More stories from my quarantine life... been posting little stories on my Instagram instead of blogging.
Enjoy! (Continued from last week's blog post...)
Copied from Instagram, April 16th:
Trying so hard to respect this virus and do everything in my power as an individual to #flattenthecurve but it’s rough. It’s rough to make decisions about whether to shoot outdoors (right now I’m not even doing that, so no April Public Garden minishoots for me 😢) and even though I did photograph 44 families in 3 days for #thefrontstepsproject back in mid-March before the Governor asked us all to stay home, I’m turning down work every single day. Babies are being born, having 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, one year milestones, and each of those days is passing and I can’t be there to document it. And every single conversation makes me teary. Teary because I feel so powerless, and I hate not being able to do something positive.Teary when I watch videos of what’s happening in hospitals and hear stories of families torn apart. So I’m doing the only thing I can do, and staying home. By not driving around, I’m trying to do what I can but I really, really miss taking pictures of other people‘s children. I’m finding the little moments here at my house to document ( so this is my #BBPwinfortheday ), but honestly my subjects are less than willing, and every single day is hard, hard, hard. And I’m sending so much love to the healthcare workers out there in the world, thank you, thank you, thank you. I know your days are a whole lot harder than mine. I am grateful. #stayhome
Copied from Instagram, April 17th:
It’s the tiny little things, y’all.
So for now, our little mask making operation/sweatshop is shuttered. The elastic from my mom’s lifetime stash has been used up, and after the girls and I made 53 cloth masks this week and last week thanks to @lusterity and their fab tutorial, and all grandparents and great aunts/uncles are masked up with love from us, that’s a wrap. I adored the time with the girls, and last night in the office, powering through the last ten or so with Annie as she and I harmonized to Adele (ok, to be clear, she harmonized and I belted the melody line - and it was dreamy) until the wee hours - that’s the stuff. Little moments like that make me smile these days and I’ll absolutely take it. #BBPwinfortheday
Copied from Instagram, April 18th:
My heart used to be warmed up all the time by things like little newborns holding hands with their big sisters, which I adored. ❣️ But now, the fact that people have time, the fact that we’re all home... it’s allowing for tiny little bursts of socializing that make my heart happy. Bubbles of hope, as friends and family from all over the country and in different pockets and parts of my life acknowledge that we’re all in this together. And each time, my heart feels better. ❤️#BBPwinfortheday
Copied from Instagram, April 19th:
Before all this, I had a morning ritual that I loved. I would get the kids to school and then, when I got home to my gloriously silent house, I’d make myself a French press coffee. I love every bit of the ritual: the noise of the grinder, the smell, the waiting 5 minutes in a house where nobody needs anything from me.
But today, my #BBPwinfortheday is that my 10 year old daughter has taken on this daily task for me with the same kind of intense focus I used to give it. Now if I start to make myself a coffee she’s furious. Normally we’d *never* have time for her to fit this into her morning - she moves at a glacial pace and we used to be crazed every morning just getting out the door. Now she, too, likes the ritual. And I love love LOVE the pace of our mornings now. (But I do miss brothers who’ll squeeze each other and giggle.)
Copied from Instagram, April 20th:
I’ve always loved documenting babies and children appreciating their food. And now that we’re stuck home, at least the food doesn’t mind if I take its picture. 😂 And also, I am now a superstar at making grilled cheeses. #bbpwinfortheday
Copied from Instagram, April 21st:
Oh, spring, I’m just so grateful it’s coming. Bring on the tushies and water tables. Please?
My mom told me years ago to change the closets (which in our family means you get the spring clothes out of the attic and dump them on Mom’s bed, and empty all your drawers and put those on Mom’s bed too, and then pick up every item of clothing one by one and decide if it fits before putting it in a drawer or a hand me down bag) in mid April and mid October, so you get six months of wear out of your summer clothes. The problem is, ever since my kids started receiving hand me downs from our kind, generous neighbors, I’ve grown to truly detest this day. The pile of clothes is so very big, and the bulk of the job falls to me.
But this year was different. This time my 10 year old just ADORED it. And she was home with me — I usually prefer to do it when they are at school, just to speed it up, but having her there was actually really lovely this time. She was so excited to get a refresh on her wardrobe. Her excitement was palpable, and anything that makes her smile like this is ok with me. #bbpwinfortheday
Copied from Instagram, April 22nd:
My version of the cake smash first birthday thing is more documentary style than the ones you see in a studio, but I do just adore the faces little one year olds make when they’re experiencing their first bite of processed sugar. Their reactions run the gamut, but every time it’s incredible and I’m so honored to be there for a first like this. (Cake smashes for me are also called “messy minishoots” and we do both messy time & bath time in a 20 minute session at home - and they come with an 8x10 metal print for $250.) Nowadays the sugar in my house comes in the weirdest forms. It comes in the form of anything I can scrounge up on a Wegmans or Peapod delivery that I think might make my family happy. It comes in the form of baked goods made daily by my 14 yr old - angel food cake, macaroons, cookies, you name it. It’s seemingly endless, this sugar, but if it makes the kid who’s missing the end of her final year at her beloved Montessori school happy, I’ll take it. #BBPwinfortheday
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