Daniel Races

Daniel raced this weekend for the first time in 15 years! So proud. He blogs about it here.

Ladybugs

Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet

Penn's Cub Scout troop have earned their wolf badges and a host of belt loops this year. They celebrated at the Blue and Gold banquet. Daniel's parents were here to enjoy the chaos.

McGowans

Jaylyn came by for her Two Year portrait. She's grown so much since I first saw her! Like most two year old's, she could think of better things than having her photo taken. Somehow we got some pictures taken of her and her crazy adorable family anyway!

Chaneys

I've been shooting the Chaney's family portrait since 2008 and before that I was photographing their tea products. It is always a ridiculous pleasure to spend time with their family.

Millers

I try and snap a family photo whenever we're together. It's an important part of those last five minutes until we see everyone again in person.

Baby Bat

Last week I found this baby bat on our back deck. Flailing about on its back and first discovered by the dog, I assumed it was doomed. Bats are so different from the average four legged beasts I'm familiar with that with all the naked wing and kicking, she first looked broken all over. I went inside to get something to scoop her up with. When I came back she had composed herself, turned over and was opening her mouth over and over. (This is harder to watch if you're lactating.) I put her in a big plastic bowl with an old t-shirt. She moved about on the cloth and I left a message with a local rescuer listed with Bat World.

I had to pick up Penn and his friend from school in the pouring rain with Lucy. I took the bat with and thought maybe we could drop by the VCA in Lakewood for advice or maybe they knew where to take him. We walked in, a hilarious dripping gaggle of people, with a tiny baby bat. The people at the vet squirmed and, in front of my kiddos, coldly told me to kill her or have her killed by the city. Not even the slightest bit of compassion. I've had two experiences now with this vet and both were obnoxious.

The boys hauled their heavy frowns through the rain and into the car. Penn said sadly, "We have to kill it?" And I said, "Of course not. We have to save it." BIGGEST SMILES EVER.

The rescuer called and she was in Arlington. The sweetest husband in the world volunteered to take the baby bat to Arlington. There were other orphaned animals there.

She sent Penn home with some brochures on bats and now I'm full of bat facts. I spoke with her yesterday. Our bat is a female Eastern Red Bat and she's doing just fine. She's about eight weeks from being out on her own.

Mothers Day

My mother came down from Michigan when I had Penn in 2003. I sat on my donut pillow while she toted baby Penn around our tiny apartment. She held him the entire time. She talked to him constantly. She told him everything to the rhythm of her tiny hips, swaying her first grandson back and forth.

Penn was the first baby I ever experienced. I had never changed a diaper. I didn't even play with dolls as a little girl. But when my mother had to fly back to Michigan and handed me my little Penn, I picked up right where she left off. I carried baby Penn around and swayed and told him everything.

My parents divorced when I was young. My mother wasn't there every day with me. But in that one week of becoming a mother myself, with my own mother at my side, a torch was handed over and I was filled with confidence. I am so grateful for that moment.



I am lucky to have been so blessed with such a beautiful first born. Penn has ridden the ups and downs life has given us with an inner grace that can't be taught.  He has helped me be a good mother to Margot and to Lucy, in a way I can't quite describe. He makes me a better person and he is so tolerant, even when I'm not.

Parents are the most important people in the world. It is strange to be one of those people.

I am surrounded by exquisite, fearless mothers. My mom, my beautiful mother in law and my friends  are raising a substantial generation of loving, tolerant, strong and smart people.

It is the most important thing we will ever do.



I am so appreciative to all of the women in my life for being who they are and for standing with me as I figure out who I am.

These photos are from the book I made for Penn. Although our family dynamic has changed, it's still a really important piece to me. Click here to see the whole book.

Cheetahs are Champions

Soccer season has come to an end and Penn's soccer team, the Cheetahs, won first place in their league!  We have two fantastic coaches blessed with some wealth of patience and dedication that wrangle the boy herd through two practices and a game per week that is always a physical, mental and moral exercise.

The Cheetahs are a dynamic cast of characters with bright personalities and skills. I adore each of them.

They are competitive and play hard. Like brothers close in age, they may not always be nice to each other, but I've always been proud of their conduct towards the opposing team.

I cannot say the same for parental conduct this year. Parents have yelled at us across the field. Our coach has been yelled at. One parent even marched across the field and made serious physical threats if he saw our coach off the field. I assure you the aggression is extremely off base, unprovoked and our team is taught to play by the book. I wouldn't allow Penn to play on a team that wasn't run by gentlemen and we're all still confounded as to our opposing teams behavior.

Fortunately our coaches and parents are mature enough to shake it off. We congratulate our boys and take care to not fan the flame. I've heard rumor that some parents are finding themselves in "soccer court" to determine how long they will be banned from the fields.

This is just a game and games are supposed to be fun. These are just 8 year old boys. When they get hurt they cry and they look for their mommies. Often. I hope Penn is having fun out there. I hope he knows I'm proud of how hard he works at soccer practice and how hard he plays at games. And I hope he is happy that I'm at each game, behaving myself on the sidelines and keeping track of his water bottle.

Congratulations, Cheetahs! And thanks for letting me do your soccer portraits again!

Lucy: Four Months

Lucy is four months old.* She is the perfect baby girl, full of smiles and babbles. She is becoming more coordinated and able to grab things with intention. She is fascinated with her own hands and feet (pictured). She saves up her giggles for Penn. She loves everything that he does. She makes the funniest faces (pictured).

Lucy is cuddly and soft and beautiful and when our eyes meet and I say, "Good morning, Lucy!" she breaks out the biggest, brightest smile. And that's how we start our day.

*Lucy's monthly portrait is taken in the middle of the month and blogged at the end of the month. That's just how it happened and I wanted to keep the same amount of days between each portrait. Right now Lucy is 4 months and 26 days old.