23 years later, I still remember his hands, and what my hand felt like in his (with his three squeezes of I-love-you), his gruff laugh, the chink of his too-big watch as he laid his hand on the table. The way he would wake me up for school 10 minutes early just so he could tell me I could sleep for another ten minutes. He was a sweet gentle man, and at his wake, I remember the Air Force men who came to pay their respects, and they spoke of this tough as nails man, “nobody messed with the Colonel”, and I wondered who they were talking about! The man I knew could be bent to my will with the batting of a few eye lashes… I wish he knew Sam and Jane, though I think maybe he does. I look at my life and hope he is proud of what I have created, of the two little souls who look so much like the love of his life.

My only regret as of late is that I don’t have more photos of him–of me with him. As I was looking for a few new ones to scan yesterday, and was longing for more, it occurs to me that if something happened to me tomorrow, there wouldn’t be many photos of me with my kiddos (occupational hazard of being the family photographer) and it jolted me. I am going to make sure that I hand off my camera more, or set up a tripod, or balance it on a table, and be in some photos with Sam and Jane. And for the rest of you mom (and dad) photogs out there, I hope you’ll do the same.

A picture is worth a thousand words. And when I look at these, each word speaks “love” to me….

I haven’t seen that first photo in forever…and when TK saw it, he was struck at how much Jane looks like me!  I didn’t see it at all, then he called Jane over, asked who that was in the photo, and she was sure it was her.  Then she made that same face…and BINGO.  I see it!

And for those who missed the post from when we were in Washington DC last year, we took the kids to Arlington National Cemetery to see my dad’s grave.  Jane loved the grass and danced all around, and my Sam spent a number of thoughtful minutes connecting to his Grampa. This photo goes down as an all-time favorite of mine.

this one is my new favorite…I think it may find a home on my wall….

Almost three and a half years ago I was able to tell the story of the birth of Emily Conquest Tredwell, through photos and words. I remember the days leading up to her arrival. I had been on pins and needles waiting for the “CODE PINK!” call, then drove to Connecticut in the middle of the night for one of the coolest experiences ever…Emily’s arrival.  In fact, when I need a little pick-me-up, I just find her blog post…I dare you to watch it and NOT feel bubbly and happy afterward!

When Tim and Kate found out they were expecting baby #2, he called and oh-so-casually asked how busy my business was in January…might I be available to be on-call early in the month?  And thus ensued the Cousin Sarah Happy Dance! I first got to see the baby bump during our Tredwell beach week in Narragansett…and I’ve been waiting patiently for the call…

Last week, they thought that the baby might be on the loooong side….(wait–they thought the daughter of a 6’9″ guy might be LONG? NO WAY!) so they scheduled an induction for Saturday night.  YESSSSS!  I headed to the hospital on Saturday afternoon, and arrived as soon as they were all hooked up.  Ems was there, and that child is so awesome.  ”HI! Cousin Sarah!”  We played (she bounced from iPhone to iPhone, looking for the coolest games) until her grandparents came to pick her up. Smooches all around, and she was off.  And thus began what I like to refer to “Baby Tredwell 2: The Elecreic Boogaloo”. The funny thing about our family is that EVERY occasion becomes funny. We are inappropriate jokers and laughers–it’s typical that we are shushed by hospital staff while in waiting rooms, sent confused looks at funeral homes, and Tim and I have been known to be reprimanded for being too goofy at church. As adults. So we weren’t surprised when Birthing Room 3 became a barrel of laughs.  Thank heavens we were the ONLY guests on the birthing floor that night.

Tim headed to the waiting room (where the couch was) at about 1AM and at 3AM Kate and I agreed to stop chatting and try to get some sleep! At sunrise we were up and ready again…Kate got to eat breakfast and shower (oh heavenly shower!) before the Pitocin was administered, which Kate lovingly referred to as “liquid evil”, remembering what those contractions feel like. Tim and Kate walked and walked, and then those famous contractions kicked in.  Kate is a ROCK STAR.  I have said that before about her, but watching her breathe through each painful rise and fall with quiet strength was seriously awe-inspiring. She had her epidural and was able to relax during the hardest part of labor.  I look at the photos and remember watching that contraction monitor up over 100 and she was relaxed and smiling…amazing. Kate’s parents and Ems came back to the hospital to await the baby’s arrival, and they scooted from the room when the doctor came in to check Kate’s progress.  I couldn’t believe it, but she was READY to push!

The nurses scurried around, telling a VERY calm Kate not to push, the baby was right there!  She pushed for 8 minutes. EIGHT MINUTES. That was not a typo, internet. Eight minutes of pushing and baby Paige came hollering into the world.  8 pounds 2 ounces of pudgy-cheeked perfection. Once more, just like when her big sister was born, I was a weepy mess behind my camera! I swear, it’s nothing short of a miracle that any of those photos are in focus…

Just as soon as I pulled myself together, in came Emily, with complete and utter delight at the sight of Paige.  What I’ll remember most, though, is that at first, she only had eyes for her mom. She stood for a minute, deciding who she wanted to love up more–her mom or her baby sister. The sister won out, and her squeals of “She’s so CUUUUUUTE” over and over brought those tears again!  She couldn’t wait to hold her (which reminded me so much of Sam’s reaction to meeting Jane) and when Paige was snuggled up by her grandparents, Ems was demanding to have her sister back in her arms again. Kate lovingly explained that everyone needed a turn holding the baby, and she pleaded, “pweeeeeaasse, Mommy? Just for 20 seconds?”  THEN she spied a cookie-whipped cream sandwich, and miraculously, she was ok letting some of us have a few minutes of Paigey-love.

I had  the ride home to let the events of those 24 hours replay in my mind, and in my heart.  It occurred to me that these days-these collection of moments-are ones that Tim and Kate will remember forever. The way that I remember every moment of when Sam and Jane entered the world. These are the most important moments of their lives, and how lucky I was to be a part of those moments.  This is a familiar feeling…I get that when I shoot weddings, usually in the early part of the day, when the bride is getting into her dress, or the father of the bride sees his daughter for the first time. I think about how amazing it is to be a witness to these life-altering moments, how lucky I am to have some small role in those stories. Sitting in the birthing room before Paige was born, Tim, Kate and I told stories…about being kids together, about our weddings, about Sam and Jane and Emily, about our parents and about being parents. These stories keep us together, keep us connected. They have true an honest value, and are treasured by those of us who hear them, and who tell them.

I cherish the story of Emily’s arrival, looking at her photos brings me right back to that day. And my heart is full today because I am part of Paige’s story too. When Tim and Kate tell the girls about when they were born, I am a part of that little chapter, and there is no greater honor.

I simply adore sweet Emily. The stories of her humor, her sheer will, her struggles and her triumph fill me with joy and amazement, each new chapter of her life brings such delight and excitement.

And my darling Paige, I can only imagine the wonder that you will be…for your story is just beginning. And I’m glad I can help you tell it.

~

~

I just love the look on Tim’s face here…like, “really? with the camera already?”

Electronics for BOTH kids!

looks like the couch in the lounge might not have been the best for a good night’s sleep after all…

What do you do when your wife gets the full lunch instead of the regular clear liquids? You EAT that chicken pot pie, dammit!

Oh baby. Here come the contractions….

Epidural = smiles again!

This next one might just be my favorite ever.

Remember how everything is a party? This is about 10 minutes before the baby was born….

Hellooooo Paige!!!

Beauty in its truest and purest form…Kate, you are gorgeous.

Paige hollers hello at her Grams over the phone…

Hello, burrito baby.

If you’ve made it this far….nicely done!! If you are wanting to see more photos, head on over to my Facebook page and check out the slideshow.  I can’t seem to stop watching it myself. I’m going to be out of tissues by morning.

Tim, Kate, Ems and Paige, congratulations on your beautiful family. Much much MUCH love.

Well, it happened.  We tried to tell her to go ahead and decide to stay 5 for just ONE more year…..no go. TK even said he called the birthday police, and we could keep her 5 for one more year if only we filled out the paperwork by midnight…she was too savvy for us, though.

Birthdays for the kids are always a little sad for me–another year older, that invisible thread that connects them to me stretches just a little more.  The night before every birthday I sit with the kids and look through the snapfish photo books with the photos from our hospital stay when they were born. I tell the same stories–Sam, I pushed for FOUR HOURS and FIVE MINUTES before you came out! Jane, all anyone could say when they looked at your face was “oooh the CHEEKS!” I get to stroll down memory lane (strew with happy tears, thank you very much) and they are reminded that they were loved from the MOMENT they were born. It’s win-win for all of us.

She woke up sleepily, the first thing she said was “I think I grew last night!” She padded down the stairs in her footie pajamas, we danced around the kitchen to Tom T Hall’s “Your Birthday Is”, another tradition that carried over from my own childhood, and then she dove into her pile of presents. The big winners? Earrings. about seven thousand pair, ready for January 15th, when she can take out the starter set.  And, funnily, a pair of pink fake eyeglasses, which she wore all day long. Love that child.

Waffles with whipped cream and chocolate chips for the smaller set, my mom’s eggs benedict for the grown-ups! (someday those kids will catch on that Eggos are NOT the same thing as real breakfast.) She consumed about seven thousand push-pops until it was time to head to the movies.  We were in traffic getting into the mall, and she said, “Umm, this traffic is ruining a little bit of my birthday awesome-ness.” So I smashed all of the cars out of the way and plowed into the parking garage. Of course.

We saw “We Bought A Zoo”. Go. See it. Bring some tissues. I loved it. When it ended, Sam said, “Well, that was a very lovely movie!” We headed home for spaghetti and cupcakes, some painting and a game, and before I knew it, she was back into her footie pajamas and headed to bed.

My favorite part of the day came just after breakfast, when I took her outside for a photoshoot.  SOMEONE tell me why I haven’t been doing this all the time?? It was freezing. And windy. But I bundled her in everything pink I could find and let her toss confetti stars in the air. I’ll be finding them for days, but it was worth it.

Because the night before she turns 16, after we look at the book from when she was born, I’m pulling these ones out too.

Happy birthday to my sparkly six year old darling girl, we could not love you more!

(did I mention there are two photogs in the house at all times now? He is my official in-house second shooter….)

The card from Sam on the left says “I have you for the greatest sister ever. Love Sam”  (heart melt.)

I LOVED these pics of her blowing out her candles…in this house, TK always hands the cake over, as I am always snapping away….and that first photo reminded me of one from her very first birthday…

If I had my way, I would have stood on a chair an serenaded Kelly at her birthday dinner in Manhattan on earlier this month.

When you have a friend like Kelly, it is no question–OF COURSE I am coming to New York to celebrate the big day, YES PLEASE, sign me up for a massage at the girls spa day, and OKAY, I’ll come in the night before to get a little more time in with her.  If I MUST.

And with a friend like Kelly, you don’t just want to come to a party, you want to throw her a parade. Hire sky writers. Plaster your love for her on a billboard in Times Square. Declare a national holiday. Serenade her in a french restaurant in the west village.

But what to sing?  ”Happy Birthday” seemed oddly inappropriate, even though we did sing it together to her. No. Not enough.

I could totally have sung “Build me up Buttercup.” It is the official theme song for the Hot Buttered Mamas (it’s been so long ago that I can’t fully remember how Kelly, Steph, Julie, and I came to call ourselves Hot Buttered Mamas, but it stuck!) and is one of those songs that you can’t help but sing. At the top of your lungs. Maybe it wouldn’t have been quite right for that little restaurant. Not that THAT would have stopped me.

“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”–I might even have attempted BOTH Marvin Gaye AND Tammy Terrell’s parts…THIS might be the ultimate friend song. NOTHING could keep me from getting to Kelly, if she needed me, and even more, NOTHING keeps Kelly from those in need. NOTHING. Is there a better quality in a human being? I think not. And my friend has it in SPADES.

I might have sung “Galway Bay”. Kelly’s irish roots run deep, and as the song goes, “If there is going to be a life hereafter, and faith somehow I’m sure there’s going to be, I’ll ask my God to let me make my heaven on that dear land across the Irish Sea”, and I imagine that’s how it goes for Kelly. But my Irish brogue inevitably becomes scottish, and before you know it, it’s jamaican, and everyone is wondering why Bob Marley is singing that song.

I considered “The Trolley Song” from Meet me in Saint Louis, you know, “clang clang clang went the trolley”, ONLY because the next line goes “ding ding ding went the bell” and if you’ve ever heard kelly say “DING DING DING!” I’m sure it’s one of your favorite catchphrases too. I might still sing this, it’s not completely off the table yet. I am just going to find some sequined pants first.

Then there is “Do You Love Me”, with the line, “I can mashed potato…I can do the twist…”, because I have been searching forever for a song that really FEATURES mashed potatoes, but there are so few and far between. Still, when one of your best friends is a bonafide Mashed Potato Aficionado,  you want to find a way to honor that.  I’m still looking.

And on that note, how are there NO songs about the awesome-ness of fountain soda??

I thought about Winter Wonderland…not very birthday-ish, but it will forever remind me of a december stroll through central park with Kel, thinking about all of the Christmas-y things we were going to see that day, when we came around the corner hear a lone saxophone playing it….Christmas in New York? CHECK!!

I can not deny that “Thank You for Being a Friend” came to mind. Yes, the theme song to the Golden Girls. And everyone knows that song. But if you can listen to it and NOT picture four old ladies, the song kinda rocks.

“You Are My Sunshine” was in the running. One of Kelly’s greatest gifts is that she has the uncanny talent to completely cheer up even the saddest soul. Her nature always finds the brightest side of the situation, and she is quick to show THAT to you. Looking for the silver lining? She’ll find it for you, polish it up, and present it to you with a pretty ribbon tied on. Even in my darkest times, when there isn’t even a silver lining to be found, she has always been there to remind me that “This is just chapter 6. Of 45.”

I thought about “The Story”, by Brandi Carlisle. I love that song, and what it means to have someone to share my stories with…and I love the line that goes “When I was flat broke, you made me feel like a million bucks”. That’s what Kelly does–she values her friends such that when one is feeling at their lowest, a quick chat from Kel raises the spirit and remind you how amazing and worthwhile you are.  BUT. The song happens to start by talking about lines on the face, and I know better than to sing that to a girlfriend on their birthday.

I thought about singing a Billy Joel song. Because THAT is Kelly. Comfortable and easy going, familiar and friendly, and when she walks in, you can’t help but smile (come on, you know that every time a Billy Joel song comes on the radio, you smile and go, “oh yeah, I love this song.” I know you do.) I was going to sing And So It Goes, a song about giving your heart, because THAT is how she operates. Kelly loves with her whole heart, no holding back. Lucky are we to be on the receiving end of that generous heart, and lucky is the man who offers that kind of love back.

The Beach Boys came to my mind…I could totally belt out “God Only Knows” because THAT’S the truth. God only knows where I would be without my Kelly…

And my song choice started to come into focus, and it came down to two.

My new favorite artist is Brett Dennen. He’s a big red-headed giant, with a gently folksy voice and I love him.  The first time I heard “By and By” I just knew it was written for my Hot Buttered Mamas. The chorus sums it up: “oh, i’ll tell you that I, I love you by and by. I don’t know if I’d survive without a friend like you in my life.” Because I really do not know how people survive the madness that is life without close friends. I know that my own personal craziness is much more manageable knowing I have someone like Kelly in my corner.

But only one song covered all of my best wishes of love and friendship for Kelly’s Birthday.

“To Make You Feel My Love” sums it all up. If I had Adele’s pipes, I would have stood on the chair, clinked my glass and serenaded my friend.  This song brings me to tears every time. Sometimes because I realize that I feel that way about someone. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to make you feel my love”.  Sometimes it’s because I know in my hear that someone feels that way about me.  The beauty of having best friends is that the feeling of I’ll do anything to make sure you know you are LOVED runs on an endless, infinite back and forth loop. I feel that from my friend Kelly. When I need it most. And I hope she feels it coming right back to her. To the ends of the earth for you, friend.

Kelly, you are the kind of friend that everyone wants, and so few of us are lucky to have. Kind and generous, brilliant and funny, you keep us all smiling and laughing, thinking and singing (what song will you put into my head TODAY?), tap dancing too, And above all, grateful to know such a remarkable person.  I hope your birthday was relaxing and fun, and I am so thrilled that I got to be a part of it! Although I didn’t actually serenade you that night, I hope you know that having a friend like you keeps my heart full of song.

xo

PS-What’s that? You thought that mix of songs might be the best mix-tape ever made?? Me too!  You can find all of the songs here on iTunes…

]]> http://sweetjaneonline.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=1708 2 http://sweetjaneonline.com/blog/?p=1723 http://sweetjaneonline.com/blog/?p=1723#comments Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:28:57 +0000 sarahkristiansen http://sweetjaneonline.com/blog/?p=1723 I just wanted to say thanks–I received so many lovely emails and good thoughts after yesterday’s post. Aren’t friends just the best??  We are still working on some electrical stuff–like why Sam’s room doesn’t have any power, and we keep finding things that were indeed damaged because they weren’t plugged into surge protectors.  And some are curious–like, how the cheap alarm clock and the tiny Ikea nightlight are fine, but both Bose radios in the kids rooms won’t turn on? How odd? And one cable box is a goner too. It’s funny how random things were affected–it’s like a tornado went through here, and some things are destroyed and others are perfectly fine.  It could be worse, and I know that for certain! Sam’s powerless room could be worse too–in the meantime, he is sleeping with his sister, and I peek in on them snuggled up together…Maybe I won’t turn that power back on at all!

The BEST part of the weekend, though, was Jane’s ballet recital.  Her ballet school puts on a small Christmas show every year, which I LOVE, because I don’t know when I’ll ever get to a summer recital.  TK and I missed last year’s because we were in Californa, and I am already booked for a wedding for this coming year. So for me, this is the best thing ever.  I got to do her hair and make up, and I watched my baby turn into a young lady with just a few sweeps of mascara–and how I got her short hair into a bun is beyond me. BUT I DID. Jane is a girly girl, through and through, and was over the moon about wearing mom’s makeup.  ”MASCARA AAAAAND LIPSTICK?? I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!!!!” (insert high-pitched squeals here).  I have always loved Jane’s lashes–with her blonde hair and blue eyes, I have no idea how she ended up with JET BLACK LASHES, which go on for about a mile. I hardly put any mascara on–her eyelashes started curling up OVER her eyebrows…are you kidding me with that??  She was darling in the recital–she danced to the Chinese Tea song from The Nutcracker, and the veritable crowd of Jane-supporters handed over flowers and flowers and flowers, to her delight.  She got to sit and watch the older girls perform, and was mesmerized.  Sam, on the other hand, was full of commentary. “Now THAT was lovely. JUST LOVELY.” or, “Simply amazing!” I love a young patron of the arts…

This has been a crazy weekend. Emotional roller coaster. The stuff of Lifetime Movies.

As all good movies start, this story starts with a rainstorm. On Wednesday night, while we slept, we had a doozy of a rainstorm, windy enough to do a little damage to the wire that connects the electrical pole to our house. But we didn’t know that. We knew that the power went off and on a couple of times, but that was it.  A little water in the basement, but nothing too bad.  Over the next few days, we had a few moments where the lights would flicker at about half power, but it always resolved itself. No biggie.

Saturday morning Sam woke me up–he was upset and crying–the Christmas tree had fallen over in the middle of the night, and there were broken ornaments all over the floor. There just aren’t that many times when Sam is so genuinely sad, that it roused me immediately from bed.  Hugs hugs hugs for sam, and DON’T WORRY.  I’ll put on the Christmas music, we’ll make some cocoa and it’ll be FINE.  I went downstairs and surveyed the carnage.  Now that Jane was with us, seeing it for the first time, it was so sad. I handed out the first job–let’s pick up all of the UNBROKEN ornaments and put them in a box, then we’ll sweep up and be on our way. As we started sorting through the shards, a beloved ornament would be recognized, and the tears would start fresh…here’s Belle, here’s an angel….I kept reminding them that these are THINGS. They aren’t the actual memories. But when I came across a broken ice skate, and then my favorite ornament, a glass pacifier that was a gift the Christmas before Sam was born, it was hard to keep my chin up. I tried, and though I was doing pretty good, until Jane leaned over and started rubbing my back with her tiny hand, and said in a voice quavering with fresh tears, “I’m sorry about your ornaments, mom.” Gaah, even writing that now, I am weepy all over again.

But. We carried on.  Got everything picked up, had cocoa, and found about 5 broken beloved ornaments that I thought I might be able to fix with some superglue. I found only half of that pacifier, but I couldn’t bear to toss it, so I stashed it safely on my desk. I pulled out the vacuum, and as soon as I flipped the switch, every light started buzzing and flickering, and outlets started hissing and popping.  I ran to my computer and pulled the plug from the back, but the smell of burning plastic was overwhelming and I was 100% certain it had fried.  TK turned off the main fuse to the house, and as I gathered Jane’s things to go to ballet, the smell of burning plastic seemed to be traveling upstairs.  I decided that Sam was not going to hockey, but was coming with me.  That Momma-Bear instinct kicked in, as it was imperative to have them WITH me and OUT of the house.  TK’s job was to call National Grid, and the fire department.  We had visions of a fire starting inside the walls…especially since we couldn’t figure out the burning plastic smell.  I am so terrified of house fires, as a kid, that was my nightmare–that the house would catch fire in the middle of the night and my dad wouldn’t be fast enough to get out.  So as I am heading out with the kids, I am nervous, and anxious.

We started thinking about what steps we would have to take–if we suddenly have major electrical problems in the house, and have to call in an electrician, WHO KNOWS what that will cost. And if my computer, and heaven forbid, my drives are all fried, well, that means I have to replace the computer LIKE TOMORROW, and pay who knows how much to recover the info off of fried hard drives.  But as long as my house doesn’t go up in flames, that’s almost manageable.

I get a call from TK in the car. He has discovered the source of the smell.  There is a small plug strip that was plugged into the outlet in our bedroom that literally fried.  Black soot around the holes, definitely burned.  He says that one of the plugs under my desk downstairs is also burned.  He tells me that National Grid is on the way.

OK.  My heart rate is slowing to only rapid, instead of heart-attack speed.  Call from my mom, and I am in tears telling her about the morning.  But trying to keep it together, with kids in the back seat.

Another call from TK.  He turned the power back on, plugged my computer in and it fired up.  IT WAS TOTALLY FINE.  More tears. Lots and lots of happy tears, in fact. And National Grid is there, assessing the situation.

Jane is safely at ballet, and Sam and I head to target, to see about replacing a couple of ornaments. Another call from TK, the problem is the fried wire from the pole to the house, and they were replacing it. PROBLEM SOLVED. No fire, no replacing computers, no astronomical electrician fees. Heart rate back to normal!

When we got home, TK was replacing an outlet near my desk, something that needed to be done anyway, and he bought two new power strips for under my desk.  As I was replacing them, the old one was most definitely ruined.  I remember scoffing at how expensive it was when I bought it, and had no idea why a surge protector was necessary. Now I see. That little $50 beauty absorbed all of the electricity, and essentially burned itself up in the process, but saved each vital piece of electronics that was plugged into it.  When I threw it away, I saluted it, the fallen hero. The surge protector that saved Christmas.

The kids and I un-decorated the tree, straightened it up, fixed the lights, and re-decorated it. We did it with a happy spirits and grateful hearts.  Yes, it was down a number of ornaments. But there is a new Darth Vader, and even a new Cinderella decking its boughs. I took a look around and sighed, feeling grateful for safety, security, and my little family.

And thanks to a little hope and a lot of glue, my glass pacifier is hanging where it belongs.

Tonight we decorated the enormous tree we bought.  It took a long time, because I have the kinds of children who like to reminisce over ornaments, and like to stop for hugs and say things like “My heart is singing with joy!!” I kid you now. Sam climbed into my lap, and said this was his favorite day ever.  I told him that these were the memories he would think about when he was a dad, decorating the tree with his own kids.  And that brought happy tears to that sweet child’s eyes! Is he my boy or WHAT??

So since we are all in the sweet holiday spirit, I thought I would keep it going.  And nothing says “Christmas” like the family, digitally dressed as penguins, rocking out to a song. Am I right or am I right??

(and to stroll down memory lane, here is the first and BEST Kristiansen family jib jab ever ever made.)

I wanted to tell you a little about the photos that come onto the blog.  When I am shooting around, just taking random pics around the house and of the kids, I get the best of them blog-ready and post them when I have a great story to go with them.  Inevitably, there are a number of photos that never make it onto the blog, and they sit, all dressed up with no place to go, in their folder, with no love.  UNTIL TODAY, my friends. Today they will SHINE!

I chose a couple of my favorites of Jane from this year.  That girl.  I am telling you, thank heavens for a blog and my camera, or I would forget half of the amazing things my girl says and does.  For instance, she claimed my wedding veil as her own more than a year ago, and NOTHING makes this mama happier than seeing her all dressed up and playing a bride. Wonder where she gets that?? Recently, as I was helping her pull the top layer over her face, I told her how I would be crying so many happy tears when I did that for real on her wedding day.  She smiled, then burst immediately into tears.  Through the sobs, we figured out that she does. not. want. to. leave. her. mom. (yay!) It took about 20 minutes to calm her down, and what finally did the trick was TK reassuring her that when she got married we could ALL live together in a big house, and when she had babies, Mommy would be right there to help.  And as she sniffled away, he looked at me and said, “Oh, I wouldn’t you just LOVE that.” Why yes, yes I would.

Both kids are starting to look around and appreciate light when it is particularly lovely.  Sam is better, he truly sees different quality of light, but both kids appreciate it.  That’s what having a photographer mom does to you, I guess. When we are inside, though, and I notice the light changing outside, it’s always Jane who says, “Wanna go take some pictures in the backyard?” And these are from a recent dash into the back:

Here’s a little collage of iPhone photos that I made (using PhotoShake) of pics I snapped as Jane and I were watching the live Beauty and the Beast show at Hollywood Studios in Disney.  The one where she is pointing to her head?  She is saying, “I can’t believe we are here! This is BLOWING MY MIND!”

And this last one is old…from last summer…but it shows that personality so well…that dramatic, silly girl who lights up our world and keeps us on our toes!

Enjoy the night, friends…we are off to get a Christmas Tree!

]]> http://sweetjaneonline.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=1695 1 http://sweetjaneonline.com/blog/?p=1685 http://sweetjaneonline.com/blog/?p=1685#comments Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:33:52 +0000 sarahkristiansen http://sweetjaneonline.com/blog/?p=1685 Welcome to December! (Rabbit Rabbit!)

My poor blog has been so neglected as of late, and I think most especially I have been stingy about personal posts. So I am going to try to post once a day in December, with some photos and stories I have been wanting to share.

Today I give you a handful of images from a part of our Florida trip last month.  Grampa Tom and Annie are members of the beach club at The Don CeSar in St. Pete, and it just happens to be one of my favorite places in the whole world.  You know when you are sitting in the dentist chair, and they say, “go to your happy place”? Well, I head STRAIGHT here. And make sure there is a pina colada in my hand too.  Not surprisingly, with the two pools, hot tub,  and white powder sand of the gulf, it’s officially one of the kids favorite places too. Like, right up there with Cuttyhunk. One of the days we were at The Don, we took Tom and Annie’s boat (The Annie B! How we love that boat!) to the club, and came home at sunset through the gulf. When we saw some dolphins about 20 feet away, Tom cut the engine and we sat and watched…and not long after, one of those curious animals came right over to the boat, and swam all around us…I think it might have been one of the most magical moments of the kids (and their parents) lives!  And from the photographer, when you see some of the pics on the boat, that glorious pink light is totally natural, and I swear, I hear it calling me back.  Or maybe it’s the pina coladas I am hearing…