Growing Pains

My older daughter recently turned 13. Reaching this important milestone prompted me to reflect deeply on the passing years; years that have felt simultaneously achingly slow and astonishingly fast. Parenting my two girls has brought with it both the greatest intensity and the greatest joy I have ever known. And while each milestone is a reason to celebrate, it also carries a quiet grief, grief for the younger child (and the younger parent) we leave behind.

Throughout my motherhood journey, my camera has become an invaluable tool, not just for documenting each phase, but for helping me process and hold on to fleeting moments a little longer. I’ve called this project Growing Pains, partly because both of my daughters have experienced literal growing pains at various points, but also because it captures the emotional growing pains of childhood and the bittersweet ache I feel watching them grow.