When Olivia was 5 1/2, I felt like she really came alive. She started walking really well and she started talking. Not a lot of talking, but words, beautiful, actual words. She stayed in pre-school an extra year and really thrived. Her sense of humor had always been apparent, but around this age it really started to shine.
These two pictures are from that time. Even with my old point-and-shoot, I think I captured her spark. These were some of the first really good pictures I took of Olivia. Of course I had managed to capture some good ones before this, but they were usually on accident. This was one of the first times I remember taking a posed picture of her that turned out really well.
This dress made me swoon. Her hair was long enough to be braided. She had just had her ears pierced. She had lost only 2 of her bottom teeth so she still had her sweet baby smile. Her cheeks were a little chubby. And she had her keys. See those keys in her hand? She carried them everywhere. Eventually we lost them, but until then they went with her everywhere.
I love these pictures because I feel as though it was the first time, after much waiting, that I had finally captured her spark in a picture.
**Love That Max is hosting a photo carnival of our kids with special needs; if you’d like to participate, head over and link up!**
Elastamom's Excerpts 
The pictures are gorgeous!
What a beautiful girl! Glad that you shared these!
Mindy
She is such a doll. She really is, Tiffany. And I bet you can’t believe how fast time has flown…
Love that you were aware of her spark and captured it!
I always love your pictures.
You have such talent behind the lens of your camera.
So beautiful, the girl, the spark, the mom who captured them both.
Tiffany, I loved these photos, but I also very much loved your description of them.
She is absolutely sparkling in these pictures. No doubt about it.
Great pics. A pretty girl in a pretty dress!! I wish my daughter would let me do her hair like that!
Here’s mine:
http://www.imjustthatway.com/2010/11/my-favorite-photo.html
Beautiful photos!
I love the wonderful memories that come with them too!
These are darling photos, Tiffany. I believe that you not only captured her beauty, but the wonderful memories that come with that shot.
she just has the sweetest smile…. and i love her dress in those pics!! i think i like them mostly because you can see olivia’s personality shining through. they’re not overly posed….so it’s a true picture of her and her “spark’!!
Those are really awesome pics! You did capture her and her spark!
You captured her beautifully!