Blog > The Sessions > September

Kearney, NE

This family has truly the best story. So, his mom actually booked a couples session for them about 7 months ago. You see, when they got married, they didn't actually get very many photos of just the two of them together. So his mom wanted to remedy that for their 10 year anniversary. Except...they found out they were expecting just a bit after being gifted this portrait session. Well, long story short, we had to adjust what we were photographing. While we did a few "maternity" portraits and a few "family" portraits...the majority of this session was centered around mom and dad. Some of the most romantic photos I have ever had the pleasure of creating. And of course we had to get a couple of their two big kiddos before their little brother arrived. LOL Definitely a fun session with a wonderful story to tell.
Below are just a few of my favorite images...

Hastings, NE

SO excited for this senior session!!!! I very rarely get boys in here, but even more rare...do I get to shoot an athlete on their own "turf" so-to-speak. But this handsome young man wanted it all! He holds a multitude of weight lifting records at his high school, and is a football starter. So much talent! I know he will go far in life!

Here are a few of my favorite images from this Senior Portrait session...

Hastings, NE

I love it when my seniors come in with "Can I wear my ballet shoes?" Ummm, of course! Senior portraits MUST show off who you are. Bring your trophies, bring your hobbies, bring your pets...these photos are all about you. Let's make them amazing! 

Here are just a few of my favorite images from this fantastic senior portrait session...

Las Vegas, NV

So, a lot of you already know I travel around the country for my clients. My family and I have lived in a few places, and I have clients all over the United States. Well, this beautiful young woman has been a long time client in Las Vegas, so I was more than happy to fly back for her Senior portraits this year. And as you can probably tell...she did not disappoint for this session! Simply gorgeous doesn't even begin to describe her session. 

Enjoy a few of my faves below...

Las Vegas, NV

Could this family BE any cuter?!?! Love them! I am SO honored to say that I have been their family photog since the second this precious little girl was born. Watching this family grow over the years, has been wonderful and I was so very excited to capture another year of memories for them. 

Check out a few of my favorites.....

Las Vegas, NV

This amazing family had the best idea this year...downtown Las Vegas Family photos! And the results are simply stunning, super fun, and completely original.
Here are a few of my faves....

Hastings, NE

Another beautiful family in a dreamy location, but this time...with grandparents! I LOVE LOVE LOVE when grandparents come to family sessions. Yes, it is a little extra fee, but SO worth it to capture your kiddos with grammy & grampy. Especially when they are little bitties...LOVE!
And this family was blessed to not only capture amazing family photos of themselves...but also a TON of gorgeous images of their little man with his grandparents. Such precious memories! 

Check out just a few of my favorites from this very special family photo session.

Hastings, NE

High school seniors are some of my favorite people to photograph, and this handsome young man was no exception. His quiet, calm demeanor and gentle smile were a wonder to photograph. Thank you, Ashton! Thank you for having me capture this special time in your life.

Hastings, NE

This beautiful family chose the perfect location for their outdoor photos this year. Prairie Loft! If you haven't been there, I highly recommend it. Big beautiful barns, lush trees, hiking trails, and fun education courses for the kiddos. It was truly the perfect backdrop for this amazing family that loves the outdoors & adventure.
Thanks Witte Family!
Enjoy a few of my faves from their wonderful family portrait session.

Las Vegas, NV

This sweet family have been clients of mine since their precious little girl's birth. We have done so many fun sessions, and it is always such a pleasure to come back to Vegas for yet another fun family portrait session with them.

This year we were up at Floyd Lamb Park in North Las Vegas for some gorgeous fall Sunset photos. Check out some of my favorites from this amazing Family sessions below.

 Las Vegas, NV

As much as I love outdoor family sessions, there are just some days I'm not a fan of weather. I can handle some rain and snow, but wind can be a true beast for photo sessions.

When on-location though, I usually have very little time....an not much wiggle room for rescheduling. So when the Mounts family arrived at Calico Basin Park, and the wind was upwards of 25 mph in some gusts....we had to work with it.

This family is truly inspiring to me...two sets of twins in under 3 years! Two precious girls, and two adorable little boys. When I asked dad what are the odds of that happening, his response was "Oh pretty high! It's just my luck!". Ha! But they handle their brood with grace and humor. Their patience is immeasurable, and I was thoroughly impressed. Especially when the wind became a bit too much to handle.

However, even though we were fighting a windy day and the kids were done with photos after just 40 minutes...we were able to capture some amazing moments for them. Perfect family shots, as well as fun shots of the kiddos.

Here are just a few of my favorites from their session. Enjoy!

Nelson, NV

When you have photographed a family from the time their eldest was still in his momma's belly, you grow a forever bond with that family. The bond I have with this adorable family has become so much more than friendship. We consider them a part of our family now. They have stolen my heart.

So, each time I travel to the Las Vegas area...or even when they come to visit us in Nebraska...we get together to photograph their sweet little kiddos growing up.

This year we ventured outside of Las Vegas to Nelson, and the results of this season were amazing. Check out just a few of my favorites below.

 Las Vegas, NV

Sometimes a client just doesn't need a full session, which is why I always try to evaluate the clients needs and offer them the opportunity to take one of our fabulous Mini Sessions if it works better for their schedule and budget.

Now, when I schedule on-location sessions outside of Nebraska I love to set up several times for mini sessions to make sure I can get everyone in that wants photos done. This year I was so blessed to have so many clients want photos taken, and so many that wanted our fabulous Mini sessions. 

The locations for these sessions varied from Floyd Lamb Park, to Nelson's Landing, to Boulder City....but all were memorable with beautiful families capturing memories.

Below are just a couple of the amazing images captured from each of these wonderful session. Check them out!

Las Vegas, NV

To start Sean's story, I first have to tell you a little about my daughters' births.

With my first birth....ALL back labor. Not really something any woman ever wants as it is quite painful. With my second...erratic and very non-typical labor. Contractions were all over the place. Starting and stopping. And then....Bam water breaks and 20 minutes later we have a baby in our arms. Then my third....fast. fast. fast! By the time I realized I was actually in full labor and not that fun prodromal stuff...it was about an hour before she arrived.

Now, the reason I had to start with their stories is....well...it's because Sean decided to combine them all into his story. Back labor, non-typical/erratic labor, and a FAST delivery. But he also added his own special twist too.....

So, his story begins on September 29th at 4:54am. I get awakened with uncomfortable contractions, and think "hmmm...no. It's still two weeks before his due date. I must just need to go to the bathroom." Get up and start my day, but they don't stop. They aren't regular, but aren't really comfortable and are all in my back. Super fun!

By 10am...I'm drinking tons of water and laying down on my side on the couch. Contractions have stopped and I drift off for a nap. Lunch comes and goes with a few contractions, but nothing like prior that morning. By 3pm I'm noticing that every time I stand up the contractions kick into high gear. I keep talking to my belly. Saying "Look kid! You need to stay in there until October!"

So, back to the couch to lay down and take another nap. Ha! Best way to spend the day, right!?!

When I wake up it's almost dinner time. The big girls are running around fighting. My husband wants to know what we should have for dinner. I have to pee...AGAIN! The joy of pregnancy...peeing every 20 minutes. This time though...the pressure I start to feel with the contractions makes me realize...I don't think I'm going to be able to "stop" this until October.

I come out of the bathroom and look my husband in the eye and say "I think we might be having a baby tonight", and he whips out his phone to start timing them. It's now 6:35pm. I feel nauseous and lots of pressure with each contraction. They are still erratic, ranging from 2-8 min apart but lasting over a min each. At this point...we are prepping the tub and texting the birth team to be on their toes.

By 8:45pm calls are being made. Midwife...check. Student midwife...check. Birth photographer...check. Tub is almost full. I've changed into my bikini top...we are ready to have a baby!

One by one the birth team arrives. The big girls are so excited to meet their baby brother. But things aren't speeding up. Instead the contractions are slowing down, and getting...if it were possible...more erratic. The pressure I feel is SO intense I want to push. The back pain is SO intense...I want to scream out loud from the pain, and the only comfortable position is to sit on my knees. But yet...the contractions are getting farther apart.

My lovely midwife, Kim Trower, isn't quite concerned...but asks to check me and see if we are actually going to have this baby tonight. She barely made it to our third child's birth, and for a 4th baby...this isn't going quite like we had all thought it would. So around Midnight a quick check....and we are only at 2 cm.

I've given birth to 3 children, been to countless other births, and yet that number...while I knew it's just a number and that labor can go from 2-10 in just minutes...it was a crushing blow. I KNEW I was in real labor. Little man just wasn't in an optimal position, causing everything to take awhile. But it was now after 1am and after being awakened so early, spending all day with on/off contractions....I was so tired. The birth team was super tired. It was best that they all went home to their families. And they did. And I cried.

I didn't want to be alone. I mean, I wasn't. My husband and kids were there, but I felt alone nonetheless. I wanted Kim, Romina, and Jessica there. That was the plan. This ridiculous labor was NOT in my plan! I was mad and sad, and the self doubt started to set in. Maybe I'm not in real labor. Maybe I am having a fun round of prodromal labor. I mean...I had it with my other three. BUT it never felt like this.

After a bath and a small glass of wine...the contractions had all but stopped and I, begrudgingly, fell asleep around 2:23am.

September 30th, 2015...5:43am...the contractions are back with a vengeance. Standing is near impossible, but I don't want to wake the whole household just yet. So I sit on the edge of our bed and try to sleep in between contractions.

8:45am rolls around and I can't breathe through these anymore. My husband says "I'm taking the big girls to school. Be back in a few." OMG! I didn't want him to leave. I couldn't focus my eyes from the intensity of labor pains, and he wants to LEAVE!?! I was so mad, but yet was having to focus so much on the labor I couldn't express my displeasure of him taking the girls to school. I wanted them all to stay, but lost my ability to verbalize most anything. It was at this point that we should have called the birth team back. While the contractions were still very irregular, this was beyond active labor and moving into the transition phase.

At 9:30am, I begged my husband to refill the tub cause I wanted...no...I NEEDED to be in the water. He was running around with hoses, draining water, filling water, back and forth...sitting with me, and holding my hand as I screamed out from the severe back pain that has crippled me to our bed.

9:45am...."You need to call someone! Something is wrong! This isn't how I labor!" I sob through tears to my husband. So, he picks up the phone after that contraction finishes.

9:48am..."Oh my God! I need to be on my hands and knees NOW!" and I flip to my hands and knees just as another contraction begins. My water breaks all over the bed just as Kim answers her phone and I hear my husband say "Oh...her water just broke all over the bed, and there is a head." I know he is on the phone with her, so I scream "Kim! Get here NOW!"....cause every midwife has a teleporter, right?!?

I some how muster up the strength to get off the bed, and start walking down the hall to the birth tub as my husband is trying to convince me that our bathtub is perfectly fine at this point. But dang it! I bought that birth tub. I will give birth in that tub! It's just 30 feet away....I can make it...I can make it...

10:03am and I enter the studio where the tub sits...just 8 feet away. Two more steps...5 feet away, but a contraction begins. I remember thinking "He can't come with this contraction. I will just breathe through, then climb in the tub and he will be born."

I should just stop planning things...

I feel his head shift down and I can't stop him...he is coming NOW and I scream "STEVEN!! YOU NEED TO CATCH HIM!" My husband...slides into the room underneath me just as little man barrels out in less than a push. He is here! Covered in vernix, and screaming out the most wonderful cries.

Over 29 hours of labor...less than 5 minutes of "birth". Ha! He is going to be a stinker!

The next few hours are filled with the birth team arriving, photos being taken, and family bonding. All of which was so surreal after his whirl wind arrival. Our girls were so excited to come home for lunch and find a new baby brother waiting for them. My midwife was sad to have missed his arrival. My husband was still coming down from his adrenaline high. And I was wearing my Wonder Woman jammies feeling like a rockstar.

So there it is...the special delivery of our son. Please enjoy some of the photos from this crazy story below, taken by the amazing Miss Jessica Benson of Jessica B Photography.