On The Cusp

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Words by Sarah Copeland
Photography by Amy Hanen



I know, you're supposed to post a photo of your kid in front of the house on the first day of school, but I love this shot Amy Hanen captured of my girl one regular day in August, on the cusp of second grade, on the cusp of loosing both front teeth, on the cusp of summer's end but not quite.

My beautiful, brave, vulnerable, powerful girl. I wrapped myself around her in her bed two nights ago, and as she held my hand falling asleep I noticed how much bigger her hand felt in mine, compared to her brother's, compared to her own just a few months ago. My mind turned with the thought that one day she will be as long as her whole bed, maybe even as big as me, and won't let me carry her to bed or brush her teeth on nights she needs extra attention, won't hold my hand in bed while she dreams.
I stayed until I heard the familiar sound of her thumb sucking, the last holdover from baby days, then came downstairs and dug up all the photo books I printed so regularly when she was three and four, searching, searching.
I stayed until I heard the familiar sound of her thumb sucking, the last holdover from baby days, then came downstairs and dug up all the photo books I printed so regularly when she was three and four, searching, searching. Andras came in and asked what I was looking for. "I'm trying to figure out when she started feeling so grown up. Was it last year? Last month?"

These are the details we'll never be able to grasp, to pinpoint, as parents, always rushing forward to their next need and our joy in every new stage. But it's only second grade, and she has a big goofy grin with a mouthful of gaps under this serious expression to remind me that it's still make believe and fairy houses and ballet slippers ahead for quite some time.

So, I'll stop being so dramatic (as she would say), and hold on tight for the ride as I always have, feeling lucky beyond belief I get to be her mama. Lucky beyond belief that so many moments like this one belong to her and me.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

 

HABIT & HOME © All rights reserved · Theme by Blog Milk · Blogger