Mary Grace Pingoy is such big a Wonder Woman fan much she’s already passing down her love for the superhero to her baby daughter.
The Indiana mom and photographer staged a fun Wonder Woman-themed photo shoot with her 11-month-old daughter, Liliana.
“Like all moms I love photographing special moments of my babies, but I guess since I’m a professional photographer I take things to the next level and am always trying to think creatively and outside the box,” Pingoy told HuffPost. “So I thought up this shoot wanting to pay homage to the most recent movie and have fun with my baby girl.
With help from seamstress Johanna Medrano, Pingoy transformed Liliana into Wonder Woman and photographed her outside near their home in a quick 30 minute shoot. “We just had fun,” said the mom. Liliana was only 10 months old at the time of the shoot and could only stand with support, so one of Pingoy’s friends held her up (and was later Photoshopped out of the pictures).
“Though it seemed like Liliana was mimicking scenes from the movie, those moments were not posed and just happened organically,” said the photographer. “Then I just found the best shots of Liliana to pair up side by side next to Gal Gadot’s shots.”
Pingoy said the experience was extra special because Liliana is her first daughter and her “Wonder Baby,” born after two miscarriages.
“It just tickled me to see my baby girl as Wonder Woman because I also dressed up as her as a little girl,” she explained. “I’ve always had a love for Wonder Woman and growing up with two brothers of my own, there were never many girl superheroes to choose from. When I dressed up and pretended to be Wonder Woman I remember feeling an inner strength come over me and I was ready to conquer and fight all the bad guys.”
Pingoy told HuffPost she believes Wonder Woman is a beautiful example of bravery and sacrificial love in the way she risks her life to save others and does what’s right no matter the cost.
“I want my daughter to know that she is special and has a great purpose, that she can help change the world by her goodness and her love, that she can dream up any dream and accomplish it, and that she’s beautiful and strong and called to be the good in this world that is so desperately needed,” said Pingoy. “As Diana says in the movie, ‘Only love can save this world.’”
Pingoy also has three sons, 7-year-old Gabriel, 6-year-old Jonah and 4-year-old Benjamin, and she plans to dress them up as Justice League characters alongside their sister.
The photographer posted her pictures of Liliana as Wonder Woman on her Facebook page, where they quickly reached the attention of several parenting sites. Pingoy said she’s been overwhelmed by the response.
“It’s been a whirlwind this week, and we’ve been super excited and proud of our little one,” said the mom. “We want the world to know most of all how precious this baby is for us. She is special to our whole family. Her brothers adore her, and her dad is wrapped around her little finger.”
Following the unexpected attention, Pingoy has a new dream ― to have Liliana meet “Wonder Woman" star Gal Gadot.
“I want to thank her for being a good role model and how she is inspiring many girls out there,” said Pingoy. “And also the way she is a dedicated wife and mother in real life is also inspiring for other moms like me out there.”
Whether or not she gets to meet Gadot, Pingoy hopes her photos bring a smile to people’s faces and brighten up their days. Said the mom, “Our baby is a blessing who brings so much joy to our hearts and I’m so grateful that we get to share that joy with the world.”
