My family, Dorothy included, attended the theater version of "The Wizard of Oz." Loved it! Loved that my girl's ruby red slippers and sparkly outfit made her feel like a queen. Loved that Miss J held my hand when the wicked witch appeared (so I wouldn't be scared, of course). Loved that the boys giggled over the cowardly lion's antics. A perfect night!
Six candles on the cake. Six years of all kinds of happy because my middle child was born today. Six fun facts about my boy.
1. His favorite word is "hideous," and he uses it often.
2. He is a natural athlete, especially on the soccer field.
3. He has three front teeth, for a total of 21 baby teeth. (should probably start saving for the orthodontist now!)
4. He can read now that Kindergarten is almost finished. He prefers joke books.
5. He still wakes up at 5:30 am every day (click HERE for last year's update).
6. The first words he spoke were "duck" and "dada."
The many faces of E:
Thanks for looking! Want to hear more antics from the archives on my wild man? Look HERE or HERE or HERE or HERE.
I am so proud of the Easter service project that my kiddos and I worked on. We answered a call for care packages for deployed soldiers from the photo community. Big B spent so much time deliberating the perfect crackers and chapstick. E-Man drew pictures and proudly sealed the envelopes. Miss J rearranged her box a million times. I contributed gossip magazines and Farkle, our new favorite family game. Our one box turned into three, which were mailed off this week to big smiles here (and hopefully overseas too).
These three are a little bit fuzzier than my usual newborns! The in-laws brought baby ducks when they came to visit last weekend, which should NOT have been such a shocker. In my mother-in-law's mind, it is perfectly acceptable to give live animals as gifts. My kids have also received (and promptly returned) a duck, turkey, and chicken over the years. I'm just relieved she left the baby goats at home!
The kids loved taking care of their duckies, named S'mores, Mario, and Luigi. My gang requested photos with their feathered friends, and here they are. I am happy to report that the ducks are happily back home in Texas!
I LOVE my new zebra tutu!
This so perfectly captures my kiddos' personalities:
Big B is doing exactly what he should be, with a genuine smile on his face to make his mom happy.
E-Man is ready to bust out laughing and cracking jokes for comic relief.
Miss J is annoyed and ready to explode with rage because she is touching her brother; and wearing jeans she doesn't like; and had her hair brushed; and wearing the black bow instead of the orange one; and because she wants her treat for posing RIGHT NOW rather than AFTER the session.
I am so proud of my do-it-yourself Valentines this year for the munchkins. They were simple and easy, copied from a sample I found online. Bonus: I did not have to stand in the Valentine aisle at the store debating Kai Lan, Dora, or Strawberry Shortcake for hours!
Take a photo of child with arm out to the side, making a fist:
Use an exacto knife to make tiny cuts above and below hand, then slide sucker or pencil in:
I added some digital flair, and printed on pearlized postcards. You could easily print at home on cardstock, or print as a 4x6 photo.
We had a visit from the tooth fairy last night!
My kindergartener is so close to losing his first baby tooth. My mommy heart is breaking over this milestone! E-Man has the most infectious smile ever, and his tiny little bottom tooth is wiggly. I had to get one last portrait of his baby smile. (Strange fact: E-Man has an extra front tooth.....he has 21 baby teeth instead of twenty.)
((Ramblings from an already overwhelmed me on the New Year))
* I cannot believe a new decade is here. Serious happenings in the previous decade: I got married, made 3 beautiful babies, 'retired' from teaching, moved to a new state, and became a business owner. Wow!
* One of my New Year's Resolutions is to take more snapshots of my kids (like below). My personal photo albums are suffering, and I'm a couple months behind on printing my family's photos. I vow to take more snaps and not worry so much about perfect composition and settings. My point and shoot camera is so very lonely.
* New Christmas toys and items turn me into a crazy woman -- I feel like my house is totally unorganized. January always makes me want to spend hundreds of dollars on containers and organize my world.
*RockBand for wii has entered the Miller household. The kids are obsessed with being rock stars and learning the words to their favorite songs. I am embarrassed to say that the only way that I can complete a song without getting boo'ed off stage is by using the LEGO kids' version on SUPER EASY.
* Going to the gym in January annoys me. I wish all the newbies would ditch their resolutions already and get off my favorite elliptical. Just sayin'.
* January is a thankfully slow month for photogs. It's just newborns and birthdays, and I am enjoying the quiet.
* I am working on new products, policies, and baby plans for 2010 for Melissa Miller Photos. Very exciting stuff! I also have an entire new blog design coming before spring -- can't wait!
*A very happy 2010 to you all. Hope the new year treats you well!
