Marlo Starts Walking in Earnest

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Marlo Starts Walking in Earnest

Saturday, I took the girls to my mom’s 80th birthday party. It wasn’t her actual birthday, but it was the only day we could all get together—as many of my extended family as possible. It was held at my Mom’s church and the way my family decorated the gymnasium with quilts my mom had done over the years was something else. At least ten quilts were larger than king size and I would guess there was another 20 or so that were throw or infant size quilts. All hand stitched. It made my hands hurt thinking about all that stitching. And this display didn’t include all the quilts she’s done. It’s a staggering amount of work to consider.

My family stepped in to help with Marlo, but for about half the time, she was my little stumbling drunken sailor/toddler assistant. She tried crawling here and there, but spent most of the day clutching the ball you see here in her left hand and walking around, sometimes jabbering, sometimes quiet and other times squealing with her powerful set of vocal chords that have, of late, gotten quite a workout as her one year molars erupt (we’ve got one left and I’m counting the hours until she feels better). Of the several hundred shots I took of my mom with family and friends, this one was one of my favorite. There’s something magic in the way the light captures Marlo’s eyes here. Not just the color, but the fantastic determination and will. I’d forgotten what that look coming up from toddler eyes does to the heart.

Aside: A hearty thanks to all of you who participated in the Fall 2010 blurbomat.com Reader Appreciation Half-Off print sale! I hope you all love your prints and enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed sharing them with you.

Heather, I don’t want to jinx anything, but it looks like the girls will have survived the weekend!