Post Note to Week 33

To my fellow photographers (and my brother) who may have looked at these pictures and thought either "too warm" or "your baby has jaundice," I swear to you, these colors are spot on. She has a mild case of carotenemia.

Week 33

I love her so much it hurts.

The Most Random Dinner Ever

I fancy myself a decent cook, but a decent cook needs ingredients. What is served for dinner when the decent cook is 5 days past due for a grocery shopping trip due to a sick kid, not feeling very well herself and a husband who repeatedly cannot come home until it's way too late?

Behold.

May May's Birthday

Even though May's birthday isn't until Wednesday, we had her party early since Go had Saturday off. It was wild animal/nature themed and was really fun.

The girls colored animal masks.

They were a hit.
Then we took them on a wilderness trek through the house (it was raining outside) where we found nests of eggs that had candy inside!Then it was time for cake!


The bear cub right after waking from her morning hibernation.
And presents!
We also played some animal games and each girl left with a funky goody bag which were really cute but I forgot to take pictures of them.


Happy birthday, May May. You are loved dearly by many, but especially by us.

October is Ending

Did you like my very obvious post title? I really do think you're smart, just so you know.

I have 8,000 things to do before November starts yet everything I need to do sits staring at me and gathering dust while I sit on the couch and laugh hysterically as my fat happy growling baby claws at my face instead. I used to fill up my extra time with projects. Now my extra time is filled with a little chubby person.

I'm going to have to make extra time. Starting November 1st, I'm jumping into a very, very cold body of water: I've decided to participate in NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month. Check out the website. And wish me luck. It's going to be an interesting month.

Week 32

A little olive hat for a little Olive baby.

Ah, Harrisburg. So Much To Offer.

Remember this little button from one of my very first shoots ever?

She's a year older now and wiser, too.

This shoot was so much fun and filled with fabulousity.

But Annie, you say, not even five minutes after showing up for the shoot
did you receive death threats from an un-medicated schizophrenic on a bicycle!
And a half an hour later, you stepped right into a pool of bright blue vomit!
In downtown Harrisburg, no less!

How could that be fabulous?

Just lookeee here for what completely made up for
the verbal harassment and the nastiest puke I've ever laid foot in.

Black is the New Black

Thank you, H&M for being stylish yet affordable. I could spend all
day, along with a small fortune in your store, get a boat-load of
clothes, and still walk out just knowing there was something I
missed. But for now just running in, trying on a very Beatlesque coat
while my children scream and howl at their static-y hair in the mirror
after coming out of hiding from beneath a rounder of sweater-cardigan-
coats, and hissing at them to behave like human beings rather than
little forest animals the entire way to the register where I pay
relatively very little for just one item is good, too.

Week 31

I might take a real picture later today if I have time.
This is the back up picture just in case I don't get to it.
We love her.
She is nonstop goodness and fun.
7 months is a great age.

Quote of the Day

May says funny things every day. I particularly liked this morning's.
While I nurse Olive right after she wakes up, I sit on my bed
and watch DVR'd Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
I've seen every single episode since the beginning.
I have had a big fat fake crush on the man since his SNL years.
Every morning, I get my daily dose of Mr. Fallon while May tweedles in and out of my room,
not really interested in what's on the TV.
Today she stopped and watched for about 5 seconds, turned to me and said
"Mom? Does Jimmy Fallon love us?"
I tried not to laugh and said
"He doesn't know us, sweetie."
She was silent a few moments more, then said
"If he did know us, I think he would love us." YES! My thoughts exactly!

May's Landscape

There are very few things in life that bring me more joy than a child's art work. Especially my own children's art.

Back this summer while in Irvine, the girls and I had lunch with my Mom at Rubio's in the food court at the Spectrum. Since they had already eaten their own hot dog lunch at Target, they kept busy by drawing on the paper tray liners.
On one side of her liner, May drew about six charming circular figures holding onto balloons. On the other side, she drew where they lived.
I loved this little landscape--the line quality, the variety, the silhouette, the movement she created. She was upset she didn't get to finish it--the vertical lines in the middle--I had told her she could later, folded it up and put in the pocket of my diaper bag. I tried looking for it when we got home but never found it and was mourning its loss . Tonight as I was packing for our excursion to DC, I found it!
I'd like to do something with it. Maybe make it into an embroidery with subtle color variations. I just think it's so beautiful.

Week 30

Sitting up.
Blowing raspberries.
Belly chuckles.
These are what week thirty is made of.

Happy Stuff

Life's been rough lately so let's do some good old fashioned focusing-on-the-positive.

Ten happy things as of late:

1. Alligator Wrestling!

This week for May's gymnastics class was "Bring Your Teddy Bear to Class."
"May, go and pick out the teddy bear you want to take to gymnastics today," I said.
May pouted and said "No, I don't want to bring a bear (pronounced "beer")," then brightened.
"I know! I'll bring my alligator!"
Oh, how my heart swells with delight when my children go off the beaten path!
Seeing May doing forward-rolls with a stuffed alligator that was almost as big as she is
had the whole gymnastics-waiting-room giggling.

2. A Fun Upcoming Weekend!

Bashing around DC with the Ringgers in a couple of days.

3. Listening to Other People's Conversations!

I'm an avid eavesdropper. Some may think it rude but if you talk next to me while on your cell,
you can bet your bippies I'll be listening.
I've heard some fascinating one-sided conversations lately. Some favorite lines:
"Mom, did you take your medication this morning?" (exasperatedly repeated about 12 times)
"His therapist said I should encourage non-contact sports for him so we're considering ballet."
"Yah, he's still under rabies quarantine. Yes. Still."

4. Flower Costumes!

The girls Halloween costumes aren't fully complete but what's been finished looks really cute.
It's been fun constructing them. More about this later.

5. The Tube!

Fall TV. Good stuff. Just pretend I really meant telenovelas.
It's funnier that way.

6. Less Boring Dishwashing!

This American Life and The Moth podcasts. I know I've said this before.
Still.
They make me happy.

7. My Baby!

Olive is starting to sit without support. She is pure joy.

This isn't Olive. The real thing will be featured tomorrow.

8. Best $60 I Spent This Year!

Playing Beatles Rock Band as a family. My girls totally understand the magic
of John, Paul, George and Ringo.
Heart swelling!
I'm a proud mama.

9. The Movie I've Been Waiting My Whole Life to Be Made!

Seeing it soon.

10. Another Party!

May's birthday party is in the works.
The theme: NATURE.
Should be good. More about that also later.

Annie Reynolds is Bothered

Most of the people who have been posting things on their blogs and
Facebooks about how much they love fall! and are so ready for fall!
don't actually LIVE in a place where there's an actual fall. It makes
me crabby.

Sent from my iPhone

Thought of the Day

Seeing a guy at WalMart with along, luxurious mullet is always nice
but to see him take a brush out of the back pocket of his cut-offs and
proceed to brush that luxurious mullet is even better.

Sent from my iPhone

Grin and Bear It

My friend sent this picture to me today.

Someday she will learn to smile even when she doesn't want to.
Ah, motherhood.

I Should Have Been a Film Student

This weekend we watched The Brothers Bloom. Whoa. What a beautiful
movie. Those clothes. Woowee. So I was sitting there watching it
thinking that aesthetically, it had a very similar vibe to Harold and
Maude. The monochromatic costumes, the architecture, the
cinematography. In one particular scene, Adrian Brody is walking
along looking all lanky in his black suit and the very next second
after I think "Man, a Cat Stevens song would be so fitting right
here," BAM! What do you know? CAT STEVENS starts playing. I think I
missed my calling.

Sent from my iPhone

A Bone Chilling Day at the Farm

Cold and windy weather!

Farms!
Squash!
Corn stalks!
Hay!

Wow. SO not some of my favorite things.

But it's my job to provide memories for my child, right?

Oh, memories.

Memories of us freezing our bottom cheeks off while learning about pumpkins.

Memories of us freezing our bottom cheeks off while on a thrilling hay ride.

Memories of us freezing our bottom cheeks off while we pick out a pumpkin.

Oh wait...what's that I see?

A smile!

It was worth the trip after all...

...maybe.

Week 29