Home Coming…

As a photographer, I have been envied to many life events. I have been to many births and I have even photographed a homecoming for a Navy family. One birth I was envied to ended up being a homecoming at the same time.

It was a quite morning in August when I received my first text from my mama. (Bare with me, I usually leave names out of the story.) Her text said something about, “If real labor is anything like this, I don’t want to do it any more!” I knew mama was in early labor, and so I worked to clear my schedule for the rest of the day. I didn’t hear form her for a few more hours, but she did say she was going to go to the airport to pick hubby up as he was flying in to San Diego in the late afternoon. He had been deployed with the USMC in Japan for the better part of the year and was able to fly home just for the birth of their son. He had already spent 3 days at the airport in Japan waiting for an empty seat. That empty seat never happened and the family gathered the funds together to bring him home for the birth. At this point, I did suggest she might find a back up to pick him up.

It was about 4:00 in the afternoon when I received my next text from mama, telling me she went to the hospital instead of the airport. She was in active labor and I knew I needed to get to the hospital quickly for her. She was all alone and I NEVER want any of my laboring mamas to be alone. I was able to be there with in the hour and I helped her out as she was obviously in late stages of labor, this mama was having her baby FAST! All I wanted was for her hubby to walk into the door before baby made his appearance. (Biggest problem of the day, his phone was not working after being in Japan for so long.) Finally, mama said it, “I have to push!!!” I made sure my camera was near by as mama “assumed the position” as we were both holding our breaths that hubby/daddy would walk in the door any minute. Finally! He made it!

The welcome home kiss, as she is bringing their son into the world. Timing couldn’t have been any better. This mama rocked her natural birth and daddy made it just in time.

To view more images from this birth and many others, please visit The2ofUsPhoto. You can also find me on Twitter and Facebook.