Slowly catching up on our weeks. Our ob noticed your lovely bottom lip when you were a day old. "She'll be stubborn" he predicted.
And yes you are. You are a beautifully strong-willed little girl. While it can be exasperating at times, a large part of my heart is so grateful that you are not easily distracted, that you are passionate about what you find interesting (gravel has been a favourite for months here) and demanding that your opinions are truly listened to. All these qualities will stand you in good stead for your life ahead.
We are truly in two year old territory with the pouting and tantrums but this portrait reminds me to be grateful for this. I want to raise a strong woman.
I am enjoying watching a beautiful friendship develop between miss s and our first baby Ruby. Ruby has been in love with miss s for a while, sleeping on my belly when I was pregnant with her and now snoozing outside her bedroom door whilst she naps. Chasing is miss s' favourite game at the moment and Ruby is her ever patient playmate.
You are so surrounded by love my girl, it takes my breath away.
A big week here. Your second birthday. This year has been hard. I got completely overwhelmed with migraines (me) coupled with hand & disease (me) and sleep regression (you) which had me falling into a heap the first half of the year. We got through it however with lots of love and support from your dad and your beloved Gaga and Papa. You have grown so much this year and so have I. I am so thankful for this.
Your birthday was a quiet one this year compared to the mega party we had last year. Just a family BBQ brunch which was lovely. My favourite part of the day, and I suspect yours too, was after your nap, we scooted back down to the river to eat fish and chips and munch on watermelon. In the 40 plus heat, we spent the afternoon hours wading in still water, eading the paper, building sandcastles and rolling down grassy knolls. You fell asleep sticky and happy on the way home. Pretty great birthday by anyone standards.
Watermelon juice running down your tummy on your birthday. My favourite photo of you ever.
My computer decided to die in numerous ways which confounded Apple care so I'm a bit behind in posting my 52 week project with miss s.
It is birthday party season in Jan/ February for my little one and her playgroup mates. Miss s has developed a huge crush on cupcakes which mainly involves slurping on icing and then demanding another. With a little face like that, it is very hard to deny her (but I do!).
"A portrait of my child, once a week, every week, in 2013."
Our local pool, her idea of heaven.
When I miss working or the toddler tantrums start to do my head in, we head to our local pool.
Swimming in cool water with a smiling girl in my arms and gum trees overhead makes for an excellent "reset" button.
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I am truly enjoying having a look at all the beautiful images of everyone's 52 projects. Wish I had more time to comment and view all of them. Go here to see the links - there are some beautiful portraits.
Typing in the title for the 52 project certainly makes you aware of time passing.
"A portrait of my child, once a week, every week, in 2013."
Every night she likes to run around outside, burning off the last of her energy for the day.
These photos are quite deceiving. They give off an aura of a calm little girl but my shutter speed was set fast trying to capture all her running, rolling and jumping.
You are a bit like my dad. When I had my girl and began breastfeeding, he would avert his eyes or leave the room. When I spoke to him about it, he explained that he didn't want me to feel uncomfortable.
We talked.
My dad is very pro-breastfeeding and he understood from our discussion that I felt that what I was doing was very natural and that I wasn't in any way embarrassed. I have breastfed in front of my dad numerous times since with no awkwardness and no further misunderstanding.
I think my dad is a bit like you. He would prefer a "discreet" method of breastfeeding in public. Although my dad has always strongly encouraged my convictions of feminism and equality (and indeed nurtured them), he is also a little old-fashioned in some matters.
As I explained to my dad, what I would like to explain to you is that to ask women to be discreet about breastfeeding makes me feel that what I am doing should be hidden and this leads onto feeling that something is wrong with breastfeeding.
My girl didn't like a muslin or anything else placed over her when feeding. Many mothers have other children that they need to keep an eye on while still feeding their baby. There are many and varied reasons as to why covering up when breastfeeding is not an option or a need.
I never experienced negative comments or glares and never a complaint. I would have been completely mortified had anyone complained about me breastfeeding my child on the beach or in the shopping centre or in a cafe.
And then I would inform them of my civil rights.
Breastfeeding is natural. It should be normal. I would really like for people who have a problem with women breastfeeding in public or think they should be "discreet" to examine as to how they have arrived at that opinion. Was it your parents opinion? Do breasts simply function as sexual parts of the body? Is there something distasteful when a baby is being breastfed (do you feel put off your food that someone might breastfeed near you in cafe/ restaurant)?
Mr Koch, as a person with a public voice, please think about the messages you are contributing to in our society.
