5YO Pictures

Owen's already almost 5-and-a-half and his two front teeth are very loose, so I figured it was time to stop procrastinating on the 5yo portraits.  In my defense, I did try to book a portrait session with a local photographer a few months ago, but she never got back to me (and I've got no follow-through).  So while we were at the beach I decided to try it myself.  We waited for a storm to clear to get a pretty sunset and I bribed him with Haagen Dazs.

 First I missed his head and then I missed his foot.  It's really hard to pan and shoot!

I told him I was going to make it look like he was doing magic.

So now the big question.  I know I struggled with the orangey-ness of the sunset and I drink too much caffeine so I have camera shake and my focus isn't perfect.  Am I going to regret not getting a pro to take shots of him?  Once those cute baby teeth are gone, I'm toast.  I'm his mom and I know what gargantuan buck teeth I've probably handed down to him.  He's going to be 15 before the rest of his head catches up to the size of them.  Sorry sweetie.  I promise to hook you up with some great orthodontics.

Post edit:  I think that last part comes across like I think he's going to turn into Quasimodo or something.  All I really meant is that I'm pretty sure he's going to have some very grown-up sized teeth soon and this is my last chance to capture him in this phase.  Backpedal, backpedal, extract foot, stop trying to be witty...

Deer Lake State Park

There!  Finally got them to post.

Looking for the rare Choctawhatchee beach mouse.  Unsuccessfully.

I loved how the grass 'painted' in the sand.

Wild sage... I think?

I'd never seen deer moss before.  Looked like something from a fairy forest

Our cottage for the week.

Exploring Hotz Avenue in Grayton Beach.  The Red Bar is on the left.

Maybe Later?

Sorry guys.  I've tried for 30 minutes to upload photos to the blog and it's not happening.

How about a crazy story instead?

I'm pretty sure Owen had a night terror last night.  We heard a scream from his room around 10 PM, and when Scott went to check on him, he was standing, dazed in the middle of his bed.  We thought he settled back to sleep, but less than 2 minutes later he was screaming again.  I watched him rock back and forth on all fours, pop up and walk around in a circle on top of his bed, fall back on all fours and rock some more only to pop back up and walk in circles.  Over and over and over again.  Total zombie look in his eyes, though by the end he was calling me specifically, so he must have been a tiny bit coherent at that point.  During the 20-minute episode, there were also times he sprinted in place while lying on his back, like he was trying to get away from something.  Eventually he lay back down (man I just had a bad lay/lie/laid/lain argument with myself!), closed his eyes and was immediately in a deep sleep.

Good thing this isn't the late 17th century.  I'd have arrange Owen's exorcism on my to-do list today.

His age, gender and a family history of sleepwalking are all risk factors.  Plus he's out of routine from our beach trip, and he had an exhausting first day back at school yesterday topped off by a late t-ball game.  So there's that.

He had a few back when he still slept in a crib, so even though it was scary last night, in the back of my mind, I knew exactly what was going on.  Hopefully tonight will be peaceful!

Anyone else ever see or have one of these?

Back Home

We returned this afternoon from our week at the beach.  Re-entry sucks, er... stinks.  But I worked all that dust off my camera by taking almost 700 pictures while we were there, so I should have a gob of fodder for the blog.

Say that last part three times fast.

Geez I'm punchy.  Must be all the laundry, and the sand in the laundry, and the laundry.

Back soon!

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I'll try to get better.  Right now I'm pretty pleased with myself for getting these pics up on here!
Sent from my iPhone

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Headed here

Cannot say how happy I am to see the calendar flip to April 15.  Gonna join the rest of the world and give Instagram a try while we're at the beach.  Hopefully you'll see some posts here if all goes well and I figure it out!

Laundry & Weather

About to pair up four laundry loads worth of socks.  Fun or torture?  What say you?

Coby looks like an angel cat thanks to our bright sunshine today. 

And that's way different from what it looked like out our window yesterday.  It's that time of year!  

Tuckered

Easter

Sorry for the sporadic posting; blogging requires a certain kind of pep I just don't have lately.  And it doesn't help that, with the exception of Easter, I've been letting my camera collect dust.  Don't worry, I've got a few ideas for breaking out of my funk.  Just keeping it honest 'round here!

Okay, on to a quick Easter rundown.  Owen woke to find a basket with one egg and a clue outside his bedroom door.  And that egg led him to hunt some dyed eggs outside, 

which led to the telescope and some stickers,

which led to the cat bed and a coloring book,

and on to the fireplace and some washi tape,

and then to jelly beans in the dishwasher,

 

where he got his last clue

that sent him upstairs to the still kickin' balloon room

to find a djubi junior.

It was a green year for us this year (and I didn't plan it!).  One day I'm going to get a real tripod and a remote so I can quit balancing my camera on Papa's old ladder and sprinting across the yard in heels.

Since I started on a bummer note, how about we end with some fun outtakes?

Hope last weekend was wonderful for all of you!