ahhh, the pressure.

just kidding! i told my friend tracy, though, that it is a lot more "nervy" shooting your friends as clients. but her boys are so sweet it wasn't work - it was just plain fun.
see more of their shoot here!

beautiful music...

i am not sure there is a more beautiful sound than the song of a woman in labor.

last night i was given the privelege to photograph the birth of the third baby of a new friend and sister in Jesus. in the still of night, under the autumn half-moon, with the accompanying harmony of the night creatures, we prayed and rocked and hummed together until the midwife arrived. this strong and thoughtful woman delivered her beautiful boy in the quiet sanctuary of her backyard with the attendants of her husband and a wise and seasoned (believing) midwife.
afterward, she rested and nursed in the warm pool they had purchased for the occasion, underneath the tiny-white-light-studded tent they put up just for the evening, before retiring to her room where big brother and sister awoke to meet their newest addition.

when i arrived at 1 am, she was well past 4 cm, with contractions every 3 minutes.




you can see her maternity, more of the awesome birth, and soon, family photos, here.

congratulations, ian and mel. and thank you for a sacred honor in sharing this part of your lives.

waking up...

every morning littlest comes into our room to nurse before the day begins. because i'm a night owl, i like to doze, so we turn on PBS for him to get his daily tv dose. (yes, i know, i will stunt his brain allowing him to watch tv - i DO have my weaknesses...) pretty soon early bird #2 joins us (e-baby, next big brother in line) and thank goodness, because he keeps Blue from heading off the bed.
finally, but perhaps most valuable, is the appearance of the princess, who faithfully carts them both off, changes the morning diaper, and feeds littlest - giving me a priceless extra half hour to get moving.
i am the most spoiled mom on the planet; i know this full well.
i hold my morning visits as among the most priceless moments of my days.

on another note (because i've been inspired by fellow bloggers four sweet sisters and the nester), i thought i'd share this:

i've used delays in our "spa" construction as an excuse to forsake our master bedroom lately. the other night i sweet-talked my studly man into helping me move some major furniture pieces and return our room to its "haven" status. ahhhh... romance and relaxation.

beach relaxing

i can't BELIEVE i didn't take my camera today. we hit the beach and enjoyed a shoulder-burning beautiful morning with our labrant friends. the beach was the widest i've seen it in ages with no seaweed clutter. the boys caught a jellyfish (no, charlie, don't pick him up!) and the girls "sold" sea treasures to neighboring beach-goers (they were pretending to have a shop, but the new "friends" insisted on giving the girls quarters...) and isaac had a blast crawling and standing in the puddles. God is so amazing to give us these reprieves in our "work" to remember how awesome He is in His creation.

bounty.

every time we go to pick up our organic produce co-op order, we are "gob-smacked" to discover just how SPECIFIC is our Papa's answer to some of our prayers. a few weeks ago, we'd been eyeing champagne grapes at the grocery - but being that they're not cheap, and i didn't know how they taste, i hadn't bought them. well lo and behold, we arrived at co-op that week, and in the "kitchen" (read: cheap because it must be used immediately) basket, we received CHAMPAGNE GRAPES! (and in case you're wondering, they're terrific.) this week the kids had been moaning that it's been a while since we've bought artichokes, and when can we get them again? and guess what was in our "kitchen" basket this week? oh yeah, baby. lunch today was a FEAST. (sorry daddy, but we know you don't love these anyway.)
we love - LOVE - to eat these dipped in melted butter and balsamic vinegar... when i was a kid my parents ate them after we went to bed and for some reason i love inviting my kids to love this with me...







the aftermath.
"how deep the Father's love for us
how vast beyond all measure
that He should give His only Son
to make a wretch His treasure..."

Isaac Walks...

okay, i'm feeling guilty because the pics look like puppy training - the kids are holding out treats for Blue - but he's so happy to oblige them and walk for a snack!
THIS is how they end up with eating disorders, i am sure. however, aren't you excited with us that littlest is taking steps FOR REAL this week???




cutie patootie. his big brother (#2) was feeding him sweet potatoes today and discovered that little Blue LOVES to feed himself! ahh, the ensuing mess of green beans and pancakes...

school days, school days

(with an ornery mama.)

here is ethan's dictation assignment from friday:

(really, that first sentence came from his reader...)

...and here's what we're really studying. ethan's version of the parthenon:

deep breath...

i just ordered this in a 16x24 canvas as a sample for my photography clients. there were other options (read previous post about this rushed shoot...) but something about the gripping color of my i's eyes, and the hands all joined... it captures the closeness between them in a tangible way for me. whatcha think?
...edit: well, shoot, in this blog you can't at all see the vibrance of those eyes! i guess you'll just have to take my word for it, or stop by for tea sometime and i'll show you!

"a magical place"

cuppa.



trouble on two bottoms.



even a lady must swordfight when she's surrounded by brothers (even someone else's)

the cowboy/cowgirl room...


visiting our "alternate universe" friends. (ever see that seinfeld where elaine makes friends with an alternate jerry, kramer, and george?)
they use tapestry of grace, have five (four boys and one princess) arrows, she has a hand-drum and he has a guitar, etc...)

our favorite place is the school-room. it's built into a garden cottage in the backyard, tucked behind the treehouse fort. between green tea and root beer floats, (because thursday is root beer float day - i want her for a mom!) i wandered out to my kind of paradise... books from floor to ceiling and wall to wall. ikea furniture (cuz she's cool like that) is at home with dollhouse and laundry center, backyard garden dirt, and art projects... and there's even an intercom to keep track of the goings-on if mom or kids are in the "main house."

wouldn't ya know, just after his mom told me about little k's recent toilet adventures, a spash led her to the bathroom where MY littlest was having a gay old time in said toilet.


we went on our second geocaching adventure to find the cache hidden by their boys.

found it!
i wanted to hit the floor (i did, but briefly, as i had to catch some sword-fighting action in the yard) and do nothing but read all these glorious books. as we drove home, j's comment to me: "mom, did you SEE their schoolroom? it's like a MAGICAL PLACE." ahhh, maybe he is a boy after my own heart.
just a reminder of how blessed we've been with lots of good friends! thank you, Papa!

i love these little people.

so why am i not more -
patient.
kind.
gentle.
giggly?
they were such troopers tonight as we did our own shoot to look for "the photo" to order our first canvas! i pity the audience who got to experience our "show..." as i tried (and i am so much nicer to other peoples' children, really, i am!!!) to get them all looking in one direction at once. eek! i'll post more and "outtakes" after i get a few hours' sleep and help my hubby finish - YES FINISH - grouting our previously posted shower-in-the-making!!!

note to self: even if you are a photographer for other people, DO NOT try to shoot your own children - especially when you have five- and you are going after a "professional" shot - and most especially when you have a five-year-old (think: cheesy smile year!!) and an almost-one-year-old. and above all, if you must attempt said feat, do not, and i mean DO NOT attempt it alone. otherwise, you might be tempted to actually SHOOT your own children!!! (with a squirt gun, of course. now that would've been a good idea! i see another "shoot" in our near future!)