45 // 52

45 // 52 // Lillia
45 // 52 // Zane

“A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.”

Lillia: This week you had a parent-teacher conference, which you attended with Daddy. I thought it was a bit strange that kids were invited to come to their own conference (I mean, how can a teacher speak candidly about a student while they’re sitting right there?) but you seemed excited to go. It sounds like you are doing wonderfully well, and you may be eligible to move out of the remedial math group soon. I’d like you to stay in it as long as possible, because extra help never hurt anyone, but I know you are anxious to move on and I do understand that. Your teacher also said that you have a tendency to get very excitable during group work, which means you must really be enjoying school (she noted that it might behoove you to tone it down just a bit). All-in-all it sounds like you are doing really well in school, and I’m very proud of you!

Zane: This week we did all kinds of new and interesting things together. For part of the week we were in charge of taking care of our neighbors’ kitties — all 5 of them (2 different houses). You really enjoyed helping me try to round them up from outside, and you loved getting their food for them. You are definitely an animal lover. We also saw a big green tractor tilling fertilizer into the corn fields near our house. We were out for a walk in the woods but we just had to stop and watch him go back and forth across the field. We stayed there for quite a long time, until our noses got cold. We talked about how the field is going to rest during the winter, but in the spring the tractor will come again and plant corn seeds that will grow up into big corn stalks next summer. I do think you understand, at least a little bit, the cycle of the seasons. Spending lots of time outside so that you can see it happening all around you certainly helps.

44 // 52

44 // 52 // Lillia
44 // 52 // Zane

“A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.”

Lillia & Zane: Please accept my apology. I’m so far behind in posting these that I just don’t really remember what went on during this week (though I did remember to take pictures!). I’m going to try and be better about posting on time from here on out. I hope you will forgive me. I love you both!

mushroom study

Zane and I recently spied a whole bunch of really large mushrooms growing in my neighbor’s yard. I knew immediately that I wanted to come back with my camera, specifically my macro lens, and see if I could get some interesting pictures of them. I kept waiting for a sunny day but it’s November in New Hampshire, and mushrooms don’t last forever, so eventually I just gave up and took the pictures, clouds and all. I love that the macro lens was able to capture some of the interesting and unique features and textures of these mushrooms that are difficult to see with the naked eye.

mushroom study 3
mushroom collage
mushroom study 7
mushroom study 4
mushroom study 5
mushroom study 6

43 // 52

43 // 52 // Lillia & Zane

“A portrait of my children once a week, every week, in 2014.”
[This photo is from the Pumpkin Festival on October 18th]

Lillia: This week you turned eleven years-old. I thought ten felt overwhelming, but eleven? I just don’t even know what to think! You are turning into such a young lady, though you still have your weird/crazy personality in full force! You decided you just wanted to have a quiet party at home with family and then have just one friend to come over and play in the afternoon. You are very social in some situations, but you have always preferred one-on-one to large groups (you’re much like your parents and grandparents in that way). I hope you had a nice birthday, and I’m looking forward to all of the adventures that your eleventh year will bring!

Zane: This week you went to the dentist! I’ve heard plenty of horror stories about kids who are scared of the dentist, and I totally get that, but you had no problems at all. In fact, I had an appointment at the same time as yours and you just hopped and skipped away with the hygienist all on your own, with absolutely no concerns. You were actually excited! I could hear you chattering away in the other room, and when your appointment was done you just calmly went to the waiting room and looked at some books until I was done. I am so lucky that I have such a well-behaved little boy. It makes me very proud!

eleven

11th birthday collage
eleven // 1
eleven // 2
eleven // 3
eleven // 4