.449 mon petit bébé est un enfant de trois ans

a blizzard on her birthday postponed any pre-proposed plans for festivities. 

we declared it a pampering no "no" day and simply made it all about her.

  

  

(((i have a three year old)))

.445 lazy hazy mornings

i swear she has her own room [le sigh] but mines is still her space of choice. 

(soft smiles)

so be it

...

  

   

.431 store run

  

  

.260 day 234

after toots poured a cup of water onto my laptop (dry out time = 5 hrs) this little bit of toddler mischief felt like a walk in the park.

the sun was setting, natural light fading, so i took advantage of the pretty colors the shadows created...

(if you can't beat 'em...join 'em)

update:

she's since added more colors and graphics to it and i love it. 

it's like having a basquiat painting on my window.

my very own masterpiece.

created by my very own masterpiece.

.241 day 216

(((yawns)))

when working...my personal creativity dampens a bit. all my energy is thrust into the current project and little is left over for independent adventures. these days...my current projects equate to as many shoots as i can do weekly. 

(i need to move. preferably out of the state. to do so requires enough of a financial nest egg, to hold us while toots and i assimilate to whatever new culture we'll be in)

recently, i've acquired a few new clients who made me test my comfort levels. 

everyone isn't a fan of "artistic expression". some folks just want plain ole photos, light on the artsy fartsy stuff. now, the old me, proclaiming to stay true to my craft, all-out refused to work with clients not on the same accord as i. after-all, i started working for myself to do what i love, not what someone else loves. but now that i am a mother, primarily a single mother, my art and business are one and the same.

and i found...that art..is in everything.

one client wanted angled photos of intersections for a project she was working on. quite boring, but it gave me a whole new perspective on angled shooting. another client was a straight, black and white, no grey area stock broker, who specifically told me to "not get fancy" (yes, that kind of 'no grey area' guy). he didn't even smile the entire shoot. but, i learned how to make a wrinkle or a mole stand out and smile for him. and yesterday...i shot a bishop (ha! like with a gun. i shot the sheriff...the deputy...and a bishop) and now...i'm über excited to explore new avenues in the religious arena.

anyway, this long, drawn out post isn't about much. these are toot's new kicks. i am super digging them, and even considered shelling out the $80 for a pair for myself. but i digress...i'm  thirty-two years old. i wear flat-rider boots, fitted jeans and blazer jackets %90 of the time. ballerina flats and thin, leather sandals, my summer/spring crave. in fact, unless they are chuck taylors, there is just no place a pair sneakers would fit in my life. 

ha! i actually laugh at the thought...

this was the most random post...ever.

.228 day 204

toddler 2nd quarter checklist

public name: toots

age: two

sign: aquarius

the basics

potty trained ✓

knows entire alphabet ✓

can count to 14 ✓

knows all primary colors (and some specialities) ✓

knows all her body parts ✓

knows all basic animals ✓

specialties

can do simple puzzles ✓

can recite a short poem in sign language ✓

knows some simple yoga poses ✓

and now

climbs stool, turns water on, puts toothpaste on brush, and brushes her teeth all by herself

i smile. 

next up: spelling our name and riding our tricycle.

(more ✓'s soon to come)

.138 day 121

the power of toddlers. i awoke to it. my early morning riser, who used to greet me with kisses and hugs to assure i was awake, now takes liberty if i, in fact, am not. a late awakening means there's sure to be a tootie'esque suprise when i arise. 

today...was powder. 

on sheets and floors, on laptops and books. in ears, in hair, in random places of random spaces in the room, toots emptied out the entire bottle. clapping, stomping, throwing it in the air, as she delighted in her long awaited dream of powder play. 

i closed my eyes and counted. 

she's almost two, i reason. by default, she's fueled by exploration. excited by new scenes, smells, sound, taste and feelings daily. this is natural. i place myself in her "shoes" and envision the sensations she felt. imagined the joy of discovering the forgotten, and foolishly left opened, bottle. imagined the giggles that arose, first moment she squeezed white clouds into air. this is okay, i tell myself, perfectly o.k. the room smells like lavender and mischief and innocence and that trumps all the messy residuals left for me to clean.

i wipe. i sweep. i mop. i snap. and an hour and a half later, all is right in our world...