ASHLEY PHOTOGRAPHER

I kept trying to figure out what kind of post I wanted to create for Valentine’s Day.  After all, it’s my second favorite holiday, so I knew I’d have to post something.  But after our Valentine’s dinner and movie plans went awry on Saturday evening (we attempted to avoid the crowds on the 14th), I was at a loss for ideas.  I kept stewing over how the restaurant we chose for dinner made major mistakes in scheduling, causing us to miss this year’s Valentine’s Day chick flick at our favorite theater and it all left me feeling bitter.  And then it hit me.  I was planning on posting Rachel’s birth story this week anyway, so why not make that this year’s official Valentine’s Day post?  Because a mother’s love for her children is one of the grandest examples of love I know of.  And birthing a baby?  Well that’s just love on an entirely different level.  So here goes!

Rachel and her sister Nicole’s due dates were literally 2 days apart.  So when January rolled around and their due dates got closer, we were all anxious to see which baby would decide to arrive first.  Rachel’s came and passed and 2 days later, on her exact due date, Nicole went into labor.  After adorable little Siena arrived safe and healthy the next day, we all breathed a sigh of relief that Rachel didn’t go into labor at the same time.  Especially Nicole and Rachel’s mom!  But as the days passed, we all grew that much more anxious.  And while Rachel was more than ready for things to happen, she remained more patient than I’ve ever seen a woman at that stage in the game.  Exactly one week after her official due date, Rachel arrived at her doctor’s office for her afternoon appointment.  At this point I knew the doctor would likely induce the next day, but because Rachel knew she would be too anxious to sleep that night, she decided to schedule the induction for 5 pm the same day.

I originally planned to try to stay awake until I got the call to drive to the hospital, but after midnight rolled around, I decided to try to get some sleep.  This is probably one of the only times I can recall that I’ve slept with my makeup on.  A few hours later, I woke up, clearly too anxious to sleep.  Things still weren’t progressed enough for me to leave, but a hour or so later, I got word that Rachel was dilated to 8 cm!  I usually leave at 5 or 6 cm, so I hurried as fast as I could and even text Rachel when I was near the hospital to see if I’d have time to stop and get a fountain Coke.  She told me I’d be fine and that they would make sure they waited for me to get there.  Doctors waiting for me to initiate the pushing stage of labor?  I could get used to that!  Lucky for me, we had plenty of time once I arrived at the hospital and I had the opportunity to not only chat with Rachel for a bit beforehand, but document all the prep before it was time for the pushing stage to begin.

Rachel and I have been friends since we were 11 years old, so I found myself extra emotional as I drove to the hospital that morning.  When I walked into her hospital room, Rachel was in the best of moods.  And she didn’t even look tired!  Her makeup was on and being the amazing hair stylist that she is, she had french braided her hair to keep it looking fresh.  She looked absolutely radiant and just as she did with pregnancy, Rachel made labor look easy.

Rachel, words can’t even describe how much it means to me that you allowed me to be a part of something so special.  It’s not often that one gets to share something so monumental with their friends, but I feel so lucky I got to share one of the most sacred of life’s experiences with you.  I am so very excited for this new chapter in your life and just as I always suspected, you’re already such an amazing mom.  I love you to pieces and I’m so excited to be Dylan’s pseudo auntie (:

To pass the time, I found this pain assessment chart on the bulletin board and decided to evaluate Rachel’s pain level.  We had fun with it and Ralph participated at well (:  Even during labor, Rachel was still entertained by Ralph’s jokes.  

My favorite part about doing the prep photos was how Rachel always wanted to pretend she was sleeping.  Because that is just Rachel for ya!  Always being silly even when she’s in labor.  I must say, it did make for quite peaceful looking photos (:
One of my favorite moments during prep was when Ralph decided he needed to brush his teeth before it was time for Rachel to start pushing.  Gotta love a guy with good hygiene!The photo on the right makes me laugh every single time.  Rachel was feeling understandbly warm while pushing, so the nurse gave Ralph this chart so he could fan Rachel with it to cool her down.  And he even posed with it for me.  Ralph, you’re such a good sport!
I love to see how men are so supportive with women during the labor and delivery process.  It’s a beautiful thing to witness.Rachel was such a champ during the pushing stage despite feeling so exhausted at the end.  Pushing is a workout!  When possible, I like to get a picture of dad’s expression when the baby finally arrives.  Here is Ralph’s (:  Dylan arrived at 9:44 am weighing 8 lbs 7 oz
One of my favorite moments during birth stories is when a mom gets to hold her baby for the very first time.  The nurses made sure Rachel had her fruit punch and crackers soon after giving birth.  Everyone always tells me how good that fruit punch is (:
Another favorite moment that day was when Rachel’s mom came in to meet her first grandson for the first time.  Rachel told me that’s when everything really hit her.  Emotional moments like these are my absolute favorite and they make me feel so blessed when I’m able to photograph them.   Recognizing a familial similarity!I’ll end with these images of Ralph with his son.  They make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  May your Valentine’s Day be filled with this much love for the special people in your life!