Thoughts on growing up and slowing down

I looked at our daughter holding out a book for me to read to her before bed. She requested A Day at the Seashore, and thumbed through the pages pointing out her favorite things.

“Ha-tt” – she said, pointing to the little girl’s sun hat.

“Woof woof”, pointing to the dog on her favorite page.

But it wasn’t these adorable little utterances that pulled at my heart, it was the length of her legs. When did they get so long? Where did her baby fat retreat to, and how is her smile full of teeth?

Somewhere, she’s grown and is nearly 1 1/2 years old. Suddenly, I’m the mother I’ve read about many times before, reminiscing about the days of the pointed, delicate newborn fingers, 3am diaper changes and breathing in the perfect smell of a newborn’s head as you feed them in your arms.

It’s in these moments I’m reminded that the present time is fleeting. I drink in the moment and realize that while our world is seemingly collapsing around us during this global pandemic, hers is just beginning. I find a new sense of duty to muster my strength, pull her close, pat her back, tell her everything will be fine. It just may be, I think to myself, as she drifts to sleep peacefully in my arms.

Below I’m sharing a few favorite images from Shanyn + Michaels’ maternity session on Maui – a stunning sunset, and a couple so deserving of the colors mother nature splashed across the ocean and sky.