Grady: 5 months

5 month old Grady is amazing - he is SO much fun. Everyday he wraps his chubby little arms around my neck and I want to just melt into him. He gives the sweetest, most drooliest kisses known to man and laughs and smiles at me more than I could ever dream for. He lights up when he sees me and makes me feel like the most special girl in the room. He is my buddy; my sidekick. I love this little boy more than my heart can hold.

To see his previous months, look here.

Someone named Grady...

...totally cooperated for his first ever Christmas picture!

I love these so much because they show his personality so well.

I really wish I could bottle him up and keep 5 month old Grady forever

but these pictures will have to do.

And still cute even when he was done smiling.

So here are my Christmas picture taking tips:

1. Take pictures after your baby is well slept and fed - it's much easier to pull smiles out when this is the case.

2. If you're looking for nice bokeh (blurry background), in my case a Christmas tree,

pull your baby up a few feet so they will be nice and crisp and the background a beautiful blur.

3. Use a portrait lens - I used a Canon 50mm lens - f3.5, ISO800

4. Download a fun free Photoshop action like this one and edit your photos in one click!

DIY Paper Fan Party Backdrop

So in like me fashion, I was still pulling up my polka dot tights when guests were arriving for the Black and White party at my house and I didn't get any pictures of the party decor or food spread.

But of course I got photobooth pictures because, well, isn't that what photobooths are for?!

That's why I think photobooths are so great - they're the perfect place for people to make sure they get their picture taken.

And the key to a great photobooth is a great backdrop.
So my cohost, Kerry, and I decided to do a black and white paper fan backdrop.
a) Because it makes a statement & b) Because it's cheap and easy.

Start with a piece of paper and accordion fold it.

Then fold that piece of paper in half.

Staple or hot glue the open ends together.
(I started with stapling and ended up hot gluing most of them.)

Repeat with a second sheet of paper and then attach the two.

Repeat this process a bunch of times in the color scheme of your choice.

Then layer the fans around and on top of each other.
(Lucky me, I was adding these to a brick wall so I just hot glued them on and then peeled them off when I was done.)

Take a test picture to be sure it fills out the frame.

Add lights. 

Plus a banner if you chose.

Bring in a few photo-taking props.

And then let people take pictures! 

Done and done.

the difference between mom & dad

Christmas was so much fun with our 5 month old Grady Boy.

He had fun helping us tear into packages and tried to eat most of the wrapping.

Josh and I went shopping for him together as one of our 12 dates of Christmas and bought him some presents. But we also decided that we would each get him something special and not tell the other person what it was.

"Presents for me? You shouldn't have!"

"I love it already and I don't even know what it is!"

Together, we got him some new toys to play with.

This was us opening my gift to him.

He's working on his surprise face already.

"I'm better with my teeth."

I got him the book "On the night you were born" and wrote a special letter to him inside. 

We read it together after he opened it. I cried.

And now, Grady opening his gift from Dad.

With wild ripping and yelling, he revealed Grady's first Red Sox's jersey.

"Wow, a baseball jersey, just for me."

They may or may not have done a chest bump.

And that's the difference between mom and dad.

2012 resolution update

Happy 2013!! 

Naturally, I'm looking forward to this next year and all the new and exciting things it will hold.

I'm also thinking about some resolutions for this next year, but I thought first, I'd see how I did on my 2012 resolutions.

Here's what I wrote down last year:

Write more letters.

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I have so much beautiful stationary just sitting in my desk. This year, I want to use it up telling my friends and family I'm thinking of them and how much I care about them.

Update: I did okay on this one. I sent some unexpected cards and gifts, but that dang PostalPix app just makes it too easy. But I just bought some pretty Rifle Paper Co. stationary and I certainly plan to use it.

Step out of my hair comfort zone.

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Ever since a haircut gone wrong my freshman year of college, I've been scarred. I've had essentially the same haircut since it grew out. Last year, I gave up dyeing my hair blonde and tried bangs. That was a big deal for me. This year, I'd like to get a semi-dramatic haircut. 

Update: I just cut off like 7 inches - does that count?

Learn a new skill.

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This year I'd like to expand my skill set. "You know, like nunchuck skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills..."

Truly, I'd love to take a calligraphy course. That's a skill that I could find a use for. I've yet to find a local class though - maybe this year.

Update: I learned the skill of breast feeding. I learned the skill of power napping. I learned the skill of fixing dinner while holding a baby. Still looking for that calligraphy course, though.

Properly name my Photoshop layers.

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More generally, get organized. I've realized that the older I'm getting, the more unorganized I'm getting.

The huge stack of unfiled papers in my office rats me out daily. I'd like to correct this before it's too late. 

Dear iPhone, is there an app for that?

Update: Generally, this is still a work in progress. The kitchen table still collect stacks of papers. And I'd love to get time to tackle my storage room. But with the addition of print designs to my etsy shop, I truly have gotten better about properly naming my Photoshop layers.

Nail down signature foods.

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When I'm asked to bring something to an event, I flounder. I'd love to nail down some fabulous go-to recipes that I can learn to make by heart and have full confidence in their deliciousness.

Shelby, will you bring that thing that you make so well?

Don't mind if I do.

Update: I've nailed down a signature main dish, something that I would be proud to make for anyone and that my husband says tastes like it's from a restaurant.

I'm still working on perfecting a few dessert recipes. 

Go on more dates.

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With my husband. Intentional ones. Where we try new things and see new places.

And cherish good ol' quality time together.

Update: We definitely did this. With our son due to come in July, we knew dates would be few and far between after that so we dated hard. Dinner, movies, ice cream, long weekend getaways. And we've been pretty good about sneaking in some dates even with Grady here. Shout out to our awesome babysitters!

Get a library card.

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I sort of blame college for squelching my love for reading. I don't think I read for fun at all during those 4 years. Then I read the Twilight series. Don't judge me. And I remembered what it was like to devour a 500 page book in a day. To feel like the characters in the book were my friends.  And to get lost in a story. 

This year, I want to read more books. Any suggestions, friends?

Update: Hunger Games Trilogy. Enough said. 

And now that I know there is story time for kids at the library, I really am going to get a library card.

Entertain more.

Invite people over. Cultivate friendships. Use every one of my serving platters.

Update: I think I did use every single one of my serving platters at the Black and White holiday party I hosted. I forgot how good it feels to have your house filled with good food and friends. 

Be generous.

With money. With love. With grace. 

Remember that all my blessings come from the Gracious Hand above. 

Update: Having a baby made me generous, not so much with money (diapers are expensive!), but definitely with love and with grace. My heart is overflowing with the joy and love that my sweet boy brings me that I can't help but spill it on to others. And my journey through motherhood has reminded me just how in need of grace I am and has made me that much more generous in giving grace. May I continue in this always.

I know, I know, where are the eat healthy and exercise resolutions? We'll leave those for 2013.

Update: Turns out, those are on the docket for 2013. Josh and I are both hanging on to a few extra lbs and we plan to do something about it this year.

So, how'd you do with your resolutions? What are you gonna do differently in 2013?

Lately

I haven't been blogging lately.

But here's what I have been doing:

Hosting parties

Spending time with my family in DC & celebrating an early Christmas

 Celebrating Christmas in Richmond with Josh's family

Dating my hubs

Watching G experience his first Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas holiday. Hope you took some time off to relax and enjoy family as well!