Guest Blogger at Random Handprints - Welcome Sarah!

This guest post is from the very talented and optimistic photographer, Sarah Sloboda. Sarah shares her tips for getting the best photos of the little ones this springtime.

Thank you, Sarah for all the great tips!

Spring is the perfect time to experiment with photography because you can get outside and enjoy the sunshine, the kids can run rampant, and you can turn off the flash and take advantage of the natural light. Some of my favorite places to shoot in New York City are listed below - I recommend letting the kids run free, and experimenting with the direction of the sunlight and backdrops.

1. Brooklyn Bridge Park – There are lots of trees and buildings and bridges, so whatever your pleasure - urban backdrop or greenery - you'll find something here. Plus you can reward the kids with a walk over to the playground when you're done.

2. The High Line – The High Line boasts an awesome stroll for you, and tons of interesting things for kids to occupy themselves with while you frame the perfect shot.

3. Roof decks – Take advantage of your building's (or a friend's) roof deck! Just getting outside into fresh air has an inspiring effect on kids and adults alike. You'll find yourselves breathing deeper, and relishing even a brief respite from the confines of the old apartment.

4. Sheep Meadow – Nestled on the west side of Central Park, diagonally northeast of Columbus Circle, is the sprawling Sheep Meadow, where you can pack a picnic and sit in the sun or shade, blow bubbles, play catch, and capture memories.

5. Prospect Park – A little trip to Prospect Park will reward you with a feeling of connection to nature. Prospect Park is more wild and sprawling than its Manhattan counter-part, and you really will feel like you have traveled outside of the city. Incredibly photogenic views abound.

You can learn lots more tips at University of Sarah, and from Sarah herself this Thursday, April 8, at 12:30pm when she'll be hosting a teleseminar to Introduce "Photo Workshops for Moms." Get all the details here.

Thank you Sarah for sharing your fantastic ideas and for guest blogging here at Random Handprints!

I forgot the baby!

I'm linking-up this old post to yeah write #53. If you're here from there, welcome!

I always worry this will happen, and this morning it did.

I was racing around the house, trying to remember everything, reminding Magpie (age 6) what she needed for school on this first day back from spring vacation and asking Kay (age 3) ever so nicely if she could please put on a dress or even a tee-shirt over her ever-present bathing suit.

Then it was the looking for the shoes, and the sweatshirts, and the arguing over whether they needed a coat if it was going to be 75 degrees later (their argument) or if they needed at least a light sweater because it was only 48 degrees now (my argument).

Next was a heated debate on what exactly constitutes the public schools "closed toe" policy on footwear, and then, finally, we were on our way. Throw in a lengthy discussion about whose turn it was to sit where, and we were off, for real this time.

There we were. Two girls secure in their car seats, one mom at the driver's wheel of her giant SUV. I pulled into the elementary school drop off line, said "'Bye Magpie! See you after school!" like I did every morning.

And she replied as she did every morning with: "'Bye Mom! 'Bye Kay! 'Bye Ziggy!"

Only this time, she added this sentence for the first time: "Mom! Ziggy isn't here!" I tried to stay calm as I said breezily "Don't worry, he's just at home."

Meanwhile I drove home as lickity-split as only a person can who has just realized that they have left their six-month-old baby ALONE at home, and not even necessarily secured in a play pen or stroller.

And to make matters worse, because I was so distraught, even though the school is only half-a-mile away from home, I kept making wrong turn after wrong turn and ended up completely lost.

And right when I thought to myself, I am never going to find my house..... I woke up.