San Francisco East Bay Child Photographer | Goodbye Preschool….

Every week, for two years, my youngest little guy has been going to preschool.  Over these two years, the teachers have changed, some of our little routines have changed, his clothes have gotten smaller (because it COULDN’T be that he is getting bigger), and I truly have just basked in it all.  I love dropping him off.  Not because I’m glad to get rid of him, but I love how regular it is.  I really love our routine.  I feel like it’s a sweet and loving routine, and I love how stable it is.  In lives that can get so chaotic, routines can help center us, and for me, the whole preschool routine is very calming.  Very centering.  I know I’ll miss it.

This weekend, he graduates.  And over the past couple of weeks, as I have pondered this momentous occasion, I have realized how much I will miss our little routine.  Just the regularity of it all.  For most of this year, this has been our routine:

Don’t step on the cracks.But, Mommy, if you do, it’s okay.  You can step on them twice.  And that will give you power.

I love that he gives his mama and himself the okay to make mistakes.  We all could learn from that: mistakes can give you power, if you’re willing to learn from them.

Once inside, he puts away his lunch box, his stuffed animal, and collects any artwork that has made its way into his cubby.

Then he signs in.  Every time, I tell him what day it is: “It’s T-T-T-Tuesday.”  “It’s Th-Th-Th-Thursday.”  And then he figures out where to sign his name. These pictures were taken on three different days.  But the routine is always there.  Always the same.And then his best friend comes over, hugs me, attacks me, tells me a something important, and the two get silly.

As I prepare to go, I need a lot of loving.  A lot.  This is best accomplished by telling him that he had better NOT HUG ME.

My son, such the rebel.  :)We kiss and hug, snuggle and giggle.

I seriously love it.

Then, he goes to the window to watch me go.

Every time.

I love it.Sometimes he gets lost in looking at the artwork hanging to dry or finds something to play with.

I’m seriously just dying.  I love his curiosity and lust for life so.dang.much.

Sometimes, his friend comes over to say goodbye too.Aren’t they perfect?As I drive away, I wave goodbye, my heart does a little smile, and I call my mom as I drive to work.

It’s always the same.

It’s my routine.  And I love it.I invite you to take a look at the routines in your life.  Pick up your camera and take some pictures to help keep those memories  alive.  This routine will end, and new ones will replace it.  And those routines will be special too.  But for me, THIS routine, has been nothing short of magical.  I know there will come a day where he will run off as soon as I drop him off.  He won’t linger to wave goodbye.  He will definitely not be interested in hugging and kissing me, ESPECIALLY in front of his friends, and very likely, his friends will have no interest in hugging me either.

My boy will grow up.

But maybe if I just keep not stepping on those cracks, he’ll stay my little boy just a little bit longer….

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0 Comments:

  1. Kara Layfield
    June 10, 2011
    Reply

    Laura you have a way with words…Thanks for inspiring me this morning and bringing a little tear to my eye. These are just precious!

  2. amy
    June 10, 2011
    Reply

    what a great post!!! i feel like i got a special little peek into your life with your sweet boy!! love the shots of him with the magnifying glass through the window soooooooo special!!

  3. Jen
    June 10, 2011
    Reply

    Such a beautiful blog post, Laura! You have me all mushy and teary-eyed. I can completely relate to the desire to record the routines and the “NOW”. All too soon our little guys will be too big and too cool for snuggles and affectionate “good byes”. For this minute, they are still little and I want to remember ALL of it.

  4. Amber
    June 10, 2011
    Reply

    You are amazing. You are inspiring. You are insanely and beautifully talented. I don’t think I can properly explain how much I loved his post and each precious photo in it, other than to simply say, WOW. I honestly hope that one day I have the honor of you photographing my family, my kids and turning our simple love for one another into tear inducing art like you’ve done here. <3

  5. Kathryn Raugh
    June 10, 2011
    Reply

    Wonderful, thank you for the inspiration…and know that your lovely story brought a tear to my eye! It’s my two oldest kids last day of school and I think I might just have to bring my camera along 😀

  6. Azure
    June 10, 2011
    Reply

    Oh, Laura I absolutely LOVE this! Brings tears to my eyes and leaves me speechless. You are amazing.

  7. Danielle Frank
    June 10, 2011
    Reply

    This post just made me tear up, I loved reading it. He looks so grown up in that shot through the window. Reading this made me realize that before I turn around, mine will be older, more independent and how quickly it’s gonna go by. I need to photograph more of our routine, even if it’s just hanging around the house – because it won’t be like this forever.

  8. Marc Morita
    June 11, 2011
    Reply

    Can’t wait. Wait, yes I can.

  9. Carrie
    June 13, 2011
    Reply

    A beautiful post as always Laura, and a wonderful reminder to capture our every day lives. They are the moments we want to remember and treasure forever :)

  10. Shelby
    June 15, 2011
    Reply

    Such a beautiful post Laura.

  11. Stacie
    June 20, 2011
    Reply

    These are so fabulous. Watching them grow up is so bitter sweet.

  12. Leah Jent
    June 24, 2011
    Reply

    I so love this set. I hope my boys can stay little, too. Just pause time for a little while, keep their elbow dimples, their soft chubby thighs, their instinct to grin just because someone smiled in their direction. Thank you for being so awesome and inspiring me to hug my boys a little tighter today!

  13. Verity
    June 24, 2011
    Reply

    oh my goodness, I absolutely adore your work, Laura. Such emotion and passion wrapped into it. You inspire me to take more/better pictures of my two even if its just routine things. You quite frankly rock.

  14. Tamra Hyde
    June 29, 2011
    Reply

    Thank you so much for this post! I have such a hard time capturing the little things in life. I am always trying to get that WOW factor shot. I forget that what we do every day can be the wow factor. Thank you for sharing this sweet insight into your life. Hang on tight. Soon he will be 15 like my son and you will miss this so much!

  15. Aimee Maughan
    July 13, 2011
    Reply

    Wow….I really love this post. Mabey because my littlest is starting preschool this year and this was just a reminder to capture those simple things that we do each day that we will miss so much when we don’t do them anymore. Thanks for sharing!

  16. ashley
    July 22, 2011
    Reply

    He is just the most precious little boy. I adore this very personal post and this peek into your life and your thoughts. You have such a beautiful spirit and I am sure your son does too!

  17. Sylvia Borgo
    September 12, 2011
    Reply

    I am so not kidding when I tell you that I’m seriously and completely bawling over here. I’m just overwhelmed with the beauty of this post. This is magic. This life with your baby is magic. Life and love with the little loves in our lives is magic. You will look back on this years from now and J. will look back on this years and years from now you will both smile, and smile, and smile.

  18. Jennifer Sparaco
    December 10, 2011
    Reply

    I. LOVE. THIS. It fills my heart with smiles!!!


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