What did you do New Year's Eve?

Life, Oh, Life (LOVE this song)...I am in awe of women and what we can do. That, I definitely am, after my recent photo shoot. I wasn't expecting a New Year shoot, but the main subject decides when the shoot will be happening!
I was honoured to be invited to photograph a birth recently. I got the call on New Years Eve. Carrie (Mother-to-be) called and said that things should get going in a couple of hours. My family and I went out for a bite to eat and then hubby dropped me at the hospital. Just in time. As we pulled up, my phone rang. It was Dad to be, Scott, telling me the baby will be here soon and am I anywhere near (by any chance!)? (Bear in mind, that Carrie has had super short labours in the past)...'No probs, I tell him, I am downstairs!'
Great timing! This was the first time I was meeting Dad Scott and only the 3rd time I've met Carrie (remember the last post about meeting her through Jannine and also 2 of her girls were models for the 'Especially For Girls' shoot)...Right there, you know that this is one open and cool family.
WHAT AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE. Carrie was made for childbirth. I think there was less than 2 minutes of pushing and that little beautiful, perfect girl was out. And Carrie, well, she was still fluttering those eyelashes, like she has just sat down for a cup of tea and some chit chat. All this and not an epidural insight. As I said, she was made for childbirth!
Me, on the other hand: hair flattened on my head on one side, half headed mohican on the other, looking like a deer in headlights, screaming 'where's my epidural'!

I got to photograph the whole deal (crowning and actual birth, which I won't be posting here!). I was lucky to get it. Push 1: crowning head. Push 2: baby out in less than 15 seconds!
Here are some of the evening...What a Happy New Year!

I walk in and here is Carrie, looking like she's about to give birth in less than 15 mins (not!). She looks fab doesn't she!

A baby girl is born!

A story is told...Dad cuts the cord, I squeeze in between Dr's and Nurses as a Mother meets her child...

This is one of my favourite images...it is so raw and real, the motherly love envelopes the whole exposure...

Weighing in at 7 lbs, 8ozs in the Happy New Year corner is baby B!

Proud and Happy Dad holds his daughter for the first time...

Now, Mum gets some cuddle love time...

The proud new parents...

After the shoot, I gave hubby a call to pick me up. He had bumped into my friend, Shelia, while over at American Village, so we hung out for a while. Later, we went on the Ferris wheel (finally...10 mths after being on Island)...which was actually rather, errr, boring (especially after my exciting night!). Finally, a couple of white zinfandels later, 12am came around, us and the kids (yep, they were still up all excited) watched some fireworks from the roof and that's when the party in the living room started...the i-pod got plugged into the TV and we rocked out for a good hour, while calling family in London and New York! :o)
CONGRATULATIONS and THANK YOU Scott and Carrie and the rest of your children and HAPPY NEW YEAR!