One Precious Year Preserved in Black & White
Wow. I am having a Mommy Moment, if ever I have had one.
On Thursday of this past week (before the flu took hold of me) I went to pick up something that I had been anxiously awaiting for a really long time. I have been dreaming about owning one of these long before I ever knew there was to be a baby, let alone a Jack.
For two years, beginning in March of 2001, I worked as the "Voice" of Tim Jones Photographer, Inc.. My boss was kind to call me that, as I basically answered the phone and assisted his clients with their portrait sessions and orders in the front office. I got the job through Jenni Denny (who you should know as Mommy of Jake, and if you don't - well, why haven't you been reading?!) Jenni meticulously ran the back office at Tim's, processing orders with precision and making sure everything was done in a timely fashion.
So anyway, in my time there, I encountered many "Crazy" Moms who would fuss and cry over which photos to order. The choice of photo to use in their little one's Baby Panel always seemed to be the most grueling decision of all. Some panel orders could literally take hours, and let's not forget - they were only choosing 4 photos. And on top of that - some Mom's would literally weep at the sight of the final product. I can remember having a laugh from time to time at the strange displays of emotion we would encounter from these crazy women.
Well.
I have now become a Crazy Mom.
Officially. Certifiably.
When the time finally came for meto order Jack's panel, I didn't struggle with the choice of photos so much, as Jack really made it easy on me - every shot was gorgeous and very usable. But when I picked up the completed Baby Panel on Thursday, I wept.
I held it together in the studio. I really did. Even after I chose a frame and they kindly framed it for me on the spot, I kept my composure. Remember, these are my former co-workers and I had an image to uphold! ( Ha Ha.)
However, once I got in the car, I cried tears of joy and amazement. Here was a gorgerous child - MY GORGEOUS CHILD - forever captured at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months. Beautiful smile, radiating innocence - growing more and more into a little boy in each image. I was humbled just looking at his sweet face, knowing that Phillip and I had been so lovingly entrusted with this wonderful little person.
Wow. I now fully understand what Tim meant when he would speak about the importance of his art. It truly is hard for me to remember Jack when he was just born - even as hard as I try to hold on to every bit of it. In time, we truly do forget the littlest thing - the exact tone of those first coos, a toothless smile, the crease of a chunky arm, teeny tiny toes, an almost bald head with just a little "peach fuzz" on top. A particular laugh, a new trick, a certain tilt of the head. I don't ever want to forget.
It's hard to believe that in such a very short time, I will look up and see a kindergartener off to school, a teenager asking for the keys to my car, a young man with a family of his own. I am endlessly thankful that, because of images like this, I will always be able to also see my Three Month Old just beginning to really grin, my Six Month Old sitting up so confident and strong, my Nine Month Old who so wants to hop out of that chair and explore, and my One Year Old who's worked his way so deep into my heart that I can't remember life before he came.
Yep - I am a Crazy Mom and, at least in that regard, I hope I never change.
On Thursday of this past week (before the flu took hold of me) I went to pick up something that I had been anxiously awaiting for a really long time. I have been dreaming about owning one of these long before I ever knew there was to be a baby, let alone a Jack.
For two years, beginning in March of 2001, I worked as the "Voice" of Tim Jones Photographer, Inc.. My boss was kind to call me that, as I basically answered the phone and assisted his clients with their portrait sessions and orders in the front office. I got the job through Jenni Denny (who you should know as Mommy of Jake, and if you don't - well, why haven't you been reading?!) Jenni meticulously ran the back office at Tim's, processing orders with precision and making sure everything was done in a timely fashion.
So anyway, in my time there, I encountered many "Crazy" Moms who would fuss and cry over which photos to order. The choice of photo to use in their little one's Baby Panel always seemed to be the most grueling decision of all. Some panel orders could literally take hours, and let's not forget - they were only choosing 4 photos. And on top of that - some Mom's would literally weep at the sight of the final product. I can remember having a laugh from time to time at the strange displays of emotion we would encounter from these crazy women.
Well.
I have now become a Crazy Mom.
Officially. Certifiably.
When the time finally came for meto order Jack's panel, I didn't struggle with the choice of photos so much, as Jack really made it easy on me - every shot was gorgeous and very usable. But when I picked up the completed Baby Panel on Thursday, I wept.
I held it together in the studio. I really did. Even after I chose a frame and they kindly framed it for me on the spot, I kept my composure. Remember, these are my former co-workers and I had an image to uphold! ( Ha Ha.)
However, once I got in the car, I cried tears of joy and amazement. Here was a gorgerous child - MY GORGEOUS CHILD - forever captured at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months. Beautiful smile, radiating innocence - growing more and more into a little boy in each image. I was humbled just looking at his sweet face, knowing that Phillip and I had been so lovingly entrusted with this wonderful little person.
Wow. I now fully understand what Tim meant when he would speak about the importance of his art. It truly is hard for me to remember Jack when he was just born - even as hard as I try to hold on to every bit of it. In time, we truly do forget the littlest thing - the exact tone of those first coos, a toothless smile, the crease of a chunky arm, teeny tiny toes, an almost bald head with just a little "peach fuzz" on top. A particular laugh, a new trick, a certain tilt of the head. I don't ever want to forget.
It's hard to believe that in such a very short time, I will look up and see a kindergartener off to school, a teenager asking for the keys to my car, a young man with a family of his own. I am endlessly thankful that, because of images like this, I will always be able to also see my Three Month Old just beginning to really grin, my Six Month Old sitting up so confident and strong, my Nine Month Old who so wants to hop out of that chair and explore, and my One Year Old who's worked his way so deep into my heart that I can't remember life before he came.
Yep - I am a Crazy Mom and, at least in that regard, I hope I never change.
Posted By Mary Alice at 6:03 PM
1 Comments:
I sooo wish I'd done a panel for Parker. MUST for MK.
That is just priceless.
Priceless!!!
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