And So I Don't Forget...

A Month of Milly // Days 14 - 17

Day 14: My little nudie-rudie, hanging out in the boat with her Dad in the driveway, while he does some repairs. Love the squishy hug here, hanging onto Dad's arm with all her might.  

Day 15: This is the day we headed away for a couple nights and I realised I'd packed the wrong camera, complete with almost flat battery. Not my finest moment! I played with some detail shots before putting the camera down to preserve some battery, but a moving 2 year old doesn't make for the easiest of framing. I think her concentration in this photo grabbed me, as well as the attention on just one side of her body.   

Day 16: The focus isn't great here, and her eyes could be better lit, but I love that cheeky grin and the crazy hair. Probably a dirty face too. That's her, with personality shining through. 

Day 17: I like the light and shadows on this photo. Milly was playing in her brightly-coloured little climbing gym and I encouraged her to peak out the opening at me, which provided a lovely frame. 

A Month of Milly // Days 10 - 13

So... it's no longer anywhere near February, or even March for that matter, but I do have the rest of the month's photos to share. Honestly, I didn't do so great with the daily aspect - more than a few sessions with my camera provided more than one day's worth of entries - and an (almost) two year old really isn't the most cooperative subject, but I'm so glad I captured so many of these photos. This project definitely inspired me to pull out my camera (as opposed to just my phone) and take photos of Mily more often and more intentionally.

Day 10: I adore this photo! I opened up this draft post (started back on Februrary 20th, and I have no idea why it took me more than a month to just add some words) and this photo, with her messy blond hair and dirty face, was like a forgotten present waiting for me. Her 'oh no!' pose.

Day 11: Milly and her aunty Jenna, at her dog themed second birthday party that Jenna totally organised for me. It so awesome, and all I had to do was invited people.

Day 12: I wouldn't say Milly has mastered blowing bubbles - more often than not the liquid just ends up on the ground - but she still prefers to 'I do it!'

Day 13: Look at me try and be all arty! ;) For this shot, I positioned the camera so something was right in front of the bottom half of the lens. I like the emphasis it places and on Milly's eyes, but I do wish those eyelashes were sharper in focus.

 

A Month of Milly // Days 8 and 9

Day 8: To take Milly's photo in the multifaceted mirror we have hanging in the hallway, I stood her on a chair. Despite me having a good hold of Milly she didn't feel safe so I only had a moment or two to attempt this photo. 

Day 9: After 2 years of maintenance / improvements, we got our boat back on the water. Milly appeared to enjoy the ride but wanted to stay very close so, although I did bring along my camera, I few quick shots had to suffice.  

A Month of Milly // Days 6 and 7

Day 6: I love how the light plays across her face in this photo. But really, it's all about those eyelashes! 

Day 7: After attempting to set up again today - 2 year olds are not the most cooperative models! - I went back to this photo I took (and didn't use) on February 1. And let's please ignore the dirty marks on our window please. ;) 

A Month of Milly // Day 5

While this photo was actually taken yesterday, it was from a different session than the photo I posted yesterday and so I'm calling it good. My challenge, my rules. ;) 

I adore this photo! I was attempting to take some photos of a sleeping Milly during nap time, but she roused, rolled over, saw me and that was the end of nap time. Sitting on the floor next to the cot, she played peekaboo with me for a moment before wanting to get down.   

A Month of Milly // Days 3 and 4

Day 3 - Just before Christmas I bought a new camera and I love it! After forgetting to take a photo most of the day, then discovering I'd neglected to return the memory card when I did think of it, this photo was taken late at night with only the hall light and a little torch for illumination. No way would my old camera have coped with these conditions like this. Asleep in her cot with giraffe and bunny. 

Day 4 - This was actually taken in a bright room, in a strip of strong direct light. I lowered the exposure while editing to give the photo its darker appearance and contrast. 

A Month of Milly // Day 2

So, the introductory post I intended to write yesterday but didn't. 

It's crazy to think that I first set myself a month-long photo a day challenge 7 years ago. That's 2 houses, one husband and a child ago! 

I've picked various themes over the years - 2011: A Month of Me, 2012: A Month at Home, 2013: A Month of Faces and 2016: A Month from Bump to Baby - managing to complete all but one, 2013 which petered out mid month but I was traveling in Europe so I give myself a pass for that one. 

The goal has always been to pick up my camera and learn and play. And man, I'm a much better photographer now than I was back then so something must have worked! :)   

So, this month I will be taking and posting a photo of Milly every day. And not just a snapshot or a phone photo, because I can do that no problem. I want to challenge myself to move beyond that, particularly in my use of light. 

That's the aim at least. I'm pretty big on giving myself grace with projects like this. Attempting is better than nothing at all!  

A Month from Bump to Baby: Day 29

With one last photo, A Month from Bump to Baby comes to an end. I haven't finished with anything artistic or elaborate; in truth I didn't even manage to select an appropriate shutter speed for this photo. Instead a simple snap of me and my girl, taken with arm outstretched.

This photo is a glimpse into my reality right now. No makeup and hair brushed that morning but not a thought given to it since. Glasses sliding down my nose as I never seem to have a hand free. Sitting in the armchair where I've spent so many hours since she was born. Amelia swimming in her onesie, as even the size 0000 is still too big. Her arms flying but her precious floppy head safely tucked up against me. And a smile, because there's nowhere else I'd rather be.

I'm so glad I committed to this project. Starting the month heavily pregnant then adapting to life with a newborn, there were times it felt like an incredible hassle to take, edit and blog a photo. Some of the images I captured though, they are absolute favourites. 

So very, very glad for this project and these photos.   

A Month from Bump to Baby: Days 27 and 28

Our peaceful little sleeping girl. Amelia is still a wonderful sleeper, once asleep happily being passed from arm to arm with barely a flutter of eyelids. (And check out those eyelashes!) Getting her to sleep, however, can take a bit more doing. Unless I'm in the middle of trying to feed her, when she's just as likely to doze off from one suck to another.  

This photo is a bit of heart-melter for me. How tiny she looks in her Daddy's arms, trustingly gazing up at him. Mike is so patient with her, adores her so, it's lovely to watch. 

Baths warrant a squawk or two when she first goes in but put that face washer over her chest and she just blisses out. It seems Amelia is fond of the water just like her Mum. :) 

The focus on this photo isn't perfect - the top of the face washer is crystal sharp, not her face as I intended - but the photo doesn't need to be technically perfect to be wonderful.   

A Month from Bump to Baby: Day 26

We had our first visit with the Maternal and Child Health Nurse the other day and in her little packet of information for us was a poster offering 72 different ways to praise your child. 'Good girl' comes so naturally, but we're encouraged to praise the action rather than the person. Mike and I have been joking, 'That was very productive' and 'Good effort' after a big burp or nappy change, but apparently by toddler years much of parenting will be habitual. It's a little daunting to think that we're already begun the process of raising what we hope will be a healthy, happy and resilient girl.  

And our tiny little girly with a big teddy bear, well I just couldn't resist. :)