Danielle & Charlie

Romantic summer wedding at shadow creek

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instalovely

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My friend Skyler and my midwife were there by 11pm

My friend Skyler and my midwife were there by 11pm. We watched a @stoolpresidente one bite pizza review and I made a PB+J sandwich. Justin set up beds for them. It felt like a slumber party 🤪

I had the songs “Amber” by 311 and “His Mercy Is More” stuck in my head all 10 hours of labor. It’s a wonder I didn’t name her Amber. 🤣⁣
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At one point my midwife asked if I wanted to go see the moon shining over the pond in our backyard. I experienced a couple of strong contractions out there under the moonlight. If it wasn’t for the neighbors I think I would have birthed out there.⁣🤪
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The positions I felt the most progress from were side lying with pillows between my knees and kneeling at the foot of our bed. I was upright for transition and I felt her descend so quickly. I started saying “No no no” from the intensity but quickly changed my words to “Yes yes yes!” 🙌🏼 ⁣
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I had thought she was coming around 5am and called my midwife and Skyler into the room. Suddenly I just felt like I was being watched. Sure enough, my labor stalled. Contraction intensity quickly dwindled. Once Justin and I were left in the room alone for an hour, things picked back up and she was here soon after!⁣
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The last hour of labor as the sun was coming up, Justin and I were so exhausted that we were sleeping through the 3 minutes in between contractions. Like full on snoring and drooling. It’s truly amazing that the body can do this. 😂⁣
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I wanted so badly to be able to describe what the pain during delivery feels like. I can never recall the sensation afterwards or even bring a tiny bit of it to mind. So immediately after birth I made sure to tell Justin, “It felt my pelvis was being both pulled apart and squeezed together to its breaking point at the same time.” Pain free birth moms… I have no clue how you get there. 😂 I’ve accepted that feeling the pain of childbirth is my lot in life. I don’t mind it. Actually, it has grown me spiritually more than anything else has in my life. More on that later. ⁣
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When Addison arrived, Heidi said “Awww! She’s so tiny! Look at her tiny ears and her tiny pinky toe!” By far the most special and magical moment of my life. When can we do this again?!

Addison Ivy Lane March 30th, 2024 7:35am 6 lbs 1

Addison Ivy Lane

March 30th, 2024
7:35am
6 lbs 14 oz 🥺
20.5 inches long

I knew she was smaller than Heidi the second she came out ❤️ I said during her overnight labor, I think I know her middle name… Ivy feels like it belongs with the night 🌙 And we just loved the sound of Addie Lane! Keeping with our family’s tradition on my dad’s side, she has two middle names. If you don’t know the story yet, Heidi named her Addison last summer right before I found out I was pregnant with her, our rainbow baby. I saw two double rainbows in the sky that evening on the day I found out I was carrying her. She felt like a promise fulfilled for our family. Addie and Heidi have the same name meaning… “of noble kin.” Fitting as they are both daughters of the King. I had a feeling she might come on Easter but I was off by just a day. I’d had a very emotional/hormonal Good Friday and I think the Lord must have thought, that’s enough, time to get this baby out 😂 We’ve had the sweetest first week and a half with this little angel and I’m soaking up every moment of her tininess, Justin’s time off from work, the *four* of us just being home together spending all the quality time. Thank you Jesus for this beautiful blessing and precious season ❤️

My water broke on the way home from Good Friday se

My water broke on the way home from Good Friday service. 10 minutes earlier and it would have been in the church parking lot with all our friends! ⁣
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Having my water break at the beginning of labor was a challenge. Addison was still pretty high in my pelvis and had a lot of moving down to do over the course of the night. It was certainly “labor” - it felt like work, but 90% of it was completely manageable. ⁣
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Once again the last 30 minutes or so of labor absolutely floored me with its intensity. It truly goes 0 to 100. I was crying out “Jesus help me!” All worth it for the moment she was in my arms. There’s nothing like the euphoria of the natural oxytocin high (not impeded by anesthetic drugs or pitocin). It’s otherworldly.⁣
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I loved laboring alone with Justin in our bedroom. To labor unobserved is a beautiful thing ❤️⁣
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I had the most incredible midwife who was as hands off as I wanted. I wasn’t placed on a 24 hour countdown once my water broke… she didn’t say the words “cervical check” once. No needles. No medical talk really at all. I felt so supported in my desire for a natural birth in every sense of the word.⁣
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I didn’t push at all. I experienced the fetal ejection reflex and it was amazing. Recovery has been SO much easier, less painful, and quicker. Addison crowned and her head was partially out for about 6 minutes (several contractions) before I felt my body release her! ⁣
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She had the cord wrapped around her neck twice! We simply unwrapped the cord before I pulled her from the water and onto my chest - it’s actually part of God’s beautiful design for birth to wrap the cord like this to prevent cord prolapse, especially when waters break and baby is still high. As Ina May says… smart babies wrap their cord around their neck! ⁣
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It was truly the most magical moment of my life seeing Heidi come into the room as I held Addison’s head in my hands between contractions. I reminded her that mommy might yell a little bit and then one contraction later, her baby sister was here. 🥹 It was so special that she got to witness birth in her own home - not scary, not traumatic, not full of beeps and machines, just new life. The best birth experience ever.

Our precious Easter weekend rainbow baby. 💗 We

Our precious Easter weekend rainbow baby. 💗

Welcome to the world, sweet Addison… we’ve waited so long to meet you and you were worth every minute of the wait, including your overnight labor. 💗

9 months ago your big sister rather matter of factly said, “Jesus told me you will have a baby and her name will be Addison.” I found out I was pregnant 10 days later, discovered my great Grandma Lace’s actual name was Addie, learned you were a girl, and now here we are on Easter celebrating the hope and joy of this weekend as a family of four.

Praising God for new life, a beautiful home birth, and an amazing husband who squeezed my hips every single contraction 3 minutes apart from 11pm to 7:30am. I truly could not have done it without his support and encouragement. I’m blessed beyond measure. Soaking up every second of newborn snuggles and watching Heidi become a big sister. She got to be there when Addison entered the world and it was incredible moment I’ll never forget. 💗 Thank you Jesus for your grace and peace. Living out the moment I prayed for since two years ago feels like a dream.

I've been enjoying a little break from social medi

I've been enjoying a little break from social media these last few weeks of pregnancy, but I wanted to share our beach maternity photos that my sister kindly took for us last weekend. It was killing me that I didn't have my white sand golden hour maternity portraits, and I'm so happy we took the time to take these... even though we were exhausted from house projects (my nesting instinct has been disturbingly aggressive this pregnancy), the wind was fierce this evening, and Heidi lost interest about 10 minutes into the shoot. I'm officially the mom on the other side of the camera more than content to get just a few good shots, haha.

It's been a challenge to stop and savor these moments. When I found out I was pregnant, I thought, I can't believe I have to wait 9 months to meet this baby, for Heidi to be a big sister, for us to be a family of four. When we were trying to get pregnant again after our miscarriage, I was devastated that time seemed to be slipping through my fingers. Heidi got bigger every day and we were only getting older. Oh to be humbled and reminded that our Creator exists outside of time and His plans operate on their own wavelength. Now that we're here, I'm so thankful we got nearly 4 years with just our Heidi girl. We both got a little teary eyed the other night looking at baby pictures of her and wondering where all the time has gone. From career changes to financial situations and general spiritual maturity... this is so clearly our God-ordained time to be here in this season.

We likely have a few weeks left as a family of three and we are slowing down, spending lots of quality time with Heidi, and resting as much as we can before our world gets flipped upside down again by a newborn. 🤪 Any heartwarming stories or encouraging advice for the transition are welcome!! Heidi didn't let us sleep for nearly 2 years so we are really going into this with zero expectations for personal comforts, haha... but all the excitement for baby snuggles and sleep gowns and long drawn out mornings in bed. I can't believe we're here and birth is so close. I'm so excited and praying constantly for God's graces for this labor and postpartum. 💗

It wasn’t too long ago I was shooting their wedd

It wasn’t too long ago I was shooting their wedding… and now Shea and I are both expecting little ones this spring 🥹🌸 As a photographer it’s truly the best thing ever when I get to be a part of multiple seasons of life with my couples. It brings me so much joy (and I totally tear up seeing my brides and grooms become parents). Full circle moment. This is why I do what I do! 🫶🏻 So excited for you both, Shea and Noah!! Can’t wait for our first play date!

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International Wedding Photographer based in tampa Florida for the elegant, head-over-heels in love bride who loves romantic details & daring adventures

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