Portraits

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My family has a tradition of having a formal portrait taken of each child when she/he turns four. My own portrait (and that of my siblings) has hung in the living room of my parents for the last three decades. The portraits are really beautiful. There's something magical about a four-year-old's face. It isn't the face of a baby anymore, nor that of an adult but you can see bit of both. I vividly remember having my portrait taken and feeling very special and beautiful in my orange dress, petticoat and black patent shoes. I wore the dress till I outgrew it then had my teddy bear Fluffy wear it for me. And so it was with much anticipation the I prepared for my own daughter's four-year-old portrait. Her dress was purchased in Venice, Italy after shopping for months in stores and online. She's wearing a pearl necklace which was had in China (her little sis has one too.) Even her shoes were greatly debated, and ended up being black matte satin with an ankle strap. Each article of clothing was chosen with care knowing that this picture will hang on my wall till I walls no longer exist. I was lucky, because my sister was able to go with me to the photo session and helped me get Cleo dressed and helped express to the photographer the look I was looking for. The secret about this photo, is that hidden under Cleo's dress are not one, but two Dumdum suckers, offered as a bribe when she got a bit tired of all the hubbub.

Now it's time to start scheming for Gigi's portrait--I can't wait to find the perfect dress--and have one year to find it.