All Things Noteworthy (February Edition)

So we're already seven days into March, and I'm just now getting around to finishing up this post. Forgive me, won't you? I've been exhausted.

February began on a very promising note, and all signs were pointing to having a great month. However, it seems that a major theme for February was "things fall apart." That's exactly what happened: no matter what I was able to accomplish, a breakdown was quick to follow.

Here are the highs and lows of February:

1) I took a lot of walks up the mountain near my house. Great cardio! Great views!



2) Insomnia pretty much kicked my butt the entire month. I have nothing else to say about this, as we all know what misery sleep deprivation is.

3) I did a lot of writing. I had this all worked into my daily routine during the first part of the month, but then sleep began to be more important. I've still been writing here and there, though.

4) My friend Kim gave birth to identical twin girls Lily and Sophia on Groundhog Day. Love the A and B on their hats!



(I hope you don't mind that I stole your pic, Kim!)

5) I made new friends and enjoyed my old ones. I managed to meet up with three people that I've known online for awhile. It's always interesting to see how online personalities translate into real life.

6) I tried out a cloth pad. In my growing effort to lead a green lifestyle, I decided to try an alternative to regular tampons and pads. Party in my Pants offers a free cloth panty liner to anyone who is curious about trying out cloth pads - you only pay shipping. I suppose, to most people, this sounds completely disgusting, but not much grosses me out anymore. And actually, it's not disgusting. And it's good for the planet! And these pads are cute. See?



6) I got a new phone. This was hugely exciting to me, as I'd been using my RAZR for several years and was sorely in need of an upgrade. I was planning on holding onto my RAZR for a little while longer, but I accidentally stepped on it one morning and shattered the glass on the outside. Oh darn.

7) We spent a perfect Valentine weekend in San Diego.



8) I discovered awesome new music, particularly the Antlers and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. I'd love to discover great music every month. So far, so good.

9) I came to the realization that I've got some kind of depression going on. The good news is I'm working my way through it.

10) I photographed a surprise birthday party with a 70s theme. It was a whole lot of fun. I didn't really know anyone except for Erika, the gal who asked me to shoot the party, but I still busted a move or seven on the dance floor. All the decorations and favors were true 70s stuff, and a lot of the guests came dressed in their 70s best as well.



Parties are super duper fun to photograph. Especially when you get to be a part of the party instead of just blending into the background. This crowd was good at making me feel like part of the group. I loved it!

11) We met up with some friends at the Birch Aquarium. My camera battery was on its last leg, thanks to the party from the night before (see above), but it lasted the whole time, thankfully. It's a small aquarium, but there's some seriously cool stuff there.



(PS - I love photographing jellyfish! I love the blur in this photo.)

12) After a lot of confusion, it was confirmed that my dad does not have a brain aneurysm, but that he does have a carotid aneurysm. Obviously, to make a mistake like that means that his doctors don't communicate well at all. And despite my best emotional efforts, I didn't call my dad at all during February. Admitting that makes me feel horrible, but there's a part of me that just feels freaking fragile right now. I will try to do better this month.

13) I won a giveaway and got this book as my prize. Thank you, Jessica!

14) Roy and I began yet another purge of our wordly possessions, this time focusing on mostly books. We are slowly making plans for our future, and none of them include having a shitload of belongings. It's so hard to get rid of books, because there are some that I love so much. But I know that if I want to read them again, I can go to the library or something. In the meantime, we're keeping our favorites, those that haven't been read yet, and those that are good for reference.

15) My awesome son started doing a bunch of new things: cutting his first two teeth, army crawling, getting up on his hands and knees, learning to feed himself, waving and giving high-fives, and trying tons of new foods. There is nothing in the world like watching your child grow. It is the most amazing thing ever - nothing compares to that.



(Check out his two bottom teeth!)

16) Since I'm scheduled to photograph my friend's birth sometime this month, I met her at her birth center and got a tour of the place. What an amazing place! I am so excited to be a part of her birth experience and to document it for her. I can't wait to see what birth is like outside of a hospital.

17) All my diet and exercise improvements kind of went down the toilet as the month progressed. I began eating like crap and drinking Dr. Pepper again. (Sigh.) But I am working on making better choices again, and that's all I can do.

18) Charlie had his first park playdate with his little buddy Nikko. And oh em gee, he reached a whole new level of adorable when we put him in a swing for the first time.




It doesn't matter how depressed I get: I love being a mom. It makes up for all the crap. Totally.