Feelings captured...

I have been working on restoring some pictures for my mom and grandmother.   It is very painstaking work and has taken me much longer than I ever anticipated.   

I am really enjoying it though.  I am seeing pictures of my mom and uncles that I have never seen before.  I love seeing them young and silly.  I love seeing my grandma young and radiant.  I don't remember much about my grandfather.  He passed when I was two or three and I have enjoyed getting to know him a bit through pictures.  

In my work I came across this picture. 

I didn't change much about it except the crop.  It's funny how as a photographer I should be seeing how the colors are too washed out, or that there is some burn out happening on my grandma and grandpa.  

But all I can see is what my grandma is feeling right at that moment.  A little bit of peace in the sun with the man she chose to spend her life with.  

Beautiful. 

The things they say...

I wanted to get these two down so I don't forget them later.  A couple of days ago on the way to school Cadence and Rory had the following argument. 


Cadence found a dandelion to blow on. 

Cady: Rory here you can blow it with me and we can make a wish. (they blow annoying weed seeds into one of my neighbors yards)


Rory: What did you wish for?
Cady: A unicorn. What did you wish for?
Rory: A purple unicorn.
Cady: Unicorns can't be purple.
Rory: Yes they can.
Cady: No. They are white and sparkly with pink horns!
Rory: Mine is purple.
Cady: Mom! Tell Rory that unicorns CAN'T be purple.
Me: Unicorns aren't real so they can be any color you want them to be.
********silence*********
Cady: You're not being helpful mom. I know they aren't real. Rory you have to face it. Unicorns CAN'T be purple.
Rory: Yes they can. Mine can. She's magic. 


This went on until we got to school. 




Tonight at dinner we were talking about dreams.


Rory: Mom, I dreamed about a rainbow dinosaur and I had to kill him dead with my crayon sword in my pocket. 


Cadence: Mom, she's just faking that up.  It totally wasn't rainbow. 






They are totally a riot. 

Precious Moments

Sometimes as a photographer you catch very special moments.  Honestly they are always things that happen all the time, but we forget to stop and really appreciate them and how truly special they are. 

While taking pictures of my amazingly beautiful sister-in-law (not brown-nosing, honest!) her youngest son made his way over to his favorite person in the universe and planted a sweet, and very wet, kiss on her lips.  

He just loves her.

I love moments like this.  I love it even more when I catch them on camera because all to soon he will be grown up. 

Beckah's is six months old!

It's hard to believe that 6 months ago she was brand new and tiny.  

Now she is 16 pounds 10 ounces and 24 inches long. 

She laughs, squeals, babbles.  She can sit all on her own now and has started scooting (backwards) on her belly.  

She is just amazing.   

Happy Birthday Rory

Three years ago today I had a baby girl.


My pregnancy with her was my easiest.  I was sick in the beginning, because I always am, but the rest of the time went by way to fast.  Then, during the last month I started having really bad pain in my hips when I walked.  It got worse before to long and I was so ready for the baby to come.


My Doctor, God bless his soul, could tell and offered to induce me.  He explained that I was favorable (already at a 3 and about 75%) and he was sure that I would take well to the medicine and things would go perfectly.  He was a good doctor and I trusted him.  So I asked when we could schedule.  His only opening that week that worked with the hospital was September 2nd.


I did try to get things going on my own the weekend before my induction.  Caster Oil got some contractions started, but nothing that was lasting.  So at 11:45pm on the 1st of September, 2008, Brady and I left a sleeping Cadence in the care of my wonderful mother and headed to the hospital to have a baby.


We were excited to meet her.  The excitement didn't have the biting edge to it that we experienced when we had Cadence.  This time we had a pretty good idea of what to expect and so this ride to the hospital was much calmer than our first. 


We got into a room by 12:15am and the paperwork insanity began.  So much to sign, read, understand, and sign again.  The nurse who placed my IV took several tries.  I hate that part the most.  She finally listened to me and place it in the back of my hand.  It's where it always ends up, but everyone always thinks they are the IV placing wonders of the universe and will get it in my arm.  Sigh. 


Finally, at around 2am they started me on the meds.  Mountain View isn't a bad hospital, but they do things "by the books" unless you force them not to.  I didn't know at the time that most hospitals start you on way to high of a dosage. Instead of starting at a low dose and working their way up to good contractions, they start at a ridiculously high dose and constantly have to turn it up and down, which can cause all kinds of baby and mommy issues and why a good number of babies go into distress and have to be removed via c-section.  I didn't know any of this until much later.


I was at a four quickly and they broke my water.  Shortly after I was begging for an epidural.  The contractions were insane.  The hospital was busy so I had to wait.  I finally got it and had some peace while my body did it's thing.


Then the nurse, wanting to hurry things along, upped the pit a bit.  Jerk move. I had already gone from a 4 to a 6 in two hours which was VERY good time.  My body was already hurrying.  After about 30 minutes on the increased pit my epidural couldn't keep up and I was feeling a LOT of pressure and a LOT of pain again.  By then I was at a 7.  The nurse promised that she would send in someone to fix my epidural, but he didn't get there very fast.  I was pissed.  All I wanted to do was MOVE to get in a better position but my legs were useless.  He gave me a boost and that helped, but not much.


Then of course the baby's heart rate started to drop with each contraction.  It was terrifying hearing her little heart beat all but stop.  The nurse turned the pit off completely and that solved that problem.  She warned me that my labor would stall and things could get ugly.  Good thing my body new what it was doing.  It kept right on going, and very soon it was time to push.  I knew it was time.  My body was pushing all on it's own with out any say from me.


Nurse kept telling me to stop pushing.  I told her I was trying but the Doctor had better hurry.


Then the Doctor was there.


Brady was holding my leg and telling me how awesome I was doing.  Bless the man, he is such a comfort to me.  Just having him there in the room makes things better.  Six quick pushes and at 10:14am out she came, screaming her pretty little head off!  The Doctor put her up on my chest and I remember how amazing that moment felt.  She took a piece of my heart that day and will have it forever.


One look at this baby and I knew the name her father had picked was perfect.


She was Rory.  My beautiful, spunky, LOUD Rory.


I was much bossier with the nurses this time and she stayed with me and was nursed right away.  She was a greedy eater.  She needed to be since she was small.  Healthy but small.


She is still small.  Her personality more than makes up for that though.


I looked at her this morning and I felt myself tear up, remembering that moment the Doctor placed her in my arms and I looked into her dark eyes for the first time.


She has grown so much, and we see glimpses of the amazing woman she will be. Fearless, gentle and kind. Amazing, beautiful and confident.  My goofy Rory.  My sweet Rory.

Happy 3rd Birthday Rory-Girl!