Mya is a “little star”.  So often the parents that come to see me are first time parents.  I have thought a lot about that these last few weeks.  Why are so many of my clients first time parents?  The only thing I can come up with is that these brand new parents are so overcome with the joy of having that first child added to their family that they choose to celebrate in an exceptional way by having my photograph their newborns.  I can remember taking my first child to the photographer every three months.  I have albums full of pictures of him.  And then three daughters followed them.  Each with less and less photographs to fill their books.  Life got busy, money got tighter and I regret not giving them that same “star” attention.

On another note…

As I photographed Mya I learned that she has Italian heritage.  For the rest of her session as we rocked her and soothed her between poses and props I wondered if she will come to love her heritage.  Having just spent the last few weeks preparing for the Christmas Holiday and focusing on all of my family’s traditions for celebration,  my own pride for my heritage is perhaps on the edge of my sleeve today.  What a gift we give our children when we are able to help them learn to love their heritage and their ancestry.  It brings a richness to life.  My love for nativities, my favorite Christmas caroles, our menu for Christmas dinner all come from the love I have for my Italian heritage.  I feel like I am rambling more than usual and not effectively connecting my thoughts.  I guess having this “picollo Stelletta” in my studio stirred in me my love for my own Italian heritage.  Throughout her session several Italian nursery rhymes ran in and out of my thoughts.  I can only remember a phrase or two of each song and none in their entirety.  So I had to look this one up to post it here.  But here is a favorite that I remember singing with my little sisters at home.

Stella, Stellina

La notte si avvicina.

La fiamma traballa.

La mucca nella stalla.

La mucca e il vitello,

La pecora e l’agnello,

La chioccia con il pulcino,

Ognuno ha il suo bambino,

Ognuno ha il sua mamma,

E tutti fanno  la nanna.