jessica B photography: October 2011

The Giving Giveaway: Part 2

Well, time for the nominees.....

Allyson was nominated by her sister-in-law. She says, "It's been a rough couple of years for our family since we lost her dad in a tragic motorcycle accident. More medical issues surround our close family members. Her husband is an officer for Metro and they are BOTH going to school with a full schedule! They are making great grades and still manage scouts and more with their three kiddos! They show me how to be the glue that binds when everything seems to be falling apart. I love that they only bond closer when times are tough. They just got into a new home in Henderson and I think a lovely family portrait is just what they deserve to make their house a home."

Christy was nominated by her neighbor. She says "I have a new neighbor who has a son my son's age, along with 2 other boys. They get together quite often to play and they are good friends. His mom, Christy, came over today to chat while the kids played. We got talking about Christmas and she mentioned that they are really struggling financially. To make a long story short, she is a waitress, only working 3 days a week and her husband is unemployed. She was even telling me today that her camera broke and so she hasn't been able to take pictures of her children for about a year because they can't afford a new camera. Well, that was when I thought of this giveaway and I knew I wanted to nominate her."

Alex was nominated by a friend. She says "Alex is a childhood friend of mine. She and her husband have two cute little kids together. Her husband was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago and is on his second round of treatment. The first time it went really well but within a month of stopping the cancer was back and had spread, so now they are starting over again. He's currently receiving treatment in California, but their family is here in Las Vegas. It's a big strain on their family to be apart. Alex is an amazing mom and has been somehow holding it all together and trying to keep everything "normal" for her kids, but they know something isn't right. She's just so upbeat and positive about the whole thing, even though the odds are really stacked against them and the possibility of a happy ending is pretty dismal. She could be a single mom just like that and it just kills me to think about how young she is. I just think that of all the people I know, family pictures would mean the world to them."

You can vote twice. Comment here on the blog, and vote on Facebook (click here) by liking the corresponding "photo". "Anonymous" voters please leave your name, so we can regulate the votes. Thanks!

Zach + Brooke. Just Married.

>> 10/22/2011 – Wedding

Congratulations to Zach & Brooke!!! This was an absolutely beautiful wedding! The bride was gorgeous (of course!), her dress was amazing, the bridal party was so fun, the floral arrangements were stunning, the DJ was hopping, the food was delicious, and the details were just perfect. Seriously, this was one fantastic wedding.

What good bridesmaids!!! They laced and they laced and they laced.

I'm a Vans fan myself, so of course, I was totally loving Brooke's choice of shoes. And so smart to to bring a pair of flats for the reception, especially when you plan on dancing as much as Brooke did! She rocked the night away!

Seriously, the flowers and decorating were just out of this world! Pink peacock feathers, black feathers, zebra print ribbon, black calla lilies, crystals, and tree branches instead of an archway?!?!? I think the trees were my absolute favorite part of the decor.

I love the shot!

Look closely. You can see Brooke's tear-streaks. So cute!!!

Thanks again, Bridesmaids, for lacing that dress!

See? The decor is just fantastic. And the tables were named after motocross race tracks that Zach has raced on!

My favorites from the First Dance. I love Brooke's one eye peeking over.

DJ Bill Tobler of Twist & Shout Mobile Sound kept everybody in the house on their feet. These people danced and they danced and they danced. And even when the reception was over they were still dancing. The music was fantastic and everyone was having a great time. Not sure where Zach is on this last picture (it was actually taken in the middle of the reception) but he was dancing too.

Venue: Boulder Creek Golf Course

Florist: Iron Heart

DJ: Twist & Shout Mobile Sound

Photographer: Jessica B Photography

It's My Birthday

>> 10/20/2011 – Children

It was a brutally hot day, almost high noon. We had spent the morning chatting with friends and were not too far from this fun location. Since his birthday was coming up, I said to my son, "Want to get your picture taken?" Surprisingly, he said yes. You never know with my kids. Often one of them will say no, which of course gets the rest of them saying no. We lasted about 5 minutes, plus I had other time constraints. And so his Fourth Birthday Portraits were made. Four years ago today, he was born into our family and was immediately welcomed by his older siblings. He is such a sweet boy and I am so glad I have him. He's looking awfully tall these days.... not a baby anymore... :(

BTW I looooove his Westmama Designs shirt. I think I want one for myself. I love all her shirts.

Choosing a Midwife/Is Homebirth Safe????

>> 10/18/2011 – Birth

I often get people asking me for recommendations for midwives. I also often get the “What if something happens???” -type questions. I have got a great story that answers both these questions.

It was Labor Day Weekend. Sarah thought “this might be it!” A walk, a shower, some rest, it wasn’t. A week later, Sarah thought “this might be it!” Again, it wasn’t. Another week goes by, and Sarah is now past 41 weeks. Any pregnant woman knows those last few weeks seem like the looooongest ones. I was pretty sure she meant business this time when she sent me a text at 1:30am

Sarah had prepared wonderfully for her homebirth. Mentally, she wanted a non-invasive, unmedicated birth for her child. Emotionally, she desired this to be a beautiful journey she & Dan would take in welcoming their daughter into their family. Physically, Sarah is a yoga instructor and she & Dan had attended a Hypnobirthing class. Sarah could meditate and breath like a pro.

A quick side note here about Moose. I love Moose. And I am not a “dog person.” When I came to Sarah’s house a few weeks prior to her labor day, Moose very calmly put his head in my lap. He was very snuggly in a nice, non-overbearing way. On the day of the birth, Moose was aware, slightly concerned, and just loving. He had a very calming presence. (I even felt bad asking him to leave the room as things got towards the end!)

Sarah’s labor progressed, and then she was ready to push. And she pushed and pushed and pushed. It seemed that this baby was going to make her mama wait just a little bit longer before making her entrance! Throughout this prolonged pushing stage, Sarah and the baby were constantly monitored by midwife April & assistant Marcie. Eventually, April said the words “We need to go to the hospital.” April assured Sarah it was not an emergency, but she wanted to get to the hospital before it turned into an emergency. The baby’s heart tones weren’t as chipper as they once were, Sarah was getting exhausted, and the baby’s head just wasn’t coming out. April figured the baby just needed a little help from a vacuum, and that’s something midwives don’t do. So, we quickly packed up and got to the hospital.

At St. Rose Siena Hospital, Sarah had wonderful nurses and Dr. Sauter was on-call. A few more pushes and a little vacuuming and the baby was out! It turns out the little miss Kate decided she was coming into the world how SHE wanted to – face up and slightly crooked! It was her head position that was making the labor so difficult. In the end, Sarah still had an unmedicated birth, she was surrounded by three times as many supportive people, and she was tired but ecstatic! Sarah’s positive, easy-going attitude and never-ending pleasant-ness really made the difference in this birth. With how long the labor was and how long she was pushing, it would be very easy to get discouraged. Not Sarah! She was upbeat the whole way through (ok, in between contractions!)

Homebirth is a safe option for healthy, low-risk mothers. Hire a midwife who is knowledgeable and experienced. An experienced midwife can recognize “problems” before they become problems. So “what if something happens???” Notice that Sarah’s midwife did not wait until the last minute to say “Let’s go!” She did not wait until the situation was beyond her abilities to care for. She assessed the situation calmly and made the decision. The birthing party was moved to the hospital quickly, but not recklessly. Kate, due to her position, was having a long, hard labor and just needed a little help. Sarah is an amazing woman for laboring as she did, and staying so positive the whole time. Dan, while concerned, was beautifully supportive and strong for his wife. This is a wonderful new family and I am so pleased to have been a part of this experience. I know Sarah and Dan are stronger because of these events and they now have a darling baby girl to cherish.

Midwife April Kermani with assistant Marcie Webb

Doula and Photographer Jessica Benson

Hypnobirthing class with Mandie Medford

Transfer to St. Rose Sienna Hospital with Dr. Timothy Sauter

More Business of Being Born Screening

>> 10/15/2011 – Birth

Well Rounded Momma is hosting a special screening of More Business of Being Born, the sequel to Ricki Lake & Abby Epstein's ever-popular Business of Being Born. Two showings will be held on November 5th at Emerald at Queensridge.

Visit my table while you are there! I would love to meet some of my blog readers!!!

For more information click here.

Watch the trailer! See you at the show!!

Abigail {Utah Family Photographer}

>> 10/10/2011 – Family Groups

Abigail came to live with my brother-in-law's family when she was just a handful of days old. They had fostered other kiddos before, but Abby's situation was different. After a few months, their hopes for this baby turned toward adoption. This hope became a reality over the summer and Abby officially became part of their family. In August, Abby's family took her to a Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints where they were sealed to each other for time and all eternity. Their family relationship can now continue beyond death into eternity. Abby, we are so happy to have you in our family!!

There is a pretty cool story about how Abby got her name. The social worker had called and asked if my brother & sister-in-law were willing to take a baby boy. Having three girls already, they were kind of hoping for a boy, so of course they said yes. A little while later the social worker called back and said "I'm sorry, I was mistaken, it's a baby girl. Do you still want her?" My SIL said "yes, of course." Then she called my BIL and said "it's a girl." He got real quiet, which made her worry. He got quiet because he was thinking. He had just read The Peacegiver which features the story of Abigail & David (1 Samuel 25) and had the thought 'if we have another girl in our family, her name should be Abigail.' And so, they welcomed this baby girl into their homes, and when she was officially adopted they named her Abigail.