How Do They Do It?

After trying to set up a Christmas shot with Remy for our cards this year I have a whole new respect for portrait photographers. I waited too long and didn't have enough light, Remy wasn't interested in my props, I didn't get far enough away from the subject, he had a tendency to charge the camera whenever I tried to get him to look at me, and I couldn't keep the binky out of his mouth. The fact that these are my best two shots says it all, lol!

Well, I tried...

Everyone has been posting beautiful pictures of their trees so I decided today I would straighten up the ornaments, replace some of the candy cane Remy has broken, hang some ribbon and take some decent pictures. It's trickier than I thought it would be! Right now I only have the telephoto lens and the 50 mm for my DSLR and so I didn't get far enough back to get the entire tree in the picture. Then I switched to my trusty old point and shoot and got photographs that looked like old xerox copies of bad photos. But I did catch a mischievous little elf in one of the pictures, he is loving the Christmas tree!

Remy Update

We had our evaluation at the local Early Intervention office yesterday. The good news is that Remy qualifies for a lot of assistance, the bad news is that Remy is showing many delays and failed his autism screening. Ross, Remy and I met in a large playroom with two very nice ladies, a PDC and a DSIII, and they simultaneously worked through thick evaluation packets over the course of the two hour evaluation. It was grueling and increasingly sad as it went on. Before it was even over the DSIII told us that he had qualified. He is testing in the 9 month range for communication skills. His emotional/social was a little better but she said had large weak areas like eye-contact and affection. He is normal-to-advanced in the gross motor skills but lagging in the fine motor skills. A SI/DS (special instruction/developmental specialist?) is going to come twice a month to our home and we have appointments in early January with the speech pathologist, the BAT (for the autism concerns), the nutritionist because of his picky eating and low weight, and the audiologist for a hearing exam. They would also like us to get his vision checked out. Our homework is to wean him off the binky (we'll see about that!), work on animal and other fun noises, and teach him to point outside and say out when he wants to go on the balcony or to get the mail. I feel overwhelmed, but I am so glad I have help now and that I have a plan!

Sunday Evening Sunset

Thanksgiving at Mommo and Poppo's

Thankful!

Sunset in November

• I am thankful for my mountain! No matter what kind of day I am having I can look up and see a reminder of just how fleeting my worries and troubles really are!
• I am thankful to have my parents here! They answered the question, how can living in Las Vegas be any more awesome? 
• I am thankful for my wonderful husband - calm, kind, gentle, funny, sweet, talented and a wonderful father. 
• I am thankful for my church, a church that preaches grace and inclusion, a church I can be proud to raise my son in.  
• I am thankful for a God whose mercies are new each morning. Thank you for walking with me each and every day!
• I am thankful for friends new and old and for the wonderful mamas I have met online.
• I am thankful for my physical and mental health. Anyone who has those two things is rich indeed. 
• I am thankful for being included in the Bates family reunion in Hawaii. It was truly a once in a life time kind of event and I will never forget it!
• I am thankful that my sister is coming to Vegas in a few months, I miss her!
• And, because I guess I am a material girl, I am thankful for my laptop, my camera, my nook, kona coffee, Flowerbomb perfume, and Reef sandals!

It's Up!

Cats

Between my four and mom's two we have lots of photogenic cats around! Here are some recent pictures.

Piper

Jojo

Powder

Angel

Red Rock in November

We decided to go to Red Rock Canyon yesterday afternoon. After stopping at the outskirts of Summerlin for donuts and coffee we made our way to the park just in time for a beautiful sunset. It was a little chilly (50s and breezy) so we spent most of our time in the car driving the scenic loop. No matter how many times I have seen it, it still amazes me!

Kid's Music that Won't Drive You Bonkers

We have put Remy on a TV diet and that has given us more time to listen to music. Of course we listen to Backyardigans, his all time favorite, but when I get tired of the cartoon music I love to put on more mellow stuff like It's A Big World by Renee & Jeremy.

Equally chill and lovely are Station Wagon by Sara Groves...

and Sing-a-longs and Lullabies by Jack Johnson.

I'm on the hunt for more good music and would love to hear what kind of kid friendly music you enjoy!

Rug Rat

What's Up

• My sister Stephanie and our super-friend Crystal are coming out to Vegas for the wedding photography convention in February.  Oh my goodness, is it February yet? How about now? 
• We are still waiting on our Early Intervention evaluation at the end of the month, but I am feeling much less fearful, thank you Lord! Remy has started pointing and using a couple of words. It's very tentative at this point, but it is happening and that is good, good, good!  
• Our TV ban turned into a TV diet.  I just don't know how to keep him busy while I cook and clean without the TV and he does seem to learn from some programs so I don't think it is too bad for him.  Cutting back on TV though has created a lot more time for the two of us to interact during the day and I think that is a huge factor in his recent breakthroughs.  
• I am late to this Spotify thing and I am loving it.  It is especially useful since I have this new laptop and I haven't transferred all my music over yet (and the music I did transfer somehow got duplicated in iTunes and I am too lazy to go in and clean it up!)  It's like having a massive music library on your computer without using up space on your hard drive.  More room for photos, lol!
• I am so grateful for Ross's camera and the photoshop.  I haven't painted in ages, but the photography helps me get my creative fix. I feel weird if a day goes by and I haven't taken a picture.  
• I miss my husband! He has been working late a lot and he is playing at church for all four services this weekend so I won't be seeing much of him.  I wish it was our anniversary this month so that we would have an excuse to get away for a couple of days!  
• Our friends Bri and Chunko brought Remy a remote control car as a present today! He loves it, it blows his mind that you don't have to push the car to make it move. That doesn't stop him from trying though. :)
• The jeans I bought last year after having Remy are too big now and Gap is having a sale so I ordered a new, smaller pair of long and leans yesterday.  (((happy dance))) Weirdly though, I haven't actually lost any weight. I guess the fat just moved from my waist to my arms and my chin. Ah, well.  
• Mom and Dad and I are going to the Bellagio this afternoon to see how they have the garden decked out for fall.  Hopefully I will get to take some pictures!

Goodnight Moon

Getting Remy in his jammies tonight and saw this moon through his bedroom window. There is something arresting about looking up and seeing the full moon, like you are catching the universe's eye for a moment.

Lazy Monday

What Remy did with his extra hour...

Actually this was just a few minutes of his extra hour. He also spent a good chunk of time pulling off his socks and tossing things over the baby gate. I can't wait for the day when he will use his extra hour for sleep like any sane human being!

Good Morning!

Have I mentioned lately how much I love living here? When you can step out on your balcony and see the mountains and that big desert sky your problems just don't seem so intimidating. Super-glad the weekend is here. Ross worked late a lot this week and I missed him! Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

First Snow

It snowed on Mt. Charleston a few weeks ago but today my mountain got its first snow. The day started beautifully, it was 65 and sunny as I was drove home from our playdate this morning, but by the time Remy woke up from his nap it was chilly and rainy and the mountain was completely obscured. When the rain cleared, this was the view from the balcony. It makes me want to get out the Christmas decorations!

Bath Time

Happy Reunion

The long lost purple circle block has been found. Someone, go get the fatted calf. Remy is making up for lost time. The other blocks are grumbling.