Target shoot!

Margaret booked a print campaign for Target stores. We went to the shoot today and boy was it exhausting! I was especially nervous about it because her call-time was scheduled for 12:30pm (exactly her lunch and naptime). Luckily she napped for about 40 minutes on the way to the shoot (it didn't take that long to get there, it was just in Hollywood, but we left a little bit earlier to try to have her nap in the car...and it worked!). We got there and I forgot her work permit and Coogan account paperwork, so Matthew had to go home and bring it back...more anxiety. On every set with babies there's a person called a 'baby wrangler'. The baby wrangler is supposed to help the kids 'perform'. Margaret typically has to warm up to people...but as soon as she met the baby wrangler, Jerry (a bright red haired punk rockin' Scottish chick) M beamed from ear to ear (ah, relief!). A three year old girl went in to shoot and we had the room to ourselves to play for about two hours (it was a long time, but M didn't seem to care at all...she was having a blast!) The wardrobe and hair and makeup people came in and started putting different clothes on her and hairspray...just a whirlwind that I was certain would throw her off the deep end, but instead she sat very patiently and watched them busying themselves around her. Then we were off to set! (we were warned that A LOT of Target clients were here today so the rest of the crew was a little on edge...oh boy). We got to set and the photographer wanted Margaret in a very specific pose (one foot up, and a knee on the ground while putting a block on to of other block...WHAT! she's 16 months old! she can't sit still for a second, let alone strike such a specific pose). So, it was up to me to put her in that pose and run out of frame super quickly. I was drenched in sweat moving so quickly. Then they wanted her to stand on her head (a la downward dog). She excelled in this pose! Just too cute! The next set-up was in a stroller (more anxiety, M doesn't like to be strapped in). But they gave her an orange and she went to town posing with her lovely orange. THEN, the room gasped and I heard a collective OOOOO and AAHHHHH from the room. They exclaimed 'we got the shot!' but the photographer wanted to keep going. After it was over, the clients kept saying how many frames they had to choose from and they were so excited. I cannot explain how proud I was of her!

Easter 2010

I can't believe we've been through two Christmas' with Margaret and now two Easters! Time is truly going by way too fast. This year we got to have some fun with the little lady (last year we dressed her up in a bunny 'costume' and played with her in her swing while we ate and relaxed. Not this year!) This year we were full-tilt Easter holiday extravaganza!

We started off the morning with a bagel, lox and mimosas for breakfast. After that we made tye-dyed eggs for M to hunt down later. The adults munched on lemon tea cookies and soladad goat cheese while Margaret napped. After nap, we started the hunt! Margaret was new to this game but caught on very quickly! The Easter bunny surprised her with an Elmo doll (quick story: M's watched Sesame Street maybe five times but loves Elmo. Last Thursday morning, Matthew and M were playing with his iPhone and Matthew decided to find a Sesame Street clip on YouTube for her to watch. He wrote in the search bar e-l-m-o. Margaret pointed to it and started yelling "Elmo, Elmo!"...we, of course, were completely shocked and impressed...did our little 16 month old actually read? Well, we knew we had to reward such a feat and give her an Elmo doll...uh, told the Easter bunny to give her an Elmo doll...yeah, that's right!) Anyhoo, she found the Elmo doll and the Elmo organic treats right away. Such fun!

Laci made deviled eggs out of the eggs we hunted in the yard and Lori began the Easter feast! Rosemary pork roast, tomato and persian cucumber salad with a dill vinagarette, and purple yams! Soooo delicious! M had a special Easter treat too! M dined on fruit pasta with yogurt and strawberry sauce. The adults found this delicious...M, not so much (she's like her mom, bitter, sour and salty over sweet any day!)...but it was really special.

After we put Lady M to bed, the adults had Lori's chocolate souffles...DIVINE!!! For a sick lady, Lori sure doesn't let that thwart her from pulling out the stops in the kitchen!

So very thankful and grateful for my incredible family. We have such good times and are making so many memories! Happy Easter!

Pig tails

M's hair has just started to grow and grow overnight! At the beginning of March we tried pigtails for the first time. It's super duper cute, but just like her clips, she pulls it right out of her hair.

Our first attempt:


Second attempt (with her BFF, Juliet):