Things I love

1.) My daughters new found obsession with the dishwasher. 
It doesn't matter what she is doing, as soon as I open the door to the dishwasher, here she comes from across the room.  Crawling as fast as her little arms and legs will let her.  And then she pulls up and has the time of her life.  If the bottom rack is pulled out she pulls out silverware and either throws them on the floor or chews on them.  If its closed she plays with the water on the door, or tries to climb completely IN the dishwasher. 

2.)Rainy Days
There is something wonderful about sitting inside and watching it rain.  I love falling asleep listening to the raindrops hitting the roof and I love how green everything is becoming.

The kids can't get enough of watching the rain, but Rowen kept chanting, "Rain Rain Go Away Come Again Some Other Day."

However, you can't pry Phoebe away from that door!

3.) Bathtime
Phoebe has recently graduated from the baby bathtub to the big kids tub.  Bath time has since turned into one of my favorite times of the day.  She loves it, esp since she gets to take a bath with her big brother every day.  She gets so excited every time I put her in the tub.  Like she's saying, "Really Mom?  I really get to get in here!?"

 And they spend the bath entertaining each other.  They play so well together.  Their baths last until I get tired of Phoebe's new game.  I stand up, Mommy sits me down, I giggle and stand up again.  Its great fun!

Like my bubble beard?  We're cool like that.

4.)  My daughter's grins

I love the way she looks at me.  "Yeah Mom, I know I'm cute!" 

 5.)  The way these two can't get enough of each other.

Look at her looking at him.  That's love.

Kisses

 6.) Daddy Time

 7.)  Phoebe following Rowen to the bathroom
Its a new thing, and it makes me laugh every single time she does it.  She crawls over to the door, pulls up to standing and starts banging on the door screaming, "Row Row!"  I love it!  He secretly does to. 

A lesson in photography

I have always loved to take pictures.  I was the girl who always had a camera hanging around my neck like it was a fashion statement.  But I got lazy and stopped taking so many pictures when I was in college.  What can I say, I was a busy girl.  Then Rowen was born and I knew I needed to get back in the habit.  So I bought myself the best camera I could afford at the time and started taking pictures.  The only problem was, my camera is a piece of crapola.  I figured how could you go wrong with a Nikon, especially when it wasn't even close to the cheapest one they made.  Well I learned how terribly wrong I could be.  I should have got a Canon.  So I'm in the market for a new camera... I just have to talk my cheap husband into it.  He thinks that I should be able to take all the pictures of the kids we ever need taken.  He doesn't understand WHY I need to go to a professional photographer when I have a perfectly good camera.  There is just no reasoning with the man. 

So I've taken the kids pictures a couple of times... and they never turn out like I would like them to.  I started when Phoebe was just a week old. 

I took this picture on my bed so I had a terrible time getting the light right and trying to keep the sheets straight!  I don't hate the picture, but I see do see room for improvement.

Then I decided I wanted to do a nice Christmas card so I figured I had better take some pictures.  I was November so you can only imagine how cold it was outside.  But I draped a sheet over the railing on the deck, dressed the kids up and took them outside for pictures.  We would take a couple and run inside to warm up.  It was kinda ridiculous but I wanted halfway decent pictures and my husband flat out refused to let me take them somewhere.  (I should mention it was the warmest day we had seen in awhile or I wouldn't have taken the kids outside without a coat or hat). 

 Phoebe was NOT happy about it!

I got a couple cute ones of Rowen but overall I was very disappointed.  But working with two children can be quite challenging.  Especially when one of them is 3 months old. 

A month later I decided to try again.  I really wanted a decent picture of Phoebe and wanted one of the two of them even more.  Something nice I could put on the wall. 

And I got this beauty.  This made my happy and want to keep trying after the last batch made me want to give up. 

And this one hangs over my bed.  They are looking at jingle bells.  I'm doing everything in my power to get that beautiful 4 month old to look at anything other than her feet. 

There is something wonderful about watching a big brother love his baby sister.  Something even better about capturing it in a picture.

So I got my pictures that I really wanted (which I took in my dining room on the floor next to the french doors to get the best light I could get without taking them out in the snow).  I still wasn't satisfied but it was good enough for now.  Today I looked at my little ones and realized that Phoebe looks nothing like the little baby on the wall anymore.  So I dressed up my children and took them outside in between rainstorms.... and was vastly disappointed.  

 Phoebe would look at everything BUT the camera.

 And Rowen kept smiling like a dork.

 But I like this one ^ above

 And I LOVE this face!

And this one reminds me of one I took of Rowen when he was exactly the same age.  Its framed in black and white in my living room.  I think there will be a matching one of Phoebe soon.

 So while it wasn't what I wanted.... I'm still happy with my pictures.  I'm still learning and I've got a long way to go.  But I have the greatest subjects to practice on.