Welcome to the world baby Grace

This birth holds a very special place in my heart.  I've known Ben and Laura for a little over a year now and I'm so thankful we've become such close friends.  In January Laura and I's husbands left for a six month deployment.  Laura by this point was a seasoned pro at deployments, me not so much.  Laura was also 3 months pregnant with her second child and due on July 10th right around her husbands return home.  Over those six months there were a lot of dog park play dates, sleepovers, babysitting, prenatal doctor's appointments, E.R. visits (for their adorable accident prone son Owen), and some unforgettable memories.  I had casually talked to Laura about taking her birth pictures if Ben wasn't home in time and they both decided to have me photograph it even if he was home in time.  I was so excited.  Fast forward a couple months to July, the final countdown.  Ben was set to come home a few days before his original return date so Laura basically put herself on bed rest and to everyone's surprise made it to Ben's homecoming.  I showed up at Laura's house at 8:45 am on July 11th, curled her hair, did her makeup and watched her try and explain to her almost two year old son that today daddy was coming home.  I didn't think he fully understood, but when we walked outside to get into the car he pointed at a plane in the sky and exclaimed "Daddy!".  He got it.    Laura, her parents, Owen, and I rushed to the SLC airport to welcome her husband home.  It was amazing.  The next morning at 2 am i got a call saying it was time to head to the hospital.  Even with three hours of sleep, I jumped out of bed, grabbed my camera bag, and made sure I didn't look too disheveled.  I got to the hospital and after about two hours Laura's contractions were getting a little harder so her parent's and I left the room so they could concentrate on her.  We slept and got breakfast while Laura got some much needed rest after her epidural.  By 9:30 am she was ready to go!  If you've ever photographed a wedding then you know pressure.  Trying to make sure all the shots are perfect because these people are paying you good money to make sure you capture this once in a lifetime day.  Imagine that pressure multiplied by astronomical numbers and that's what it's like photographing a birth.  You only get one chance to get everything and to do it right. It comes and goes so incredibly fast and that really is a once in a lifetime thing.  But the beauty of watching a new life come into the world one shutter click at a time isn't something that can ever be described.  The absolutely beautiful baby girl Grace Marie Peymann was born at 9:51 am on July 12th 2013 and weighing 8lbs and 5.3oz with a full head of dark brown hair.  This is her story: