handsome little man

the day fall fell

mommy's glamour shots

During the third year of grad school all the G3s had a photo shoot at the Salt Flats. We needed promotion images for our upcoming thesis concert, and most of us needed pics for our 'look at me world, I have so much to offer' press kits.

I was eight months pregnant.

This was the most flattering image of me and the baby bump. I would show some really funny ones of me trying to jump and do other things that heavy with child women shouldn't really be doing, but my vanity stops me.





The baby bump in the context of the group sometimes added some unwanted meaning.

For example, in this photo I could be the single mom who is reflecting on what a jerk her baby daddy turned out to be, while others seem to blissfully enjoy love and companionship.






And in this photo Liz and I could be a young couple braving the world, worried about bringing a baby into the the harsh desert wilderness where the sunsets are so beautiful, yet so very hot.

Photos by Luke Isley

As the professor of one of my classes sweetly and carefully put it, "Maybe once you have the baby and get back into shape you can take some more photos....

And that is what I did.




When I first saw this picture I was surprised at how scrawny I looked. It made me want to go eat a cheeseburger and fries asap. But then I saw the next picture and thought my arms looked fat. Ahhh, the joys of body image.




Dysfunctional body image aside, I must say that having a baby did help me get acquainted with my inner chub. This chub is involuntary, like a heart beating or lungs filling with air. I remember sitting on the sofa with baby Z, his feet kicking into my soft rolly belly, almost as if my stomach could completely envelope his tiny perfect feet. When I would jog with him in those early months things jiggled in a way that was almost intriguing. What are these new body parts, and in what culture are they sexy??? At times I was frustrated with my new body, at times I was motivated to get back in rocking shape, but most of the time I was just tired.


With time things did start to sort themselves and I decided that it was now or never to get some non-prego dance shots. I had such a good time, Chelsea Rowe did an amazing job, and I was only sore for about a week after.....











I know this is a bit of a So You Think You Can Dance crotch shot, but if I told you that I am wearing really expensive heels would you think me more classy?



Just in case, I'll end with this one.

hello again

zachary and evelyn 2011

So, it's been awhile since I have posted, and I will tell you why:

When Z was about six months we decided that the joint office/baby room wasn't such a good idea. When his favorite past time became playing with the tangled mess of computer cords and opening and slamming the printer shut, we knew it was time.

We moved everything down to the basement. And this was the problem. I don't know if it is because I grew up in California where basements don't exist...or maybe it is all the haunted houses that the Hair Family cousins created in my Grandma's ultra creeeeeepy basement....... but whatever it is, I am pretty ridiculously scared when it comes to basements.

Like mad dash up the stairs out of breath scared

Then for Christmas Clint bought me an ultra fancy laptop, so now I can write from the safety of ground level.

Here are some of the highlights of the last couple of months:

I finished my first semester of teaching dance at our local community college! I loved it. It was so amazing to dance again on a regular basis. Now I'm teaching a part lecture/part movement class called Dance and Culture. I wore slacks and a button down shirt for the first day of school and had this air of importance about me. I never knew these old slacks (that I have probably worn twice) could give me so much authority and power. I guess when you have been working for the past decade in exercise clothes real people clothes can be a real power kick.

I also picked up a beginning Jazz class last minute. (Uhhh, Liz, you out there?) Someone well versed in jazz once told me that Jazz is all about buff abs and splits....so this should be a great semester. Teaching classes last minute that you don't feel quite ready for is awesome because funny ridiculous things are bound to happen.






Some of the biggest news: Zachary turned one on November 20th! We were in California for Clint's sister Kristy's wedding, stayed for thanksgiving, and threw Z a party the day after. I was going to go all super-mom and make creative invites, cupcakes with little things that stick out the tops, and Z a cake using whole wheat flour and agave nector, but in end bought hot dogs, chips, and cupcakes at Costco. There is something about going home that brings out the lazy in me.






Clint and I always have these really good T-shirt ideas that never get made. Here is the one we were going to make for the birthday party:

Year One

SURVIVORS

Happy Birthday Zachary. It has been one wild fun crazy ride. You reinvent the wheel for us.

family

all photos taken by maria torres

halloween take one

It all began when I realized that going to the grocery store and spending five dollars on candy was a lot less work than going door to door for three hours, awkwardly standing at someones doorstep, hoping that this wasn't a lame house that gave out lame candy, and holding on to the small hope that maybe this was a cool house that would give out regular sized Snicker bars.

I will be the first to admit it: I am not a huge fan of Halloween. I totally appreciate other people's efforts, but am not really willing to make my own efforts. It just takes too much effort.

Enter Zachary. Once you have a kid Halloween is not an option. Not dressing your kid up seems negligent---like you are depriving them from their right to a childhood. (I'm thinking MJ here...)


So of course I had to dress my little man up.



Enter problem two. I am creative, but not in the sew a costume or make something that comes from Michael's kind-of way. I actually wondered for a long time just who it was that shopped at Michael's, like how in the world did they stay open??!! And then I realized that I had some good friends that did, and they make some really amazing things that fill their houses with cuteness and craft.
The younger me might have been jealous of all their homemade "you made that with pipe cleaners??!!!!" creations, but coming up on my thirtieth year has allowed me a measure of honesty about who I am and who I am not: i.e. Pinterest is not on my blog roll, and never will be.

All this brings me to Zachary's first Halloween costume. Maybe it is a little random, but it's an original, and even though he didn't exactly say it in words, he totally dug it.

Summer

One of the highlights of the summer was the Catalina trip we took in August. Six adults, a two year old, a nine month old, and Fred, the baby currently renting space in my sister's belly, all set sail on my Dad's 36 foot sailboat.





Catalina is my favorite place. We have been going there since I was a baby, and even as an adult, the island is still magical.




I think Z really enjoyed himself. He was constantly surrounded by people, which he is super into, and the boat's constant rock convinced him to take some killer naps.








....and he got to take a bath in a sink just his size.



As fall arrives, and winter is imminent, I am already nostalgic for summer and her long days.