Sometimes I feel sorry for them...the children of photographers that is. We make them sit for way more pictures than the average person. We test things out on them- new light set ups, backdrops, new lenses...We expect them to behave well when we do this too. Sayer will sometimes just look at me (with a somewhat exhausted look) and say "no more pictures Mommy". Finn, less interested in pleasantries, just gets up and runs away.  We can't help ourselves though. So, here's a perfect example of what happens when two photographers (myself and Danny) get together one evening after a long day's work and start playing with the fan at Danny's studio...

During dessert tonight Finn paused and looked at me and said, "Mommy, I only eat the icing and not the cake part".  Then he sat and meticulously separated the icing from the cake as if performing some sort of surgery on the cake.  While I was watching him eat these big gobs of icing (blech!) I was struck by how fitting that statement was.  Indeed in life, Finn is all about the icing. 

He hates to get dressed in the morning (and fights it bitterly) preferring Pj's over more restrictive, scratchier clothes.  He pleads, "no hard pants!".  I go to great pains to buy him the softest, most comfortable clothes but nothing is as good as jammies.  Jammies are like the icing of clothes.  You know that feeling at the end of a long day when you slip into a great pair of comfortable pj's...ahhhh, icing baby! 

Finn has a lovey that he is completely attached to.  It used to have velvet on one side and look something like this:

Now the velvet is gone and the ruffle detailing is also gone on 2 of the 4 sides.  It used to be baby blue and now it looks more white.  It is so worn out.  It is the icing of blankets.  I'd post a picture of it but he won't let me have it long enough.

Finn likes to pour out all the hot wheels and not put them back.  He likes to splash the water out of tub, pee in the yard and snuggle with absolute abandon.  He is a consummate snuggler.  Every morning he likes to start his day sitting curled up on my lap, lovey in hand.  He'll find a perfect spot on one of the ruffles and rub it between his thumb and first finger.  He is hell on wheels but he needs a little "icing" to get him started first thing in the morning.

He started giving huge hugs early on, as a small baby.  He's sensitive and sweet.

Finn loves destruction.  He likes to cut up paper, scoop all the dirt out of the potted plants and throw the sand out of the sand box.  He's passionate.  He gets mad with passion too.  He finds it hard to not hit sometimes, cries out loud and stands his ground.  Earlier tonight when I was asking him to "make a good choice" and do what I was asking of him, he looked right at me and said, "I like to make bad choices".  He's going to do me in when he's 16.   Just like icing, he's a little quick to melt down. 

Just a second ago, he turned to me and held up his milk sippy and said, "look Mommy, it's my beer!".  He is full of personality and loves to laugh.  He's much sillier than Sayer and loves to make you laugh too.  He dances and sings.  He can be the life of the party.

He's a handful for sure but he makes me be a better parent.  His idiosyncrasies require me to be more patient.  I have to pay attention, close attention.  When I do, though, I really get to enjoy the sweet parts more.  It's like that little bit of cake in there helps the icing taste even more sweet.  Finn will learn this too as he grows up.

My best hope is that all that hedonistic fire will serve him well.  I think he's going to be strong with big opinions and a firm idea of where he wants to go.  He's not afraid to ask for what he wants and he's not bashful about the big gobs of icing on his plate either.  He knows what he likes.  He likes the icing.

I have found my favorite place on the farm.  Just a little ways off from the main house there is a grove of very tall trees.  Right in the center is a tiny house modeled after Snow White.  It has little chairs and little beds inside just like the story.  Inside the forest it is cool and very quiet except for the sound of birds and running water nearby.  Ewe planted this forest in the 70's.  He told me that his Father used to always say that when it seems like it is the end of the world, you must build or make something new.  So, in the midst of political turmoil with Allende, he planted this forest.  I have to keep this idea firmly in my mind.  It's powerful.

looking up into the canopy of trees 

perhaps the trees are watching us? 

and the little house

This is Kiki.  I think she is so beautiful!  I am hoping to get pictures of the rest of the kids today.

Today we are supposed to go see the volcano at Villarica.  I'm really excited about it.  More later!

This morning at breakfast Sayer and I had this conversation...

Me- I love you to the moon and back
Sayer- I love you to Pluto's moon and back down to Earth.
Me- That's pretty far! I love you to Pluto's moon and back too.
Sayer- I love Daddy to Pluto's Moon and back to Earth too.
Sayer, again after a short pause- I only love Finnian to the clouds.

Little does he know how much he's going to love his brother as he grows up. Rhett, in case you are reading...I love you to Pluto's moon and back down to Earth!

Today we took the kids out to the beach. It was cold and foggy (my favorite way to enjoy the beach). The kids were all excited to collect shells

Finn found a cool rock to play on

silly kid

Sayer told me he was going to "dig a hole so deep that you could see Asia"

They both got a big kick out of me drawing their name in the sand

Finn walked for a ways with Daddy, so cute!

Sayer showed me some love