Proof of Life

8 Months!

2012-02-15T07:42:00.000-08:00

Eight months meant moving, teething, standing, some cruising, and lots of smiling for sweet Harper Louise. It also meant some head bonks, hair pulling, and her first stomach virus. We had a visit from Aunt Meg, a solo flight with Mama to Austin to visit Nonnie, Ogee, Aunts Lauren and Lindsey, and Uncle Panj. She's an amazing little explorer, with the greatest emerging personality.

Oh, Harper...you bring us so much joy! What fun to watch you grow, and laugh, and play!

My Valentine

2012-02-15T06:14:00.000-08:00

Day 14: Hearts...She has mine, that's for sure!

Catching Up: Days 8, 10, & 11

2012-02-12T17:53:00.000-08:00

So I got behind on my days so I'm dodging the writing...BUT I did manage to get the pictures taken. Well, most of them.

Day 8: Sun...This is my view out my front window around 4:30 every day. And I love it.

Day 10: Self-Portrait...That's right; I cut my hair. And it feels so good.

Day 11: Makes you happy...This was a couple of weeks ago, but it still makes me happy. Oh, so happy.

And because I know not one single person who reads this (all 14 of you) gives a rat's a%$ about Day 12: Inside your closet, I'm including another one that makes me happy. Look at those eyelashes. Those lips. And that grip on Sophie. Man...so much better than a shot of inside my closet.

Day 9: Front Door

2012-02-09T19:20:00.000-08:00

edited on photobucket.com

A couple of weeks ago, Neal and I were working outside while Harper was napping when a mini-van pulled up to the front of the house. I was coming around from the backyard and Neal was visiting with the driver. I didn't recognize the van from the neighborhood, and I didn't recognize the driver either. But there was my very friendly husband chatting it up like they were old buddies, looking back at the house and pointing. When the van drove off, my curiosity got the best of me, "Who was that? What did they want?"

The woman in the car had grown up in our house. Her mom had owned the house for 35 years, and she just wanted to drive by for old times sake. To check on it, if you will.

This will always be the house that we brought Harper home to. Our first home as a married couple. One day Harper will drive by this house, or perhaps the lot that was once this house, and reminisce about the good times that she had growing up here. Baking in the kitchen with her mom; climbing in the tall Magnolia out front; playing catch with Dad out back.

I can appreciate why this woman drove by; why she stopped when she saw Neal. I can only hope that she saw the love that comes from the house. Because this house is overflowing with it!

Day 7: Button

2012-02-08T15:23:00.000-08:00

Button. Seriously? That's my challenge for the day? What does that even mean? All I kept thinking all day yesterday was, "Don't push my buttons." Like some imaginary being was going to annoy the heck out of me, and "push my buttons." But then I started to really think about all the buttons around me. There's a really cute belly button on one really cute little babe in my house. And that babe also has a really cute little button nose. But then I was thinking more literal. And buttons do things. They turn things on, they make things go, and they turn things up.

Which button around me does those things both literally and figuratively? Well, this one of course:

This button turns my brain on. While most days I have little mental stimulation dealing only with my 8 month old, when I get my camera out my brain turns on. Not only do I have to think about light, and aperture, and shutter speed, and IPO; but when I turn my camera on I also immediately think of creating memories. Because my words don't always come easily, I look at each scene through my camera thankful that it will capture what my words can not. I'll have time to look at each picture and use it to remember what the wildflower field behind me smelled like...

Or how huge my belly got...geez, it's like I'm hiding a basketball in there!

Or just how perfect Harper felt in my arms for the first time...

But what's the use of a good camera if you're taking the same old pictures of the same old background day in and day out? So when I see my camera gathering dust, I pack up some momentum and inspiration, and take it along on our adventures both near and faraway.

Like watching my little muse explore on a day at the park...

Or on an Alaskan adventure...

In Juneau, at Mendenhall Glacier

Yeah, I take a lot of pictures in the comfort of my own home, but it's nice to use it as an excuse to get out...to go...to live. And don't get me wrong, I didn't think to myself, Hmmm...that camera sure hasn't seen any action lately, maybe I should go to Alaska. But how lucky that I had my camera with me on this cousins' adventure so I have the vivid images to relive the beauty that is Alaska and cherish that time with Elise.

It takes those mundane moments or the little things in life, and bumps them up a notch.

Like the colors at the Denver Botanic Gardens...

Or the sweetest little face I've ever seen...

It's not about the button, it's about what you get when you push the button. For me, these memories and moments are frozen in time thanks to that button.

Alright, so I know I'm a day late here with Day 7's challenge...and who knows when Day 8 will get up because Day 8's challenge is 'sun', and we haven't seen much sun lately. It's very February here, just cold and gray. So I'm moving on to Day 9 tomorrow and will post Day 8 when the sun shows its face. Thanks for understanding...

Day 6: Dinner

2012-02-06T20:20:00.000-08:00

Be thankful I'm not a food blogger. Tonight we had grilled chicken, baked potatoes, and grilled asparagus. Believe me, the pictures were as boring as the dinner. The one good thing about dinner tonight...no dishes! I love the grill!

Day 5: 10 AM

2012-02-06T14:27:00.001-08:00

Yesterday at 10 AM I was probably dusting or showering or something equally exciting. It left as quickly as it came, before I even had a chance to realize that was my photo challenge for the day. That seems to be the way a lot of my days tend to go. They pass quickly, most days going by without much to write home about. But here's the thing...although some days I am left wondering how 10 PM has already rolled around without having anything to show for it, I look at this sweet book-chewing face and pray for a million more 10 AMs. I wouldn't trade anything in the world for 10 AM tomorrow when I get to snuggle those sweet cheeks as she gets ready for her nap. Whether it's 10 AM or 3, or 7...I know that every minute I spend with her is precious; and I'm never guaranteed the next 10 AM. So the fact that I'm a day late with my photo challenge day #5 is okay, because hopefully instead of dusting or vacuuming or something lame, I was too busy reading to my daughter or singing with her or holding her before her morning nap to snap a picture. That's okay with you guys, right?! Besides, every person I run into these days tells me how fast she's going to grow up...so I'm soaking it all in while I can. I'll be back tonight with Challenge #6.

Day 4: A Stranger

2012-02-04T18:15:00.000-08:00

It's funny, you go to a park with a kid and there are immediately more smiles. More smiles from me. From Harper. From strangers. I think it's because at a park anyone can act like a child, and no one looks at them differently. Neal can balance and dip on the balance beam while Harper watches adoringly. You look across the way and two grandparents are sitting on the swing next to their granddaughter and they are all young at heart. Two teenagers slide down a slide and they're still considered cool. It doesn't matter how old you are, when you're playing at the park you are transported back to your school days when the best parts of your day were recess and nap time.

This POD was hard for me today because of the old "Why is this crazy taking a picture of me" fear. In the second picture Harper was absolutely cropped out. And in the top one, I totally pretended like I was taking Neal and Harper's picture, when instead I was creeping on this guy watching his two boys play.

And because most of you are family and all you really want to see are pictures of Harper, here is Harper during our day at the park...

Day 3: Hands

2012-02-03T18:20:00.000-08:00

He's hooked. I watch him watch her, and it's clear...he is wrapped around her finger already.

Those hands will be there to wipe away her tears, to catch her when she falls, and help her walk along the path. And when she can stand alone, those hands will be there for her to run to, and jump into; they'll clear away the dirt and build her treehouses or dollhouses or both. They will steady the bike and let go before she even knows she's ready. When she's grown, those hands will pat her back along with an, "I'm so proud of you." They'll clap for her when she walks across the stage to accept her diploma. And they'll walk her down the aisle to the man who loves her almost as much as he does.

She is safe in his hands. She is loved. And he is hooked.

Challenge Day 2: Words

2012-02-02T10:35:00.000-08:00

Feb. 2 Challenge: Words

Dreams. Oh, how I have dreams! Dreams for me, dreams for Neal, for our family, and of course for Harper. So far, my dreams and my dreams for my family have come true. I am married to my best friend, and I have a beautiful, happy baby girl.

Here are some things that I dream for Harper:

I hope she learns to share...her earthly possessions as well as the gifts that God has given her.

I hope she isn't afraid to try new things.

I hope she loves freely.

I hope she gets everything she works hard for.

I hope she never forgets how much I love her.

I hope she ignores the doubts that creep into her head.

I hope she becomes a strong, independent woman.

I hope she respects the adults around her.

Your View Today

2012-02-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

So I'm jumping on a Pinterest Photo-a-Day bandwagon. I mean, that's how this blog started, isn't it?! I've totally slacked on the blog front and needed some motivation to get my real camera out. I'm bumping it up a notch, and am going to try and write for each picture as well. So since today is actually day 2 of February, here's yesterday's POD (Bruce and Becky, you were so ahead of the game here!!):

It's official. I have a mover. She's everywhere. It started a little bit before her half birthday with an adorable army crawl. She just pulled her whole lower half wherever she wanted to go; pure dead weight. She has to have some serious upper body strength for that. Then right around Christmas she started rocking, and going from sitting up to all fours...she stayed like that for awhile. But was like she needed an audience...we went down to Austin for the holidays and she was off. It was slow, and a lot of times a mixture of crawl/army crawl. In the beginning the army crawl was faster, more efficient. Then she got the hang of it, and I can hardly catch her now. I'll turn around for a minute and when I go to look for her, I have to guess which room she's wandered into. She's not afraid of the dark, and she loves the maze of the dining room table.

Now that she's pulling up all the time, her next move will be cruising. She loves to "walk" with Mommy and Daddy. She's had the steps down for awhile, but now she's getting the strength to stand and move along her crib/couch/TV console.

There's so much to learn from such a little creature. She's fearless; she loves to explore. She never gives up, no matter how long it takes or how many obstacles are in her way. When did I stop being like that? I hope that as her mom, I encourage that sort of mindset in every aspect of her life. We talk about the dangers she runs into and the things she shouldn't do (standing up against the stove, chewing on the new TV table). We let her bump her head and get stuck because that's how she'll learn to persevere. It's hard to watch her fall and not catch her; but I know that every bump, every tear, every scratch is a learning process.

In the span of my lifetime, 8 months is nothing. But to look back to June when we brought home our sweet Harper and all we did was watch her lay in one place or sleep in our arms, and only 8 months later she's a moving, clapping, babbling little babe...8 months is HUGE!

So there's my view from today...trying to catch Harper!

Happy Harper!!

2012-02-01T16:28:00.000-08:00

I'm putting this everywhere I can think because it's the cutest thing EVER!! I can't believe that she played along with the camera actually rolling...

I LOVE my happy girl!!!

I've watched it so many times, and every time I do Harper starts clapping next to me. So happy!!

One Word

2012-01-13T10:03:00.000-08:00

Once again, my favorite stranger blog got me thinking. She asked, “If you had to focus on one word for 2012, what would it be?” This was actually really easy for me to answer. And if I stop to think about it, I don’t like that it was so easy for me. That means I’ve been thinking about it too much.

I’ve had a hard time recently finding my “niche” as a new stay at home mom. I’m not the crafty stay at home mom (although I do have two craft projects going...both sort of at a stand still right now though, ha!). I’d prefer not to be a “stay at home all day every day” sort of stay at home mom. I’m never going to be the stay at home mom that spends all sorts of money putting my kid in all sorts of programs so that I really don’t have to actually spend time with my kids. But I’m also not the go-getter, put myself out there, call up everyone I know and have a playdate kind of stay at home mom either. Although, that’s the kind I want to be.

Ever since I left the small pond of Panhandle and entered the big sea called College, my ability to meet new people or put myself out there has really sucked. In college, I swore I was going to meet new people and not just hang out with “Panhandle People” (uh, can you say snob?). Well, as it turns out, I didn’t. And I hated my first two years of college because of it.

I’m not the kind of person who when I get bored, I think of something I want to do and call around until I find someone to go do it with me. In fact, most of the time I’m pretty content just sitting at home being bored (What’s the saying? Only the boring are bored? Something like that...). But I hate that about myself. Even with my best friends...I just wait around until one of them calls me to do something, and then I immediately drop the absolutely nothing I’ve been doing all day and jump on the opportunity to hang out with my girlfriend(s). What's ridiculous is that I've also turned down so many of those invitations for no good reason that it's a wonder they still want to be friends with me.

So...I want to be more of a doer. Granted, there is definitely a fine line here between being a doer, and being too busy. I don’t want to over-“do” it here. I want Harper to keep her naps; I want to be able to play with Harper, just the two of us sometimes; I don’t want to over commit to where I don’t enjoy the things I’m doing. But it shouldn’t be everyone else’s job to entertain me.

This is even more important now that Harper is here. I want her to meet new people, to be comfortable in new situations, to be a doer herself. I’ve gotten better, too. Instead of sitting at home now, just the two of us, we’ll get out and go to Baby Bounce at the library or walk down to the park (yes, it’s January and we’ve been playing at the park...it’s been gorgeous here). But it’s still just the two of us more often than not. Yes, we have playdates occasionally, and yes, we have MOPS meetings we go to; but I’m finding lately that I need more. I need more adult interaction. I need more fellowship. I need to feel a part of something. I need to know I’m doing everything I can to give Harper everything she needs to be the person I want her to be (and, let’s be honest here...so I can be the person I want to be).

So what’s the one word I’m going to focus on for 2012? It could be confidence. It could doing. I think I’m going to go with relationships, though. Because I know that there are women out there who can enrich my life and Harper’s. I know that some of these women are a part of my life already, women that I already love and respect and look forward to hanging out with more often; but I also know that there are others that I haven’t met yet (or haven’t gotten to know) somewhere out there (hopefully with kids Harper’s age) who will help me be the best stay at home mom I can be. Because it takes a village, right?

*edit: After writing this post last night, I told myself that I was going to go to the Mommy and Me playdate at the church where we attend MOPS this morning...no backing out. And wouldn't you know it, my old self started to seep in as we were backing out of the driveway. " I'm scared...I"m not going to know anyone...Who am I going to talk to...We should probably just stay home..." BUT I sucker punched my old self, and went anyway. Even though there was only one other mom there, I"m still so glad we went. Harper engaged with the little boys that were there, and I got to talk to two women who I normally wouldn't have introduced myself to in a different situation. So even though I would've been completely content staying home and playing with Harper...I'm focusing on being relational. It's going to be a good year.

7 Months!

2012-01-12T18:04:00.000-08:00

Wow! Month seven was a big one developmentally for one Harper Louise. She can crawl; she's got the pincer grasp down and can feed herself (which means she's trying lots of new solids); she started pulling up; AND she's got a tooth finally breaking the gums. That's BIG stuff for such a little one!

She's spent a lot of time in her diaper...it seems easier for her to crawl and stand without her clothes slip sliding all over the hardwood floor. Plus, who doesn't love a baby in a diaper!

She got to see a lot of family this month; she celebrated her first Christmas; and she rang in a new year (not that she even knew!).

Unfortunately, Harper is no longer the star sleeper that I used to rave about (gotta be that tooth, right?). She wakes up at least once (screaming usually), and we don't know know whether to feed her, let her cry it out (brutal), or give her ibuprofen. It's a freaking conundrum every night! I know it's just a phase, but I'm ready for her to go back to being the awesome sleeper so I don't have to stay up worrying about my poor parenting anymore!

This month, I am loving playdates--watching her and her little "friends" figure each other out is priceless. Harper tends to go straight for other people's mouths. But she's tough...she doesn't mind when she gets poked in the eye or when Ellie wrestles her to the ground with one of her awesome hugs...she just rolls with the punches. And Ellie is definitely teaching Harper a few things!

It's been an unspeakably hard month for some "mommy" friends of mine. Every time I think of Sweet Adeline or angel Conner, I hold Harper a little closer and thank God for every second I get to spend with her.

The Many Faces of Harper and Drew

2011-12-31T14:05:00.000-08:00

Show me mad...

Show me fake smile...

Show me complete disinterest...

Show me gangsta'...

Show me LOVE!!

Man, I love these two!!

2011

2011-12-31T13:58:00.000-08:00

So I'm copying this idea from my friend, Julie. I liked going through iPhoto and reliving 2011. It was a pretty stellar year!

January 2011:

At Andrew and Lindsey's wedding. Welcome to the Dickson side, Lindsey!

February:

Painting Harper's nursery...can you say "Planner"?

March:

With said friend, Julie...I can't wait to watch Harper and Lucy grow up playing together in Austin!

April:

Getting showered with love in Panhandle. Sweet Youngs... (notice my cheeks are starting to puff!)

May:

Scottie's wedding...ready to POP!

June:

Happy Birthday, Harper Louise!

July:

The hottest summer ever known...

August:

Summer slowly winding down...not much excitement...

September:

Road trip to CO for Anna and Eric's wedding

October:

Sweet little lion

November:

Our Christmas card this year (that got lost in the mail--don't worry, you didn't get left off the list).

December:

BEST PRESENT EVER!!!

May 2012 be as bountiful to you and yours!

Such a Merry Christmas!

2011-12-31T07:19:00.001-08:00

Oh, my goodness! Christmas 2011 tops the charts as one of my favorites. Put it right up there with Christmas 2009. Why? Because not only were we in Austin with all of the Dicksons, but my brother and sister and spouses came to celebrate with us. And the cherry on top? Harper, duh!!

There were games a'plenty, lots of delicious food, even more delicious desserts, and lots of "Pass the Baby". Here is a brief recap through pictures...

So here's the story with the naked baby...Harper had a beautiful Christmas dress that I wanted to preserve until right before we left for the Christmas Eve service. She was all ready to go except for the dress.

Everyone was loading up in the cars; Harper would be last (again, waiting until the last minute to put the dress on). Cars are full; dress is going on. One arm in. And puke. Like the biggest spit up I've ever seen. The beautiful dress is covered inside and out, exactly what I was trying to avoid. We split up with two cars going to the church to save us seats. Becky and Sarah are like two bridesmaids trying to save the bride's dress on her wedding day: two blowdryers out, drying like crazy while I'm still trying to figure out why my daughter hates me. Finally, the dress was deemed wearable, we go for dress attempt #2. And puke. I'm not kidding. At this point, I just say screw it, wipe the dress down, put a bib on her and call it done. We made it to church on time, and she sat through almost the whole service without a peep. Oh, Harper.

This is pretty much how we spent the majority of our time...watching Harper do something. Anything. Like sit in front of the Christmas tree. It was adorable. Ha!

Christmas morning was way more entertaining with a baby around. Even though she didn't care at all about anything but the wrapping paper, the excitement was there for us all. Plus, opening tiny little Nikes and stuffed animals and adorable clothes galore is a lot more fun than not, right?!

Christmas morning with Ogee. Such a snuggler!

Between Neal's family and my own, the games were bound to get rowdy. Bruce got a Four Square game as his White Elephant gift and was determined to play. Forget that it had been raining for 48 hours straight...we'll play in the kitchen!

We decided against drawing with chalk on the floor, even though Bruce was ready as soon as he opened the box. Blue painter's tape worked just as well! And believe me...it got REAL.

Giggling with Aunt Sarah.

Family picture Take 1 (more like 15):

Much better!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! We sure did!

Toms

2011-12-14T15:20:00.000-08:00

Like mother, like daughter...

Thanks, Andi for Harper's Toms...She can finally wear them!

Happy Half Birthday!!

2011-12-11T18:00:00.001-08:00

I know I say this every month, but I can't believe it's been SIX MONTHS since Harper was born. It feels like just yesterday that I was pregnant and feeling her kick inside me. Time sure flies when you're having fun!!

This month was pretty tame compared to the last couple. A trip to Austin for Thanksgiving, but mostly hanging out around here (it was kinda great, I'm not gonna lie!). Harper is growing and going these days. She's army crawling wherever she wants to go now. She can get up on all fours and sort of rocks when she gets there, but hasn't quite figured out the real crawl yet. I'm okay with that though, because the army crawl is still pretty slow...once she's crawling for real I'm gonna have a hard time keeping up with her, I think. Here's a little clip...it cracks me up; she LOVES seeing herself in the iPhone.

Six month appointment was pretty uneventful too. She's 14 pounds, 12 ounces; 26 inches long. The doctor said it was a "perfect checkup." She had three shots and didn't shed a tear! She's such a tough girl!

She's sitting up like a pro now, and playdates are so much more fun now that she's actually interacting with the other babes.

I am in love with this little babe! The next six months are going to fly by, I'm afraid. SLOW DOWN, Time, SLOW DOWN!!

Alright, a boring post, but I feel I made up for it by including a video. Right?!

A Heart of Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T10:11:00.001-08:00

It’s official, the holidays are among us. It’s such a busy time of year, and yet it’s the time of year I look forward to the most. Not because of the presents, or the food (however, I am very thankful for the food), but because of the time I get to spend with friends and family. Yes, there are definitely times when I look at my calendar and wish we had some down time; but as soon as we gather with our friends or our family, I’m instantly convinced we made the right decision to get out of the house one more time. Those moments when I’m feeling tired and run down are replaced with joy and thanksgiving when I walk into the warm and welcoming home of those we love the most.

And Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday of the year (again, not all because of the food) because there’s no rushing around crazy packed shopping malls, there’s no pressure to buy the perfect present for everyone on your list, and the holiday parties haven’t consumed all of your time quite yet. It’s simply about being thankful, and surrounding yourself with people you love. Period. (The food is a pretty big cherry on top, though.)

So what am I thankful for this year?

First and foremost, I am thankful for my husband. I am thankful for our marriage. He supports me and loves me and always makes sure I know how much (it's about two inches less than I love him). He works hard so that I can stay home with our daughter. He makes me laugh every single day. He knows my heart and accepts me for my shortcomings. He challenges me and encourages me to search for complete answers instead of just being content with the simple ones. He helps me be a better version of myself: healthier, stronger, happier. He is an amazing father to our daughter, and seeing his (and her) face light up when he sees her warms my heart every single time. He is my best friend, and for that I am thankful.

I am thankful for a healthy, happy baby girl. Every single day, I am amazed by her discoveries, her happy and calm spirit, her ability to adapt to her surroundings, and the way she’s changed our lives. I am thankful for her sweet cheeks and dimpled chin that she got from me, her beautiful eyes and luscious lips she got from Daddy, and the long eyelashes she inherited from us both. It means she’s ours, and for that I am thankful.

I am thankful for our families. My sister is my best friend. She has been beside me for the best and worst days of my life. She listens well and knows when I need to cry, laugh, vent, or brag. I could not ask for a more amazing sister. I do not have the words to thank my sister for everything she has done for me. My brother is my hero. I want to make him laugh, to make him proud, to be like him. He is the coolest person I know. I'm so glad he's my brother.

Every day I am thankful that Anne and Les opened their home to us all those years ago; that they loved us when we needed it the most. I am thankful for Meg and her boys, for their health and happiness, even when they are faced with life's challenges.

Sarah, Mark, Andrew, Lindsey, and Lauren are not only family, but they are my friends. I would pick every single one to be a part of my life; I'm so grateful that the people I love so much made that so easy for me.

I am especially thankful for Bruce and Becky this year. They have supported us, encouraged us, taught us, challenged us, and loved us. They are an incredible example of what a strong marriage, loving parents, and servants of God should look like.

These people are forever a part of my life, and for that I am thankful.

I am thankful for my friends, both near and far, big and little. Thank you for your hugs, for your laughter, for keeping me sane, and for sharing your kids, your time, and your wine. I love you all.

For this and so much more I am so very thankful.

5 Months!

2011-11-09T20:22:00.000-08:00

Man, every time I sit down to write one of Harper's monthly updates, I'm amazed at all of the "big" things that have happened to her that month. I think to myself, "What big adventures for such a little girl." I usually end each entry with, "I can't wait to see what adventures next month brings you." But in my head, I'm also thinking, It can't get much bigger than this. And then it does!! Month five was pretty darn exciting for one sweet little girl.

She was a lion...

A skeleton...

She went on her first plane ride...

Saw her first snow...

Had lots of quality time with Nonnie...

Met Uncle Rob...

Drove her first car...JUST KIDDING!

Drove her first cart...for real. She's a big girl now, you know.

On Great Grandparents

2011-11-07T14:20:00.000-08:00

How blessed is Harper to be able to reach out and touch the hands that held her mom and dad, that rocked her grandparents to sleep. How incredible is this life that allows us to witness the bonding of two people who are nine decades apart in age, but who see the pureness in each other’s hearts so easily. Harper can look past the wrinkles and ailments, and only see their unconditional love. If only we, the middle generations, could do the same. Sometimes we forget that these family members, the ones who have been around the longest, are just like the newest ones, the babes. Yes, we have to take care of them, feed them, clothe them, remind them of their daily habits; but when they see you walk into a room and smile, it’s because they know that you’re family. And family is forever.

Beginning Traditions: The Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

I never paid much attention to family traditions before Harper was born. Wait. That's not true; I always had to open presents on Christmas morning, not Christmas Eve, and...yep, that's all I can think of at the moment. I'm sure there are more, but as a little girl I don't remember looking forward to certain days of the year because of the traditions that came with them. But I want to create traditions for Harper; ones that she'll look forward to every year. I want Harper to look back on her childhood and remember the Special Day plate, Easter Egg hunts, dates with Daddy, opening Christmas pajamas and a new tree ornament each Christmas Eve, and finding the perfect pumpkin every year. I want her to remember the special memories we created by celebrating big and small days in big and small ways.

So this week, Harper and I headed to the pumpkin patch with the Corders as a new tradition. Sure, I let Preston pick out our pumpkin this year, but before too long it'll be Harper's turn to wander the aisles and pick out the perfect orange gourd.

How ADORABLE is Graham in his little lion costume?!

Preston takes good care of the littles!

Oh, those hypnotizing blue eyes...so precious!

Graham was way more cooperative with the camera than Harper. But some new material for the blog is never a bad idea, right?

I know that Harper isn't going to remember her first trip to the pumpkin patch or her first Christmas morning (or her second or third either), but the traditions are just as much for me as they are for her. I'll look back on these pictures and know that I did everything I could to create a special childhood for Harper. And one day Harper will look at these pictures and know that her mom loved her more than anything.

Guatemala Girl!

2011-10-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

My friend Paige is in Guatemala right now working with a non-profit that benefits children with cleft lip and palettes. She is incredibly brave for going on this adventure all on her own, and I finally got a chance to catch up with her this month after nine months away. Anyway, awhile back another friend of mine, Katie, went to visit Paige and brought back two beautiful dresses for Harper. The first one fits perfectly, just in time for fall. She's still got some growing room in the other, which is perfect! Anyway, Harper modeled the dress beautifully for a little photo shoot in the backyard.

It IS You, Peter...

2011-10-22T14:46:00.000-07:00

Harper's new thing this week:

Name that movie reference...Anyone??

No Words...Just Harper

2011-10-14T20:22:00.000-07:00

I have nothing to say...just pictures to share. The last one makes me laugh...she's either tattling or there is an "Oh, no she di-dint..." in there somewhere. Please to enjoy.

Harper Outtakes

2011-10-13T06:28:00.000-07:00

So during my little "moment" last week when I was trying to remember Newborn Harper and relive the last four months, I found some amazing outtakes of Harper mixed in with all her sweetness. Oh, the hilarity.

I mean this is just gross...Meg and I actually get a good picture, and Harper goes and screws it up with her spit. She would.

I'm pretty sure this is her "I am refusing to smile or acknowledge the camera in my face" face...

And her "What...What did I do?" face...arms out and everything.

She's really starting to work those eyebrows...keep your eye out...

And this is just scary. I mean for her, I guess.

She's already started cheesing it up for the camera.

And of course...Drew screws up another picture. Weird.

And a confession of my own blooper from last night...I washed a diaper. Like, in the washing machine. What?! I know. How does that even happen? I have no idea where it came from or what was in it prior to the wash. But what I do know is that that thing absorbed a lot of water. And then exploded. Because all the gooey gross water absorption gel stuff was in my washer. Gross. Anyway, immediate rewashes are always fun.

Mini Milestones

2011-10-12T10:22:00.000-07:00

I was reading my monthly Parents magazine this morning with my coffee (while my daughter slept until 9...God bless her), and there was an article on ‘mini-milestones’. The writer pointed out that amid the bigger milestones like first steps and first birthdays (which will inevitably include millions of pictures, crazy grandparent excitement, and a waterfall of emotions for one proud mama), “there are also many powerful little milestones that sneak up on you. Often you don’t realize you have encountered one until it is taking your breath away--or slipping past so fast you don’t notice you’re missing it.”

Well, my breath got taken away this week by one such “mini-milestone”. We went to Harper’s four month check up and got the go-ahead to start solids with her. Great. Sounds like fun and a complete disaster at the same time. We had the new high chair, the right spoons, bright little bowls with fishies on them, and made a special trip to the store for the perfect, doctor recommended rice cereal.

This is her "You want me to do WHAT with the WHAT?" face...

Neal claimed first feed, and I relunctantly agreed. However, I morphed into control freak mode as soon as it was time, and Neal got the message loud and clear when I snapped at him, “This is a BIG deal for me!” Yikes. Needless to say, he took over the roll as photographer and videographer so I could have this moment feeding my daughter for the first time.

We were right: it was a complete disaster, and wildly hilarious at the same time. The cereal was like water, and out of a dozen or so spoonfuls, I’d say half of one may have stayed in the mouth.

But it was afterwards that I had to go have a moment alone to process this “mini-milestone”. When did I get a child old enough to sit in a high chair and eat from a spoon? Where did my baby go that used to lay in one spot, loved to be held, and stared longingly into my eyes while she nursed? The time spent feeding her before was “our” time...bonding with each other like only a mother/child can. Now I have this sweet, precious girl who is rolling all over the place, hates the very swaddle that kept her safe and warm for the first three months of her life, and couldn’t care less about bonding with mom over “lunch and dinner” (there are exciting noises, colors, and new distractions that turn those lunches and dinners into outright nursing strikes).

It's a conundrum though for a new mom, these milestones--big or small. You want your baby to be "advanced", to reach every milestone when the books say she will (or before). And all the while you're thinking, She hasn't rolled over yet...the neighbor's kid rolled over two weeks ago...she's not grabbing at anything...what's wrong with her? And then all of a sudden she rolls over/grabs something/eats from a spoon and you're left with the feeling that time is going too damn fast.

Just for a moment this week, I needed time to stand still. I needed to cradle my baby a little longer at night while she drifted off to sleep. I know I have to accept the fact that before too long she’ll be crawling, and walking, and talking (yes, I realize I'm jumping the gun a little, but it crosses my mind every day). Don’t get me wrong...I’m so excited about those big milestones. Heck, I was excited about this mini one...I just didn’t realize how much it was going to take my breath away. And I pray that I have the presence of mind throughout Harper’s life to not let the other mini-milestones “slip past so fast I don’t even notice them.”

Another "mini-milestone": she can sit up unassisted for a few seconds now...such a big girl!

4 Months

2011-10-11T08:25:00.000-07:00

Dear Harper,

Do you know how crazy I am about you? Do you know how much I love you? That I would do anything for you? Do you know how much I love getting you up in the morning and after naps, seeing that smile widen like you've never been happier to see someone in your whole life? Do you know how much I look forward to each day, to see what new tricks you've got up your sleeve, what that little mind and body are working so hard at each day? Do you know that you are a lucky lucky girl, with parents who love you more than anything?

You've been working hard this month at growing and have had lots of fun adventures with old and new friends.

Playing with those Crazy Mays.

Ellie's teaching you all her fun tricks too.

You saw your first Ranger win this month; you were a big fan...and by big fan, I mean you slept through the last 6 innings. It was fun having you at the ball park because it has so many fun memories for your daddy and me. I'm glad you finally got to share in those with us.

You're getting big enough now to play with new toys. You're grabbing things (putting them straight in your mouth) and rolling over (barrel rolling is more like it). You've already got places you've got to be and if rolling will get you there, so be it. You're so much more alert these days which also means you're so much more distracted. We have to go into a dark/quiet room now for you to eat, otherwise there's too much around you that you're more interested in. But the dark and quiet is okay with me because that's just more "us" time that I relish in. You've made me put away my own distractions so I can focus on you, helping you grow up to be strong and healthy.

Speaking of strong and healthy, you were a champ at your four month check up. You weighted twelve pounds eleven ounces and were 25 1/2 inches long. Dr. Linderman said you were a "crazy long baby." But what else would we expect from the newest Dickson...long and lean...just like your parents.

You had your first cold this month which didn't seem to bother you too much, but worried your momma a lot. We snuggled all day that first day, and after that you were fine...you may have sounded like an old man when you were breathing, but no worse for the wear.

Harper Louise, you are the light of my life, the joy of my heart. I've had a few moments this month where I wanted time to stand still. I want to relish in your baby-dom a little longer, because before I know it you'll be crawling then walking then talking then going off to college (okay, a little dramatic, but sometimes I feel like that). I love spending my days with you and watching you sleep at night. You are an amazing creature of God that I know is going to bring even more light and so much more joy to our lives. I love you, sweet girl.

Love,

Mom

What a Difference a YEAR Makes...

2011-10-05T07:47:00.000-07:00

Around this time last year I had a secret...a BIG one. I remember it all very vividly.

The morning of October 22, Neal and I had our very first sonogram. Only my sister knew about the pregnancy, and I had this irrational fear that my heart wanted a baby so badly that my mind was playing tricks on me, despite the dozen or so pregnancy tests I'd taken since the first positive showed up. There was just a little blob on the screen, but the nurse assured us that that was most definitely a baby. I was on Cloud Nine.

Everyone else in Dallas was pumped because the Rangers were in a wild race to the World Series. That same night we had tickets to Game 6 of the ALCS, Rangers versus Yankees. Colby Lewis pitched eight innings. We sat in the home run porch and watched the rain come down in the early innings. Rangers had never won a playoff game before that year, and there had definitely never been any World Series buzz. Ninth inning, Neftali Feliz came in, Alex Rodriguez was at the plate with two outs. He strikes out swinging.

Rangers win the ALCS!!! They're going to the World Series!!! WE'RE HAVING A BABY!!!

It was the coolest day of our lives; I don't think either of us will ever forget it. The people around us had no idea what joy I had in my heart; but that night confetti flew, fireworks burst, champagne was everywhere...for most, it was because the Rangers had just made history. But for me, 51,404 people were celebrating our future alongside us!

Three Months!

2011-09-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

Harper is three months now, cuter than ever, and so much fun. We spend our mornings dancing in front of the mirror (a girl after my own heart!!), our afternoons playing on our playmat or with "friends", and our evenings cuddling with Daddy. Life is GOOD!

This month Harper has found her hands...

Hook 'em!!

Gone to the cardiologist for an Echo and EKG (no worries...she's perfect!)...

Left Texas for the first time...

Met some of her extended family...

and gone on her first hike...

It's been a big month for Harper; she's been such a trooper throughout all of our adventures this month. We can't wait to see what month 4 brings us...

Amazing.

2011-09-15T09:53:00.000-07:00

After our visit in Denver, we headed even further up the Colorado mountains into Estes Park for Anna Eric's wedding. I wish I could describe the amazing weekend, but all I can think of is:

Harper was amazing.

The view was amazing.

The wedding location was amazing.

The couple is amazing.

My extended family is amazing.

This is the traditional cousin line up (minus Robert) that has been taken annually for I don't know how many years...Can you imagine a better backdrop for your wedding portraits?? No...I didn't think so.

That's all I've got. As an English teacher, I'm actually embarrassed at my lack of words to describe the weekend, but when everything was as perfect as it was in Estes Park, there's not much more that I can say.

Denver Days

2011-09-15T07:21:00.000-07:00

When we were finished with the Panhandle wind we drove through the rest of the Texas Panhandle, ventured into New Mexico, and wound our way through the Colorado mountains. We landed in Denver and spent the middle of the week exploring downtown, walking through rainforests at the Aquarium, meandering the Botanic Gardens, and just relaxing in the cooler weather with my brother and sister-in-law. It was the perfect way to spend our vacation.

(Muncie looks a little crazed in this picture, while Petunia is completely unfazed.)

Harper was fascinated by the aquarium lights and sounds...the shark overhead definitely caught her attention too.

The Denver Botanic Gardens were a great place for me to practice my photog skills again...

We had such an incredible time in Denver with my brother and sister-in-law. There's nothing better than sitting on the back porch with family and a glass of wine just enjoying each others' company.

Going "Home"

2011-09-06T20:36:00.000-07:00

It's official, Neal and I are on vacation. We're slowly making our way to Estes Park, CO for Neal's cousin's wedding. Our first stop was in Panhandle. I always love going home, but it's even more special now to see my daughter in the places I grew up. It's changed so much since I've been there, but it's still "home". Plus, I get to watch Meg's boys love on my little girl. What sweet boys!!

Harper got some extra love from Meg, too. Too bad she never gets a vacation from tummy time.

I found a quote recently that says, "What I love most about my home is who I share it with." I've been thinking a lot about that lately because I feel like I have a lot of "homes". I go "home" to Panhandle. I go "home" to Austin. I am "home" in Dallas. The more I think about this quote though, the more I realize that it isn't where "home" is...it's who's there with me. I'm glad I've got these two to be at home with everyday.

I love the next picture because I know that no matter where Harper calls "home" she's got these boys to back her up and take care of her. Any boyfriend of Harper's had better watch out...

We're in Denver now with my brother and his wife. More pictures to come...

Back to School

2011-08-24T20:27:00.000-07:00

This week marked the beginning of a new school year. In the past, a new school year meant a fresh start, a renewed spirit, an excitement filling my stomach with butterflies. But this year is different. Adventures abound this week for so many. Whether it’s teachers preparing for a new group of kiddos to walk through their doors; students gearing up for new classes, new teachers, and new friends; or parents saying goodbye to their littles for their first day at kindergarten, not knowing who it’s going to be harder on...them or their babies. And as I watched my friends go back to work this week, wishing them good luck and small classes, I was preparing for my own adventures to unfold.

Monday morning while school buses were rolling down streets for the first day of school, I was sitting at home for the first time in about 22 years. It felt strange. I sat with my cup of coffee and stared out my front windows, watching the calm morning pass. It was a time of reflecting and thanking God for all of the blessings in my life. I am so thankful to have this opportunity to be at home with Harper; I know there are so many moms out there who would do anything to stay home but circumstances won’t allow it. How blessed Harper and I both are that we have Neal working hard so that we can have this time together. All week I’ve been thinking of all things that I’m looking forward to while I stay home with Harper.

I’m so thankful I get to be there for all of her “firsts.” The first time she rolls over, crawling, laughing for the first time, her first steps. I’m excited about play dates and conversations with other moms; putting her down for naps and being the first face she sees when she wakes up from them; watching her personality blossom as she gains new perspective on this big world she’s now a part of.

I’m glad I’m the one that will get to wipe away her tears when she’s fallen down or is getting new teeth or has a fever. I’m happy that when she’s sad, I’ll be the one to cuddle her and make her feel better.

And I’m glad that at the end of the day, I get to sit down and hang out with these two.

Life doesn’t get much better than this.

So even though there’s a small part of me that misses the challenges of teaching middle schoolers about grammar and literature, responsibility and time management, or knowing that I’ve made a difference in a seventh grader’s life; I know that I am exactly where I’m meant to be...at home with Harper, teaching her about life and love.

A "Different" Reaction

2011-08-17T07:22:00.000-07:00

I just got pooped on. You know what my first reaction was? Take a picture. Don't worry, it was not photoblog worthy/appropriate. But it's amazing to me how my perception/reaction to things has changed now that there is an adorable babe involved.

You want me to go diaper diving and find the one with blood in it? No problem. Poop shoots three feet from changing table to bed skirt? Amazing. I couldn't do that. Babe's been crying for an hour? At least it's an adorable cry.

Getting out of bed in the middle of the night is not nearly as bad when there is a sweet smile greeting you from the crib. The second, third, and fourth time? As long as that smile is there, I could do it a dozen times.

These pictures have nothing to do with this post, they're just my visual reminder of why I don't get grossed out anymore when I have someone else's poop on my leg or how I can get through the day on limited sleep.

Someone should come up with a book called, "You Know You're a Parent When..." I'm going to start compiling a list of all the things parents do for their kid...I'll make millions. And to all my friends who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant...don't worry, this may completely terrify you now, but I promise...you'll feel the same way when it's your own kid.

I've Got a KID!!

2011-08-16T14:51:00.000-07:00

There are times when something catches my eye and I have one of those “holy-smokes-I-have-a-kid” moments. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I’m pumping gas and leave my kid in a baking car and realize it...no, I could be changing her diaper and kissing her cheeks and after the millionth kiss, I remember, “Holy cow, this babe is mine.”

This happened the other night while I was picking up around the house. I was standing in our guest bathroom and looked up and saw Harper’s bathing suit hanging from the shower. We had gone swimming at the Williams’ that afternoon and hung them up to dry when we got home. But it wasn’t until a few hours later when my brain wasn’t going a million miles a minute that I saw it for what it really was...there are three of us now.

Whether it’s three bathing suits hanging up to dry instead of two or lazily laying out on a blanket watching my girl take in this bright new world, Harper has changed our lives.

This weekend the weather finally cooled off enough to enjoy being outside. We actually went for walks in the middle of the day, and Harper saw her first raindrops ever. She’s been here for 67 days without a single drop of rain. Saturday evening we took a blanket outside and enjoyed the cooler weather, watching Harper kick and listening to her “talk”. After a week without Neal (he was at training in Orlando all week), relaxing this weekend with him was definitely refreshing.

Remember when I mentioned swimming at the Williams’? My girl was adorable. I got her a swimsuit for all the swimming we do (can you read sarcasm on a blog??), and Becky/Nonnie got her a cute floppy hat to protect that precious, porcelain skin. She definitely takes after her momma...

Two seconds later...

That’s what we’ve been up to lately. I asked Neal to start taking pictures of Harper and me too, because otherwise 10 years down the road she may never know I existed. Ha!

2 Months!!

2011-08-11T09:16:00.000-07:00

It's weird...part of me can't believe it's been two months since Harper was born. The other part of me can't remember life without her. She is growing and changing every day. There are days when I'll put her down for a nap and when she wakes up, I'm 100% positive that something is different about her.

This month Harper has taken her first (and second) trip to Austin. She did great in the car both times (the second trip it was just the two of us...brave move, but she was awesome). She's taken her first dip in the swimming pool, and seeing as how she was born in the hottest summer in history, we're looking forward to many more. She had her first playdate which consisted of putting her and Andrew Erman on a mat and taking pictures of them, but hey...it counts.

She smiles all the time now, and is starting to talk more too. I can't get enough of her coos and am so looking forward to hearing her laugh. She's a big fan of peek-a-boo and could stare at a fan/light all day. She'd be happy standing all day if we let her. She's a big girl and prefers being upright to being held like the sweet baby she is. Tummy time is still a struggle, but we're still working on it.

In true Dickson fashion she is long and lean! She's 10 1/2 pounds and 23 1/4 inches long. That's the 50th percentile in weight and 70-90th in height.

And because I can't get enough of her smile, here are a couple more shots from our photo shoot yesterday...she was totally showing off!!

New Mom Happenings

2011-08-04T08:14:00.000-07:00

Being a new mom is tough. In the beginning you have all your help there--cooking and cleaning, running errands...basically doing everything you used to do so you can sit and nurse for 27 hours a day.

Then your help leaves and it's just the three of you. You get used to doing things one handed pretty quickly at that point. Not only do you start to figure each other out, but you start to figure out how to do the rest of your life, too.

And then one day your husband goes back to work, and it's just you and the babe (Oh, and did I mention all those things about the babe that you "had figured out"? Yeah, she's gone and changed it all up again).

So what's a new mom to do? First of all, enter girlfriends!! Thank goodness for good friends. Whether they're bringing you Sonic drinks and keeping you company; introducing you to Mommy/Baby activities like Baby Bounce or MOPS; planning mid-day/mid-week playdates; or inviting the whole fam over to get out of the house for an evening...girlfriends will save your life!

Here's our first playdate with sweet Andrew Erman. Andrew's mom, Julie, is from Panhandle and it turns out we probably live closer to each other here in Dallas than our families do in Panhandle. Andrew was born only two weeks after Harper. They were meant to be buddies, that's for sure!! Plus, for us "new moms" it's great to visit with someone who's going through the same things you are at the same time as you...lots of funny "ME TOO!!" conversations!

As a new mom, the other thing I find myself fascinated with lately is how much Harper is growing and changing. She's starting to focus a lot more. And I think she's starting to be quite fascinated with herself as well!

She's pretty proud of herself!!

Deep Thoughts on the Weekend

2011-07-30T09:18:00.000-07:00

I was reading one of my favorite blogs this morning and wanted to win one of her awesome giveaways. I've never commented on her blog before (or any blog but Heather's for that matter), but I could really use a cute new swimsuit for this new post baby bod. So I ignored my complete-stranger-blog-stalking fear and left a comment. And, per usual for this particular blog, her question at the end got me thinking...What do I hope my weekend looks like?

Let's face it, the last seven weekends have looked a whole lot like the last seven weeks. I guess can expect that for a while since I'll be staying at home with Harper from now on. And I'm okay with that. We may have some special weekends with visitors, trips to Austin, upcoming weddings, or just lunch dates with friends; but the days will basically look the same.

So what exactly does that look like? And is it everything I hoped?

Honestly, yes. My days, including weekends, are spent getting to know my sweet girl. They're spent watching her while she eats, staring at her while she sleeps, and laughing at her while she sits in her bumbo/plays on her mat/tries to stand on those long, wobbly legs.

They're spent singing to her, taking her picture, and holding her over my shoulder.

Every second is spent loving her.

So what do I hope this weekend looks like? Just like yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. Because every day I get to spend loving on this kid is a great day. Even if somewhere among all that sweetness, I'm frustrated with her crying, grossed out by her pooping on me (oh, it happens), or exhausted from no napping--none of that compares to her sweet smiles, or knowing that she's actually starting to look at me and not just through me, or the love I feel when she lays that head on my shoulder and drifts off to sleep.

Yes, that's what I hope my weekend looks like: watching my seven week old daughter sleep, eat, even poop. Because it hasn't gotten old yet. She's still awe-inspiring. And if there's a special outing or experience we can share together, great. As long as Harper and Neal are there, I'll be happy.

Weekend Away!

2011-07-25T05:54:00.000-07:00

Neal and I made the lovely journey down I-35 this weekend for Harper’s first weekend away. The drive down 35 from Dallas to Austin is easily one of the worst drives ever--potholes, constant construction, stupid drivers. It’s actually been awhile since we made the whole drive on 35; we usually take a lot of backroads to avoid road rage and murder charges against my husband (ok, it’s not that bad...but open roads and extra time is a lot better than stop and go and on time). But no matter how long those three hours may seem or how bad the drive actually is, we love making it for what’s on the other end.

**This was waiting for us when we pulled into the driveway...do you think they were excited to see her???

The drive down 35 means time with Nonnie and Ogee, hanging out with Aunt Lauren and Uncle Dickie (we’re still working on that one...), and this time it meant celebrating Aunt Lindsey’s birthday!

Being in Austin means getting spoiled: both Harper and myself. Harper gets spoiled because, let’s face it, we’re hanging out at the grandparents, and they just can’t get enough of her. But it also means I get spoiled because they love holding her and feeding her and changing her and babysitting her, so I just sit around and enjoy my coffee and read a book and hang out with Lauren. It’s a win-win for us all.

The big event this weekend was Harper’s first dip in the pool. I really debated whether or not we should get in, but in the end the blistering hot Austin weather won (and the fact that my afternoon out with Lauren got cut short because of stupid people). Fortunately, Bruce and Becky’s neighbors were awesome and let us use their pool instead of having to take a dip in a public pool (which I wouldn’t have done with her at this point).

**What a diva...Harper had her own umbrella handler.

She loved the water. I'm not really surprised since she's such a fan of the bath (see 'Splish Splash' post below...it's adorable if you haven't already checked it out).

I'm not sure what Neal loved more...swimming with his daughter for the first time or just cooling off from the oppressive 100+ degree weather.

But no one loved it more than Ogee...

Ogee got to spend time with one of his favorite girls in one of his favorite places ...ahhh... Heaven!

It was a great way to cool off, that's for sure. Plus, it's amazing how much more fun everything is when there is a baby involved! Okay, maybe not everything, but so far so good!

**Her diaper probably weighed as much as she did by the end of it...at least we know how much those puppies can handle, huh?!

The truth is the drive down I-35 is so worth it if we get to spend time with family.

Figuring it Out

2011-07-19T12:02:00.001-07:00

Harper has been here for almost six weeks. In that time we have slowly started to figure each other out. To be honest, I thought I'd be terrified...scared of feeding her too little/too much, scared of hurting her little belly button, scared of that little floppy head of hers, scared of driving with her in the car...scared of not being a good mom.

I had everything ready for her when she arrived...some might say I was a little over prepared (Me? Over prepared? Never...ha!). I started her nursery in January; her crib was up by April; I read three different books throughout the course of my pregnancy (they all said the same thing...we heard it again in our childbirth class...the same. exact. thing.); I couldn't stop worrying about whether or not she had enough clothes (believe me, she does). I just wanted to be "ready".

I was "ready" to physically have a baby in the house; or at least my house was ready to have a baby in it. Past that...I had no idea how "having a baby in the house" was going to change our lives. You can't prepare for that. You know it's going to change your life, but exactly how is totally unpredictable.

Then you go home...and you start living. Life is totally different than when you left to head to the hospital two days before, but it's living all the same. You don't stop to think about feeding her too much/too little, she'll tell you when she's had enough or is still hungry. You stop being so gentle during the diaper changes and stop worrying about that ugly little umbilical stump because the more time you spend without the diaper on, the bigger the chance that she'll poop all over again while she's waiting on you. You don't even think about that wiggly wobbly little head of hers, because you're holding on so tight you know whatever way it might bobble isn't going to hurt her...it might shock you both, but it won't hurt her. You get in the car without thinking because you've got places to be, people to show her off to...and then you're there, without even thinking that you actually just drove with her...on the road....with other cars...big ones...going fast. You're just happy to be out of the house.

You start to figure each other out. What each cry means...what position she prefers...when she's ready to get up/lay down/sit upright...you don't think about these things, you just figure it out. Trial and error. Guessing. Making mistakes. However it happens, you just do it. I guess that's what people call parenting.

This is the "I'm content in this position...for now" look.

I knew all along I'd be able to do it...that with help, I'd be just fine. And fortunately, I'm not so scared anymore. I know I'll make mistakes, that I'll guess wrong; but Harper will be okay. And the things I can't change (we know there will be some of that too) will only help make me stronger, a better mom. I know she's going to cry, she's going to change her mind and her routine, she's going to get hurt. But I'll be there for her when she does. And really...that's all Harper needs right now. Someone to be there. To pick her up when she's fallen, to hug her and listen to her when she's sad, to figure it out when she doesn't know how to put it into words.

This is the "Stop taking my picture and get me back inside where it's cool" cry.

We'll be there--Neal and I, and all of you who love her. That's the best thing about this whole parenting thing...we're not alone. Thank God.

Splish Splash

2011-07-15T14:39:00.000-07:00

Harper got her first bath!!! Honestly, I was a little nervous about how this was going to go...the sponge baths just didn't do it for Harper in the beginning. She pretty much screamed her way through all of those. But she LOVED the real bath. It totally relaxed her...until we poured water down her face...oops. Live and learn--we're new at this.

How ADORABLE is this face??? Gosh...I just want to squeeze her!!
A little Jedi warrior...hehe!

We Had it First!!!

2011-07-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

So word on the street is that Becks and Posh copied Neal and I when they named their new daughter Harper Seven. I just want to say on the record that we had our kid (and name) picked first. In no way did I copy Posh Spice. I mean, if there were a Spice Girl that I were going to copy, she would be the last one I'd pick to model after (okay, she's probably tied with the one with the bad teeth, whose name I can't even recall...anyone? Help me out here...Okay, or Sporty Spice. Ginger and Baby would probably be up there with them too...). Okay, you get what I'm trying to say, right? MY Harper is NO BARBIE GIRL.

However, I can promise you that even though Harper Louise's parents are NOT considered two of the sexiest people in Hollywood/the UK/the world...this girl still has the looks. I mean, how cute is she????

(so dainty)

This was our attempt at a photo shoot last week. I need to wait until one of her nap times (which I pretty much have at least 10 hours to choose from during the day) so I can pose her and catch that sweet sleeping face she sports. But seriously, Posh's kid has NOTHING on mine!!

P.S. What's with the number seven? Really, Becks?!

One Month Already?!

2011-07-09T08:47:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that a month has gone by already...it feels like last week I was lying in bed (not sleeping) waiting for 6 o'clock to get here so I could go to the hospital to be induced. It had been a brutal 9 months of waiting to meet our sweet Harper Louise.

This month has brought so much joy to our lives; I can't put into words the love we have for this sweet baby girl.

This month Harper has slept through the night (8 hours once, hallelujah!), taken the pacifier, taken the bottle (even with formula...but that's a story for another time), gone shopping (lots), been to story time with the big kids, rolled over (mistake or not, she rolled over), and had her first bath! She's been a champ through it all. We're blessed with one SUPER SWEET baby!

Not a great comparison since she looks so PISSED in the first one...but take my word for it, she's definitely changing every day! And I promise, she's a really happy baby...I just haven't mastered the quick draw it takes to get her smiles on camera yet.

Get a Quick Fix

2011-07-07T05:55:00.001-07:00

Just a sweet shot to hold you over until the next real blog post. I don't have anything to say, just wanted to show off my sweet sleeping babe. Is that so wrong?

Daddy Dearest

2011-06-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

Harper LOVES her daddy!! And I LOVE seeing the two of them together. I knew soon after I met Neal that he would one day make an incredible father. He's awesome with my nephews and every kid we know flocks to him...probably because he's like a kid himself and would rather play than sit and have a boring adult conversation. Throughout my pregnancy, one of the things I looked forward to most, besides meeting my daughter, was seeing Neal with her. The first time he held her brought tears to my eyes. Hearing him talk to her is one of my favorite times of the day. When she's screaming (which is rare, but let's face it...it happens), and he offers to take her, she'll calm down and sometimes conk out immediately. I was right...he is an incredible father.

(The first time he held her...look at that smile...that's what I was waiting for my entire pregnancy. Priceless.)

Harper and I are so lucky to have Neal as a husband and father.

Playtime!

2011-06-25T15:45:00.000-07:00

Harper is 16 days old. Now, like most newborns, she eats or sleeps most of the day; but she spends part of the day wide awake, taking in all of this new world she's suddenly been thrown into. The pediatrician commented that she's got a very "calm alertness" about her (I took that as a compliment, for sure).

But really, what do you do to entertain a newborn? She doesn't sing along to the show tunes yet, she's not doing any tricks like trying to walk or read...but she doesn't cry or fuss either...she just looks around and makes funny faces or lets us put her arms in funny positions and commentate on what she must be thinking.

So this is playtime...which is obviously playtime for us and not her...but playtime none the less.

Here are Nonnie and Ogee "playing" with her...and by "playing," I mean staring at her endlessly because they just can't get enough, while she stares back and occasionally makes a funny face or noise:

There are a lot of Hoosiers on the Dickson side, and the hat came as a gift from Great Grandpa in Bloomington, IN who is a former IU football coach. Obviously, Harper is also a Hoosier fan...I'm pretty sure she's doing a fist pumping "Oh, Yeah" in this picture...can you see it?

And this is our actual attempt at "playtime" for Harper. We put her on her mat and let her scream it out, while everyone else just stares at her and calls it adorable. Did I mention we just can't stop looking at her?!
Eventually, I figure she'll get bored of us just looking at her, and playtime will actually turn in to...well, playtime. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. But until then, we're just soaking in all the goodness that is Harper.

Proof of Life INDEED

2011-06-23T08:17:00.000-07:00

Well, if the last two weeks haven't been Proof of Life...I don't know what is.

Thursday, June 9, 2011 started like this:

And ended like this:

Harper Louise Dickson was born at 6:02 p.m., weighing in at 7.5 lbs.. All I can say is we are in LOVE. We are now two weeks in and still surviving.

We had Nonnie and Ogee with us...

(Can you feel the love? I bet they won't spoil her, what do you think?)

Aunt Sarah came from San Diego and stayed for a week...

(Are you seeing the theme in these pictures?? We can't take our eyes off of her...seriously...I could watch her all day.)

We had lots of other visitors too...and I can tell you this much, Harper is loved.

We are so blessed to have such amazing family and friends who have already shown Harper (and us) so much love. Thank you to everyone who came by the hospital, the house, who brought us food (and desserts), who said a prayer, or commented on our facebook status (sign of the times??). We can't wait for the rest of our family and friends to meet Harper...I promise...you'll be a fan! The cheeks alone will have you won over instantly!

Now I know the blog was MIA for basically my entire pregnancy, but I'm back, baby!! Not only is it summer and much easier to find time to take pictures, but now I'm obsessively taking pictures of the most beautiful baby girl and need a place to show them off! So the blog is back...I can almost guarantee that the majority of the pictures will be of Harper. Sorry. But really, who doesn't love a good baby pic. I'm also probably going to drop the photog tips...because really, who's reading those anyway?! If you want to know how I got a picture, ask...it was probably by mistake anyway. So bear with me as I get back into blogging; I'm not promising posts every day, but close. Some changes will come, but my goal is to continue experimenting with my photography and writing, while at the same time proving that LIFE IS GOOD. It is so GOOD!!

Lindsey Loves Andrew--A Dickson Wedding

2011-01-16T07:51:00.000-08:00

January 8, 2011

In case you didn't know who the girl holding the flowers and walking down the aisle was...someone offered help!

See?! I told you! Lindsey Loves Andrew!!

Andrew Dickson can put anyone to shame on the dance floor...unless it's his new wife because she holds her own just fine out there...they are truly a match made in heaven. Aren't they sweet?
Check out Andrew...So glad he found the camera!!
At this point they weren't choking on lavender...yet.
Congratulations, Andrew and Lindsey!!! We love you and are so happy for both of you!!

I used my prime lens to shoot all the pics at the wedding because I didn't want to be the obnoxious girl with the flash. The low-light capability of the prime is the exact reason I bought it. Soooo happy with that purchas!

The House that Stole Christmas

2010-12-21T07:14:00.000-08:00

So Lauren and Robert decided to throw an impromptu Christmas gathering on Saturday night. We headed over to their house in one of my favorite neighborhoods in Dallas. Lauren intrigued all of us by claiming the greatest Christmas display on Earth was two blocks from their house...and they were having a block party we could crash...and we could walk there. So we all bundled up and headed over.

This creepy guy was in a small dollhouse on the lawn...just an introduction to the show...

This is ONE house...

This bike was just hanging in the side yard...why? More lights.

Seriously, I think this is the house that stole Christmas...how were there ANY strands of lights available for anyone else to use?? There was not an inch of the house that was not covered in lights: some were hot glued to the house, they lined the grass, there were whole strands shoved in liquor bottles and lining the walkway. Santa was there, they even had a porta-potty that was decked out for the holidays, and there was an elf parade. It really was the greatest Christmas display on earth, for sure.

Merry Christmas, friends!!!

The In Between

2010-12-18T07:59:00.000-08:00

So here's what I've been up to in between the last two entries, because again...it's been two and a half months!!

The Rangers went to the World Series!!!! This is actually a picture from my iPhone so don't judge by the quality of this picture; but I must say this was the coolest. day. of. my. life. Not only were we there when the Rangers WON the ALCS, but this was also the day we saw our baby's heartbeat and got our first sonogram. So cool!!

Lindsey had her bachelorette party in Seguin. Lauren and I headed down and met them in Gruene. I did manage to bring my camera, but the sad thing is, I mostly took scenery shots. Sorry Lindsey...I don't know what I was thinking. But Gruene, TX is beautiful, and everyone should put on their boots and head down there for some wine sippin' or some two steppin'. Whichever you prefer...

Lauren had her second senior night; this time with the Longhorns. She also made it to the FINAL FOUR!! So proud of you, Lauren!!

I had the honor of practicing my photography skills on the beautiful Savage family. These are Miss Ellie's cousins!! Doesn't the cuteness just run in the family?? It was a lot of fun to get out there and practice, even if Gaitley wasn't feeling the photog session the whole time. How sweet is this family??

Anyway, so that's the exciting stuff that you've missed...I'm feeling better, so the blog is back!! Maybe not everyday, but no more two month hiatuses...I promise!

My Excuse

2010-12-18T07:45:00.000-08:00

So in case all of my "loyal readers" have been wondering where I have been...I have a good excuse. The last blog entry was from Molly and Brett's wedding weekend IN OCTOBER!!! Let's face it, that wedding was pretty awesome. But what was even MORE amazing than the wedding was that was also the week we found out about this:

Pretty much after that weekend, I fell off the face of the planet. During the first trimester, I felt fine during the day (thank God--can you imagine teaching 140 7th graders with morning sickness?), but as soon as I got home I felt terrible and exhausted. So the camera sort of went to the wayside. Even when we did do things (because let's face it, that was two and a half months ago...I did get out of the house a little), pregnancy brain swept in and I'd forget my camera or I fell back into the "embarrassment" of having the big, fancy camera out and in people's faces. But I'm BACK!! Because I mean seriously, folks, if there's going to be a little Dickson running around here, I better get used to having the big, fancy camera out and ready for all the cute, adorable things that kid is destined to do!!! Am I right???

So I apologize for the blog break...but I'll be better! And with Christmas here, and snowy weather right around the corner, and all of the exciting stuff that is sure to be heading our way, there WILL be pictures!!

By the way...Best picture on the blog??? Maybe. But maybe I'm also a little biased.

**Disclaimer: obviously, the above picture was not taken by me, but I figured everyone would be okay with a "guest photographer" this one time...

Wedding Weekend Away

2010-10-09T01:13:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Neal and I had a little mini vacation at Rough Creek Lodge for a wedding. I'm only including one picture from the wedding, because frankly, my pictures do NOT do it any justice. But believe me when I say that It. Was. Amazing. However, I did snap a few shots while milling about the resort.

Our "porch"...looking out over a little lake, with our own rocking chairs and hammock. The weather could not have been more beautiful, and this was a perfect spot for some R & R.

Neal and I headed out Saturday morning for a little bike ride around the property. There were some steep hills where I totally had to get off and walk the bike; this is on one of the many breaks...
We were surrounded by good friends all weekend, and I happened to snap a sweet moment between Ellen and T.J. during the cocktail hour.
This truly was one of the most unique and beautiful weddings I have ever been to. Congratulations, Brett and Molly!! We had an amazing time!!

I made the mistake of leaving my prime lens in the room for the wedding/reception, which is why I think the pictures didn't turn out so great. I really needed that low light capability.

Playtime!!

2010-10-03T11:42:00.001-07:00

When we were in Panhandle last weekend, we got to play with some pretty sweet babes!! I love going to Panhandle and catching up with old friends, but it's so bizarre because there is always a new addition or a bigger babe...But I LOVE playing with my little friends!!

Sweet Annee!! She's perfect...she even feel asleep with Sarah holding her...that's bigtime!!

Strategizing with the boys!!

I love this freaking picture...so cool! Run Zach!!

Miss Marley, sweet Annee's big sis!

I love these two!! Best big brother around, that Clayton...

And here's my big kid, playing with the littles...and breaking stuff. Somehow, a miracle obviously, all three boys were unhurt when the trampoline busted. It was close, and Neal was definitely a little sore (but that may have also had to do with the enormous TV that almost fell on him that weekend), but everyone walked away unharmed!! Thank God!!

Home, Home on the Range

2010-09-27T18:08:00.000-07:00

I love my family. The last time all three Atchleys were in Panhandle together was Thanksgiving of 2005--pre-Neal. Having my husband, brother, sister, and spouses under one roof? Priceless. And then of course there's Anne. And Meg. And the boys. And finally, I'm home. No matter how long it's been since I've been back or how far apart we all are...my heart is happy with my family. This weekend my heart was very happy!!

**Look at how none of the Wood boys can even look at the camera...how CUTE are they??? Meg we missed you and Linc in this shot...next time we get a REAL family picture!

I took a lot of pictures this weekend. I'm going to separate the posts out into themes. Tonight is the wide open spaces, the range, the Texas Panhandle.

Panhandle is so...open. Unless you've been there, I just can't explain it. When I go home everything is just...out there. The rolling plains, the bright sky, the history, everything is so...well, open.

Meet Justin Beiber's twin (the miniature horse version):

Genius. This was legit...only in Panhandle.

Look at that night sky. The clouds were like a quilt, loosely covering the beautiful moon.

I used the prime lens most of the time this weekend. It was more experimental than purposeful. I love the low light capabilities that the prime gives me; I love the bokeh effect (you'll see it more later...look for Annee); and I love having the choice and the flexibility of having two different lens. Get excited for some blog updates this week; they're coming!!

Prime Time

2010-09-22T19:26:00.001-07:00

I'm so freaking excited! I've been coveting certain photography blogs, wishing I could get my pictures to turn out like KelliWendiJennaRee does (I do realize that raw talent and expensive equipment is probably behind most of it, but I like to think I can get some of the effect). After doing a little research, I found out what kind of camera lens is crucial in getting the "bokeh" effect (blurry background). And true to my cheap spending habits, I found a great deal. So with my birthday money, I went out and bought a new Prime lens for my camera. It's a Nikon 35mm f/1.8 lens. It's great in low light (yeah!) and is often used for portraits/closeups. There's no zoom feature; it's just what you see through the lens. I've only messed with it a little around the house but am SOOOO excited to have real subjects to try it out on. This weekend in Panhandle should provide a lot of good shots...and Ellie will be the perfect model too...and Jack...and Preston...and book club...heck...I can't wait to take it everywhere!!

Oh, and I got bangs!!

I took this one myself (can you tell? Ha!) at 1/100 shutter speed and f/2.8.

Hearts and Hammers

2010-09-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

Saturday Neal and I woke up and headed out to Oak Cliff to volunteer with Hearts and Hammers. It's similar to Habitat for Humanity, except that this house is already built, occupied, and falling down again. Hearts and Hammers goes in and fixes it up to meet code (at least on the outside). Occupants are happy! City of Dallas is happy! Volunteers? They're tired...but happy to help!!

With the sun so high, I was able to keep the shutter speed up and aperture low. I also changed the white balance to full sun and turned the ISO up.

The best part about Saturday was knowing that we were able to get out of the house and do some good. The wheelchair bound woman who lived there was inside while we were working on the house, and when I saw her through the back door she was so excited to show off her Hearts and Hammers t-shirt. I was so excited to show her that there are a lot of good people out in the world; people who are willing to give up their time and their energy to those who need it. Good work, KPMG...time well spent!

Best. Birthday. Ever.

2010-09-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

I am blessed! It was confirmed this week that I have the best husband, the best family, and the best friends! By far, this was the BEST birthday! It all started the night before my birthday. It was a long day (Open House at school, ugh)...I came home to find a beautiful bouquet of flowers from my sweet husband. Maybe the prettiest bouquet ever. I may have a new favorite flower; sunflowers make any room seem brighter!!

I woke up the next morning to a hot breakfast (again, sweet sweet husband), had another bouquet delivered to school (live flowers at school? Makes a dull classroom come alive!!) from Anne and Rick, Bruce and Becky came in town, and we all headed to the Ballpark. To top it off...a Rangers win!! I managed to remember to break out the camera this time...I love the colors at the Ballpark. So festive!

How funny is this kid?? **I also just noticed the guy scarfing his hot dog down in the back...nice.

Then on Wednesday, my sweet friends took me out to our favorite wine bar for delicious pizza and wine, and even better company!! Heather got me a card with a vanilla cupcake flavor strip (think listerine strips). Very...um...interesting...

I am so thankful for the people in my life that help me appreciate everything that I have. I am also so thankful for the ability to capture these special moments so I can remember them forever!

Dallas Heart Walk

2010-09-12T13:10:00.001-07:00

Saturday Neal and I woke up early after Game Night and headed downtown to participate in the Dallas Heart Walk benefiting the American Heart Association.

They had us routed through downtown Dallas which was really cool; much different than other 5k walks through neighborhoods and up by Northpark Mall. We started and ended at Victory Park and wound through all of the high rises. Like so many other great fundraisers, this one was packed! We managed to avoid the crowd and break up early, which is always nice. Since we were walking (not running), I decided to bring the big camera for some cool shots.

I've found one way to take pictures at a different angle and not seem like quite a creeper is to shoot from the hip. For most of these, I set the ISO at 200, had the shutter speed around 1/200 and the aperture as low as it would go (between 4.2 and 5.6). I've been combining the editing tools in iPhoto with Photobucket.

Game Night!!

2010-09-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

Last night we hosted Ellen's birthday party at our house. And I must say, everybody brought their A-Game for Game Night. There was Cranium, Flip Cup, Catch Phrase, and a new favorite: Mr. Bacon's Big Adventure (no joke).

Betsy wowing her team with her mad acting skills...

Intense concentration and teamwork here...

Pretty girls, taking it all in...

This was a fiercely competitive Flip Cup game...Whitney and Missy started us off right, but Morgan and Neal were pretty impressive on the tail end.

Have YOU ever played Mr. Bacon's BIG Adventure? If we had played according to the rules, we all would have had a heart attack. In the Bologna Forest, you had to eat a hot dog wrapped in ham or something like that...there was also the Meatball Meadows, Wiener Wasteland, Hot Dog Hideout, Sausage Sea...Mmmmm...doesn't it just make you want to go out and eat some MEAT??

The inside pictures were taken with an ISO of 1600 and shutter speed between 1/15 and 1/100; the aperture stayed around f/5.6 all night. I used the flash outside and was pleased with the way they came out...

Hook 'em Horns!!

2010-09-06T08:12:00.000-07:00

Lauren has stepped into a different color orange this year as a Texas Longhorn. After four years as a Cavalier, the burnt orange looks good!! Neal and I headed to Gregory Gym this weekend to cheer on Lauren and the Horns. Not only did they win, but I also got some action shots for the blog! Win-Win!

I used the sports mode to get the initial settings. That's one thing I love about my Nikon: I can use the automatic settings as a learning tool for the manual. The ISO was set to around 800 and the shutter speed was anywhere between 1/40-1/120. For the last shot, I slowed the shutter speed down and set the ISO lower as well.

Up Close and Personal

2010-09-01T18:39:00.000-07:00

So Ellie has started rolling over, and she's all about the tummy time. So to get good pictures I also was all about the tummy time. I like getting up close and personal (one, cause she smells like a sweet baby...and two, way better pictures).

In the next one, she's taking a minute to check out the Rangers score...

I love the next picture...it seriously makes me laugh out loud every time. Not only is Ellie's sweet smile caught on camera, but she's totally laughing at her mom...if only I had caught her pointing and laughing...Camille will do anything to get that girl to smile!
I'm so glad all of my friends have sweet babes for me to practice my photography on...I'd be way behind the curve without them.

I kept the ISO up again (either 800 or 1600) and the shutter speed between 1/5 and 1/25. I'm also keeping the aperture as low as possible to help with lighting...

Playing with Preston

2010-08-29T07:19:00.000-07:00

Friday night we headed over to Michael and Laura's; we hadn't played with Preston since school got out so we were way overdue.

Preston just turned two and is TOO cute! Say "Cheese"!!

These shots are a little grainy because I had to enhance them on iPhoto to brighten them up. I had the ISO up again and the shutter speed a little slower (between 1/8-1/13). I'm really glad that all of our friends let me take pictures of their kids and flaunt them on the world wide web...Thanks, guys!

We're babysitting Miss E tonight, so you can count on an Ellie post coming up!

Where My Pitches At?

2010-08-26T18:28:00.000-07:00

Neal and some other KPMGers (and alumni) play in a softball league on Monday nights. It's been hot as Hades here so I haven't made it to too many games as a cheerleader but wanted to support this week since it'd been a while since I made an appearance. Here are my favorite shots from the night...

Kept the aperture low, the shutter speed fast, the ISO high (like 1600), and the flash off for all of these. I really love the light in all of these; they may actually be some of my favorite pictures that I've taken...

School has started so the blog has slowed a little (okay, a lot comparatively). But I'm definitely still trying to use the camera as much as possible. I've accumulated some good "assignments" so I don't run out of blog material. I'm excited to experiment a little more with the camera, too!

Neal's team name is actually "Where My Pitches At?"; all of the girls have different pitch styles on the back of our shirts. When we cheer, we shorten it just to Pitches!! Let's go Pitches!! Hahaha!! Funny, no?

Berre Babes!

2010-08-24T15:49:00.001-07:00

Last night at Betsy's "First Day Feast", I seized the opportunity for some new material. Betsy's babes are too.darn.cute.

Flora:

and River:

Betsy and her mom lovin' on generation 3! He was probably doing something totally adorable here...

Just like last night, I had to slow the shutter speed down more than I thought I would. I forgot about the great gift of ISO until later though. Thank goodness--it's a miracle worker. I bumped it up a little on these to get the right light, and a couple still came out darker than I wanted. I just really don't like using the flash...It's a thing of mine.

First Day Feast

2010-08-23T19:41:00.000-07:00

My friend Betsy is such an amazing stay-at-home-mom/friend/Christian woman around. Each year she hosts a "First Day Feast" for all of her teacher friends (and coaching husband) to feed their hungry bellies after a long first day back. She had everything decorated so cute!!

We all had our own placemats with our names in chalk. Isn't she so creative?! I had to slow the shutter speed more than I thought and definitely had to mess around a little with all of the settings. Settings were around 1/25 and f/5.

Stay tuned this week for some great pictures of Betsy's precious kiddos and Neal's softball game. It's been a busy day! I'm off to hit the sack now. The first day excitement is wearing off; I forgot for a minute that I have to get up and do it all again tomorrow.

Workin' at the Car Wash!!

2010-08-21T18:00:00.000-07:00

Neal and I got out early this morning and enjoyed the nice cool(er) weather. Got the car nice and shiny...I liked the look of the suds.

A little product placement on these? Maybe...

Got up nice and close (and down and dirty) for both of these; the shutter speed was set to 1/125 since it was so light out, and the aperture was low, f/5.3 for the close up. Nothing like a little water from the hose to cool us off once it started to get hotter.

See Jack Smile

2010-08-19T20:25:00.000-07:00

Meet Jack. Jack is THE happiest baby I've ever seen. Maybe ever. He never takes a bad picture, and that's pretty good for a little guy!

He's pretty irresistible!

We had a girls' night out last night. We went downtown to the W for dinner at Craft. It's Restaurant Week here, and Craft did NOT disappoint. For $35 you got a delicious three course meal. I had diver scallops...my favorite! You can see Heather's pics of the food (and more precious pictures of Jack) here.

Here's a group shot. No wonder Jack's smiling here...he's surrounded by pretty ladies!!

That's Lauren, Jill, Heather, Jack, me, Camille, Joy, and Scottie. I'm so lucky to have such a great group of friends here! We miss you, Julie!

The first shot was with a flash, with a shutter speed around 1/25. I decided to go with the flash on the first picture because otherwise I'd have to slow the shutter speed waaaaaay down to get it light enough. Slowing the shutter speed is always a bad idea when photographing sweet babes because they don't do well with, "Hold it...hold still...okay, now say cheese!!" The second shot was actually taken first, and can I just say the 'enhance' button iPhoto is definitely my friend!!

I Got a Feeling!!

2010-08-17T17:25:00.000-07:00

Today my district held its annual "pep rally" to get everybody pumped up for the new school year. This year we performed a "flash mob" and everybody danced before the keynote speaker. Ever seen 7,500 teachers dancing to Black Eyed Peas? It's...ummm...interesting.

Are you ready to move??

Coming from Panhandle, my first Convocation blew my mind. There are literally 3x the number of people in this church than there are in the town I grew up in!! What??? And now they're all doing the same dance moves? That's just insane. Keep in mind that this picture only captures a small portion of the sanctuary...

I actually had to turn the flash on for the second shot. I had the shutter speed at 1/50 and the aperture set to f/5.6. I wouldn't have been able to get a clean enough shot without the flash, either because of all the movement or because of how dark it was...

It's Almost That Time Again...

2010-08-13T21:23:00.001-07:00

Time to start gearing up for school. It's seems crazy that summer is already over. I headed up to school to work in my classroom and started with quite a mess. I had a long way to go...

It's crazy to me to think that in about a week these desks are going to be filled with rowdy, pre-pubescent, nervous but in a "I-don't-want-anyone-to-see-how-scared-I-am-because-I-want-them-to-think-I'm-cool" kind of way, 7th graders. I'm also excited and nervous; I still have a long way to go before I'm ready, but I'm not going to stress quite yet...I've still got a week in the empty room (thank goodness!).
And because I just can't resist...here's Miss E showing some 'tude!! Ugh! How cute is that Little Stinker???

Cruisin'

2010-08-11T20:49:00.000-07:00

Tonight was Book Club, my favorite night of the month. Scottie hosted, and since she lives down my street, I always ride the ol' cruiser down to her place. That's quite a picnic in that wicker basket, no?

I love Book Club, and my girls, and my neighborhood, and brie, and being able to cruise on my cruiser. The picture was set at 1/200, f/8, edited in iPhoto.

Last Summer Outing??

2010-08-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

It's almost over. I can't believe it...summer vacation is coming to a close. How did it go so fast?? Neal and I haven't had a lot of chances to go out on the boat this summer so when Bruce came up with the idea to take it out to Ski Shores for lunch, we jumped on the idea and in to the water!

This is just another reason why I love Austin!

I used Photobucket.com to get the collage of Neal's flip. I used the direct sunlight White Balance setting and had the ISO on 400. It was a really bright day out (see those blue skies?) so I had the shutter speed set to 1/150 or higher.

Oh, summer, I wish you'd stay forever!

I Heart Austin

2010-08-09T20:23:00.000-07:00

I love Austin. It's one of my favorite places. Not only is family here, but I have some of my favorite memories in this city: college days on South Congress, getting engaged on Lake Austin, getting married here, cruising the drag (shopping the drag), the food, the people...everything about this city makes me smile. I love when we get to come visit.

Today Becky and I went down to the UT campus to check out the "Our Body: The Universe Within" exhibit at the football stadium. It was fascinating; the body is an amazing machine. And the campus? It was pretty empty, but still so...HUGE.

Doesn't this get you excited about college football and FALL TEMPERATURES?!

But since it's still a bajillion degrees outside, we decided to venture to another Austin staple, Sno Beach for snow cones!!

All of these were taken in the shutter priority mode with a really fast shutter speed (around at least 1/125 if not higher) since it was so bright out today.

Book Nerd

2010-08-08T18:34:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking about starting a series that includes all things "Around the House." Once school starts, taking a picture every day may prove difficult because I may not be able to come up with very many creative ideas for the POD. Anyway, just an idea I'm toying with since tonight I just started taking pictures of books/shelves...all different angles.

I just want to point out that at one point I found a book by Candice Bergen right next to Gone With the Wind. Two classics? Funny.

I focused on the shutter priority mode with these. No flash; ISO around 400. Different shots had different shutter speeds depending on the light, but overall fairly quick.

Fancy Feet

2010-08-08T08:02:00.000-07:00

Last night was Matt and Anna's wedding. It was GORGEOUS! But I only had my clutch, and there were people that were being paid to take pictures already there with their big fancy cameras so I didn't bring mine. Again, a learning experience because I totally regretted that as soon as the dance party started. But I did have the trusty iPhone. Andi showed me the Hipstamatic App, and I had to have it. It's totally rad. It's the very first app I paid for, that's how much I wanted it (which is funny because my brother totally gave me a real Holga for my birthday one year).

I've been kind of fascinated by feet lately. I know it's weird, but I find myself staring at feet when I'm people watching just as much as the rest of the person. And I think they make great pictures. Maybe I'm crazy, and feet are terrible subjects, but I like it, and it's my blog, so there!! Just kidding. A little.

Again, these are only iPhone pictures, but I still like them. I was seeing in my head different pictures and freezing them like a picture would; I kept wishing I had my camera to freeze them for real. I'm still learning more and more about me, and really, wasn't that the whole point of this whole experience? Maybe the next wedding I go to, I'll just suck it up and bring the darn camera. I'm sure there will be plenty more opportunities...

Hanz!!

2010-08-06T20:52:00.000-07:00

Meet Hanz. Doesn't he just look like a Hanz? I spent a couple of hours with Andi this evening and snapped a few shots of ol' Hanz here.

I found it really hard to get a good shot here because I needed a fast shutter speed to try to even get a picture at all, but they all came out too dark. I tried all sorts of different settings but couldn't find the "right" one. It was also frustrating because what I saw through the viewfinder did NOT come out...the natural lighting was amazing, and the picture I saw in my head was so freaking cool. But we live and learn.

Big Yawn

2010-08-05T17:29:00.000-07:00

After being out of town for a week, I needed a good dose of Miss E. In just a week, she went from sleeping/crying/eating/pooping all day, to a sweet-smiley-cooing-alert-sitting-in-her-bumbo little babe.

Taken with a fairly quick shutter speed (around 1/25) and a low f/stop (4.5, the lowest I've gotten to on my camera, actually) and a high ISO--1600. Okay, and I actually can't take credit for this one either because I was way too busy loving on this sweet girl to take any pictures. But I did bring the camera and Neal was all over it!

Family Time & Guest Photographer

2010-08-04T20:41:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the unannounced hiatus from the blog, but I was so caught up being with my family and too exhausted at the end of the night (or morning, whichever way you look at it) to blog. My brother-in-law, Mark, got a hold of my camera on Monday night, and I ended up with 217 pictures on my camera.

This first one I just think is cool. He looks like an invisible man. All Mark did to shoot this was shoot into the light with a low f/stop and a quick shutter speed (1/5). The ISO was set to 100. Cool, no?

We stayed up until 4:30 on Monday; we talked, laughed, cried, argued, and laughed some more. It was a hard day and a long one; and I can't help but think that Mary would have loved to have been there. No doubt she'd have had a hard time going to bed before the rest of us.

And since Neal won't let me take any pictures of him, I'm including two of him tonight. Because I like him, and I think he's cute.

Thanks for taking over the camera, Mark, and documenting this time with family. Neither pictures or words can do justice to the love that I have for my family. Until next time...

My Grandmother, the Storyteller

2010-08-01T18:19:00.000-07:00

I love when I have the opportunity to be with my family; it doesn't happen nearly enough. My grandmother, for anyone who has not been lucky enough to meet her, is a rockstar. Even with a broken hip, she still is the star of the show. She is the best storyteller because (like my sister and my aunt Mary) she has the memory like a steel trap. And she's done everything!! So her stories are always the best. So in a crowded room, she even gets the young ones crowded around her.

And she always makes you laugh.

I took these using the automatic settings without the flash (my family talks and moves too much to put it on manual to expect to get a good shot--it's too blurry).

Pouter? Or the New Thinker?

2010-07-31T18:59:00.000-07:00

This was literally one of the very first pictures I took with my new camera. One thing I've found that is very useful on the DSLR is the editing IN the camera. It's fun to play with the monotone and trim. But the most useful part of the editing on the DSLR itself is to see how sharp each photo actually is. Because what looks sharp on that tiny screen, may be totally out of focus when it's full size. So I use the zoom feature all. the. time.

How cute is this kid?? That hair? I mean really...

I cropped and changed this to B&W on the camera itself.

Come on...Turkey!!

2010-07-30T21:29:00.000-07:00

Oh, to be kids again...the anticipation is killing them!! One thing I've learned with the new camera is to take pictures without looking over the subject. It's important to get down and dirty. I was sitting on the floor right behind them at this point...I bet we all looked like a bunch of goons (and by all of us, I mean me...because lets face it, those kids are CUTE with a capital Q!!)

**This is a co-authored/designed blog...that's what happens when you blog in bed with your sister! Also, please forgive the older pictures. I'm in Raleigh with my family, and it's not the best time to whip out the camera. I tried today, but the settings are just not that exciting.

Old Picture, New Editing

2010-07-29T20:30:00.000-07:00

So I'm in Raleigh with my family, and between flying all day and my suitcase being at the house, I didn't have my camera all day. BUT I did find a GREAT new editing website that is WAY easier to figure out, AND it is so much easier to deal with html codes instead of uploading pictures. However, trying to find the right size has proven to be difficult--too big, too small, none that are juuuuusssttt right. I'm using Photobucket.com. I'm a fan. So I messed around with that while we all sat back and relaxed tonight.

So this picture is one of the first "experiments" with my camera. This is a shot of St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square down in New Orleans.

Celebrate Life

2010-07-28T20:26:00.000-07:00

To my Aunt Mary,

Today I celebrate you: the fight your fought, the love you gave, the smile that lit up the room. I love you, Mar Bear.

In those quiet moments in the still of the night
Remember to rejoice and celebrate life
Do not think of me gone and weep
I am not there, I do not sleep
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints on snow
I am the sunlight on the grain
I am the gentle autumn's rain
When you awaken in the morning hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in flight
I am the soft stars that shine
You will hear my gentle voice
and remember to rejoice
Never give up your fight
and remember always
to Celebrate Life.... ---- Author Unknown

I Can See Clearly Now, the Rain is Gone

2010-07-27T17:57:00.001-07:00

We had a nice summer storm in Dallas tonight. So after a nice dinner out with the ol' hubs, I took the camera out to try and capture the aftermath...Because I don't have a macro lens, I couldn't zoom in quite as close as I'd like without the whole thing going out of focus. But I'm learning what I can (and can't do) and getting some decent pictures in the meantime.

Isn't that guy gross?

I Heart Natural Light

2010-07-26T19:28:00.000-07:00

Tonight's picture plan was a bust. Neal had a softball game that I was going to photograph for the ol' photogblog, but then it rained. And I was at a loss. So I went through some of my old events on iPhoto looking for pictures to practice editing on (Photoshop Elements is STILL not getting any easier), when I ran across this beauty:

It's one of my favorites. Yes, it was taken before the idea of the blog experiment came into my head, but it's definitely me experimenting with the new camera. It's perfect natural lighting. And I love pictures of people laughing. I mean...love them. It's so real and tells so much. And, I mean, this girl is pretty. Am I right??

So I hope that you don't mind me using an old picture...once school starts, it'll probably happen a lot (but hopefully with some editing that makes it cooler and better and newer, right?).

Summertime Toes

2010-07-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

I've been messing around a little on Adobe Photoshop Elements today (I've got the free trial), and I still don't have anything to show for it. I need some super tutorials, that program is hard...Anyway, I was taking a break from the computer and stepped outside to see how hot it was. Ahhh...summer in Texas...it felt like a million degrees (maybe because I'm wearing jeans??). Anyway, I snagged this shot of the ol' footsies; cute, no?

This POD is funny to me in hindsight because I HATE walking barefoot in grass. I mean loathe. There are some people you'll see wiggling their toes in grass and reveling in the season; and then there's me, sprinting across the grass with high kicks trying to get to the nearest sidewalk/gravel path I can find. I know, I know...I'm probably the only person ever; it's sad, but true.

Anyway, shot this in manual with a low aperture and a shutter speed of 1/40. Again, the natural lighting didn't hurt. I sharpened the color just a little in Photoshop because that's the only thing I've figured out how to do. Oh, and convert to black and white.

Oh yeah, if you scroll all the way down the blog, there's a widget to pledge to see the new film Waiting for "Superman" that comes out in the fall. It's directed by the same guy who did An Inconvenient Truth about the state of education in America. Check it out, watch the trailer, pledge to see the movie, and they'll give 5 books to children and education programs in need...That's my plug for the day.

Just Grillin'

2010-07-24T18:32:00.000-07:00

How's that for a cheesy headline?? Wanna see what was for dinner?

Here's a sneak peek...
Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Skewers with pepperjack cheese and jalapenos. Mmmmm...Anything is better wrapped in bacon! Can I get an amen!?!

With a nice summery salad and bruschetta to go along with it...AND leftover strawberry pie, of course.

Last night I couldn't figure out why some of my pictures were coming out blue...until tonight. I forgot that I had my white balance set on incandescent. Oops. I turned down the ISO and shot in Programmed auto for some and manual for others. I relied heavily on natural light for the last one.

Summer Love

2010-07-23T20:24:00.001-07:00

As much as I loved summer in Alaska, it's official...I'm back in Texas. I can't pretend any longer that it's NOT 1,898,542 degrees outside. So because of this oh so sad revelation, it's also time to accept that I can't pawn off my Alaska pictures any more either. As much as I'd like to go back to vacation mode...it's time to start taking new pictures (I haven't turned my camera on since I got back, bad girl).

So tonight we had the Prewett's over for dinner. We needed our Ellie fix, and Scott and Camille needed to get out of the house (for something other than work, of course). We grilled some pork tenderloin and asparagus, and had some yummy potatoes to go along with it. But what screams summer MORE than grilling out??

Strawberry Pie (with an extra cup of strawberries than the recipe actually calls for...)!!!

And what's better than grilling out AND strawberry pie?? If you said nothing, you haven't met Miss E...she's THE BEST!! Bad mood and all...I'll take a dose of Ellie with just about anything!!!

Alaska Favorites

2010-07-22T18:18:00.000-07:00

Considering I wanted this blog to be a photography experiment, I decided to do a separate post with all of my favorites; pictures that I am the most proud of. Every single one of these was intentional...it didn't feel like a "tourist" shot. I saw something through the lens that stuck out, that meant something. I learned as I went and did a little editing to draw out what I saw in my head.

The next image has such meaning behind it; it really spoke to me. Look at how strong the new growth is, suspended on its own. However, if you look closely, you see how important the old stump is to this new growth. The only way to survive is by holding on to history, to build on what has already come before you, but to grow from it...to learn.

I loved having this opportunity to see Alaska and appreciate its beauty. I loved that I was able to use this opportunity to learn and grow. Alaska, I miss you and your cool summer days....

Glaciers...I have no words.

2010-07-21T20:23:00.001-07:00

I've been trying to find the words to describe Glacier Bay and College Fjord, but there are none. It was nothing short of amazing. Please to enjoy.

Some perspective...do you see the three story yacht out there??

Skagway--Full of Liars and Hookers

2010-07-20T20:26:00.001-07:00

The last port of the cruise was in Skagway where first we headed down to Liarsville, a tent camp that was set up at the base of a trail. It was the home to reporters during the Gold Rush who were too "wimpy" to actually head up the trail but who wrote stories about their adventures up there...ahem...Liars. They put on a little show for us, and then we panned for gold!! We struck it rich--three pure gold flakes a piece!

After Liarsville, we got back on the bus and headed up to the Yukon. We crossed the border, took some pictures, and then headed back down. It was a BEAUTIFUL drive!!

After we arrived back downtown, we took a "Ghosts and Good Time Girls" walking tour. This was definitely the coldest tour we took--Skagway is in a valley, and it was W-I-N-D-Y, like Texas Panhandle windy.
Here is our tour guide, Miss Ella Va Goodtime. She had lots of good ghost stories and some very interesting information about all of the buildings in downtown Skagway.

The Madam's room....this is where she would watch the streets for customers. They have found up to 18 layers of wallpaper in this former brothel (each for a different prostitute who occupied the rooms), some of which is still on the wall.

This is the driftwood building. There's something like 7, 400 pieces of driftwood on there. It's the most photographed building in Alaska. Um, duh.