I am working through last weekend’s GIMME 5 sessions. Who would have thought that GIMME 5 would be such a well-received idea? Wow! Thanks everybody! A bunch of previews will be posted tomorrow.
The task at hand? Cuddly toys. Who has a kid with a favorite cuddly toy? A blankie? A snuggly?
When my firstborn was a baby she developed an attachment to THE UGLIEST velour stuffed baby doll. It was saccharine. It was simply awful. No personality. No redeeming features. Her name was Pink Baby Girl. Grandma’s dog chewed a hole in her head one day and despite my daughter’s clear attachment, we were secretly hopeful this would be the end of Pink Baby Girl. Instead, the little holes provided extra places for my child to rub as she was falling asleep. She especially loved these tatty edges and sought them out at bedtime.
Pink Baby Girl became grey and smelly. We could not wash her enough. We referred to her simply as PBGB. Whenever we went out somewhere, we had to bring PBGB. It was like having another child. PBGB just hung in my daughter’s hand unconciously most of the time. If she needed both hands, she would automatically set PBGB directly behind her.
You know where this story is going, right?
One day, we lost PBGB. We were in a big field pushing my daughter in the stroller and we lost her somewhere. We looked everywhere. She must have bounced out. She was gone.
Considering her strong attachment to PBGB, my daughter seemed ok about losing her. When we got home, I cried. I felt so deeply sad. When I see one of the precious few pictures of my daughter with PBGB, I still get a little choked up. Eight. years. Later.
I think it is important to capture these strangely meaningful objects. I’m delighted when children arrive toting their precious things. I welcome them and often they become my “helpers” during a shoot.
Think of my story, and if your child has a cuddly thing, bring it to your photo session.
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