Now & Then

I blinked and I have a four and six year old, and the year is almost over. When I used to picture the year 2024 as a kid, I’m pretty sure I pictured a bunch flying Jetson cars but here we are. I have two amazing daughters and time is a thief.

Naiya and I took photos in bathrobes back in 2019 here when she was just under a 1.5 years old. I often look back at these photos and my heart melts. I can’t believe how small she was and how different life is just a few years later.

I dreamed of taking similar photos with Sadie someday. This was our first attempt! On this particular day, neither of the girls wanted to wear their bathrobes and they weren’t into putting their hair in towels. I had a vision and that vision didn’t fully come to fruition. But such is motherhood and I love the authenticity. Every day is so unpredictable but there is such beauty in that.

Either way, we snapped some memorable candid shots that I love so much because they showcase a real slice of our lives right now. I know I’ll look back at these photos years from now and I’ll yearn for days like this. “The days are long but the years are short” is a phrase most mothers hear a million times over but it couldn’t be more true.

Photography: Azusa Takano