Jen here with another First Year post!

Last month, Logan was not a fan of tummy time.  If we got a few minutes in before the pouty bottom lip came out and the tears instantly began to flow, it was a miracle.  But here she is at four-and-a-half months and so much stronger and more confident at lifting her noggin’ – she is starting to enjoy this new trick, especially when her overly excited momma is cheering her on!

Along with any of Logan’s new milestones comes my desire to capture the action with my camera!  I consulted Me Ra’s book, Your Baby in Pictures, for a photo recipe that made documenting tummy time a cinch!  Here’s what I did…

Preparation

The best photos of tummy time are when the camera is positioned at eye level with baby.  Logan’s tummy time is usually on the floor, but if you can find a large flat area off the ground for these photos, you will have a much easier time maneuvering around.  I used the bed, but you could also use a smaller surface, such as a couch or chair, just as long as someone is able to be on standby next to baby in case he or she wants to practice rolling!

I placed Logan near the natural light source in the room – a window covered by a sheer curtain.

Camera Settings

I set my camera to Aperture Priority mode and selected a lower aperture of f/2.8 to blur the background.  My ISO was set to 200 because there was an abundance of light in the room.  I needed to be able to freeze the action, especially since Logan’s head is still wobbly during tummy time, so my shutter speed was 1/200 sec (200).  I always make sure my on-camera flash is turned off.  I turned the camera to Continuous Shooting mode so that I could quickly capture several frames at a time.

Compose

I like photographing this milestone horizontally, but vertically would work just as well.  I positioned myself to be at eye level with Logan.  I filled the frame with her head, hands and arms.

Capture

When Logan was looking straight at the camera, I simply focused on her eyes and clicked the shutter!  Cheering her on gave her increased confidence and she rewarded me with big, gummy smiles!

I also tried my hand at a few shots with Logan laying on the floor in her nursery, but it was a lot harder for me to move around and get at eye level with her.  My camera settings here were ISO 1000, 1.8/f and 1/80 sec (80).

I tried this photo recipe several times since these photos were taken, and the best shots were always at the very beginning of Logan’s tummy time session since she gets tired quickly.  If at first you don’t succeed, take a break and try again later.

Now it’s YOUR turn!  Use this super easy photo recipe to capture you baby during tummy time and share your favorite image on Me Ra’s Facebook page.  We can’t wait to see what you capture!

Meet me here next week when I share with you images from Logan’s first taste of veggies.  Meal time just got a whole lot messier!

First Year Cheers!

Jen

Jen here with another First Year post!

It was 2:00 a.m.  Logan and I managed to get some much needed sleep that night, but as the effects of her teething tablets started to wear off, she woke up needing extra comfort.  We ventured into her nursery, found the baby Tylenol, and made our way to the glider in my favorite little corner of her room.  As I sang her favorite lullabies, I felt her body begin to relax.  The rocking back and forth kept time with the soft melodies and whispered words floating from my voice.  Soon my little Logan was asleep.

I was beyond tired.  This was one of several nights in the beginning of a new chapter of Logan’s first year – teething.  The sprouting of her tiny teeth was the source of so much change in her little body.  The once peaceful sleeper was now up every few hours in discomfort.  It broke my heart to listen to her whimpers during the day as I massaged her gums with my finger.  But now, after she was finally comfortable enough to drift off to sleep again, when she and I were able to return to bed for another few hours of much needed rest, I found myself staying awake a little while longer just so I could look at her.  Tears streamed down my cheek.

I took in all her beauty, her innocence, her simplicity, and found I was thinking so many things.  I remembered, after a period of unexpected loss and illness, how excited and nervous and relieved I was the moment I found out I was pregnant.  I remembered the first time I felt her move in my belly, the little flutters that reminded me I was creating new life.  I remembered the moment she was born into this big world and how looking into her eyes for the first time made me feel complete.  I thought about how much joy she continually brings to my life, how I love watching her discover new things and grow.  How did I ever get so lucky?  What did I do to deserve such a miracle, this perfect little baby?

Logan had been asleep for some time.  I was still holding her in my arms, rocking gently, keeping her warm and safe.  In that moment, I’m not sure who needed who more, so I continued to hold her.  I would gladly hold her all of her nights.

Do you find you still get misty-eyed when you look at your baby, whether she fits perfectly in the cradle of your arms or is starting a family of her own?  Please share your thoughts and memories below.  I’d love to hear what you think of when you look at your beautiful child.

Meet me here on Monday when I’m going to share a photo recipe from Me Ra’s book, Your Baby in Pictures, that helped me to capture Logan’s tummy time smiles!

First Year Cheers,

Jen

*Jen is teaching a May Workshop for Moms in Georgia.  Click here for more details on Jen and her workshop dates!

This week is all about celebrating Mom whether we get to do that in person in TX at Flourish or through the blog posts!

What better way to make Mother’s Day this Sunday unforgettable then capturing a beautiful photo of mom?

With my dear friend, Sarah Wilkerson–the fearless and beautiful CEO of Clickin Moms, (if you haven’t checked out the wealth of photo inspiration at Clickin Moms, you must), and my awesome team of CONFIDENCE teachers around the country, together we have come together to give you twenty four different photo tips for helping mom shine in a photo!

Photos of mom are so important, they are the visual legacy we leave our children.  When my kids are older, I want them to have a rich collection of images of their mama so their kids, and the generations to follow, will know how much I loved life.  Even though I endured seasons of great pain and deep loss, their mama still shined from within.

Photo: Brian Tausend  / Sitting on top of Egypt’s Sand Dunes, 2013.

Every mom has that beautiful, inner, shining spirit.

Follow the link to my Babble column for 24 Ways to Help Mom Shine in a Photo this Mother’s Day.

xo,

m

Looking for the Perfect Mother’s Day Gift? 

Check out my bestselling book, Your Baby in Pictures.  Find out why almost 70 people gave it a 5 Star Review!

Jen here with another First Year post!

Logan turned 4 months old yesterday!  Can you believe how fast her first year is flying by?  Sometimes I wish I could press the pause button and freeze time for a little while so I can enjoy her at this stage a little while longer.  But with every new day there seems to come another exciting, new development, and I’m always excited to see what’s next.

These days, Logan is so observant and really takes in her surroundings.  One day, as I was watching her stare at one of our dogs eating her treat, I thought…I wonder what the world looks like from her perspective? And so, I thought I’d have a little fun and capture with my camera some things she sees daily from her point of view.

Ten Little Toes

Logan is all about sucking on her fingers and hands, which are easily available for chewing.  Her feet, however, are not as reachable and just amaze her.  Whether she’s sitting in her swing or on the couch, she is captivated by her wiggling toes.  It’s so neat watching her begin to figure out how to make her toes move.  She stares at them so intently, you can practically feel her brain working!  Don’t you just love baby feet with their pudgy little toes?

Reach Out and Touch Someone

I read that one of the best things for developing a baby’s brain at this stage is reaching for and grabbing things, so Logan spends a lot of time at the gym…the activity gym, that is!  She loves visiting her colorful friends who dangle overhead.  Over the past several weeks, Logan has gone from accidentally hitting the toys to reaching and grabbing for them with one or both hands.  Her favorite is Mr. Lion.  The two of them have had many babble conversations.

Peek-a-Boo!

I’m not sure who loves the game of Peek-a-Boo more – Logan or me.  Her big gummy smile and little laugh light up my heart each time I peek around her favorite blanket.  I wondered what I must look like when we play this game, so I found out.  I will tell you that this was a real eye opener for me – I make some crazy goofy faces!  I thought I’d share with you one of the tamer, less embarrassing images.  After all, I *do* want you to come back to read this column next Monday!  HA!

What are some of the things your baby sees or does on a daily basis?  Why not get creative and capture these things from your baby’s point of view?  What a fun, unique way to document your baby’s milestones!  Post your favorite image on Me Ra’s Facebook page – we’d love to see what you capture!

Meet me here next Monday for Logan’s latest, not-so-greatest milestone – teething!

First Year Cheers!

Jen

*Jen is teaching a May Workshop for Moms in Georgia.  Click here for more details on Jen and her workshop dates!