More camera fun...

A little hair gel to calm a crazy after-nap hair-do. A cute H&M gray crewneck. A brand new pair of big boy jeans, and a beautiful display of weeds next door. Who knew these few items, along with a new Nikon camera in hand, would make for the world's cutest pictures of Jack?

I'm SO new at all of this. But, I have to say I love my new camera. The photos I can take on just an average day turn out outstanding! Granted, it takes me 100 shots to get a few good ones, but hey, that's what the delete button is for. =)

There are so many buttons, options, and zooms that it can get very complicated, but I'm starting to get the hang of it. I research, tinker, and practice, practice, practice. Someday I'll be good at it.

For now, I apologize for my beginners photos.

“It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like, it’s another thing to make a portrait of who they are.” – Paul Caponigro

Falling for fall...

It's funny how much life can change in just the blink of an eye. Last year, I was counting the days until November, re-washing baby outfits in Dreft for the second time (just to make sure the baby smell was still there), and was cleaning, organizing, and scrubbing every single inch of our apartment. This year, I'm running around after a very mobile 10-month-old, focusing much of my time on teaching and grad school, and I haven't scrubbed every inch of this house since this summer. Man, how things change...for the good =)

There is NOTHING like Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin wallflowers from Bath and Body Works to get me in the mood for fall. As soon as September rolled around, I changed out the Coconut Lime Verbena air fresheners for Apple Crumb and Creamy Pumpkin. My favorite scents of the whole year!
Last year, my fall decor was out before my calendar's pages turned to October. This year, I finally got around to digging out my rubbermaid tote labeled 'fall' last weekend. And, it took me a total of 1o minutes to finish the whole house! I guess with a little baby moving about you get more efficient?! I was proud....I didn't feel the urge to over-clutter my house with fall...

Just a few little touches of orange are sprinkled around our house. A crafty pumpkin centerpiece replaced the orchid on our dining room table. A pumpkin hangs where the star once was on our front door. And, the scent of cinnamon, pumpkins, and apple fill every nook-and-cranny of our house.


I love Fall. Here are a few reasons why:

• Apples, pumpkins, and cinnamon. Enough said.
• Hooded sweatshirts and chilly night cuddles with my family.
• Jack's birthday falls at the very tail end -- a baby BBQ is soon-to-come!
• Football Saturdays -- complete with food, wine, and friends.
• Breezes from the empty field across from our house with windows wide open.
• Scarves, cardigans, and layers.
• It's one season closer to my very favorite day of the year: Christmas

Fall has arrived. Behold the changing leaves, and enjoy the crisp breeze. Let your eyes take in the bursts of color. Transformation is afoot and hope is in the air.

Wordless Wednesday

Busy, busy, busy!

On an average day I...

...teach 140 13 and 14 year-olds about science {currently the rock cycle, you're excited I know. Me, too}.

...attend what seems to be near one hundred committee meetings.

...counsel students on boyfriends, hair-dos, and volleyball.

...snuggle, cook, clean, snap photos of, change diapers of, play toys with, and give baths to Jack {my favorite part, by far!!!}

...do laundry, pick-up, clean, and organize a house with 3 - count them - yes, three toilets.

...write paper, after paper, after paper for grad school. Oh, and I sit through class on Wednesday nights and some Saturdays.

...chat and snuggle with my hubby.

...hang out with friends and family when possible.

I. AM. BUSY! :)

I feel like a deflated supermom. I miss Jack. I miss Eric. I miss my couch. I miss empty planning periods where I kick my feet up and love my life as a teacher. Any of you out there feel the same?! Make me feel normal!

I LOVE being a mom. Jack is the cutest, adorable-est, smartest {we like to think; maybe the Your Baby Can Read series is paying off}, funniest little man I've ever met.

I love being a teacher.

I love being married to Eric. He's the best dad in the world.

Life is busy.

Life is good.

Life will only get less busy, right? =)

Hello, my name is trouble =)

Leaves crunch...so that means I can eat them?

OOOOOooooo what's this?

Yummy! I can eat rocks, too..

Splish Splash...

...Jack was taking a bath! And, Mama had a new camera =)

He loves putting his hand/head/whole body underneath the waterfall

Hi, Daddy!

Hi, Mommy!

You'd think Jack would hate this part...nope. Loves it!

20+ pictures of random plants, baby toys, an adorable little man, and a dog here-and-there and I'm still learning. I LOVE my new camera. As soon as I get home I get it out and stare at the info screen in wonder of what all the buttons, f numbers, and more stand for! I'll keep practicing... =)

New Camera Fun!

So...I've been dying {not literally, but close} for a new camera. Ever since I started blogging I've been snapping photos like it's my job. When Jack arrived, I begged and pleaded for my very own professional camera. Amongst the swings, clothes for 3 instead of 2, and all of the other baby essentials, my dream for a new camera fell into last place.

The other day Eric mentioned he planned on surprising me someday soon. He's great at surprises - NOT (which works perfect because I hate them)! There was only one thing I wanted: a D-SLR camera. So, once he said that I knew it was coming. Or I was hoping...

Today, we went to run errands and we passed the camera aisle at Target. The only thing I knew about these cameras? Nikon and Canon were the brands to buy. Well, a Nikon was on sale and it caught my eye! I played it cool and kept pushing the cart as if I hadn't seen it and Eric stopped. We talked to an associate and kept shopping. I was so SAD! Then, we went to Best Buy to look at more cameras...maybe I really would get one?! We ended up going back to Target to get the apple-of-my-eye Nikon - YES! Score!

So, below are a few attempts at learning this crazy-million-function-bottom-of-the-line professional camera: (and I'm sure there will be many, many more to come!)

Corks, anyone?

I finally have the "Charlie Brown" tree I always wanted :)

My view from across the street

Of course I had to take pictures of this cute little man

He's taken a few steps by himself! Our almost-walker

I'm totally new to ALL of this. I took over a hundred pictures already today! I'm sure the pictures will get better when I can figure out all of the options and buttons :) Wish me luck!

Jack's First Haircut!

So as I glanced at Jack's 9 month pictures something dawned on me...

Our little guy looks more like an old man with a bad hair color job growing out! =) Or, better yet, a wanna-be Justin Bieber. His newest hair in is much lighter than his almost-reddish baby hair, and it was getting really long. Our cute little comb-over had become literally an old man hairstyle, and I realized it was time to say goodbye.

I'm not one of those mooshy/sentimental people that needed to wait until his first birthday to chop his locks. I also am definitely not the gal who will save a chunk of his hair in a ziploc baggy for him to stare at me in strange disbelief years down the road. So, onto the only open hair salon we could find on a Sunday at 5:45. Jordan Creek Mall never fails us -- Master Cuts it was.

Eric and I stood in the waiting room debating our next adventure. To cut, or not to cut? That was the question. Eric thought he definitely didn't need a haircut. In fact, he was trying to convince me that somehow if we cut his hair he wouldn't have any hair left? Later he explained that since his hair was so much lighter at the roots it looked like there wasn't much hair there. I, however, insisted on getting his haircut. I wanted my shrunken-little-man to sport the latest trend in little man hair fashion. So, of course to cut it was!

The hairstylist asked if we thought Jack could sit alone and get it cut. Eric and I looked at each other, shrugged our shoulders, and said "Sure, why not!" She plopped two booster seats to the chair and we piled Jack on top of the mountain. Soon, the kiddie wrap-around hair catcher doodle bopper was on him and we were off! Eric and I worried he'd crash onto the floor or scream in horror the whole time. Well, how did Jack like his first hair cut?

He loved it! He loved the noise of the clippers, and he nearly fell asleep as she massaged his little baby head {just like his daddy}! He sat there like a big boy the WHOLE time. And, it's the cutest little haircut I've ever seen. She gelled it and spiked it in the front. Absolutely adorable!

On our way home Eric was sure to inform me that, yet again, I was right! Jack looked much cuter with his new do. I can only imagine how long and shaggy it would have been if we'd waited until his 12 month fiesta. In the mornings I can't wait to style it; all of his outfits look just a little bit cuter with a newly groomed do.

Trim it gently, please.
Let me comb it one more time.
Before you give a first haircut,
To this little one of mine.
-Thena Smith

Wordless Wednesday...

This little booger said "mama" for the first time tonight....

I'm sitting in grad class and missed it :(

Life

...maybe it was this morning when convinced one of our "high flyers" to not flee. I stood there as he turned around and went back into the double doors of the school.

...maybe it was the "you look cute in that outfit" comment from Mr. Mom {I'm wearing a t-shirt and jeans}.

...maybe its the "mur mur", grin, and squeal I hear when Jack spots me across the room at daycare.

I think life works in funny ways. It throws you in until you think you just can't take anymore...and you do. It puts a complimentary parent email in your inbox just when you're thinking your head is still not above water. At a moment when life couldn't seem more busy, you get an amazing four-hour chat with a good friend, only to come home to a husband who's willing to reminisce about your first dance.

There's only one thing I know: be happy with what you have, for that's all you've got! And...

Go for long walks.
Indulge in hot baths.
Question your assumptions.
Be kind to yourself.
Live for the moment.
Loosen up, scream.
Curse the world,
Count your blessings,
Just let go, just be...
-Carol Shields

Dear Big Man,

You are 9 months old. Can you believe it?

I can hardly believe that it was over 9 months ago when I whispered "I love you" for the first time in your newborn ear. It's almost hard to remember the days of nursing, rocking, and tip-toeing over our brand-new baby boy. Now, nine months later, we're totally smitten by you - our soon-to-be toddler.

The days of bottles every few hours have been replaced by sippy cups filled with water. Your Baby Gap onesie collection is folded, organized, and stuffed away into plastic tubs in the basement. Your swing that we thought we could never live without is collecting dust in storage. Your bumbo seat is way too small, and your Jumperoo is so yesterday. All of the essentials that helped us through your baby days are seeming to be ancient artifacts in the story of you.

As I watch you grow into you - a big personality that's for sure - I'm not sad but excited to see what's to come. I can always glance back at your pictures, stare at your first days of life video clips, and even read this blog. I'm ready to write new chapters; chapters full of walking, talking, and growing into this little guy we like to call Boogs.

To date, you're 21 pounds full of laughter, awkward screeeetching noises, constant movement, and a limitless hunger. You, on cue, say "da da" as if you really know what you're doing. Even when asked to say "ma ma", you give this sly grin and say "da da". Stinker...

When you see an open staircase - watch out! Within seconds you're halfway up glancing down with your sly grin as if to say "catch me if you can!" You love to splash and stand and fall into the bath tub. You love to walk and crawl EVERYWHERE. You still love to snuggle.

I love to watch you trample over your new shoes as if we, instead of velcroing Pumas on, tied bricks onto your little feet. I love to watch you scream in horror when your walker gets stuck in a corner and you can't get it out. I love to watch you demolish and entire waffle, hot dog, or cheeseburger at that and afterwards chug your sippy cup. You always finish with a drool and a big "ahhhh" as if it was the most refreshing drink you've ever taken.
I love being your mommy, Jack. We can't even explain how much we love having you here to share in this life. I can't wait for your first steps -- we're getting close! I can't wait for your true "ma ma" blurts. I promise to sit through grueling half-an-hour episodes of Your Baby Can Read videos to help you learn. I promise to always answer your soon-to-come "why, mommy?" questions. And, I promise to always love you, skinned-up knees and all. Here's to 9 months, little baby Jack, and many, many more!

Love you to the moon and back (and maybe even farther than that),
Mama