First photos of Giffords since shooting posted on her Facebook page

The first public photos of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords since she was shot in the head were posted on the congresswoman's Facebook page on Sunday.

Giffords (D-Ariz.) has her hair cropped short and is wearing glasses in the pictures. In both photos, she is sitting outside.

The photos were taken May 17 at TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, where Giffords is recovering.

P.K. Weis of SouthwestPhotoBank.com, a former photo editor for the Tucson Citizen, took the photos. 

"I’ve known Gabby for more than a decade and her staff asked me to do it because she wanted someone who was not a stranger – someone she would be comfortable around," he said in a note on Giffords' Facebook page.

"It was very inspiring to see how much she had recovered in 4 1/2 months. I was excited to see her and to see her smile."

In addition to Giffords, 12 people were injured and six were killed on Jan. 8 in Tucson during an event at a supermarket.

The alleged shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, has pleaded not guilty to charges, including the attempted murder of Giffords, relating to the incident.