“I don’t want to” ….
These were the words that I spoke to Danny as we left the house to do our daughter’s traditional birthday beach photos. Handing him the camera, I said “I don’t want to be in any pictures and I really don’t even feel like taking them” It was a day that I felt like crap. Instead of excitement to celebrate our daughter’s birthday, I was having a pity party. I am at a weight I never thought would happen, my hair is a wreck… I had every reason to feel like crap. But none of that mattered the moment I heard her sweet voice say, ” Mommy, some sit with me”
The truth is, I had lost site in why we take photographs. This moment and this photo isn’t just for me, it’s for her. And it’s for her children, our future grandchildren. God forbid anything ever happens to us, but if it did, I want her to have documented photos of the connection and love we have for each other. When she looks at these pictures later on in life, I want her to FEEL that exact love and connection. The truth is, she won’t care that my hair was in need of highlights or the fact that I felt over weight. Instead, she is going to see and feel that she was loved. That her parents were fun, silly and not afraid to show it.
As we approach the traditional time of year for updating your family photos, I encourage each and every parent to be kind to themselves and be apart of the photos in a new way. I invite you all to do something different this year and make your Christmas Card about this moment in time and not about what pretty outfits you picked out. Embrace your favorite childhood moments and live them out in front of our camera. Your future self and your future generations will thank you.
