Baby Girl

In contemplation, Conversation, Life,, Uncategorized
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I wrote two letters to my older children when they became teenagers. You can find them here and here. Next week my baby girl turns eleven, and even though she is not a teenager yet, I do feel the need to write about her sooner, as she is changing faster than the boys ever did.

Dear Baby Girl,

When you were born eleven years ago, I was gifted my first real, digital camera so I could take pictures of you. It is fair to say that my photography skills have grown over the years along with you. My first photos were, just as all your firsts, unskillful and clumsy.

But we learned together: while I nursed you at 3am, I read the manual and Photography for Dummies on my phone. I took hundreds of photos of you sleeping, playing, eating… of which only, at first at least, two or three ended up being keepers. Just as easily as I joined other mommies in playdates and groups, I joined Flickr and started sharing my modest work, interacting with other photographers (many of whom, believe it or not, I am still friends with today) and always in awe of what they were shooting.

I practiced, practiced, and practiced and you grew, grew, and grew. I can say with confidence today that the journey has been a lot of work but worth every minute.

You are a self confident, independent, spunky friendly, brave girl with so much kindness in your heart. Your smile lights up your whole face and it warms my heart, everyone’s heart. You are imaginative and creative, you will accomplish anything that you put your mind to – unless you find a better thing before that! You are intuition and soul, you surprise everyone and you leave a mark.

As for my photography, I would like to think that it is similar to you. And like you, it is still growing and changing. There is still a lot left of our journey together and I am so happy I get to do it with you. Thank you for allowing me to photograph you and always posing for me so gracefully and patiently. My muse. My baby girl.

Love,

Mom (Maite)

16 Comments

  1. This is the most beautiful thing ever! What a joy to see your daughter grow up before my very eyes. What I love most about kids at age 11 or 12 -there are all these wonderful glimpses of how they will unfold and unfurl. And what a legacy of love to have been treasured in this way.

  2. This is such a lovely letter to your daughter telling her about how your love for photography grew in stages with your love of her. I hope it encourages her to find things she loves as her love for you grows and grows!❤️ Gorgeous photos!?

  3. This is some modern wonder. To feel I know her through your lens, as I’ve seen most of these photos in “real time” as you’ve released them on whatever sharing platform we’ve favored at the time.
    I could hear her voice as I read and scrolled, from clips of signing you’ve shared over the years. And in the most recent photos she sits on the cusp – the time when we can be both – little and big from moment to moment.
    I look forward to seeing what’s next, and the beautiful way you’ll honor it with your camera.

  4. She’s beautiful! Such lovely documentation, too, and I can definitely see you’ve mastered that camera!

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