Five favourite photos

Jude has the most infectious laugh. I managed to almost get it on film not long ago (click here) and I’ll be sure to try an capture it many times before he goes to his new school. It’s this laughter that has often kept me sane. He can pull me out of any downturned mood just by laughing in his own funny, unique little way. When Jude really laughs, he totally loses control to the point where he can hardly breath. It’s adorable. Rarely in life does Jude let go to that extent so the preciousness of these moments is incalculable.

 

Jude is at his father’s this weekend. The peace and quiet always puts me in quite a contemplative mood so I thought I would share with you five of my favourite photos, all of which made it into my first book (second book almost complete!)

 

Picture one:

This shows Jude at a birthday party about a year and a half ago. Why this photo is so special to me is because he had never been invited to a party before (as in not just invited because everyone else in the class was) and he was so SO excited to go. I was anxious beyond belief about how he would cope and how I would manage his behaviour with Elsa and a baby Emmeline with me but it couldn’t have gone smoother. The party was amazing. They had a bouncy castle that was kind of inside a big inflatable cube with flashing lights and music. It was quiet outside the cube as they were aware that some of the attendees may struggle with that level of noise. Jude even sat to have his face painted! He’s meant to be a dog in case you were wondering but he smudged it pretty quickly after she had finished. He and Elsa played together for the entire time, Elsa helped him choose food from the buffet and I even managed to sit and have a cup of tea with some of the parents. It was miraculous in how smooth it all went. Jude left the venue bursting with excitement and pride.

 

 

Picture two:

Jude and Emmeline about a year ago. I love this photo because of how they are looking at one another. It was the start of a blossoming, exhausting but pure love between two siblings. Emmeline adores Jude for all his quirks and he is therefore able to relax and be himself around her without fear of judgement. Children are so accepting of the world and I really wish adults were so wonderful.

 

 

Picture three:

 

On the cover of my book for it’s amazingness. I love everything about this photo. Jude is so cute, he’s wearing a bat hood and he has chubby cheeks. What’s not to love? He’s about eighteen months old here and it’s Halloween.

 

 

Picture four:

The emotions this image drags up are pretty varied. Oblivious of what lay ahead, Jude was the picture of perfect innocence as a tiny tot. When I see this photo, I can’t quite explain it but the last eleven years kind of whizz by in my mind with all the highlights flashing up as they go by. Like a roll of camera film whizzing through a processing machine. I was so naive and clueless when Jude was first born but it was only another ten months before I experienced my first bit of judgement from a complete stranger.

 

 

Picture five:

 

In the days when Jude and Elsa would play together! This was about two years ago and every day, these two would gather up all their lego and go and make buildings in Jude’s room. I think they would still do it now if I initiated the activity but it wouldn’t be quite so organic. I love this shot as it depicts how Elsa feels about her brother. Even now, she wouldn’t admit it but if anyone dared to try and hurt Jude, she would kick their arse (verbally or physically, she’s pretty versatile). Just adorable.

 

I have hundreds of other pictures I would love to share with you so perhaps every week I’ll do a photo drop of five of my favourite. I’d love to see any of your best photos that you would be happy to share, it’s amazing the emotion you can feel through images.

 

My book is available from Amazon and the Guardian bookshop.

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