Posted on March 3, 2010

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Important Life/ Business Update

Posted on February 24, 2010

To quote my friend, Sara, “There iz a baybe in ma belleh.  See?”

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If you are thinking to yourself, ‘Wasn’t she just pregnant???’, the answer is yes.  Yes I was.  And now I am for one more, last time.  ;)

If all goes well, this baby girl* (please see below) will be here at the end of September/October 1.

(*I am almost certain this baby is a girl.  Just a hunch.  Please note, however, that I predicted Jacob would be a girl, Molly would be a boy, and that all three of my brother’s girls would be boys. :P )

So, on to my business…

I am finding it terribly difficult to work right now because I am soooooooo tired.  So I am going to cut down my business indefinitely to just photograph kids ages ‘I-can-sit-up-by-myself’ through ‘I-am-almost-finished-with-elementary-school’.  So let’s say I am planning to photograph ages 6 months-10 years EXCLUSIVELY right now, because those are my favorite ages honestly.  And I reserve the right to change my mind and say nevermind- I can handle nothing but my own kids right now.  :)

Thanks for understanding, and a BIG THANK YOU to my wonderful husband, who works hard so that I don’t have to.  (I don’t think that’s the real reason he works, of course, but it works out well for me and my babies…)

For Brooke

Posted on February 23, 2010

I’d post something witty and charming here… but it’s late and everything I type just keeps coming out super cheesy.  Velveeta-esque. So, instead, I’ll just say a big THANKS to the L family for a wonderful Saturday session!  You guys were great and I hope you like your preview!

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(Oh, and I LOVE that mom and dad took pictures with the kids individually.  ^^^  I’d love to have some like those with each of my babies…  I’ll work on that.  ‘Cause I have a lot of free time.  :P )

Thanks again, guys!

The Sweetness

Posted on February 22, 2010

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The Barber

Posted on February 11, 2010

Jacob has been growing ‘grass hair’ on a pirate.  Mmmhmmm.  Santa brought him something akin to a Chia Pet and last week he finally got around to trying it.  Earlier this week, it was time for Pirate’s first haircut:

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(This is the most random post EVER.  I know.  Also, why is Jacob wearing a Star Wars Clone Trooper costume while giving the pirate a trim?  Only he knows.)

The fun starts early around here

Posted on February 8, 2010

7:33 a.m.

Stick fighting

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Oh, speaking of fun, when the Saints won the Super Bowl last night, impromptu fireworks celebrations started going off around town.  We went outside to check it out and could hear people yelling and cheering.  Pretty neat.

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Today’s Headlines ^^^

The Swamp Story

Posted on January 29, 2010

Jacob is not a reliable reporter of information regarding what happens each day at school.  Actually, he says he “can’t remember” what he did earlier in the day when I pick him up in the afternoon- unless they did some type of science experiment.  He starts excitedly relaying details of the experiments before he’s even finished buckling his carseat.  But in the absence of science experiments, he doesn’t recall a whole lot of what goes on at school (or doesn’t want to tell me…).

Monday morning before he got out of the car, I told Jacob, “Remember what you do today, because I’m going to ask you about it when you get in the car.”

Monday afternoon:

Me: So what did you do today, Jacob?

Jacob: Oh, you see those steps over there? (points to steps leading down a hill at a house neighboring his school)

Me: Yes.

Jacob: Well at the bottom of those steps is a swamp.  Today, our class walked over there and saw it.  We didn’t see any alligators or anything, but it was still pretty cool.

Me: Wow.  That’s really interesting.

Jacob: I know.  It was fun.

Tuesday afternoon:

Me: What did you do today, Jacob?

Jacob: Today we went back to that swamp!  Mrs. K brought some old rubber boots and we each got to take a turn slipping them on and stepping into the gooey swamp mud!

Me: Really?

Jacob: Yeah, just at the edge.  There’s no alligators or anything.

Me: Oh, hmm.  Okay.

Wednesday afternoon:

Me: What did you do today, Jacob?

Jacob: Today we went back to that swamp AGAIN!

Me: Seriously?

Jacob:  YES!  And today we had a MUD FIGHT with the swamp mud!!!

Me: (*It is at this point that I realize that I have been fooled by a four year old for three days in a row.*)  Jacob, there is not any mud on your clothes.

Jacob: Mrs. Kathy washed them.  She gave us some other clothes to wear while she washed them.  They were a little big, but it was just for a little while until our other clothes were clean.  You should have seen how muddy my clothes were!

Me: Jacob, I don’t think this story is true.  What did you REALLY do today?

Jacob:  I can’t remember.

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Overcompensating

Posted on January 29, 2010

Something happened to Jacob at school this week that made me remember this story from my own school days:

When I was in seventh grade, I was a ’starter’ for the basketball team (probably not because I was a talented player, but because I was taller than all of the other girls).  After our first game of the season, my mom and brother encouraged me (again and AGAIN) to “Be more aggressive.  You’ve got to be more AGGRESSIVE!”  Our next game was against my school’s cross-border rival, Logansport, hometown of low-down creatures such as Sal Vazquez.  ;)   A particularly *tough*-looking girl and I met at center court for the tip off.   Once the ball was in play, the other girl turned her back and took off down the court.  I recalled what my mom and brother had said: “Be more aggressive!!!”  So without any provocation whatsoever, I pushed that girl face-first down to the ground.  For no reason.  At all.  I received a technical foul.  And if I remember correctly, the crowd booed me.  Amazingly, the girl didn’t stand up and punch me in the face.  I never tried to be “aggressive” again.  And no one ever encouraged me to “be more aggressive” again, either.

So back to the Jacob story:

At the two parent-teacher conferences I have attended this year, his teachers have expressed their concern that Jacob doesn’t talk in school.  (-which, of course, leaves me befuddled since he speaks INCESSANTLY at home.)  Earlier this week, with the best of intentions (just like my mom and brother), I encouraged him to “speak up more frequently in class”, let his teachers know that he understands the information, “don’t be afraid to talk”, etc.

Every week, I receive a weekly behavior progress report from his teachers.  The top half of the sheet lists various ‘Needs Improvement on’ behaviors and the bottom half lists several ‘Doing Well in’ behaviors.  He’s never had any ‘bad’ behaviors checked; he usually gets “Working Diligently” and “Making Wise Choices” checked among the positive behaviors each week. This week’s report was different, though.  At the top of the sheet, his teachers had marked that he needs to work on “Talking without permission”.

I asked him about it after school and he told me, “You told me to talk more!”

Indeed.

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(^grain intentional there^)

For Amber

Posted on January 26, 2010

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Filed Under Children | 3 Comments

‘Tis the Season

Posted on January 25, 2010

Did you know that children in south Louisiana don’t go to school on Mardi Gras?  It’s THAT big of a deal.  Growing up in Texas, Mardi Gras didn’t have a lot of significance to me.  (Well, there’s that Mardi Gras celebration in Galveston if I remember correctly, but… meh.)  Here, Mardi Gras is a real stay-home-from-school holiday and the decorations to mark the occasion have been in the stores since before Christmas.  I’m sure we’ll go to a parade or two some time in the next few weeks, and Jacob (yes, he’s been eating popsicles) is ready for the party:

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Speaking of Louisiana and parties, when I was in the grocery store this morning, I heard EVERYONE talking about the Saints game yesterday and their impending inaugural Super Bowl appearance.  EVERYONE.  As a child, my dad was (and still is) a Saints fan- even though we lived in Cowboys country.  I grew up watching the Saints… um, lose… while the Cowboys rattled off Super Bowl win after Super Bowl win.  It’s really nice to see New Orleans go this far.  Good luck to them!

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All images and content copyright 2008-2009 by Cristal Vazquez