16 months old and a lot of firsts!

A little sample of sign language from yesterday. We open the video with Max signing " all done"
I love his interpretation of that sign. Perfection.

He turned 16 months on Friday.
SIXTEEN MONTHS PEOPLE!!!

now - he is:
1. using sign language more and more. he loves it. Learning signs a LOT right now.
(Baby signing Time DVD'S are the best!!!)

2. He is trying to walk all the time - he can go about 6-7 steps 9 steps has been the longest.

3. He was just approved for "in clinic PT" so he can work on walking with more equipment.

4. we share food now
he loves sharing peaches, apricots(which he holds and eats himself )plums, apples, bananas, cherries and string cheese and when we go to the Farmer's Market we love to have him sample the fruit there with us.

5. He has 5 teeth - the two top front teeth and one next to it are in - and the two front bottom teeth.

6. He gets 3 bottles and 2 snacks per day now instead of 4 bottles per day. Makes a big difference to his parents more than to him I think. WOW it's a life changer - Thanks to Juli for suggesting it.

7. We are trying to teach him to hold his own bottle. He knows he has to at least put both hands on the bottle before we will help him with it. His new OT and feeding therapist gave us some great strategies.

8. He went to Venice Beach for the first time! And He LOVED it.


9. He took swimming lessons last month. We found out that he LOVES water. And is GREAT at kicking. We are going to start up again after Max has his eye surgery which is scheduled for July 28th. (I'm not really thinking much about that right now but will when it is JULY! )




10. I started to be involved in a photo project called 360 unravelled over on Flickr.com I'm taking a photo per day and uploading it with a bunch of other photographers. We all took an e-course called Unravelling together and wanted to keep in touch and keep on working on our image making. This has been a GREAT way to stay in touch and keep on noticing the every day moments that are sacred and amazing. you can see MANY more photos of Max on the flickr sight.


11. Max will take his first plane trip very soon as we are heading to Oregon so I can teach a photography workshop there.
We are really excited and nervous about all that involveed in taking our baby on a flight. Did I mention that I hate flying? Yep - not a great flyer. Did I mention that I don't LOVE driving in the rain? I thought I picked a safe enough date for the workshop - and guess what...it hasn't stopped raining for the past month. Yep. It's going to be an adventure for ALL of us! Please send us really good smooth and safe travel energy! I am inspired by who signed up for this workshop and cannot WAIT to meet them and get started - so once I get there - I will sigh a HUGE sigh of relief. ( and so will my husband who doesn't love being with me as I "deal" with driving in the rain.....I'm learning to "re-frame" it in my head so that I'm calm - cool - and collected.......

12. Right now I'm taking an e-course from Kelly Rae Roberts called Flying Lessons
Which is all about how to take your creative business and make it soar! Kelly Rae is unbelievable. Take this e-course the next time she offers it. You will be amazed.
Right now we are talking about blogs and how important they are to our business.
There was much discussion by the participants about whether to merge or separate family and business/ creative blogs. I thought a LOT about this. Do I give up "hang on little tomato" and go back to my catherinejust blog when I am posting about my workshops, art process, creative tips, and anything else pertaining to my art/photography/printmaking business?
I've decided to stay put - and merge it all here. I love the name of this blog. I love that Max is involved in my creative business as he is the inspiration for my photography workshops. I create them to be in places I want Max to visit and experience. I create my workshops so that like minded people can gather and be in a sacred place and have the time to create, meditate, explore, connect, and be inspired. I create them in places I can travel to with my family. I create them in places that make my heart sing. And if my heart is singing - than the people who sign up will have the experience of me being in the best place of all. I cannot really imagine a creative business where I leave him for days and days. Not right now. Of course he isn't helping me teach the workshop - he is off with his papa playing and exploring while I am at the workshop. But each night we are together. And that's the way I want and need it.

If travelling with my camera gear to meet like minded people and see amazing mouth watering sights along the way while my family comes along with me makes my heart sing
I wonder what makes YOUR heart sing????

Can you leave me a note in the comments about what it is that makes your heart sing?

is it a bowl of ice cream? A gorgeous sunset? laying in a hammock along the beach?
Watching your baby achieve a milestone? Meditation? napping? I'm so curious !


( 16 month family portrait in our backyard )