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happiness is...
This past February Hal and I took the kids to the library. No big deal, right? Every day parents take their kids to the library. Ah, yes. But this was a particularly special outing for us because it was our last adventure as a foursome before finding out that we would soon be a six...some?

I snapped the above shot of Fable in the grass at the foot of the Los Angeles County library. It was just us on this massive stretch of lawn and sidewalk, fountain and stairway, as Archer sat watching the traffic pass on the corner of 5th and Grand while Fable ran around in circles, arms outstretched, pretending to be a bird.
IMG_3448
That day Archer taught Fable how to roll down a hill and Hal and I discussed for the thousandth time whether we should try for a third child, how it would affect us and them and THIS. They, our kids, were finally old enough to appreciate libraries and lawns and rolling down hills that weren't so hilly. Starting over with a new baby would change that, would change everything. Were we sure we wanted to go there? Was I? We linked arms and sat in silence as Archer counted cars and Fable chased shadows, big kids, both of them. How did this happen? Where had we been?
IMG_3419
IMG_3489
IMG_3471
"I really want to go there, yes."

And perhaps, in some cosmic way, I knew I already had. That tails had already formed and with them the clues of two crossword puzzles, Saturday and Sunday editions.

I was recently asked to pick my favorite post of the year which is kind of impossible because every post is so totally different and every choice is arbitrary and favorites are for race horses. And yet. For whatever reason, this post was so obviously it. Because after weeks of shock and fear, I was starting to feel excitement, awe, acceptance... Because these pictures were taken before we knew... Because even though Fable felt like a big kid then, she was still, at the time, our baby. And now she's this girl, who knows to avoid mud puddles, and can roll down even the steepest hills.
IMG_3459
...Because on that afternoon, in the lawn at the foot of the library, laughing with closed eyes, she was two. And unbeknownst to me, to us, so were they.
one

***

Thanks to everyone who has shared photos thus far. They're amazing, all of them and I can't wait to share some of my favorites next week. In the meantime, if you're still interested in entering the Captured Photo Contest (for a chance to win a $500 gift card to Best Buy c/o Federated Media) go to flickr.com, upload your (up to five) photos and tag them #CapturedPhotoContest_GirlsGoneChild. Please also remember to make them "public" so I can see them. Unfortunately some of your photos aren't showing up in the collection and nobody knows why. Soooooo, please double check that your images are included here and if they're not, post their link(s) in the comments so I can include them in the contest. For more info, see this post and for rules and regs go here. Thanks, everyone!

30 comments:

Robin | 1:52 PM

Maybe it has something to do with I just opened a flickr account but I posted mine a few days ago and they aren't showing up. Glad that you noticed. I'll try to put the links here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72050023@N03/6508577733/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72050023@N03/6508318613/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72050023@N03/6508317311/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72050023@N03/6508317187/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72050023@N03/6508317063/

Let me know if you get them. Thanks!

Glenda | 2:19 PM

Rebecca,
Your writing style... your words... your posts...make me all teary. EVOLUTION...how beautiful post...without knowing you were carrying two... beautiful! x6

Kim | 2:23 PM

My husband works downtown and that library is an awesome place to take pictures. I would go ahead and show those, but I didn't take them, so it would be cheating.

Zakary | 2:33 PM

Yeah, mine aren't showing up and I tagged mine the first day.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41705600@N06/6462667237/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41705600@N06/6339678748/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41705600@N06/5331850380/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41705600@N06/4709911199/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41705600@N06/5413891432/

GIRL'S GONE CHILD | 3:39 PM

Okay, all. From flickr:

"I understand that you need assistance on how to assist your
readers to
allow their photos show in search results for tag. Please
allow me to be
of assistance...

To ensure that your photostream is included in public
searches
either on Flickr itself and/or any third party software that
accesses
Flickr via the API (including Yahoo! Image Search), you can
modify your
settings by going to the link below:

http://www.flickr.com/account/prefs/optout/

Alternatively, you may select which photos to include in
searches by
following the steps below:

1. Go to Organizr by clicking "Organize & Create".
2. Select the photos you'd like to include.
3. From the "Permissions" menu, click "Hide/show in public
searches".
4. Please make sure that the checkbox is not selected."

Let me know if this helps!

GIRL'S GONE CHILD | 3:39 PM

And thank you kindly for your words, Glenda. xo x6 at you, lady.

Keene | 4:13 PM

I'm so glad to know other people couldn't get their pics to work either! I've tried three separate times and just gave up. I love your pictures and it's such a sweet reminder of those baby days. I miss them.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41528858@N04/6506501969/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41528858@N04/6506501123/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41528858@N04/6506500389/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41528858@N04/6506499417/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41528858@N04/6506498739/in/photostream/

Amanda M | 4:50 PM

Mine aren't showing up either, but the link to all four is http://www.flickr.com/photos/72046216@N04/

Hope you can find them! My username is Preppypitbull, but I thought I tagged them all correctly. Hope this does it!

Robin | 5:47 PM

I just tried what you posted Rebecca and my box wasn't checked so they should be showing up. I did try and tag them all again but it was already showing them as being tagged.

Maybe they'll show up eventually. If not I posted the links in my previous comment. Lots of great pics to choose from...glad I'm not the judge. :)

Jen @ RamblingRenovators | 8:13 PM

That's a wonderful favourite post. I'm glad it bubbled to the surface.

Mama Smith | 9:00 PM

This is such a powerful set of images and words... It makes me want to have another baby right away (though not sure how I'd handle two!). Fable looks like so joyous- we should all be that carefree. Thanks for sharing.

Overflowing Brain | 9:30 PM

My picture isn't showing up in the collection either. I made sure it was public and my permissions were unchecked and all that jazz, but still no picture for me.

Here's my link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/overflowing_brain/6047976400/in/photostream

Anonymous | 6:24 AM

I am so glad that you posted the option for putting your photos in the comments! I read your blog daily but rarely ever comment. I find your blog and your insights amazing!

Anyway, it was hard to choose just 5 photos, but here they are:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72013397@N07/6505390595/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72013397@N07/6505390187/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72013397@N07/6505390081/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72013397@N07/6505390021/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72013397@N07/6505367757/in/photostream/

Warrior Woman | 8:20 AM

My photos are not showing up either. Here are the links.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/washeestanley/6508848435/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/washeestanley/6508850651/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/washeestanley/6508852257/in/photostream/

Priscilla Edwards | 9:06 AM

Mine didn't show up either. Here's the link:www.flickr.com/photos/72224653@N02/
It should have 2 photos.
Thanks

Anonymous | 12:30 PM

I keep my kids' photos private, accessible only to family and close friends. The fact that people with less-than-honorable intent may be oogling at my babies makes me very uncomfortable.
Privacy is becoming a vanishing concept. My family is old-fashioned in that we don't post our babies' ultrasound images online, nor do we post pictures of our hugely pregnant bellies for all and sundry to gape at. We're not prudes; far from it. We just don't throw everything out there for public consumption.

GIRL'S GONE CHILD | 1:21 PM

Good for you, Anon! Glad you're doing what makes you feel comfortable.

And everyone else, thanks for sending your links! Sorry that this has been such a headache with the tagging! Can't wait to peruse the photos that I haven't been able to access until now!

xoxoxo!

GIRL'S GONE CHILD | 1:24 PM

Jen & MamaSmith - Thank you for letting me share. xoxoxo

Priscilla Edwards | 3:37 PM

You don't share your pictures but freely "oogle" other peoples?
Nice.

heather morris | 4:08 PM

I hate to give you more work to do but mine were not showing up either.Thank you for allowing us to post the links in the comments. Congratulations on your brand new twins! I know it must be a lot of work but they add perfectly to your beautiful family. Happy Holidays.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/72318006@N08/6523134577/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72318006@N08/6523134667/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72318006@N08/6523134783/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72318006@N08/6523134863/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72318006@N08/6523134949/in/photostream

eliza | 5:51 PM

Mine aren't showing up either. Here are the links:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72248563@N02/6523479443/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72248563@N02/6523479349/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72248563@N02/6523524263/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72248563@N02/6523479103/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72248563@N02/6523478965/in/photostream/

eliza | 5:56 PM

Hmmm ...
Links not working either. Let's try again.

http://flic.kr/p/aWsLug

eliza | 5:59 PM

http://flic.kr/p/aWsxav

http://flic.kr/p/aWsx8T

http://flic.kr/p/aWsx4D

http://flic.kr/p/aWsx2g

Anonymous | 9:15 PM

I don't have any pictures to share, and don't feel the need to shame everyone else that has, ahem: Anon... I just wanted to mention how I LOVE the joyful look on sweet Fable's face in that first snap. That's the reason we're alive--> to feel joy and to witness it!
Karen

Karah | 6:37 AM

Hmmm... Mine didn't show up either. I'll try to retag them but just in case:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27386805@N08/6505804761/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27386805@N08/6344059145/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27386805@N08/5536021158/in/set-72157626212406992

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27386805@N08/5787249764/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27386805@N08/5535427331/

Samantha | 3:18 PM

Mine have not shown up either..

Here they are:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66140787@N04/6527991911/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66140787@N04/6527981407/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66140787@N04/6527948421/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66140787@N04/6514126885/in/photostream

April | 11:36 PM

Rebecca, I love this contest! I'd love to enter more in the future, should you post other various photo challenges, even if there's no giveaway!

Unknown | 2:33 AM

i'm not sure if all of mine are showing up so here is my link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marissaperry/tags/capturedphotocontestgirlsgonechild/

Karah | 9:21 AM

Yes I agree even if there isn't a giveaway I like photo challenges. I'm not good at them but they are fun.

Robin | 5:23 AM

I just found one of the other photos I really wanted to upload but couldn't find before now. Here is the link just in case the tag doesn't work like on my other photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72050023@N03/6537477975/

I have removed one of my other tagged photos to make room for this one since the limit is 5. Hope it's okay to add this one to the mix.