New news :)

Long time no see. :)

I have decided to change the photos for the old entries (so, you can visit now those posts too :)), and to continue posting at least one a week. One new photo per week... or two if I'm lucky :).

So, enjoy!

The one that counts

If you have any children you know as well as I do that he or she is the one that counts the most in your life. Nothing has changed on other levels, your love for your spouse or boy/girlfriend, your career, etc, but the child has come first. And he or she will stay there forever.

And it's a very nice feeling to know that this little soul loves you just as you are. You are the whole world to him or her, at least for the first year of his or her life. They rely on you for the smallest thing that they need or just simply want. And there isn't any other greater joy than give to him or her what they need or want. And then, they just... grow up. But you are still the world to them. But they start knowing other things too. They expand their horizon. The need for you changes, as they rely on you also for information and explanation. And still for games.

Every minute of their lives is about knowledge. Their are like little sponges that eat every little piece of info that comes into their way. And as the sponges get larger and larger when filled with water, so do our little miracles.

So, let's help them put the puzzle of this world together!

Etape

Fiecare etapa a vietii unui bebe aduce ceva nou si minunat. Va aduceti aminte de nerabdarea cu care ati astepat prima perioada mai lunga de veghe, primul zimbet (si mai ales primul zimbet adresat chiar voua), ginguritul, apoi incercarile de a apuca jucariile cu minuta, rostogolirile pe burtica si inapoi pe spate, statul in fundulet, mersul de-a busilea, mersul in picioare, etc.

Ce realizari incredibile poate avea un copil! Toate, lucruri pe care noi le luam de-a gata. Iar cind apare copilul, si astepti cu sufletul la gura fiecare mic progres pentru a-l vedea intr-un final si a te bucura de el, realizezi cit de frumoasa e viata, realizezi ca parca nu ai trait mai nimic pina atunci.

Pustiul meu face 2 anisori in curind, si sint foarte vii in memoria mea toate aceste mici progrese. Saptaminile trecute a reusit in sfirsit sa urce o scara mai complicata la tobogan (din aceea ca scarile de incendiu), saptamina trecuta a cintat pentru prima oara la muzicuta (a se citi "a suflat"), alaltaieri mi-a cerut sa iau forfecuta si sa ii tai unghiutele (si asta fara a-i sugera eu nimic, si mai mult, a stat cuminte pina am terminat!). Nu cred ca trebuie sa va mai spun cum m-am simtit in fiecare din aceste ocazii.

Si mai am multe de asteptat!

Funny faces

Ce ati pune pe o lista cu lucruri care va plac la copii? Inocenta, sensibilitatea, spontaneitatea, hotarirea cu care vor sa termine ce au inceput (chiar daca parintii nu vor :))... Toate si-au ocupat locul in lista noastra. Haideti acum sa ne uitam un pic la spontaneitate...

Am fost ieri la cumparaturi cu pustiul meu, si, la un moment dat, il vad uitindu-se fascinat la un bebelus care avea numai citeva zile. Participa si el la cumparaturi, alaturi de sora lui mai mare si de mama lor. Dupa un schimb scurt de replici cu mama, ma intorc catre fetita si o intreb daca bebelusul e fratiorul ei. Imi spune "da" si se opreste linga bebe si ii da cel mai dulce pupic de surioara.

"Politicoasa" din mine, amuzata de pupic, ii spune "Sa-ti traiasca!". Fetita ii mai arunca o privire incintata fratiorului, iar mama, vigilenta, ii atrage atentia sa-mi multumeasca. Si, foarte candid, fetita raspunde "De ce? Nu-i al meu."

Si avea dreptate... :)

Game

I remember when I was a kid I took a tremendous pleasure in jumping in every puddle there was on the street. And you can guess what my kid does every time it rains! I've seen it in his eyes: the same pleasure!

I also remember the times when I was feeling sad because the snow was melting and my sleigh became useless. I've seen the same sadness on my kid's eyes when he finds a wet spot where it used to be a puddle.

And as I fall into my childhood all kinds of memories come upon me. Not visual memories, but mostly feelings and sensations. And it also came back to me how great it was to be a child.

So, I propose an exercise for all adults, whether with children or not. Let's try to put, one more time, the shoes of childhood in our feet. Let's try and walk on these shoes for just a day. And let's try and see the world through a child's eyes again.

Are you in it?

Little people, big smiles

Have you ever wonder what's behind a child's smile?

When they smile, they do it all the way. Those big eyes, with just a joyful sparkle in them, those beautiful lips just drawing the line of the smile, the cheeks putting it all together... And it's not just the face. Look at their whole body, their hands, shoulders, legs, every muscle in their body participates in that marvelous smile they enchant us with.

And it takes just one instant and we are charmed! Can you resist it? I don't think so. I sure can't. And I relax and just go with it and you'll see... a big smile will make its way on your face.

I wish I can smile every time like a child. I wish I remember every time when I do something, something that matters, to do it as a child smiles.

But do we think at what brings those lovely smiles on their faces? It may be a toy or a lollipop, a hug or a little kiss, a butterfly or a dragonfly, a shadow on the wall, the first letter they've learned or a drawing, a cat or a mouse, but in the end it is only one thing... love. So love them unconditionally!

What else?

Can you imagine a world without children? I can't. I can't even try it. Actually, I do not want to try it.

Even if in my "youth" I couldn't imagine myself with a kid, about 3 years ago it struck me: I really, really want to have a child. My head kept turning back after every baby and toddler in the street and this strange desire made way in my heart and mind. And that was it! Now, I have a beautiful boy, soon to be 2 years old.

And my life have changed and became more meaningful and beautiful than ever.

My little boy gave me an unhoped opportunity: to become a photographer. Caught in the every day activity of my job, photography was just a hobby, one that I had little time for. Choosing to stay home and raise my child offered me the time to change this hobby into study first and hopefully into a "business" later.

And it also gave me the courage to share this passion with others. And here it is.