Outtakes

In October, as if I didn't have enough going on (er, see previous post), I scheduled a photo shoot at Fernhill Park with my friend Erin, who started a business with her partner Kate, Parallel Photography.  The setting was amazing and the fall weather was perfect.  The kids were troopers, playing in the trees, gathering leaves, acorns, and sticks.  They displayed a true glimpse of their personalities in this short period of time - including little Leo, who was teething, in need of a nap, and preferred to be eating leaves.  My heart was set on capturing all three of them happily together, but Leo wanted nothing to do with my vision.  He was happier being held by me or Matthew.
 
These shots didn’t make the Christmas card (um, yes, I’ve already made and ordered them…).  The more I look at these, though, the more I absolutely adore them.  This is a slice of our lives, beautifully rendered by Erin and Kate.  Don’t you just want to love and comfort my sweet baby boy?  Leo looks so adorable even when he’s unhappy.  Fiona and I could hardly contain ourselves.





More lovely photos by Parallel Photography to come...

Thanksgiving resolution? SERENITY NOW.

I admit, I'm ready for resolutions again.  Maybe it's a sign that I need to get back to list-making.  My recent yoga comeback (which has happened every day but twice!) re-invigorated a little self-reflection about the year of JOY.  It has been a challenging word for me to self-regulate all year, to be completely honest.  I don't mean to sound ungrateful - there is indeed SO MUCH in my life that gives me reason to be joyful - I just believe I'm lacking a critical prerequisite to do so holistically.

I've noticed more and more recently, that if I want to embody joy, I must first embody: calm. peace. relaxation. tranquility.  It hit me this year in October, my crazy time of year, as I'm running around like the proverbial chicken, trying to fulfill birthday and Halloween expectations (my own, probably, above all), within four hectic weeks.  It's next to impossible to feel joyful during the most joyful circumstances, without some inner peace.  Yeah, I need to chill out.  Yoga is helping me to realize some moments of meditation - to clear my mind, stretch my body, and let my tensions melt away.  I haven't done this all year!  How can I hope to emanate joy to those around me when I am not at peace, physically and emotionally?

For this new year (and why wait until the new year?), I'm taking a second cut to holistically embody joy, because it is such a worthy and wonderful virtue - I am once again excited about this goal!  Even more importantly, I will first seek to embody peace.  Ommmmm....

Fiona is three

Sweet Pea turned three on November 5!  Here' she is with her “queen” crown at school.

We celebrated the morning of Fiona’s birthday at the Portland Children’s Museum, with many of her classmates from pre-school.  It was quite an awakening of the senses for a Saturday morning - there were so many children!  We filled up this table and beyond, plus the museum became pretty packed.  Dean enjoyed visiting with the older boys, and Leo also tried to join in on the fun.

 

Fiona wasn’t sure how to handle all of the attention, but she fared pretty well.  Her cake was “chocolate with sprinkles” - just as she requested - an array of cupcakes with a pink number 3.  Oh yes!   Thank you, Martha Stewart’s one-bowl chocolate cupcake recipe, once again, and Better Homes & Gardens chocolate truffle frosting.  Deliciousness.

We celebrated at home that evening with a spice cake, because there’s no such thing as too much cake when you’re three (but maybe when you’re thirty-something…).  Fiona helped me make all the cakes.  Such a helper in the kitchen. 

And I can’t believe she’s growing so fast!  Didn’t we just do this?  So much has rocked Fiona’s world in one year.  How she loves being a big sister (though nurturing can be a pretty overpowering emotion…)!  See how her expression changes as Dean comes between her and Baby Leo.  Leo is more concerned about cake.  Dean doesn’t seem to be concerned about anything. 

Next, Fiona opened some gifts, which included a doll house!  They all enjoyed playing with (and eating) the furniture and dolls.  

  

  

After all of that excitement, little Miss had some trouble going to sleep.  I think I took this picture at about 10 p.m.  I was so exhausted!  Wasn’t she?!  What does this mean for the year of three?  I’m already worn out.

   

Yoga comeback

I am tired. Leo is teething and waking up lots, and I am achy and cranky. Probably due to more than just Leo's schedule. The cooling weather is setting in, and the rains have begun. Luckily the trees are turning, so beauty can be found, even on our walks to the store.

But my body is sore, with every week bringing so little exercise, but plenty of activity, carrying ever-increasingly heavier children and supporting their physical health but not my own. Then there's the sedentary nature and repetitive motion of work. I'm carrying around lots of pinched nerves and tight muscles. So I finally got a massage, and I asked the masseuse, what can I do about preventative care - since I've obviously not figured out how to balance life with three children 5 and under - including breastfeeding a teething baby and working three days a week AND exercise. My tennis lessons lasted a month, but it was too stressful trying to squeeze working, nursing, eating, and tennis in one evening, so I discontinued. Wah wah.

So he shared three rudimentary things I should do each day, so basic that I'm almost embarrassed to post:

1. Touch my toes (see what I mean? Obvious, huh?).

2. Twist.

3. Reach for the sky.

Ok. It's not like I never do these things, it's just not deliberate. Yikes. Before I left, feeling kind of like I needed physical therapy and probably mental therapy, he reminded me about yoga. Right... I had totally forgotten how dedicated I used to be. Oh sure, I guess it's not in vogue nowadays like zumba or pilates, but tonight I pulled out my old yoga DVD and started the 'evening bath' series. Dean and Fia, who were in the next room, immediately sat down next to me and followed the instructions. It wasn't as relaxing as pre-kid yoga, but it was way more humorous. 'she's asleep!' 'she keeps rolling!' 'this part is twicky' 'mom, I see your belly'. And nothing like a three year old to show you what limber looks like. The evening bath ends with a blanket and quiet meditation, which they actually loved. They were both sad when it ended, so I promised we'd do some sun salutations in the morning. I know, this was supposed to be about ME. Well, I could use some accountability. And it's probably good to model some healthy habits. Here's to the start of my yoga comeback.

October Album: my pumpkins

October is always an eventful month, starting with Matthew’s birthday, and ending on Halloween, with Dean turning 5 right smack in the middle – so much to celebrate.

Here we are!  A family photo in one take – this was photographed on Matt’s birthday at the kids’ school open house. 

This month, Leo loves to stand!  He is upright constantly, where he can get a better view and get into everything.  He’s also cutting some more teeth!  October brought one bottom tooth, for a total of three, and he’s definitely showing signs of some top teeth.  It doesn’t stop him from being incredibly active, but he lets us know when it bothers him.

  

For Halloween, we celebrated with three pumpkins – Dean and Fiona both wanted scary jack-o-lanterns (Dean’s has the goatee), and we made one winking one with three bottom teeth for you-know-who.

Costumes were pretty snappy – nothing homemade this year (who am I kidding?  Have I ever??).  Here’s Dean trying on his Darth Vader costume. 

  

We got to dress them up for school this year, too, which they loved.  Matthew and I LOVE this photo of Fiona’s class.  All of the princesses are in taffeta and rhinestones, and our own sweet Buzz Lightyear, the prettiest Buzz there ever was.  Fiona doesn’t just want to dress like her favorite character.  She wants to BE him.  To infinity and beyond.

On Halloween night, we tried to set our kids on the steps with their costumes, but Leo wouldn’t have it.  So, even though I’m unadorned, it’s the only way we could capture my three pumpkins.

What fun :)