Capturing Babyhood

This weekend we hired our wedding photographer for the third time -- to take our family portrait again, now that we're a family of four.  The last time we had family portraits taken was when Nathan was five months old, so in keeping with tradition, we hired Robert again, since Thomas is already (!) five months.  Actually, he's five and a half months. 

In all honesty, I don't know why we don't hire him every year.  I've been taking Nathan for portraits at Walmart each year (I'm sure our photographer would wither up and die if he heard that), and paying an arm and a leg each time.  Some photos came out good and some just okay.  But Robert's photos come out amazing every time, and I love that he shows me what he's getting as he's taking them.  He is such a talented photographer.

It's so important to capture our babies' babyhoods.  They're over so regrettably fast.   In less than two weeks, Thomas will be 6 months old and his babyhood will be half over -- and I'm already feeling sorrowful for it.  Sure, he'll still be baby-ish for close to another year, but how I wish he could stay this little, sweet and innocent (and immobile!) forever.  My heart is already starting to break.

But my mom raised a good point the other day that gave me some perspective.  If babies always stayed babies, we wouldn't cherish this time the way we do.  This really is the best time of my life, even though some days all I feel is the exhaustion, hard work and the balancing act I play each workday. 

I must remember this feeling during those occassional night wakenings that last up to an hour (I know), poop explosions (they're not that bad, really) and the exhausted feeling I usually have these days when I wake up in the morning feeling like I haven't slept at all.  Thomas is such a happy, joyful baby.  I need to capture his babyhood and remember what I'm feeling now forever.  This is what life is all about.