I.Love.This.Camera.

Wearing my art on my sleeve.

I freely admit that I am an overly-sensitive type. 

That being said, I was standing next to the truck yesterday morning waiting for the gas tank to fill, I casually observed an interaction between a hurried mother and her young child at the pump next to me that left me heartbroken. While the woman was also waiting for her tank to fill up, she was busy tidying the inside of her car. Those of us with toddlers know how quickly the backseat can get out of hand. As the gas pump clicked off signaling a full tank, she was finishing wadding up all the miscellaneous wrappers, papers and what-not she found in her car and made her way to the trash can between our pumps. My own pump clicked off shortly after hers, and I returned the pump to its cradle just as she was depositing her trash in the container. I gave a quick glance at her double-handful and caught a glimpse of a crinkled, construction paper creation at the bottom of the pile just as it went into the bin. Having a vast collection of my own at home, I instantly recognized it as something that was crafted by her daughter most likely at a daycare or preschool. I panicked for the child, hoping that she did not see that her artwork had made it into the pile earmarked for the big red can. Isn’t that silly? Just as I thought the mom was in the clear, I heard the tiny whine….

 

“Momm-my, you threw away my….”

 

Cue my sinking heart.

 

Every day for the last few weeks Barbara has marched through the door and proudly presented me with her artwork of the day when she comes home from school and announces that she: 

a.) made this for me, and 

b.) wants to hang it on her wall. 

Certainly I don’t keep every single composition that comes home with Barbie each day. The vast majority are hung weekly on her wall in her playroom, clipped to a clothesline-like ribbon. There they hang until the ribbon looks like its going to rip the hooks right out of the wall, and at that point, the best of the best are chosen to be archived. Usually anything that involves a hand or footprint, indicating her size at this time in her life, or something that was smeared, slathered, spattered or otherwise scribbled with her own little hands. 

Shapes cut out by teachers and instructed to be glued together in mass production to make a bee, a house, a bunny, etc. usually don’t make the cut. (Or anything involving glued-on bits of candy or food for that matter). But even these not-so-extraordinary pieces of handiwork are never to be seen going into the recycle bin with her impressionable eyes. After all, she's probably already an overly-sensitive type too. It’s a sneaky dance on garbage night sometimes, but its well worth the extra effort.

 

It's Here.

Yesterday I retreived my beloved. 

I am so excited to dive in and learn how to use it I can hardly wait for Barbara to take her nap! Here is my first official picture. Evidence of my zeal? I am hiding behind the camera with no makeup and my hair undid. Haven't even gotten ready yet for the day and its 2pm. Shower vs. time to play with my new toy? 

Looks like the toy wins (for now).

I Wanna Rock With You... (All Night).

As a new parent-to-be, you are often chided with clichés about being up at obscene hours only to be slumped cribside at the mercy of an irrational little being. While very on-the-mark, it often assumes that this is an unfortunate and dreaded part of the package deal. I suppose for many it is. For me, this was my nirvana.

 

One of the very best experiences I have had as a mom thus far has to be the twilights spent (most times comatose myself) rocking Barbara to sleep. Still at two-and-a-half, she requests her send-off to dreamland to start in the black and white gingham rocker in the corner. Its actually quite comical these days, now with her legs hanging over the arms of the chair, sprawled across my lap. Even with limbs dangling and swaying, she manages to get cozy and doesn’t even mind my bad karaoke.

 

During her first year, the default song that for unexplained reasons always ran through my head (and came out of my mouth) as I was rocking her was the Temptations’ “Just My Imagination”. I still wonder where that inspiration came from—why that song? Motown was not exactly on heavy rotation in my house when I was growing up. As she’s grown, we’ve progressed into the first verse of “Yellow” by Coldplay. I say only the first verse, because in my delirium, I can’t manage to remember the lyrics too well. In fact, I’m quite sure that I mangle the first two verses together into one, but I’m certain she doesn’t know the difference (my apologies to Chris Martin). The unforgettable chorus, however, is my loveletter to her:

 

“You’re skin, oh yeah you’re skin and bones

Turned into something beautiful.

D’you know? For you I’d bleed myself dry

For you I’d bleed myself dry.

Its true. Look how they shine for you.

Look at the stars…

Look how they shine for you,

And all the things that you do.”

Family Reunion 2009

Early August brings the tradition of the family reunion to our home. This is the 6th annual fete hosted at our digs, and for the first time ever Mother Nature decided to join in the festivities as well. Her "gift" to us this year? A torrential downpour on Saturday morning that soaked many of the neighboring family members camped out at Hoffmaster State Park. Our traditional canoe trip unfortunately was called on account of the rain (which was a bummer, being the first time since I had Barbara that I could participate!).

Not to be deterred, our hearty clan assembled Saturday late morning and got the party started anyways (albeit indoors). Thankfully the weather cleared up and allowed us to jump in the pool by late afternoon. And Saturday evening? Well, lets just say we all had a GRAND time. 

With Sunday afternoon came the odd silence that we experience as our house collectively sighs knowing that everyone has departed. The house seems to actually come alive during this weekend every year, and take on a personality of its own. Its a small glimpse of what larger families may experience as everyday normalcy. To our small unit of three, its a treat. Especially knowing that it only lasts three special, busy, chaotic, hilarious, overwhelming, but memorable days a year. 

Here's to next year... "FLIP IT!"

The (Latest) Object of my Desire

I'd like to introduce you to my new camera to be - the Canon Rebel xsi. 

Dear Rebel, I have ogled you for awhile now, envious of the fine quality images you produce for other mommies. You need to be the one capturing my pint-sized muse and the shenanigans she will embark upon.

I long to get lost in learning all about you... your settings, functions and capabilities. You come in both silver or black flavors... I think I fancy you most in black. I dream about cradling your sleek ebony body in my hands....(blushes).

Oh the times we will have together, my little Rebel. I stalk the mailbox everyday for the long-awaited funds set aside to come rescue you. You will be mine soon. Wait for me (at Best Buy), please.

Its all in the details.

And so begins the chronicling of my life in the blogosphere. I've wanted to do this for quite sometime. Not even sure if anyone will end up reading it (other than my mom). At the very least, this is a reason to document the minutia of daily life. Life is made up of those little details—days, weeks, months, and years of insignificant moments strung together that make up an extraordinary life in hindsight. So here's to my first post, and the hope that recording the little things will remind me daily how rich my life is at this very moment.