When I was pregnant with our third child, I put together activity bags for our older children (ages 4 & 6 years). We had planned on having the kids home during my labor and their sibling's birth, and I wanted them to have something to open and explore while I was laboring.
One of the things we included was a disposable camera for each of our older children to use at their discretion. I pictured us looking through the photographs, remembering the day the new baby was born. Perhaps they'd have photographed me laboring in the bathtub or the leaves that fell on the beautiful fall day. Maybe they'd capture their Thanksgiving dinner, eaten only hours before the baby was born.
Instead, there were about twenty photos taken in their bedroom of their favorite stuffed animals, random pictures of the wall, and some blurry ones of the cat and dog. They even captured me in early labor. Maybe one or two photos were of their baby brother.
This was how they captured the day their brother was born.
It wasn't exactly the birth photography I was expecting, but it was perhaps even better than what I was anticipating. They captured the moments they wanted, and they did so without guidance. They had this opportunity to take photos without the instant gratification of looking at the picture seconds later. They spent their time at home, comfortable and safe, filling the hours with what they wanted as I labored and prepared for birth.
There's a real beauty in seeing the world through your child's eyes.
One of the things we included was a disposable camera for each of our older children to use at their discretion. I pictured us looking through the photographs, remembering the day the new baby was born. Perhaps they'd have photographed me laboring in the bathtub or the leaves that fell on the beautiful fall day. Maybe they'd capture their Thanksgiving dinner, eaten only hours before the baby was born.
Instead, there were about twenty photos taken in their bedroom of their favorite stuffed animals, random pictures of the wall, and some blurry ones of the cat and dog. They even captured me in early labor. Maybe one or two photos were of their baby brother.
This was how they captured the day their brother was born.
It wasn't exactly the birth photography I was expecting, but it was perhaps even better than what I was anticipating. They captured the moments they wanted, and they did so without guidance. They had this opportunity to take photos without the instant gratification of looking at the picture seconds later. They spent their time at home, comfortable and safe, filling the hours with what they wanted as I labored and prepared for birth.
There's a real beauty in seeing the world through your child's eyes.
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