Project 365: Week Seven

One of my goals in participating in Project 365 is to diversify the subjects featured in the pictures that I take.  I know that I would take pictures of Maddie and Will regardless of my participation in the Project, so I wanted to challenge myself to take pictures of other subjects - landscapes, still lifes, portraits of others, etc.

 

As you will see, I didn't do such a great job of diversifying my photo subjects this week.  Of the seven photos, six of them feature one of the twins.  I would argue that with Will's "graduation" and Valentine's Day, it was just too difficult NOT to photograph them!  I will try to mix it up a bit better next week, I suppose.  In the meantime, here are Maddie and Will:

 

43/365:  Our Little Graduate

Tuesday was a big day for Big Will!  After twelve weeks of wearing a helmet to correct his misshapen head, he was exited from therapy!  Jim and I took him to the clinic for one last visit.  His head was measured and he had to pose (or be posed) for several "exit photos" before we said "Thank you" and "Good-bye" to Will's therapist, Karen.  As we were preparing to leave and thanking Karen for her services, Will, unprompted, waved "Good-bye" to her.  It was pretty darn cute.  We were sent home with Will's helmet and his weird head mold on a stick as souveniours of his time as a "Helmet Head". 

44/365:  "I Love You!  I Love You!" 

Hanging on the back of each of their chairs is a Valentine mailbox for Maddie and Will.  A couple days before Valentine's Day, I slipped some special Valentine surprises into those mailboxes.  Maddie received a book and a soft doll that says, "I love you!  I love you!" when you squeeze her belly, while Will found a book and a soft dog in his mailbox.  Here, Maddie reaches out and reacts to her dolly.

45/365:  Single and Lovin' It

On Valentine's Day, Will wore a shirt that read, "Single and Lovin' It!"  He was certainly loving life as he stood up against and looked out the patio door!

46/365:  Bedtime Bottle

I neglected to take any pictures until Friday evening, when I was able to get just one shot.  Luckily, this one shot was a keeper!  I caught the picture when I  peeked over the back of the chair to look down on Maddie as she drank her bedtime bottle. 

47/365:  "I See You!"

Maddie and Will both love their blocks - for chewing and throwing, that is.  They also love to knock down the "buildings" and "towers" that we make.  On Saturday, I peeked through my newest construction to spy Maddie, with a block in her mouth, looking right back at me.  Shortly after putting the building down, "Madzilla" threw it to the floor and began disassembling it. 

48/365:  "But I don't want to be 10 months old!"

When I attempted to take their monthly sticker shots on Sunday, the twins' 10-month birthday, I was met with much resistance from both Maddie and Will.  Maddie, especially, wanted nothing to do with the pictures.  Will complied in that he stayed fairly still while I attempted to get pictures of each of them in the traditional poses, but he would NOT leave his sticker on his shirt.  He kept ripping it off and trying to eat it!  Maddie, on the other hand, did not have time for me and my pictures - she kept crawling away from me.  She continued even when Jim stepped in to help me catch her focus.  When I put her on the chair for the seated shots and took a toy out of her hands, she lost it.  I will have to try the monthly sticker shots another day, but I fear that they've outgrown them!

49/365:  A Day of Love and Logic

Earlier today, I was able to attend a conference focused on the Love and Logic approach to behavior management with several of my colleagues in Madison.  Although I have used bits and pieces of the approach for many years, it was  empowering to walk away with even more information on how to use Love and Logic both in the classroom, and all too soon, at home with Maddie and Will.