Manic Monday

It is slushing here. I've never really witnessed anything like it. There is snow and rain at the same time and it is creating slush. Schools are closing early and that means I have to work from home. I don't like working from home anymore. I like being able to leave work at work, that is why I started paying rent on 5,000 square feet of space (granted 2,500 square feet is basement). I leave a week from tomorrow on vacation. I have a lot to get done before I leave.
Trinity stayed the weekend at my sister's house. She had a blast and apparently she doesn't have a bedtime there. My nephew told me she went to bed at midnight Friday evening and 11 pm Saturday evening. My sister is 15 years older than me and has 3 of her own children, all grown, and is about to become a grandmother. She should know better. But Trinity has a great time there and I guess that trumps a late bedtime. However, she was cranky this morning while we were getting ready for school. The retraining is the only thing that annoys me about her weekend visits.
My weekend was pretty good. We had our tax appt on Saturday and got better news than we expected, but still not great news. That is okay, though. It was the first year of having the business out of the house. I also got a lot of dishes done. Dishes are the down side to not eating out. I'm trying to learn to balance this new phenomenon to save money. It is tricky.
I'm having some serious issues with my Mom right now, but I'm still internally processing them, so that blog entry will have to wait.
I'm very excited because I was asked to take the cast picture for the local theatre production of "Father of the Bride". I get to do that tomorrow. Yippee!

Favorite Friday

This is Owen. I don't think he can take a bad picture.

Bad Mom or bad photographer

Yesterday Trinity got a haircut. Her hair was to the middle of her back and with her curls it was a snarly mess every morning & every evening with one or both of us ending up in tears during a brushing session. Since she was very adamant about not wanting "boy hair", we compromised on getting an inch cut off. We drive 30 minutes to her stylist (yes, my 4 year old has her own stylist) because it is worth the $25 (including tip) that we pay, because I've honestly never seen my daughter better behaved than when getting a haircut. I do not know what type of spell or trance that stylist M puts on my daughter, but she is a perfect angel for 30 minutes. So, we arrive at the salon a little early and we are looking at the style books and Trinity looks at this one girl and says "I want my hair to look like that." The girls hair is barely to her shoulders and stick straight. Now, my daughter loves having her hair straightened, so that isn't a problem, but I'm thinking that if we cut it so that it is shoulder length when straight, it will be chin length when curly - uh, she'll freak tomorrow after her shower. So, we agree that we'll cut it just below the shoulders so that when it is curly it is at the shoulders and we put a couple layers in it as well. She did great - she looks adorable, but do I have pictures - NO! Why? That is a good question. I don't know. I don't take my camera out of the studio unless I know I have a location shoot and it never occurs to me that I should grab the point and shoot from home. Now, does this make me a bad mom, because I don't capture every moment of my child's life on digital memory? Does it make me a bad photographer, because I don't always have my camera with me ready to grab that once in a lifetime memory that I just happen upon by accident? I don't know and it probably won't change my habits either way, but I currently feel guilty that I don't have cute pictures to share. Now I have to go pick my picture for Favorite Friday.

I don't understand

There are a number of things I just don't understand. (1) Why do I procrastinate on cleaning? and more to what I'm frustrated about today (2) Why are women who have a miscarriage pushed to 'get over it.' I've suffered two miscarriages before I had my daughter and I have a niece who has suffered so many she doesn't even tell people she's pregnant anymore. I have another niece who suffered a miscarriage and is now pregnant and due in June. I also have a very good friend who suffered a miscarriage last summer. I spoke to my friend this morning and she learned her SIL suffered a miscarriage with her first child and no one spoke about it. The SIL is married to a gentleman from the Middle East and he said that the differences between losing a baby here and there are night and day. Here we get insensitive 'helpful' comments like "Well, at least you didn't lose a real baby." or "It is for the best." and my favorite "You can always try again." We are not encouraged to talk about it. We are encouraged however to move on, forget about 'it', and get pregnant as soon as possible to replace what we've lost. It frustrates me that people are not only insensitive, but ignorant. I'm sorry, but every baby I lost was real, every baby my niece lost was real, maybe not to you, but to us and our husbands the babies were very real. They are still very real. We don't feel that losing a baby - ever - is for the best. Would you say that to someone who's child was just killed in a car accident - no - so don't say it to a mother who lost her unborn child. And yes, we are mothers even if there is no baby to hold in our arms.
I hope that in my ranting today the one thing I want to get across is if you don't know what to say, say that "I don't know what to say. I'm sorry. Do you want a hug?" Sometimes that is all we want to hear.

Favorite Friday (on Monday)

Okay, this is from a maternity shoot I did recently.

Favorite Friday

Favorite Friday is being postposed due to the fact that I am at home with a child who refuses to go to the bathroom. Since all my pictures are at the studio, it is hard to post them from home. Where is my remote desktop when I need it? :)

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

http://nowilaymedowntosleep.org/start.php

I attended a seminar last night and part of the money from our registration fee goes to support this non-profit organization. I was inspired to contact them this morning and ask to please be one of their volunteer photographers. I cannot imagine how difficult this will be, but these people are dealing with a lifetime of pain, so I can push through comfort level.

About a month before Trinity was born, my BIL and his girlfriend had twin girls. They were about 5 weeks premature and there were other pregnancy complications which caused them to be transported to Children's Hospital in Minneapolis. One of the girls grew stronger and unfortunately a couple days after our daughter was born my BIL lost one of his girls. The hospital took some pictures, and I give them so much credit for that. However, as a professional photographer I can grab the emotion and love that is in that room. We will always cherish Veronica just a little more, because we know how close we came to losing her too and we will never forget Riley who was a fighter to the end.

Starting out from behind

Ever had one of those days that starts out with you playing catch up. Yep, that is the day I'm having today. Trinity crawled into our bed at 6 a.m., so I figured she was up for the day, but no she surprised us all by falling back to sleep until 8. We usually have to leave for school by 8:20. Can you see the dilemma? Yes, I should have woken her up, but I know she isn't napping at school and I wanted her to get some much needed sleep. I got up and got dressed and was ready to go before she finally woke up. She slowly gets downstairs where we proceed to disagree about breakfast. She wanted a whole apple and I wanted to cut it up, because the last 3 times she was given a whole apple we ended up throwing most of it away. Logic of wasting food and money seems lost on a tired 4 year old who isn't getting her way. *sigh* We agreed finally on Cheerios and an orange. I explained to her that we were running late, so she needed to eat quickly. Obviously that also means nothing to a 4 year old because she ate 4 bowls of Cheerios and mangled her orange. Breakfast is finally over and she is supposed to be washing her hands. This process, which most days I have to plead to be repeated because no one can get clean in 4 seconds, today takes 10 minutes. I admit I begged her to not argue with me about her clothes today and then we set to get dressed. I begged because yesterday there was a 20 minute standoff regarding her distaste for a certain pair of pants and I just didn't have a spare 20 minutes today. We are now dressed and she willingly put her shoes on without a fight and we are out the door. At this point I think there is hope it might take us less than 5 minutes to get into the truck - HA - I'm wrong again. The snow has melted, so we have to investigate the grass, the flower garden, the sidewalk for worms or new cracks, and of course the last remaining dirty disgusting snow must be examined in case there is any part that can be consumed. In the end we were 45 minutes late for school. Luckily nothing much was on the books this morning since I'm headed to a seminar out of town. I'm off to find coffee.

And her name is . . .

London Jade - and she made her appearance at 10:20 a.m. via emergency c-section. However, everyone is doing well and is healthy. I'm so giddy you'd never know this is my 5th niece plus I have 6 nephews.

SHE'S HERE, SHE'S HERE, SHE'S HERE!

She arrived safe & sound. She weighs 6 lbs 15 ounces and is 20 inches long. However, she is nameless at this point. Keep checking. . .

still waiting

I'm at home now after picking Trinity up from Montessori. We've had snack and are currently watching Higglytown Heroes. Still no word on the baby. Trinity decided we were having mashed potatoes and hamburger gravy tonight for dinner. Yay - that's easy easy for me to make and yummy. Stay tuned for baby news - she can't stay in there forever right?!?!

No baby yet

They did break her water, but no baby yet. I did find a great deal on flights and hotel. I just have to wait to make sure husband can get the time off work. I think after my 1:00 appointment I'm going to run home, grab a sandwich and do a load of dishes. My kitchen still isn't put back together after the flooding from 2 weeks ago, so I'm behind in my housekeeping duties.

Keep checking back for the updates of baby watch March 2008. Oh and be prepared for more of this come June when my nephew & his wife are due.

Waiting (impatiently) for the baby

Okay, this the last time I want to know when someone goes into the hospital to have a baby. Just keep me in the dark until it is over! My SIL & BIL were admitted last night about 8 p.m. for an induction and we've heard nothing since. I'm very excited for them as this is there first child. I keep texting them but so far no news. I'm not a patient person, and since my only experience with labor was my own daughter, which lasted less than 4 hours, I feel the baby should be here by now. I realize that most people take longer than 4 hours with their labor and that she is being induced which takes time also, but as I said I'm impatient! I'm trying to keep my mind off the waiting by searching for plane tickets, but since the tickets are to go see the baby it seems a bit counterproductive.
Okay, maybe I'll try working. Don't worry I'll be back either to announce the baby or scream because she doesn't want to meet her super cool aunt!

The healing power of the Curly Wurly

It was a typical Monday after completely waking up this morning. Trinity crawled into bed with us around 12:30/1:00 a.m. and after she fell back to sleep I woke the husband up to carry her back to her room. Then she woke us up again at 7 a.m. Not bad for her (she is an early morning person) but my usual diversionary tactics (look, the cat is on the bed or hey, Dad's downstairs) didn't work to get that few minutes I need to become functional after being awakened with a knee to the stomach. So, we head down to the kitchen for breakfast (Cheerios and grapes) where I get lectured about not having heart shaped cereal bowls like the one on the Cheerios box. After a few minor meltdowns (dumping cereal & milk all over ourselves, no pink underwear to go with our all pink ensemble, Mom brushing our hair, Mom putting a ponytail in our hair, Mom not putting the right kind of ponytail in our hair) we are dressed and out the door. We somehow, even after playing in the newly fallen snow on the way to the truck, ended up at school early. After dropping the dear child off and picking up a very large cup of cappuccino I arrived at the studio. I have to shovel my own sidewalk and was having so much fun de-stressing that I shoveled the two stores next to me as well. Stopping only because I had to pee.
Once I got inside and ready to work I found I was having a hard time getting motivated to work. Hmm. . .hunger maybe, so I found the only food I had in here - a Curly Wurly. If you have never heard of this candy bar do not be alarmed as it hails from Europe. A good friend of mine has a sister living in the UK and sister's boyfriend sends boxes of Curly Wurly's to good friend. When I do a particularly good job of sucking up or it is my birthday (*hint*hint*) she will share a Curly Wurly with me. When you think about the Curly Wurly it does not seem that special - Cadbury chocolate covering a thin ribbon of caramel. But it just melts in your mouth and makes your whole body happy. After eating my Curly Wurly I am having a wonderful day.
I helped a very nice lady on the phone who hired a photographer that she now has to sue find some documentation she needed. I helped my husband with a problem he was having - all because of the Curly Wurly.
Now I am going to meet with a bride whose wedding I am shooting in May. She is a bit high maintenance, but because of the Curly Wurly I am looking forward to seeing her.

Long live the Curly Wurly!

Wasting some time

Well, I really am wasting some time. I left my phone charger at the studio yesterday and my phone is about dead. My husband bought me a Motorola Rokr for this past Christmas, so I use it to work out. After registering my daughter for Montessori kindergarten I was planning to exercise (that is 3 times this week which equals all of 2007), but I cannot work out without music. Hence, my reason for wasting time this morning.
I've had a couple people mention they hope I post some of my studio work, so I believe I'm going to start a "Favorite Friday" where on Friday I will post my favorite shot(s) from the week. This is provided I can figure out how to put the photos into my post. I am not the most computer literate person out there. I figure this is because of one of two reasons. (1) My husband is a computer genius (aka geek), so being of lesser computer knowledge I married him for his geek-skills or (2) because of his geek-skills I call on him when I don't know what I'm doing instead of figuring it out myself thereby furthering my computer ignorance. Hmmm. . .possibly a little of both.
Well, I am signing off for now, because I just realized I have to run a few more errands before I get to my workout. Stay tuned for more after all you can't get rid of me that easily.

I'm blogging, I'm really, really blogging.

Yeah, I can't believe it either. I have to admit I wasn't quite ready to post, I'm hungry and I haven't had near enough coffee, so this should be interesting.
The American Cancer Society is selling bundles of daffodils today. I bought two bunches. This is half of what I normally purchase, but they went up $2/bunch from last year and I'm a bit low on cash today. This is now my reminder notice to send a "guilt" donation. What a great cause, though. I've known and currently know too many people who have or are currently fighting this horrible disease.
Since this is my first post I won't be jumping on any of my many, many, many soapboxes today. Well, I'm starving and my lunch date is calling. But don't worry - you can't get rid of me that easy.