The Trip of a Lifetime

It started at 4am yesterday, crawling out of bed and waking up the baby to go to the airport. After my husband dropped baby and me at the check-in counter of Canadian North (right next to the check-in to Cuba, I might add), I learn that I will not only have to get off the plane in Edmonton, but also in Yellowknife, as I am flying on a free pass, and they can't guarantee me a seat. What???? A little panic sets in as I consider the possibility of me, baby and 2 bottles of milk being stuck in Edmonton for who knows how long while my suitcase travels in its merry way to Norman Wells, NWT. (Its North, its far, far North my friends.) I quickly enter denial mode, and head to the gate. At boarding time, there is no plane in sight. At scheduled departure time, still no plane. Finally, a snow covered vessel arrives at our gate, and we begin boarding.

After the 45 minutes on the plane at the departure gate waiting for the de-icing, and 10 minutes of baby screaming and squirming because he was already tired and bored before we even took off, we finally took to the air and baby fell asleep. Phew! Phase one complete. Unfortunately, the flight to Edmonton is only about 25 minutes. If you don't count the 20 minutes we spent sitting in plane waiting for the auxiliary power to be fixed before we could get off. Are you kidding me?

Here is where I get to point out to you spoiled travellers that in Edmonton and Yellowknife you must disembark the plane using the stairs. More good news, since it isn't too difficult to walk down steep icy stairs with a baby in one arm, and a carry-on bag in the other. Put baby in stroller, run for the door, find check-in counter, get boarding pass, wait to re-board plane. Longer flight to Yellowknife, the plane is packed, and this time baby does not sleep. He is in a good mood, eats lots of snacks to keep busy (I can't stress enough how important it is to have numerous snacks when travelling with children), makes friends with our neighbors, even the ones who resist his charms, and then 10 minutes of crying and squirming until we land in Yellowknife and get off again. Put baby in stroller, run faster for door (its WAY colder in Yellowknife), find check-in counter...you get the idea. This time baby fell asleep as soon as he was in the stroller, and slept almost all the way to Norman Wells. Phew one more time. A friendly fellow traveller helps me with my carry-on bag while I carry baby down the stairs and into the terminal, where a loving family member greets us with a smile. We did it!!!

It is minus forty one degrees here today. You might be thinking that all that travel stress might be worth it if I was going to, say, Hawaii. Who goes North in the winter? Well, I guess I do. And its all worth it to spend part of the holiday season with family. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. (In fact, I get to do to all again on Friday!)

Zi6 vs Mino

You know how every year around this time there is some new techno gadget that everyone just has to have? This is the year of the "pocket video camera". At least for me it is. And I've been doing a little research into the two HD versions available, Kodak Zi6 and Flip Mino.

They are similar in that they are small, simple to use, both record HD video, and connect directly to your USB port for import onto your computer. Without having handled and used either of them personally, all I can give you are the specs to compare. The Mino has 4GB of internal memory which gives you up to 60 minutes of record time. The Zi6 has an expansion slot, which means it can hold up to 32GB. Video display: Mino 1.5", Zi6 2.4", which also means the Zi6 is a bit bigger to carry around. Mino has a fixed focus while Zi6 has normal and close-up focus modes. Both have 2X digital zoom, internal microphone and speaker, and both come with rechargeable batteries. Both can mount to a tripod, connect directly to your TV and come with their own editing software.

Too much information. Here's what it comes down to, in my opinion. The Kodak Zi6 has more flexibility, it can take stills as well as HD and HD60 video, and you can add as much memory as you like. The Flip Mino is tiny. It is really very, very small. That may not seem like a big deal, but some people will take the mini-factor over the functionality any day. It all depends on how you're going to use it. Oh, and the Mino is "designable" which means you can customize the look of the tiny thing.

These are a couple of fun little items. I can't wait to get one!!! (personal review to follow)

PS: I think that currently the Flip Mino is only available online, and they don't ship to Canada. I am sure that will change soon. The Flip Ultra (not HD) is available in Canadian stores.

What to Do On a Snowy Winter Day

This is mainly a photo post, just let me say that on Saturday the boys were spraying each other with the hose in the back yard. (Against our warning that it wasn't quite THAT warm out, but still...) These pictures are from just 24 hours later. Welcome to winter in Calgary!

Three boys all snuggled up and watching...

...our favourite Christmas video.

Later, we head out into the snow.


Doesn't he look comfortable and happy???

I think my husband was almost taken out by the little girl in purple while getting this video.

So, that was LAST weekend. This weekend the forecast is for -25C! I think there may be a lot more of those snuggling pictures to come!

Just a Little List

I wanted to really ponder this week's list. I wanted to make it thoughtful and interesting. I wanted to change your lives with the incredible meaning of it.
Who am I kidding, its just a little list.

As the kids are growing up way too fast, roll the video camera and make sure you get these things on tape,(or DVD, or SD card?)
-sports practices, games and lessons (in case they make it to the big leagues)
-the play the kids write, direct and perform in the basement(in case they make it in Hollywood)
-quiet moments like sleeping or reading (too prove it happened)
-first day of the school year (every year until they forbid it)
-sibling arguments...okay, we know they're really fights (for therapy later)

What did I miss?

We seem to focus so much attention on the early years, understandably so, they change so much in the first couple of years. As they get older, the changes are more subtle and yet sometimes more profound. Most importantly, capturing those moments reminds them that we love them.

I have to go now. There is a giant baby chewing on a defenceless "Little" bus driver.

You Were Expecting a List?

Yes, I know. I told you I wasn't very good at this commitment thing. Hmmmm, what should we list about this week, 4 days late?

How about my favourite reasons for being late.

-"The baby was napping." (substitute "poopy", "cranky", "hungry"). I will use him for an excuse as long as I can.
-"I had nothing to wear." Its a classic.
-"My watch was wrong." Surprising how many times this is true.
-"The traffic on Glenmore was hell." Okay, its harder to get away with this one now, but its still a fave.
-"My dog got out just as I was leaving." I don't have a dog. ;-)

As you can see, I could use some new excuses. How do you complete the sentence "I'm so sorry I was late..."?

A List Like No Other

When I called it the "Weekly List" I clearly was not thinking about how quickly weeks go by. Should have called it "Monthy List".

Five Things I Wish I Could Remember

1. Where I put all our old camera tapes.
2. How to speak French.
3. To keep my voice down after a couple of glasses of wine.
4. Which "its" is which "it's".
5. Words. The right ones. When I need them.

That's it. Not great, but there it is.

Anyone got anything they'd like to remember?

Just Like Riding a Bike

We had a couple of extra days off this week, and the weather wasn't bad, and maybe I was just a little bored, so I took the training wheels off.

Here's how that went...



And how it ended...



I guess it wasn't as simple as I thought it would be.

Does anyone remember how one learns to ride a bicycle?

List Worthy

Oh, you thought I wasn't going to do it every week, didn't you? Well, to be honest, I was a little sceptical myself. But here I am, so let's make a list.

Here are my favourite videotaped moments from a baby's first year.

Smiling (no explanation needed)
Rolling Over (usually results in a LOT of video of baby almost rolling over)
Eating "Solid" Food (is there anything better than runny rice cereal all over baby's face?)
Laughing (always results in video of parents making funny noises)
Older sibling or other child kissing baby (oh so sweet)
Baby making screeching noises (they are NOT fun at the time, but later on video...)
Crawling (usually results in a LOT of video of baby almost crawling)
Baby falling over (admit it, as long as they are not hurt, its a little bit funny)

There we go, I guess there are 8 this week. As usual, please add your own. I'm sure I've missed some good ones.

Growling Tiger!

Weekly List

I was going to call it the Top 10, but David Letterman already uses that. Also. I was a little afraid that one week I may only have 7 or 8 in my list. I would hate to have to throw in a couple of duds just to round out the 10.

This week, Top 10 songs for a baby video. Here they are in no particular order. Feel free to pick your favourite or add your own.

Ordinary Miracle by Sarah McLachlan
Mozart's Lullaby
I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack
In My Daughter's Eyes by Martina McBride
Baby Baby by Amy Grant
Closer by Better Than Ezra
Here I Am by Bryan Adams
I Knew I Loved You Before I Met You by Savage Garden
Arms Wide Open by Creed
Baby Mine by Alison Krauss

I am always looking for new songs to add to my list, so please...

To Blog or Not to Blog, That is the Question

As I sit here at my computer on this Friday evening, (I am a Wild Party!) I try to focus on a topic worthy of blogging about. (By the way, I find it quite fun that "blogging" is now a verb.) Clearly, I'm a bit scattered tonight, but no one else on my blog list has updated recently, so here is a random collection of thoughts to get us all through the weekend.

My son's first birthday party went off without a hitch. If you don't count the fact that 10 people who attended the party ended up with a stomach virus in the days that followed. 10 people!!! There were only 14 people there! And I watch way too much TV, cuz I was waiting for the CSI team to show up to collect evidence and solve the mystery of who brought this nasty little bug into our son's celebration. You are all invited to our next party. Anyone?

Our 2 older boys went on a tour of a fire station the other night. How fun!!! They got to see all the trucks, turn on the flashing lights, see how they put their equipment on, there was even a hose demonstration. Come on, admit it. You want to see the hose demo.

I have a problem. A sickness really. If I have some business chore to do that is so easy it will take only minutes to complete, I will never do it. I keep putting it off, thinking "Oh, that will only take a few minutes. I can do that any time." What is wrong with me? JUST DO IT! (Thanks Nike.)

Having said that, I must put an end to these ramblings and transfer some songs to CD. Have a great weekend!

One on Friday

1. My baby boy turns 1 year old today!!! Will post video soon.

When Things Go Wrong...And They Sometimes Will

Something happened at my house today. I can't tell you what it was exactly...because I'm embarrassed and ashamed. Suffice it to say it involved a momentary lapse in mommy memory that jeopardized one of my children's safety. I am happy to report all of my children are safe and healthy as I write this.

This "happening" made me think about a few things. The Oprah episode. I don't know if you saw it, not everyone is tuning in to Oprah in the middle of the day. I don't usually do it, myself, but I saw a promo for this episode, and although I shouldn't have done it, I tuned in. It was the one where she interviewed a woman whose baby died after she left her in the car all day. I couldn't watch the whole show, I was crying so hard. I was crying because babies shouldn't die, but also because I knew that "there but for the grace of god..." As evidenced by my mistake today, it can happen so easily, the simplest, smallest oversight. Brought on by overwork, hectic lives, lack of sleep. Luckily for me and my family, my mistake did not lead to tragedy.

This "happening" also made me think about how I deal with my mistakes. As soon as I was sure everything was okay, I let it go and moved on to thinking about how I would keep it from happening again, and what I needed to do for my child now. This is yet another thing I have learned from having children. It is a necessary way of living when you have little people depending on you. There is no time for wallowing in self loathing or asking "what if". Our children need us to act quickly, forgive ourselves and move on.

So my son is okay, I have learned something, and we will all continue with our lives. I wonder, if my mistake had led to tragedy, could I ever forgive myself? There's that "what if".

Your Life and Mine

The best part of what I do is getting to know people. Sometimes I think its strange that I rarely get to meet the people I get to know. When I make a Video Scrapbook, the subject of the video is usually not my client. My client is their mother, father, daughter, son, aunt, uncle, cousin. You see what I mean.

Recently, I finished project which involved about one hundred and fifty photos of someone who has lived a long, long life. It never ceases to amaze me that I can watch video and look at photos of total strangers, and feel connected to them. You can learn so much about someone's personality and life from the photos they were in. Was he an artist, scientist or writer? Was she outgoing or shy? Did they have a big family, lots of friends, like to travel?

Not only do I get to know total strangers, I am inspired by them. From watching a toddler's enthusiasm for dance to seeing a grandmother's lifetime of adventures, I feel like I have been changed by each and every person whose life story has come to me for editing. Short or long, just beginning or coming to an end, these lives are now a part of mine.

Thank you for trusting me with their stories. Don't worry, I will hold them in my heart and treat them with all the care they deserve.

A Day for Grandparents

Grandparents day is just over a week away! What? You didn't know? You have never heard of Grandparents Day? Well, I am sure it was invented by Hallmark, but nevertheless, Sunday September 7th is Grandparents Day. I have a snappy little idea that could turn this greeting card holiday into something special for Grandma and Grandpa.

Quickly scan through your digital photos from the last year (or 2) and mark about 30 to 50 of the best ones of your kids. Make sure there as as many as possible with the grandparents, and include some of your nieces and nephews, as well. Burn them to a CD. Now, choose an appropriate song, like Circle of Life by Elton John, Forever Young by Rod Stewart, or What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.

If you are feeling particularly energetic and creative, and have a few extra hours on your hands, go ahead and assemble it yourself. There is some pretty user friendly software out there. Better yet, call or email me, and for a special price, I will put it together and make you a personalized DVD for Grandma and Grandpa.

They will love it, and they will be so surprised! The only thing is, now they will expect something equally as wonderful next year.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

Went to the top of a mountain.

Watched my hot husband play in a rock band.


Spent some time at the playground.


Played at the beach.

Go-carting...

Boating...

Looking up.

It has been a wonderful summer full of fun. And it's not over yet! Let's cram as much fun as we can into these last couple of weeks, shall we?

Counting Blessings

Sometimes I find it difficult to be as thankful as I should be. It's not that I don't feel extremely lucky or that I don't appreciate all that makes my life full and wonderful. Maybe I feel that its not enough to just think it or say it. Maybe I feel I should do something for those who are not as lucky as me. For today, I would like to tell you why I feel grateful. Perhaps that will inspire me into action.

1) I am grateful that I do not live in a country where war makes it so mothers fear for their children's lives every night and day.
2) I am grateful for every moment that the sun shines on my face and makes me feel warm.
3) I am grateful to have choices about where I live, what I do and with whom I associate.
4) I am grateful for the sounds made by children. Laughter. Questions. Cries of need.
5) I am grateful for warm, generous, friendly people who try not to judge or hurt or ridicule.

Of course, I am so grateful for many, many more things. These are the ones that feel most urgent today. Please, feel free to add your own.

Amazing Photos

Frameworks Photography
Contact: nick@hugephotography.com

One of Those Days

Well, it all started with the fact that I went out last night. That is always a risky choice. Those of you with children will understand. I was out until 12:15am, asleep by 1am, and up at 6am with the baby. Let's be crystal clear. I am NOT one of those people who can thrive on only 5 hours of sleep. I can barely function on 5 hours of sleep. Don't ask how I managed to get 3 kids past their first few months. I have no idea.


The day started out okay. I had ingested enough caffeine to make me feel even somewhat energetic, and I ventured to face the world, dark circles and all. I should have known when my bank card didn't work at the grocery store that I should just go home, call a sitter and go back to bed. (If only that was a possibility!) The baby could not be more grumpy and needy than he is today, I am so tired I can't remember the older kids names, and there are at least 3 more hours before I can sleep. Mmmmmm... oh, sorry, nodded off there for a moment.

But even in this somewhat challenging day, there were shining moments. The baby and I watched, and participated in, the older boys Physical Theatre camp finale this morning. They danced, they sang, they jumped, they juggled. They became clowns, pigs, cats and birds. The baby watched intently as his older brothers and their classmates entertained us all. I watched. I video recorded. I even teared up a little.

And now my baby, who has not spent more than 2 minutes happy all afternoon, is sitting in his rocking chair making the sweetest little sounds. I will make it 3 more hours, and start it all over again tomorrow. Hopefully with more than 5 hours of sleep.

Hold It Steady!! Please?

I have just spent the day editing a video for a friend who shall remain nameless. Now, I say I spent the day editing, but really, a few edits took all day. After five minutes of trying to cut around shaky zooms and camera moves, I'd get frustrated and needed to take a break. When I was almost ready to call above mentioned friend and say something about their camera work that could end the friendship, I reminded myself why this happens, TO ALL OF US, when we are taking video of our children. We are so focused on what they are doing, and what we want them to do on camera, we forget about the camera work.

Let me offer a little advice for those about to turn on the camera and capture those precious moments.

1. Hold the camera steady for at least 10 seconds. Its a news shooting rule that works for all video camera work. Once you see the shot you want, press record and count to 10 (at least) before you move. Count to 20 or 30 if you can stand to wait that long.

2. I know they put a zoom on the camera, but please don't use it. Okay, you may use it, but then see rule number 1.

3. Get a wide shot. Let us see where you are and what the child is doing. Hold for 10 seconds.

4. Get a close up. Now you can zoom, then hold to see baby's hand movements, or facial expressions. Hold for you know how long.

5. Keep your talking to a minimum. It is tempting to make sounds, especially when you want to get baby to smile or laugh on cue. But what you get on video is your really loud sounds (your right next to the camera) drowning out baby's soft sounds.

Although I am thinking about baby video when I write these rules, they apply to most video work. If you are yelling at junior's soccer game right beside the camera, you will not hear even the loudest cheers of a victorious team.

Bonus Rule: Be patient. If you sit still and wait, you will get the video you want.

Plan "B"

There is nothing wrong with making plans. There isn't. In fact, I am quite a planner, myself. What you start to realize once there are children in the picture is that you must always have a Plan "B".

Case in point. We made some vacation plans for the middle of this summer, and our children were really looking forward to the trip. It turns out those plans have been unavoidably cancelled. Or at least indefinately delayed. So, what to tell a couple of excited little boys about their summer vacation? "We're going to the lake! Again!" In my most excited voice. Plan "B".

One of the things I love about being a Mom is learning from my children. Seriously, they are as excited about going to the same old lake that we go to every summer as they were about going to Disney World. When I asked them in June what they wanted to do for summer vacation, they said they wanted to go to Banff and Paris, with equal enthusiasm. (Lucky for us, because we are NOT taking them to Paris!)

Kids have this ability to be excited about what is, and not dwell on what is not. It doesn't matter how far away or unique the vacation spot is, only that they can do some of their favourite things, stay up a little later, eat Fruit Loops. So I'm packing up the kids, the Fruit Loops and my camera. We're going on vacation, "TO THE LAKE!!!"

Let's Get It Started

Well, my friends, summer has officially begun. I am not talking about the changing of the seasons marked by the solstice. I am talking about that childhood euphoria marked by the end of the school year. Its only been one week, and my mind is dizzy with one hundred and one things I want to do with my children before they go back to school in September. And even though it is only the first week in July, it feels like time is racing by. That could be because much of the summer is already planned out. One week of Drama Camp. One week of Hockey Camp. One week of family vacation. Plus a camping weekend and a lake weekend. Throw in a couple of play dates and one or two family gatherings, and there is barely enough time for an impromptu trip to the zoo. Phew, I am exhausted just thinking about it all.

There will be, after all is said and done, a couple of weeks with no pre-scheduled events. The truth is, those weeks are making me nervous. I have the same disease we all seem to have these days, it is hard to just relax and let things happen. I need to be scheduled. I need my kids to be scheduled. I need us all to have so many fun activities planned that there is no time to have fun! I am fighting the urge to sign us up for summer music classes or soccer lessons. I know I don't want to have any more schedules this summer. I know I want to enjoy letting the boys decide first thing in the morning where we will go and what we will do today. I know I want to create the kind of family memories that are only possible when you relax and let things happen. Wish me luck!

Support Your Local Mompreneur Part 2

Hello everyone! I am shamelessly soliciting your support for Savvymom's Mom Entrepreneur Award. Go to http://www.momentrepreneuraward.ca/MomBio.aspx?momID=120 and vote for me, and feel free to check out all the other great Mom-run businesses and vote for your favourites...after you vote for me, of course.

Oh, and if you are a Mom with a business, nominate yourself. I did!

The "Dining" Table

So, I was looking through some photos the other day, because that's what I do, and I was struck by the number of photos that include my dining table. Let me clarify that the only "dining" table in my house is in the kitchen. Nevertheless, it is a rectangle table with 6 chairs around it, and there is a high chair at one end. And it is intended to be the place where we eat. But it is so much more than that.

It is at this table where pumpkins are carved, and photos of glowing jack-o-lanterns taken, every year. Every video of singing Happy Birthday to little boys (and their parents and some grandparents, aunts and uncles, for that matter) includes this table. Photos of family gatherings, from Christmas dinners to Sunday game nights. Video of first finger paintings, and toddlers learning to climb up on a chair without hitting their heads on the table.

And then I thought about all the things that happen at this table that are not in photos or video. Of course, we eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and more snacks at the table. We also do homework, wrap presents, try out new toys, plan vacations, read the newspaper, decorate Easter eggs and visit with friends and family at this table. And so much more than that.

My point, if I have one, is this. The next time I hear a parenting expert suggest that I gather my family around the table for dinner, I will simply gather my family around the table. After all, dinner or not, it is where the family gathers.

Website!!!

Hello friends. Against all odds, the website is finally finished. Fully revised and quite pretty, I must say. It took a little longer than expected, but it looks almost exactly how I hoped, so it was worth the wait. I must say a giant "Thanks" to my personal webmaster, who solved flash video issues and contact form problems in between reading bedtime stories and emptying the dishwasher, after a full day of fighting his own fires. He is my hero!

I would love to hear what you think of the site. http://www.smallwonder.ca

The Firsts and The Lasts

I have been thinking about these things a lot lately. Babies have so many firsts that we almost lose track. Smiles, giggles, laughs. Rollovers, crawls, steps. Teeth. Words. Foods. The list goes on and on. And then, as our children get a little older they start to have some lasts. The last time they say "mot" instead of "milk". The last time you can pick them up off the floor when they fall. The last time they can ride the boat swings. The question is, which ones are more important to hold onto, the firsts or the lasts?

I recently read a story book that focused on the lasts, and how we should pay more attention to them. When I read it, a tear came to my eye. When my seven year old son read it, he sobbed. He thought about his baby brother growing up, and then he thought about himself leaving home someday, and it made him so sad, he could hardly speak.

The way I look at it, and what I told my son, is that every last leads to another first, and that is exciting. When his baby brother stops saying "Ma ma ma" he will start saying "Mommy". When they can no longer go on the swings, they will be able to go on the big ferris wheel. When they leave home one day, they will have their own place where I can go visit them. I am not saying I am not nostalgic for their early days and years. Time goes so fast and it is so hard to appreciate every moment. Its nice to look back at photos and video and remember those days. I would just rather spend more time thinking about the wonderful moments to come.

I think that focusing on the firsts represents progress and looking to the future of more firsts. Focusing on the lasts, even just the word "last", makes me feel like I'm getting stuck in the past.

I'll tell you one thing for sure. My son and I are never going to read that story again.

Support Your Local Mompreneur

It may just where I am in my life, or the people I am associated with these days, but I know a lot of Mompreneurs. This morning I saw the creator of The Mompreneur magazine on BT, and I was reminded of what an amazing trend this is. Think about it. Women, most of whom had full time careers before they had children, have now decided that instead of going back to a position with a steady paycheck and predictable hours, they will take the second biggest risk of their lives, right after the first! Are we crazy!!??!!

I can only answer for myself. Becoming a Mompreneur was a choice for me that came from many directions. It was about flexibility, doing something I loved, and being available for my children. I have said those things before. And I could have found those things elsewhere. Mostly, becoming a Mompreneur was about showing my children that anything is possible if you work hard, commit to it, and get right back up after you fall. And maybe proving that to myself, as well.

This weekend there is a Mompreneur show at the Blackfoot Inn. Its free, so go and check out the ingenuity and creativity of these savvy business women. I guarantee you will find more than one product or service that will make you say "Why didn't anyone do this sooner?" And you will be supporting your local Mompreneurs.

Another Adventure Begins

It took about 6 shopping trips to assemble all the gear. Elbow pads, knee pads, shoulder pads, face mask, neck protector, special shorts, protective "cup", new skates, hockey sticks. Two of everything. And 2 giant bags to carry it all in. It took 25 minutes to get it all packed into the bags, and get the kids in the car. 7 minutes to drive to the rink, another 25 minutes to get both kids fully dressed and on the ice. Finally, for the first time, they are playing hockey. There are even a couple of kids they know out there with them. And as I am about to dig the camera out, my husband tells me that there is a sign on the door that says "absolutely no recording devices" of any kind allowed. Are you kidding me???!!! Well, you will just have to trust me on this one. They worked hard, and they loved it! I guess there are some memories we still have to keep in our minds, and share with our children one story at a time.

Coming Soon

No, it is not another baby. Seriously.

Coming soon...a redesigned SmallWonder.ca!!!

I decided that it will never get done unless I start telling people about it. Now, I will feel foolish if I don't get the site finished. So, there it is, a promise to all of you that there will be something new in the next few weeks. New layout, revised pricing information, added products and some fun stuff, too. I can't wait for it to be done. I hope you like it.

Taking Care of Business

Small Wonder was supposed to solve all my problems. I could do business from home, take my 2 boys to and from school, and have plenty of time left over for shopping! It seemed like a flawless plan. But as we all know, life throws you curve balls, and ours was a third baby boy. Now, he is an absolute angel and the most wonderful curve ball we have had the pleasure of being thrown. Still, life and business are not happening exactly how I had planned. I am now so exhausted most of the time, I can't imagine taking on any work, or marketing my business, or updating the website, which needs it badly. And when I do occasionally get a burst of energy, probably induced by an overdose of caffeine, it seems there is not enough time between feedings to get anything done.

If you happen to be a Mom and/or a business person, you know that this is not an unusual circumstance. The real surprise is that both business and parenthood benefit from the same strategy. Baby steps. Make little strides every day. Break things down into small, do-able tasks that can be accomplished in 30 minutes or less. It sounds simple, but getting a small something done is better than doing nothing because its all too overwhelming.

So, will I be Super Mom to three boys and a multi-million dollar business woman? Probably not. I may never be either of those things. Can I move closer to my ultimate goals of raising a happy family and finding a little success for myself? You bet. One baby step at a time.

Where is the camera when you need it?

So, my beautiful baby boy decided that he would roll over. It was a momentous moment. Well, really it was his frustrated reaction to being left on his tummy while I was baking cookies. Needless to say he was pretty upset by the time he got over, and the video camera was no where to be found. The next day I put him back on his tummy, because I am mean, and he got mad and turned over again. Still, no video camera. Seriously, I put him there on his tummy to make him roll over, yet I was not holding the video camera??? What was I thinking. The sweet boy has not done it since. He just refuses to roll over. And now he doesn't even get that upset when I put him on his tummy. He just spits up a little, pushes up on his arms and checks out the blanket he's on. Crawling can't be too far off, right? Better get the camera ready.

A Digital Age

How many digital photos do you have? I can't even count them all. I was looking through them today and couldn't believe how many I haven't even seen before. It has been 4 years since we bought our first digital camera, but somehow I have still not made the transition in my mind from prinited photos in a scrapbook to whatever it is I am going to do with the thousands of digital photos we have taken and continue to take. This wouldn't bother me so much except they are almost exclusively photos of our children. As an adult I feel connected to my past by looking at the photos and photo albums from my childhood. And even more important, I get a glimpse into the childhoods of my parents and grandparents by looking at their old photos. How will our children and grandchildren connect to their past?

Slowly but surely I am trying to wrap my head around the digital legacy we will leave. It frightens me that if something happens to my hard drive, many of the photos will be gone forever. And with digital photography, there are literally thousands of photos taken, instead of hundreds. I want to find a way to customize the viewing method, choose the best pictures and make it entertaining to look at them. Most importantly, I don't want to print them. I don't. It takes too much time. It costs a lot. And it feels wrong to take the medium of the present and convert it to the medium of the past.

So, I came up with this idea of the Video Scrapbook. It seems like a great idea, cause when I looked it up, other people had thought of it, too. I started making them for myself and my family. Then other people saw them, and they wanted one, too. The best part about them is that my kids love to watch the Video Scrapbooks of themselves when they were babies. Already, they are able to connect to their past. And isn't that what taking pictures is all about?

It is a small wonder

When I started my business, I spent the first days trying to settle on a name. What I do is related to children, so I wrote down every word I could think of that could refer to babies and children. My business relies on a website, so I then began searching for each of my favourite names online. After much deliberation, I settled on Small Wonder. It wasn't my first choice and I wasn't in love with it, but it worked. I have since found so much meaning in the name that now it helps define who I am.

So, what is a Small Wonder?

Each of my three beautiful children are a small wonder unto themselves. I see it every day when I look into their curious eyes, and I hear it when they tell me what they are learning in school, or in the case of the youngest, when he makes cooing sounds that mealt my heart. And their very existance in my life is a small wonder. They defied the odds, they survived the risks, they triumphed over my deepest fears! Well, they defied the odds, anyway.

And they inspired me, as part of an ongoing quest to be a better person, to start a business. Small Wonder not only in name but in definition. It is definately small, despite my continuing efforts. Yet, it is wonderful, because each time I compile the beautiful memories of another client and their family, I feel connected to them. I see how similar we all are, and how precious each moment of life is. And when I see or hear their reaction to the finished product, I know I have done something good. I am not saving human life, or effecting world peace. Mine is a small wonder, one that allows me to feel happy and fulfilled at the end of the day.

So, although the phrase "small wonder" can have a negative connotation, "Small wonder he doesn't get frost-bite, playing in the snow with no mittens." it can also have a very positive feeling. "Remember when our son was 2 months old and he learned how to smile? Small wonder."