One Year

This is my cousin's son and he turns ONE year old this week. He has such a wonderful temperament.



Last year, when he was just a week old I took his photos. He was already a sturdy guy, completely filling up (and overflowing!) out of the prop basket I'd placed him in.

1 week

He posed for these 3 months later, all happy smiles and dimples!

3 months

And at 6 months old he was sitting up and fascinated with the leaves. I put a vintage wash over this image because he reminded me of Spanky from the Little Rascals in this shot!

6 months

Now at nearly 12 months, he was more of a challenge getting to hold still for more than 3 seconds! He was thrilled to be in the front yard with my son & nephew, who were more than happy to entertain the baby!

He looks so much like his mom to me here (it's those pouty lips) and I'm terribly envious of his eyelashes, they are amazing!

12 months

Happy Birthday little guy, it's been a blast documenting your first year!

Our Yard

I grew up in the same house I live in now. My parents have lived there since 1972. My brother was looking at old pictures on Father's Day and there was one of him and I standing next to a newly planted tree on the front lawn. It was propped up with sticks, with a spindly little trunk. 20+ years later, that tree offers us a wonderfully shady yard to spend our summer afternoons.

That isn't the only change over the last few years. Within the last 3 years, my parents fenced in the yard, put in EZ-Turf and we've hung a few swings for the kids. On any given day scattered around the yard there are about 5 bikes or scooters, 6 balls, 3 plastic baseball bats, various garden shovels, 3 plastic buckets, a bug house, a badmitton racket and birdie, 2 foam footballs, a cardboard box with drawings on the side (could it be a rocket ship? A race car?), popsicle sticks and wrappers, a few plastic cups...the list could go on, as I'm sure you know!

How in the world can you ever choose what to play with in this yard?


My cousin's adorable baby

This is what our yard is for:


For swinging


For laying on the "grass", too dizzy after spinning on the swing


For snuggling on a bench, enjoying the shade (my brother & nephew)


For climbing the tree


For wrestling and making a "dog pile" (that's my guy under the stack of kids)

And my personal favorite...slurping popsicles on the porch!

My Graduate

He had the LOOK. Eyes averted and shifty, mouth closed and struggling at the corners not to smile. It's familiar to me - when he's crazy-excited about something, slightly embarrassed that everyone's eyes are upon him and when all he really wants to do is burst out with a huge smile...but he's doing his best to surpress it.


Walking in the church

He had his kindergarten "graduation" this week. In addition to the graduation certificate, he also received a special award for achievement in Math (where in the heck did that skill come from?! Not from me, that's for sure!)


Receiving his certificates from Principal Mrs Pate and Father Ron

They lined up at the altar and sang a song. He's been stressed out about memorizing all the lyrics but he seemed to do just fine (or maybe he lip synced well?)


My disheveled boy (tuck your shirt in!)

Afterwards, we went to the hall for cake & lemonade. Ian was able to run around with his buddies for a while, likely the last time he will see them until September when they are all First Graders (yikes!)


Me & my Boy

The Haiti Peoples

"The Haiti Peoples" are included in his nightly prayers. I have attempted to convert him into saying "Haitians" but calling them "The Haiti Peoples" prevails.

Last night we were discussing the current conditions in Haiti, how the rainstorms will be coming, how the people are still living in makeshift tents and going without food or water for days.

My son says to me, "If I could, I would give them sheep...they could cut off the fur to stay warm. Then they could eat the sheep. And then they could hot glue the bones together to make umbrellas!"



Oh my sweet boy, may you always stay as inventive and thoughtful forever.

Date night

About once a month, my fiance and I are able to go on a "date night". We each have our own children (I have my son full-time, he has his daughter on weekends), so going out on a date, sans kids, is something we do try not to let slip through the cracks. It would be way too easy (since we are already next-door neighbors) to just sit on the sofa and watch America's Got Talent and eat spumoni straight out of the tub (that would be what we called "last Saturday" LOL). Since we do live right next-door to each other most evenings are spent together after my son is in bed. I'll take a shower, get my son to bed and then my fiance and I will watch a Netflix movie together. Most of my nights are spent in casual jeans, an old t-shirt and either my slippers or flip-flops. Though I am still at the stage where I don't like him to see me without my lipstick, I would say that most events are highly unglamourous.

Friday was a scheduled date night. I was going to pick him up at the church after a meeting and we were going to dinner. This allowed me some time after work to take a leisurely shower, feed my son his dinner, bathe him and read him a story, put on make-up, fix my hair a little differently and slip into a cute outfit. I'd found a pretty coral colored, crochet-trimmed tank at Old Navy that I just loved. With my dark wash jeans and a pair of new bright yellow, platform wedge sandals it was such a bright and fun outfit. I definitely was holding myself differently in it (you kind of HAVE to hold yourself differently in platform wedges!).


My son took this photo of me before I left for the evening

As I walked up to the place where I was meeting him, I heard his voice first. I came around the corner and could see him standing under a streetlight talking to another member of his group. I smiled at him and he smiled back and kept talking. As I passed under the streetlight, his face lit up and he walked up to me and gave me a big kiss and said, "You look beautiful!"

Later that night as we were sitting on the sofa after our dinner, I unstrapped my shoes and he said, "And you have cute shoes on too!" Cute shoes, I loved that...I've never heard this manly man ever say the word CUTE! He's not really one for emoting or even mentioning my outfits or appearance.

He said, "You look fantastic tonight...when you were walking towards me...wow!"
I said, "You didn't recognize me, did you?" I laughed.
He laughed too and said, "No, I didn't!! When I saw you walking at me I thought who is that hot woman! And then I realized, oh, she's mine!"

Honey, I think that every time I see you...oh, that handsome man? Yes, he's mine.