Client Showcase - The Pless Family

For our first 2009 IP newsletter, we chose to showcase the Pless family. We like to showcase families that have an inspiring story to tell. Sara and Frank have just that!

Our relationship with Karen and IP started early in 2007. I'm in direct sales and had been picked by the company to represent them in Oprah's O Magazine. Talk about thrilled and shocked beyond belief! I had to have professional head-shots done and I immediately thought of Irresistible Portraits. I had heard about their great reputation and was vaguely familiar with their work. I was so excited to be able to give them a try.

So I took my son Kendall, who was 4 at the time with me to the session. After she had captured the business shots I shyly asked her if she minded taking "just one" picture of me and Kendall. You should know that I LOVE pictures, but being Mom - I'm always the one behind the camera. She was so gracious and didn't mind at all. Kendall of course was great, and we left the studio.





When she called me back to come and view the images I was blown away. The business shots were perfect but I was in tears over the images of Kendall and I. She couldn't have had more than 5 minutes with just the two of us, but she captured his personality to a T. I knew right then and there that I would not be going anywhere else for photographs!



Kendall's 5th birthday was later that same year in June, so my husband Frank and I took him and had family photos done as well. Once again, Karen was amazing. Frank and I both really don't enjoy having our pictures taken, but she worked her magic anyway! From that session we picked out a book of various shots of Kendall and a gallery wrap for the family picture. Everybody who walks thru my door (and being the Bra Lady - that's a lot of people...) comment on what a beautiful picture it is.

Fast forward to May 2008...my sister, Lisa and I were BOTH pregnant! Lisa was expecting her first child - a daughter. And I was expecting TWINS! Identical little girls. I didn't take the opportunity to have maternity shots done when I was pregnant with Kendall, and I regretted it. So I called my sister and to IP we went. That session was SO much fun. We laughed and bared our bellies and of course had Kendall by our sides as well. Lisa was due in June, and I in September. My belly was already as big as hers!

We went back to view those images and placed our orders. And while sitting in the comfort of the studio I couldn't have imagined what was in store for our family.

Just a couple of weeks after our session I found out that my little girls were suffering from TTTS - Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome. This effects an estimated 6000 babies a year, and about 80% of those die. The sad part is that this is largely due to a failure to diagnose or adequately treat the problem. Fortunately, we had excellent prenatal care and knew the girls were sharing a placenta. We knew it could be a complication.

TTTS is a disease of the placenta that affects identical twin pregnancies. Because some blood vessels are shared unequal amniotic fluid levels can result. One baby is overwhelmed by an excessive amount of fluid while the other is "stuck" to the wall in the womb. I vividly remember that ultrasound - it looked like little Madison had been shrink wrapped to the uterine wall. I went in on a Monday for that ultrasound and my little ladies were delivered by C-Section the next day - born 13 weeks early.

Elisabeth weighed 2 pounds, 2 ounces and Madison was 1 pound, 12 ounces. They were supposed to be 3 months younger than their cousin, but instead came exactly one week before. After fighting minor heart problems, infection after infection, two brain surgeries and a 75 day stay in the NICU I'm happy to report that Elisabeth Anne and Madison Gayle were able to come home by September 1st. They are little miracles and full of spunk!

For their 6 month pictures we took them to IP in December 2008. Now I was thinking - Karen is good, but what can she do with THREE little babies all at once??!! (My sister's little girl - Jacey - was also with us.) Magic I tell you! She was kind enough to tell their story on her blog and when I saw the images - they took my breath away. I'm dumbfounded at how she can even capture the personality of a tiny little baby. From their wondrous little faces to Jacey's huge dark eyes and grin - we will cherish these photos forever.

We've had portraits made at other "cheaper" places, but never again. What we love about Karen and Buddy and the rest of the IP family is the attention to details and the quality of the end result. You don't come away with "just a picture", it's a work of art that you just want the whole world to see!

Thank you so much for all that you do. From the comfort of your studio to the hand written notes that I receive each time - you will be our family photographer as long as you are in the business!

For more information about TTTS - go to www.tttsfoundation.org

More than 200 babies are lost each day to various fetal distress syndromes. For more information go to www.fetalhope.org

To read Elisabeth and Madison's story: www.caringbridge.org/visit/plesstwins

Warmly,

Frank, Sara, Kendall, Elisabeth (Ibby), & Madison (Maddie)

Sara C. Pless (704) 796-6662
"The Bra Lady"
EBW Certified Fitter
www.myessentialbodywear.com/thebralady

Pless Twins

In January of 2006, we received a call from Sara Pless about photographing her business portraits. Soon after, we photographed her family portrait. Little did we know that we would soon watch her family go through one of the hardest struggles a family would go through.

In May of this year, Sara came in for a maternity portrait session. Even more exciting, her sister was pregnant at the same time, so we photographed their session together. What a bonding experience it must be to go through pregnancy with your sister!

Sara wasn't due until September 13th, but on June 17th, she delivered two baby girls - 13 weeks early. Madison and Elizabeth are identical twins. The twins suffered from a fetal distress syndrome called Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome or TTTS. This is a syndrome that effects identical twins. Sara explained this syndrome to me as "one baby uses most of the ambiotic fluid and the other twin is 'stuck' on the wall of the womb."

The twins were in the hospital for 75 days after their birth. Sara described this time as a rollercoaster ride - not knowing what the next day had in store for them. Elisabeth was the one that suffered the most. She was the twin that received less of the ambiotic fluid and it caused her to have a bleed in her brain. Sara described her as a "tough little cookie."

Here are a few images from the girls' six month session last week!

Here are the girls with their big brother - Kendall.

One of the nurses at the hospital told Sara about Caring Bridge - a free website that people can use. This is a way for people to keep track of the progress of the babies online. This helps moms like Sara who don't want to sit on the telephone all day explaining how everything's going and allow them to spend more time with the babies! People can post pictures and leave comments on their guest book to encourage the family to stay strong. Sara mentioned this is what kept her going through the hard days. You can view the girls' Caring bridge site at www.caringbridge.org/visit/plesstwins.

We asked Sara where people can find more information about TTTS. She recommended http://www.tttsfoundation.org/. You can find a lot of information and even support from other families who are hoping for their babies to pull through the same struggle. Sara mentioned that she has met many mothers who have been in her position and was amazed at how common this syndrome is.

After discussing the syndrome at the studio, Ashley (our production manager) mentioned that her neices suffered from the same syndrome through their birth. Since their birth, their mother, Talitha McGuiness, has organized Race for Fetal Hope 5K. Lonnie and Michelle Somers originally started Fetal Hope and TTTS Race for Hope in Denver, Colorado. Talitha organizes the race each year for North Carolina. If you're interested in participating in the race or donating to the cause, the 2009 race will be held on September 19th in Freedom Park. You can read more about Fetal Hope at http://www.fetalhope.org/.

Fetal distress and syndromes affect 800,000 pregnancies per year in the US alone. This is four times the amount of cases per year as breast cancer. We lose more than 200 babies a day to fetal distresses and syndromes.

We hope you will find this story as inspiring as we have!