For Bella's fifth birthday Cairn and I decided to buy her a digital camera. I researched a bunch of "kid" versions at first because I was worried that buying a "real" camera for a five year old was certifiably insane because let's face it she's going to drop it out the car window; however, the kid versions of digital cameras are THE WORST. I knew that this kid, after being exposed since birth to a lot of photography both on our good camera and our iPhones, would scoff with all the eye-rolling indignation she could muster (a lot) at these horrible low rez atrocities. Instead, I researched kid-friendlyish (determined by me) grown up cameras instead.
End of the day I settled on a Nikon CoolPix S30, which is geared towards use for the whole family and you know what? It's awesome. It's waterproof, shock proof and has fun features like borders and filters that are appealing to kids. It's also takes really great video. It's as kid-proof as a 'real' camera can be and I got it on sale so the entire gift - camera, memory card and case - was around $100. Quite proud of myself, can you tell?
My point? BEST GIFT EVER. I wanted her to have it mainly because we were headed off to Mexico with extended fam and all of us are photo-takers. I didn't want her asking to use our good camera or my iPhone - because clearly they'd end up buried in the sand - but figured that it would be fun to see our trip through her lens as well as my own.
OMG. I was so right, you guys! She doesn't pick up the camera that often, but when she does the results are pure gold. I recently downloaded her photos onto my computer and the idea for this series was born. I just have to share these pictures.
In this first installment in 'Pictures by Bella', all photos are from our vacation in Mexico this February. They are in chronological order. Almost all of the photos were taken by Bella herself, but a select few were only art-directed by her - mainly because her arms were too short for selfies. Or because she wanted a few photos of herself that featured more than just a close-up of half her squinting face. I haven't edited them in any way other than cropping a few to save space or remove the odd unsuspecting tourist from the shots. Hope you'll find them as entertaing as I do - enjoy!
Clearly not my best angle but still a sweet shot of a tired Mommy and adorable Ever on the plane.
Happy Nana on the plane.
Ever testing out the sleeping arrangements upon arrival. She took about 400 in this series but I love the lighting and composition of this one. She's so artsy.
A classic back-lit silhouette I like to call, 'Happy Mommy in Hat'.
Dad in his happy place.
Shots of feet is a recurring theme in her work.
Shots of herself in reflection is another recurring theme. This one is complex.
I call this one, 'Poor Sofie'.
This begins a selfie series: Photo taken by me, art directed by Bella, starring Dad and Bella.
Amazing family selfie: Photo taken by Cairn, Art Directed by Bella, photo-bombed by that kid drowning his brother in the background.
Mom + Bella selfie on the ferry to Cozumel: Photo taken by me, Art Directed by Bella, Photo-Bombed by the really angry dude behind me.
Shadow selfie: Another recurring theme.
Bella taking a photo of Papa's viewfinder displaying Bella displaying her own viewfinder. Existentialism.
Amazing photo of Papa. Also that guy's shirt in the background.
Yes I drank the whole thing.
Selfie!
Leaving Cozumel on the scariest ferry ever. Fear significantly dulled by giant margaritas (mine not Bella's).
Another in the feet series. This time, mine and hers in Tulum.
Everley cuteness in Tulum.
Sandcastles in Tulum: Photo taken by me, Art Directed by Bella.
Okay this one is actually just taken by me. But HOT DAD!
Sometimes the artists signature "blur" works in the subjects favour. As in this shot, where it is masking a multitude of post-partum imperfections.
Underwater feet!
Unabashed poor parenting and less than desirable water safety.
Greatest photo of all time.
There's a less blurry version of this adorbs shot, but it features my bosom in an not-safe-for-work way.
A month ago you turned eight months old. So here's how it's going to be from now on. I will always be one full month late getting your birthday posts written and I will always be one hour late for absolutely everything else in my life. Let's accept it, deal with it, move on.
Let's see. The weeks between seven and eight months were packed with a lot of firsts. Here's a run down:
1. First teeth! OMG cutest little teeth ever. The two on the bottom. They came in together on the same day and took about a week to really poke through. So far, no more to speak of but I'm totally fine with that because those little razors hurt and you're a biter.
2. Sitting up on your own! Yay! You really hate being confined to any sort of baby-wrangling contraption (except the Jolly Jumper and the stroller both of which you still love) so the fact that you can now sit up unassisted is helpful because I can plunk you down where ever and you're happy because you don't have to lie still. Not that you ever lie still. Ever.
Sitting!
Sitting skills also makes bath time easier and more fun. Splashing is also a fav pastime.
3. "Crawling" everywhere. EVERYWHERE. I call it crawling but it's not really, it's more of an army-style, military drag using your left arm to pull yourself and your right big toe to push yourself. Arm, toe, arm, toe. It's as adorable as it sounds and surprisingly efficient.
You need to work on not getting stuck under ALL THE FURNITURE. But I'm sure that's coming soon.
4. Obsession: magazines! You can't get enough. You will bee line all the way across the room, though a virtual obstacle course of baby toys, just to get to my stack of magazines. You know I don't want you to have them, but you can't resist them. I understand, I have a magazine addiction myself. But I do think you need to stop eating them.
5. First swing! So fun. Your big sis hated the swings until she was... well, until about six months ago. She refused to swing! This made visits to the park almost unbearable because really? What's a parent supposed to do at the park if not push the swing? Stand there and watch the kids go up and down the same stupid slide for three hours? Kill me. Swinging is where it's at and thankfully you love it. Small mercies.
First swing!
Aside from all of these milestoney-type things, which are fascinating and exciting for me but probably a full-on snore fest for anyone else, we just had a really fun time this month. You've hit optimal baby age, in my opinion. You're funny, you're entertaining, you've got personality for days. It's a very good thing because you and I spend A LOT of time together. A LOT OF TIME ALL THE TIME SO MUCH TIME 24/7 ALWAYS. You're my little shadow and I wouldn't have it any other way.
"Oh I got tricks in store."
Can't wait to see what tricks and treats are in store for us next (LOL that's funny because I already know! Because this post is a month late! I bet the suspense is killing you! Or not, whatevs, see you in a month).
"But wait! What happens next month? WHAT HAPPENS NEXT MONTH??!!"
Hello there honey child. On April 21 you turned seven months old. I don't have a whole lot to say about your development in the weeks between six and seven months, except that you are moving right along hitting your milestones and having fun doing so, but I will report that I continue to be absolutely obsessed with you.
Teething is coming along just fine as evidenced by your refusal to remove this card from your mouth.
Seriously, one day I hope you'll read this and when you do I want you to know that I'm not sure anyone has ever made me feel utter joy the way that you do. I feel guilty putting this down in words because obviously you have a big sister and I can't possibly minimize how incredibly happy she makes me. She, who has literally changed the very fiber of my being. When Anabella was born she completed me.
Full of joy even though you are literally biting off my face.
You? You lift me up; you get under my skin and float me up onto a cloud happiness that hovers just above anything else that is going on in that moment. The feeling that I get when you smile at me? I can't. I can't explain it. It's pure, flawless, spectacular joy like I've never felt before.
I love this photo because it's so rare to see you sad. That one little tear lasted just a moment before you were happily giggling away at your sister and I again.
Where your sister challenges me to be a better person, a smarter, more patient, more inquisitive person - she's my little sage, my life coach, my professor - you are showing me how to laugh with abandon, how to let go of my worries and find a peaceful place of yummy delight regardless of what's going on around us or what daily stresses might be dancing around in my head.
You
make me want to stop whatever obsessive cleaning and organizing I'm up
to, throw my hair in pigtails and dance with you around the house. We do
it every day with abandon and I will miss it so when you're too big to
want to anymore.
Your Daddy calls you Sparkle and that is it exactly. That's exactly what you do and who you are. You are Sparkle.
My amazing little Buddha-baby, my bringer of giggles and lover of life.
Watching my big girl at the pool this morning and I know she's afraid to jump in but she did it anyway, three times, because I asked her to try. And it occurs to me what a massive blessing this really is, to have two little people who trust me implicitly to guide them in the right direction, trust me completely to keep them healthy and safe and love me unconditionally even when I ask them to face their fears.
The exhaustion, the frustration, the stress, the vomit (OMG the vomit), the constant nagging worry that I'll have nibbling away in my brain at all times for the rest of my life. I would not change one second of it. Not one single second. Because being their mom is everything. I know it's out of vogue to admit that these days but fuck it, it's my day and I'm saying it. Being their mom is everything.
Happy Mother's Day to all the women out there who give it all to their babes, every day, not just because we don't have a choice (and we don't) but because being their mom is all the gift we'll ever really need.
Author's note: Everley turns seven months old today, making this the latest birthday letter I've ever written. So that's something. Anyway, here's her six month letter. Seven month photos and post to come... soonish?
Dear Everley,
My smiling buddha babe.
On March 21 you turned 6 months old and excuse me but could you get ANY cuter? I mean, girlfriend, you are just so fucking cute. Pardon my French but I need to really express the level of cuteness here and sometimes you just need a good strong swear word to do that. Cute, cute, cute. I'm obsessed with you.
The weeks between five and six months were kind of a big deal. I mean, hello, solid food? Nailed it. Rolling across the room? Doing it all the time. Jolly Jumper domination? Boom. You especially love to eat, as evidenced by the fact that though I only intended to feed you once a day until you turned six months, you went rabid for solids and ended up eating three squares within two weeks of starting. So here we are. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Fruits, veggies, meats, oatmeal, formula and of course ample amounts of good old fashioned breast milk. You devour it all. Might explain why at your six month check up you weighed in at a whopping 18lbs, 10oz.
Big and hungry.
But back to the cute thing because I need to harp in this a bit more. Everley, you literally glow with happiness. I don't think there have been too many moments where I can't make you smile or laugh just by looking at you. Even when you're at your most distraught I can make you laugh just by flashing you a grin. Because baby girl, you are full of joy. Big and bursting with joy, my smiling Buddha baby.
This joy of yours? It's exactly, EXACTLY, what our family needed. Not to say we weren't joyful before you - we were - but the three of us older Champagnes also tend to lean toward the serious. We are funny, but its a dry funny. We can be silly, but its not our most natural instinct. We are all somewhat reserved, contemplative, dare I say moody. We needed your light, your sparkle, you. We needed you.
