Family Photo

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The Anzelmo's :: Family Photo, Columbus, Ohio

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The Anzelmo's :: Family Photo, Columbus, Ohio

Last week Edith and I went to Costco with my mom (a common occurrence) and they had a miniature playhouse there. [Enter, Edith's dream come true.] So, instead of doing any actual shopping, we, along with several other passersby (who we soon came to find were also grandmothers), watched her play for 45 minutes. One of my favorite stay-at-home-mom activities to date :-)

I'm fairly sure that little house was the same as the one you see in these photos, thus proving little playhouses prove to be excellent investments (plug for Costco in hopes of free diapers?). These girls and their personalities were so much fun to catch on camera.

Enjoy!

Rachel

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Williams Family Photo 2016 :: Family Photo, Colmbus, Ohio

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Edith is going through a phase that sort of [really] puts me on edge lately. Let me demonstrate:

Lunchtime.

Me: Do you want a peanut butter and jelly, Edith?

Edith: Yes!

I make sandwich, smash it for an easy fit in small mouths, cut it in quarters with care, and give it to her.

Edith: Nooo.

Me: Okay...Do you want pasta, Edith?

Edith: Yeah!

I microwave left over pasta, salt it like she prefers, let it cool down to perfect toddler eating temp, and give it to her.

Edith: Noooooo.

This goes on with several other foods, including pickles, olives, chips, peanuts, until finally she tells me she wants a cookie. She eats nothing and screams. I eat everything and cry.

END

What do I do? It's an unsolvable mystery, toddler eating. Or so I think. This phase was driving me out of my mind until one day when Edith spent some time with my sister Elizabeth and her kids while I was at an appointment. I walk in, and Elizabeth, among other Edith updates, says ultra-simply, "she's in that toddler eating phase. You just giver whatever 'til she eats it." I stand there in amazement. Of course! You just go along with it! You're the adult! Choose simple foods! Let it happen! Don't sweat it. Brilliant. 

This moment of the sage imparting her knowledge on the ignorant has happened at least a hundred other times between my sister Elizabeth, mother extraordinaire of seven, and me, hyper-rookie first time mom. She's the ultimate go-to, and I'm unavoidably grateful to have her a short and frantic text away.

Elizabeth has also been the one to call me and ask me to take her family's photos more times than any other one person. (Here in 2014 and here in 2015, just to show a few.) Her support and encouragement have allowed me to unlock so much enjoyment and gratification from taking photos, and I'm so very grateful for her.

Enjoy!

Rachel

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Clara :: Baby Photo, Columbus, Ohio

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Clara :: Baby Photo, Columbus, Ohio

Today marks my 570th day of motherhood! I'd like to consider myself an old pro, but aside from the fact that the once-frequent "is she breathing?!" checks have subsided, everything looks about the same as it did on day one. Some days I look at my hair in the mirror and get a little scared as I remember the infrequency with which I now shower. Here are some of my shining moments as a mother:

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My Mom, My Dad and Nat :: Family Photo, Columbus, Ohio

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My Mom, My Dad and Nat :: Family Photo, Columbus, Ohio

My mom sometimes talks about how rough it was, right after my little sister Natalie was born. She tells about how she had moments of deep and difficult wondering how it could all work out, raising a baby that was so different from her other six children.

Early last week, my sister and I joked around with my mom about how crazy it would be for us all to drive to the pro-life march in Washington D.C. She was across the country visiting her family, and we were looking at two babies, five adults (two of them frantic moms), strollers, carseats and luggage, no sleeping, and one very tight car. Like we said, it'd be crazy to go.

It's not at all surprising that not even a day later, my mom got a flight changed, lost her luggage, bought back-up toiletries, and made it happen so that she and Natalie were packed and ready to drive through the night to D.C. There we were, rolling into D.C. at 4am like we always knew it would happen.

I think there's a part of the fight that my mom fought 25 years ago that's still unfinished, and it is that of echoing the same grace-filled whisper she heard, "You can do this. You were made for it. I will help you."  It's the same thing she told me when I brought my baby home.

That's why we went this year and that's why my mom took us some 10 other times growing up. It's a peaceful way of passing momentum from one mother to the next.

Of course these aren't her words, they're mine, and I'm only telling it as I observe it to be as her daughter. And while this story is mostly about my mom, there's a whole lot of my Dad and Natalie in there. Who, like a champion, drove across the city in a pinch for those back-up toiletries, texted us hourly to check on us, and made oddly useful route recommendations? My Dad, supportive as ever. And who squeezed willingly in the smallest back-row seat the whole trip, upheld her standing title as "baby-whisperer", and maintained group morale by chanting upbeat songs at any given moment? Natalie, as wonderfully herself as ever.

This is only my most recent reason for being thankful for these three people, but there are many more. Being with my Mom, Dad and Natalie makes you start to think that three's not a crowd. Three is most definitely a party.

Enjoy, 

Rachel

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Our Christmas Photos :: Family Photo, Columbus, Ohio

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Our Christmas Photos :: Family Photo, Columbus, Ohio

After the holidays this year, I found myself feeling like Christmas entertained me for a minute and then dropped me like a middle school date. You know how it feels. You question the meaning of life and where all the warm, fuzzy feelings have gone.

I went into Christmas very determinately trying to avoid this sweep of post-Christmas blues. I tried to focus specifically on the Catholic liturgical calendar, which so beautifully waxes and wanes in and out of seasons of preparation and celebration. Despite my efforts, I found that I slipped again!

Don't get me wrong, we get into celebrating at the Magree house. But, I may have watched one too many Hallmark movies, ate one too many Christmas cookies, and definitely, definitely bought Edith too many gifts (...not feeling guilty about this, though. Who knew how fun it would be to buy kids presents at Christmas..!!) And when it was time for it all to end, I had a hard time letting go.

It wasn't really until I let the sound of the celebration die down that the silent and humble whisper of the everyday caught my attention. I remembered once again how good life is when it wanes back into simplicity.

So, today, I'm posting photos of my two best reminders of the goodness God gives me.

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