This was an odd assignment, go find a facebook photo of your loved one. Josie isn’t on facebook other than through Jordi’s login, so I went through our old blog until I found a photo that I just wanted to share. This photo just grabbed me as how babyish Josie looked, and how much she’s changed in just the last year, this is November 2009, age 1.8.

Josie has one bathing suit that is a pair of board shorts, she’s got a rash guard shirt to go with it. When we went to the cape a few weeks ago she just did not want to wear the shirt, she wanted to be like the boys. I tried to get her to wear it, but instead of making a big fight I figured that plenty of boys these days have long hair and no one would really give it a second look on a two year old. How do you explain that girls wear shirts because her top half of course looks just like a boy at this age, without bringing shame or discomfort with her body? She understands the physical differences of boys and girls, but I hate to throw the societal rules on already. So she had fun, although I think she was wishing for that shirt later when she got cold! She already asks for privacy in the bathroom, I’m sure she’ll pick up on this later.

Somehow I got a string of really weird photos of Josie today with strange expressions. Instead of trashing them, I thought I’d share since they’re not photographically bad, just very unlike Josie. Guess it was a bad hair day. I think I may see some of this attitude coming back in her teenage years.

Josie has started directing her own photo shoots, she wanted  the above picture with Rody the horse.

I swear I had her permission for these photos, she was just tired I think.

I took her to a bounce house today, that got a lot of smiles. But no pictures, because I was bouncing too.

My daughter does not hold still. Getting a shot of her hands was tricky today. Here’s my favorite while she was playing trains with my parents. We tried to play with the stacking cups with Celia. So of course Josie wants to play with the simple stacking cups, not the fancy all over the rug train set. Our dinosaur tattoo from Zach’s birthday is still looking pretty nice although it is starting to fade.

I get all sorts of comments for who Celia looks like. Jordi, me, Josie. Good to know it’s all in the family still. But here’s some similar expressions.

Today’s project was to capture what it’s like when they’re home. There’s several aspects to a day with Josie and Celia, the constant need for someone to eat, the chores, and the playtime. Here’s a few glimpses. One of Josie’s jobs when I can remember is to put the recycling in bags. The problem is that sometimes she finds treasures in there that she won’t give up which drives me nuts, because I had put them there so they’d go out of the house! It also makes disposing of some of her over-copious art work more challenging because I can’t put it in the recycling bin.

She’s also always involved in our chores whenever she can manage. Here is a photo of her, in the middle of Jordi changing our sheets, where she is moaning ‘ugh my appendix, take my appendix out’. Josie’s been a big fan of Madeline lately and she has her appendix removed. She’s of course messing up the bed that Jordi just worked so hard on. Note the second born doesn’t manage to have two socks on.

And finally, another baby view of how the world looks as your big sister just does not stop moving. Ever.

Today’s photo is one of us going out and about. The only place we went yesterday was to Together in Motion for our weekly playgroup with other mom’s of two kids. The idea was for someone else to snap the photo with the camera on auto, so my friend Lisa snapped the photo for us. Josie was again not in a cooperative mood. Celia was enjoying her time hanging out on my back for the first time and eventually fell asleep.

Well we’ve certainly done a lot of staying in this winter with the huge piles of snow. This past week we’ve done even more because we’ve all been sick. I was not in the mood to take a close color picture of myself today with all the runny nose and so I set up a silhouette shot for us all. Josie was reading us the story of Madeline for the third time. It’s a big help when she will read her sister a story. Celia is very interested these days and wants to grab and drool on Josie and the book.

I also really liked this shot I got of Josie alone.

Josie, like many kids, has become a bit of a nudist. So the book was a useful prop for our photography today.

Today’s assignment was a self-portrait which is tough because I only get a short time to click the controller to take a picture before Josie demands her turn. Plus we took Celia into the doc this morning and Jordi had to work late so we didn’t have much time. Wish we had more natural light but the day keeps getting away from us and someone always needs a diaper or a trip to the bathroom or some food. Plus with our houses being so close to the neighbors and the 100+ year old tree out front, we don’t get as much light in the winter with the sun low in the sky. I’ll have to focus on finding more sources of natural light in our house that make nice lines and clean backgrounds. The windows need to be cleaned too, I’ll do that once winter is over.

Forgot my cardinal rule of removing the bib before photos. Here’s another attempt I tried earlier in the day, but the pictures were mostly aimed too high and my natural light wasn’t enough.

Oh no, tomorrow is another photo of the two of us together using a timer. Yikes.

Can’t believe I’m halfway through! I am enjoying this project even if some days, like today, Josie was choosing not to be particularly cooperative. I’m hopeful with some nice warmer weather coming our way I might be able to take some prettier shots outside.

Today’s assignment was to get a kiss. Josie was camera shy, but I got her and my mom reading and snuggling on the couch.

Tomorrows assignment is a self-portrait. Here’s hoping I get to take a shower tomorrow morning.