Babies don't keep.

"Childhood is a short season."
-Helen Hayes

Babies don't keep, they say, and they'd be right. April marked a half year of my baby's life. Six months gone in a blur. The days are long but the years are short, they also say, and that's also accurate. The sleepless nights drag into bone tired days that morph into more sleepless nights, creating a cycle that feels endless. But then gradually she starts sleeping longer chunks and the fog from your brain lifts a bit and you discover your newborn isn't so very new anymore. In fact, she is rolling and scooting and cooing and giggling and sitting and eating food. Suddenly you're so far removed from the newness of it that an actual newborn makes your baby look like a giant. And a pregnant woman seems almost alien. Surely my baby was never tucked up inside me like that only a mere six months ago?

Babies don't keep, they say, and they'd definitely be right. Now my Jillie is this tiny person on the verge of so many things. Just recently she mastered sitting. And dare I say it for risk of jinxing it--she is sleeping through the night. At least this week she is anyway. Until the next growth spurt or stage or obstacle plows into our lives yet again upsetting the balance. (I'm very grateful to be waving good riddance to the four month sleep regression.)












To mark this milestone, I coerced my family out one warm spring day to take pictures. Our wimpy winterized bodies were not prepared for 70 degree weather. It felt more like 90 as we trudged along the state park trails. Since spring just decided to stick around here in Minnesota, the trees have yet to grow leaves. There was no shade from the warm sun. My overexposed photos weren't the only casualties. Our moods definitely took a hit, too, as we stripped off layers of clothing. I did manage to capture a handful of sweet candid moments between my children that day, though, so it was worth it. Babies may not keep, but photographs do.