Hi! I'm Lauren. I live in the beautiful Southern Highlands with my Husband and two daughters. They're five (Harvest) and two and a half (Ember). Harvest actually took this photo of me on a toy camera she'd been given that day for her fourth birthday. In the moment before she took the photo, I asked her to not.

She asked: "But you take photos of people all the time. Why don’t you like having your photo taken?"

I didn't feel I was looking my best. Recovering from yet another Winter cold with a stuffy nose and dry skin, my black shirt splattered with white yoghurt, and I was looking less than fresh due to lack of sleep thanks to Ember. Not to mention the postpartum body image issues. But what was I supposed to say? My reasons were just excuses. I couldn't tell her the truth. I couldn't tell her that I didn't want this version of me to be in pictures. I couldn't put my years of learned, generational body image issues onto her. I couldn't allow her to think that she could feel like that about herself. Or her sister.

I replied: "Ok, take the photo."

But she already had. (A typical four year old, she rarely listened to me!) And to be honest, it's my all time favourite photo of me. Taken on a silly little $99 hot pink toy camera. Because that's how my daughter sees me. Smiling and happy in the sunshine, enjoying some family time.

There aren't a lot of photos of me as a Mum apart from ones I've specifically requested, or paid for. In fact, I only have a handful of photos of me pregnant from both pregnancies. I had such a rough time with it. I wish I'd taken more pictures. I wish I'd asked more. Paid a professional. I wish I'd shown up for myself. I wish I'd shown up for them.

Let me show up for you.