leaves!

...something this Florida girl never got to experience as a child

Tuesday, November 10

dallas fall

all images captured with my polaroid sx-70 (and yes, Charlie Brown really did jump in the lake)

Mommy+Daddy pictures are rare and precious

...so I'm posting this one here for posterity. Who knows? It might end up on My Parents Were Awesome some day. (Have you seen that website? It's great.)

11/7/09 Guy and Nino as photographed by Natalie (age 13)

misfit mommy

A fellow school mom called me out yesterday while I was having lunch with Elle. Elle is in 2nd grade. It's her third year at school. I love connecting with people, especially moms, I really do but I never ever ever go to the monthly Moms' Night Out gatherings. If there's something I've learned about myself is that I'm not particularly good in group situations. I'm much better at one-on-one interaction. Let's face it, I'm more than a little quirky. Strange, even. Even so, I promised I would go to the next one with her. Heck, she even offered to pick me up which really is incredibly sweet.

Still. You know those Mommy calling cards that have become so popular recently? I made some years ago when Nat went to kindergarten and they're still sitting in my glove compartment all weathered and dusty - who was I kidding? Anyway, I feel like I should run a Mommy personal ad (which actually reads more like a disclaimer):

Irreverent, slightly crunchy, natural-birth giving, doula having, extended breastfeeding, babyfood making, family bed sharing, baby wearing, family planning, post partum depression suffering, raging liberal, non-religious, potty-mouthed, crafty, computer-geek, art & literature enthusiast FREAK who would rather talk Tolstoy and Cupcakes than Talbot's and Christ.

Are you sure you want me?

so in love

So I bought this old Weltaflex twin lens reflex camera made in Germany in the 50's thinking I would use it for my Through the Viewfinder photography. Then my BFF, Tracy, gave me a roll of 120 film and we took it for a spin at the lake (on one of our foto bike rides) not knowing if it was even going to work. This is a fully manual camera. No auto focus. Heck, no focus to speak of. Just numbers and estimations. On a wing and a prayer, I took the film to be developed (at Walmart of all places) and received my prints yesterday. To me, the results are nothing short of miraculous. I'm head over heels in love with it.

my kids are awesome people

Natalie (age 13) and I have conversations that most moms don't have not only with their teen kids but with their children period. I love, love, love our relationship. And I love her perfectly balanced sweet/sassy/witty/soulful/innocent/creative spirit. Equal parts bookworm/artist/punk. Caretaker to a fault, shirker of household responsibilities. Whether it's feeding the dog, putting a dish in the sink or tidying her (toxic) bedroom, I have to ask her to do stuff no less than 5 times, I'm not even kidding you. Yet I would trust her with my life. I trust her with all our lives. Natalie is solid.

Elle is a fighter. She kicks middle child ASS. She is really coming into her own personality and her insights and snappy comebacks are admirable. She is lazy as shit. If you ask her to do something (chores, homework) and it's not her idea, you might as well ask her to rip out her arm. Yet she is one of the most thoughtful, thorough, giving, loving people I've ever met. She would literally give you the shirt off her back. She will re-organize her room to the point of using labels. I fear the state of our bank account the day she discovers The Container Store. But only if it's her idea. That is the key. Elle eats a jelly sandwich every night before bed which I just find absolutely charming in its simplicity. We should all eat a jelly sandwich in bed every night.

Anna Sofia is hilarious at age 4. An unusual type of princess. Pretty in a dress (always a dress) but she will literally KICK YOUR ASS. She is rough and tumble with those wild curls flying all over the place. She's very cuddly but not like you might imagine. She craves skin-to-skin contact and at any given moment you will find her walking up to me, lifting my shirt and planting her tummy on mine. She loves bath time only to pee standing up, the nut. If I had to describe Anna Sofia in one word it would be: PRIMAL. She's always running around in her skivvies eating nothing but green apples and baby spinach. And Little Debbie brownies. She cracks us up. She loves cutting and coloring. And using big words she learns on Nick Jr. like "apprehensive." Thank you, Upside Down Show! She is an uber relaxer. At any given moment, Anna Sofia will strip down to her undies and crawl into her Dora comforter-covered playroom couch and just chill. A necessary skill most grown ups I know haven't yet mastered.

All this to say, I birthed my own personal gurus. What an invaluable privilege.

a guest appearance by frida kahlo

The Halloween party was, as a guest put it, a "smashing success." I'll share more pictures soon (I didn't take nearly enough).

Wasn't it nice of Frida Kahlo to stop by?