I have birthed four children and over the years, photographed deliveries and C-sections for many friends. I’ve seen close to 500 babies born while employed as a baby nurse for a couple of years.  Exciting and thankfully only rarely terrifying – it was an awesome job.  I now see new parents and assist them (and encourage them) every work day – but I don’t often see a baby enter the world.

In recent years – I watched my niece give birth to a special little lady in my life. I took pictures for a friend at her last two C-sections, and although I did not see that boy who made me grandma take his first breath, we surfed the internet together on his first full night in his home.  🙂

This past weekend I have been honored to attend – and take a few pictures of the birth of another baby.  His name is Rowan Michael House.  I met his mother as a newborn and she grew up and became friends with my daughters. She even lived with us for a few months as she prepared for her marriage to Cody.

Watching a baby meet his parents never gets old.  How could the miraculous get old?

I watched from the sidelines less than 48 hours ago and saw a father fall completely in love with his son.  I saw a mother at last meet this little one who has been knocking from the inside – and teasing her with the possibility this might be the day – for two long weeks! He’s given her a new understanding of the word patience (which he’ll do again and again) and of labor.  Four grandparents met the person who has MADE them grandparents – a couple of them embracing this role for the first time.  One set of those grandparents are great friends of many years.  🙂

Birth photographer – yeah, I could do that job.  (additional skills with lactation assistance included!)

If one feels the need of something grand, something infinite, something that makes one feel aware of God, one need not go far to find it. I think that I see something deeper, more infinite, more eternal than the ocean in the expression of the eyes of a little baby when it wakes in the morning and coos or laughs because it sees the sun shining on its cradle.
Vincent Van Gogh