Today is a special day. It’s the first of July, the first day of a 31–day personal project where I remind myself what I love about photography: observing actively. For the next month I will watch my 5-year-old daughter at this stage of her life, her dreams and wishes, her fears and difficulties in getting to know a big world, her love for adventure. And through it all I get to document this fleeting time when a rainy afternoon can turn into an impromptu production of the Three Little Bears starring three stuffed animals and our dog Stella. Or the long days of summer when we can melt away hours in the pool, and Magnolia smiles back at me with sun-kissed cheeks. I still cherish the images and experiences from last July when I started this project. With breathless excitement I can’t wait to discover what the month brings.