all buttoned up.

Reprieve

Paul was saying that he felt like these first few weeks of Truly's life are a sort of reprieve given that she came a few weeks early. She is easing us into newborn-dom easily, even though she has a cold at the moment and is pretty snarfley. Thank you for all your kind words and encouragement. We are so happy to be six. 

The night I checked into the hospital, Ann brought by her Pentax loaded with 3200 speed black and white film. She took some fantastic and funny (but only to me) labouring photos and then gave Paul a quick tutorial on the light meter, etc., and left the camera with us. 

Annie picked up the camera on our first day home with her and had the film developed right away. The prints are a rare and wonderful gift to have. I shot a lot of film with Sam. These make me want to begin doing that again.

(Or maybe just hand the camera over to Paul, since he seems to have the knack. You are so busted, dude.)

PSA: On Nepotism

Our family life does not go undocumented.  Obviously.  I take pictures.  My friends take pictures.  So happens, that my sister takes pictures, too, and has been busy capturing families all over the lower mainland of British Columbia.  She (and her posse) are taking their show on the road across Canada for the month of October-- all the way from B.C. to Ontario.  She's going to be booking sessions along the way, and If'n you live somewhere along the 1, you may want to see if she can fit you in.  She works fast and does a fantastic job with families.  Of course, she'll be back in town in November and is booking all the way through next year. 

***

If you're in Portland and wondering about family or event photography, I would book Deena Hofstad or Kimi Kolba in a New York minute.  Deena specializes in family photography and did a beautiful job on our family photos in the face of overwhelmingly bad smells and uncooperative small people.  Kimi kills it with the weddings, engagements (among all other things), and is teaching a workshop on night photography at OCAC.  I hear she's going to be offering some sort of Polaroid Wedding Package, too.  Intriguing. 

jumpstart the colour

Liberty bin at Bolt.
Seeds, seeds, seeds.
The Goods from Hannah.  She made that shirt for Sam, too.

Flickr is sort of on the fritz, so here you go!  Right to the blog browser of your choosing.

I'm going back outside!!

Pop it in the Post.

I forgot that we had this.  I think there are probably lots of things I forget we have.  It's an electric typewriter from my Grandpa.  Sam has been asking for his own computer which I knew was coming, but is worrisome on all kinds of levels.  This seems to have appeased him for now.  He knows how to turn it off and on, hit return, and roll out the paper.  He then jams the paper in an envelope, stamps it, and "pops it in the post" (he's British apparently) using his mailbag.  Hurrah.  Something I've made for him to play with is actually getting played with.  One day I'm going to do a post on the things I've made that I actually wear regularly.  The results might surprise you.

Augie spent some time trying to jam this bunny from Steph into his mouth.  Sam is so happy because he likes how the bunny matches "his other bunny and his doll because his doll has brown skin, too!".  Oh, the rapid association of a three year-old.   We'll see how stoked he is when the little guy starts getting gifts he might want for himself.  Little A is just happy to jam all these things in his mouth, which is a lovely little developmental milestone reached around here. 

eMailorder 8 is good.  This whole paper cutting thing has freezer paper stencil potential, don't you think??  I feel like I need to try it on sticker paper, too.  Something simple would work on the thicker paper.  This is just paper glue sticked to a jar for handy removal.  The biscotti inside is a little ghetto... I spent a whole winter making it after Sam was born, but my taste buds must have been suffering some postpartum backlash.  I need a new recipe.  This one Mariko looks very promising, but maybe dried cherries instead of raisins?  I made the Cook's Illustrated brownies today instead.  I have high hopes for these.  I will let you know. 

Last Visit

We had our last post-placement visit with our social worker this morning.  Yesterday she emailed me with the list of things we'd need to have ready which included two family pictures.  We had to do this a month ago, too, and we were barely prepared then.  There are few things that strike such dread in my heart as the thought of family picture attached to a deadline.  I'm sure I am not alone here.  It is such a little thing, I know-- but they are going into a file somewhere-- a permanent file.

Thank goodness for the new camera and its ability to stand up to some rather terrible light conditions.  Also thank you, thank you to a patient partner who will humor some rather humorless subjects.  Finally, thank you to Jelly Belly and the awesome power they hold over Mr. I Don't Want to Change My Shirt.  We got two presentable ones though neither of them are going out as a New Year's card.  We'll have to wait another week for that one.  I'm all out of candy.

out sourcing

Like most of you (I imagine) the picture taking in our family is largely my responsibility.  Paul tries, but he doesn't really care-- that is, he tries because I want him to care.  You know how it is.  Anyway, we let Sam have a go last week, and then again last night at a party for our friends who are leaving town for parts unknown (Detroit).  The top frame is the second or third shot from last week.  The rest are from last night.  He holds the camera fairly still, but things get a little blurry because he takes everything sort of mid-stride.  For the most part, he's pretty shy, but he started getting downright brazen behind the lens.  The most interesting thing to me is that he started moving away from taking people pictures last night.   These are some of my favourites.

He goes about ten minutes (or until he fills up the memory card) and then I have to watch him pretty closely or he'll try to figure out how the camera is working.  This usually involves yanking on the zoom lens or turning the entire device into a airplane or frisbee.  It helps that our digital takes pretty decent point-and-shoot pictures.  Even though he operates with substantial liability, I think I want to get him a decent but simple camera in the future.  Maybe something without a visible zoom.  That seems to be the tempting bit.

I got my first camera in 4th grade (i think?) and it was one of those brick-like vivitars with the funny film (I'm still waiting for those to come back around).  I took loads of pictures, but they mostly stunk-- dark, grainy, red-eye ridden.  Do you remember your first?  Do you let your kids use yours?  Am I asking for trouble letting him use ours?

day one. or the last day.

Happy New Year, All. Today is good. This year will be good. Hard maybe? I think they all are in one way or another. Happy? You can count on it. Tomorrow I will be back with some sewing type things after I eat donuts, resolve to lose weight, clean out, and get serious. Yeah...

Thanks for all the love this year... I didn't know it could be this good. I wish the new year started sometime at the end of March because the months until then can be a bit excruciating. But we are bound and determined to keep it light around here. When I was growing up missionaries would come to our church all the time and give slide shows... They would always start with some sort of sunrise picture and then of course, end with a sunset. It was as funny as it was predictable.

Hello, 2007.

two. shadowplay.

day three. there's a new tram in town.

Day Four. or The Post Where I Cut In.

Okay-- we're nearly done now.  I hope you are all warm, snug like bugs in a rug (except of course for those of you wishing for colder air.  I'm hoping for a cool breeze your way) and happy for this New Year about to begin.  I am. 

This is a gift for Sam from my Dad-- or what he referred to as *my* real gift, that is, until he realized the zeal that Sam possesses for pretend cooking.  That boy did not stop, and this morning when he woke up he went straight for it making me some sushi breakfast with blueberry muffins and coffee that apparently was a little "spicy".  He loves it so much, and as my Dad pointed out, treats it like something he's had for months already.

 

Besides being completely thrilled with this present and wanting to show it off, Sam and I want to remind you that Handmade really does matter (my dad made this from scrap wood and a good chunk of time).  In this season of making there is the oft unexpected but totally devastating side effect of the Tepid Response Factor amidst family and friends.  I have sat by and observed this more times than I care to recount, finding it happens most often with the gift that I was most excited to give.  BUT, Brave People, I have resolved more than ever to keep it up and Never Mind the Haters.  I ran out of making time this year and ended up at Target at the last minute.  I'm totally okay with that, and I was absolutely okay with all the time I spent making this year, too (something like two dozen homemade gifts this year).  This certainly wasn't the first year I've done that, and I'm hoping it won't be the last.   Making matters.  And it matters even if you tried and failed your own expectations, or tried and failed somebody else's.  We think that most of you know that, but we wanted to make sure.  It matters very very much.