Delaware Wedding and Portrait Photographer

“My heart is torn just in knowing, you’ll someday see the truth from lies.” -Plumb

As per our routine on the nights I am not up late editing, Steve and I check on Addisyn together before we head to bed ourselves. We move her back to her pillow, tuck her blankets snuggly around her, make sure her favorite stuffed animal is tucked in her arms, and softly move her hair away from her face so we can kiss her cheeks and whisper one more “I love you”. It is often the case that the rest of our evening conversation is about her and what new words she said that day, what cool pretend story she created while playing, how sweet she was at dinner when she said, ”scused pease” to get up from the kitchen table, or just how wildly in love with her we are. It’s one of my favorite times with my husband because he makes a darn good dad and he beams with pride, love, and everything in-between when he speaks about his little girl. A true sign that I married a wonderful man and a huge relief to me that Addisyn will grow up knowing how a real man is supposed to treat his lady. But, Steve and I also have nights when we talk about Addisyn’s sensitive heart. We discuss times in the day when she had her feelings hurt and how it makes us sad to know as she gets older the world’s perception of “normal” will begin to affect some of the character that we love about our little girl. I fear the day when she is too embarrassed to break out a free spirited dance in any store or whenever she hears a good dance (or “ballerine” in Addy language) song despite who is looking. I cringe at the idea that one day she might think it’s lame to put on a new dress, run to Steve, do a twirl to show it off, and say “Look Dadda, I bootiful!” or that one day it will no longer be “cool” to give mom and dad four different types of kisses at night (regular kiss, noozle kiss, butterfly kiss, and a kiss with one leg up).

Although we rarely admit it, Steve and I know she will someday begin to realize that this world has other ideas for her. Wrong ideas, I might add, like her love for Jesus isn’t real, that her beauty is defined by her body figure, her clothes, or how many boys like her, and that her random dance-offs aren’t appropriate in public. It is even a huge possibility that the world will tell her that loving her parents openly and choosing to respect and obey them isn’t cool. We know it is inevitable because we live in that same world. I don’t think I will ever be fully prepared for the day when Addisyn comes home from school comparing herself others or when she looks in the mirror and doesn’t see the most beautiful girl in the world.

I think as parents we have this inherent protective gene built in us. We must protect our children physically to the best of our ability, yes, but let’s not forget to do so spiritually and emotionally as well. This protection can come in forms of open communication, outwardly loving our children, and even showing them what respect means between mom and dad. As Addisyn gets older, I find myself being more mindful of how her peers are affecting her and how her daily activities and interactions can mold her. So at the end of the day during our family time, Steve and I make sure we dance extra long with her, ask her questions about her day, talk to her about Jesus, and tell her how proud we are to have her as our daughter. We know the world is coming and we can’t stop it, but we’ll do everything in our power ensure our little girl is emotionally and spiritually equip for when it gets here.

Some of Addisyn’s Autumn pics :-)