Becoming Two & One Half | A Little Bit of Me

I needed a pause, a middle marker.  No matter how much I thought the year from two until three would sail with the same rhythm, it hasn’t.  Unlike a one-size-fits the entire year of 2T, the mold for personality, development and memories isn’t quite made the same way.

There isn’t a day that goes by that she doesn’t say something funny, something unexpected.  When a “Good morning, sunshine!” is greeted back from her crib with a “Hi, honey!”, I giggle, caught off guard and yearning to freeze the moment to relive over and over again.  I know in time, this perfect memory will fade.  The tone of her voice, the sound of her voice.  The innocence, the sweetness, the independence she exudes in this big world, yet still so sweetly naive.  And no matter how much I will her not to grow, not to change, every step along the way just seems to get sweeter and sweeter.  It’s funny that way.

My sidekick, my partner in shopping, playgrounds and crime started “school” this fall.   I always knew I loved being her mommy, but I didn’t realize how much until this very moment.  She’s a pretty good tag-along to have around and I miss that.  But I also love watching her blossom into her own, seemingly overnight.  How she comes home and announces that it’s circle time.  She’s shy, and an observer, but blondie is a leader, a nurturer and the best mama to her baby dolls and nana that I’ve ever witnessed.  Packing their lunches in the morning, setting the dinner table with a spot for them.  It’s her thing.  And as completely annoying as it can be sometimes, it’s a good thing.  She dances with her hips and grooves to any beat.  She get’s that from Scott.  She loves building towers and equally loves knocking them down.  She still likes to hold my hand, which is still just a finger.  I’m holding on to that.

But what I’m really holding on to is what surprised me the most: she makes me feel beautiful as a mama.  My arms might still wave along with my hand, but they are the perfect size to squeeze her tightly, securely.  My legs might not always be shaved but they will always be the lap she comes home to, the lap that is home to her.  I might not always see what I expect when I look in the mirror, but when I see her, and I look at us together, I see beauty.  I feel beauty.  Nothing else matters in these moments, these intimate glimpses into the bond we share.  As narcissistic as it seems, for me, nothing gets more beautiful than that.  It’s what the power of capturing this middle-marker is about.  Freezing these memories, but more importantly, capturing them.  I’ll always find happiness here, in these irreplaceable moments, these moments that never cease to take my breath away.  These moments of becoming two and one half.

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Our families, our children, our bellies, they change and evolve so quickly. Let’s freeze this moment in time, this innocence and love and capture it for years to come. Come and play, shine your beaming light of love and let me be along with you to capture these beautiful moments.  Contact me to plan your photo shoot experience! I promise it will be one you won’t soon forget. xoxo

12 comments
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  • BethanySeptember 27, 2014 - 4:51 am

    Such sweet words and images…beautiful!ReplyCancel

  • AbigailSeptember 30, 2014 - 6:24 pm

    You made me cry…you should be a writter! Isla is so cute and what a perfect pic…little Isla as what it appears to be,as if she is standing en una Isla tropical con su mama!ReplyCancel

  • Beth RobertsSeptember 30, 2014 - 6:35 pm

    I have no words, but the tears streaming down my face on either side of my smile pretty much say it all. I love you friend.ReplyCancel

  • ChelseaOctober 6, 2014 - 9:54 pm

    Laura, these are wonderful. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • SommerNovember 5, 2014 - 3:08 pm

    You have captured the beauty of motherhood, the bond between mother and daughter, here so flawlessly. Thanks for reminding us all to live in these ‘middle-marker’ moments!ReplyCancel

  • catieDecember 20, 2014 - 12:55 am

    Love every picture!ReplyCancel

  • lorena coelhoJanuary 8, 2015 - 3:09 am

    Awwwn these are so sweet!ReplyCancel

  • RebekahFebruary 18, 2015 - 4:11 am

    This is the most precious blog entry and the most beautiful photos. What a lucky mom you are to have this memory!!ReplyCancel

  • JessicahApril 14, 2015 - 3:06 pm

    Absolutely beautiful.ReplyCancel

  • DorieMarch 29, 2016 - 8:40 am

    Thnnikig like that shows an expert at workReplyCancel

  • Sandro Diniz disse:Oi Lina, eu e minha esposa só decidimos agora passar o ano novo em Paris, iremos chegar no dia 31 e ficaremos até o dia 3 depois vamos para Portugal. Qual a sua sugestão para passarmos o ano novo. Estaremos hospedados no Ibis Paris Sacré Coeur na BD Rochechouart.Obrigado pela ajudaReplyCancel

  • http://www./March 2, 2017 - 7:19 pm

    Idag bjöd Lunchekot på en till: fem riksdagspartier vill genomföra vissa förändringar i grundlagen, och moderaten påpekade att man inte längre kan acceptera [stejtus kju], alltså status quo.På engelska skulle man väl man väl ha uttalat det sista som typ [kwow], åtminstone är det ju så som före detta boogierockbandet, numera dansbandet brukar uttalas. Så det verkar som om von Sydow inte ens fick till på engelska.ReplyCancel

Our families, our children, our bellies, they change and evolve so quickly. Let’s freeze this moment in time, this innocence and love and capture it for years to come. Come and play, shine your beaming light of love and let me be along with you to capture these beautiful moments. Contact me to plan your photo shoot experience, whether in my natural light studio, my sun-kissed field or beach. I promise it will be one you won’t soon forget. xoxo

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phone: 727.543.5665 / email: studio@lauragattis.com