Friday, March 29, 2013

the days are long, but the years are short


So you'll never experience such an onslaught of advice and commiseration as you will when you become a parent. It's like being inducted into a secret cabal that I never knew existed. I can't go anywhere now without being stopped by someone--usually an older woman whose children are past the childhood stage--who offers some piece of well-worn advice and then wistfully talks about when their kids were that age. The most common bit of wisdom? "They grow up so fast." It's nothing new or earthshattering, but it contains the poignancy of being witness to something both so mundane and so awe-inspiring.

I particularly like the slightly expanded version of this: The days are long, but the years are short. And now that M is definitely a toddler, not a baby, I can confirm that it's true. She has grown and changed so quickly. Even as I tumble into bed exhausted at the end of every day, ready for it to be over, I can't believe that those infant days are done.

I've been following a new blog that features the portraits of a group of kids, taken by their photographer parents, week by week. It's inspired me to try that, too. I already find myself grabbing my camera every day to try to document some funny occurrence, and I'm hoping that by formalizing it I can overcome my problem with constancy. This photo is of M several weeks ago, playing with my lenscap in the morning.

4 comments:

  1. M is so cute! Can't believe she's "so big" now, I remember the last time we talked or something I think you were still gravid. Oh my! Hope you're doing well!

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  2. She is adorable. I second all you say--Severin is three months old and babbling. I can't believe how fast he is growing and changing and how long but worthwhile each day can be.

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  3. Oh how true is that - the days are long but the years are short. I just keep wondering where did the time go when I look at my youngest now. I sometimes find the odd picture of him even from a year ago and the difference is enormous. Cherish and relish.

    M looks adorable. I wish I could take pictures like that. The one good thing about blogging is that it has made me pick up a camera and I have more pictures of my boys than I would have if I hadn't. I have always been a lazy picture taker and so has my other half. Blogging has been good for me in this respect.

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  4. My cousin's baby is turning one in a month and he looks slightly different every time I see him. Your daughter is beautiful and I love that engrossed look on her face.

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