[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjMUCJ3gwxo[/youtube]

so, this is by far, my favorite birth slideshow yet.

my husband heard the second song before their baby was born and immediately thought of this couple.  they tried for years to have this baby boy.. and he was soooo wanted.

i know most babies are wanted, but they REALLY wanted this baby. 

then, he hunted for the perfect song for their laboring.. and ugh.  it is SOOO perfect.

this father will go down in history im sure as my best supporting husband ever at a birth.  he will actually be speaking at the Houston B.I.R.T.H. fair this weekend.  I will have a booth there, as well as my friend Jessica with Mia Joie. 

if you are in or around Houston this weekend.. you should totally check it out.

they have great topical discussions.. lots of baby ideas.. organic vendors of handmade lotions/soaps/clothing.. they have all the cutest babywearing slings there for you to see them all in person.. and decide which one fits your needs.  plus.. i’ll be there! 

My name is Tasha Pool and I am an on location photographer serving the Greater Houston area. I specialize in birth photography, newborns, children and lifestyle family portraiture. I have recently added high school seniors to the mix as well.

I currently do all of my work on location; meaning I come to you! If you have a newborn, I will photograph them in your home or in a location of your choice up to 14 days. I can work with natural light if you have plenty of it in your home, I can set up studio lights if you have a space large enough to accomodate me or we can have a lot of fun and take your newborn outdoors with some lush greenery as a backdrop. Your choice!

Anything beyond the first 14 days are done with natural light only. I will only bring studio lighting for newborns. Babies, Children and families will be photographed in your home utilizing your natural environment as a backdrop. Or, we can go outdoors utilizing local parks, beaches or downtown urban environments for your images.

To view my online portfolio, please click here!

To contact me, you can email me or call { 832-277-1391 }

My husband Michael does my web design work, the majority of my design work involved in running a business; as well as designing websites for other individuals/organizations. If you are interested in any web design/blog design work; please contact him at email.

I update my blog with a few personal notes as well as current work/client sneak peeks on a weekly basis. They will always appear below this post. Feel free to look around. I hope to hear from you soon!!!

- Tasha

{ Houston area birth, maternity, newborn, children, high school senior and lifestlye family portraiture }

so, she was admitted to Texas Women’s on a Sunday night.  they had plans to induce Monday morning.  Being an induction, you never *quite* know how to anticipate the day.  Some women take to induction immediately, and you rush to the hospital in the nick of time.  Or others, take their time.. and you play the waiting game.  Well, today.. we played the waiting game.  Dad was great, keeping me informed through out the day how her progress was going.  My kids, not so great.. begging me to make her  go into labor so they could go and play at the sitter’s house already. 

I told dad that i would head up there once she reached 5cm.  so, he called.. mid afternoon and told me she was a 5, but not a stretchy 5.  ( i dont think he knew what that meant though.. )  and i said i would leisurely start heading up there.  meaning, i didnt rush.. i dropped the kids off.. hung out and chatted with my friend (AKA: sitter) for awhile.. then headed up there.  i found her Father In Law like this…….. zzzzzzzz!

Her contractions were looking good.  Really steady.

i got to the room shortly after 4.  She was going to be checked at 5 they said. 

at 5, she is checked.. and is a full blown 10cm and ready to start pushing.  Like I said, with an induction.. you just never know.  it can take all day to get to a 5, and then an hour to breeze through the next 5.  LOL

here is her sister in law sharing a sweet farewell/good luck as she leaves.. anticipating the arrival of her sweet nephew.

Mom is in great spirits.. knowing this is *almost* over.  yea. 

Dad tenderly helps out where he can..

I will spare birth images.. as always.

pushing was a breeze for mom, however.. baby was not so cooperative.  his heart rate dropped during pushing, and it worried her OB.  so, they had to use suction to get him out.  (hence the gown/mask) .  All of the sudden, there is a room full of people.. and things happen really quickly.  but, at 6:30, baby made his arrival.  Dad got to cut the cord.

He was laid on mom’s chest briefly as they rubbed him, cleaned him up, etc.

He struggled quite a bit with his breathing.  His lungs were full of ick, so they took him off to give him oxygen and to clean out his lungs.

NICU doctors came down, and took care of him.  This is when they were bringing him back in to see mom finally.

I just love this image.

They studied him for a bit.. talked about how cute he is… and then the NICU had to take him again for more monitoring.  so, i wasn’t allowed up there.  only dad at first.  so, i handed my backup camera to dad, set it on an ‘easy’ mode for him to use.. and let him capture the weigh in.

He did really good.  Dad likes photography.. so i wasn’t worried that he would have trouble. 

Mom got to see him again a little before midnight that night, i dont know how she was still up after the day she had already had.  but, they came home for a few days.  Then, poor little guy’s bilirubin shot up.  He had to go BACK to the hospital for a few days.  He is now home.. i took his newborn images.. and he is sooo stinking cute.

i will hopefully get to share those in the next few days as well.

{once i get caught up!}

so, i dont have many i can share with you guys without mom’s permission, but i know she is anxious to see some before her newborn session on Thursday. 

i am sharing one.. that i dont think she will mind.. she is not near as prudish as i am.. LOL 

but, i truly think this is my favorite to date birth image… i get teary eyed just looking at it.. makes me anxious for my own little suckler.  i fell in love when i pulled it from the camera…

steph, if it shows too much.. let me know and i will pull it.

isnt it just the sweetest image ever?????

now, let me brag on her husband.  there should have been a video camera in the room, video-ing a series for dad’s to be.. on just how supportive husbands should be during labor.  oh my word.. he was amazing with her.  soothing voice, never stopped talking to her, reminding her to breathe, keeping her focused… if he felt she was losing her focus, he lovingly redirected her focus.. telling her how strong/amazing/beautiful she was and that he had faith in her, she could do this.  it was amazing. 

he even still had enough wits about him to crack a few jokes to keep the midwife/nurse/myself in stitches as well.

shortly after this, they both stripped down (he in a swim suit) and jumped in the tub for a few hours.. these are the images that are beautiful between them.. but am not going to share simply because mom is not dressed in them. 

as soon as baby was delivered, the midwife brought some yummilicious sour dough bread she had baked in with some honey/peanut butter for mom to eat and gain her strength before feeding her baby.

daddy took in some bonding time.  apparently daddy was the only thing that could keep baby from crying.

isnt he precious??

his newborn session is this week.. so look forward to some handsome little shots!!!

little guy came a little early.. and let me tell you.. never have i been so tired at a birth. whew.

i was coming off of the 5 day mission trip, thoroughly exhausted from that.. and then mom goes into labor. i was so excited, but my weariness took over my excitement.. LOL i actually napped at this birth. when we were at a standstill in the wee hours of the morning, and mom wasnt progressing much, the midwives and i took turns taking naps. but, little guy finally made his way into the world on his own time.. and i dont believe mom could have been more relieved.

poor thing labored all over the house.. trying to find her comfort position.

i think she found some relief in the tub.

she finally delivered early in the morning, just after 7am.

he was so sweet.. worth the wait.

bonding time.

and big yawns.. birthing is tiring on the little lad!

he had to weigh in…

and then back to sleep he went..

until the midwife washed his hair. he never really woke up from that either though.

mommy/daddy bonding time….

i think they like him..

i have another birth to share soon.. i know she is eagerly awaiting some sharing of the pictures.

steph, i need you to verify which ones can go online though.. LOL

i dont have many of you clothed.