Life moves quickly with a child. The only way to really appreciate it is through still photographs--images that capture the essence and the emotion of a place and time. Yesterday we sat down as a family behind a camera on a tripod and captured a moment of us as a family for our 2014 Holiday cards and for Gates' monthly portrait.    

Any parent will tell you: savor these moments, they pass all too quickly. What moments? Those spent with little ones. (I'd argue that everyone, parents or not, should be savoring these moments. Parents are lucky in that we see how quickly time passes, and can appreciate it--specifically the lack of it--more fully, but that's another post.) I can't believe that 24 months ago, cubes and I were just leaving the hospital with a newborn baby and now we have a two year old.   Gates continues to spend four days a week with my parents and one day a week with me. I didn't realize how much I missed having an entire day to spend with Gates until we started hanging out again. (Don't get me wrong, it's the most exhausting day of my week. Keeping up with a toddler, planning educational and fun activities to engage her mind, preparing and serving meals she wants to eat, remembering not to apply judgement--positive or negative-- to her actions, and redirecting her energy into...

September was a crazy month for us here at The Station. The month started off with us frantically trying to complete our Summer Bucket List Challenge and ended with cubes in the hospital and Gates at my parents' house.     When we returned from Burning Man, cubes and I had decided we wanted to spend more time with family and friends. We dusted off our Summer Bucket List Challenge and looked at which remaining items we could complete in September. That first weekend we crossed off one more item: picnic at Mission Dolores Park. (Gates played at the playground, and, then because it was a little chilly, we ate at Regalito just a few blocks away.)     It's funny what you miss when your daily routine changes. I especially missed the times when Gates climbs up into my lap to hear a book or two being read. Coming home and waking up to a quiet flat was odd; Gates brings such life into a place. For most of a month, our interactions with Gates came through nightly phone ca...

16 months meant mobility. 16 months meant less time sitting in our laps being read to. 16 months meant seemingly never ending chases punctuated by brief pauses to change direction. 16 months meant savoring the time Gates did want to be with us.     Gates began taking tentative steps before 16 months. 16 months marked the moment Gates started walking with people other than mom (me) watching. And, no longer does Gates keep a hand free to steady herself, she now grabs two toys, one in both hands and off she goes. Each day she grows more independent. She can now rock herself in both her rocker and in an adult-sized rocking chair.     From my mom's notes: July 5th, 2013: "Wanted shoes on. Was trying to put toys on her feet! Played and walked "on-off" game with Shoes! Loves to walk holding fingers 2 handed -- fast. Will now try holding one handed walking!" ... "Walked and walked! Taking many steps by self at a time!" ... "Steps off with pride!...

Throughout the month I take a lot of photos. I start a lot of blog posts on the train, while I'm standing in line. I look forward to synthesizing those reflections on what Gates has been doing or is up to into a cohesive narrative for her The First Two Years Blurb book. Lately I'm having trouble finding the time.     This month's portrait and update almost didn't happen, for reasons similar to why Gates' Nine Month portrait didn't. With a new full-time day job and lots of projects going on, I've been prioritizing spending time with Gates over chronicling her life.   Not wanting another gap in Gates' twenty four month portrait series, we set up the camera on Saturday (a little late in the month) and had our photo session. (If you're planning on taking monthly portraits, keep it simple. I shared tips I wish I'd known before I started in place of Gates' Nine Month portrait.) Photos from Gates' 15 month photo session are up on Flickr, an...

Life at The Station has been crazy. Gates is changing rapidly. If it wasn't for monthly portraits and weekly iPhone snapshots as well as my mom's daily notes, I'd miss a lot. Trying to stay in the moment often seems like an unobtainable goal.     Fourteen months was full of milestones for Gates. First airplane trip. First time meeting her paternal great grandmother. First time meeting her cousin. (Unfortunately, documenting her first trip to NY is a project that requires more time than I have at the moment. If you want to see what Gates wore as well as photos of her with her Great Nan and Grand Aunt, check out this month's Flashback Fashion post.)     Fourteen months also marked the appearance of two new teeth, a third tooth on the bottom left broke through on May 10th with a fourth tooth on the upper left a few days later. Gates has never let the absence of teeth stop her from attacking food (she'll reach for and consume your sandwich if you're not paying ...

Gates has taken over The Station; it's no longer cubes' and my flat, but our family's flat. Her toys and books are in every space. Most of Wednesdays are spent cruising back and forth between in the front room and her room chasing SpriteKat or retrieving toys or books. I still can't believe I ever thought I could make our one bedroom Edwardian apartment work.     While never one to sit still, motoring at a very early age, Gates is now constantly on the go. Some mornings we're barely able to keep up with her as she's up and chanting "Go Go" before we've had our first sips of coffee. (My parents probably appreciate on those early mornings that we try to keep Gates occupied before heading out the door at a more reasonable hour.) Wondering how I got her to sit still for this month's portrait? I used her love of cameras, giving her one of my vintage cameras that I use occasionally as a prop.     One of the highlights of April was Gates' firs...

Gates has been on the go since about the time she turned four months old. And, this weekend's portrait session was no different. Gates had little interest in playing in front of the camera, wanting to check out the camera itself instead.     With cubes' help, I got two shots I really liked that show how much Gates has changed over the past few months. (Additional photos from the session can be found on Flickr .)     Which portrait do you like better?   In case you missed it, I shared how Gates celebrated her first birthday last week: among friends and family at our flat and enjoying her first Michelin star dining experience at Luce.     Here are highlights of what Gates has been up to from my mom's notes: March 7, 2013: "Worked at feeding self. Good work putting some in mouth!" March 11, 2013: "During water playtime, helps put toys in tub and later put them away!" March 14, 2013: "Took washcloth & "washed" hair and face...

It's that time again. Time for Gates' eleventh month portrait and a quick rundown of what she's been up to.     Time has always passed quickly for me, but now with Gates, it feels like we're hurtling through the universe at full warp. I can't believe that this time last year, cubes and I had just wrapped up our Mindfulness-based Childbirth and Parenting Program and were getting ready for Gates to arrive. Boy has our life changed.   This month Gates had posing down to a science, giving me a variety of different faces in our short session. (The keys to getting Gates to relax are not to stand directly behind the camera set up and to make funny faces and sounds.) Out of total eighteen photos, there were four we really loved. Additional photos from the session can be found on Flickr .     The lowlight of February was Gates' third cold, the second of 2013. Throughout it, she was in good spirits, continuing to play and to learn. She's fascinated by zippers, li...

January meant new adventures for Gates. A staycation for cubes and her, similar to the one Gates and I took last September, while I was at Alt Summit. Her first trip to the neighborhood playground and ride on a swing. Unfortunately, in January, we discovered Gates has a worse dairy allergy than I do; she can't have goat's milk. And, the end of January brought another cold; Gates' second.     Here are highlights of what Gates has been up to from my mom's notes: January 3, 2013: "All over the space" during playtime. Stands and takes steps holding onto furniture. January 4, 2013: Played the bells on the camel sculpture ("Camel Bells") for 10 minutes. Loves the various sounds of them! January 7, 2013: "Shows off" for Mommy! Plays "Camel bells." Shows Grandpa her talent. Loves to dance or rock to music when it's on and sing to it. January 18, 2013: Rocked with dangle toys for 10 minutes and sang "Row, Row Your Boat....

The month of November was a busy one for Gates. We've marked many milestones: first teeth; pulling up and climbing; and explorations with solid food.     Unlike the previous two portraits, Gates was hamming it up for the camera this month. You can see additional shots on Flickr . Here are highlights from mom's notes: November 2, 2012: Crawls and climbs. Shadows Velvet. Visits Velvet's room. November 20, 2012: Reading with Grandpa. November 21, 2012: Works at climbing onto couch to pet Velvet. Very thrilled! 1st tooth lower right. November 26, 2012: Loves to wave and crinkle paper. 2nd lower left front tooth popped in! Bounces and sings to music! Sits up by self now! November 30, 2012: Used copper washtub to support herself to look out window at wind, plants, and rain on window and outside. Gates also embarked on solid foods, trying a variety: November 2, 2012: Oatmeal with apple sauce. Soup, potatoes and zucchini squash mashed, potatoes and carrots in sticks, a...

Each month I take an "official" portrait of Gates. Each month, the task gets harder. The number of chances to get the killer shot fewer. Fourteen last month. Six this month.     More of Gates' personality is revealed each day, and we're already getting a hint that she'll be as obstinate and stubborn as I am. I'm waiting for the day she gets sent home from pre-school or grammar school for disagreeing with the teacher.   Steve Bowler (@Gameism)'s daughter did poorly on assignment for correctly categorizing activities by gender (activity to support student's comprehension of Allie's Basketball Dream (link to Classroom Guide (PDF) ). The teacher assigned the column headings: Boy, Girl, Both, and asked the students to sort activities into columns. @Gameism's daughter sorted most activities under Both, splitting boxes where needed ( link to photo ). They have a parent/teacher conference tomorrow and will update the Internet as to the thinking behin...

On Thursday, Gates had her six month check up at the Pediatrician. It's now time for baby proofing (like yesterday it turns out) and for solid foods. Here's a snapshot of what Gates was up to leading up to her six month birthday and how our lives continue to change.     At the beginning of September, Gates and I had a mini- staycation while cubes went to Portland for XOXO, increasing my already high respect for single parents. I had my hands full, and I wasn't even dealing with commutes and work!   When people say babies change fast, they're not kidding. Here's what Gates was up to before she celebrated her six month birthday on October 2nd (basically it's how she spent September). Less than a week after turning five months, Gates began feeding herself. She now reaches the turtle on her rocker and pulls him to play music. Play covers almost the entire bedroom floor; the play gym is a distant memory (dismantled and removed from the nursery after Gates learned...

For this month's portrait, Gates was all serious and stoic when I was behind the camera and smiles and giggles when I started to walk away. I captured her mid-laugh for her portrait by standing to the side of the tripod.     Four days a week Gates stays with her grandparents. My mom keeps detailed notes of what Gates does during the day. (View more photos of what Gates was up to in August, in The First Two Years Flickr gallery.) Here are some of the highlights from August:   "Wants to sit up. Arches top 1/2 of body 4 to 6 inches off of the floor when on her back. Loves to sit against my knees 'sitting up' & play with toys dangling from arch." - August 13, 2012   "Playtime: Roll over, scoot & 'sit up.' Very active. Showed off bubble blowing skills & singing." - August 16, 2012   "Playtime: Really loves to catch the rattles & hold them with both hands & shake & then hold with one hand & really shake for some time....

Earlier this week, Gates celebrated her five month birthday, and we'll be taking her portrait this weekend. Looking back over photos of her from the past month, I realized that I hadn't shared her four month portrait. So, here it is!     Throughout July, Gates enjoyed daily walks with her grandparents at Rockaway beach and being read to.   Later this afternoon we're going to reunite with the couples from our birthing class and see all the babies. I can't wait!   Ciao Bella! Eden   Credits: All layouts designed by and images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life. In The Nursery is a monthly series, published on either the second or fourth Monday of each month, depending on whether Gates has a well baby check up or not, that chronicles Gates' growth during her first twenty four months. This series was inspired by Nicole Balch of Making it Lovely 's series for her two children: Eleanor and August .

Gates' three month birthday is bittersweet. It signals the end of our bonding and time for me to return to my second job.     Luckily, my parents are able to watch Gates until we get full-time care near our home in San Francisco (we're on a waiting list like most other parents). Next month, they'll be providing the highlights of Gates' development. In the meantime, here's what Gates has been up to:   She plays hide and go seek. She can place her pacifier on her chest for safekeeping and put in back in her mouth later. She can clasp her hands together and bring them to her mouth.   Ciao Bella! Eden   Credits: All layouts designed by and images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life. In The Nursery is a monthly series, published on either the second or fourth Monday of each month, depending on whether Gates has a well baby check up or not, that chronicles Gates' growth during her first twenty four months. This series was inspired by...

Time has been flying by. I can't believe Gates is now two months old. She's changed so much since we brought her home from the hospital.     She smiles. She tracks you with her eyes as you talk. She's expanded her vocabulary beyond six main sounds. She's finding her thumbs and/or fingers consistently to self soothe. She can propel herself three to five inches off laps and changing tables, and across play mats. She occasionally sleeps 6 to 7.5 hours at night.   Ciao Bella! Eden   Credits: All layouts designed by and images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life. In The Nursery is a monthly series, published on either the second or fourth Monday of each month, depending on whether Gates has a well baby check up or not, that chronicles Gates' growth during her first twenty four months. This series was inspired by Nicole Balch of Making it Lovely 's series for her two children: Eleanor and August .