Flight of the Toddler

Day 15: Action


I am happy to report that Doodle and I both woke up on the less cranky side of our beds.  Which is a miracle for Doodle considering she was trying to help Abby Cadabby get her fairy freckles back until about 10:00 last night and started the day laughing like the Count (Ah-Ah-Ah) at 6:45.  I was prepared for another long day filled with lots of toddler drama.  Surprisingly, we had a long day filled with lots of fun and only a little toddler drama.  It seems that my usually happy-go-lucky kid has turned into a surly teenage at the ripe old age of 2.8!  She isn't happy with anything she has, changes her mind at the drop of a hate, and is the bossiest kid since Junie B. Jones.  Needless to say, it has been challenging to keep her happy and keep me sane.  Today's photo challenge was simply "action". In an effort to keep Doodle busy, happy, and exhaust in preparation for a good nap, we were very busy this morning. There was lots of action, just little chance to take pictures.  At least the "keep her busy, keep her happy" part of the plan worked.   I wasn't too worried about a picture.  Last night during our "change your mood tickle fest" I was flying Doodle like a helicopter and I decided it would make a really cool action shot.   I have "flown" her like that since she was just a wee little thing.  And since she is still a wee little thing (22  lbs at 2 yrs 8months) I can still manage to spin her just enough to be fun for her.  So tonight after dinner I took her outside.  She took a short flight, and I got some great pictures.  Maybe I should hang this to remind her how beautiful she looks when she is happy! 

I Love You, But I Don't Think I Like You!

Day 14: Someone You Love

This shouldn't be hard.  Take a picture of someone you love.  I love my Favoritest, I love Doodle, I love our dogs.  I shouldn't have had such a hard time.  The problem wasn't finding someone I love.  Today, it was finding someone I liked to take a picture of.  Doodle and I both woke up on the cranky side of the bed/crib today.  No matter what I did, I couldn't get into a good mood.  It was just a blah sort of a day.  So I ignored the camera, all day.  After a long nap, things weren't looking much better.  News of yet another solo dinner didn't help matters.  Sometime during dinner, my mood started to lift (maybe the phone call from my Favoritest saying he was coming home).  After dinner, Doodle and I had a giant tickle fest on the couch.  It was the first time all day that we were both happy.  My Favoritest came in in the middle of the fun.  He jumped right in.  As a reward he was licked to death by the dogs and fought to get kisses from a squirming 2 year old.  As I watched them playing, I grabbed my camera.  I love to watch my Favoritest when he is in the moment with Doodle.  With his schedule and stress level it is rare, so I savor it when it happens.  Tonight I got lucky enough to capture it for all of us!  

Bringing My Childhood Home

Day 13: Reminds You of Childhood

I think I have a terrible long term memory.  I don't remember major events from much of growing up.  What I do remember is details and randomness.  When I think of my childhood it is more about tastes, and feels, and sounds.  I vividly remember the feeling of hot asphalt on my bare feet as I ran from our friends house back home.  Running as long as we could and throwing my towel down on the ground to give my feet a break.  I can remember sitting in the golf cart while my dad would tee off.  I would choose that moment to chomp off a bite of doritos.  He would be distracted and hush me.  Any time I take a swig of a luke warm Coke I am transported right back to that same golf cart. The strangeness of my memories continues  so thinking of something tangible that reminded me of childhood was kind of hard.  I have lots of things, but most were not needed in our smaller house here in VA, so they are in storage in GA.  As I started to think about this task, my eye fell on my birthday present from my dad last year.  I had asked him for it for months.  He didn't deliver it until October (my bday is in July).  I reminded him a million times.  He didn't want to hassle with it.  It was a free gift.  What I wanted was this

An ugly, dirty, damaged piece of wood painted 1970's orange.   What the heck would I want that for?  If you look closely, you can see pencil marks on the board.  Those are height records for my brother and I. My dad was in the Air Force.  We moved.  Not a lot, but enough that we never had a door frame or a pantry wall to measure us.  My dad built my mom an ugly orange cabinet shortly after they were married.  It went with them to every single house they lived in.  That is where they measured us.  As I started to watch Doodle grow up (or not grow up so much) I wanted to carry on the tradition of the orange cabinet.  So I made my dad destroy the cabinet.  It was stored under their house and was already rotting away, so I didn't take anything that useful to him.  I had a friend cut the rotted part off.  I have plans for this board.  I am going to paint some of it (while keeping our markings) and then I am going to measure Doodle and anyone else that joins our family.  I may not be able to take my kids back to the house I grew up in, but in this small way I can bring the house to them.

Falling Behind!

 So I obviously have fallen behind!  So as not to bore the few of you who read and look, I am going to combine all my pics from Day 9-12 into one post.  I had a friend visiting from out of town, and felt rude taking pictures and blogging all weekend!  Like they say, the best made plans!

Day 9: Fruit

Doodle loves fruit!  Of any variety.  Any time!  On a plate! In a bowl! Most recently in a snack cup! I spend lots of time washing and cutting fruit.  This was the last grape in the strainer after I cut her grapes for lunch.  When I saw the picture it kinda made me think of a half glass of water.  Was this grape the first one to the party? or the last lingering guest who just won't get the hell out!

Day 10: Animal


He goes by many names, Lo-Lo, Beagle Butt, Boo-Boo, and quite often after he has gotten into something it is Logan Xavier!  He is ours.  We love him.  Good thing he is cute, or he would have been kicked to the curb long ago.  His latest source of entertainment was to get into a bag of flour.  Lots of fun for both of us!  He barks non-stop and eats horrid things, wakes me up in the middle of the night.  He also snuggles us, licks Doddle, makes us laugh a lot, brings a smile to my face, and puts up with a toddler climbing on him.  Maybe I should put this picture in a frame and look at it when he makes me crazy!

Day 11: Silhouette

Not much to say about this picture.  Except that I cheated.  I took it 2 weeks ago.  I had company.  I didn't have time to take pictures!  I am ashamed.  But I love the picture, so is it that bad to cheat a little?

Day 12: Sun Flare

One of the things I love best about summer, is the added sunlight.  It gives us more time to spend as a family.  In the summer, we can eat dinner and go on a family walk.  This picture was taken while on a walk.  (admitting to cheating again.  Sorry).  Doodle was so excited to climb the hill and run down.  She was also thrilled to help walk her puppies.  I love that you can almost see her moving at toddler speed down the hill.

Love From Above

Day 7: High Angle


Last night at about 10:00, after a long day with Doodle, an absent husband, and very few "to dos" checked off the list, I was ready to go to bed.  As I was summoning the energy to get up off the couch and go upstairs, the Beagle decided to vomit his dinner all over the hardwood floors.  As I started to clean it up, I was eternally grateful he didn't find carpet.  As luck would have it, he continued to have an upset stomach. I let him out 2 or 3 more times.  I was concerned enough that I followed him around with a flashlight making sure there was nothing worrisome in his emesis.  Now I must confess something.  I am almost 33 years old and I am still terrified of the dark.  Hate it!  Run from my car to the house if I am alone kind of terrified.  Guess I shouldn't have read so much Stephen King and James Patterson.  Letting the dog out  multiple times in pitch black dark without any backup was not my idea of a good night.  So as I swept the flashlight from one side of the yard to the other I was checking for the Beagles messes, but also for the Boogie Monster that  might be lurking in the corner.  When I swept the light behind a bush, I saw something that made me smile.  Made me feel a little bit loved.  And something that distracted me enough that I wasn't quite as scared.

Now remember, I am terrified of the dark, so obviously I did not stop to get out the step ladder and take the picture at night!  But look closely behind the bush.  There is a red heart.  It is the ribbon from a bag of dog food.  It has been there for several days.  It must have landed that way (or I have 2 talented dogs).  I liked it, so I have left it there.  Last night, it served it's purpose.  I wasn't so scared.  
So today's assignment was to take a "high angle" photo.  Hope you all like this as much as I do.  It's still in my yard.  I will leave it there for a while.  To me it's God's way of making me take a second and smile each time I see it!

Old and New

Day 6: Books
For an avid reader, taking a picture of books seemed like a super simple thing.  I decided to take a picture of all the books Doddle and I read together throughout the day.  So after I put her to bed, I layed all the books out and got on the step stool and took the picture.  I sat down on the couch to upload the pictures to the computer.  I also took a second to double check the list of photos.  When I checked, I saw a picture of some old books.  At almost the same time, I looked up on my build in book shelf and happened upon a favorite spot in my house.  I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier.   The shelf that the books sit on, has a nice mixture of old and new.  It is just above the TV and I often find myself looking up at it while deep in thought.

The books ( a five volume set of Edgar Allan Poe) were published in 1903.  I asked for them for Hanukkah when I was sixteen.  I love looking through old books.  I always wonder about where they have been and who they belonged to.  The tea pot and cup and saucer were my paternal grandfathers.  The Weird Georgia book I brought back as a prize for my Favoritest after a girls weekend in Savannah. Everything in this frame makes me smile.  

Breakfast in Bed

Day 5: Breakfast


We have formed a weekend tradition in our house.  Don't get all mushy and sentimental.  It is a tradition born out of laziness and fatigue.  It is not our finest parenting moment, but it sure makes the daily 7:00am wake up call easier to handle two days a week.  On the weekends, as Doddle and the dogs start waking up, my Favoritest and I decide on our jobs.  Job 1- feed dogs, let them out, gather supplies (ie fruit loops and sippy cup of milk).  Job 2- get Doodle, change diaper, get entertainment (dvd of toddler's choice) ready.  Usually my Favoritest takes dog duty, because he can sleep while they go out, and he can't fix a diaper while half asleep.  I gather Doddle and her friends and bring them to our bed.  I get the entertainment ready.  Favoritest brings the ever important supplies.  We all get under the covers.  I usually read, check facebook, or doze.  My Favoritest goes back to sleep as soon as his head hits the pillow.  Doodle, crunches Fruit Loops and sips on milk and watches her movie.  Yes, it is lazy.  Yes, the T.V. probably rots her brain cells a little at a time.  Yes, we get to rest and relax for an extra hour!  Don't judge.  If you are a parent, you know you do it too!  So here is my picture of breakfast

Don't worry, she gets second breakfast that includes something of nutritional value as soon as we go downstairs.  Also, don't worry, in order to get out of the bed there is usually lots of tickling, snuggling, and kisses.  It may be lazy, but it's a great way to start the day a couple of times a week!