Look what happened on Mother’s Day!

When my dear friend Kaila asked me if I’d be willing to photograph her third birth, I couldn’t have been more excited and honored!

You see, when you are asked to photo such a time-sensitive event with a travel schedule like mine, it was imperative that I had a back up plan! Soooo… my back up plan: my ridiculously talented and amazing assistant Megan! Kaila had been texting me all week with updates. She knew it was soon but she didn’t know HOW soon.  She’d send me texts like “it could be tonight, it could be next week, I just don’t know!”  When the moment finally came, I wasn’t in town! NOOOOOooooOOOOooo!

In came Megan for the win! All of the images below were taken by her and processed by me.

Ready for the story? buckle up because this is a doooooozy! 

10:13pm – Kaila sent Megan a text to tell her that she was heading to the hospital; she immediately loaded up her pre-packed gear and left!

10:23pm – Megan sent me a text as soon as she got into her car, “Baby time!”

10:27pm – I called, whined about not being there, poured my heart out to tell her how thankful I was and gave her a some quick tips (how I’d shoot it, generic camera settings, where I’d stand,etc).

10:40pm – we hung up.

10:43pm – Megan pulled into the hospital parking lot.

10:45-ish – Kaila and Jon arrived at the hospital (this didn’t happen within eyeshot of Megan, or she would have been following them in).  Kaila was pushed in a wheel chair from the car to the birthing center. She was wheeled up on her knees because the baby was “RIGHT THERE!”

10:50pm – Kaila sent a text to Megan with the room number. Megan and Kaila’s mom walked into the hospital at the exact same time.  They then notice that Jon’s car was parked by the door with the flashers on.  The second they walked into the birthing center, they could hear her screaming. “Oh! That must be her!”

10:54pm – Megan walked into the room where chaos was ensuing! The doctor and nurses in full-on panic mode! Kaila was on all fours, hadn’t even been admitted yet, wasn’t hooked up to any monitors, etc.  CHAAAAOS!

10:56pm – Her water broke, quite aggressively from what I hear!It was written in Kaila and Jon’s birth plan that Jon was going to help with the delivery.  The doctor yelled over to Jon… “You better get over here if you’re going to catch this baby!” Jon suited up. And by “suited up” I mean he put gloves on. (that’s Kaila’s mom on the left)

10:58pm – Riah was born. YEP! YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY! THIRTEEN MINUTES AFTER THEY ARRIVED AND LESS THAN FOUR MINUTES AFTER MEGAN AND MOM WALKED INTO THE ROOM! Jon “catches” the baby (photos of that moment are for the personal archives) “IT’S A BOY!” Riah is then slid under Kaila’s legs where she embraces him while the nurses slowly flip her to her back.

11:00pm – Kaila starts to get Riah to “latch on” to her breast.

11:05pm – SUCCESS!

9:44am, the next morning – Ezra and Clary meet their new baby brother.

Look at their little faces! Ezra is smitten and Clary is confused!

OHHHH EZRA YOU MELLLLLT MEEEEE!!!!! I can tell you have your daddy’s sweet personality.

The all new family of five! Can we take a second to talk about how that woman on the right GAVE BIRTH (without an epidural nonetheless) TEN HOURS AGO AND SHE IS THAAAAT BEAUTIFUL?! AHHHHHH!!!!!!! Oh, and did I mention that she didn’t sleep any that night because she was too busy staring at Riah? Um. Yeah. YEAH! BEAUUUUUTIFULLLL!!!! Mm hmmm… aaaaand she’s as amazingly sweet as she is beautiful… ohhhhh Kaaaailaaaaa…. you are truly one in a zillion!

Megan, thank you for coming through in the clutch; you always have my back no matter what. Your talent impresses me and your loyalty (and patience with me) means more than you’ll ever know. Can’t thank you enough for… well…. everything.

Kaila, thank you for asking us to do this… it’s an honor we don’t take lightly.  I cannot WAIT to photograph your family of five!

Much love family!

~Bobbi