Inadequate

I've taken a thousand pictures. I have tried different angles, lighting, settings, and distances. I've gotten different expressions, motions, looking straight at the camera, away, focusing on her tiny fists held up for observation, and intensely gazing into my eyes. I've taken pictures of her dark brown hair wisping around her ears, her grey-blue eyes, her puckered mouth, her little fingers, and her chubby cheeks. But nothing comes even close to her vibrancy, how *alive* she feels as you look at her, as she looks at you, completely trusting you. More than trust: it's as if the word trust does not exist, because it implies that there could be an opposite. She lives in a world where she can never imagine harm, pain, or anything but love, devotion, warmth, and kind words. No camera can capture her intensity, her intelligence, her innocence, her knowing. But more than that, no one else could see it either. No one will ever see or feel her as vibrantly and as real as I can. No one can ever see a child through the eyes of her mother.

I am afraid that no matter how many pictures I take, I will forget her just as she is, right now.

Innocent and perfect.

Minion Number Seven

Miss Seven, Seraphyna, is the seventh and final minion added to our brood. She was born at home unassisted December 7th on the coldest night of the winter so far and in the coldest room of the house. She has fit into the perfect place in our family and is never lacking for love and attention from her multiple brothers and especially her sisters, who are so happy to have another girl to dote on. If I have to guess, I predict that she will be spunky like Lilith, sweet like Ivy, smart like all the others, and able to hold her own against the boys. As the youngest of seven, she will have to be tough :).