Children grow up; it’s the worst thing they do. Just as you’re getting the hang of parenting a 5-year-old, she becomes a 6-year-old. Just as you’re getting the hang of parenting an 8-year-old, he becomes a 9-year-old. My favorite photos are the candid ones, the clandestine ones, when they don’t know I’m looking, because in those moments if you look long enough and carefully enough, you can see the change happening: She takes off her shoes all on her own before crossing the muddy ground, no prompting or reminding, because big girls take care of their things, and painful or not, and ready or not, she is a big girl now.
