Epicurean Mom: Family

Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts

Photography and Wine Tasting in the Santa Ynez Wine Country

I'm a sucker for my DSLR and bring it everywhere with me. It could be the photographer blood in me (my father was a photographer my avocation and was a physician by vocation) or that I just love anything creative; regardless my DSLR is always at my side and I'm shooting away.

I love to find the soul of a subject. Candid moments are truly the most intimate.

(My beautiful sister Sara)

My sister and I both inherited the photography gene from our father. We crave, no need to photograph.

We were at a friend's engagement party the other night (post to come) and both of us were shooting away, similar to the paparazzi.

A few weekends ago my sister came for a visit to Santa Barbara. We laughed, ate, wine tasted and (of course) photographed.

I haven't been to Sonoma or Napa but our quaint and beautiful Southern California Wine Country is pretty spectacular. It may not have the clout of the Northern California Wine Country but it is far less congested, and has amazing photo ops.

Lola 10 months

Every month is flying by! My lovely Lola Belle is 10 months! She is now saying: "Hi", "Dog" and "That!" Yes, "That!" I'm assuming since we point at EVERY object and say "What's THAT!?" She has now adapted that term. Lola is coming up on her 1st Birthday and lots of birthday planning has begun! I recently started making her birthday invitations, which will be posted very soon! Happy 10 months sweet Lola Belle!

Tutu Sisters

We finally had a break from the constant rain we've been having the past few days, so I took the opportunity to dress the girls in their tutus and snap a "few" shots....

Blooper shot....

(Kyla stuck an acorn on Lola's head just as Lola did a high-speed crawl away from her and Kyla leaped to grab it off her head)

Rebel Pictures

Lola Belle

Lola Belle

Born 05/28/10 @ 11:11pm

7lbs 19 1/4in

Bill, Kyla and I are so excited to announce the birth of our Baby girl! I was induced with Cervidil on 05/28/10 @9am. There was a 50/50 chance this method would induce labor. Between 2-4 hours after insertion of the suppository cramps are supposed to start then 4-6 hours contractions should start etc... Both 2,4 & 6 hours flew by and still nothing!! Everyone was pretty confident I would be there for quite sometime and would probably have to be given pitocin. THEN at about 3:30 the contractions started! They were very mild and everything progressed very quickly. At about 7 the contractions were almost unbearable but I thought it was still to early for an epidural. Within an hour I was shaking from the pain and requested an epidural. Unfortunately the anesthesiologist was already requested by another patient so they said I needed to wait for about 30-45min. Finally at around 9 the anesthesiologist, Dr. Gordon, came in and administered the epidural. I was blown away by how amazing he was! I could feel and move my legs and feel every contraction but not the pain. After the epidural was in place the nurse checked me and I was at 6cm when I was 3cm right before the epidural! At about 10pm I told the nurse I could feel a lot of pressure and it felt like the baby was going to slip out. She checked me and I was 10cm. Dr. Ramos was with another patient so I had to hold on tight, literally! Dr. Ramos came into our room at around 10:30 and with a few short pushes Lola was born at 11:11! Everything went smoothly but the nurse and my Ob said it was very good we induced on Friday. My labs showed my platelet's were low and my liver enzymes were slightly elevated, which is a sign of preeclampsia. Other then the labs coming back sightly abnormal I felt great and Lola was perfectly healthy!

Waiting for Lola's arrival