The emotions in the room were palpable: Excitement. Anticipation. Nervousness. Three generations gathered together in the hospital waiting room, anticipating the arrival of their newest member. A great-granddaughter. A granddaughter. A sister. And at the center of all the excitement was the soon-to-be big brother, dressed to the nines in the cutest blue checkered shirt, bow tie, and suspenders emblazoned with his new title.
As the clock’s hands ticked into position at 11:30, the mood in the room shifted: the surgery had begun. As the minutes passed—half an hour, 35 minutes, 40… 45… you could feel the anticipation mounting.
How long was it supposed to take, again?
Do you think we’ll hear something soon?
Those questions were met with reassurance: She wasn’t first on the schedule in the OR this morning. Maybe they started late. I’m sure we’ll hear something soon.
In the middle of the circle of chairs where everyone was gathered, the soon-to-be big brother played on with his pretend ice cream and toy tractors, unaware of the nervousness spreading through the group.
After what felt like an eternity… the moment they had all been waiting for finally arrived: “I see him! Michael’s out there with the baby!” You could feel the tension leave the air as everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. Almost in unison, they popped up from their chairs, relieved, excited, and eager for their first peek at the new baby.
Meanwhile, in the middle of the hallway on the other side of the waiting room door, the proud daddy stood gazing lovingly at his sweet little girl. In that tender moment, you could almost see that special daddy-daughter bond being sealed.
As his son excitedly joined him, Michael scooped him up in his arms and together, they looked down at the swaddled baby in the hospital bassinet. The rest of the family held back to preserve the magic of the moment and watched as the new big brother met his sister for the first time. He pointed sweetly at the little bundle below him, asking if that was his baby sister. “Yes,” answered Michael, “that’s your baby sister.”
“It doesn’t take much to be part of Diana’s family,” her grandmother said to me as we chatted in the waiting room that morning. And if there’s anything I’ve learned in the last five years of our friendship, it’s that friends are family to Diana and Michael. They are the kind of people who will welcome you lovingly and with open arms into their home and their hearts, who are kind and generous, who would do anything for anyone.
I saw so much of that love and generosity at the hospital, how even through all the chaos and the steady stream of nurses coming in to check on things and taking care of their new baby’s needs, they took the time to look each person in the eyes and thank them for being part of their big day.
This session was extra special to me because my very first photo session after launching my photography business full time was Diana and Michael’s son’s newborn hospital session. I was so, so honored when Diana asked me to be there to photograph his first meeting with his new baby sister! Sessions like this—being able to tell the story of such an important day and capture all the emotion — are a huge reminder of why I love this job so much! And being able to tell pieces of the same family’s story over the years… that’s my absolute favorite part.
Diana and Michael, I’m so blessed to call you both friends, and I’m so thankful for your constant friendship over these last five years! It was an honor to share this experience with your family as you welcomed your sweet baby girl; I have to admit that I still cry every time I look through these pictures because it brings back all the emotions of the day! I’m so glad our kids get to grow up together… love you FOUR so much!
