Maternity pics!

I was so nervous about doing these pics because I wanted them to turn out perfect! And, given my meager equipment I think we got pretty close to it. Of course, my subjects were GORGEOUS, so that definitely helped. Check out the photos as I edit them at www.flickr.com/photos/reallynice

BTW, I'm ready to do more!

My new camera lens

Chuck got me a new lens for my camera = a 50mm 1.4 f/stop
I am having a lot of fun with it so far and got some pics of Jonathan - still practicing with it...





And a cute one of my hubby! I dont know what the white thing in the background is, but that's the beauty of this lens - it could be a dirty diaper and we'd never know it!

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My first newborn session!

After weeks of preparation I did my first newborn shoot yesterday. I have to admit it was harder than I thought. I expected the baby to be sleepier and a little easier to move and pose. Overall, though, I think the photos turned out fairly well. I didn't get to use all of the ideas that I had because I didn't want to wear the baby out. He wasn't sure about me to begin with...he slept with one eye open!
I really hope to get better at this because it is a lot of fun!
Here are a few of my favorite shots, the rest can be seen on my flickr.








And, my first attempt at designing announcements. I know, it's plain, but I like it.

Parenting tip:

Never say anything around your child that you wouldn't want him to repeat over and over again, even if you are just trying to give instructions.
Jonathan has been coming up to me giggling and reaching up at me with little pinchers saying "Don't touch my boobies."

Chore chart - an experiment

So we've been thinking that part of the reason Jonathan has been a bit of a stinker (to put it gently) lately is because he doesn't have a strict schedule. Okay, he really doesnt have a schedule besides getting up and going to daycare and coming home and playing until I can get him to go to sleep. I know, I'm a bad mom. So I decided to lay the day out for him. I looked and looked for a calendar that I could use that he would be likely to understand, but there was nothing out there that looked like what I wanted. So I did what I should have done in the first place and made my own. It's a chart that lays out the days of the week and the expecatations of him for each day. The top half is the morning, before daycare, and the bottom half is the evening. In the morning he has to:
1. Wake up (peacefully)
2. Make his bed
3. Get dressed (without protest)
4. Brush his teeth
5. Be nice to Gracie
6. Be happy in the car
In the evening he has to:
1. Be nice to Gracie
2. Eat his dinner
3. Put his pajamas on
4. Brush his teeth
5. Read a book
6. Go to sleep (again, peacefully)
He gets a star for each task that he completes. If he gets at least 10 stars he gets a prize. Those are:
Ice cream
Take a bath (and play)
Get a new coloring book
Go somewhere fun (Monkey Joes, McDonalds, Evening sitter)
Play with his Geotracks train
Bake cookies with Mommy

And how is this experiment going?
Pretty well actually. He actually seems to understand the chart. And he sooo wants stars. He got his first prize last night, which was to play Geotracks. The chart probably needs some fine-tuning, and it will probably take about a month for it to become very clear to him. He already knows what all of the pictures stand for, and what all of the days across the top are (Church, Daycare, Daycare, Stay home with Mommy, Daycare, Daycare, Stay home with Mommy and Daddy) so that helps him understand what is going on and when. Gracie is very interested in it and goes and points at it because she wants a star. I guess I'll need to make her one too!

My sweet Gracie!

She is determined to be big and do things herself. She insists on feeding herself. She insists on doing what Jonathan is doing - whether it be playing with trains, riding a bike, or reading a book. She now insists on drinking out of a cup - ALL BY HERSELF! She wants to pick it up off the table, without anyone else touching it, no help whatsoever, she insists. And she is persistent. After about an hour of practice, I think I can say that she is completely cup-trained (if there is such a phrase). Here are the pics of the happy girl to prove it:





































And here are some more cute cute pics of the girl. I usually give the kids a bath together, and I was giving them a bath together before Jonathan got too rough with Gracie. Then he had to get out. As I pulled him out screaming and crying for hurting his sister, Gracie reached for him and started crying too. That's siblings for ya!
It wasn't long before Gracie figured out that it could be fun to have the whole bath to herself. She was having so much fun, so I decided to grab my camera - unlike Jonathan she still enjoys, or at least tolerates, having her picture taken. What a cutie!!!


(A perfect product model)

Christmas Happenings

Well, we're back from Christmas "vacation" without the kids. First we went to my sweet mother-in-laws house and spent some time with her adorable foster children. It is never boring there. She has 3 teenage boys and 2 little girls, 3 and 6. I had taken all of their pictures at Thanksgiving and was able to bring the prints at Chritsmas. They turned out really well:



So we stayed six days with Chuck's mom and family. During that time we did some shopping, played video games, broke up fights among the little kids, held Gracie almost non-stop (she decided to be a Momma's girl this week and demanded to be held). When I could break free from Gracie we did some baking on Christmas Eve and helped the kids decorate gingerbread cookies. Christmas morning we let the kids open their presents and that evening when Chucks brothers showed up with their families we opened even more gifts. Unfortunately, Jonathan's sleeping pattterns got so out of whack that he was an absolute terror that night - a real brat when it was time to open presents. And Gracie was sleepy too. Poor thing - she is so snotty lately that she cant sleep!




For Christmas I took pictures of all of the grandchildren for my mother-in-law, at the request of the sister in laws. We presented these to her Christmas night:


She seemed very happy with them. The next morning I rearranged all of the pictures on her wall - something she just never has the time to do - go figure! Then, we were off to Oklahoma for Christmas with my family.
My sister Tina had Christmas at her place this year. She had it decorated so beautifully! And she prepared the dinner and had it set out so neatly. She is starting a small catering business - so it was so professional. Santa (Uncle Dan) also showed up and gave the small kids gifts - it was wonderful.






We spent Saturday with my folks (my sister left for Hawaii that morning!). Then this morning we got up and left the kids behind for an exciting week with Granny and PawPaw - the babysitter has this week off and we both have to work, so they were kind enough to offer their time and home to our poor children! Next Christmas I will be sure to coordinate with the babysitter before putting in for leave (which by the way has to be done in August!)
So now we are home and setting up Guitar Hero - we splurged on the way home after having played it all Christmas at each relative's house (besides my parents). Sorry, George's father-in-law, but we returned the Tony Hawk game that you got Chuck to put towards the Guitar Hero.
Other things on the agenda for the week: Read a book at Barnes and Noble while drinking a Mocha - I saw a friend post that as one of her favorite things to do sometime back and have soooo wanted to try it, and now have the opportunity - I know, big whoop - but when you have two small kids its such a treat! Also, I plan to scrapbook - I can spread everything out on the dining room table without concern that Gracie will eat it. I'm going to clean and organize - sure...we'll see what happens.


Hope you had a merry Christmas!