Sadly, it's soon time to head home...back to Brooklyn, straight to JFK, and on a flight to Seattle. But, before we go, there's a bit more baby-holding to be done...

It would be very hard to pick my favorite image from this shoot. Very very hard. But this would be in the running.

Stefan's new tattoo, in honor of Katy Belle's impending arrival.

I have taken a lot of pictures of Stefan over the years, but this is my new favorite.

The big event of the next day was Stefan and Biz's official maternity portrait session. This has been all over my pro site but I wanted to pick just a couple of my favorites to share here.

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Stefan got a little baby holding practice, with a very patient Char, in preparation for Katy Belle's arrival.

Here's Charlotte looking adoringly at her daddy. It's not the sharpest or the best photograph I've ever taken but I think it has emotional clarity. I love how Bri is all scruffy after work, but the look on her face is completely unconditional.

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There's a recent addition to the Manning family, and here she is. This is Charlotte's first post on the blog, because this is the first time I've met her. Isn't she a bit ridiculously cute?

For more blog posts of Julia, click here.

I can't believe how much she grows up between visits.

On Monday morning, we got up early and headed out of Brooklyn for a visit to the farm, my favorite place on earth, so I got to see my favorite little girl again - Julia. She asked to wear my headscarf and it looked so cute on her...I may have to make her some of her own. Is this what love looks like? I think so.

I had a lovely little impromptu photoshoot with her in the yard and I could easily fill up this entire blog with pictures of her and her sister...but I'll try not to.

You never know what you may get roped into when you hang out at Stefan and Biz's house.

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We finished off Sunday with a shrimp boil by Biz which mostly involved chilling in the back garden.

He has big plans for a months-long cross country tour on this bike next year. I hope he really does make it all the way out to Seattle from Brooklyn.

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I took some artsy shots of him reflected in the chrome and mirrors, etc.

Our good friend Gords got a big new motorcycle which he was very proud to show off today. He, so far, has named her Miss Alabama since he flew down to Alabama to get her.

In my opinion, hanging out with all the friends that gather for a wedding in the few days before is the best part. Now that we are running out of weddings, we're talking about throwing yearly parties and anniversary-returns to make sure we all get together.

We are back in Brooklyn, visiting the old neighborhood we used to live in before we moved to Seattle. There will be a wedding this weekend, which is the primary reason for our visit, but for now I am just taking a long wander up and down the avenues to see what's changed. At this store, not much has.

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Second gorgeous Spring-like day in a row here and it was one of those days where photographs were every where I looked. That hasn't happened in a while so it was very exciting! We are away on a trip back east tomorrow to go to the wedding of J & Q. Photos from Brooklyn, coming soon...

I have been systematically going on a massive 'purge' of the clutter in my home. I have been reading books on clutter and organizing and each and every day I tackle a new area and throw away, recycle, donate, use, sell or give away as much as I can. I am ruthless! Today was the 'random desk drawer' day. As you can see Fergus is extremely bored by all of this.


Second swimming lesson tonight and it was not as easy nor as exhilarating as the first. Isn't it weird that "moving of the arms in a swim like motion" has caused such a long-time barrier for me? I basically just hit a point long ago where I thought "Ok, brick wall at the moving the arms part. I can't do it, so I can't swim." It's is very difficult to break down 20+ year old barriers.

What'd'ya see, boy?

My friend Peter is now the proud owner of this tattoo. We haven't seen him in a while and it was great - he looks really well and the tattoo suits him.

The haircut is a pretty subtle change, I think, just a bit of a touch up. I have enjoyed doing th s.p.'s this week but I think it's time to put them away again for a while.

Past Haircut blips:
May '07
Feb '08
April '08
Yesterday (before)

Another s-p, the kick continues. I was going to (and did) take some silly self-portraits modeling some of the things I am selling on ebay (I am in the process of a massive purge). But, I liked this little unguarded test shot the best - it looks most like me. Plus, I am getting my haircut tomorrow so I may show a lovely before and after!

I am off to the pool tonight where Michelle is going to attempt to teach me to swim like a real swimmer so that I can compete in my first triathlon. I may drown, and never return to grumblehog, I may die of embarrassment, or I may have to fake my own death to get out of this. She's been trying to rope me in for years and it appears she has at least succeeded in getting me to sign up and go to my first swim lesson. Wish me luck!

J, literally less than 5 minutes after walking in the door after work, asleep on the couch with a sleepy Fergus on his lap. Fergus has recently fallen in love with him, and yes, I am a little jealous.

I guess I am on a little s-p kick - don't worry - I don't think it will last long! I always love the look of the bathroom mirror all foggy after the shower, but for several reasons it's a pretty difficult photo opportunity. This isn't the perfect thing I have in mind, but it's a good first draft!

The next installment of my sewing project photos - a dress for a yet-to-be-born little girl called Katy Belle. This is the same pattern as Charlotte's Dress but in the tiny newborn size - even though the woman at the fabric store scoffed at me saying, "Newborns don't really wear dresses!" 1) I didn't ask you 2) Why do they make the pattern in the newborn size then? 3) I don't care and 4) it's a gift - the idea that counts, right? 5) even newborn little girls deserve a pretty little dress if only for a minute of pictures in it! Plus, New York in July and August will be hot and I would love to be in a cute little polka dotted sleeveless dress.

When it's finished, it will have cute little red buttons on the shoulder straps!

p.s. A year ago, we brought home Fergus.

I have had my eye on this spot for a long time and always wanted to photograph someone there - I just didn't know it would be me.

My friend T ran into a spot of trouble today when his car wouldn't start at the grocery store. I had to come to the rescue but even the jumper cables weren't able to revive it. In the end we had to wait for the tow truck and he bought me lunch for my troubles. At least I got a photo of the day out of it!

Fergus tucked himself into a tiny ball in the very farthest corner of the couch, then stretched out his little furry paws. I went close enough, with little depth of field, so that you can't see all the places where he has used those claws to RUIN our lovely sofa.

A nearby neighbor has a neutral gray wall in his garden and lots of spring flowers. I end up shooting something there every year because I love the simple backdrop the wall makes and how it looks different in all the different lights. This one is probably the closest to how it looks naturally. Happy Spring (maybe?! finally?!)!

Wall + Flower I
Wall + Flower II
Wall + Flower III

I guess crossing my fingers worked! Perhaps it's orchid karma. I am so pleased that my lovely orchid bloomed all 7 flowers. I blipped it earlier because I didn't have much hope that it would make it. But, here it is!

Stop: freaking out, thinking about that house you can't/shouldn't/won't buy, getting in over your head, over-thinking, being afraid, not doing what your supposed to be doing, everything.

Drive by shot. A bit different from last time.

It's official, I like sewing! This is my 5th project (third with a pattern - two stuffed animals I made up) and it went really well. I learned to make buttonholes (so much fun!) and sew the buttons on my machine. It's a cute little dress for my "niece" Charlotte that I haven't met yet. She'll be six months old when I see her for the first time at the end of this month. I hope this cute little dress fits (at least long enough to photograph her wearing it).

I have an idea to make one more of these for a newborn coming soon but I wanted to practice on the bigger size first.

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