Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Texture Try

Thanks to Momology for the tutorial on textures. Now I have another thing to get hooked on! Here are a few of my very first attempts.






I really like them, and I can't wait to see what they look like as an actual printed photo.
Stay tuned I guarantee I will be creating many more.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Theme Thursday: Wonder

He is playing with a little squishy ball.
I always wonder why the simplest things make him the happiest.
Head over to the The Land of K. A for more Theme Thursday: Wonder!

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Loving the 50

I recently became the proud owner of a 50 mm f/1.8D lens. Here is just a very small sampling of some of the new pictures I took of the boys. I am finding that since there is no zoom on the lens I have to move around a lot more. I thought that might bother me but I am finding my pictures to have a good variety of perspectives that I didn't get with the zoom lens.

Nicolò as cute as always.


Francesco's gorgeous eyelashes


I am not sure if I like the way the sun is hitting his face but I love how the background is blurred (I didn't do that, that is strictly the lens at work)


Again the background is blurred and he really stands out.


I didn't do much more than a quick contrast adjust on theses, I may tweek them a bit in PhotoShop (one I reload my software). Things here have been really busy with my Recertification Exam and my work project really picking up the pace. If you don't hear from me for a short bit don't be alarmed, I am still lurking and try to comment when I get a chance. Of course I will still try and post at least once a week even if it is just a few pics of mia due bambini.

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Thursday, August 14, 2008

You gave him the spoon.

Welcome to another adventure of the Spirited Toddler.

I had the grandiose idea that Francesco would enjoy playing with playdough while I prepared dinner. So I get him set up at the table with a place mat, I take all the playdough out of the containers and give him a plastic fork to use. I figured he would enjoy squishing the fork tine into the dough.

Well, I was wrong. He started his "help, help, help" while pointing at the silverware drawer. I attempt to decipher this request by picking up different plastic utensil for him to use. He
say no to all of them. I pull out a "fancy" spoon with scalloped edges that I thought would make cool impression in the dough. He still said no, and was getting visibly upset that I wasn't giving him what he wanted.

Finally, I get him to show me what he wants. He gets down from the chair, bring his stool over to the drawer, climbs up and pick up a plain old ordinary no special edges spoon. I take the opportunity to work on his vocabulary by telling him its a spoon and he proudly repeat "spoon".

So back to the table with a content toddler who begins to play with the spoon and the playdough. I smile to myself thinking this will keep him busy while I make dinner.

I am casually preparing dinner across the kitchen when it dawns on me that he is being way to quite even for Francesco. The only time he is that quite is when he is eating.

I turn to check on him and that is exactly what he is doing, eating. He is pleasantly scooping up the BLUE playdough and eating it with the plain old ordinary no special edges spoon.

Now, I know it is not toxic, but I still don't want him eating it. So I go over and try to get him to open his mouth, he clenches his teeth and squished the blue playdough through his teeth.

Lovely.

Needless to say he "ruined his appetite" and wouldn't eat his dinner. I just shook my head, he'll eat playdough but not a hot home cooked meal. Go figure.



From the mouth of babes:
Francesco counting "One, Two, Nine, Eight, Eighteen, Eleventeen"

Friday, August 8, 2008

Update

It has been a really crazy week.

Monday first thing my computer took a turn for the worse. I was able to get all my files off and especially my pictures. My husband thinks the hard drive is going. It is still being worked on and I have no clue when it will be finished or if it can be fixed.

Francesco is working hard on being a big boy and walk to and from school without throwing a fit. I am so proud of him. Last week I offered a treat after the "incident" if he could walk to and from school for the rest of the week. He made it all the way till Friday afternoon and then had a melt down. I felt so bad because I really wanted to give him the treat but I stuck to my guns.

He has done really well this week and if he walks out of school today he will get his treat. I have been pumping him up every morning, letting him know he is a big boy and how proud I am of him.

I don't think I give him enough credit sometimes. I really need to assume he understand way more than I think he does. He is going through his language explosion right now which is so fun and exciting for me. To hear him sing "Row Row Row Your Boat" bring tears to my eyes. He walks past offices on his way to school waving and saying "Hi, you guys". Every time he says "thank you" my heart melts. On the flip side of that he gets frustrated when I don't understand him and that can trigger a melt down.

Nicolo is getting big and strong. We started solids and boy does he love it. I had to start adding in some solid food a little early because I couldn't keep up with the bottles. Once I started to give him cereal at dinner he moved into a nice schedule. He is at least double his birth weight now, which was 9 lbs, we will see Monday at his well visit. He has of coarse charmed all the ladies at daycare and they just can't get enough of him. He is so happy to be there in the morning when I drop them off and just as happy when I pick him up.

One good thing has come out of me not having my computer. I actually made a small Scrapbook this week of Francesco (his first 6 months). I had been meaning to do it for 2 years now.

So as soon as my computer is *cross your fingers* fixed, I will post some new pictures. I have been playing with camera settings and PhotoShop. I think some of my picture came out good. Everyone was right, PhotoShop is addicting.