Cries were heard behind the closed doors of the operating room where little Ezra took his first breath. He wasn’t able to be soothed by his mama, who waited to meet her baby while they prepped him with just as much excitement and anticipation as these past nine months–but with a new emotion of relief that he was finally here. If you missed it, you can see Benjamin and Zoe’s outdoor maternity session here. Zoe waited for much longer than she thought she could endure for Ezra to be placed on her chest. When he was finally in her arms, tears welled up in daddy’s eyes and they posed for their first picture as a family. I still haven’t asked who took that shot. I was elated to receive it by text while I waited at home for the news. It is a picture that tells the story of a thousand words, impossible to fit into any human language; a picture that will be cherished for the rest of their lives because it reminds them how they felt in that incredible moment when they met their son.
Little Ezra arrived just before a big snow storm on a beautiful day in November. Contractions started on his due date, early in the morning hours. They grew with intensity and frequency to announce that it was finally time. For weeks, Mama’s prayer had been for her baby to turn because he was breech. They had already planned to meet their baby around noon that day for a scheduled cesarean section. But baby decided he would be a few hours early. What a joyful arrival it was!
I remember what it was like to meet my first baby. In that moment, nothing else really mattered and everything that was now important to me was suckling at my breast and being held in my arms. He was my entire world, and the rest of the world stopped as my heart was now beating in rhythm with his, to the melody of a new song that I’d never heard played quite like that before. Oh, how I loved him the instant I met him. I named my baby Benjamin. He was a precious little guy, who loved to look intently into my face when I sang to him. I loved caring for him as a baby and as a sweet young boy who grew to become a wonderful man and husband. And now my baby is a daddy. A daddy to baby Ezra.
The same boy that made me a mama has now made me a “Grammy”. I think that’s what I’d like to be called. It sounds so old, but also very endearing. After considering all the other possible names for myself for the past nine months, I decided on the day Ezra was born that Grammy sounded just right. I too had tears in my eyes at the news that Benjamin and Zoe were heading to the hospital and it wouldn’t be any time at all before he was here. Let me just tell you that holding him is heavenly! He’s simply beautiful and this new Grammy gig is much more precious than I could have ever imagined. And so is Ezra. Practically perfect in every way.
You may be surprised to hear that a “fresh 48” session wasn’t my idea. It was Zoe’s. If you haven’t heard of these sessions before, they are growing in popularity and the idea is to take pictures in the hospital within the first 48 hours of life outside the womb. When Zoe asked if I would bring my camera to the hospital, I jumped at the opportunity to do what I love doing best. Stay tuned for baby Ezra’s in-home newborn session. It’s going to be the most treasured session I’ve ever done. I already can’t wait!!
-Jamie (Grammy)
Parker, Colorado Newborn Photographer
Telling YOUR Story
