This picture will always mean the world to me. This was the day I decided to take Lydia’s newborn pictures. I had anticipated that day for so long. My baby girl—dressed up and presented to the world as only her mother could show her. But once she arrived, I didn’t know how to do it. I couldn’t do it... for days. Because we mothers are protective, and I was afraid—so afraid of what the world would say. How they would stare. Whether or not we were forever “different,” and what that would mean.
But on this day, I faced those fears (literally) and took a full frontal portrait of my baby. I included the wires and the oxygen on purpose because, while they didn’t define her, they were part of our story. I wrapped her in a gorgeous blanket that I had purchased from the hospital gift shop after she was born—a gift for THIS baby, not the one I thought was coming. And I shot that portrait head on—with any Down syndrome markers in full view. Then I shared it with the world. No apologies required. I love this portrait. I will always love it. I love it for what it took and how true to life it is. And I especially love it because that is my baby. Although I took a lot of pictures, I wish I had taken a million more, because you know what? I will never have another one like her. Those almond shaped eyes that originally scared me to death are incredibly beautiful to me now. I want to capture every detail. Amazingly enough, when looking at pictures of other babies, I sometimes genuinely struggle now to distinguish whether they have Down syndrome or not. Because I have a direct window now to the person, not the diagnosis. And gosh she’s amazing, that beautiful girl and the new eyes she’s given me. I cannot get enough. 😍
#misslydiefaith #theluckyfew#worlddownsyndromeday2019
