An unplanned pregnancy, an abrupt end to adolescence; my son was born a bastard. Becoming a mother is a right of passage that no one can prepare you for. In the beginning, the sense that you belong in this tiny person's life is strong, they are dependent on you for their survival. But as he has begun to grow and test his independence a sense of belonging and need has started to fade ever so slightly. The void that is created by the evaporating dependence is filled with love and pride, and while there is still a sense of belonging it is different. My role as mother has begun the slow process of transitioning from physically entwined during pregnancy to active participant to voyeur. It is usually in these moments that I find myself reaching for my camera, trying to record these fleeting moments.
