Thursday, July 11, 2013

Shutter Bug

Meet Ella, Jr. Nature Photographer


The kids discovered a little bird nest.. last week?  I don't know.  I've been packing for 2 weeks, the days just kind of run together at this point.  Ella couldn't be more excited!  She loves birds.  And nature.  And trees.  And flowers.  And birds.  Did I mention birds?  She was practically jumping out of her skin to grab her camera to take pictures of the babies.  In case you are wondering, they're cardinals.  Ugly little things.   I mean, "They're so cute!"  Ella's famous line.  She really is getting quite good!


Ready for this?  Flamingos.  
They've been so excited about the flamingo eggs.  Nice action shot, Ella!  She took this picture about a month ago.

But one thing about going to the zoo every week is being able to see things like this...
This is actually from a week after the baby was born.  Brian and the kids were there the day this little fella hatched, just a few hours old.  He said it kept falling out of the nest:)  Ella didn't bring her camera that day, but came fully prepared this time!  Good thing her memory card can only hold 50 pictures.  She goes off with her camera and only quits when it says 'Memory card full'.  I actually enjoy uploading her pictures.  They're so random.

Here's some from her most recent upload...





 I love this and I died laughing when I saw it!

Poor Maddex.  They love her.  Really they do.  

In other news, it's that time again!  Maddex is eight months old today!  She started clapping last week AND she's a full blown crawler now.  Which means I'm constantly swabbing things out of her mouth.  Yesterday she was gagging on a single carpet fiber with a glue drop on the end.  Really Maddex?  How did you find that!?!  Little stinker.
  


**Bonus Picture!  This was one of those 'in between' shots:)

  

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Independence Day

Just a quick Happy 4th of July!  We celebrated small with our 'little' family today.  I got the kids all jazzied up in coordinating red, white and blue and had visions of getting super cute pictures of them today.  Here was my first attempt at the zoo this morning.
 FAIL.

All other attempts had 1 or 2 out of 4 crying or mad.  Way to use that freedom kids, no pictures for you, mom!

I thought I might get lucky at home after everyone had a good nap.
FAIL.

Hey, look at that...everyone's almost looking!

In my desperation, my dear husband thought it might keep their spirits up by throwing crickets at them.

It kind of worked?

Me too, Maddex.  Me too.  I give up.

We'll try again next year.



And in other news...look who was scurrying around the kitchen tonight.  She's been holding out on me.