Holy walking Batman!

So the Miss decided to just up and walk on the night of her 1st birthday. So awesome! She has slowly been getting more courageous over the past week and taking more steps alone.

Today that girl wanted to walk everywhere. I babysit on Wednesday afternoons for a friend who has three kiddos. Normally she's super delighted in their interactions as the youngest is a year ahead of her. She squeals and crawls after them trying to keep up but not today. Oh no. Today, she was busy walking. She walked all over that house. Down the hall, in the playroom, around and around in the living room and then off into the kitchen.

It's kind of surreal. I remember last year what a tiny helpless little thing she was and now, holy cow, she's walking. All by her self. Like a big girl.

Not going to lie... It almost makes my uterus ache for another peanut. But not just yet. I'm still very much enjoying having just her. Besides, I'm not sure I'm ready to spend 9 months with a garbage can within arm's length.

That little girl amazes me with her strength and persistence. She tries her darnedest to get into everything and when you walk over to get her after she's ignored you for the 5th time she looks up with this huge smile and those blue eyes sparkling and you can't help but light up too.

She has the charm of her Daddy and the attitude of me. It's quite the combination I tell ya. She's a firecracker and now that she's on the move, we really have our work cut out for us!

I am beautiful project.

I found a link to a great photography project by Jill Samter. It's to get all those women who hide behind the camera in front of it and to teach them to revel in the true beauties they are.

I felt like I needed to do this after how I've been feeling lately. Though my inward thoughts are super positive and energetic, it seems like every time I look in the mirror all I can see are my flaws. My frizzy, unkempt hair. My super pale skin and lips. The ever darkening dark circles under my eyes. Motherhood is catching up with my looks. Or so it seems.

After having read the challenge to see myself as someone who was created wonderfully, perfectly and fearfully by God I took some time to stare at my reflection. I know. How vain!? But i'm the type of person that needs to sit with a problem and mull it over to find a solution.

You know what I saw? I saw a woman with big gorgeous eyes, freckles that reflect her childhood and a strong willed, young mother and wife who is determined.

I am beautiful. I am beautiful through the frizzy hair, the extra pounds on top of the extra that was already there. I am beautiful even if I don't wear makeup or get to do my hair. I am beautiful because I was created by God. He chose my features specifically for me. I am created in his image.

Now it's your turn. Go stare yourself down until you find that beauty through the "flaws" too.

YOU are SO beautiful.

tiny humans

Mine is 1 year old today.

I'm amazed. I have survived one whole year of being a mother. More importantly, she has survived one whole year of having me as her mom.

She's come so far from that tiny helpless little bundle. (Jason thought she looked like a pineapple with a baby head when we swaddled her. I kinda agree)

See? She was tiny and pineapple shaped when we brought her home.

And then she grew...

And grew...

and then grew some more despite all my protests.

What I find so incredible about this particular tiny human is that she is mine. She started out as two little cells that met by chance and now here we are 1 year and 9 months later.

She's walking (when she feels like it). and loves to babble. She can feed herself anything and everything and loves to be upside down. She has an infectious laugh that makes her wrinkle her nose. She hates getting her diaper changed or getting dressed. She loves bath time and would spend all night in the tub if we'd let her.

She loves music and dances all the time. She gets into everything but you can't really stay mad at her when she's ripped the covers of your favorite vintage paperbacks because just look at that face, she's so dang cute.

She has four teeth on the top and is currently working on #3 and 4 on the bottom too. She also feels as though everything needs to be taken out of containers or slid off of tables and strewn across the floor. This makes for a cluttered home but I'm glad to see she's found something that makes her so happy.

Look at the difference one year makes:

I'm so glad that little spirit chose us. I'm so glad we have her! I can't imagine our little life without her. I can't think of any better way to spend my days than playing with this tiny human. She makes life just that much more sunshine-y.

Happy happy birthday little Noella Kathrine. We love you oodles and oodles.

Rule of thirds and composition

So! I'm participating in this photo challange for the SITS girls in an effort to educate people on the importance of sharing their work through Pinterest. (also to help me improve my photography skills)

Today's assignment is to work on composition using the rule of thirds and to eliminate distractions in your frame. So I'm going to post a few examples of good composition and a few pictures not using the rule of thirds with lots of distractions.

This is a good example of composition. The horizon is straight, there aren't any unnecessary distractions and it even uses the rule of thirds!

This is another good example of composition though looking at it now I wish the floor boards would have been more straight but, It uses the rule of thirds, there aren't a ton of things drawing your eyes away from the cantaloupe.

This is a bad example. This really doesn't have a main point to focus on. Your eye goes from the bed to the window to the pile of blankets in the corner and over to the bright yellow shirt crumpled on the pillow. This picture was taken to show what I wore for the day on my 30 photo challenge with my friend Heather. Looking at it now I'm saying YIKES! I included that? Eh. Live and learn!

This one is another bad example. Can you guess why? It's busy. SUPER busy. Even though the focus in on the rattle resting on the block, you might not see that first with the box and the giraffe and other toys in this picture. The carpet is also a little distracting as it's angle slopes downward giving you the impression of things sliding off the frame. I took this picture a few weeks ago when I was playing with the amount of bokeh my lens could do. (not much since it's my kit lens and the f/stop only goes down to 3.5)

To wrap things up. Things to remember when taking a picture:

1. Eliminate distractions where possible.

2. try to get the horizon as straight as possible (unless you're going for the tilty effect)

3. Rule of thirds!

Happy snapping!

You know you're a mom when...

...you know the exact moment to remove the bottle from the tap by sound alone and get it perfect every time.

...you can dish yourself dinner complete with gravy one handed with a baby on your hip.

I did both of those today.

Yup. I'm one talented lady!

It amazes me how dependent on two hands I was before I was a mom and how many of those tasks can now be completed with one.

Take sweeping for example. Most people need both hands to sweep the floor and I've figured out how to do it with only one. Mostly because Noella likes to chase the dirt I'm sweeping in an attempt to stick her hand in it and then lick it. (we're working on teaching her that dirt is not a major food group)

Clearly, I'm not this flexible but you get the idea...

The Miss has suddenly needs me to hold her any time I'm doing anything during the day. I've got to say I'm kind of enjoying it. It's been a few months since she's wanted to be just held close. She was super independent starting from the time she could sit up by herself. She's always wanting to be moving or doing something. I'm relishing these days when she slows down for a nice long snuggle with her mama.

1999

Mister was listening to a Destiny's Child song and this was the conversation that ensued at the end of the song.

Jason: "This song was from their first album way back in 1999"

Me: "Wow. That IS a long time ago..."

Jason: "Yeah. Ya know back when I was in college and you were 10."

Oh how I love laughing at the age difference between the Mister and I!

weirdo

Mister calls me a weirdo when I eat ice cream because most of the time, this is how I eat it.

Out of a cup. He says he's never met anyone else who does this. It's how we roll in the Tupper house when it comes to ice cream. Therefore, I'm NOT weird. Just a Tupper.

Do YOU have any habits your someone special thinks is super weird?

Joy

I wanted to share some things that have brought joy into my life recently because everyone can use a moment of reflection now and then.

1. Noella. Simply put, she makes me smile no matter what. Even when she's screeching to be released from the horrible torture of her car seat. She cracks herself up constantly and gets so so excited when she's going holding a stuffed animal that she makes this little face and her whole body shakes with anticipation of snuggling it. Lately she does this thing where she crawls over to something she knows is forbidden (even after a very stern "Noella, No.") and without any eye contact attempts to touch it. With her hand on whatever it is she immediately looks at me and breaks into a smile. It's super duper cute. I just wish she wouldn't do it while trying to get to the light sockets...

2. Mister. Another obvious choice. But things have been particularly swell lately. He gives me so many bed time rubbin's on my sore knees or my lower back which seems to be in a constant state of ouch-iness. He also never ever fails to make me laugh with his uncanny ability to change lyrics to any song on a dime to suit the situation.

3. The times when the sunshine decides to finally fight the clouds. Oh how I wish we had more of these types of days! But I relish the few we do have.

4. The Christmas lights we left up on the wall behind the love seat. I love the light they give off because it's soft and romantic and reminds me of our wedding night. Besides, who doesn't need a constant reminder of the magic of Christmas?

5. Planning Noella's birthday. This year, that little girl is going to have at least 3 celebrations. Possibly 4. This has me tickled pink because it's a big deal. I know it shouldn't be a super big deal but I can't help but be excited by her triumph of her first whole year surviving me as a mom. Also, this may be her first and last birthday in NH but more to come on that later.

6. The constant state of chaos in my living room. When Noella is in bed and Mister and I have wound down a bit you'd think we'd be more motivated to enjoy the time we had with a picked up living room floor without all the obstacles/toys on it. No. We leave them there for Noella to find in the morning. It reminds me even when she's in bed that there is a baby here and some things are more important. (Like snuggling into bed early to watch Archer with the Mister)

7. My camera. I love that thing. (Thanks Mom and Daddy-o!) I don't think one day has gone by that I haven't either picked it up and taken pictures or learned more about how I can improve the future photos to be taken. I have come so far from where I was when I first picked it up and I'm so excited to see what new skills the future has in store for me.

8. My mountain of pillows. Okay. So here's the deal. Sleeping when I was pregnant was a monumental task. Well, not the actual sleeping part. The getting comfortable enough to get to sleep part took forever and a day. So I used pillows. I had them literally tucked all around me. And I kinda... got used to having a little pillow nest. So they never really left the bed. But I love having them to flop onto when getting into bed. They are comforting. And oh so soft.

9. Future plans. For those of you who have not yet heard, there is a plan set in motion for us to move yet again. But to the great state of Florida this time. Jason has a great opportunity to change careers and actually do something he enjoys so of course we're going to jump at it. We don't have a moving date yet but it's something we need to be ready for. That being said, I get to make plans and research possible towns to live in and what not and I LOVE doing it. It gets me all sorts of excited for a change this big.

10. Being home with Noella. I have to say, there are times that I miss working in the daycare but so much good has come from me quitting (even if had originally quit to get a different job insteads). Noella for the first time since October of last year is actually super healthy. No snot running, no puking, no fever, no diaper explosions. It's been so lovely to have a healthy little girl again. Not to mention all the play time we've logged lately AND the gratuitous amount of lovin's I get from that giggling ball of chaos.

There you have it. 10 points of joy in my life as of late.

Okay... 11... this picture brings a HUGE smile to my face. I love it.

What are some things that have brought YOU joy lately?