One of my goals - personal and professional - for 2014 is to take more photos of my own daughter. She has her own blog that I started when I was first pregnant as a way to update my family and friends while I was living abroad. It started off with a bang and, as most things I start tend to do, has dwindled down to one post every other month. I am still writing that blog to keep an official "record" as she grows. I discuss her developments, growth, habits and (of course) lots of photos. But I noticed that as she got older and was less likely to sit still for me to photograph, partnered with a flourishing photography business, I started taking less and less photos of my daughter (and the ones I did take were usually with my iPhone).
I am starting a new personal project with a group of lovely gals from Clickin Moms called "Letters to our Children". For me it is another way for me to document my little girl as she grows up, but with less "fact" as my other blog and more observation and feeling. Every month I will write a letter to her and include a few photos that I have taken of her that month. My letters might be long or they might be short. They might have one photo, they might have a whole collection. Join me this year as I start along this journey. And should you feel so inclined, check out the link at the end of the letter to read the next letter in our blog circle.
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Dear Kaitlin,
My sweet little girl. Last week you turned 20 months old. An age that came too quickly, if you ask me. I love to watch the little person that you are growing into. You are funny and kind, and quickly becoming Mama's little helper. You are now old enough to start helping with chores around the house (you LOVE to help Mama do the laundry) and help cook in the kitchen. Playing with you is even more of a joy than before, now that we can play together. We play with play-doh, color together, build with legos and stack blocks into tall towers. You have endless curiosity and a desire to do things again and again (and again) so that you can keep learning. I hope the desire to learn never leaves you.
We start each morning by reading books together on the couch, while you have a glass of milk. This is my favorite part of the day with you. The house is quiet, I gather a pile of your favorite stories, and we sit together, snuggled under a blanket, to read. You are focused on the books, looking intently at each page, pointing at things that catch your eye and calling things by their name. This is the time that we can read long books, before your attention span shortens. We read "Fairy Princess" and "Love you Forever" and "Jingle's Christmas". And only towards the end of our reading time do you start to get a little fidgety. And just like that, you are off the couch and starting to pull out your toys, while demanding breakfast at the same time ("Eap! Eap!"). We then get on with our day. Breakfast for you, coffee for me. What each day will hold I never know, but I am always excited to find out.
Love,
Mama
If you liked reading this, please join me by continuing through our blog circle and reading the next letter in the series by Alyssa Goslee at Mom de Cuisine