Tuesday, June 30, 2009

He Eats and Then Eats Again!







Despite Cohen being a little guy (20% for weight and 75% height) he has a big appetite. He eats, and eats, and then eats some more. Snacking all day long asking for "cup" or what sounds like cup when he wants food or he stands by the pantry and grunts like a beast until we give him snack foods, like crackers, or Teddy Grahms. He is a pig that is for sure and as you can tell we need to work on the table manners. I posted a lot of pictures because this particular morning he was having so much fun that all the pictures were just so cute. However the mess was not. I believe he ended up in the shower and his highchair liner ended up in the wash!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

funkly little family!




Meet Jarrod and Brookelyn and their follicly gifted and perfectly cute 7 month old son Aven. This funky little family was a blast to hang out with. They were so easy going which explains why Aven is so chill and go with the flow. He was perfect the entire time, even in the 95 degree heat with humidity. So I overly shared in this sneak peak but I have so many great shots I just had to!

Check out even more from this session at the NW Photography Works blog!

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Jeremy's Day




No need to roast Jeremy for father's day. He gets it from me on a daily basis. I just want to say THANK YOU to Jeremy for working hard so I can stay home with Cohen. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way and this time with him will be something that I cherish forever! So thank you for that gift. Also, thank you for being a better dad than I ever thought you would be. (not that I thought you would be terrible) Your love for Cohen is so deep, so generous, so protective, I just did not know going in that you would want to be so his!

Our days as parents have not been easy without any family around to share with and take a load off. I think this has made us both better parents. I think it is also safe to say that we now can do anything. Being a parent is by far the toughest yet most rewarding job I have ever had. So thank you Jeremy, for being there for Cohen when he wakes up, there for him when he goes to bed, all the in between time and all the tired days. Happy Father's Day!

Note: I know you will enjoy watching the US Open all day, eating a home cooked breakfast, going to the pool with Cohen and putting together your garage organizer, trying on your new shorts, and reading your new book "Spot Loves His Daddy".

{Roast} My Dad






Ken... Husband to a beautiful Irish bride, son to a Polack and whatever else he can claim, brother to 3 unique sibilings, father to 3 loving, caring, beautiful, sweet (I can go on) children, grandfather to one illegitament grandson.

What can I say... His good looks, his corny and definitely misunderstood sense of humor, his ability to talk when no one has anything else to say, or it could be his need to correct your grammar. His ability to take naps in the afternoon, and not snore but snore with vigor at night. It could be the way he pulls up his pants from time-to-time with a little shimmy! From his fields of award wining asparagus, to his Texas Tuxedo (denim top with denim bottom), the man I call call Dad or "dork" has really proved to be something special!

To start with his wife... In college he rescued her from "that guy" at a party. Original angle Ken! Well it is clear here that he has over kicked his coverage (by at least 20 yards), but she is still by his side after 30+ (long) years. This may be due to her unwavering loyalty but really it is my Dad's vigorous and persistent attempts to keep the romance steamy. Actually, I am sure it is all the days filled with the worst jokes, and long winded conversations about nothing. Some might say it is because he is one of the only men over 60 that she knows with a full head of hair. Really, I think it is the Brute Cologne!

His children... By far his most successful feat. Producing 3 children in 4 1/2 years just proves that he has super sperm! All of them beautiful, all looking like their mother of course. Hard working, and successful in business he managed to put all three through college. Guess when your super sperm were at work you were not thinking about inflation where you? The cost of college ain't what is use to be! All college grads, none of them married, one of them a baby's momma! Wow Ken...

On a serious note. My Dad might just be my bestfriend, although we often butt heads... we are both headstrong and always right. I admire who he is and all that he has done. His opinion and experience matter to me. He is my advisor (although I don't always take it), I know that at any moment he is just a phone call away and trust me he always answers. Without him my life would be missing humor, cornyness, a good argument and love. Now that I have become a parent I have a new respect for my Dad. What a headache he had to put up with and what a stress we create for him. With Cohen's birth I have seen a softer side of my dad. I never imagined that he would be this great of a grandparent. He is sweet, he is interested, and he is so involved in hearing about and watching Cohen grow. Although to many his quacking to Cohen may be weird I think it is the cutest thing ever and Cohen lights up whenever he hears it or the real thing for that matter! I am lucky that my dad worked relentless to provide a great childhood for me and that he never gave up on who I could/would be. I hope that today my Dad is proud of the man, son, husband, brother, dad, and grandpa that he is. He is successful in so many ways. I just hope he gets why he is! Happy Father's Day!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

What We Do






It is definitely summer here in NW Arkansas. 90 degrees with humidity equals time at the neighborhood pool, evening ball games, and hanging out grilling in the back yard and sitting kiddie pool side! Her are some pictures from the last week.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

13 Month Maniac!



Above: Kind of looks like he is in the jungle!


The above photos are Cohen's 13 month photo shoot that I mentioned in an earlier post. He is starting to look less like a baby. I think he has lost a little of his baby cheeks and he finally has a little more hair. It is blond with a little auburn. I also think he is looking less like Jeremy and I am starting to see a little more of my brother. He still has his Dad's pouty big red lips and funny ears so I guess he is still looking like Jeremy.

Oh Jill made the cute little T.
Check out her stuff at the Oh Le' Bebe' link to the right of my page.



I took this video this afternoon. Cohen is going to be the death of me! Of course it will be my fault since its not like Cohen moved the big slide into the pool himself. I just cannot believe at only 13 month that this little guy has the energy, coordination and lack of fear that he has. This kid is a maniac. Watch out world...

Friday, June 12, 2009

NCAA Track National Championships


Above: Aaron Stoudt placed 3rd in the nation in the shot

Above: RJ McGinnis... pole vault decathlon

Above: Heather Dorniden 800m semi finals... she already is a national champion

Above: Ben Blankenship running the 1500 m



Day two of the NCAA Track & Field National Championships ended last night at around 10:30pm. A long day of track and some good photos. I really do have a great job. The weather was perfect and the athletes... well some are world class. As a matter of fact I was able to see the Men's 4x400 relay team that recorded the 4th fastest time in the world this year! More images to come from today. Enjoy these unil then!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

It Feels Good To Be Out There!




Oh how good it felt... The NCAA Track National Championship are being hosted by the University of Arkansas and little old me is shooting for the University of Minnesota. I have missed my Golden Gophers and a lot of the athletes participating for the Goph's were freshman and sophomores when I was still their Director of Photography. I will be shooting until Saturday so expect some shots everyday. Like I said it simply felt good to be out there shooting real athletes.

I didn't even miss Cohen. How could I when he was out there with me on my back while I was shooting for the first hour and a half. That was a sight and we got a lot of looks. We had arrangements for his care but this kid has some wonderful timing... hand, foot and mouth. Yup, he has it! Not a pleasant sight. He has a rash all over but he isn't acting sick! None-the-less NO day care for 72 hours!


Above: Cohen still strapped in the child carrier pack sitting on the track. While I shot the decathlon long jump. It was really kind of funny him being out their on my back. My fellow, male, photographers thought it was the funniest thing ever. Men photographers are total dorks... at least the sports photogs I know. No offense to my male photog friends. I like you despite your dorkieness! Cohen was a good boy, thank God!



Monday, June 8, 2009

We Have Been Busy!





We have been really busy now that it is getting warm. That is why I have not had time to post. I have not really even taken any pictures lately. I do have Cohen's 13 month portrait I need to post. So be looking for that.

So, Cohen is now 13 months. He weighed 21 lbs at his 1 year appointment. Lets see... he has two skinned up knees not because he is unsteady on his feet but because he is a brute! This kid can walk, climb, run, and ride like a big kid. He likes going to the pool, swinging his golf clubs and bats, and climbing play toys at the park. He still loves his bottles but will drink from a sippy cup too. He is still wearing #3 diapers, some of his 6-12 months shirts. He is too tall for his 6-12 month pants/shorts though. He says Momma, Dadda, Da Da (Grumpa), ball, cup, hi, hot, hi dad, he barks for dog, growls for all other animals, and shakes his head no. He tries to argue with me in baby talk and stare me down. That goes over well with me!

He is a busy guy, who eats dirt, tries to eat poop, puts rocks in his mouth and then throws them when we yell at him no, spits up his milk and then paints with it! He makes you angry and laugh all at the same time. He is a total ball of energy... a total boy!



Cohen has learned how to go down the slide by himself. He is such a dare devil! You have to remind him to sit down or he will just walk right down the slide!



Cohen and my parents web cam all the time. So why not play catch with Grumpa on the web cam right? I can see it now, Cohen thinking it is okay to throw a hard baseball at the computer screen!