My Mother's Day gift

Sometimes you just have to remember to hand your camera over to your husband and let him take a photo of you and your son on Mother's Day.

nyc baby, child and family photographer & architect alethea cheng fitzpatrick is based in brooklyn. she specializes in baby photography as interior design & interior design for babies. view her portfolio of babies, children or families or send her an e-mail here!

Mothers

I found out yesterday that... I almost can't even type this... a friend's two day old baby girl passed away in her sleep. I have no further information right now but it's with a broken heart that I approach this Mother's Day.

One of the things we do as mothers and fathers is risk every day, every minute, heartbreak greater than seems feasible to bear. And yet people do somehow bear it, everyday, everywhere.

I knew my friend would be an amazing mother the minute I heard she was pregnant. Little did we know how amazing she would have to be. To say I'm sorry would be an understatement.

Today I think of her and her family, as well as mothers everywhere who have endured the loss of a child, at whatever age, and for whatever reason.

I think of my own mother, my mother-in-law and all the mothers in my family, as well as for all my amazing mom friends near and far, who have provided me with more support than they'll ever know, and without whom I would not be the mother I am today.

And I think of all mothers, past, present and future, for all that they do and all that they risk.

Happy Mother's Day.

nyc baby, child and family photographer & architect alethea cheng fitzpatrick is based in brooklyn. she specializes in baby photography as interior design & interior design for babies. view her portfolio of babies, children or families or send her an e-mail here!

For mothers everywhere

Last year we were in Baltimore for my first Mother's Day... it was for my husband's work, but it ended up being a nice little getaway for us, and our first trip away with Liam.

My first Mother's Day, with a three month old in tow, felt big and meaningful and hard won, not just for having made it three months with a baby, but for having made it to motherhood at all. This year, well, it sounds trite, but almost every day feels like Mother's Day to me right now. And yes, I am aware, as more experienced mothers have confirmed, that we are in a "sweet spot" right now - aside from a few meltdowns here and there, 15 months old is a delightful age. Liam has turned into a really fun little person. He toddles around in the most adorable fashion, exploring and exclaiming and chattering away over everything. His smiles light up a room, he is willing to give kisses at least 75% of the time when asked, and sometimes spontaneously, occasionally even whilst crying(!) and his tears, accompanied by vigorous headshaking, are heartbreaking but generally short lived. Every day I wake up and get to spend time with him, and see the world from his awe-filled perspective. I feel incredibly lucky.

Happy Mother's Day to mothers past, present and future, and to all those who mother in any way. To those who are celebrating their first Mother's day with babe in arms, congratulations!

Special thoughts to those who are struggling or have struggled to have a child, and to those who have lost a child, or a mother. I am thinking of you too.

nyc baby, child and family photographer alethea cheng fitzpatrick is based in brooklyn and specializes in contemporary, natural light portraiture. view her portfolio of babies, children or families or send her an e-mail here!