Momma Said No More Monkeys Jumping On The Bed!

The Old Train Depot

The girls & I tested out a local photographer's favorite place ... the old train station in Downtown Redlands.  Great place with vintage charm.  Here is just one, from the many, many, many pictures I took of my models...

{Too Infinity & Beyond!} Child Portraits

Here is a sneak peek of Miss R.  She is turning 3 soon and having a "Toy Story" inspired birthday extravaganza.  She came today for pictures, with mom, baby sister, and her stylist!  So much fun!  More, much more, to come...

Gymnastics!

The girls are entering their second week of gymnastics (or tumbling).  If they do well they may be on their way to an official gymnastics center in a couple months!  Here they are on their way to their first class...
 

Back to Ballet

This past weekend Syd re-entered ballet class. Just 3 weeks (3 classes). She seemed excited to do it again, until the day of. I pulled out her ballet clothes and shoes out of her closet and she looked at them, got sad and tearful and told me that she didn't want to go. I asked her why and she said that she was scared and that it was not her favorite anymore! I was surprised by her reaction.

We came downstairs and while eating breakfast I explained to her that she did not have to do it if she chose not to, but that she had to make a final decision. She looked up at me, with a forced smile on her face and said "Ok, I'll do it!" I asked her what changed? Her response was "I changed my attitude."

So off to ballet we went, and it does appear, in most pictures, that she was paying attention more than her other ballet classmates.

She's Almost Two

If someone would ask me if I have ever cried tears of joy, I would answer "yes" and tell them the brief story of the moment my Labor Nurse told me that my second daughter had dark hair but then instructed me not to push since the Obstetrician was not yet in the room. After having my first daughter, blonde, blue-eyed and absolutely beautiful, and being told that my second daughter was going to resemble me, I sobbed with relief, anticipation, and joy. And I pushed.

Now she is almost two. She does resemble me in so many ways, and in some ways that I am reluctant, but willing to admit. She is stubborn and strong-willed, and she has a mean gaze. She is the queen of "No, I don't wanna!" She whines, she screams, and she pinches. But she has the cutest "two teeth" smile with a nose that wrinkles up. She has an adorable infectious laugh. She can give the best hugs with her small arms reaching around to my back, and she can give me the most melting kisses with her soft pink lips. No matter how we try to style her hair, it always ends up with a "fountain" right on top. She is learning her shapes and how to sing her ABC's. She likes to do puzzles. She loves to walk around in her Snow White princess shoes. She likes to ride her roller coaster backwards and her tricycle fast. She needs to have a pillow under her head with every diaper change. She calls animals not by name but by what noises they make (like a quack quack, a meow, a moo), and she loves finding "bigga bugs" anywhere she goes. And when we read books before bed, all she wants to do is hold her blankie, quietly pulling out one thread at a time.

Today when I woke her up from her nap, this is what I found with her crib mates.... they were all on top of her crib, in a row....

Special Delivery

These wild things came today, in preparation for Mel's 2 year Birthday Safari! Safari hats and other goodies safely made it in the cargo box to me. The kids will be going on an expedition to find these animals in the backyard!

Quick Edit in Photoshop

A couple weekends ago I took some pictures in a park in Redlands, where I found a picturesque stone bridge, but an ugly pole in the background. These two sisters now look so much more adorable with the pole removed, thanks to the spot healing brush in photoshop.

No Painting Today

My poor Syd, fighting off fatigue and a fever today. She can make the saddest face when she asks for medicine.

Just last week she discovered the world of watercolor painting... now one of her favorite things to do.

{Red High-Tops and Chinese Lanterns} Child Portraits

Another quick installment of pics from the Get Tha Funk Out weekend....

{Emily's One-Year Photo Shoot} Child & Family Portraits

It has been almost a year now, since I have had the honor of watching Miss Emily grow from being a baby, to now a spunky 1 year old girl. Well, most of the honor is rooted in the story of how Emily's mom and I met. For a long time (maybe a year or more) Emily's mom and I had a working relationship like no other. I referred my patients with speech problems to her, and she took care of them as their speech therapist. She did an awesome job, and my patients LOVED her. I knew her handwriting by heart whenever she communicated back to me about my patients. I too LOVED her compassion and skill with my patients. I had never met her in person, and I shamefully never made the effort to do so. But when she got pregnant, I was honored when she came to my office to meet me and pick me to be her daughter's pediatrician!

A year has gone by. Emily is much more grown up. Emily's parents are "seasoned" and so much more in love with her, if that is possible. Emily's mom has known about me wanting to pursue photography and has always admired the pics I have taken of a dear friend of mine. So at Emily's last check-up, she came right out and asked me if I would do Emily's 1 year pictures. "Of course!" was my answer.

Last week we met at the University of Redlands, where Emily's parents had their wedding pictures done. I had the honor of capturing Miss Emily, and laughing every time she lost her balance, falling on her bottom, and letting out a sigh. She is too cute, and her and her lambee are just a perfect duo of cuteness. Here she is....