I recently had the opportunity to both witness and document my first experience with welcoming a new life into the world. Thank you, Emma & Joe, for including me in this incredibly important moment in your lives. I have wanted to document a birth experience for a LONG time.A lot of people I shared this goal with thought that I was crazy. They asked if I would faint, if it would be gross, or if it would scare me off from having children of my own.
I didn't faint and it didn't scare me. And, it never occurred to me that childbirth would be gross. For me, this goal was always about documenting the beginning of a life and the growth of a family. That's why I love my job so much. I get to document the growth of families. It's a pretty amazing thing.
Emma delivered at Albany Samaritan Hospital. They give out 4 "all hours visitors wristbands" per birth. (I wonder if you get 8 if you're having twins?) :) Emma's grandma took matters into her own hands and made her own wristband.

This newborn baby will be the first boy in his family, but he's not the first baby. He has big sisters! Miss Myah was SO excited to meet her little brother! Emma knew Myah would be spending a LOT of time at the hospital, so she made Myah the sweetest care package.The doctors felt that it would be safest for Emma to have a C-Section. Emma wanted to do what was safest for her baby, so off to the operating room she went. Joe wanted to cut the umbilical cord. So, off he went too.

And, Emma REALLY wanted the moment that she met her baby for the first time to be documented, so off I went as well! I wore scrubs for the first time and the Albany hospital staff were SO kind to allow me into the operating room. PS - it's crazy in there. SO much going on.Next, it was time to document baby Hayden's birth: his height, weight, time of birth - all that stuff that becomes the first details about a person. Hayden's grandma, who had remained calm and collected throughout the morning, stopped worrying like Moms do and she experienced the wonderful rush of emotion of seeing her grandson for the first time. She wasn't the only one. :)