…one of my favourite songs. xo
{ 0 comments }
The times from this past year that made me smile through the lens of my spiffy camera. Others were documented through Instagram, @prettybird. IG is just so darn easy peasy. So I must admit most of my daily documenting happens there. Once the year is done, I create + publish books through Blurb using the IG plug in and voila, albums! We also moved a bajillion times this past year – well, maybe only 3 times – but it felt like a bajillion. We’re finally settled in a nice, quaint, cozy little spot, close to my family + the studio. Living in the city again really feels like home. And I love that when I’m tired of all the noise, I head up to the cottage to block it out. We’re heading there tomorrow to celebrate New Years Eve + to enjoy the week surrounded by snow with my little bean. A snowman is on the agenda, Nate’s pretty pumped.
Some firsts for Nate this year plus some traditions continued:
- the little bean turned 3. He was beaming with excitement + loved celebrating it with friends + the fam jam.
- first visit to the dentist. He passed with flying colours
- first vacation. Nate + I went to Florida with friends! Disney! It was also his first plane ride.
- first day of school
- first streetcar ride
- played again at the CNE
- enjoyed our summer at the cottage
{ 0 comments }
Yesterday was parent teacher interviews at Nate’s montessori. I know, right? Already? As I sat in his classroom, on that teeny tiny chair, I couldn’t believe I was actually discussing development, interests + his best friends. Some things I always want to remember: [ and I'm not offended if you blow past the next session and head straight for his portraits. I don't blame you, they're adorable! ]
- Nate and his friend Leo are like two peas in a pod
- Nate has a real affinity for patterns, building things, shapes, numbers, puzzles + putting “things” into “things”
- expressed interest in letters, Miss Lisa is going to move into writing soon
- Nate demonstrates great confidence and isn’t afraid to approach any child in the class.
- Nate tries to pull out the silly in every child
- enjoys baking
- great potential academically + socially
- follows instruction well
- resourceful – seeks our help among peers first
- bright + clever
{ 0 comments }
…is nate’s favourite colour these days. He’s also loving almonds, UNO, the leaves, back tickling + playing chase.
So. I guess I should address the fact that I’ve been away from this blog for like, ever. This summer blew by like a hurricane. Too soon? Sandy, you were pretty nasty! So last night I was thinking about how I was going to write my next post on here, and like most things that I conjure up in that head of mine – about 10 minutes before I drift off into sleep – I can never write it out as eloquently as I say it to myself in those last few minutes of my day. Either a) I say some awesome schtuff in the last few minutes when I’m awake, or b) I’m pretty much already asleep and am completely unaware of myself. So yeah. How’s that for confidence in my writing skills? Can I just blame it on being a gemini? I do for everything else.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the balance in my life. With Nate spending time at his Dad’s more regularly now + with work taking up such huge chunks of my time, I’m spending much more time evaluating how my time is being spent. With + without Nate. Where am I going with this? Well, to make a long story short, ( too late ) I took a hiatus from blogging. Professionally + personally. My tumblr had some bleek months + some would say it’s small business suicide to not pay such close attention to my professional blog but the truth is that I needed to take a good 6 months to get my ish together. I finally joined a soccer team again + played this summer. ( Ahem – we won the division. AND the championship. A thank you. ) I started to feel like myself again. Wow. I’m such a conceited sh*t. I just meant, getting back on the pitch really helped get me back on track. The winning part helped too. But it was mostly about laughing endlessly while spending time with my girls.
So I’m back, hoping to keep this up, even if it’s just to jot down some ideas, thoughts, feelings + heck, jokes. I’m a funny gal, so they say.
I’ve got a few posts that will join the queue. Florida. Nate’s first visit to the dentist. Starting school + just mucking around at the cottage. So to start this in the most backwards way possible, here is a recent visit to High Park with Nate. I took my little man out for some fries at the cafe in the park and snapped these few shots of him acting as Thor. ” To the Gods!” he says. I dunno. These Avengers n’ things, I better get tutoring lessons from my brother. Nate’s all in to ‘em. Gotta brush up on m’comic skills! Sports? I got those. Superheros? Um….not so much. But me loves a good challenge. Bring it.
{ 1 comment }
welp – i’ve returned. a brief internet hiatus was needed, i tried to enjoy life and be a touch more present in the moment. I’m short on words these days, so i’ll let the images speak for themselves.
i’m late to post nate’s birthday pics from our second party. Yes, he’s loved on so much that he gets two parties. Kidding, we’re divided between two cities so he gets two parties. But I wasn’t kidding on the love part – that’s totally true. love surrounds us.
{ 0 comments }
Three. My bean is three.
I love how he shows me the number three, with so much thought in how he arranges those teeny tiny fingers. Two weekends ago we celebrated Nate’s 3rd birthday with friends + family, complete with a pinata, gluten + dairy free cake + boatloads of love. I’m short on words these days, taking everything in + trying to be *in* the moment. Maybe, *too* in the moment sometimes, but hey – at least I’m present.
Happy birthday to my bean.
{ 0 comments }
I often say to myself, ” I’m gonna strap that camera to my back today and walk around the house. ” It barely ever happens – and that’s the truth. Most think because I photograph other families for a living, that I must just snap mine all the time. Not true. What’s that saying? The plumbers sink? The farmer’s daughter? Sometimes I mix them up and say the plumbers daughter. Anyhow, you know where I’m going with this. I tend to put others first, especially clients – as I should – being that I run my own business. Which leaves my schtuff to the last minute and usually at the bottom of the pile.
So this Sunday, I woke and didn’t take no for an answer. The gemini in me can argue her way out of pretty much anything, there’s a reason I loved Matlock as much as I did when I was younger. Younger, as in – grade 4. Yeah. I’ll leave you with that for a sec.
While it’s been quite a calm and mild winter, we’ve kept indoors for the most part. 0 degrees may seem mild to what we’re used to with -25, but it’s still a 0. So inside we stay. Here are a few snippets of our Sunday morning, ending with Nate’s nap. Those are hit or miss these days. I think he’s on the verge of throwing those naps out the window. Me on the other hand? Not quite ready for that, but I’ll take it if it’s dealt!
I’m gonna try my darndest to show snippets of my Sunday mornings. Like, my absolute darndsest. Regularly. Fingers crossed!
{ 1 comment }
Wow. Could this really be my first post of 2012? Seriously? How did it become March already? Where did the past 8 weeks go? And what’s with all the questions?
Questions. Answering questions. That’s pretty much all I’ve been doing for these past two months. We’ve got some strange days around here, that’s for sure, changes for 2012 both personally and professionally, but I’m ready – or at least – as ready as I’ll ever be.
So… these past two months… Nate’s been diagnosed with a gluten + dairy allergy. Oy. That was a bit of an adjustment but I have to say, he’s ben doing so amazingly since we cut it all out – cold turkey. I’ve become consumed with prepping healthy meals for him, while trying to add some variety to the mix. I’ll share all the GF + DF goodness in another separate post, with images of various recipes I’ve tackled.
As for me? I’ve been, as some would say, jetsetting, though, with the lack of the setting, really – the only part of that which is true would be the jet part in the fact that I traveled by plane. Most think that when you say ” I’m going to L.A ” it comes with some sort of swagger and swanky step that fills your days and nights while abroad. The truth is that when going for work, it leaves little room for anything else. Now wait a sec, I’m not resentful – just honest. That’s my new thing this year. Honesty. Who knew it could get you so far! And while I’m always honest with everyone else, I usually fall short when it comes to myself. The image below is the only image I snapped while in Los Angeles and it was even while I was working. All the goodies from the trip were taken on my phone through instagram. I’ll make a grid of those and post them too. So for now, here’s the one image.
{ 0 comments }