Rebecca, Tito, and Giovanna Clementine in London

By Paola Ristoldo

Something special every day.

Learning something, even a little, every day is what being a mother is. While it is often profoundly magical and wonderful, it can also be intense and exhausting.

I met Rebecca for the first time during my pregnancy. She just had Giovanna Clementine, and Tito was two years old. Her kind advice and support, drawn from her knowledge, experience, and daily life, give me the strength to face the changes and the inevitable not-so-easy phases of this period.

What I find essential in this new chapter of life is the people surrounding you, from my partner, my pillar, to friends and family. Maintaining and making new relationships becomes necessary to share and experience this special period together, which is what I hope these pictures are. Precious moments.

Because if I go out then I see you all with my new eyes, I see the lights.

Because if you climb and I swing, everything spins.

We could do that I sail a boat, and if you blow some glass I draw new maps.

I’m a wolf, I eat breakfast not people.

If you are my friend, I paint your legs as pink is my favourite colour.

New ways, new rails, no empty space.

Your look and your eyes will play with my time.

And if I sit and you stand I will be holding your hand.

Paola Ristoldo is an Italian photographer and co-founder of Parklife, an independent photography publication. She lives in London, with her family, Alessandro and Lisa Laura.

Rebecca Barbetta is an Italian architect and art curator living in London, but most of the time she is a firefighter, a waitress, a chef, a dancer, a doctor, a park keeper, an astronaut, a forager, a star builder, a farmer, and much more. Mum of Tito, 3 years old, and Giovanna Clementine, 1 year old.