family photojournalism :: the kuchan family

Darren and Amy were one of the first familes whose first AND second births I got to photograph. They’re smart and classy, kind and affectionate parents. They’re even nice to be with while they’re in [unmedicated] labor, which is saying something! ;)

This year they moved to a new home in Grand Haven, and I got to come spend a couple hours with them there one Sunday morning, just doing the things they do. From tea parties on the floor, to folding laundry, playing on the back deck, walking around the neighborhood, watching favorite family videos on their phones, playing the piano, doing yoga poses, and of course lots of cuddles and kisses all around.

This session gives me the warm fuzzies. Come along and see a slice of life with them and their kiddos, age almost-2 and 7 months.

birth :: merida-kate

This is not your ordinary home birth, except for  in all the important ways: continuous, hands-on care from a skilled midwifery team, the comforts of familiarity, the nearness of family, the lack of intervention, and the lack of fear. But Latricia and James and their three kids call an RV home, choosing it as part of the grand adventure they're on of following the sometimes wild call of God on their lives. And because an RV is home, this is an RV home birth!

Let me just tell you that from a technical standpoint, this is hands-down own of the most challenging births I've ever photographed! Stormy night, small quarters filled with six other adults (midwives, midwife assistant, husband, mother) and a birth pool to work around, and very low lighting (think, shooting at ISO 12,800 if that means anything to you). But let me also tell you that it was incredibly beautiful. There was such peace, the falling rain was like a benediction, and things couldn't have gone more smoothly as Merida-Kate quietly made her entrance. 

This was the first home birth Latricia has had, and she absolutely rocked it. It was a joy to watch her, and afterwards to hear her comments about how easy the contractions were compared to her last natural birth, which included pitocin-induced ones (notorious for being nearly unbearable). It was awesome seeing the glow of triumph and contentment on her and James' faces as they lay snuggling their new little love.

So come along and bear witness to the birth of a daughter in the dark of a rainy night on the floor of her mobile home, into the arms of her remarkable parents. 

Trisha and James, being a tiny part of this amazing birthday party was totally worth the nearly 2-hour drive AND the speeding ticket I got on the way home. Can't thank you enough. 

PS: If anyone reading this needs a birth photographer for October or November, i have unexpected openings. Reach out.

life with a newborn :: heidi ann

Do you remember this stunning couple and their amazing Rent The Runway session from last fall? Well, not long after this gorgeousness occurred, Sarah let me know their happy secret: they were expecting their first baby! Throughout her pregnancy, she sent me update photos of her growing bump and their smiling faces, then a photo of the same PLUS a sporty pink cast on her left wrist/hand! She had taken a fall and broken her hand in the latter part of her pregnancy, which meant she'd have it on during labor. Oh man! But I loved tracking with them along the way, seeing how much love they manage to nourish and sustain in spite of the demanding life of a medical resident and both of them working at least full time. They so carefully and lovingly cared for their baby even before she was born, too. 

Finally, the day came and Sarah was in labor. It was a long labor, with some messiness at the very end, and recovery turned out to be much more intense and elongated than we anticipated, which rendered and official Fresh48 session impossible to pull off. But never fear, we changed up the plan and got this amazing Life With A Newborn session on the schedule for them when Sarah was feeling up to it again, about 13 days later. 

Since the only other time I had seen them they were in formalwear, it was a change -- but a cool one! -- to see them at home in their ordinary clothing and... most importantly... with their BEAUTIFUL dark-haired beauty, Heidi. Such sweet and tender moments here. 

I've said in the past that I had little to no availability for the remainder of this year for Birth and Fresh48 sessions, but I have an update: I've had some serious inquires not pan out and it turns out that now I CAN take on 1 birth for October and 1 for the front part of November. I can also put in another Fresh48 or two. So if you haven't reached out because you feared I was booked, you can reach out now. :)

family photojournalism :: the saigeon family (once again)

This family. I have a lot of heart eyes for them. This is my 4th time helping them tell the story of their family life! It started when 4-year-old Sienna was very small and 2-year-old Maxwell was yet in utero. We met at a nature center and took some simple and unscripted maternity photos. Then I visited their home shortly after he was born, and again when the kids turned 3 and 1. 

Now they are transitioning. Having sold their sweet Eastown home while the market was hot, they've taken the plunge and started to design and build their dream home on a little piece of land outside Grand Haven. Which means that for now they are renting a small-ish apartment downtown, biding time until their new home will be ready for them. Here the kids turned 4 and 2, here Max will learn to use a potty, and here Sienna finished her first year of Montessori preschool. As eager as they may be to move on, life keeps on marching along, rich and full as ever, with Michelle and Eric setting the tone and culture of a warm and enriching home environment. So, even though the smaller space might make them a little nuts right now, I'm really glad they decided to have it documented anyway, because someday these are the kinds of memories they'll really enjoy looking back at!

What joy to spend a bit of one evening shooting a Short Story Family Photojournalism session with them, walking to the park to read and swing, chatting with the neighbor's dogs, and lounging in their sweet little yard. It always feels like spending an evening with friends. 

life with a newborn :: everett james

It wasn't SO long ago that I was over to Dana and Russell's house to photograph their newborn daughter, Hazel June. This sweet family welcomed a son, Everett James, in a beautiful and fast home birth in July and once again they invited me to come and commemorate his arrival and his life at home. 

What follows is a little sneak peek at what it's been like for them so far. It's so striking, the difference between a Life With A Newborn session done for a family welcoming their first/only baby vs. a subsequent baby. Adding a toddler into the mix -- with all the action, toys, and maturing effect on the parents -- makes a very different atmosphere to capture! Life With A Newborn + Toddler is a very different life indeed. But it's love multiplied and running over, even if the tears are also multiplied. ;)

I'm excited for this family and the future that lies ahead for them. There's such depth of intentional play and artfulness, healthy emotional expression and growing green things, farmer's market visits and simple living. You'll enjoy this little slice of their life, and the adorable face of baby Everett. :)

If you're expecting a baby in the coming months and want a session like this for your own newly-grown family, don't forget to get in touch BEFORE your baby arrives. These sessions can be done very soon after birth or a up to three months afterward, but in either case, it works best to get yourself a spot saved on my calendar in advance. 

personal :: our 4th baby

It might sound crazy, and maybe it is, but within a couple months of giving birth to Walter, I knew that I wanted one more baby. More accurately, I had a strong sense that there was one more person that was meant to be added to our family. With a bit of nervousness, I approached the subject with Tim one day while we were in the car on the way to the beach. To my surprise, he immediately agreed. It was the most obvious thing to both of us. 

We agreed that there was no particular rush on working to create that new person, but that we'd leave things open to possibility and God's timing. 

It was shortly before Walter's 1st birthday that this baby was conceived, and I found out about the pregnancy the week after Walter's 1st birthday. It was the most purely and contentedly joyful news for both of us. 

Fast forward to mid-July when we had our first ultrasound, our first chance to see our baby. Look at that sweet little face!

At the ultrasound, we asked the technician not to tell us the gender, but to EMAIL our friend Michelle from my phone with an email saying simply "boy" or "girl." Michelle would then leap into action assembling the gender reveal cake, which we would then cut into upon our return home from picking up the older kids from their grandparents' house. Well, there was just one problem: the tech couldn't get THE ideal shot for gender determination. She got it from a couple of slightly-off angles and both times was pretty sure she saw the same signs but she said she's rate her level of certainty at 88.9%. Ugh. Is 88.9% enough to go on for the gender reveal party we had planned for that very same evening?, we wondered. But the train was set in motion so we stuck with the plan. 

Here are the kids waiting eagerly to cut into the cake. We decided to do this part on our own as a family BEFORE all our friends and family came over to have their own revelation moment. 

And now you can witness our little moment by watching this video I made on my camera...

Lots of friends and family came over shortly thereafter for a little party, which was also very fun. Almost everyone guessed it would be a girl. We did a live video of the unveiling on FB so our far-away family and friends could tune in, too. 

Those cupcakes had pink frosting inserted in the middle, so upon biting into them, the truth was revealed! 

AND, we went back this past week for a second ultrasound to get a closer to 100% certainty rate on baby's gender. Confirmed: GIRL BABY! 

We're so excited to round out our little tribe with another little girl.