As it turns out, we did that little maternity photo session just in time. That was a Wednesday evening; the following Tuesday morning (last week!), while I was at the dentist with Kathryn, Lindsey called to tell me her water broke. So we set The Baby Plan in motion: her husband left work to pick her up and take her to the hospital, while Kathryn and I took care of a few errands and kid-shuffling so that we could head up to the hospital.

Lindsey asked me and Kathryn to be in the room with her when Greyson was born, but we both told Kathryn it was 100% okay if she felt the need to step out at any point. After all, we do hope she’ll have a child or two of her own someday!

The timing all worked out perfectly (thanks, Greyson!), so Ken was picking up our kids plus Khloe from a friend’s house right around the time I was texting him to come to the hospital to meet his newest grandbaby.

I brought my camera, planning to take a few photos during labor, and of course, to get a few after he arrived. I ended up being too occupied by Lindsey’s side but picking up the camera turned out to be the perfect thing for Kathryn to occupy herself when things got intense. I’ve learned from my own experience that stepping behind the camera is an effective way to create a bit of healthy disconnect; it’s the only way I ever got through NILMTDS sessions.

Other than the one time I gave birth, I’d never been in the delivery room at the time of birth. Shortly after, but not during. Thankfully I knew enough to know it’s impossible to predict exactly how things will go. I like plans and I like to know what to expect, but that doesn’t work with labor and babies.

Every one of these photos were taken by Kathryn, and she did most of the editing, too. Photography is one of her interest-led subjects this year, and photographing your sister giving birth is a hefty dose of life skills and photography practice. How’s that for unschooling!?

Greyson was born at 6:36PM, weighed 7 pounds, and was 20 inches long. Lindsey did great, and we all really like the doctor and nurses. There was only one other woman in labor in the whole hospital; that’s a crazy change from the norm for hospitals in Atlanta!

SQUISHY BABY LOVE!!!

Khloe hasn’t decided how she feels about hew new baby brother with all his funny noises and attachment to mommy — but the rest of us are smitten already.

I was thinking, later that night, how unnecessary shared DNA is when it comes to love. No one thinks this strange in regards to romantic love, so why is it such a difficult concept when we think of children? I watched this child come into the world, born from a child of my heart but not my blood, and I instantly loved him. And I loved watching her meet him, this baby she carried within her, who carries her DNA in his.

Love. It’s a crazy thing.

Jamie

Wife, mom, J-ma. Introvert who enjoys good books, sunshine, and authentic conversation. Often seen with a steaming mug of tea in hand – unless it’s lost yet again in the microwave. Read more »