captured

Childhood is fleeting. There's no way around it.

As mothers, in our melancholy moments we know this all too well. And yet on many days we find ourselves inadvertently wishing it away, eagerly looking forward to things to come. I can't wait until she can sit up. It'll be nice when he's out of diapers. I'll finally have time when my kids are in school.

Or what about when looking to the future feels more ominous than that. I think the terrible twos are setting in. I am petrified of what the teen-age years might bring.

With an 11-year-old in seventh grade, I'm quickly approaching the reality of what has scared me most about parenting. THIS age. The changes are coming so fast my head is spinning. Body, mind, attitude. Changing, changing, changing. Don't get me wrong. It's wondrous watching my daughter bloom. But, putting it mildly, it's not without it's challenges.

The other night, while sifting through the archives, I came upon this shot of her from a number of months ago. I was stopped in my tracks. THIS IS my daughter. I know in years to come, as she becomes more and more grown up,  I will cherish this shot even more than I do now. It's a moment in my daughters life that is captured forever. It's images like these that keep us shooting, I'm sure of it.

Share with us a quintessential shot of someone you love. Let's see THE perfect capture.

Comments

[liz W]

Sometimes it breaks my heart to look through archives of my children, they grow so fast. There are so many photographs that I will cherish forever. Here are some recent ones. And one current of my husband, giving me his signature look.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewhitaker/3913355142/in/set-72157621917441413/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewhitaker/3913355854/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewhitaker/3821360255/

[GayleV]

As you were writing, I immediately thought of the series of pictures I posted here:
http://momandcamera.blogspot.com/2009/09/challenge.html
These pictures perfectly capture my son as he is right now.

[djbeat]

is there a quintessential shot? if there were it would have to capture his baby blues & his sweet curious energy.

these two almost do it:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/djbeat/3892887827/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/djbeat/3836093502/

it is so redundant & overstated that 'they grow up so fast' but they do & even though i want to hang on to this baby i can't wait to see the kid & the teen & the man...

[Jamie]

Oh my, I had one of those moments with my then 10-year old a couple months ago. She's 11 now, and in her second year of middle school. When you say "changing, changing, changing," I know exactly what you mean.

http://camerashy.tinycorners.com/index.php?showimage=8

[Jenny McE]

I took this photo of my daughter this summer, and if it's all you ever get to know of her, it's all you'd ever need.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3024/3792714243_c88a30023e_b.jpg

[Camille]

My 11-year-old started middle school last month. Sometimes I watch her and wonder what I'm in for when the teen years hit. The other day after I watched her walk out the door to catch the bus, I thought about when we moved into the house 10 years ago, and how her idea of checking out the new place was climbing into one of our kitchen drawers. I have a pic of that, too, if i find it, I'll post.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/88988685@N00/3685796838/

[Lu]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ldb/2836659040/in/set-72157594343098218/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ldb/514079309/in/set-72157594343098218/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ldb/2207007367/in/set-72157594343098218/
My babies. Not babies anymore and looking at these images makes me want to take their pictures as soon as I get back home. Their childhoods are so fleeting. Truly they are.

[Amie aka MammaLoves]

Oh Tracey she's just gorgeous. She looks so much older than an 11 year old.

[Shar]

My daughter will be turning 16 in a couple of weeks. I look at this picture and I still see a girl... but I can also see the woman she will soon turn into. The image captures everything she is... beautiful, sweet and extremely girly. I hope she never changes!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shartreuse/3908636262/

[Haley]

A recent shot of my baby who is growing WAY to fast for my liking. Knowing that she will be our last makes it even more fleeting...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2hcreative/3916356860/

Oh and this one is so him...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2hcreative/3885757861/

[Aubrey]

So spot on Tracey.
I find myself wishing back the wishes for the easier days.
Cause the "hard" little days are gone. Vanished.

Here's my recent shot of my baby boy...big and tough.


http://aubreyplays.blogspot.com/2009/09/tough.html

{It was sure tough seeing you come home all bruised up from paintball today. I know you're a tough guy. I know you had a BLAST. So it was tough for mom to encourage you to go back and do it again. And soon. I know it is tough on you trying to please everyone. It is tough always being nice to your sister. It is tough to always try your best to do the right thing. But you are tough enough to do that too. It is tough to see you grow up so fast and even tougher to have the trust to let you go off into the world. But I love you. I know you can. And I am so proud of you. You don't always have to be so TOUGH. Remember that too.}

[Amanda]

I love this photo of my son (10 weeks old).... I could stare into these eyes all day:

http://amanda.smugmug.com/Children/Nathan-2009/September-2009/9605494_SY3B6/1/649814255_fFaZg/Medium

[shirley]

Just taken Sunday. And although not a quintessential shot of DD, she actually asked for her picture to be taken. At the age of 12, these requests are rare.

http://shirley319.blogspot.com/2009/09/258365-record-this.html

[Maegan]

My heart resonates so deeply with everything you said!

This shot of my middle child is so perfectly her: hands on her hips, marker on her chin, strong and soft at the same time...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mbeasoap/3769882901/

This is how I'll always remember my young Layla!

[Heather]

What a lovely capture. I can only imagine the places your memory will travel when you look back on this photo years on.

Sharing a shot of my hilarious 3yo today....

http://heatherk.typepad.com/photography/2009/09/quintessential-three.html

[elk]

you can so do this Tracey..but it is different territory for sure.

this is not the best photo but it shows her playful side for sure...a 16 year old SP:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sammymom/3047428462

[Courtney]

That is a beautiful shot of your daughter. Here are a couple of shots of my own daughter (who recently turned one) from several months ago:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7977864@N04/3293094125/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7977864@N04/3244924784/

I can't believe how much older she already seems.

[Jeanette]

I think the photo of my son that I put on my blog this evening, is my favourite at the moment, but that's because he was in hospital with pneumonia over the weekend, and I was so happy to see him semi back to normal.
http://www.jeanetteverster.com/2009/09/grannys-chocolate-pudding/

[Kathleen O./ko2008]

Cutest 4 year old in my world: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ko2008/3895702259/

[Lynette]

This captures my daughter on one of the happiest days of her young life. A budding thespian, she had just found out she had a "speaking" part in the school play. I wish her a lifetime of such moments.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42565898@N06/3923855959/

[kristin]

after his incredibly rough first week at kindergarten i took him to the beach. his happy place. where he could be himself and solitary and quiet. i could see the anxiety and sadness of the week melt away from his body as he played in the cold damp sand. his little soul was healing right before me. and i was so very grateful.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/3913805407/

[Chris]

Fleeting...as a father, in my most melancholy moments I know it also, all too well. Here's one of my favorite recent pictures of my little girl, at two and a half years old:

http://planetbabyburdett.blogspot.com/2009/07/girl-in-hat.html

and another that I love:

http://planetbabyburdett.blogspot.com/2009/06/these-hands.html

and a final picture from nearly a year ago, which almost breaks my heart (because she'll never be that young again):

http://planetbabyburdett.blogspot.com/2008/10/jessica-and-squeaky.html

[Dannie]

i took a photo this summer of my two oldest sons rough-housing. they are hot and sweaty and dirty and LOVING each other! the ease of summer has passed and we are full-swing into school and sports. so this image reminds me of easier days and why i have three children. love. love. love.

http://myinbetweentime.blogspot.com/

[megan]

i put this series into a tripdych because together they so nicely capture my six year old. so lively and changeable:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/meganmona/3911366868/

[kosenrufu mama]

she is absolutely wonderful and she looks like you so much!!!!
here my lovely shoot http://esterdaphne.blogspot.com/2009/09/cosa-si-ritrova.html

[Stephanie]

This has been heavy on my mind....so heavy that I cried about it a little yesterday. I find comfort that so many other mothers are thinking/feeling the same thing:
http://slsmithphotgraphy.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/the-baby.html

[kathramirez]

a moment like this remind me of my daughter. Thanks God we have camera to capture every special moments in our lives. Yes, your daughter will be grown up but the memories you've shared together will also be in your heart forever, isn't it?

[claudia]

Where did the years go? Here's my just turned seven year old going on 17!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurohunt/3842243023/in/set-72157615501498816/
and his quiet more sensitive almost 11yr old brother
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurohunt/3527570990/in/set-72157615501498816/
I have been so blessed to be home schooling them and watching them grow for the past 7 yrs!

[amelia]

i love this post- i love your thoughts and can relate to them- we just had child #5 in january- our last- oh to go back and have a moment in all of their earlier years to soak up those times- i am afraid i wished too many ages and stages away with the older ones- thank god for lessons learned- i have finally learned to live in the moment, this moment, and enjoy it- feel it, smell it, taste it- keeping my head out of yesterday and thoughts out of tomorrow- thanks tracey!
my post today was not so much a specific shot- my ironically i posted an update on all of the little things my youngest is doing now- i love these little inventories that define who he is in this moment- http://www.momsdailyretreat.com/notesfromtheedge/2009/9/15/life-at-9-months.html
have a wonderful wednesday

[spread your wings]

i knew the moment I saw the pretty girl above that it had to be one of Tracey Clark's girl. Beautiful photograph!!

the photos that i posted last year on her 19th birthday pretty much represent the quintessential shot that you speak of.
http://spreadingwings08.blogspot.com/2009/02/joy-of-my-life.html

at age 2 with her curly hair, her funny character and cheerful disposition, i wanted to bottle her up and keep her that way forever, but now i look at her and i'm amazed at the pose and charm she has as an adult - still funny, let's her hair go curly some days and the typical sullen attitude of a teen gives way to cheerfulness most days.

[Puna]

Ever since I started blogging and posting photos of my children, I am constantly reminded of time's passage. So it's nice to capture them in their element and freeze them in time...for a little while. Even in my son's messy room,

http://lifesignatures.org/wordpress/2009/09/while-hes-away-part-deux/

[Puna]

And Tracey, your daughter is your splitting image. She's beautiful.

[Mary Moore]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3555/3795143631_013fd856a4_b.jpg

[Reez]

Ah, I love this post. It is heartbreaking, isn't it? I don't have a child of my own but this is something I have been struggling with as my baby sister turns 13 this year. I don't have the heart to talk about that yet so, for now, here is my niece who is also breaking my heart as her baby voice starts to disappear, her legs get longer, and her cheeks less chubby...

http://reezypeezy.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/pause/

[Melissa]

I love all of the photos that have been posted!
Here is one of my daughter that is so...her.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mollymelly/3926046335/

[Kelly]

gorgeous shots. i included my two favorite summer shots of my girls in this post:

http://happyshackdesigns.blogspot.com/2009/08/cc-weekly-creativity-challenge-grade.html

[emily]

Oh, Tracey. Did I ever need to hear (and see) this today. My 12 year old 7th grader told me, "I hate you" this morning. And I have been reeling; tumbling between the sting of her sentiment and feeling so angry at the way my day was derailed... she is afterall a child... But it hurt. And I felt like I have failed her. But maybe she just needed to be angry for a moment. That little girl , my little girl, is still in there. Maybe I'll look for her through the lens.

[Trude]

Since I don't have kids yet, this one is of my mom - she's notorious for blinking or winking or squinting or not smiling, so this is very precious to me. Captured right before her 50th birthday last month. :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/trudem/3924279112/in/set-72157612084564706/

[Caroline]

I have to say that the sweetness of her sleeping. The look of pure calmness and love on her face as she wraps her arms around her teddy bear. This is what I wish to hold on to...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nowordz/3927495579/

[Caroline]

Whoops! you can find my photo here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nowordz/3928405060/

[oceanlotus]

You can find my youngest one here...and he's a goof which I think is captured to an extent here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kivamaru/3916821985/

[Nina]

Wow.
So many beauties and so many moments in all these posts.
Somehow this summer my 6 year old grew up a bit. Maybe it's those 2 giant chipmunk grown up teeth that came in or diving off the diving board or going to the first day of camp without even a bit of fear or a look back to his mama.
Here he is in his big kid glory (with his uncle who just started college!) and sound asleep with his brother looking like the baby he was.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/zm20gejQo-SIXE9h3shyWQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCJqqlOSV5ZyYQw&feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/csiJHGGC9POoRa8pQSpzLw?authkey=Gv1sRgCJqqlOSV5ZyYQw&feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/00ryZJfzPXwcZTe2t99lzQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCJqqlOSV5ZyYQw&feat=directlink

[Julie Alvarez]

Oh, this picture of your daughter is simply stunning!
I think the quintessential of mine would be maybe this one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/3386905927/
But there are also these ones, that capture here just like she is...:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/3866018357/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/2638495568/

[Angela]

These are the pictures that I hope my twins love when they are older (i.e., not six).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/slolane/3677909808/in/set-72157606477641544
http://www.flickr.com/photos/slolane/3677094833/in/set-72157606477641544
http://www.flickr.com/photos/slolane/3640956912/in/set-72157614951744820/

[Liz//Tipping Point Photo]

Gorgeous shot! She's so pretty--just like her mom. :o)

After a post from several weeks ago that prodded me to consider the vulnerability of the men in my life, I made it a point to document a little project the hubby and I worked on over our vacation.

This shot captures who he is: at work, problem-solving, creating, always fixing things (often fixing me):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tippingpointphoto/3876158597/in/set-72157622201930714/

And to me, this is the perfect capture--we'll look back on this someday and have all sorts of memories tangled up in it--some of which we haven't created yet, but have planted the seeds for:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tippingpointphoto/3876161773/in/set-72157622201930714/

[Maya v.]

I love this picture of my sister taken at her graduation. She has grown to be quite a beautiful and strong individual. I'm very proud of my baby sister.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mayangsari/295909107/