So...what's up?

We are happy to say that we are now a family of FOUR! Grace Fagundo arrived on August 12 at 6:29 a.m. It was an awesome, perfect birth - we arrived at the hospital at 3:30 a.m. and I would say I was really only in labor for about 3 hours before that - and for most of that I wasn't even sure that I was really IN labor.

The last ultrasound we had about a week before she arrived said that she was BIG - almost 9 pounds at that time with 3 weeks to go. However, as per usual, they were off - she was 7 pounds 13 oz and 19.5 inches long. She arrived so quickly that it was totally drug-free. We had been praying for God to give us a good birth and he answered our prayer beyond our wildest dreams. In retrospect, it was really almost easy. Don't get me wrong - it hurt, especially at the end, but it was totally manageable.

We were really blessed because we had a friend and fellow photographer - Abigail Todd - there to document the delivery. She was a client of Alex's about 5 years ago when he shot her wedding, since then she and her husband moved to Louisiana and she started her own photography business. She is very talented and started a unique service there shooting 'birth sessions' which go from pregnancy to delivery. Since she is relocating back to MIA, she wanted to start building business here -- so voila! We had her shoot ours - it is amazing. I mean, I was THERE, but being a central participant who is really focused on the matter at hand - it is so special to be able to see what was going on. Seeing my mom and Alex's reaction through the birth is just awesome.

What you can't see in one picture is that my mom arrived at 6:11 (there is a shot, not shown, with the time) - Grace was born at 6:29 a.m...my mom just made it! (as did the doctor, mind you who got there right after my mom!)

Check it out at Abigail Todd Photography Blog. I believe that there will be one more part after what's posted, so check back again, too!