ALMOST SEVEN

I can't believe she is almost seven.

Is it just me, or are your 30's going by too fast? I wish time would slow down just a bit.

Will did not want his picture taken this day, and he wanted his diaper back on. I don't think he is ready quite yet for the big league.

MORE CUTE KIDS AND CHERRY TREES

My friend Lori and her 2 boys came over for a play date last week. Hopefully everyone is still healthy since I neglected to tell her that Will has a snotty nose and a 7 week long cough...I felt really bad. She has the cutest kids! And when I see cute kids (particularly the 2 and under crowd), all I can think about is taking pictures of them. Even when I see stranger's cute kids. It's all I can do not to ask them if I can photograph their child.

I WANT ONE

My girlfriend, Tash, had her baby girl 5 days ago. Here I am holding her when she was not even a day old. (I want one).

I normally don't invite myself over to visit new babies until around 6 days after birth, but I really couldn't wait that long. I just love those warm, curled up, grunting, soft, perfect little newborns. She is so beautiful Tash!

I'm also obsessed with people's labour and delivery stories. I truly love to hear all the details. I sometimes dream about being a midwife (although I don't like to woken up in the middle of the night).

I have lots of pictures from my visit, but first, I have to blog about Tash's Baby Shower I hosted a day before Tash went into labour.

It was an orange, pink and red and heart theme. (I saw this invite on Inchmark and basically copied it. I didn't know how to make hearts in photoshop, so I cut out and pasted some instead).

I did not make this cake. It is from the Uncommon Cake in Vancouver and it was delicious. In fact, you will never have a better tasting cake. I ate the cake leftovers all by myself the next day at 11:00am and did feel a little sick afterwards.

We played some baby scattegories and decorated some onesies for the baby.

There were some cute kids at the shower too.

SPRING THINGS

I am thankful for my neighbours who were nice enough to plant the most amazing cherry blossom tree. The blossoms must be a sign that Spring is close, and then it will be Summer my most favourite season of all.

This is my view out the window where I sit at my computer:

I made Clara stand beneath the branches for a few pictures. Cherry blossoms don't stick around for very long, but I suppose that is what makes them so special.

Sam wanted a cherry blossom picture too, so he climbed the tree (in his jammies and bike helmet).

And while I'm on the topic of Spring, I took the boys (and Charline) to the beach this week after peering out my window in the morning and discovering sun and blue sky. I wore a t-shirt and my gold flip flops and froze my butt off. Don't be fooled by Sam's bare feet. If you recall, my children never wear shoes.

Will wasn't feeling too hot, and just chilled with some teddy grahams.

Sam and Charline found 30 crabs.

It was a good morning.

HELLO!

Hello blog. I have not forgotten you. I have been up past midnight the past week, working on another blog (my photo blog).

I have also been enjoying the cherry blossoms, pretending it is warm enough to wear flip flops, trying to be a good mom, trying not to pinch my 2 older kids, playing outside as much as possible, caring for 2 boys with 7 week long coughs, watching Clara play field hockey, going to my first ever Bat Mitvah, hosting a baby shower for my girlfriend, having snuggles with her baby 40 hours later and photographing my first 3 (official) sessions!

Maybe tonight I will post some pictures and try to catch up.

For now, here is my William waking up from his nap this afternoon, and discovering he is sharing a bed (my bed) with a stinky brown hairy animal and a mother at the doorway who takes far too many pictures in a day:

ASHER'S SECOND

Dear Asher,

Thanks for inviting us all to help celebrate your second birthday. I am sad that I had to leave early to do a photo session (but Aunt Bee has to make a little extra cash these days to help with her big time spending habits). Your mom really knows how to put on a good party, and her loot bags rival no ones.

Do you know that 2 years ago, your Daddy phoned and woke me up before 5:00am to tell me your mommy was in labour and I should come over. I got to your house so fast, even Sam would be impressed. I was sure I missed the birth considering how quickly your mom pushes out those babies. But alas, contractions were difficult and labour was long and as it turned out, you were all twisted about in there and were very stubborn.

Poor Aunt Bee missed the moment you decided to greet the world, but I did meet you shortly afterwards, all 9lbs 8ozs of you, with your furrowed up face and thick brown hair...you were perfectly, perfect (and still are)!

Happy Birthday Asher (Will's BFF)

Here are a few shots I took before I had to leave. Hopefully your Dad got the rest of the party covered.

(Will, stunned, fresh from waking up from his car nap)

A BOY

I love this definition of a boy...

Boy, n: a noise with dirt on it

And somehow, the bunnies are still at our house! I think it was a plot of Sam's teacher...

...send the bunnies home with Sam, make Sam fall in love with bunnies, bunnies live with Sam forever and never return to the classroom.

Last night, Charline and I had to lift the treadmill up so Sam could grab Nibbles and put him back into his cage. The bunny has also chewed through the complicated tv/media wiring, which also means that the shows I PVR'ed did not tape. I also found bunny poop in our bed last night. It is getting out of hand over here. Bunnies must go.

#33...almost done

#33 on my list of things to do before I turn 36: buy some make up and learn how to apply it.

A couple of weekends ago, I went to a make up and jewelry event at Mika Studio and got a little make up lesson, learned that foundation does amazing things to my blotchy sun marked face, bought some foundation and got some smoky eyes for my date with my husband that very night. Jake said he really liked my make up, (a huge compliment to Karin) considering Jake usually thinks my make up looks "kind of scary."

I am definitely going back for the 6 hour basic make up class. Although I now know how to apply foundation and I can put on mascara without getting it all over my face, I only consider myself half done #33. I'm not quite a master of the make up yet.

(Karin...owner of Mika and make up artist)

(my friend Annie...also a make up artist)