loves to paint...

hates to get real messy.

At Christmas time when I tried to do some fingerpainting projects with her, it was a big fail.
She didn't like fingerpainting anymore.
brushes only.
Now when she paints, I keep a wet washcloth on the floor next to her.
If she gets a tiny dot of paint on her, she picks it up and washes it away herself. :)

morning.

We heard some freezing rain may be coming, so in effort to help break up our simple and easygoing day Quinn and I went out for a little morning treat.
Todd has been working most weekends this month, fortunately though we get lots of time with him during the week when he is home earlier during the winter season.  But still we missed him today.

Heard from a friend to try out a new little place in town.

pretty sure that little hand ate most of the mini-donuts. :)

 

 

I ordered a dozen mini-donuts for us thinking we would have a few leftover to take home for Todd.

Yeah, not when this little girl ate 8 of them!  And really, I could have cleaned off a dozen myself easily after we discovered how light and yummy they were.

 

Hope you are enjoying your Sunday morning too. :)

taking photos of a toddler.

toddlers are not the best models when it comes to a little photo-taking.
I have learned quickly that it is more about just catching them as they move around and do things on their own.  It is rare to get a good little posed shot, that is for sure.

sometimes those move around and catch them candidly shots may not seem the best, but you may be amazed at what you can get.

sometimes just a little editing can turn that on the go picture into a pretty portrait.

quick editing - cropped off the back bow (from the side 2 bows was a bit much and drew away from her face), covered her pink hairtie, and did a very simple lighting change that gave it a softer look.

 

quick editing - cropped for a closer shot, covered the pink hair tie, and did a quick lighting change that brightened it up a bit and gave it a little vintage look.

 

I do not believe that all photos should be edited, but sometimes it can take a picture and even with the tiniest tweaks make it something a little more frameworthy.

 

I do usually use photoshop for editing, however both of these pics were edited on a free photo-editing website that is super easy to use...showing that anyone can do it. :)

 



mama.

Finally!!!

Can I get a "Hallelujah!" because my girl finally calls me Mama!
Let's rewind many months to Quinn's sweet little baby days and when her first word was uttered, "mama" she said.  And she continued to say it for several months, just baby babble, not calling me "mama", but she was was saying it.  Then somewhere around 10/11 months I believe it was completely removed from her vocabulary, gone.  So, you could say for a whole year we have been waiting for it to re-enter and be the sweet little word she would say to her mama instead of "uh-uh-uh!"  I'm pretty sure it started to cross the line on pure stubborness somewhere around 20 months, and then really crossed the line a month ago when she would constantly say "papa" (grandpa) and "daddy", and then we all would say "mama" to her and she would simply give this sly little sneaky smile.  yeah, I was determined she was doing this on purpose.

So, a few days ago as she entered her last month as a one year old, it finally came.
"Mama"
and she was looking for me.

Now, I hear it throughout the day and it usually sounds like this "mama, mama...mama peas". (please)
and really it's mostly when she wants something, but....i'll take it! ;)

simply girly.

sure there are blocks and legos and lightning mcqueen cars around this place, but let's be real, our playtime around here is relatively quiet tea parties, playing dollies, dance parties, baking cookies...

and times where polka dots, ruffles, & pink ribbon all collide together for the ultimate girly girl.

i love being mama of a little girl.
this week alone we took in two new disney princess movies:  Cinderella and Little Mermaid. 

and this is my new favorite mama & daughter playtime activity...

the best.

dear jack frost.

dear jack frost.

you are not fulfilling your annual duty. 
this simply just won't do.
there are little girls glued to windowpanes waiting for inches of snow.
snow to play in, build in, sled in, and eat.
pretty please bring us some snow.
it is winter after all.

love,
Quinn