“With the past I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now.”

—  Ralph Waldo Emerson

 The wisdom within the words of Emerson's writings never ceases to amaze me.   I have so much respect for him that we gave Ryan the middle name Emerson…it also gave him the initials R.E.M., an old favorite band of ours which was cool coincidence. 

Anyways, I have been focusing on this particular quote today in hopes of moving on from some of the hard stuff I have been hit with this past week.  Finding the now isn't always as easy as one would think.

Although I try to avoid living in the past, as a photographer I am pretty damn good at documenting it.  In tough times looking through my photos always brightens my days.  These pictures were taken a while back when Ryan turned four in April but somehow I never got around to sharing them.

Some babies like soothers, some don't, but some absolutely LOVE them…Ryan had serious sucking passion and even now when he is sleepy and we see a baby sucking one I can see his little lips fondly going through the motions.  With Noah, kiddo #1 I got rid of the soother by the books, nice and early not to interfere with tooth development, baby raising was much more official for me then.  Kiddo # 2, Liam never really took to a soother long term.  By kiddo #3, Ryan, I knew better and was in no rush to steal his beloved Nuk Nuk away…but as he was turning four I had to make my move.

A magazine article passed along to me by my sis gave a good tip on introducing a soother fairy, much like the tooth fairy idea.   They would take the soothers and leave a gift in thanks.

We headed down to my studio and he decorated a wooden box I got my Eminence Organics mineral sunscreen in.  Lots of fairy dust was loaded on the top to woo the Nuky Fairy.

Ryan enjoyed his final sucks to the bitter end and big brother Liam gave him some hugs for support.

The last survivors of his voracious sucking went into the box and we sealed it.

Our story was that the Nucky Fairy's magic owls (Ry loves owls like me) swooped in at night and picked up the soothers and then the fairy left a present in thanks.

In the morning Ry got a little note from the fairy and a giant bouncer ball…you know the kind they sit on and hold on to handles at the top.  He was thrilled and since he's only asked twice in a casual way about his nuckys.  Sometimes with kids you just have to do whatever works at the time…luckily this time our plan worked like a charm.

Ah, a little trip into the past has made me feel so much better now.  Special photos are always like free therapy for me.

I am ready to get back to the now.

happy day friends,

Post by Kerry MacLeod : www.snickerdoodles.ca