My nephew is getting BIIIIG and he’s WALKING! Yay! And he’s ONE year old today! It’s hard to believe how fast he’s grown. My family got to spend the big day with him.

Lots and lots of presents!

And they’re allll miiiine can I open them now, Auntie M?

(omg, I just realized that I’m Auntie M! Woohoo!)

So we stuck him in his high chair, crowded around him, and started to sing Happy Birthday. Now, normally, he LOVES being the center of attention, but I think he was just overwhelmed by everyone looking at him. So halfway through, he started to conduct a birthday cake analysis…he ended up rubbing icing all over his face, instead of eating it!

And then tried to understand why icing looked like Johnson and Johnson soapy bubblies, but tasted a LOT different.

And then this was his reaction to ice cream!

I think he had an instant ice cream headache, pobrecito I also think he was sad because he was in his high chair. Nobody puts Baby in the corner!

(I just watched that movie for the millionth time this past week! Ahhh )

So, his parents cleaned him up after his Cake Experiment yielded no positive results, and we went on to the presents!

Somehow, he was more entertained by the wrapping paper than the actual toys inside.

And I know what to get him for Christmas A biiiiig roll of wrapping paper!

He got a baby laptop (high techie, watch out!), and made a new friend:

And those super cool cars that you pull back, and let go, and they go all by themselves! I love those toys!

Vrooom, Crash, SPLOOSH!

The Milk Goatee. Diddy watch out, he’s stylin on you!

Walkiiiing!

See? It’s not just me, that likes those super cool cars. That’s my dad’s hand reaching to play with one too! I’m not the only weirdo in my family

Because plastic tastes MUCH better than birthday cake and ice cream:

As the party winded down, he decided to have a conversation with his Daddy and express how awesome his first birthday was, even though he could not form implicit memories until 3 years later (oops, that’s me, putting my psych degree to some use )

It was great to be around my family, and Mr. Center of Attention, because he’s brought so much joy into all our lives. My father recently quit smoking (after a 50 year habit!), because he wants to be around to take this little one fishing someday. I’m definitely looking forward to photographing that day!

OMGOMGOMG! * turns bright red and collapses *

Soo…everyone knows Hubby’s a great cartoonist, right?

Defender of comic book nerds, philanthropist (okay, not really), and all-around great guy…

Right?

Well…if you have been living under a rock, check out his strip, Watch Your Head

And buy his book! 12 dollars for side-splitting laughter

Oh, and since we’re on the topic of shameless plugging, I have a photograph in a gallery! First time ever!

Northern Virginia Community College is having its 2008 Photography Student Show, so for you loyal readers in the D.C./Metro area, please check it out! I was BLOWN away by the world I saw in the gallery (yes, I got the sneak peek yesterday after class )

The opening reception is TONIGHT at 5:30 p.m., but the exhibition will run through May 7.

The location:

Tyler Gallery

Alexandria Campus Tyler Building

3001 N. Beauregard Street

Alexandria VA

Ooh, and where would I be without a photo posted in an entry!!?

It was such a beautiful day yesterday, I had to take advantage of it, and go on a photo field trip, so I dragged hubby out kicking and screaming and we went to the National Zoo.

First off, I’m a real nerd. No really, I mean it. I know I come off as totally cool and aloof and all of that , but I’m not kidding when I say I love learning about animals. I wanted to be a veterinarian as a kid; the octopus and cheetah were among my favorite animals. When we came across the cheetah exhibit, I couldn’t help but scream in a shrill voice to Cory how much I used to love them when I was in elementary school and how I could probably draw one just off the fact that I used to draw them over and over again. <—Did you just witness the nerd? I did.

Anywho, there were like 50eleven people crowding the cheetah exhibit (with good reason, b/c they ROCK, though Cory thinks zebras are more gully–pshhhht!), so I didn’t get a super awesome picture, but we did get to check out the supercute Tamarins!

He was getting his model on. This is his Fierce look. Ferocia Tamarin!

It was supercrowded in D.C. with all the Cherry Blossom happenings (I still haven’t checked them out yet, I’m thinking of going realllyyyyy early tomorrow so I don’t get caught up with all the tourists ), and the Zoo was no exception. I really just wanted to get some fresh air, walk around a bit, and shoot for myself (which I think all photographers should do, even when business gets really good. Take some time, and go someplace with your camera, and get re-inspired!)

Ohhh spring. I’m allergic, to you, absolutely, but I love the rich colors you produce.

It’s very difficult to shoot butterflies!

We really waited until the end of the day to check out the great ape house, so it was naptime when we got there:

Don’t these look like chocolate chips? It’s actually the trunk of a tree that’s found in the Amazon that has a sap that’s highly poisonous! The fishermen there use the sap to poison fish in rivers! Isn’t nature super cool?

I love anemones, despite the fact that I can’t pronounce the word correctly:

Okay, so nerdy secret time: I’m a little bit more than addicted to Cute Overload, so much that I have incorporated the word “Tuckus” into my vocabulary. As we were leaving, we saw a bunch of prairie dogs doing their thing. Is this not the cutest Prairie Dog ‘tuckus?

And, okay, if you haven’t seen it already, check out the Dramatic Prairie Dog video clip. This photo totally reminded me of it, and as I chimped through the photos I kept giggling every time I saw it:

I think that our Metro subway system has some of the most visually pleasing architecture ever. Sorry, New York

Ohhh and buildings and alleys and all the in-between. I’m in love with lines and angles and shapes:

We didn’t get to check out the pandas but hopefully next time we go, they’ll be out and about. That and the lions and tigers and sloth bears (oh my! couldn’t resist ), because they were at the club or something when we came by their exhibit.

The Zoo would be a great place to shoot an engagement session, so if there are any takers, holla back!