I had Cailin out in her walker again.

She walked all the way down the driveway.

Until she got to the street!

Cailin on the Grass

We've had some really nice days. The weather has been extremely mild and so we have been able to spend alot of time outside. I put Cailin down to play in the grass.

And she started to crawl all around.

Eating grass

This was my first time setting Cailin down on the lawn. She was reaching down and touching the grass.

She started pulling the grass out of the ground by the handful.

Then she found her some she liked......

and before I could stop her, she actually ate the grass!

Fair Exhibits

Once, inside the fair we went to the see some of the exhibits. This is a church built in the late 1800's or early 1900's in Florida.

This was inside the school......

and at the well.

Bear Show

We watched the Bear Show. These bears are native to Florida. I am always conflicted about the capturing of animals and training them to perform for our entertainment. After the show, you were allowed to come to the front and take pictures.

The Fair Animals

We came across this tent. You paid 50 cents per person to see the smallest horse and largest pig.

This pig was huge! There was a flimsy gate separating us from the pig. He had gigantic teeth that stuck out from his mouth. Ariel and I both agreed that if he was to awaken that we would both run.

This horse would not look up! He seemed to be preoccupied with eating whatever was on the ground.

Fair Rides

This was our second day at the State Fair. Ariel had a day out of school and I wasn't working so we went to the fair. I forgot the camera at home the first night we went. She rode the rides by herself because we had Cailin with us. I shot most of the pictures while holding Cailin because she refused to ride in her stroller.

This ride went back and forth on a ring until it finally gained enough momentum to go completely around the ring and upside down. Ariel rode up front and she said that inside the cage she didn't have a seat belt and while upside down her head would hit the top of the cage. She went on and on about how it was so scary. This was right before she rode a second time!

Huge Slide

Ariel says she was a little afraid on this slide. She says that every time she would go over the bumps in the slide, she would fly into the air.

Bumper Cars

Cailin yelling

We were waiting outside the bumper cars for Ariel's ride to end. They were playing loud music which caused Cailin to start yelling along with the song and waving her hands.

She has funnel cake aound her mouth! I only gave her a little bit though.

Cailin was outside in her walker. She just goes crazy in her walker when we are outside. I guess because it is easier to move on the concrete instead of the carpet inside. It was very sunny and I am experiencing some difficulty with shooting outside when it is really bright. Under direct sunlight, I can't get my subject correcly exposed without my background being over-exposed. My next photo class deals with light. Maybe, then I can find out what to do to correct this.

Ariel has expressed an interest in modeling. I was torn about whether or not to let her. On one hand I want her to be exposed to as many things as possible and want to encourage whatever it is that she wants to do. On the other hand, I don't want her involved in something so superficial. Before she even develops her sense of self, I don't want someone else telling her what she should or shouldn't look like. I think that as a young girl that you should not be concerned about what the world thinks of you on the outside. Jerry thinks we should let her give it try. So, I guess I'll let her give it a try. I went to a couple of modeling agency websites and most just want a couple of shots of the person and they will call you if you are a match. So we went out to the park and took a couple of pictures. I may be biased but I think she did a great job, with very little direction from me.

I loved these pictures of her, but the files were too large to include in the slideshow.

Whenever, you point a camera at Cailin, most times she stops what she is doing and look directly at the camera.

We love head shots of her!

Ariel sprained her wrist about 7-8 months ago doing gymnastics. She wore a brace for 6 months and now has been given the clear to work with the hand as much as possible to rebuild the strength in the hand.

So, we went to the park and she went across the monkey bars. Her hand did not hurt her and the first time she was able to go completely across.

These monkey bars were a little different. You could choose multiple paths to take and end in different places.

Then she decided to have a little fun by hanging upside down!

Ariel skating!

Thursday, Jan. 21 was skate night for Ariel's school at Astro skate. Ariel had a great time and I got some cool pictures. I have been working on taking action pictures. I had the toughest time setting the camera to get good exposure because it was dark with glowing lights.

Ariel was skating on rollerblades. She fell about 20 times, but she would immediately get back up and continue skating. In fact, that seemed to be the theme of the night, everyone seemed to be falling!

At the end of the night, the had races around the rink, first while skating around the rink. Then next, they raced with bare feet around the rink. Ariel came in first place (racing with bare feet), beating out the boys and girls of the fourth grade!

Cailin at Astro Skates

Cailin was asleep in the car on the way to the skating rink. She was awaken by the loud music and bright lights of the rink.

Ariel gave Cailin this balloon. I thought she would surely cause the balloon to pop! She was totally fascinated with the balloon. She was bending, biting (actually gumming it as she does not have teeth yet), and pinching the balloon.