birth | calicocreekphotography

It dawned on me today that I haven’t been faithful to my website or my blog. I cannot explain why, other than the downsizing of my photography business and all of the ways that my life has changed over the past handful of years. So today, as I was thinking about sharing the photos of this blessed event, I realized that it was time – time to share and time to start writing again.

I was blessed to be invited into the pre/post-op hospital/delivery room of my baby sister and her hubby. (Yes, I still call her my baby sister and I probably always will. Not sorry.) We all knew that it was going to be a c-section delivery and that this baby probably wouldn’t wait until the scheduled date because that was the trend that was started with their first born – he arrived (breech and ultimately delivered via c-section) three weeks prior to his due date.

So, it really was no surprise when my phone rang last week late at night, a full week prior to the scheduled date. It was my sister. Her water had just broken and they were headed to the hospital to deliver. A few minutes later we jumped in the truck and headed out on the 90-minute drive to York, Nebraska. I hoped that I’d catch some shots before they took her back to the operating room, but I was about five minutes too late (luckily, my mom snapped some of those).

We arrived as the proud daddy was prepping – putting on his fancy booties and hat. It wouldn’t be long before baby made his or her appearance and we were all excited! Another blessing was the presence of my sister’s high school best friend – she is the ob director at the hospital. It’s not very often that one of your closest friends gets to be a part of your baby’s delivery and newborn care. (She told me later that she even teared up a little in the O.R. because it was such a beautiful life moment.) It was truly an amazing memory to cherish.

Now, I cannot leave you without explaining the biggest surprise of the night. Everyone – almost every single person in their lives – just knew that it was a baby girl. We were sure of it. I was ready to buy bows and pink clothes. We chatted about how this pregnancy was different from her son’s and I would have put money on it being a girl! Well, it’s a good thing that I didn’t…because baby girl was definitely NOT a girl. Even his big brother was surprised! (You can see the moment that the truth was revealed to the grandparents and their expressions are priceless!!)

To my sister and her hubby – thank you, thank you, thank you! I know that you think of this as something I did for you, but it has done so much for me in return. Anytime I get to capture memories like this and be in this space – this moment – I am reminded of God’s grace and the gifts He has granted to me. I love you all so much. And to Henry – welcome to the world, sweet boy. Your name means “house ruler,” and I have no doubt that this is exactly what you will be.

It is 2 am and I am awake. The dim lights barely illuminate the outline of the ceiling and the room is quiet with the exception of one sound. I lie on my back and listen to the soft pattern of a heartbeat. Lub-duh…lub-duh…lub-duh…lub-duh. The sound is mesmerizing and I find myself beginning to drift into memory. There is no sound in the world that matches this one – no other pattern of beating that can wrap itself around your body and soul the way that this one does. As the soft, steady sound of a heartbeat continues to fill the room, I am reflecting and thinking and remembering and praying. Every new parent feels the anxiety of the unknown – who will my child resemble, will my daughter have my eyes, will my son play sports, will I be a good mom… But when a couple has only felt the anxiety of finally seeing a pregnancy become a birthday, the sound of a heartbeat filling the room is their entire universe. It is this anticipation that has a pulse of its own in their lives.

To be here, in this hospital room filled with the sound of their unborn daughter’s heartbeat is everything…

For my younger brother, Jason, and his wife, Aubrie, the long wait for labor to progress seems to fit their path to parenthood. We all say that everything will work out the way that it’s meant to – that it’s all in God’s plan – that time will reveal what is destined to be. But sometimes those words become the anthem of a life. And sometimes those words are the only words to cling to. In a year of necessary blind faith — a sudden shift in career, a relocation, a list of disappointments in heath and conception attempts, a mother’s cancer, a future brother-in-law’s deployment, an abundance of confidence-breaking experiences — it has truly been a journey that only God could prescribe.

And now, a year after the crux of the hardest part comes the amazing part…the birth of Jaycie Ann. She took her time about it. After being in the hospital for over 24 hours, she finally arrived at 7:19 pm on May 23. She is beautiful and she is an amazing gift that encompasses all of the patience and hopes and dreams and faith in God’s plan.

I am posting some of their birth journey here on the blog, but look for the birth story photo compilation that I will be posting in the next couple of days. There are no words to describe this experience – to be on the “outside” and watching the miracle of birth rather than experiencing it with my own children. And to Jason+Aubrie+Jaycie, I say thank you. Thank you for loving me enough to allow me to be a part of this journey with you…