Exploring with Eliza

Before construction began we had two lifts (elevators) in the building.  I always preferred one to the other because the second felt rickety.  When they began working on refurbishing the shaft they closed the first, preferred lift.  I always held my breath and also tried to avoid having to take the lift.  But we still use the stroller like our car most days so use the lift more than many, even though we are just two flights of stairs up.  Anyway, one late afternoon we were coming back from lessons.  The boys started jostling and behaving poorly while we were waiting for the elevator to come so I sent them up the stairs together, hoping the exercise would get them out of their funk.  Eliza and I went in the small--seriously, small--lift and pushed our floor button.  The lift began, rose a few feet, but then shuttered to a stop.  I called Collin immediately, worried about the two boys I'd sent up by themselves, and asked when he'd be home.  Luckily he was three minutes away on a bus so my biggest worry was taken care of.  Now, what I should have done next (as the fireman told me almost two hours later) was to call emergency services (999 in the UK) and tell them a child was stuck in a lift.  That would have got them moving.  But, since I was with her and we had snacks and library books and my phone and Collin was taking care of the boys I didn't want to be a bother.  So first I tried using the elevator phone  Ha!  Talk about a joke.  That was hilarious.  Decades old and without even a ring tone.  Then I tried calling the lift maintenance number on my cell but it just rang and rang.  Then I asked Collin to try calling building maintenance from outside since my service was patchy in the lift.  He was given a bit of a run around (though to be fair they finally did get back, just as the firemen were finishing their rescue job).  After a while even all my entertainment--including bubbles!--ran out and Eliza said, "I'm done with being in here."  We'd been in about an hour when another tenant in the building became extra concerned about us.  We called back and forth through the door a bit to try and communicate that we were trying to manage things but I think he finally called the fire department.  I don't remember.  Anyway, the firemen did come and prise open the door.  We were only a few feet off the ground and jumped down.  They were a little surprised and appalled to see a child but lifted the stroller down and told me next time I was to call and tell them about the child to get bumped to highest priority.  Yes, sir.  All in all, we were in the lift for an hour and 45 minutes.  And we were done, but it had been an adventure.  I still don't like taking that one, though they say it's fixed and they other one is still closed.  Ahh, the joys of living through renovations.

Eliza and I have lots of fun mini-mommy dates in the mornings.  One such was sharing an ice cream at Fortnum and Mason.  Pretty much the only thing I could think to afford there was a 10 pound ice cream.  Ha!  It was really fun to build our own sundae and everything was high quality and delicious.  I had to remind her that not everything we do during the day has to be talked about in front of the brothers.  They each had their time of toddler/preschool dates with mommy (even if they don't remember) but some things we can keep quiet.  So that night during dinner conversation she very carefully said something like, "so mommy, remember that ice cream and gummy bears today?" and I said, "Shhh!  Nothing, boys!" and she said, "but I wasn't telling them, I was telling you!"

This dress was one I got on eBay for Easter.  I thought--and was right--that Eliza would like the swirly skirt.  She wore it to the museum one day and had a run in with non washable (???) paint at the toddler activity.  I tired in vain to get the paint out and eventually sadly put the dress in the goodbye pile.  Then I had an idea to fix it up and moved it to the project pile.  Otherwise known as the black hole.  Indeed, I promptly forgot about it.  Then I was organizing and came across it again and realized I need to be quick if I wanted to do anything about it before she outgrows it.  So one night I brought out the paints and started going at it.  She and I were both pretty pleased at what came out.  Debuting her London dress!

The only trouble is, now I'm addicted and keep looking for anything paintable in reach.

Playing with Light and Lens (Photog Musings)

I don't know what my style is.  I feel like I knew what I liked--unswayed by too many outside influences--better when I was a teenager in my vintage thrifted clothes.  I think the problem now is that I have easy access (via blogs, Pinterest, Instagram, etc.) to so many other aesthetics.  There are simply too many sources and styles that I admire.  I just can't get consistent on one to claim as my own.

Just a random thought.  Sort of related.  I don't know what I like in the pictures I take the more pictures I take.  I adore the earthy, moody sorts of images when I see them from other photographers but when I try to take them myself all I see is muddy and murky.  I love light and bright but when I try to take mine that way all I do is overexpose horribly.  Recently I've decided I can give myself permission to experiment more and forever.  I'm not a professional that is known and expected to produce the same result.  My portfolio doesn't have to be perfect and stunning.  It's just me, enjoying learning what light through a lens can do.  These are my kids, not models, who are willing to play along . . . as long as it's on their terms. 

I learned of a technique called free-lensing a few weeks ago.  On DSLRs you can detach your lens and still take an image.  You manually hold the lens close up to the body but the shift and tilt of the lens gives a unique distortion to the image.  The result is kind of like an impressionist painting, all blurry and brushed.  It's kind of fun.  Tricky to get the hang of it, but fun to play around.

 

I've been paying more attention to the light in our house.  It's winter and we're inside so often.  (Cabin fever much?!)  When we see the sun streaming through the windows on that rare occasion it's fun to find where it hits.  Even if it's not streaming, it's still giving a nice grey glow.  With that I've been experimenting more with back lighting images.  I'm trying to keep my camera at the ready at the most droll parts of the day.  After bath and lunch are usually times I kind of rush through to get to the next thing.  Pausing for a picture or ten helps me see it in a fresh perspective.  Attempting to capture and keep some toddler expressions forever is such a precious calling.

I remember loving my mom's ring.  It was so smooth and lovely.  Too big for my fingers as a little girl, but I could still sense my mom's warmth in the heat of the metal.  I sensed it was a special love symbol, one I was part of but went beyond just me.  Eliza already shows a similar curiosity about my ring.  I don't often take it off, but the light was just so glorious and her cooperation so guaranteed I went ahead to share.

Finally, Eliza's videos are, yes, a bit out of control.  However, I had enough of her singing in the past year to have it make sense to do a separate one. 

Heavenly Father Loves Me (video)

Another gift we were able to make as a family this year was a video for Grandma in California. We found parts of the world around us to create one of her favorite Children's Primary songs, "Heavenly Father Loves Me".

Elizabeth and Mel Photo Reenactment

 

I got to give my dad a special gift for Christmas this year.  I struggled to find a good idea to work with until one afternoon when Eliza pulled our family history book out to read and I realized that she was just the age to reenact my Nana's childhood picture, sailor dress and all.  Then we turned to my Papa's page and found the classic one of him, taken around the same age as the boys.  Da-ding!  I knew what I could do for my dad.  

Eliza's came easy.  She's used to the game.  It took a little strategizing for the boys', as the light fades very quickly in the afternoon when the boys are home from school.  I prepped them with the full picture and had them study Papa Mel's picture to see what they had to do to copy it.  I had my "studio" all set up and quickly ushered them in to change and tidy their hair.  They took the process very seriously and made sure their hands were just right.

I love looking more closely than I normally would at these classic pictures of our ancestors.  I think more deeply about the types of images that will become THE image of my children for their great-grandchildren.  I love them more--both ancestors and children--the closer I see.

Pigeon

 

We love Mo Willem's pigeon.  So much so that for a time Eliza would only calm down when we quoted the pigeon to her.  Davy has written several additional adventures of the pigeon.  One was so well composed and completed that we decided to send it to Mo Willems at his publisher's address.  We hope he enjoys it!

Liza and Her Bright Red Boots (video)

We love Gossie and her little goose friend, Gertie.  I think the books sum up toddlerhood sublimely.  Eliza and I have been collecting clips of her and her own red boots to make into a video.

Bear Hunt (video)

One of our favorite books is Bear Hunt.  One afternoon I was reading it to Eliza for the upteenth time when suddenly I was hit by the vision of a moving picture video.  And I knew just the family to model for me!  Our friends, the Colvins (lesleycolvinblog.com), have the perfect kids and the perfect attitude for a project like this.  Luckily they agreed and we went out to the Heath one fine afternoon for our own bear hunt.

Blowing a Balloon With Davy

I got a little serious yesterday.  Then I worked on finishing up a video that I think will make you smile.  I love those projects that happen spontaneously, easily, joyfully.  Davy's instructions on how to blow up a balloon was just that kind.  Quintessentially Davy.

Dandelion Wishes

Locations:
Kew Gardens
Oxford Christ Church Meadows
Avebury Stones

So They Went Off Together

So they went off together.  But wherever they go, and whatever happens to them on the way, in that enchanted place on the top of the Forest a little boy and his Bear will always be playing.

--A.A. Milne, The House at Pooh Corner 

 

Here we are at the end of the walk down Pooh Bear lane.  This truly was an incredible project for me and Eddy to create together.  I'm not saying the results were beyond incredible (though a shot here and there were pretty beautiful, though I say it myself) but the project all together was such fun to work on.  

It's harder than I thought to say goodbye to this project in this space.  I have been rather selfish, I'm afraid, to inundate our family journal space with these.  Thanks for enjoying them along with me!

Oh, and an anecdote from a week or two ago.  Eddy asked for his "bear book" from the shelf and I brought it down to him (it's up high away from Eliza's hands).  He settled down on the couch to read it.  After a few minutes he looked up at me and asked, "Mom, will you keep this book forever?  Will you never give it away?"  I was a little confused, but responded, "No, I won't give it away.  It's your book forever, even when you have your own kids you can show it to them."  Eddy got a big smile on his face and said, "You'll never throw it away with the toys we don't clean up?  Yay!"  I'll take it as a sign he likes his book.

 And just because it's so cute, I'll include this extra scene of Eliza getting in on the teddy bear love.