Lindsey loved it though and was a good sport. She loved catching raindrops on her tongue and twirling her skirt all around, and especially her beloved Dora umbrella. So here is my (at least) 10 in 10 (probably more like 13 in 10, but details, details. After you’re done here, check out Kelly Q’s entry at Spokane WA Photographer, Creatively Yours Photography by Kelly Q!

A shot from last year at an FSU baseball game next to the Buster Posey cut out in the baseball stadium, next to a shot from this year, that demonstrates their relationship richly.

My cousin Emily, Aunt Karen, and cousin Diya

Me, my late JoJo, my cousin Diya, and my Aunt Karen

My Auntie Karen has always just been there. She met my uncle when they were teenagers and married not too long after. She is like a second mother to me – her daughter Jennifer and I are only one month apart in age. I have so many memories of shenanigans with my aunt – she used to drive a huge brown station wagon and Jennifer and I would delight in jumping from the back seat to the way back and forth again. She prepared – or, er, assisted the Easter Bunny baskets that greeted us after we stayed up way late waiting for any tell tale sign of the furry creature. That Easter Bunny always seemed to give us underwear, undershirts, candy, and toys. Smart bunny.

In all the ways one is grateful for their aunts, the one way I am incredibly grateful that I have never told her. She was the first “other” in our family – the first non-Chinese person in our family, and the growing pains I am sure she felt – coming into a family with my grandmother’s very traditional Chinese background as a teenager – well, I would not have blamed her if she bailed in five years – but she never did. She made it easier, I think, for Josh to join our family. For her struggles (which she never once voiced at all!), I am supremely grateful.

Aunt Tara with her niece, Sara

Sara and Aunt Tara

My Aunt Tara I did not meet until I was a surly, surly high schooler (what, me, surly? OMG yes). I met her for the first time when I was sixteen. She became the mother for my cousin, and as an adult, I marvel at her tenacity and patience. Today Lindsey saw a picture of Aunt Tara and said, “Hi Aunt Tara, you are my friend. I left my baby Dora at JoJo and Aunt Tara’s house, that is sad.” She always has a smile on her face, and is warm and welcoming. I’m sorry, Aunt Tara, for being such a jerk as a teenager and hopefully now (finally!) as adults we can continue to cultivate our relationship as fellow Yu women. She too was a trailblazer in my family, and in retrospect, I wish we could have been less stubborn and more welcoming. Hindsight is 20-20, etc. For never giving up on our insane and crazy ways, I am grateful and humbled. Thank you Aunt Tara.

Kathy, and Gary in the background.

Jera, Lindsey, Kathy, me, Matthew, Josh, and Gary

My first interaction with Kathy was on the evening of September 11th, 2001. Josh and I had just started dating (days before!) and when the World Trade Center fell, all communication from him had been lost. He walked up to Grand Central Station from his place on Williams Street downtown, and managed to call his mother to let her know he was okay, and to ask her to email or call me to pick him up in New Haven, and I did. I am a lucky person to have a great relationship with my in-laws – both Kathy and Gary have always treated me like I was one of their own children. One of my most poignant memories of Kathy is in the early morning hours of July 14, 2006 – the day of Matthew’s birth. She and Gary had been planning a leisurely trip up to Chicago, a couple of weeks before my due date, when in the first leg of their trip, Josh called them with the news of my induction. They drove pretty much non-stop from Atlanta to Chicago that day and arrived in Evanston at around 11pm or midnight the day before Matthew was born. Josh and Gary left for our apartment shortly thereafter, and for a few hours or so, as I labored, Kathy sat next to me and talked me through some of the hurtiest contractions. She and Josh both held a leg of mine and helped me bring Matthew into this world. She did the same when Lindsey came around as well. And as a parent does for their child, encouraged me academically, which is why I am now a third year doctoral student, and consider myself lucky to have Kathy as a mother-in-law, friend, and mentor. She is calm under pressure and is an amazing role model for our children. Thank you.

Visit another 10/10/10 by Creatively Yours Photography, Spokane, Cheney, WA Photographer!

Slowly, though, Lindsey steeled herself up and prepared herself for seeing new people and then Liz and Sam became her friends. She looked forward to the times when we would go out for ice cream or see them and then today! Magical today! We all went out to dinner tonight before Liz and Sam travel back home for the summer, and Lindsey sat next to Sam and chatted with him pretty much the entire time. She marveled at his tattoos, delighted in his plates of pasta, and I think at one point he helped her put a shoe on. I can tell she is going to miss them as much as we are:

Matthew spent dinner sitting between Liz and Sam, and played Wonderpets with Liz, also marveled in Sam’s tattoo, and was delighted that Liz buttered some bread for him. Here they are all together.

I took the above photos with my iPhone, and processed them at home because I am a black and white freak. These aren’t too shabby, and I am forever grateful and humbled to have access to technology that allows me to do this with ease. When I first got into serious photography, I spent hours and hours pouring over websites and learning about f-stops and lighting and digital SLRs – which are all important for professional photographers when they’re capturing professional portraits. But when you’re with your kids or friends, the device you use doesn’t matter as much as having a camera period. They say the most important camera is the one you’ve got on hand, so be it a fancy schmancy Canon or Nikon, or your Android or iPhone, just shoot it. Remember those moments and cherish them.

To book, contact me (see link above)!

This world record attempt is a great way to show the world how many people are already choosing and using reusable cloth diapers successfully. But there are still a lot of people who don’t know about cloth diapers. If you want to help spread the word about cloth diapers, please join the Real Diaper Association, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that advocates for the use of reusable cloth diapers.

Come join us a really fun event! We will be sharing details as we figure it all out, but we are hoping to make an afternoon of this and possibly share a lunch together afterwards so we can make friends and enjoy being in the company of like-minded parents.

Here is the timeline for the event:

11:00-12:00 – Gather, chat with new friends, check out other diapers, swap, sell, buy used diapers. Complete registration and photo release form.

12:00-12:20 – Final call for registration forms, round up in the big exercise room and find a spot to change your baby.

12:20-12:30 – Hang out in the room, wait for the whistle.

12:30-1:00 – Change your baby! It is NOT a race, but it is imperative that we do the change at 12:30 ON THE DOT to be counted in the world record attempt.

1:00-2:00 – more time to hang out, we might possibly have some food. Details to come! Also we’ll be doing a photo contest – more details of that to come as well!

The winner of the contest will receive a GroVia starter pack! That’s right – you get two shells (in snap or hook-n-loop) in the color/print of your choice AND two sets of soaker pads! That’s a half-days worth of diapers!

PLUS the winner will also get a prize package in addition – a lovely wooden frame from Organic Bloom to go with your session!

What must you do to enter such a fabulous contest? It’s easy! Just be sure the cloth diaper you bring to change your baby into at the Great Cloth Diaper Change is one EB currently sells. You can see all of their inventory on their site. Thirsties, Bummis, Tots Bots, Knickernappies, GroVia, BumGenius – take your pick! Then we’ll take your pic!

From 1-2pm, I’ll have a mobile studio set up in one of the small rooms at ARTS Afterschool. Sign a waiver that you understand the picture may be used on our website for promotional purposes, let me capture a few adorable shots of your babe. All participants will receive:

• a 5×7 print of your baby from today
• a $100 voucher for a complimentary lifestyle family session
• 30% off collection prices for that session
• a complimentary Facebook cover photo collage
• a $100 voucher you can use as a gift!

All images will be posted on our fan page. Tell your friends and family to go find your picture, and to LIKE it. After a week, the picture with the most LIKES, wins the prize! As well as big time bragging rights.

Any questions? Let us know!

At any rate, here’s a quick sneak peek for Amanda and Mike. Thanks for letting me be a small part of your baby’s life as you were a huge part of my baby’s life. <3

A girl can dream, right?

This month’s installment of the 10 on the 10th project is a mixed bag – five are from my “real” camera, and five are from this month’s rediscovery of Instagram, of course right before Facebook bought it. Anyway, the other day I complained on Facebook that I have to fight this urge to pull all the Instagram or iPhone photos into Photoshop for a little nudge in the color balance or white balance. I mean, iPhone pictures are supposed to be kind of crappy and oversaturated, right? Well, finally I got to scratch that itch as I pulled five favorites of mine into and edited my heart out.

Oh man, I am such a nerd.

Anyway, onward!

Standing Off

I Wear My Sunglasses

Bird’s Eye View

All Cookied Up

I scream for ICE CREAM

Shadow Dancing

What’s 5 – 6 equal?

Easter Brunch

Sunday Cuddles

Through The Looking Glass

Want more 10 on the 10th? See Amy Lantz’s entry for this month – she’s a pretty darn fabulous Chicago and North Shore Children’s Photographer. Go check her out!

If you’d like to see my exhibit, feel free to check it out here: intersections.

I brought Matthew along to take a look at the exhibits and he had a lot of fun before, during and after the event.

Before the event, he found some students blowing big bubbles.

Inside, he played around with a few exhibits, but really enjoyed the smart table.

And outside, he tackled and loved on his favorite guy, his baba.