and your bundle!

Then it was time for snuggles from the rest of the family.  Lots of happy faces!

Just before she handed her off, Arica’s grandma was overwhelmed with the joy and pride she felt for her granddaughter and her new great-granddaughter.  It’s moments like these that make everything I do 1000% worth it.

To see more birth stories, click here.
To see more information about me capturing your own baby’s birth, click here.