Thwarted

I had grand plans to neglect the laundry and do an outdoor fall photo shoot with Bubbers today. (I just loved Tearese's).

But given the sudden torrential rainfall, I decided against it. (Speaking of which, it's amazing how threats of a severe windstorm can motivate me to organize my food storage. Very quickly. And with great gusto).

So, I switched plans.

(This is when Charming prays that I decided to do the laundry).

I set up Heidi's Portrait Studio and took some more 6 mos. pictures of Bubbers. Yay!!

(Sorry, Love).

After I get all my sessions done, I'll post some of his pictures.

In the meantime... Here are some pictures from our official 6 mos. check-up (a euphemism for needles, Tylenol and banshee crying).

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"Hello, internet. Are you getting vaccinated, too?"





Check-ups are a family affair. Mom comforts the banshee baby.



And Dad comforts the Mom.

Be Still My Heart

What started out as two ceiling hooks and one piece of black fabric, has wonderfully multiplied to five ceiling hooks and five pieces of black fabric.

Oh yeah, baby.

Wall-to-wall. Ceiling-to-floor.

Heidi's Portrait Studio, here I come...

p.s. Huge thanks to dear friend Kathy. Not only did she jam up her surger sewing the fabric ends for me--she gave me a plate of fresh pumpkin cookies to boot. Wow. Now that's a real woman for you. When I grow up, I want to be like Kathy. (I'd never even heard of a surger before...)

A Scanning Celebration

A couple years ago, I confiscated all my Mom's photo albums and negatives so I could scan every single one.

Why?

1: I love the sense of control I feel to know I have digital copies of every single picture my parents took. (Is that weird or what?)

2: I'm going to use them in my latest DVD project. (That's the "normal" sounding reason I gave my Mom for stealing all her pictures).

So, last night I finished scanning my Mom's eighth gargantuan photo album. (293 pictures. A bit of a relief after 489 scans for album #7).

I've only got about three more albums to go. Woohoo!

As a celebration for my scanning success thus far, I'm posting some of my favorite pictures for your viewing pleasure...

Check out these strollers! (I'm in the one on the right).

I'd never seen this picture and I was fascinated to see how much baby paraphernalia has changed in 20 some-odd years. These things are basically metal bars with seats and wheels.

The word that came to my mind when I saw these: Ouch!

Check out this walker! (This is one of my older brothers).

Again--metal bars with a seat and wheels. Wow! I don't think I could have started Bubbers in this as early as I did in our walker now.

I liked this picture for a few reasons... The swing was cool (more metal bars with a seat).

But my favorite part is this neat feeling I have seeing my two older sisters next to me like that. They look so pretty and feminine to me. And very protective. I just like it.

I also like that it reminds me of Bubbers. I look about his age right now, so it makes me think of him. And whenever I think of him, I smile inside and the world is at peace.

This is me asleep on my brother's bed. I loved this because it totally made me think of Bubbers.

There's something magical about watching your baby sleep. Seeing me asleep with all those warm colors around me just feels good. Do you know what I mean?

(It also blows my mind to think I was ever a baby like Bubbers. And I wonder what Bubbers will be like when he's my age. And then I feel sad and happy at the same time).

This is my Mom's all-time favorite picture of me as a young tot. She loves how ginormous my eyes are.

This is me and my brother, Beaster. We've always been good buddies. And I love how we look here.

I'd never seen this picture, either, but I just fell in love with it.

It's all 8 of us kids as a Nativity scene. Is that just cool or what? (I'm the littlest angel).

This is one of my all-time favorites. It reminds me of one our Christmas traditions...

Every Christmas morning, we lined up oldest to youngest. Then one at a time we'd go into the living room and find our stocking full of gifts (while my Dad videotaped).

If my younger sister had been born and in this picture, then it would really be perfect. (I'm the little caboose at the end).

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Ah, that was nice. Thanks for taking a trip through time with me. :)

Hardy har har

This weekend was General Conference. That means the whole Mormon world got to listen to our Prophets, Apostles and leaders from Salt Lake City. (As always, it was awesome).

Charming, Bubbers and I watched on the internet. Bubbers did surprisingly well through 8 hours in the same room. (With only one mishap).

Today was also special because Bubbers rolled over for the first time ever! Did we actually see it? Well, no... But one minute he was on his stomach, reaching for the strap of my camera. And the next minute he was on his back!

Since we didn't see it, I'm willing to say it didn't happen (it doesn't count unless you see it, right?). But now we'll be more vigilant to catch the real first time, next time.

Oh, and here's some of Charming's humor...

"I'm Heidi watching General Conference."

"I'm the Little Man watching General Conference."

"I'm me watching General Conference."

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Breaking news on the snot front: Bubbers is oh so close to being over his first stuffy nose. Thank you to everyone for your kind well-wishing! Needless to say, none of us will miss "the boogerator".

Proof of my stupidity

So, apparently, this is the wrong way to use a crock pot.

Now that I've had a day to think it over, I really think they should have made this thing with a non-meltable reinforced cord for crack pots like myself who try to kill themselves.

Hmm, since I'm an adult American citizen, I suppose the next logical step would be to sue someone...

It's all relative

One thing I struggle with as a mom is that I can only see Bubbers as he is right now and I forget how he used to look. The only way I'm able to notice his gradual changes in appearance is by watching videos or looking at pictures. But even then, I can't really remember on my own. (It's actually hard for me to believe that that's my same son in the video as who's in my arms).

In fact, I often wish I could see him through other people's eyes. That I could say, "Wow, he's so much bigger than the last time I saw him!" or "He's sure looking more like his Dad!" I mean, I know he's changing and getting bigger, I just can't really see it or feel it. And that makes me sad.

Yesterday, Charming and I watched little Preston, so his parents (our good friends) could go to the temple. Preston is about three months younger than Bubbers, and it was so delightful having them together.

This is a picture from the first time we met Preston, when he was only 12 days old:

Here's a picture from yesterday:

It was so fun for me to have Preston there with us. Not only was he absolutely sweet, but in a way, he allowed me to "see" Bubbers through other people's eyes.

I was able to hold little Preston and feel how small he was compared to Bubbers. For once I could actually feel how heavy Bubbers was when I picked him up, you know what I mean? Usually it never registers--Bubbers is Bubbers. He doesn't feel heavy or light, he's just what he is.

But I loved being able to hold Preston and be like, "Wow, you really fit in one arm without hurting my back. That's right. Bubbers used to be like that." And then I could pick up Bubbers, "Uuff, man are you heavy!"

And little Preston was sooo cuddly. You could hold him on your shoulder and he'd just nestle in your neck. And his head smelled so good--exactly like a baby should.

I'd love to say that Bubbers used to do that, but he never did. He's never really been a cuddler. Sometimes he falls asleep with his head in the crook of my neck and I sigh happily and pretend he's cuddling me, but that's about it. (Oh, and sometimes he rubs his face back and forth against my shoulder like he's got an itchy face. I like that.)

I also wish he smelled good all the time, but that's not true either. He smells good right after he's taken a bath and I smother him in lotion. But then he slowly gets that milky smell again from all his spitting up.

That was another amazing thing about Preston--he never spit up! Not once the whole time we had him! You could hug him, and there weren't 45 layers of burp rags and soggy bibs between you and him. It was just: him!

Whenever I start to ache for a hug from Bubbers without all the layers, I take off his bib, put down the burp rag and then hold him tight and close my eyes. But I'm never really at ease. I'm always listening for that gurgling sound that usually precedes the spewing fountain.

Wow, I never realized how much the spitting up factor changes things... Bubbers has spit up from two weeks old on, so we've just gotten used to it--that's just how he is. (Well, as much as you can get used to it, since it's completely unpredictable). He goes through 30 bibs and 20 burp rags in about four days (in addition to all his clothes and all our clothes).

But I can't complain, because he got it from me. According to my Mom, I was the spit-up queen. So, I just have to smile and shrug my soggy shoulders.

It was also neat to see the developmental differences between Preston and Bubbers. What a difference three months makes at their age! A difference that will fade to nothing in just a few years.

On a brighter note...

Here are a couple pictures Charming and I had fun using Fireworks on (I always call it Firefox and then Charming shakes his head sadly).

We tried out some tricks we learned from Pioneer Woman. Fortunately, Charming knows how to do the Photoshop stuff she talks about in Fireworks instead.

by Heidi (and Charming) 2007

That trickle of drool on his chin is my favorite part of this picture! (Well, and how he's sucking in his lower lip. And his crinkled up eyebrows. Okay, and everything!)

by Heidi (and Charming) 2007

A few pictures

What we've been up to lately...

Bubbers' latest trick: grabbing his feet (and then rolling to the side--oh so close to rolling over all the way. Dad is encouraging it, Mom is enjoying it--but definitely okay with him not moving, yet).

by Heidi 2007

Teething? He's chomping and drooling up a storm (and we think we feel something coming up).

by Heidi 2007

A little light reading: Showcasing an adorable outfit from Charming's Mom and a tender book from Charming's Dad. (I loved how these turned out!)

by Heidi 2007

by Heidi 2007

Mom's bright idea: Hmm, how to get Bubbers and the folded laundry moved across the house at the same time? Think, think, think...

What a smile! Wow--he really does smile for strangers! (At least friendly female ones).

Out to dinner: Hey, Love, is that our son's pacifier that just fell on the floor? And did you just pick it up, suck on it and then put it back in his mouth? Yummy.

Dad's sense of humor: Mmmm, dessert!

A real scout leader! Charming bought a frame backpack off Craigslist to use on scout camp outs. (I got to help him pack--then I hid a secret love letter in the bottom pocket). :) Sorry about the blinkage.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Charming instigated some quick Craigslist shopping and online research to get us a fantastic new camera! When I hold this baby, I just feel like a real photographer. It's black. It's heavy. It even makes a real "click" when you snap a picture!

With Charming's help, I took a second shot (ha, ha) at Bubbers' five-month pictures using the new beast.

What do you think?

by Heidi 2007

by Heidi 2007

by Heidi 2007

Goodbye, My Friend

I lost a dear friend today amidst tragic circumstances. But first, let me take you back to last night...

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"I'm sorry, Love, I just can't find a stud," Prince Charming explained apologetically.

He was standing on the bed, moving the stud-finder back and forth under our popcorn ceiling.

"What should we do?" I asked.

"Well, let's try it without one," he answered.

I handed him the ceiling hook and he screwed it into the ceiling (with his bare hands--I was impressed). Then I handed him the edge of my new purchase: 4 yards of black fabric.

Charming attached the fabric to the ceiling hook and ever so gently let it go. The weight of the fabric easily pulled the hook out of the ceiling and it all toppled down.

"Uh-oh," I said.

Charming and I decided to bag our efforts for the evening. My lofty plans to hold Bubbers' five-month photo shoot in my makeshift "studio" weren't working out as well as I'd hoped...

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This morning, I was huffing and puffing to my step-aerobics tape when Charming popped his head into the family room.

Bubbers was in his walker back in the corner (carefully positioned so he couldn't watch the TV).

"Hi, Bubbers!" Charming cooed over at him.

Bubbers didn't even blink. All he did was stare at my flailing with a blank, open-mouthed expression. The tray on his walker was overflowing with toys, but he ignored them and steadily fixed his eyes on me.

"Hey, Little Man!" Charming tried again, getting closer and louder.

Bubbers started from his trance, glanced at his Dad momentarily then slowly, as if drawn by a powerful force, returned his gaze to me.

I don't look that bizarre... do I?

Defeated, Charming turned to me, "It's done!"

"What's done?"

"Your hooks," he explained, "I found a ceiling stud and they're all done--drilled and everything!"

"Thanks, Love!!"

That's my Prince!

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Things were falling into place! During Bubbers' nap, I hung my new black fabric over our bed and assembled my cameras.

"Happy 5 months!" I cooed, scooping him out of his crib after he woke up all smiles.

I carried him into Heidi's Studio (in the flesh!) and the photo-shoot began!

It was going along just perfectly!

I couldn't have been happier!

And that's when it happened.

My camera died. Right then and there. Kapoot. Frozen. No hope of return.

My dear friend and companion of over two years. A sweet graduation gift from Prince Charming. My first digital camera ever. The producer of thousands and thousands of treasured pictures. Gone just like that.

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"Please leave me a message after the beep."

Beep!

"Hey, Love, it's Heidi," I said into the phone, "You know how you were asking me what I wanted for my birthday? Well, I know what I want now, so gimme a call when you get the chance. Love you, bye."

Farmer in Training

There are many people who adore Bubbers.

The free sample ladies at Costco. Our neighbors. Little children. The Relief Society ladies. The teachers and priests who play "peek-a-boo" and make him laugh in Priesthood opening exercises. Strangers on the street. Me. Prince Charming.

And, of course, his wonderful grandparents.

Bubbers has found an especially fond place in the hearts of Charming's parents. They love hearing about Bubbers and I love talking about Bubbers, so it's a perfect match! :)

The first time Charming's parents met Bubbers, they brought him a special gift. Or rather, Grandpa brought him a special gift. And it's been hanging in Bubbers' closet since then, awaiting the day that it fit.

Today was that day. After Bubbers' morning nap, I gave him an extra soapy bath so he'd be extra soft and extra good smelling. (Mmm, I love the smell of a freshly bathed baby).

Then I put it on and got the camera.

We love you, Grandpa!!

The Thumb War

Long before we had kids I decided they wouldn't suck their thumbs. I think I've always felt that way--at least as long as I can remember--but the decision became solidified during my former life as a speech-language pathologist.

"Bite down and show me your teeth," I said and turned my client's head with gloved hands to get a profile view of her pearly whites.

Mhm, that's what I thought, eyeing the large overbite that was causing her lisp, She was a thumb-sucker.

The poor girl didn't stand a chance without some serious orthodontia work. I informed her parents there wasn't much I could do to help her until her overbite was corrected.

When little Bubbers came along, I was ready.

"Uh-oh," my Mom said a few days after his birth, "I think he takes after you." (Referring to my infantile need to suck 24/7).

I watched him like a hawk and the minute he showed an ounce of blurry, cross-eyed interest in his hands I broke out the first line of artillery: no-scratch mittens in five different colors and two different sizes.

That kid didn't know he had hands 'til he was 3 months old. Sure, I took a lot of grief for it, but there was no way I was going to let him suck his thumb.

Did he actually ever try to suck his thumb? Well, no, but that was irrelevant (ah, the wonderful folly of being a first-time parent).

Then Bubbers started using his hands. My heart broke when he reached his little mittened hand up to bat at a dangling toy.

Okay, I relented, He can have his hands whenever I'm watching him.

The mittens were removed and only replaced when he wasn't within my line of sight (i.e., naps & bedtime).

He started grabbing things with his chubby little fingers. (Burping after a feeding suddenly became more complicated as he got his perpetually sweaty fingers tangled in my hair and pulled me this way and that like a puppet on strings).

Then the sucking began. It was small at first. A couple sucks of his index finger here. A slobbery fist there.

Well, I told myself, I suppose it's okay if he sucks, as long as he doesn't show a preference for a certain finger or something.

I never knew how cute he would be, aimlessly, yet ferociously, sucking one to four digits at any given time. Happily, he looked up at me and cooed with his mouth full.

Awwww, I smiled, blissfully snapping a hundred pictures.

But it couldn't last forever.

"Hey, Love," I said suddenly, "What's Bubbers doing?"

We both stopped and stared. He looked like he was sucking his right fist, but there was something about it that wasn't quite right...

"He's sucking his thumb!!" we answered simultaneously.

Albeit, it was only the itsy bitsy tip of his right thumb, but there was thumb suckage nonetheless.

That's when I pulled out my second line of defense: pacifiers.

A plethora of age-appropriate pacifiers were strategically placed throughout the house and one attached to his ever present bib.

Now I've got you, I thought confidently.

Whenever Bubbers sucked the tip of his thumb, I said, "No thumbs, please," and replaced it with his pacifier.

A few days ago, Bubbers upped the ante and found his entire right thumb in isolation of his fist!

"No thumbs, please," was uttered constantly, and I forgot what Bubbers looked like without a pacifier in his mouth.

One night during a diaper change, Bubbers threw down the ultimate gauntlet...

I looked up to find him sucking his thumb AND the pacifier at the same time!!

Holy smokes! I didn't even know that was possible!


I knew things were quickly getting out of hand (no pun intended), so I pulled out the big guns: extra long socks.

The mittens of his youth had become no match for Bubbers--they were easily removed and mysteriously thrown out of his crib. Searching for an alternative, I remembered my sister Nelly had mentioned that socks can work as mittens.

Bubbers' right arm became a soggy sock.

Heaven help us if he ever finds out he has a left thumb.

What's in a Name?

Choosing names has always been difficult for me--especially under pressure. I sat there staring at the screen, my husband looking over my shoulder.

"What are you going to call it?" Charming asked.

"Uh...I'm not sure," I answered nervously.

I typed in a title. Delete. I tried another one. Delete.

Finally I just took a deep breath, typed it in, closed my eyes and clicked the button.

"Why did you choose that one?" Charming asked.

Uh-oh, I thought, Isn't it obvious?

See, I love making DVD movies. It combines my two great loves: family and home videos/pictures. (My nieces and nephews wouldn't recognize Aunt Heidi without a camera glued to her face).

I learned about video authoring a few years ago and it was like the heavens opened with an angelic choir singing and light poured down upon my upturned face.

This is my calling! I thought, and I've never looked back.

Mostly I make movies of family reunions. See, I have three brothers and four sisters. All but one of us are married with children and we're all scattered across the western half of the United States. But we love being together. So every year we pack up our children and car seats and trek to my parents' house in beautiful California. Then we live it up with Mom's delicious cooking, late-night Mafia games, music performances and tons of laughter!

So far I've made three movies. Fortunately, my family loves them. In fact, this last reunion they made me cry when my oldest brother gave me a check to buy a new computer! Secretly, the whole family pooled together money for me and my husband bought me this sweet new machine that's so fast! (Can you believe that? Am I lucky, or what?)

Anyhow, while making my second movie, I recruited my brilliant husband to make a Flash clip to be my new trademark: Heidi's Studio. I wanted something simple, classy and feminine. Of course, he did a great job--exactly what I wanted. (Like I said, he's just brilliant. And funny, too. And handsome).

That was a couple years ago, and now Heidi's Studio has taken on an entity all its own. (That doesn't mean I have to pay taxes on my family's gift money, does it?)

So, it was the natural choice for the name of my new blog.

(p.s. My current project is huge--kind of a biographical piece spanning from my parents' births to their children's marriages. My goal is to have it finished in time for their 40th wedding anniversary next year. Here's a link to the trailer I just made for it).