BSM – my first photo shoot! Monday, Apr 30 2007

I had my first real photo shoot this weekend! Well, it was my sister’s senior portraits – but it still counts even though it’s “just family,” right?!

I learned SO much from this experience. Number one, I realized that there’s much more involved in a good photo shoot than I ever realized. Simply taking pictures of a “big person” is so different for me, since I’m used to just chasing a toddler around and waiting for the right moment. I felt so inept and didn’t know how to have her pose! The harsh midday lighting of a sunny day did not help, especially when combined with my lack of expertise. And my camera drove me crazy with it’s refusal to cooperate. I am seriously outgrowing my Kodak P&S.

So I took almost 250 pictures in about an hour and a half, and I left feeling incredibly disappointed. I felt that I hadn’t gotten even one single really good shot.

But once I got home and spent some time editing, I got more and more satisfied with them. They are still have problems (especially lighting related), but overall it’s not too bad for my very first time doing a photo shoot! And it’s been a real learning experience; I have learned so much about what to be aware of.

Here are several of my favorites:

My Mom and sister are thrilled with the pictures and that’s the most important thing. I delivered 42 pictures, including a few with my little brother and Mom in them.

I always knew there was a strong family resemblace, but I never realized just how strong it is until now reviewing these pictures. Wow, some of them are like looking into a mirror! I can’t believe my baby sister will be graduating in a few weeks. Next month she moves into her own apartment. Blows me away!

Alright, I’m off to check out some more best shots at Picture This!

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Reminiscing Sunday, Apr 29 2007

Well, since it seems all my friends are posting wonderful videos of their babies first year, I’m going to do the same! You know me, I just follow the crowd. ;o)

I made this video montage shortly after Nadia’s first birthday. I know it’s a little long, but believe me, it used to me a LOT longer! We bought the DVD and to get our money’s worth I packed it full of pictures of my growing girl. I knew I couldn’t expect you all to sit through 20 minutes of this so I brutally cut it down to about a quarter of its former length. I hope you appreciate that – it was painful. (now you know where Nadia gets her drama queen tendencies!) ;o)

Watching this makes me wistful for my tiny little baby! I love the exuberant little girl she has become, but it has happened so fast.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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All aboard! Choo choo! Sunday, Apr 29 2007

A toddler’s life is so full of firsts.

Nadia had a first a few days ago: her first train ride.

We joined a few friends for a ride on the miniature train next to the Fort Worth zoo. Nadia loved it! I had planned to take lots of pictures, but I was too busy trying to keep my little monkey inside the train to touch the camera. How crazy…the 3 train-obsessed little boys with us sat nice and still while my girly-girl climbed and wriggled and hung out the window!

Halfway through the hour-long ride, we made a stop next to a big grassy field and a popcorn stand. Nadia and I climbed down so she could run and stretch her legs, but all that cheeky little girl wanted to do was go from person to person and beg “pleeeease” while pointing at their popcorn. Peanut butter crackers weren’t good enough for her, she wanted popcorn. The rascal!

Our adventure wore her out and she was asleep within 2 minutes of getting in the car. I love glancing in my rearview mirror and seeing her sleeping so sweetly back there.

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A Nadia Story Thursday, Apr 26 2007

Nadia usually loves to go bye-bye. She gets excited when I tell her “let’s go!” and she eagerly grabs her shoes and climbs into my lap for them to be put on her little feet, before running to the door and doing her toddler-best to open it.

But not this morning.

When she saw me gathering her shoes and jacket she began to shake her head. “No go, no bye-bye” she said with a sad little expression.

I asked her “don’t you want to go to Baba and Pappy’s house?”

And she gave such an exaggerated sigh, shrugged her shoulders and said “es” (yes) very unenthusiastically. It was SO clear she was thinking “okay, if I really have to I’ll cooperate…but I don’t want to!”

Of course as soon as we pulled up in front of their house she started cheering “Baba! Baba!”

But when it was time for me to leave for work a few minutes later, she once again got sad. She clung to me and she wouldn’t give me a bye-bye kiss, as if she could keep me there that way.

I’m sure she’s playing quite happily now and I’m lucky to only work two days a week, but still – I hate having to leave my baby. That’s hard on a Mommy’s heart!

I love you, baby girl, and I’m blowing you kisses!

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Sugar & Spice Thursday, Apr 26 2007

A few days ago we headed outdoors early in the day to enjoy some fun in the sun before it got too hot and humid. Yes, it’s already hot and humid in Texas. So if we want any time outside (and Nadia does!), it needs to happen before 9 in the morning.

Okay, I’ll be honest. “Take advantage of the cool morning air” was only half the reason behind for our early-morning playdate with nature. The other half was that when I slipped this little blue-and-turquoise dollar store skirt onto her and she ran away from me with that round little baby belly adorably bare, I thought “doggone it but you’re cute! time for a photo shoot!’”

So anyway, we went outside for Nadia to play….and Mommy to take pictures.

So much attitude from such a little person! No, she wasn’t mad. She just thinks it’s cool to make that sassy face for the fun of it. Yup, this is the REAL Nadia, in all her ornery toddler glory! If this is her at 17 months, what to the “terrible twos” hold in store for us!?

And then all of a sudden sudden she was done with the attitude, and she was soft and sweet again.

Oh how I love my girl…both the sassy and the sweet side of her!

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Names – Part II Wednesday, Apr 25 2007

So after yesterday’s post about names, I found it interesting that I flipped on the tv today to find VH1’s Awesomely Wacky Celebrity Baby Names.

My daughter’s name may be unusual, but it’s not off-the-wall weird! What in the world are these people thinking?!?! I remember hearing about Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter being named “Apple” and I thought that was odd enough. Well, that pales in comparison to some of the names I heard tonight! Here are some of the best/worst:

Fifi Trixybelle
Pilot Inspektor
Reign Beau
Jermajesty
God’iss Love
True Summer
Audio Science
Dixie Dot

I mean seriously, how can anyone take these names seriously!? I think they are hysterically amusing, but I just don’t get how a parent could give a child such a ludicrous name.

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What’s in a name? Tuesday, Apr 24 2007

My daughter’s full name is “Nadezhda Avara.” I love her name and think it is absolutely beautiful – a name fitting for the princess she is. “Nadezhda” is Russian for “Hope” and she *is* my hope…and joy…and love!

But as beautiful as her name is, it’s also unusual. I mean, do you know how to say “Nadezhda Avara”? I didn’t think so. No one else does either and I’m already tired of spelling it for the doctor and anything else official. I hope she doesn’t hate us one day for “cursing” her with a name no one can pronounce or spell!

But how often does she go by her full name? She is always called “Nadia” – which is short and easy and cute and pretty.

Or so I thought.

Today my Mom told me that the daughter of a friend came up to her a few days ago and asked “is that Nausea?” pointing vaguely off towards the living room.

“What, is someone sick?” asked Mom.

The little girl looked at her confused and went and grabbed a framed picture. “Is this Nausea?” she asked again.

Yup, you guessed it. It was a picture of my daughter.

Nadia….Nausea.

Poor girl! I’ve heard some unusual pronunciations of her name in her 17 months of life, but that’s a new one!

I just have to laugh. I suppose whatever name we give a child, there’s always someone that doesn’t “get” it. If we’d gone the other way and given her a popular name, she probably would have complained one day that her name is boring, and why couldn’t we have given her a more unique name. We parents just can’t win, can we?!

And that’s okay. My daughter has a very special name that suits per perfectly, and that’s enough for me.

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What’s in a name? Tuesday, Apr 24 2007

My daughter’s full name is “Nadezhda Avara.” I love her name and think it is absolutely beautiful – a name fitting for the princess she is. “Nadezhda” is Russian for “Hope” and she *is* my hope…and joy…and love!

But as beautiful as her name is, it’s also unusual. I mean, do you know how to say “Nadezhda Avara”? I didn’t think so. No one else does either and I’m already tired of spelling it for the doctor and anything else official. I hope she doesn’t hate us one day for “cursing” her with a name no one can pronounce or spell!

But how often does she go by her full name? She is always called “Nadia” – which is short and easy and cute and pretty.

Or so I thought.

Today my Mom told me that the daughter of a friend came up to her a few days ago and asked “is that Nausea?” pointing vaguely off towards the living room.

“What, is someone sick?” asked Mom.

The little girl looked at her confused and went and grabbed a framed picture. “Is this Nausea?” she asked again.

Yup, you guessed it. It was a picture of my daughter.

Nadia….Nausea.

Poor girl! I’ve heard some unusual pronunciations of her name in her 17 months of life, but that’s a new one!

I just have to laugh. I suppose whatever name we give a child, there’s always someone that doesn’t “get” it. If we’d gone the other way and given her a popular name, she probably would have complained one day that her name is boring, and why couldn’t we have given her a more unique name. We parents just can’t win, can we?!

And that’s okay. My daughter has a very special name that suits per perfectly, and that’s enough for me.

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Virtual Tag Tuesday, Apr 24 2007

Yippee! My first meme. ) Colleen over at “A Madison Mom” tagged me to participate in this little game of virtual tag. Sounds like fun to me, and hopefully I’ll meet a few more interesting bloggers through it.

Okay, here’s the rules.

***Start Copying Here****

NEW ADDITIONAL RULE:
You must spider the previous tagger and DEEP LINK a URL so everyone gets a better link! *

1) Write a short introduction paragraph about how you found the list and include a link to the blog that referred you to the list.

2) COPY the ENTIRE List below and add it to your blog. To avoid duplicate content and increase the amount of keywords your site can accessible for, go ahead and change the titles of the blog. Just don’t change the links of the blog.

3) Take “My Adds” and move them into the “My Originals” list.

4) Add 3 Brand New Bloggers that you know of

My Adds:

Altering Life
Synchronization of Us
Cheeky Lil Munchkins

I have so many blogs I enjoy reading. I have picked three that I hope will join in!My Originals:

Momology
Christy’s Coffee Break
Playgroups are No Place For Children
Simple Kind of Life
A Madison Mom
MsDanielle
I’m not just a mom… I’m a Home Mom
WahMedia Blog Network
A Celebration of Curves
RealtyBizCoach
Live the Power
Home With Heather
girliegeek reviews
tinybellows
80’s films
blog me
blog sire
E G
Spinayarn
Silken
Ussjbird
Singlish Bible Verses
sien stories
ValkrieANGEL
Fellow iPod lover Diana Tan
Forever Tulip
Recommended ReadDoris
Paris Beaverbanks
Albie
Menj
Samantha Yeap
Chan Eileen
Chan Lilian
Liew CF
Andrew Wee
Hong Kiat
Gary Lee
Ed Lau
John Chow dot Com
Nate Whitehill
Stephen Fung
Michael Kwan
Jeff Kee
Stuart Hannig
Hannes Johnson
Nomar AhSoon
Nathan Drach
Saman Sadeghi Jon Waraas
David Lithman
Matt Blancarte
Ryan Parker
Josh Buckley
Matt Coddington
Brice Wong
Leo Chiang
Tyler Ingram
Ah Boon

***Stop Copying Here***

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BSM – Serious Sophie Monday, Apr 23 2007

Goodness – I think I set myself a new record for the fewest pictures taken in a weeks time! My camera has been seriously under-used this week.

Here’s my “best” shot, a sweet capture of my niece Sophie looking unusually serious:

Ya know, as long as I have a captive audience (haha!) I may as well share one more. I hardly get any shots of my girl sleeping these days, which makes this one special to me. It’s not very good quality (my poor little P&S does not do well in dim light) but my Mommy heart doesn’t care. Of course, if you have any ideas on how to improve it, I’m all ears! )

Okay, I’m off to browse the other pictures for Best Shot Monday over at Picture This!

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