It may not always be easy, but you’re the love of my life. My heart is riding on a runaway train, you are the love of my life. Through all the pleasure and pain, from the moment I first saw you, I knew it right away. I knew that you were the love of my life. Simply the love of my life, you are the love. The great love of my life. -Carly Simon
There is nothing that can compare to those first few weeks as a parent. As the years slip by I find it hard to remember the day to day of my oldest when she was new. But I have SUCH vivid memories of those first days and weeks together. I remember bringing her home, her first bath where we laughed hysterically because she has my husbands bum, the sound of her breathing from her bassinet, her cheek on my chest as I rocked her in the night, the unbelievable exhaustion, the wonder, the awe of being in her presence. I remember that SO clearly. Sometimes I look at her now (almost ten years later) and wonder how that tiny baby could be this brilliant and bold child. It is with much intention and much joy that I get to photograph people having this experience for the first time. A few days after I photographed Grace’s first day on earth, I made my way to her home to photograph her and her wonderful parents experiencing what having a child in their home for the first time felt like. As suspected, they were tired and a little weary, but they would indescribably happy – even in the early morning when we were able to make these photos. It was a pleasure to witness them working together, loving that sweet girl. I so loved seeing all the hard work and tender care they had put into Grace’s nursery. From the paint on the walls to the books on the shelves, every little thing in that room was picked out especially for that little girl. I hope, on a day years from now when they look at Grace and think “how did she get so big?” the images they see in their head will be some of the images from this shoot. When their girl was so new and tiny and perfect. Congratulations Frances and Dan! You made such a lovely child! I can’t wait to watch her grow.
