It never fails.
Every year, just before Christmas, one (or, like last year, all three!) of my children gets sick.
I thought that maybe I’d get lucky this year because (knock on wood) not one person is sneezing or wheezing or coughing. I was hopeful and even grateful that with just one week left, everyone seemed healthy.
Then, on Tuesday, I got The Call from day care.
“Hi, your daughter just threw up. Can you please come pick her up?”
It’s been non stop Puke and Runs ever since.
Taking care of a sick toddler isn’t very much fun; especially when puke is involved. However, I can’t say that I mind how tightly my daughter has been clinging to me. (Well, except for when I was working and she refused to leave the comfort of my “fluffy” lap and I had to try to work with one hand while I held her close to me with the other. THAT was a leeeeettle annoying.) She’s Little Miss Independent now and while she still has plenty of hugs and kisses for Mommy, she’s usually too busy doing very important things to snuggle with me on the couch for more than a minute at a time. So, while I’m sad that she’s not feeling well, I’m happy to hold her close to me all day long until she gets better.
I’ll take The Cuddles anyway I can get them.
***
When I bought my new camera, I had visions of taking The Perfect Picture of my children for Christmas cards this year.
Obviously I didn’t take into consideration the fact that I would need to know about things like “aperture” and “ISO” and hey! A tripod would be really fucking nice because did you know that if you move the camera even just a little bit EVERYTHING COMES OUT BLURRY?
I took over 50 shots. The kids were “over it” by the 5th shot, which meant there was much whining and words like “ALL YOU EVER CARE ABOUT IS TAKING PICTURES!” shouted in anger. I finally said “eff it!” and let them get up so they wouldn’t like, DIE or something from the pain of having to just sit there and smile thinking that maybe, possibly I could find one decent shot to have printed out so that I could mail out pictures tomorrow.
Out of 50 shots, not ONE came out right. They were all too dark or too blurry. I feel like crying and I know that is stupid, but I don’t have time to try it all over again tomorrow and damn it! I wanted some pretty pictures of children this Christmas.
I went ahead and picked out the best of the bunch (but again, they’re all horrible.) and I was wondering if you would be so kind as to do me a tiny, little favor and tell me, if you HAD to choose one, which one would you choose? I know that I have a lot of nerve asking you for a favor with the way that I’ve been neglecting you, and I’m really sorry about that. I blame my thyroid. It’s dying and it’s taking my ability to think straight with it. Can you forgive me? And then, can you please look at my pictures and tell me which one you think sucks the least?
I would appreciate it more than you know.
(This one would be great if Gabby’s face wasn’t blurry. AHHHHHH!)
(Wouldn’t suck too much had I not cut Ethan’s entire body out of the picture. “Merry Christmas from Ethan’s head!”)
Category Archives: Photography
How did I ever live my life without it?
After years of wanting. After years of wishing. After years of bugging This Guy and asking the internet for advice, I finally got the courage to hit “submit order” and buy myself a DSLR.
(A Rebel XTI if you were wondering. I wanted a this one but, um, I have three kids to feed. So…NO.)
Although I am frustrated most of the time (all of the buttons! What are they for? I do not know! Too much to learn!) I am loving the crap out of my camera.
I have so much to learn and am pretty sure no matter how many times someone explains what ISO means, I will NEVER GET IT. However, I’ve already mastered the art of Making Things That Are in The Background Blurry (um, what’s the called again? HAHA) and that’s enough for me, really.
When I first got the camera, I was terrified of it. (Again… THE BUTTONS!) I am telling the truth when I tell you that when I held it for the first few times, I got weak in the pachina. My fear was SO DEEP, that I could feel it down there. If I told you the number of plates, glasses and coffee mugs that I have dropped for no good reason at all, you would understand my fear.
I’m sure that fear will fade with time. I’m already feeling more comfortable with it in my hands. I’m excited to learn what this camera is capable of and how I take pictures of my children that I am proud of and that I will be able to pass on to them when I am long gone (which may not be too long if I DON’T GET SOME EFFING THYROID MEDICATION ALREADY.)
I ordered the 50mm that everyone who owns a DSLR said I MUST HAVE in the hopes that this will be the year that I can take Beautiful Christmas Pictures of my children.
But, um, unless that camera can make my daughter sit still and not physically assault her brothers, I’m pretty sure that I’ll be wishing I had just taken them to Sears.
Should I? Shouldn’t I?
My husband got a sweet little bonus from work this week. It wasn’t that much, but ANY amount of extra money is considered “sweet” and also “like winning the lottery” up in this mutha. Because we are perpetually “broke.”
When he showed me the check, he said “I know you’ve been wanting a new camera, SO, I want you to put away $500 of this to save for a new one.”
My first reaction was “Wow. REALLY?” and then “No way, I can’t. I just can’t.”
He kept insisting that I take it to start a little savings for a camera. (Because $500 isn’t going to cut it.) It’s his way of relieving his guilt for all of the birthdays, anniversaries and christmas’ that I’ve gone without a gift. (See:”perpetually broke” above. And also See: My husband is a jerk in the gift giving department. His excuse usually goes something like this “I’m sorry, babe. Your birthday just “CREPT UP ON ME” and I “ran out of time.” But mostly? it’s the “perpetually broke” thing, HOWEVER, a card only costs a couple of bucks, howza’bout getting me one of those next time? )
I really WANT to take him up on his offer, because MY GOD, A NEW CAMERA! But! And it’s a BIG but! THE GUILT will not let me accept that offer.
The kids need things. We need things. There are bills. And so on and so forth. How can I justify taking almost half of the bonus for something for myself?
I can’t.
Or can I?
Perhaps I can! I mean, it’s a camera, which means, I’ll be taking pictures of my children. Pictures that I can pass onto them when they have children of their own and that will be around for hundreds of years. So, this camera really isn’t a “toy” for me, but rather a tool that I’ll use to document their lives!
Damn, that was good. And yet? The Guilt I feel about spending money on a camera that NO ONE ELSE IN THE DAMN WORLD will be allowed to touch except for me, myself and I is still alive and kickin’.
That said, just in case I am able to get past the guilt and actually use money on something really cool for myself, any suggestions on affordable, yet totally awesome D-SLR cameras?
Fun Flickr Fact
Today was Ethan’s 9th birthday, so I find it highly amusing that a photo that I took of him yesterday made the front page of Explore and to #1 on interestingness.
Only Flickr addicts will understand the excitement.
This photo made the front page of explore and also #1 for 4-13-06 for interestingness.
Not many of my photos get recognized in Flickr, because there are so many incredibily talented photographers out there, and, well, you know, I’m not one of them. So, to say I was happy about the reaction to this picture is an understatement.
This is ALMOST as great as getting recognition from my Aerobic Dance Instructor.
But not quite. Because, like Sara said, THAT is the ULTIMATE.
“GET OUT OF MY HOUSE IF YOU ARE DARK SIDED, BUT IF YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS YOU CAN STAY!!” (because who said titles must be relevant to the actual post?)
I’ve been contemplating buying a new camera. Ok. I’ve actually been obsessing about getting a new camera. (I even started a “new camera fund” which had $5.00, until this morning, when I decided that I’ll start a new fund next week because…I drove by a Starbucks)
I love my camera. It takes great pictures and it’s very easy to use. However, I want a camera that gives me more control and allows me to manipulate a shot.
While researching cameras, I decided to read up a little bit on the one I own. And, um, wow, that “owner’s manual” would have been a great thing to read when I bought it over 2 years ago because, DID YOU KNOW IT CAN SHOOT IN BLACK AND WHITE? Neither did I! But, in that “owner’s manual” that’s been collecting dust under my bed, it said that ,and it even showed me how to do it.
(and for the record, THAT one is titled “When Evil Babies Attack..in black and white“)
I’ve posted black and whites before, but they were edited to be that way. I can actually “shoot” in black and white, and this makes me so excited that my mouth is actually watering.
(The smile on my face is 25% “I love my daughter” and 75% “OMG! I’M SHOOTING IN BLACK AND WHITE. YEEHAAAW!”)
But, not only can I shoot in black and white. I can also shoot in sepia and “black board” and “White board” and OMG! I CAN DO TWO PICTURES IN ONE!
Tony’s been asking me to read that damn manual for the past 2 years and I’ve not done it because “I KNOW HOW TO USE IT I DON’T NEED TO READ IT! I AM “GOD’S WARRIOR”! (Sorry, I had to work that into this post somehow because…It was only the greatest moment in the history of television!)
I think I’ll still start saving for a new camera (d-slr), but now that I know these totally awesome settings exist on my camera, I’m not feeling so obsess-ish about it, because, you know, TWO PICTURES IN ONE!
You can view the rest of the “black and white” photos HERE.
Can I have your attention please…
I’m officially obsessed with Flickr.
And I HAVE to thank Fiestydoll, again, for giving me a pro account.
(P.S.S the “notes” are one of the greatest inventions on the internets, and if you have a flickr account, I’m totally going to leave notes on your pictures, don’t be the dickhead that gets mad about it. Ok?)
beautiful
There’s no crying in photography!!!
The sky was so beautiful last night, I actually shed a tear. It was THAT awesome.
And after I shed that tear, I ran inside, grabbed my camera and snapped a picture… Just for you.
That’s MY daughter. ALL MINE
I do believe that one of the most precious things in all of the world is a toothless smile.
Well, that is, if you’re 4 months old. Because, if you’re like, MY MOTHER and you smile at me without putting your false teeth in first (especially without warning me that their not in and you’re “gummin’ it”)? Not so adorable. Infact, THAT is downright horrifying.