Mother's Day... I mean weekend

The title should read: "Mother's Day Weekend" but it wouldn't allow the strikethrough.

This morning I decided that this whole weekend should be a celebration.  Basically, it is the calm before the storm as the students have just finished class and next week the flurry of finals and students moving out.  We woke up this morning to the sound of our neighbours voices and music as they began their roommate's bachelor party.  

We also woke up to the sweetest sound I have ever heard.  Will called both of us by our names.  The words mama and dada (pronounced da-ga) have never sounded sweeter.  We had a delicious gluten free crepe breakfast and Grant gave me my mother's day gift a little early.  I'll give you a hint (or three):

That's right, the camera lens has been replaced.  It was one of the best gifts I have ever received... twice.

What are you doing to celebrate this weekend?

Broken Lens

Back in October, Grant gave me one of the best gifts I've ever received.  (See this post).  I loved this camera lens.  I had wanted a portrait lens for a long time and always had one in my "wish list" on Amazon, but had never broken down and bought one.  He got this for me as a gift after the birth of Will.  A completely out-of-the-blue gift that was so thoughtful and has allowed me to take so many photos of Will, things I've made and other things I've shared on this blog.

Well, on Saturday, after a last hurrah, my camera fell off the table and smashed my beautiful gift into pieces.  I suppose I can look on the bright side that at least my camera seems to be doing just fine.

Como Conservatory

In July when Will was first born we went to the Como Conservatory with my mom.  It is an incredible place.  The building is beautiful, it's warm and full of lush, green plants and purple orchids.  Even when crowded, it is somehow still peaceful and quiet.  All I have to say is why on earth did it take me until the first day of spring to think of going back there?

The three of us spent a few hours at the conservatory this weekend and it was incredible.  This was of course, after Will and I spent some time there earlier this week with a friend.  And I think we'll go back often on cool days this spring.  We had some fun with our camera too and not so surprisingly we ended up with more photos of our son than anything else.

We spent a lot of time with the tulips since we miss seeing them grow each spring in our yard in Wheaton.

He seems like he's growing up so fast.

The outtakes are often the best!

One of my favourite things is seeing all of the photos that we end up with trying to capture a cute moment with our son.  The outtakes from Instagram or the blog are often blurry (and taken with my phone) and the composition terrible, but they show his sweet and spunky personality so well.

My personal favourite!

Chatting away

What is with this face?

(And in case anyone ever wonders what the red marks are around his mouth.  It's chapped skin.  Poor baby.... no matter how much of his vaseline-like lotion we put on it, he continues to drool and live in cold, windy weather which does not bode well for his super sensitive skin.  Spring is coming little one, I promise!)

New Camera Lens

One of the pregnancy and preparing for child birth books that I read (The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy) suggested that the husband get a gift for his wife for going through labour and delivery.  I was skeptical, wondering if I would really feel the need for Grant to buy me a gift (isn't the baby the best gift after all?).  

It turns out Grant did not need to buy me a gift.  In fact, I had completely forgotten about this idea until one day a week or so ago Grant came into our apartment with his hands behind his back.  I was feeding Will in the rocking chair chattering away about what he and I had done that day and didn't even notice that Grant was hiding something.  He revealed that he had a camera in his hands with a card taped to the lens.  It took me a minute.  Did Grant get me a camera?  I already have a camera.  That looks like my camera. Oh wait.  The lens is different!  Grant bought me the portrait lens that I had my eye on for a long time.  No, it wasn't jewelry as the book had suggested he get me, and no it didn't come moments after our son was born.  This was so much better!  It was unexpected and thoughtful and will help us capture memories of our incredible son.  And the card was a letterpress card from Paper Source that has a tandem bike on the front.  He knows me so well... letterpress cards, beautiful paper, tandem bikes and a sweet note! Looking forward to my next tandem bike ride... possibly a Pie Ride in Santa Rosa over Thanksgiving??  

"I couldn't have done it without you."

And now for the task of learning how to use it!