Goodbye 2009!

Well as the year comes to a close, it makes me very happy to realize that this past year everything seemed to go our way. Here are some of the really exciting things that happened in 2009 for the Shepard Family.

• Laina joined our family
• We purchased our first home in a beautiful neighborhood that I lovingly refer to as Stepford
• Dan won the award for sales person of the year in his job!
• We had a new neice join us, Alex and found out that a new nephew is on the way in 2010
• Many of our friends also expanded their families (it was the year of the baby)
• Dan's Grandmother successfully navigated her way through 2 surgeries within a few months of each other and is on the road to a full recovery
• Both of our extended families have been lucky enough to be healthy, happy & employed

There are many more things that made this a great year for us but this is just the few highlights. Hope you were as blessed as we were this year. Hope you have a wonderful New Year's! Goodbye 2009!

Merry Christmas 2009!

Everyone told us that this Christmas would be different. Everyone said it's totally different when you have a little one. It absolutely was very different this year. We finally had a reason to get up on Christmas morning and have a little Shepard Christmas. Usually Dan and I end up doing something boring like buying a joint present, so there's really nothing to do on Christmas morning. Well this year we actually had stocking presents and really took the time to have a traditional Christmas morning. It was very exciting to see Laina's face even though we both knew she didn't really get it. She had a great time.

1/2 year old

12/21 marked the milestone of 6 months for the Laina bug. (Since Halloween when she was the lady bug, her nick name has become Lainabug.) She has just started sitting up on her own and really rolling over from her back to her tummy. I was getting a little concerned that she had little interest in doing either for a while but this past few weeks she has really taken big steps in her development. Now she is really able to play on the floor by herself and she seems to enjoy her new found independence.

Laina's first trip to MU!

Over Thanksgiving we decided to take a trip to the Mizzou Campus and show Laina around to her future school. (Obviously if she chooses.... but she will... oh yes, she will.) It was a beautiful day so we were able to get some good pictures of her in the cheerleading jumper. Here she is exploring the campus map. We also took some great pictures at the columns. The campus almost looks the same as when Dan and I were there. I love reminiscing. College was so much fun.

Timber!!

This past weekend the Shepard Family went hunting for a worthy Christmas tree to adorn with the few ornaments we have. Luckily there was a place right up the road. It was pretty cold and windy but my little trooper Laina hung in there.

Then I of course proceeded to place her in front of it and take tons of pictures of her.

I am really excited for our first Christmas with our new addition. I know she's not quite old enough to appreciate all that the holidays offer with friends & family and food of course... but it's just going to be so much more special with her there. I always get very sentimental as the years come to close. Maybe it's because the holidays make me realize how lucky I am or the excitement of a brand new year and a chance to accomplish something great in life. I think for 2009 we didn't do too shabby in that department. For now I'll just enjoy these moments, hope you do the same!

Turkey Day Coming Up!

Laina is now 5 months old and I"m realizing how behind I"m getting on many things (including blogging). I won't blame it on her but it does feel like my lack of time really began in late June... hmmm...

Anyway lots of exciting things have been happening in the Shepard household lately. We are very blessed with another little nephew that will be joining us in early April! Julie is due April 8th, 2010. So this Turkey Day we will be giving thanks for more than just our beautiful family but also the future ones who will join us. Unfortunately Laina will have to wait another year before she partakes of the turkey... just rice cereal for now but I have a feeling some one will slip her some mashed potatoes when I'm not looking. Hope your holiday season reminds you not only of what you have to be thankful for but also what lies ahead.

Laina & Dan on Halloween!

R.I.P Matt Miller (second cousin)

Recently a distant cousin of mine died of cancer at 28. He lived in D.C. with his family and I met him only once when I was in college while visiting with my grandparents.

He was an extraordinary juggler and even performed at the White House.

Below is a video dedicated to him. Such a horrible thing to lose your child, my heart goes out to his family.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT-jaC2TiwA&feature=player_embedded

3 Months Old!

Happy 3 Month Birthday Laina!

I'm so excited that Laina is now 3 months old. I know I should be crying in my coffee that she's growing up so fast but she is really a ton of fun now. She is starting to get over the crazy amount of crying she was doing and she loves to play. We can sit her in her bumbo chair with a rattle and she's pretty entertained now. She also really enjoys babbling to us as we listen in our pretend conversation voices "uh, huh? oh really? what else? tell me more!". I swear you become a different person when a baby is around but she seems to enjoy the conversation so I'll keep doing it!

So I couldn't resist getting out the baby pictures to compare and see who she looks like... what do you think?

Man I was such a chunky monkey when I was little! Can't wait to see what she looks like in a few more months.

Labor Day Fun

This year we got the whole family together (minus Bret since he decided to grow up and have a job... sheesh) for Labor Day down at the lake. It was a great weekend. Little brother Josh brought along a friend from college and some of our other friends stopped by as well. See fun pics below!

Doug cooking WING O FIRE - YAH!

Doug & T-money (Tristan) on the seadoo

This is Justin & Sara posing next to Josh's friend. Seriously, this is what we do to outsiders... if you ever get invited to join my family down at the lake, be warned... we will destroy you. Any inclination you may have that you can hold your own when drinking will be crushed. This young man was quoted saying "your family drinks too much" when we finally took him to bed... after taking many pictures of him passed out of course.

Case in point: Jackman (middle) let it be known that it was his birthday... wrong choice. Bix (left) and Doug (right) chose to also torture him. He didn't make it. Passed out shortly after this picture was taken. Good Times.

Off to see the Wizard... or daycare

Laina started daycare last week and I'm happy to report that she loves it. She comes home every day in such a good mood. I don't know if she's actually that different but maybe since I don't see her all day, she seems happier because I'm happier. Either way, daycare is going well. She is going to a friend's house who I've known for a long time and has the best, sweetest kids ever... so I just said "do what you did to them to her...". haha.

Here's a picture of Laina the first morning. I didn't cry, even though everyone indicated to me that I should or would... I didn't. My sister says it's because I felt more comfortable with who she was going to than most people do but I also think I have a crunchy outer shell to my heart.

The other day I also whipped out the camera to take some pictures of Laina since she's getting close to that 3 month mark. She's really "turning the corner" that the Dr. promised she would with the crying. She is going to bed easily and stays asleep until I wake her in the morning, about 9-10 hours! I have to admit, I feel really lucky in that respect. She also holds her head up all on her own like a champ and reaches out for things. The other day she put the rattle to her mouth and chewed on it. It's really amazing how entertained I am with the little things she does.

As this year progresses more and more of our friends are having babies. I think you go through so many amazing phases in your life, graduations, weddings and now children and I'm happy to say that this phase has been the best one yet. It's good that I feel this way since I've heard that this phase is the one that never ends. :)

2 Months Already!

Well it happened... I blinked and already Laina is 2 months old. She is smiling more and more, though I still haven't caught many on camera. She now weighs 11lbs 13oz and is 23" long! She's 75% percentile in all categories, so she's very proportional. Dr. Jeff says she's already showing signs of development that they would see in a 4 month old! My little overachiever. :) I still can't believe she's mine sometimes and keep reminding myself that no one is coming to pick her up to take her home... she's staying with us forever! It's pretty wild. I got a new video camera to start catching all her little moments in High Definition... so stay tuned, I'm sure I'll have some fun videos pretty soon. For now, happy 2 month birthday little girl! Enjoy the rest of your summer, it's going fast.

The First Smile!

On Thursday, August 6th we got our first smile from Laina. It was right after she had eaten and then I'd changed her diaper. We knew she was getting close but this was the first real open mouth joyous smile and it nearly brought me to tears! I quickly got my camera and tried to recreate the moment but I only caught a partial... still, you can tell she's close. If there was ever any doubt that we are wrapped around her little finger, it is sealed now. She hasn't give us a smile since but instead has enjoyed watching us do everything under the sun to entertain her and get another one. It must be nice being a baby and watch adults act like idiots.

Below is the partial smile picture. I'll post the full meal deal once I get it on camera. She's so cute. :)

Lake Baby!

I'm excited to report that Laina LOVES the lake. She relaxed and slept almost the entire day on Saturday. She loved the breeze on her face and fell asleep almost instantly when I sat in the porch swing. I never knew a baby could sleep so much and still sleep through most of the night...

Cousin Tristan LOVED her sunglasses.

Julie holding Laina while she sleeps the day away on the dock.

Cry Baby Cry!

Last week I took Laina to Dr. Jeff (her pediatrician) because I thought she might be having some belly problems. She seemed to cry quite a bit after she ate and if she's anything like her parents, she'd be happy after eating! Dr. Jeff said she has acid reflux and put her on the newborn strength prescription of Zantac. He said we should see a big difference after a week. Well, it's been a week and what a different baby... well, almost. At least now the crying isn't due to belly pain.

I've discovered that I have a cry baby on my hands. She just LOVES to be held and cuddled... which isn't very conducive to working since I've gone back part time. SOOOOO, that means she's had to get used to spending some time on her own. It's a little painful, especially since I really don't like to hear her cry but I know in the end it'll make for a more independent Laina. So, cry baby cry... :)

I'm happy to report that after just a few days of this she cries a LOT less.

Laina's Newborn Pics

At about 3 weeks, we had my cousin Katie come over and take Laina's newborn pics. Laina wasn't overly cooperative but we got plenty of good pics anyway. Katie's photography business is really thriving and I can see why. She does a great job! Visit her blog here.

I feel like Laina has really grown since even these pics were taken but I guess that's the reality with a newborn. They can't stay little forever!

Here's the link to the photos. Enjoy!

Laina's first few weeks home

Elaine (my grandmother's middle name)

Elizabeth (my mother's middle name)

I'm trying to catch up on my blogging so forgive me if this post is a little all over the place.

(2 days old)

Laina is now officially 3 weeks old. She has changed so much since those first moments when she was born. She's gained over a pound and continues to gain about an ounce per day. She seems to be going through a growth spurt lately and wants to eat constantly. We've both figured out what we're doing in that department so feeding her isn't as difficult as it was the first two weeks. (1 week old)

Everyone asks about the amount of sleep we're getting, and the answer is that we're getting more than I expected to get! She'll usually give us about a 4-5 hour chunk of time during the night but other than that she likes to eat every 3 hours on the dot. I'm definitely enjoying the time off from work to be with her and just trying to soak up every moment since I know it'll be over soon and back to work I'll go. Hence, why I've been unconnected from the world wide web for the past few weeks... it just seems more important to hang out with Laina. I'm edging my way back into the real world though.

This past weekend we had my cousin over to take some pics of Laina and our family. I'm really looking forward to seeing them since the last ones came out so great. Here's a pic of us after our photo shoot was over. We were all ready for a nap afterwards.

(3 weeks old)

I'll try to be better at updating the blog reguarly with the news about what's going on. Hope your summer is going well wherever you are! I know ours certainly is different than last year's!

Elaine Elizabeth's Arrival

Well she made her appearance right on time. On June 21st, 2009, Elaine Elizabeth Shepard joined our family at 9:22pm.

The Story:

After feeling like I was going to be pregnant forever, I finally gave in and resolved that this baby was going to come when she wanted to. Saturday night the 20th, we hung out with our neighbors. We came home about midnight and I fully expected that I would wake up the following morning with absolutely no indicators that Laina was coming anytime soon. At about 1:45am, I woke up with the urge to use the bathroom. I almost made it to the toilet when I felt a huge rush of liquid fill my pants... I mean it was not a cup of liquid like they said... this was a pitcher of water that someone dumped in my pants! Shocked, I quickly reached and closed the bathroom door, accidentally slamming it. Dan woke up and said "you ok?" and I said "yeah, I think my water just broke" to which he responded, "oh, ok.". He brought me my phone and I called the doctor. She said "go on into the hospital, I'll call them and let them know you're coming." So we gathered up our bags, etc and headed to the hospital. We both said goodbye to Monroe (our cat) and our life as we knew it. It was a weird feeling knowing we were going to come home with a baby.

Once we got to the hospital and got settled in the room that would become our world for the next 3 days (I literally didn't leave that room once until left), we were told that I had an hour to start contracting on my own until they would give me Pitocin. The fluid tested positive for meconium which is the baby's first bowel movement. That means Laina had her first poop inside! Since this could indicate that she could be in distress, they put us both on monitors. I had really hoped to do the whole delivery without any drugs but the risk to the baby and to me of infection was great if I didn't deliver her within 24 hours. Even after 12 hours of labor there would be a mild risk. So, when I didn't start contracting within the hour, they hung the bag of Pitocin and at that moment my birth plan got thrown out the window... but I wasn't too worried about it.

The contractions came with gusto and I made the decision with Dan to get an epidural. Needless to say, it made things much better! The day went by pretty quickly in my eyes as I had my mom and my sister around to distract me. Dan was pretty busy delivering the news to everyone and making sure I had everything I needed that he didn't provide as much comic relief as he usually does. I can't blame him, he was getting ready to be a daddy and very excited about it.

At about 7:00pm the nurse said I could start pushing, so we said good-bye to mom & Julie and they started getting the room prepped for our delivery. At about 8:00pm I actually started pushing. Man, that was rough work. Even though I had an epidural, there was quite a bit of work involved and I was relieved when after about an hour the delivery team started to come into the room. The "team" was comprised of several nurses, some of which were from the nursery to attend to Laina when she came out and make sure she didn't aspirate any of the meconium. If she did, she'd be at risk for pneumonia and would need to stay for observation longer than expected. Pretty soon I heard "the head is out!" and then soon after that, she was here. They took her over to the warmer that was right by my bed. I could see her the entire time as they did some suction and announced that she didn't aspirate any of the meconium. Then once they weighed & measured her they placed her on my chest skin to skin. We just marveled at her and soaked in the first few moments with her. Every moment since then has been so great.

Jazzoo 2009

I had to practically fight for the right to go to Jazzoo this year. Dan felt that being super pregnant, I wouldn't feel like it... but sitting at home is even worse these days. :) So I found a dress that fit (not an easy task lately) and we headed out to the Kansas City Zoo for their annual charity benefit. I had a great time enjoying all the food and people watching. It caused me to reflect on last year at Jazzoo, which was one of the first events I attended for Dan's work. We were so excited to be back in Kansas City and looking forward to all the changes that were coming. Now, in the midst of all those dreams coming true, I am very thankful for all of the things we have in our lives, including each other.

Back to Life... Back to Reality...

After a very long and relaxing Memorial Day Weekend, it's back to reality. We were able to enjoy the weekend quietly since most of our family was off to South Dakota to see my little brother Bret graduate from college. I was kept informed by text messages from my Dad and told when they did indeed call his name. Congrats Bert! Other than just doing some final preparations for Baby Shep, we kept it low key and enjoyed spending time with each other.

The picture above is of the Floral Hills Cemetery on Memorial Day. This is where most of my family is buried. My grandfather was in the Navy during WWII and is honored by one of these flags (we couldn't find it but I've seen it before...). It's a pretty impressive site to drive through the cemetery and see all the flags representing those who served our country who are buried in there. It always causes me to reflect on the enormity of it all.

So as I stated in the title of this post, it is back to reality. The reality is that I have less than 3 1/2 weeks left until Baby is scheduled to arrive. Pretty exciting stuff that would have me jumping for joy if said baby was not causing such discomfort these days. I won't complain too much except to say that she only likes one side of my belly and chooses to curl up tightly against my abdomen. This means my belly is completely lopsided and there's tons of pressure. We have little discussions daily about this but she doesn't listen. I'm sure it's a preview of days to come when she will be defiant in person. :)

We'll keep you updated as things progress. Hope your Memorial Day Weekend was as relaxing and enjoyable as ours!

Graduation Season

Well the temperature is starting to stabilize in the warm degrees and that means it is Graduation Season. My two youngest brothers are matriculating this year from their respective colleges. Unfortunately I won't be able to go to Bret's graduation up in Sioux Falls, SD because the drive is just way too far. I was, however, able to make it to Josh's graduation in Warrensburg because the drive was only 45 mins. At this point, Dan and I are just not willing to take the risk that I'll go into labor more than a few hours away from the hospital, even though I still have 6 weeks left. We have a busy schedule over the next month so I'm sure it will go quickly.

Here's a group picture from Josh's Graduation this past weekend.

Hope you're enjoying all that life is giving you this spring. I can't be thankful enough for all the happy things that are happening in our lives.

Let the Sun Shine!

Spring is officially here and everything is "blooming", including me. Just when I think my belly has reached its maximum stretching capacity, I see another picture of myself or glance in the mirror at this huge medicine ball I'm now carrying around. Little baby girl is a real mover and a shaker in there and has a pretty regular routine. She is most active after breakfast in the morning and I sometimes enjoy just sitting & watching my belly move as she plays around in there. As the big day gets closer I have mixed emotions because I really can't wait to meet her but I will also greatly miss having her in my belly. She's so safe and protected and close to me right now. I think those maternal feelings are starting to kick in... :)

Last weekend my sister and friend threw me a baby shower. It was really wonderful to see all my close friends and family all together in one place. I got so much stuff for baby Shep that my anxiety about her coming too soon is starting to settle down. We now have most of the essentials, should she decide to join us early. It felt like Christmas as Dan and I opened all her stuff and started to put it away. Dutifully, Dan help me put together some of the things that required assembly. Luckily there wasn't too much of that because he grumbled about kids being raised without any of these modern conveniences for years the entire time. Do some of you still wonder why we didn't register for more toys? :)

The girls from High School at the shower!

Alicia & Jill from New York flew in for the occasion and spent the weekend with us at our new house. I almost cried when I had to put them back on the plane because it was so good to have them here.

All in all the spring is treating us very well. I have a little more than 6 weeks left which seems like a lifetime but I'm sure will fly by. I can't believe it's already been a year since we moved back from New York. Many things have changed in one year but much has remained the same. We still miss the big city life but look forward to all the new things this new life has in store for us. Enjoy the spring flowers while they last, summer will be here before you know it! (baby shep along with it.)

Life in Stepford

I love our new life in our new house. I lovingly call the neighborhood Stepford given its picture perfect scenery and almost-too-nice people. The golf course out the back window is picturesque, the people walking down the street are smiling like they've just taken their latest dose of prozac. Can it be real?

I was asked to attend Ladies Bunko Night last night. I had the opportunity to meet many of these Stepford housewives (our neighborhood is actually called Creekmoor... but Stepford is much more fun to say) and I am happy to report that under the near perfect manicures and flawless makeup lie a group of women who are marginally insane, just like me. I relished the opportunity to hear them gossip about each other but I was almost disappointed to find that they didn't visciously whisper about the woman down the street having an affair with the head of the property owners association... Instead, they lovingly and genuinely wanted to know our story and introduce me to their clan. Perhaps I've stumbled across a normal group of women? Nah... I'll let you know when I start to see the luster fade away as I absolutely expect to see. hehe.

In all seriousness... it was a good time and I met many women of all ages who seemed to think it was funny when my sarcasm was revealed, though not completely... I mean, it was the first time... didn't want to scare them. I think I will find many ladies here who I will enjoy as good friends.

In other news, the cat has now completely settled into her new home. She tends to follow us pretending that she doesn't NEED to be in the same room... she just WANTS to... important distinction for cats.
And baby is really moving around. Still some kicking but now much more squirming. Today I actually can see my belly shift as she moves around in there which is a new experience. I have to say, there is absolutely nothing maternal coming through yet... it's just plain weird. "Hey! Who's in there?? What are you dooooing????"

Can't wait to meet her.

Goodbye Tommy

Last Friday, a dear friend, co-worker and at the time my boss, Tommy Preston died in a snowmobiling accident. Obviously this was a huge shock for all of us and I felt somewhat numb to the emotions initially. I traveled to New Jersey on Monday night to be with my other family, the employees of New Horizons and mourn the loss of a phenomenal guy.

I've known Tommy for many years since he started at New Horizons in Atlanta. Little did I know that this raspy-voiced, life of the party guy would someday become such a good friend and mentor. Tommy and I were recently paired up to tackle the marketing strategy for our company with his main responsibility being sales and mine being marketing. It was awesome. He'd call me every day and say "Sammy! what the f&*$ are you doing" in a joking yet caring way. He always was sensitive to the fact that I worked from home and how much I enjoyed hearing his voice even if it was just for a few minutes.

Tommy leaves behind his little toddler, Connor, as well as his enormous family and love, Amanda. Its very sad for all of us to bear the loss. If I never hear Amazing Grace played with bagpipes, I'll be happy. He was buried in St. Patrick's Day which will forever become "St. Tommy's Day" in my heart. Miss you Tommy.

Our House is a Very Very Very Fine House

We close March 16th! Or so they've assured me. Dan and I felt like we'd never find a house that is right for us at the right price. I've arranged 4 full Saturdays of looking at houses since the new year and Dan about had his fill. Finally, we found the house... our house. It has everything we really wanted in a home and we were able to negotiate many upgrades while still getting it for the price we wanted. Obviously it's not quite finished yet but they assure me it'll be done in 2 weeks.

The neighborhood, Creekmoor, is a golf & lake community in Raymore, MO. For my New England friends out there, Raymore is south of Kansas City, not far from my family. It's brand new but initially really turned us off because it is very similar to Stepford... All the houses are a different shade of brown and everything seems too perfect. However, after looking and looking it ended up being the best fit and now I'm destined to be a Stepford wife. The neighbors all have young children, many under the age of 3. So I think it ended up being perfect for us. I posted some pics here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/samantha.shepard/1418DrakeLane?feat=directlink

We're really excited to move in and have our own house for the first time. I joke with Dan that we'll have to get walkie-talkies or something since I've never been so far away from him in a living space... I'll miss him!

We really are growing up! First the house... and soon baby Shep will join us. She's kicking me like crazy and now Dan can actually feel it. He doesn't believe me many times that it is actually her kicking and not me pushing my stomach out. The next doctor's appointment I have to do the glucose test, not looking forward to that one. I'll let you know how it goes.

Have a good one! Spring is right around the corner!

Bye Bye Feet

I am beginning to realize that my feet are slowing disappearing on the horizon of my belly. I have gotten quite a few comments that I've really "popped out there" which I think now explains that I've gained 6 pounds in the last month. Or, it could be the nightly bowls of ice cream that I enjoy with Dan. For those of you who may be shaking your head in disapproval... other than the ice cream I have not been "eating for two" because I'm not particularly hungry more than usual. So maybe ice cream is my vice?

So good-bye feet. I will see you on the other side.

A few weeks ago Dan and I went to New York and stayed the weekend in Queens with our friends. It was awesome to see the old neighborhood and get a chance to walk the same sidewalks we used to take every day. It was almost like we'd never left yet in some ways I've already grown accustomed to the Midwestern ways. It's difficult to explain but imagine coming home and feeling like something is different but you're not sure what.

We went to "eat the meat" with our friend Steve. He is originally from Uzbekistan and always acted like a surrogate father figure in many ways. Liz came too with her step-son Timmy and his new live-in girlfriend. We enjoyed all the wonderful things that Cheburechnaya had to offer. :) Lamb Kebabs are my favorite. This is a picture of us at the restaurant. Love you Stevie!

Other than that we've been really focused on buying a house. It turns out that its not nearly as straightforward and easy as you'd probably think. We literally just need to find a house and agree on a price... haha... not so fast... I guess we're being picky. I'll let you know what comes of the housing situation as it develops.

That's it for now. The baby is kicking like crazy and letting me know that the day is getting closer every day when our lives will change forever. I can't wait.

Thank Heaven for Little Girls

We recently went to the Dr and had an ultrasound. Even though I kept waiting for the excitement to build up, it never did. Truth is, I didn't really care what we were having. I always thought that was a false politically correct thing people said but I really felt that way. We learned that its most likely a girl... and that is really exciting... but I'm not more excited than before I found out. I was excited before and I'm still equally excited.

So it's a girl! And we are very happy to know that we're expecting a beautiful little girl that Dan can visciously protect with his newly created a&*hole dad personality and guns that have yet to be purchased. Seriously he'll be a great dad. As a result of the girl news, my mom and I went shopping this weekend and explored the pink section at Babies R Us... which almost made me nauseous. Sorry baby girl, it looks like you are destined to look like Pepto Bismol. Why don't they make orange baby clothes?

Alexandra Kew - our new neice

Alexandra Kew Craighead joined our family last week. She is the newest daughter of Dan's sister, Amy. Amy already has a son, Isiah, who is 2 and half. He was born while we were still enjoying New York so we have only recently been able to bond with him. He is warming up to us but still is cautious at first... although he did call me and Dan by name this last visit which made me feel really good. Who knew the approval and acceptance of a 2 year old would mean so much to me but it really does.

Alexandra Kew (middle name for the Gardens in England where Amy interned during college) was much more prompt than Isiah was and actually arrived on her due date which also happened to be Amy's birthday. It was not only cool to see her so young but also to get to handle a little newborn since I know we'll be doing it before too long. Dan was really cute and tried to mold himself to make her comfortable. He'll be such a good dad.

I taught Isiah how to use the camera and he had a great time running around taking pictures. Not all of them are of discernable objects but some of them actually turned out pretty good. I posted them here: http://picasaweb.google.com/samantha.shepard/PhotosByIsiah?feat=directlink

This one is my favorite. He may turn out to be a photographer when he grows up!