december 12

Inspired by Ali's December Daily and my past participation in Darlene's December Views, I have been attempting to take photos each day this month and then write a few words to capture just one story of the day. I am housing them in a set over on Flickr and adding to it as often as I can.

I am gently but firmly pushing myself to let go of capturing the perfect photos. So if I don't take any that I want to share or use on a given day or if I forget, I am not worrying about it. Because really, the guilt thing is not going to make this project fun.

I do love though that the thought to take photos is flitting around in my mind more often than usual, especially this time of year when we are so immersed in the darkness of the days and colder weather. This is pushing me to try to capture the real day to day living moments instead of just outside adventures that summer easily brings.

This is to explain how I found myself with my camera this evening as a little girl went from daddy to mama and back again. She seems to be a wee bit under the weather, which meant she was really quite cuddly tonight as she wanted to be held or at least attached to one of us in some way. (Usually she is on the move running from room to room.)

I had the camera literally sitting on my lap as I snapped this series of photos. Because I wasn't behind it, she seemed less distracted because my face wasn't hidden so she just leaned against me as I snapped. 

I love that this gives the first four photos a self-portrait feel because she isn't looking at someone "through" the camera but is instead looking at the camera and any reflections she can see, probably of the lights in the room. (And if you are connected with me on instagram, you know that she is already taking self-portraits. Yep.) And then in that last photo, she is looking up at me right before insisting it is time to come up onto my lap.

As I sit here tonight, I keep thinking this phrase on repeat: The little moments seem to hold the most living.