We Get 18 Summers
we only have 18 summers with our kids. this thought really circulated through social and print media this past summer and, like many parents, it really did stop me in my tracks. 18 summers. there is so much truth to it that it stings a little. i think it stings because it is an actual number. every parent, whether they are currently in the thick of parenthood, or their children are grown, knows that time really is fleeting. i wrote in my most recent eBook the honest newborn, that i literally felt as if someone pressed a fast forward button on life the second our first daughter was born. days seem to go by quicker, as i scramble to hold on to each and every moment so i can preserve it as a memory. i am not sure if the phrases babies don’t keep and the days are long, but the years are short have been around for a long time, but just like the phrase we only have 18 summers with our kids, i feel like i have really embraced these little sayings of truth lately during my journey with motherhood.
for a complete guide on how I photograph my baby girl’s first year, be sure to read the first twelve. and to learn how i document our everyday, be sure to read the everyday photograph.
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so as we head into the fall season and say goodbye to summer, i am taking a little time this morning to catch up on editing. one of the most exciting moments of our summer was when our 2 year old got her first tricycle. she had taken an interest to a friend’s bike at a playdate, so we jumped on her interest and bought her a bike. not only was she so excited to see her own tricycle, but she was excited that it was pink and that…it had a little bell!
i really like to bring my camera out during big milestones, to document for the girls’ baby books. my goal for this series was for it to be sweet and pink, so i intentionally dressed her in this gorgeous floral top that my sweet mother in law gave her (it’s one of our favorites), white bloomers and a pink velvet bow from cammi&co. and then we both had some fun with her new bike, as she learned how to move around and i documented all the little details of her special afternoon.
all photos taken with my DSLR and favorite everyday lens.
We Get 18 Summers
while the saying about 18 summers has me a little panicked, wanting to fit in as many things as possible with our girls, i am also humbled that sometimes the simplest of afternoons take up the biggest parts in our hearts. we created a summer bucket list at the beginning of summer and, to be honest, we didn’t quite get to all of our activities. part of it was because it was so darn hot and the heat makes me nervous with small children. another was, our littlest is on a great nap schedule currently so it doesn’t give us a ton of freedom to venture far from home quiet yet, as i like to make sure she gets good sleep. and while i really like to cross things off checklists, i reminded myself that even though this quote about only having 18 summers with our kids makes us scramble to fit in all the memories we can, we do have time. and sometimes the best moments are when you are cuddled on the couch reading stories or having a picnic lunch on the kitchen floor. children don’t need fancy things and over planned outings all the time; they are just as happy with spending time with us.
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