Birthday Video!

I put together all of her Monday Pictures for her birthday video!

Music:
Baby Mine by Allison Kraus
Father and Daughter by Paul Simon

Week 52!!!

Welcome to ONEderland!    I can't believe 
1)  My baby is one year old 
2) How beyond wonderful the past year has been
3) I was able to keep up with the Monday pictures!


The theme for her birthday party was just this, Adeline in ONEderland.  All of these props were decorations for her party, so they served double duty this week.  I found a lot of them at The Christmas Tree Shop.   If you've never been there, you're so missing out.  I think I did several laps over two hours that day just to be sure I didn't miss anything.  The hanging flowers, large flower mugs (actually, they are planters), random pieces of china, and plastic tea set are all from there.  I bought the gerber daisies at Michael's and glued the googly eyes on there.
As usual, Adeline played her role beautifully, hosting a Mad Hatter tea party!
I have loved every second of being her mommy and sharing her growth with a fun picture every Monday :).  My plan is to continue a Monday picture, just on a monthly basis.  
What a fantastic experience it has been.  My baby girl has brought so much to my life, including inspiring a whole new career.  My own little muse <3

Week 51

Bee Mine!  As someone pointed out to me (no names necessary. MELISSA.), this was the last of her 'first' holidays.  Sniffle.  How did one year (a.k.a. 52 Mondays) fly by so quickly?  However, she made such a sweet Valentine bee, you'd think she'd done this before!  I set up in front of the window and stood on an ottoman to get this angle.  She's sitting on the heart pillow from Target that I had stalked for several months, hoping that it would make another appearance in the stores around this holiday.  The tiny hearts scattered are 50% metallic hearts cut from a Valentine garland, 50% photoshop (with the opacity turned down to about 60%).  Her bee ensemble is also from Target and had been sitting in my closet since around Halloween.  I knew I'd need it at some point...at least that's what I told myself as I threw it in the cart.

Week 50

Always the photographed, never the photographer... no more!  Following a dramatic coup d'etat, Adeline gained control of the camera.  And if you look a little closer.... is that mommy in the lens?

Same simple setup here.  Black sheet thrown over the back of the couch and facing the window.  I had a picture of her up on the preview screen of the camera to get her attention.  She always recognizes herself in photos, which is shocking because she is rarely photographed! :)

Week 49

Punxsutawney Addy has seen her shadow!  Six more weeks of winter!  (Right?!  I never know which one means more winter.  I have to look it up every year!)  I will admit, this Monday Picture was a doozy.  Sunday morning I still had no clue what I was going to do.  I ended up spending nap time wandering around the craft store for ideas.  Luckily, Groundhog's Day was later in the week and was able to save my Monday Picturing life.  After 45 minutes of walking up and down aisles, this is what I came up with.  I have to wonder what the employees think of me as I roam aimlessly around the store for so long.   Good thing there are a few craft stores in the area so I can change it up, and not make some "weirdo" list they have in the security room!
This lovely patch of grass is a green trifold board that would typically be used for science experiments.  With that in mind, I created my own experiment but finding which tool would make the biggest mess while cutting out the hole.  Three tools later, I had a jagged hole that I found super irritating.  But time was a'wasting!    I propped up the board and scattered fake grass all over it.  Addy was intrigued by it, which helped get the shot.  I plopped a monkey headband on her head (not quite groundhog ear, but a better choice than elephant ears.  This was panic time, people!) and I sat her in the hole.  My lovely assistant stood behind her with a high powered flashlight to create her shadow.  Move over, Phil.  Here comes Addy.

Week 48

This little end-of-the-rainbow treasure is brought to you by the letter A for Adeline.  I can't think of what to say about this Monday Picture because I just keep staring at it.  My all-time favorite.  Without a doubt.  You'd never know she was feeling like one sassy little lassy and only allowed for a 2 minute shoot.  Ohh I can't get over how natural lighting makes her eyes sparkle.  Who needs gold when you have those baby blues?  I found the rainbow at a party store and the kettle belongs to a friend (Hi, Katie!  You're never getting it back!)  I'm currently searching for another one so if YOU know where I can find it, do tell!  Her headband is a stretchy sequin strip taken right from a roll and tied around her head.  She has been wearing headbands for 48 weeks now, so she doesn't even blink.  The blue shower curtain and attached rainbow are hanging off the back of my couch, facing the window (something new and different).

Week 47

If you have ever spoken to me, you would know how this Monday Picture epitomizes the sleeping habits of my daughter.  My little night owl.  Actually, I could have also dressed her up as a little partying sorority girl because of the hours she keeps, but that seemed far less appropriate.  I shot this photo at night (there are 24 usable hours in a day- especially here) and used a flash.  Her nest is made from two undecorated wreaths from the craft store and her hat is from Target.  Animal hats were huge this winter but I had a hard time finding a cute owl that fit her!  To keep the wreath from poking my little owl, I lined it with towels.  It never touched her skin.  She is sitting on a coffee table, being spotted by my lovely assistant, and I am lying on the floor in front of her.  Looking down at me with her "Show Me Serious" look created the supermodel pout.  Watch out, Tyra.  There's someone here whoooooo wants your job.

Week 46

Who wants the last cupcake?  This little goodie is extra sweet.  Addy proved her professionalism this week when she struck her own pose on the cake stand!  I had not expected this at all!  The first few shots she sat on the stand, looking cute, but also resembling a  person watching a basketball game at the arena... legs apart, hands on her knees, leaning forward with a focused stare.  She must have suddenly channeled a baked good and curled right up into this pose.  Perfection.  The background is a brown blanket thrown over the back of my couch, facing a window.   This hat was made by a friend, the owner of Bare Hearts Creations.  Check her out :) Bare Hearts Creations