I didn’t know the meaning of strength until I saw Lauren give birth to our first child, Parker.

14 hours of labor, no pain meds.  After it was all said and done, somehow, I looked much worse than she did.  When I think of the word strength, I think of Lauren.

Finding out we were prego for the second time was a bit of a surprise.  A surprise because we were neither planning it, or expecting it… A “bit’ because we weren’t doing much to prevent it.

Our near baby boy, “Poet” (One who is especially gifted in the perception and expression of the beautiful–which is my hope for him) was welcomed into the world on Friday, August 6th at 6:41 AM (8lbs 13ounces).  Lauren was only at the hospital 3 hours before he made his way out and while it was a much shorter birth this time, it was more intense and painful for Lauren.  Determined not to fill our new baby boy with foreign drugs, she made it without pain medication…  Strength.

Our OB said for two weeks it could be “anytime.”  During one of those “anytime” days, we thought we had better take some maternity shots of Lauren, being that I’m a photographer and being that she was pregnant…  We went to one of our favorite locations where the reflections are calm and the mosquitoes are rampant.  Parker played with frogs, snails and snakes and I played with my wife who was willing to do anything for the “shot.”  I love my beautiful Lauren, I’m so very thankful for her.

Here are a few of our favorite things…