From The Archives - Autumn Forecast

Photo taken last year in Port Angeles, WA.

I just read the 10-day weather forecast for Chicago.  I can't believe I'm going to be wearing sweaters and socks this week.  Plus, I noticed the leaves starting their annual downward waltz, and I've seen some pretty shades of orange and red.  There is a part of me that wants summer to hang around a little longer, especially since it didn't feel like much of a summer this year. 

There's also this part of me that's looking forward to having nothing to do but stay cozy indoors with a good book or movie or new tunes.  I've got a new box of Mightly Leaf herbal tea that would be just awesome for a cold night, as well as a pile of books I need to dive into.

Open House and Birthday Cake

Yesterday was Cadence's new school's open house.  We got to see some of the work she's been doing and chat with her teachers.  I can tell that Cadence feels really comfortable already at school.

It was cool to see her on the playground going at it with gusto as if she owned the place.  She was so proud to show us how she could go sideways on the monkey bars.

When we got home, we had a little birthday cake Ted had made that day with birthday candles and everything.  Her official birthday gathering will be at church on Sunday, but it felt right to so something on her actual birthday.  It's always fun to let birthdays stretch on for days at a time.

Happy Big 5.0, Cadence!

Today, my Cadence turns 5.  It's hard to believe.  I still remember middle-of-the-night feedings when she'd be wide awake after nursing, and I'd dance around the kitchen with her cradled in my arms as I sang songs from my childhood.  I would look at her and wonder what she would be like at 1 or 2 or 3 or 4, and 5 just seemed like worlds away.

And now, we're here.  Half a decade under her belt.  As anyone who knows her at all would probably affirm, she's something else. 

Happy birthday, my Cadence Joy.  You've changed my life forever.

First Day of School

Cadence started at her new school today.  This one's a big school with kids from PreK all the way up through 8th grade.  She's in her last year of PreK (her late September birthday missed the cut-off for kindergarten) and is probably the oldest and tallest kid in her class.  Nevertheless, I really think she'll benefit from another year of PreK.  For one thing, the PreK program at her new school is really great as are the teachers.  And Cadence has always been cautious about new situations and has made it clear that she will not achieve milestones on any one else's time table but her own.  It's something I am still learning to accept and even embrace.

There's No Place Like Home...

...except when the Ruby Slippers don't fit any more.  Believe me when I tell you there was much hollering and gnashing of teeth.  With the weather fluctuations these days, we don't know if the shoes are gonna fit or not, and I really regret not getting these in a bigger size when I had the chance.

Getting Air

As you can see, Cadence spends a lot of time with her feet off the ground.  She was like a pogo stick in front of the big industrial sized fan.

Hopefully, she'll get her bounce back really quick today after we go in for round 2 of her major dental work.  Last time involved a LOT of crying, poor kid...I'm not sure promises of jell-o will suffice in calming her down...

Not One to Waste a Rain Puddle

Cadence knows full well what puddles were made for.  This is why she never complains when it rains.  She knows about puddles.

Catch The Light In Your Eyes

This is my child, my almost 5 year old who will be entering a bona fide elementary school come September, a school full of kids who are more than twice her age.  She has always had a thoughtful gaze, even when she was a little baby.  Despit all my shortcomings as a mother (and I am being entirely objective when I say that those are many), she is growing up to be a really cool kid...

First Position

Here's Cadence demonstrating her ballet knowledge for our friend Liz at a recent party.  She's supposed to pretend to be holding a beach ball; I think she does a pretty convincing job.

At Her Level

She loves to watch the trains go by, and she sees plenty of them since we live right along a Metra line.  But this train going by, right at her level, fascinated her even more than usual.

And dang, if her hair ain't getting long!

An Addition to the Sunday Reading Club

This was actually from last Sunday.  Jack joined Cadence and Rudden for their "reading club."  It was so cute listening to Jack read his book.  He was pretty good at making up a story from just the pictures.  This was a rare moment of quiet amongst the three.

15 Inches Shorter Than Usual

This was me right after I chopped off 15 inches of my hair.  Let's just say that Cadence was in a clingy stage, and I got tired of having my hair pulled.  So in case those of you who never knew me then can't imagine me with short hair, this was what I looked like.  It's also probably the last time I'll have hair that short.  I have crazy coarse unruly hair that's neither straight nor curly, and having it short was really high maintenance, esp. for work.

I'm taking a bit of a hiatus from posting current pix.  We are undergoing major spring cleaning in our home right now.  Yes, it's THAT serious that I have to take a break from taking photos, or else I end up in the digital darkroom (a.k.a. Lightroom) during all my free time.  Now that the weather is getting warm, I'd also like to get outdoors more.

I will be making an exception this weekend, however, to photograph Amy Krouse Rosenthal's Beckoning of Lovely event happening Saturday @ 5pm at the Julius Meinl Warehouse (2930 N. Campbell).  Curious?  You should come!  Check out the video that planted the seeds for this project.

Soul Patch

We went on our first family bike ride on Mother's Day, and of course it was to get ice cream cones.  We as a family have declared every Sunday as Ice Cream Sunday, and we will be visiting all our favorite ice cream shoppes throughout the summer, probably through fall, and maybe even through the winter.  This is so that Cadence won't expect ice cream every flippin' day of the week, cuz Lord knows she'd eat nothin' but if we let her.  But then again, so would I (if I weren't sometimes lactose intolerant).  I figure this way, she'll learn all her days of the week because now she's asking every day whether it's Sunday yet.

The (Catch)Light In Her Eyes

Ah, such a serious look.  And she's looking so much older than her 4 year old self.  *sigh*

Catchlights are not my spe-shee-al-i-ty, and some folks know how to make 'em better in Photoshop, but being the photoshop flunkie that I am, unless the stars and planets align, or in my case, the sun and subject reflecting the sun, I generally depend on luck.  Apprently, everything aligned for this shot.

The World According to Mom

I've been tagged by my Shutter Sister Irene! 

5 Things I Love About Being A Mom

1) Looking into those big brown eyes.  My grandfather used to call me puppy eyes when I was her age, and I think he probably would have said the same of her.

2) Discovering the things we both enjoy, such as climbing chain link fences or peanut butter & jelly sandwiches or kitty cats or my mom's cooking.  Although, the climbing fences thing was probably more applicable to me as a kid.

3) Catching her in one of those really thoughful poses and wondering what the heck goes on in that 4 1/2 year old brain of her.

4) Seeing how much Cadence loves her little friends.  She's had pretty much the same friends the past 3.5 years of her life, and it's been cool watching them grow up together, literally.  Plus, some of her friends' moms have been my biggest support, and I probably would like motherhood a lot less if it weren't for them.

5) Feeling the soft warmth of her cheeks next to mine and knowing that she's perfectly happy right there and then.

Granted, I don't always love being a mom, and I don't love being a mom to Cadence specifically every now and then, so I guess this was a good exercise for me to go through.

This is part of Her Bad Mother's Around the World in 80 Clicks project.  If you're a mom and want to participate, please do so!  I've already sort of tagged Melissa on Facebook, and now I tag Toni, Kelly and YOU!

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Also, I'm excited to announce that I am now a contributing (photo)blogger for Kimchi Mamas, a collaborative blog written by mothers of kids who are of Korean American heritage.  You can check out my intro here.  Thankfully, they've asked me to contribute mainly photos, which is a relief to me since I tend to get finger-tied when it comes to typing out posts that contain words.  That's why I gave up on my mommyblog.

I'm excited about this opportunity, as I highly respect all the contributors to the Kimchi Mama community, and some of my favorite and oldest blogger friends are other Kimchi Mamas.  If you are a Kimchi Mama yourself, check us out!

Three Minutes In the Life of Cadence

Sweet one minute (4:03pm)...

Goofy the next minute (4:04pm)...

So serious the next (4:05pm).