I’ve looked at these photos a lot – between the taking of them and the editing of them and now the blogging of them – and I cry every single time. Being a Kaiser Roseville Birth Photographer, it’s just part of the job description to have leaky eyes. Nicole and Rob are SMP Legacy Clients. From their wedding, to their first baby being born, family portraits, and now this beautiful boy making their family complete. I honestly cannot express the gratitude I have for families who have invited me to be part of the biggest moments of their lives.
I never shared the photos of their first baby boy, Jake, being born because they were so hard for me to look at. I arrived on the scene as Jake was being born and we were in the same second asked to leave the room because Nicole was in trouble. I sat in the waiting room with her mom, sister and bestie hoping and praying everything would be okay. After several hours (which felt like days due to the panic and worry we felt) we were allowed back in. I jumped right into photographer mode and started snapping away, ticking off the mental checklist of “must have” images. It was only when I edited the images that the gravity of the situation sunk in. Editing the photos was like editing the photos of a corpse. Nicole had lost SO much blood, she was ashen and could hardly move. She couldn’t even hold Jake. I sat at my desk and sobbed about how close we had gotten to losing this amazing human. There was a part of me that thought she would never have another baby, and I wouldn’t have blamed her one bit.
When I got the email that she was expecting baby number two I was so excited, but also a little panicked for her. Having had a traumatic birth experience myself with my first born, there is a lot of anxiety that builds up as you approach the birth of your second. I spent a lot of time sending good birth juju to Nicole for this little dude. We had chatted about how Nicole thought she would probably go over her due date with this baby too, but that was not what this guy had in mind. I had just climbed onto the treadmill at the gym when I got the text that it was go time! Blessedly, I had everything ready to go “just in case” and hopped off the treadmill and into the car to welcome this baby to the world. To say that this birth experience was different is perhaps the greatest understatement of all time. Will’s birth was like a gentle song compared to Jake’s! He was born on his mama’s birthday, in the light of day (that almost NEVER happens for me! SO many middle of the night babies!) and everything was 100% fine. We all kept remarking what a vastly different experience this had been for Nicole and Rob. It was perfect. I was thrilled to be there to record the first time Jake met his little brother, and am so happy they have these photos to remember how perfect the day was when their family was made whole. Congratulations wonderful Fox family!! I adore you!!
