Copeland-Bialoglow Portrait 2009

Annual portrait, Copeland-Bialoglow.

--Daddy

PS: wish you were here, Momma

Professional Headshots, NJ

Video Greeting, Christmas Day 2009!

--Daddy

Destination Wedding Photography

Merry Christmas

[CLICK ON IMAGE FOR FULL VIEW]

This morning is going to be a lot of fun!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

--Daddy

Manhattan Wedding Photography

Sleddin' 12/20/2009

We got about 10" of snow 12/19 into 12/20. Despite it being in the mid twenties outside, the boys were gung-ho to get out there and get at it.

After they tired of the cold, they went back in and I shoveled it all.

As I was almost finished Hunter came outside again and began crying hysterically as all the snow was off the driveway and walkways.

"Put it back, put it back!" he kept crying.

--Daddy

Professional Children's Photography

Hunter's Birthday Party 12/19/2009

Great cake provided by Obasan!

The Batman pinata. Hunter would not allow it to be beaten so Mechelle had to create a pinata out of paper and plastic bags!

Elizabee and Hunter go blue tongue.

Surreal Scenes Around Our House

Shit Reed Says

Reed playing games on the PC is yelling excitedly, "I got him, I got him, I got him!"

"Who," I ask.

"The guy who says I'm going to drink your blood!"

I am guessing this is not a Spongebob game.

--Daddy
...on mobile.

1st Snow this Winter 12/5/2009

Hunter out enjoying the snow two weeks ago. Of course last night we had a big snowfall and yesterday was Hunter's 3rd birthday...pix to follow.

--Daddy

Trying to Get Home

Hunter turns 3 tomorrow. I am in Charleston, SC, my flight to Charlotte cancelled. I cannot get to Newark and home today. If I stay in Charleston there is nothing until 545PM tomorrow and I don't land in Newark until 10PM

I have decided to drive the 4 hrs to Charlotte hoping to get on a 945AM flight tomorrow. Supposedly snowing up there so this might all be an exercise in frustration but Hunter turns 3 tomorrow!

--Daddy
...on mobile

Update: Made it home by 1:30PM!!

Andrew Jackson?

So, Hunter goes into my wallet this AM and in an unusual turn, finds a handful of twety dollar bills and a couple of singles.

He grabs the twenties and says, "Andrew Jackson."

Reed and I look at each other.
"How did he know that," we parrot each other.

"Well," says Reed, "I know that Beethoven is on the one dollar!"

--Daddy

Decorating our Christmas Tree

Decorating our tree accompanied by Johann Strauss waltzes; a new tradition?

--Dad
...on mobile.

Autumn's Last - November 1st, 2009

I am way behind publishing to the boy's blog. Here are pix from a great Autumn day in one of our favorite spots, Ringwood State Park in NJ's gorgeous Skylands. November 1st, 2009. We had a great time with a minimum of fighting until Hunter pushed Reed off of a low wall and Reed hit his chest. Reed started bawling and after 90 minutes there it was clearly time to go home. Goldberg's Bagels provided sustenance for the ride home.

--Dad

Family Holiday Photos in Bergen County

4:45AM, 09-Dec-2009

Hunter is out cold. Asleep.
"You know it Christmas when Santa comin."
Back asleep.
...on mobile.

Shit Hunter Says

"I'm strong, you're strong, Reed is weak."

Reed is blocking Hunter's path.

Hunter: "I'll just kick you in the penis!"

--Dad

Goodbye to Summer '09

A photo from September (above) and July (below). I love the photo of Amber & Reed because of their wildly different expressions. It's like they don't belong in the same picture. It's fun to imagine them as adults and imagine what they might be thinking.

The picture below is one of my favorites from the summer. Summer '09 wasn't great weather-wise but we still had a great time outside when we could. Here Hunter and Reed survey their world from atop the boulder that is a focal point in our backyard. Mom and Granny Florida are on the deck, hard to discern in this small image but I know they are there. Just a great moment to revisit.

CLICK TO VIEW ENTIRE IMAGE

New Jersey Wedding Photography

Halloween, Reed's Birthday 2009

Halloween is special for all kids but especially for ours since it is Reed's birthday! We had a small party for Reed and then went out Trick or Treating but the weather was rainy so we didn't stay out long. Many thanks to Obasan for a couple of these pix!

--Dad

Professional Family Portraits --in your home!

More shit Reed says

Reed is on the bed, naked. He is slapping his "junk."

Me: Why are you slapping your junk?

Reed: I am petting it.

Me: Why?

Reed: Because it is my favorite.

Me: Your favorite what?

Reed: My favorite pet.

--Dad
...on mobile.

More shit Reed says

"Your underwear is ugly because your butt is in them."
...on mobile.

Hunter Said

Hunter is pooping.

"Dad, I need something to hold."

"What do need to hold while you are pooping?"

"I need a gun; a pistol."

"Why?"

Long pause.

"I dunno, just get me one."

--Dad
...on mobile.

Hunter's Dinner

Shredded wheat topped with a copious portion of grated parmesan. This is only because we have no sprinkles left. Can you tell Daddy is on his own tonight?

--TB
...on mobile.

Cranberry Harvest

Hunter grooms Uncle Otis.

Reed wearing my shirt after falling in the stream.

Hunter's impeccable balance!

Don't give him the keys!

A parabola of cranberries.

Picking up those left behind.

We recently spent a day at Double Trouble State Park in Bayville, NJ. I have wanted to see and photography a cranberry harvest for a few years now and learned last year that there is a working cranberry farm in this state park, and harvest is typically in early October. The harvest was 10/9 to 10/12 this year so I grabbed the boys and we made the 120 mile drive in my Acura RSX. For a two hour drive in such close quarters, Reed and hunter behaved in near exemplary fashion. This means I only had to pull over and break up a brawl once. Not bad, eh?

We met Uncle Otis, Aunt Allison, Aaron, Amber and amber's friend Meghan there.

We had a good time. the boys discovered they don't like the taste of cranberries. The farmers tossed us a painted turtle to check out. Reed fell in a stream and the gentleman I asked to take our group photo dropped his Nikon D90 in one of the cranberry bogs (my bad luck rubbing off, I reckon). After he dropped his camera I decided I'd rather not hand him mine

Here are a few photos...I will post some of the actual harvest on my photography blog and add a link here in the next few days.

--Daddy

Professional Wedding Photographer NYC

Checking out the painted turtle.

At the edge of a bog.

Foremen, hard at work.

Random Comments from Reed

"Can't you see I am trying to focus on this game?!"

"See you later, Tom!"

--Dad

Random Comments from Reed

Reed: I want to get two dogs, a huskie and a German leopard.

--Dad

Hunter: First Kid to get Stitches

On 10/2/2009 Hunter was engaged in his typical acrobatics...leaping from couch to coffee and end tables. This day he judged poorly and smacked his face on the edge of the table...biting through his lip. Mechelle took him to Valley Hospital where a plastic surgeon gave him 5 stitches...some of which Toofy has already removed himself.

When I asked Reed if he was scared when he saw his brother bleeding, he said, "No, it was cool."

--Dad

Professional Headshots

Emotions

Reed: When I get mad I feel that in my heart but I feel happy in my head.

-Dad

More Reed One-Liners

Kids in the bath last night with glow-in-the-dark vampire teeth. Scaring Daddy. I said do you wanna see something really scary. Yes, they nod. I turn away, contort my face into a mein of rage and turn back around doing my best monster growl.

"Weak," says Reed, "Lame."

--Daddy

NJ Professional Headshots

More One Liners from Reed

I tried to scare Reed and Hunter tonight. "Weak," was Reed's Reply. "Lame."

Random Comments from Reed

Got a new driver's license; Reed wanted to see it. He looked at it flipped it over a couple of times and said, "Impressive."

Last night, trying to get Reed to sleep and he was annoyed with me and he says, "I don't like your attitude!" We both cracked up.

Watching Hellboy II together and Prince Nuada kills his father the king. Reed looks at me and says,"I would never kill you, Dad."

--Dad

NYC Wedding Photography

Aaron and Amber Visit

Some photos from Ringwood Manor and its environs. Love it up there!

Pix taken on Saturday, Sept 5th. A glorious late Summer's day!

We had Amber and Aaron with us for the weekend and the boyz couldn't be happier!

We started out in Ringwood Manor, headed home for lunch, out next to the Ramapo River for crayfish hunting --they were everywhere. Here was also the low point of the day when I fell in the river with my D700 DSLR (sent into Nikon service yesterday). Headed out for an OK dinner at a Chinese buffet and then to Wyckoff to catch a great fireworks display. A full and great day with 4 of the best kids I know.

--Daddy

New York City Wedding Photographer

WEEZER

Reed has learned to sing Weezer's Buddy Holly. Yesterday we had to drive around for 30 minutes after we got home so we could both sing along 6 or so times. Hunter provided strenuous head-banging and air-drums.

--Dad
...on mobile.

With GrandPa Bialoglow

--Dad

New Jersey Wedding Photographer

May You Cry Only Seldomly

I was ruminating on how wildly happy my boys are almost all the time and how great it is to be a kid surrounded by people who love you and make life easy and fun for you.

Then it struck me that at times in their lives, my children are going to have to struggle with emotional pain. I am not talking about "I don't wanna go to bed now" crying but the kind of crying you do when you feel that you will never get better...that some part of you has died and some part of you doesn't want to go on living.

This hit me hard and I found myself almost in tears thinking of my boys REALLY hurting one day...and crying that cry that you feel might consume you the rest of your days.

I know that you will hurt one day and while I am still able to I will do all that I can to help you. But, here's to hoping that you will cry only seldomly and the happiness you have now will last the rest of your days.

--Daddy

NJ Professional Wedding Photographer

Reed Layne Bialoglow: August 2009

State of the boy.

--Dad

New Jersey Wedding Photography