Leah and I have been friends for over 10 years. We met in college when we were both attending AB Tech. We've had one of those friendships where we lose touch for a couple of years and then somehow get back in touch and pick up right where we left off as if no time had ever passed. I never would have imagined that I would be witnessing the birth of one of her babies, but I am so honored and excited that I got to experience Leah and her husband, Bo, meeting their sweet baby boy!
On May 26, 2016, Benjamin Spurgeon was scheduled to be delivered via c-section. Around here, the hospitals typically only allow one person into the OR with the mother and of course that is always the dad, so I have never been able to document a full c-section birth story in WNC. However, much to our surprise, Leah's amazing nurse, Micki, made it possible for us and I know we will all be forever grateful!
As soon as we arrived to the hospital, while we were waiting to go back into pre-op, Bo received a phone call. I could tell by his side of the conversation that it was a good phone call, little did Leah or I know, it was one of the most exciting phone calls they could have received. The person on the other end of the phone told Bo that his adoption of Leah's two daughters was official! What an extra amazing day for this family! I would be lying if I said I didn't tear up a little bit when I heard the news!
Our time in pre-op was full of excitement and smiles! And Leah really loved seeing her hubby all dressed up and looking like a doctor.
Leah was taken back to the OR while Bo and I finished getting our scrubs on. The medical staff allowed Leah and Bo to choose the kind of music she would like to be playing during her c-section. Together they chose Ottis Redding and I truly don't think they could have chosen anything better. It was perfect! Soon Mr. Ben was born crying and peeing all over his Mommy.
Mission hospital offers family-centered c-sections. I love that they have this option. It allows for the mom to still feel like she's a part of the birth, despite having to stay laying down on the table. In the OR is a huge TV screen which is connected to a camera across the room. This allowed Leah to be able to watch as they took her baby boy and cleaned him up, cut his cord, put on his diaper, and weighed and measured him. Technology is seriously incredible! Part of family-centered c-sections is that the baby is placed on Mom's chest for some invaluable skin-to-skin bonding immediately after birth.
Baby Ben has a head full of black hair and was ready to eat immediately! We all kept laughing at how serious he was from the beginning and Leah said more than once that he definitely takes after his Daddy as far as that's concerned. He was just trying to figure out this whole being born thing and checking out this new world he would be living in.
Once everyone was settled into post-op, Bo headed to the waiting room to bring the girls, Ella and Lilley, in to meet their baby brother. Let me tell you, these two girls were incredible big sisters before they ever even met Ben. They are going to be such great mommies one day! They wanted to see his hair, and his tiny fingers and they could not wipe the smiles off of their faces! It was love at first sight! After they'd had a minute to check out their new baby brother, Leah and Bo told them the exciting news about their adoption and again, I might have cried just a tad. It was such an incredibly sweet moment to witness!
After giving the immediate family a few minutes to bond and Oooh and Ahhh over baby Ben, the grandmas came in to meet their newest grandbaby! And great-grandma was extra excited that Ben was born on her own birthday!
Leah and Bo, thank you so much for welcoming into such a special moment in your lives! You created an very handsome, precious baby boy and I'm grateful that I was there to meet him on his birth day!
To see Ben's full birth story, be sure to watch the video below!
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Birth Stories
12
- Jul 17, 2017 Hendersonville, NC Birth Photographer | A Birth Story: Payton Blair | A Pardee Hospital birth of a baby girl Jul 17, 2017
- Jul 9, 2017 Asheville, NC Birth Photographer | A Birth Story: Delaney Jade | A WNC Birth Center labor and delivery Jul 9, 2017
- Mar 20, 2017 Asheville, NC Birth Photographer | A Birth Story: Myah June | A Park Ridge Health scheduled c-section of a baby girl Mar 20, 2017
- Jan 12, 2017 Asheville, NC Birth Photographer | A Birth Story: Bishop Kai | A Weaverville, NC VBAC home birth Jan 12, 2017
- Sep 10, 2016 Asheville, NC Birth Photographer | A Birth Story: Benjamin Spurgeon | A Mission hospital scheduled c-section Sep 10, 2016
- Apr 19, 2016 Asheville, NC Birth & Newborn Photographer | A Birth Story: Hadelyn Grace | The pregnancy journey and Park Ridge hospital birth of a baby girl Apr 19, 2016
- Mar 19, 2016 Asheville, NC Birth Photographer | A Birth Story: AnnaBeth | A Franklin, NC hospital birth of a rainbow baby girl Mar 19, 2016
- Dec 23, 2015 Asheville, NC Birth Photographer | A Birth Story: Ayla Maeve | A mission hospital scheduled c-section birth of a baby girl Dec 23, 2015
- Aug 12, 2015 Asheville, NC Birth Photography | A Birth Story: Eleck & Cora Jo | The beautiful scheduled c-section of twin babies Aug 12, 2015
- May 8, 2015 Asheville, NC Birth Photography | {A Birth Story: Athaelia Eden} | The Unmedicated Hospital Birth of a New Baby Girl May 8, 2015
- Dec 19, 2014 Asheville, NC Birth Photography | {A Birth Story: Cooper Haze!} Dec 19, 2014
- Nov 12, 2014 Asheville, NC Birth Photographer | {A Birth Story: Olive Piper} Beautiful baby girl hospital birth | Jessie Fultz Photography Nov 12, 2014
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Day in the Life
6
- Mar 28, 2018 Asheville, NC Maternity Photographer | A Pregnancy Story: Christina & Jonathan | A day in the life of a couple awaiting the birth of their baby boy, Charlie Mar 28, 2018
- Jul 20, 2016 Asheville, NC Documentary Family Photographer | A Day in the Life: The McElrath Family | A photojournalistic family session Jul 20, 2016
- Aug 28, 2015 Asheville, NC Family Photography | A Day in the Life: The Liebl Family | A peek into the life of a Florida family Aug 28, 2015
- May 29, 2015 Asheville, NC Documentary Photography | {A Day in the Life: Terry & Jenny} | A look into the life of a New York City couple May 29, 2015
- Dec 11, 2014 Asheville, NC Documentary Storytelling Family Photography | {A Holi-Day in the Life: The Kennedys!} Christmas Family Traditions & Tree Cutting Dec 11, 2014
- Nov 1, 2014 Asheville, NC Storytelling Family Photography | {A Day in the Life: Freeman Style!} Real life with a toddler & a 5 year old | Jessie Fultz Photography Nov 1, 2014
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Events/Parties
3
- Oct 13, 2016 Asheville, NC Birth & Family Photographer | A Birthday Party Story: Jade Turns Two! | A rainbow unicorn pool party Oct 13, 2016
- Dec 8, 2015 Asheville, NC Baby & Family Photographer | A Birthday Story: Abigail Turns 5 | An outdoor Minions-themed little girl's birthday party Dec 8, 2015
- Aug 27, 2015 Asheville, NC Baby Photographer | A Pregnancy Story: Baby Acosta | A Florida couple's pink and blue gender reveal party Aug 27, 2015
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Fresh48
6
- Mar 23, 2017 Asheville, NC Birth & Newborn Photographer | A Fresh48 Story: Myah June | A Park Ridge Health hospital newborn photo session Mar 23, 2017
- Mar 20, 2017 Asheville, NC Birth Photographer | A Birth Story: Myah June | A Park Ridge Health scheduled c-section of a baby girl Mar 20, 2017
- Dec 24, 2015 Asheville, NC Birth & Newborn Photographer | A Fresh48 Story: Ayla Maeve | A mission hospital newborn photo session Dec 24, 2015
- Nov 28, 2015 Asheville, NC Birth & Newborn Photographer | A Fresh48 Story: Introducing Ashton Nolan | A documentary hospital newborn photo session Nov 28, 2015
- Aug 27, 2015 Asheville, NC Newborn Photography | A Fresh48 Story: Eleanor Maya | An in-home, family-centered welcoming of a newborn baby girl Aug 27, 2015
- Nov 22, 2014 Asheville, NC Birth and Family Photographer | {Fresh48: Olive Piper} Newborn hospital photos Nov 22, 2014
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Maternity
4
- Mar 28, 2018 Asheville, NC Maternity Photographer | A Pregnancy Story: Christina & Jonathan | A day in the life of a couple awaiting the birth of their baby boy, Charlie Mar 28, 2018
- Jul 25, 2017 Asheville, NC Maternity Photographer | A Pregnancy Story: Karen & Josh | A West Asheville couple awaiting the arrival of their baby girl, Maeve Jul 25, 2017
- Jan 23, 2016 Asheville, NC Baby & Family Photographer | A Pregnancy Story: The Farris Family | A family of three Biltmore Estate maternity photo session Jan 23, 2016
- Dec 22, 2014 Asheville, NC Birth & Family Photography | {Waiting on Oakley!} Downtown Waynesville, NC Maternity Photo Session Dec 22, 2014
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New Baby
5
- Aug 27, 2015 Asheville, NC Newborn Photography | A Fresh48 Story: Eleanor Maya | An in-home, family-centered welcoming of a newborn baby girl Aug 27, 2015
- Aug 14, 2015 Asheville, NC Newborn Photography | A New Baby Story: Phebe Katherine | A sweet baby girl's in-home, lifestyle newborn photo session Aug 14, 2015
- Jul 8, 2015 Asheville, NC Newborn Photography | A New Baby Story: Handsome Mr. Oakley Cole | An in-home lifestyle newborn photo shoot Jul 8, 2015
- Jun 2, 2015 Asheville, NC Birth & Newborn Photography | {A New Baby Story: Sweet Baby Eve} | A North Carolina lifestyle newborn and family photo session Jun 2, 2015
- Feb 3, 2015 Asheville, NC Lifestyle Photography | {Watch Me Grow} New Baby Finley Rhea | Beautiful Hendersonville, NC Lifestyle Baby Girl Newborn Session Feb 3, 2015
- Proposals 1
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Storytelling Sessions
6
- Mar 28, 2018 Asheville, NC Maternity Photographer | A Pregnancy Story: Christina & Jonathan | A day in the life of a couple awaiting the birth of their baby boy, Charlie Mar 28, 2018
- Jul 25, 2017 Asheville, NC Maternity Photographer | A Pregnancy Story: Karen & Josh | A West Asheville couple awaiting the arrival of their baby girl, Maeve Jul 25, 2017
- Jun 26, 2016 Asheville, NC Documentary & Lifestyle Photographer | A Proposal Story: Isaac + Corianna | A Craggy Gardens, NC surprise marriage proposal Jun 26, 2016
- Mar 21, 2016 Asheville, NC Documentary Family Photographer | A Surprise Story: The Heasley/Kennedy Family | A Hendersonville, NC family's surprise visit Mar 21, 2016
- Nov 20, 2015 Asheville, NC Family Photography | A Short Story: The Baker Family | A Hendersonville lifestyle family pregnancy announcement photo session Nov 20, 2015
- Nov 27, 2014 Asheville, NC Documentary Storytelling Family Photography | {A Toddler's Story: Lane is 2!} A day in the life of a two year old Nov 27, 2014
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Watch Me Grow
3
- Nov 20, 2015 Asheville, NC Baby & Family Photographer | Watch Me Grow: Finley Rhea's 8th Month | A outdoor lifestle baby photo session Nov 20, 2015
- Jul 7, 2015 Asheville, NC Birth & Baby Photography | Grayson Matthew's 6 Month Session | A North Carolina documentary baby bath session Jul 7, 2015
- Feb 3, 2015 Asheville, NC Lifestyle Photography | {Watch Me Grow} New Baby Finley Rhea | Beautiful Hendersonville, NC Lifestyle Baby Girl Newborn Session Feb 3, 2015