Picture Perfect
November 13, 2009
I’ve never really understood the phenomenon that makes parents so narcissistic about their offspring. I mean, yes, she is your child. And in some cases, she is even cute. (Because let’s face it: not all babies are cute. Can we agree on that? Except yours, yours is very cute.) But seriously? Did you really need to whip out that accordion photo wallet to show me each picture you’ve taken over the last 45 days? No, no you did not.
Then I got pregnant, and hung each sonogram on the refrigerator where I could stare at it every time I went into the kitchen. (Confession: I found more and more excuses to make a trip to the kitchen. This may or may not have contributed to pregnancy weight gain.) I loved knowing that the microscopic embryo inside me was growing and maturing and that in a few short months, I would get to hold my child in my arms. (I was also actively ignoring the thought of childbirth, because: Ouch.)
Minutes old
When I first met Rayah, I thought that I had never seen anything more beautiful. Her pouty lips, her full cheeks, the delicate arch of her eyebrow, the way her tiny hands ball into fists and then extend again, watching her bright blue eyes taking in her new environment , the sweet chub of her thigh, the natural highlights in her hair, how the soles of her feet are unbearably soft. Even listening to her coo while she plays, and breathing in the scent of her hair every time I pick her up is magnificent to me. She’s like my newest addiction, and I can’t help but want to preserve every single bit of her.
Two weeks old and One month old
Six weeks old
Every day I find myself picking up my phone and photographing her. And each day I text those photos to Roger, because if I had to be apart from her during the day, I would want the same thing: copious amounts of photographs, just to make me feel like I was there. I flip through the photos on my phone and my heart still skips, even though I see her and hold her every hour of every day.
Two months old
Last night someone asked me whether Rayah wore a Halloween costume, and as I told her about Rayah’s homemade pea-in-the-pod outfit, I instinctively reached for my phone and began flipping through two weeks’ worth of photos until I found what I was looking for. And then I looked up, eyes wide, realizing what I had just done. I had just become That Mom, except I was holding something much worse: the digital version of the accordion photo wallet, with near-unlimited space for MORE photos.
Ten weeks old
As far as babies go, I think my daughter is pretty cute. More than cute – to me, she’s beautiful. So no, I didn’t really need to whip out her photos to show, especially considering I had the live version sitting in my lap at the time. It’s just that I’m so immensely proud of Rayah, and I can’t wait to share her with the world.
Ten weeks old
Comments
Hang on...no, no, you're absolutely right, she is beautiful and adorable! It's amazing how much she's grown in those pics!
Posted by: dancing_lemur | November 13, 2009 09:00 PM
She is so beautiful! Those eyes are stunning. What a little doll! Thanks so much for the update. :)
Posted by: Jenni | November 13, 2009 10:33 PM
I once had a co-worker tell me very earnestly "You know how parents are always saying their kid is so beautiful? Well mine really IS the most beautiful. I don't want to mention it the other parents, but they already know, I'm sure."
I think that is so charming. Every child needs to think that they are THE MOST WONDROUS in someone's eyes.
Posted by: Suebob | November 14, 2009 12:11 AM
Of course she's beautiful. All babies are beautiful to their parents, too, whether anyone else thinks so. I realized quickly after my daughter was born that all of my worries as to whether she would be cute were totally unfounded. Kid could have been a two-headed HYDRA and I'd have still thought she was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen.
Posted by: jonniker | November 14, 2009 07:03 AM
Jonna: You're right, of course. Rayah would be beautiful to me regardless, simply because she's mine. :)
Posted by: chirky | November 14, 2009 07:38 AM
The same thing happened to me-I generated a Facebook status cloud to find out what I Twitter about most frequently in the last month & it turned out that Baby A's name and the word "baby" were the most frequent in the last month. I said, OMG, I am one of *those* people...who Twitter about their kids all the time...
Posted by: Jenny B | November 14, 2009 08:52 AM
My mom told me that before I was born and before my brother was born, she told everyone not to fawn over us or say we were beautiful if we weren't. She said she told them, "Believe me, if my kids are ugly, I'll be the first one to know, so don't even bother lying to me." lol (That's my mom for you ...) Anyway, lucky for her, we were both gorgeous babies. Really. :)
I've definitely had one Seinfeld "[he/she's] breathtaking" moment, but that's not the case here. Rayah is adorable! I LOVE the 6-week picture of her. Too cute. :)
Her eyes are getting more and more beautiful, and she has the cutest dimples! The beauty of sharing the pictures on the blog is that if & when we feel we've had enough, we can stop scrolling, and you'll never know. Fortunately for you, that's not the case here. Keep 'em coming. I'm loving them!
P.S. Part of the reason I'm terrified of procreating myself is that I take a ridiculous amount of pictures as it is already. I'm just not quite ready to put that strain on my digital camera -- not to mention the friends, family, and complete strangers I KNOW I'll be "That Mom" to (on steroids) .
Posted by: my life is brilliant | November 14, 2009 10:01 PM
OMG. So cute. Really.
I love the foot picture. Have you ever seen the series of photes wherein a dad takes a picture of his and his son's hand every year on the son's birthday? There are now something like 30 years worth of photos. Cool idea. Maybe you could do it with you and Rayah's feet.
Posted by: Lulabelle | November 15, 2009 10:14 PM
She's absolutely gorgeous! Course you want to show her off. And yes, of course you've become one of "those" mamas. :) It's natural! LOL! And I'll tell you, you will show off your subsequent children almost as much! I know I did and still do. Enjoy!!
Posted by: Jae | November 16, 2009 12:13 PM
she is so SO beautiful!
Posted by: christine | November 19, 2009 03:50 PM
Seriously, she's adorable. Even I want to hold her and listen to her cry - and I nearly went out of my mind during those early days twice! She's very sweet and clearly has tons of personality.
Posted by: MamaP | November 26, 2009 11:22 PM