Lucky us, we registered for the later start time for the run so we had plenty of morning time for quiche, coffee, hydrating,–ahheemm–(mimosas anyone?) and getting colored up in our gear.  We took a short drive to Candlestick Park and arrived with plenty of time before the start to get photos of the members on our team roster.

And now I’ll introduce the vibrant members of The Rainbow Brights—(please read these in your mind like a sports announcer so you get the effect, okay?!)

Leading the way in the rainbow spectrum, representing only the finest color of wine, is our weekend hostess with the mostess…..Kristy “Wineaux” Cropper!!

Next up, all the way from Colorado, soaking up sunny California-her home away from home-is the Birthday Girl…Sheri “Iddy Biddy” Morrison!!

And now, making sure she told-you-so, is our Bay Area tour guide extraordinaire, Jaime “TMITYSMF” (wrap your mind around that one!) Blanchard!!

Right in the middle, blending both ends of the rainbow seamlessly, is our classy road-trip chauffeur–Heather “Heazy” Betner!!

Up next, rounding the rainbow corner with her camera in your grill, is yours truly–Heidi “Cupcake” Betner!!

Now up to bat is the lovely-ready at any minute to whip up an amazing and ballzy DIY project-, Jennifer “Amaze-Ballz” Brantley!!

And blinging out the end of the rainbow in style, is the always spunky and vivacious–Ashley “$M@SH” Clark!!

Everyone was ready and willing to amuse me while I captured some of the fun while we were still crisp and bright.  Gooooooo Team!!

We lined up-or more accurately-clustered up with thousands of others waiting for the start.  Colors were already flying.We headed out for the 5K and traveled every way our feet could take us.  We jogged, skipped, grape-vined, walked, and strolled through the color stations to make sure we got our fair share of the color blasts.  There was no timer ticking, just a goal to enjoy the company of friends and the gorgeous San Francisco weather.The post race party kept the lively fun going.  We busted open our color packets and finished off the job!  I definitely spent several days scrubbing off all the residual color.  I’m telling you, that powder sticks.  Confession coming now; my color run shoes and clothes are still sitting in a bag in my laundry room so I’m not sure yet how the washing out of color will go.

I had a fantastic weekend with great friends and I enjoyed some laughs, some relaxing, and some tasty eats and drinks. Thanks ladies for some colorful memories!

I just love them.

“Mommy, come quick.  You have to come see what’s happening to me!”—–

Uhh, what?!  I had no idea what I might discover in there.  He seemed urgently excited-rather than concerned-so I followed and hoped that whatever it was wouldn’t require fixing via a plunger, tools, excessive towels, or a trip to the urologist……

Ethan jumped up on his step stool and showed me his first loose tooth that Nick had just discovered while helping him brush.  He was sooo excited.  I hugged him tight, told him how incredibly cool that is, and stepped out to tell myself to pull it together and not dive into a soul-searching meltdown over the meaning of my boy’s first loose tooth.  It just hit me as a defining moment of his transition from baby boy to just plain-and-simple boy.  Not a hint of baby left for sure.

We’ve been watching that bad boy like a hawk for a few days and it quickly went from having a slight wiggle to having a major wiggle.  I knew I’d better capture that contagious smile in all its little boy glory before it was forever changed.I’m glad I did because tonight it’s looks like we’ll be leaving a night light on for the tooth fairy.  That little tooth is tucked snug under my boy’s pillow while Nick and I sit up deciding how much coinage the tooth fairy leaves these days.I barely had time to blink before that tooth went from loose to missing and I definitely think I’m just as infatuated with this new smile as I was with the original.

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First off, we needed to keep Rowan warm.  Really warm.  We used heaters and blankets–our favorite cozy blankets that he peed on several times while getting those sweet naked baby shots.  I’m sure his tiny, clothes-less, newborn body must have been warm and toasty.  But for Nick and me–fully clothed adults confined in the small space of our dining room with our house heater and space heater blasting–it was like a sweating, photo session hell!  And when things aren’t going as planned (like your baby is crying) and you’re HOT, then everything that’s going wrong becomes your spouse’s fault.  Really, it was Nick’s fault that Rowan was irritated from being moved around so much.  It was also his fault that Rowan was hungry and we had to stop to feed him.  It was his fault that I’m the one with the proper anatomy to feed a baby, rendering Nick useless at this task.  And most of all it was his fault that he had a problem with me telling him that everything was his fault.  I’m sure I’ve made my point…being overheated and frustrated makes me a bad wife!
Next, we had to reposition him over. and over. and over. and over again.  And then again.  Newborns have a special ability to stay perfectly still as long as your warm hands and arms are holding them tight.  Then as soon as you let go, their arms and legs flail wildly.  This leads to an immediate self-startling effect followed by an awake and wailing baby.  Not the best series of events when your goal is photos of an angelic, peaceful, sleeping little one.  And if overheated and frustrated makes me a bad wife, then the repositioning-flailing-wailing-baby calming-blanket peeing routine makes me a bad mom.  Nick took a break from the session to pick up Ethan and his buddies from preschool while I kept working on different shots.  When three preschoolers busted through the door there was no “Hi guys, how was school!?”  Rather, they were greeted with, “Shhhh…go straight outside with your McDonald’s lunch, DON’T TOUCH baby Rowan, shhhh, not a peep…OUT!!”  Wow, nice homecoming greeting, huh?!  I’m telling you, it was intense.And lastly in the moment juuuussst before it’s time to capture the shot, comes the game I like to call “Pulling the Pacifier.”  It’s a heavenly scene with a warm, fed, cozy, soundly snoozing, perfectly positioned baby.  Nick keeps his hands holding Rowan in place while I fire off all the test shots, tweaking my camera settings to find good lighting and focus.  Then when all is right, we take a deep breath, I hold the camera still and ready, Nick slowly pulls his hands away, aannnddd Pulls the Pacifier.  What happens next?  The shutter fires away at the command of my trigger finger and, well…the photos speak for themselves.