Amy’s “This is Me” portrait series on her blog, While Wearing Heels, is one that I’m thrilled to participate in. I told you all about it last month, but if you didn’t read that post, you can right here.
This month, Amy’s theme was “Me Time”. Of course, I had a big laugh in my brain when I read that. My “Me Time” is hardly photogenic. The blue-green light of my laptop shining on my face? The chilled glass of Pinot Grigio smugly sitting next to that glowing screen? It’s very honest… but how would I take a picture of that?
Instead, I managed to find another picture of me enjoying “Me Time”. Or rather, a version of it.
I’m a pretty trigger-happy camera-owner. I’m constantly snapping photos of the girls, Hubby and the crafting-chaos that litters up the corners of this house. And Lila has taken notice. Her new favourite activity – and maybe this is just my poor judgement in action – is when I set up my camera on the tripod and let her have at it.
I figure that with the tripod, there is far less chance that my precious DSLR will tumble to the ground and be smashed to smithereens.
And she is very careful. She knows how special this time is. She knows that has caught me in a weak moment, and must savour every precious second of it.
As a result, I have this month’s “This is Me” self-portrait:
Reading.
On this day, I showed Lila how to use the timer, and so she ran back and forth from the couch where Lucy and I were reading a board book. She would pose for the picture, wait for the shutter to close, and then run back gleefully to look at her picture.
She did this about 50 times.
The picture includes my girls, so I know it’s not EXACTLY “Me Time”, but I do read for myself. I read books, magazines, blogs, websites, the newspaper… And when I get to read in a small slice of quiet solitude, it’s heavenly. Whether it’s by the glow of the laptop screen, or the warm light of my bedside lamp, I love to read. I have since I was a little girl, and I would stay up far too late to finish that last chapter. (Or last story in an Archie’s Double Digest)
I hope that my girls inherit this love of reading. Whether it’s Danielle Steele, Billy Collins, or John Steinbeck: I hope that they learn how to escape with the written word.
And because I’m a bit of a Mother Hen, always clucking about her little chicks, I have to share these pictures that Lila has taken. I love them, because they are so… her.
Her Sister
A Portrait of the Artist as a Preschooler
A little bit of Joyce in there for the literary folk…
And finally, Ode to New Camping Chairs.
Can you guess which one is Lucy’s and which one is Lila’s?
Many thanks to Amy for continuing this fantastic project and getting us in front of the camera – yoga pants, ponytails, and all!
Please check out Amy’s “This is Me” series on her blog, While Wearing Heels. In fact, why don’t you join us?
Follow Along (Don’t Miss Another series of Lila’s Pictures!)
22 comments
Mel
That’s so cute, I love to read that’s something that I don’t get a lot of time for, great pictures 🙂
Tara
I know how you feel, Mel. I think that a lot of my reading time has been sucked up by blogging time. As a result, I don’t read as much as I would like to. I’m hoping that the summer brings more quiet afternoons in the backyard – perfect for catching up on my reading. 🙂
Amy of while wearing heels
I adore that you let Lila act as photographer. I find it endearing that she realizes what a treat it is and embraces that it is special. She has quite the eye. Your girls look so much like you. What an incredibly sweet picture of you reading to them. But, the story behind how it was taken, melted my heart. My next photo shoot, I’m hiring Lila 🙂
Tara
She does have quite the eye for photography, I’m realizing! She’s got an artistic streak that runs through her, and the older she gets, the more I’m seeing it in her drawings and photos.
Oh, and Lila is 100% staged in her photo with us. I have about 45 identical photos of her “reading” with us, but really, she just wanted to try to get the best fake photo of her! 😉 What a hambone!
Clydia @ THREE MANGO SEEDS
I love it Tara! Cherish these moments with your girls — they grow up waaaay to fast! xoxo
Tara
Thank you, Clydia! I’m constantly reminding myself to stop and savour these moments. I’m already seeing time fly by, and they’re only 4 and 2!
Michelle
Hi Tara! I came across your blog via the FB blogging group. Great Post! Enjoy those moments with the little ones. Time flies. My two are a little older, so my self portrait would probably be very similar to your first inclination…wine and a laptop as props! Love the pics! Your little one did a great job!
Tara
Thanks for visiting, Michelle! You’re right – wine and a laptop are two of my most favourite things! 🙂 I’m trying to savour these moments with the girls; I have to remind myself that soon they won’t want to read with me on the couch! (It’s just hard to imagine when I’m being dragged over to the couch over-and-over-and-over-again)
Kenz @ Interiors By Kenz
Such cuteness. I really love the reading picture. It is fantastic. You are radiant!
Tara
Oh, thank you, Kenzie! I’ll tell Lila that!
(I’ll take the compliment, but “radiant” is a bit of a stretch. Do you see the yoga pants? The slippers? I be house-wifin’ that day! 🙂 )
Danni@SiloHillFarm
What great pictures! Love that your daughter is interested in photography at such an early age. I think you should still take the pic of the Pinot and screen though!!
Tara
Isn’t it crazy that she’s already so fascinated by photography? And the trouble is, at four years old, she’s already “done” with the kiddie camera that we got her. She wants the real deal. Maybe I’ll find a cheap-o one for her to practice on.
Maybe I SHOULD do the wine/computer shot one day. They are some of my favourite things! 🙂
Jen @ Girl in the Garage
So sweet! You’re instilling a love of reading and of photography… Great passions to have. And sometimes “together” time is better than just “me” time. 😉
Tara
Jen – You’re so right. “Together time” can be so much better than “me time”. Although it’s true, a little “me time” every now and again is good for the old Sanity Tank. Gotta keep that full so that mama doesn’t lose her marbles! 😉
Lauren @ The Thinking Closet
How cool is this? Lila is a pretty savvy photographer if you ask me. I actually really like her photo compositions. That chair photo is such a sweet still life. I think we may have a burgeoning photographer in our midsts!
Tara
Lauren, I’ll tell her that you like her photos! Yes, her camping chair shot has so much potential! 😉 I’m thinking that this child might need her own camera sooner than I had anticipated!
Laurie@Vin’yet Etc.
I love this post! the pictures that Lila took are amazing! Just too adorable for words! I love how into the story they are too!
Tara
Thank you, Laurie! I adore Lila’s pictures too (of course I do, I’m so biased!). Lucy is definitely into the book and Lila is “posing”. You’d be amazed at this child’s acting skills… I’m feeling like the teen years might be doozies! 😉
Kadie
Sooooo sweet! We are huge readers here too! I get such a thrill when I see my older kiddos reading or have one of the younger ones bring me a book! You have quite the little photographer on your hands! {AWESOME}
Tara
Oh, thank you, Kadie! I’ll tell Lila that you like her photos – she’s already getting a bit of a swelled head about it – time to find her her own camera.
I try to make reading a big deal around here – and for the most part, it’s worked! I can’t wait until they are able to read on their own. It’s going to be so weird… and yet, so awesome!
Kelly @ A Swell Place to Dwell
These pics are so cute! I think it’s super important to take selfies every once a while so that we know that we actually exist in the family!
Tara
I agree, Kelly! It’s so easy to overlook the fact that someone had to take the picture with the camera. I think that I’m going to start using my tripod more often!