I was shuffling through folders of images at the end of the day looking for something to post. Unsure of what kind of mood I was really in, I decided to dig until something caught my eye. Not long before I’d put my daughter to bed. Actually she nearly fell asleep in my arms and because I knew that she was going to squeeze every second of wakefulness out of the day I layed down with her on the couch, pull a blanket over us and talked drowsy toddler talk until she finally drifted off for good.
She is very strong willed. She is very clear and articulate about what she wants. She was like that from the moment she was born. She was born with her eyes open. She was born silent, intent and aware. She didn’t cry until the attending nurse put her on the metal scale to be weighed. She stopped crying almost instantly after she was removed from the device. She has always been this clear and purposeful.
It is an amazing thing to behold.
Her purposeful is a thing unto itself. I often feel that she is inside her body waiting for it to catch up with her and what she feel she needs to be about the business of. As her father it is my responsibility to see that she grows into her full self in a healthy way.
I see all of these things in this photo. I took it when she was about five months old. I think I was looking for a way to express these things in a simple image.
My daughter Ama-Ibi at 5 months
Amazing introspection. After reading your reflections on this photo it seems absolutely obvious. Such an old soul. I just posted a picture of Selah on facebook where her eyes show her true age. This parenthood is truly divine and blessed.