#monthly chalkboard baby photos | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

saharamae21 · 4 years ago

Text

Lilypad - Drew Starkey Imagine

Author: sguymon21

Summary: A request for Drew where the reader is pregnant and throughout their pregnancy he does bump updates and pregnancy updates for both you're families because they don't live in LA. Like her bump getting bigger, the weird cravings she's having, videos of the baby kicking, decorating the nursery, mood swings, parenting classes, and whatever else you can think of? REQUESTED

Word Count: 1.9K+

Warnings: None

__________________________________________________

When you found out you were pregnant, you were ecstatic. The only person who stood a chance of matching your excitement was Drew. You knew how much he wanted to start a family, so when the time finally came, he cried. He held you in his arms and placed his hands on your stomach. You knew he was going to be a fantastic father.

Month One

When Drew told you that he wanted to send your families monthly updates, you were completely on board. At one month, you lined up at the wall, chalkboard in hand, and had him take your side profile. You giggled as it felt like a mugshot. Nothing was noticeable yet in the photos, but you were definitely experiencing changes. The morning sickness was already to affect your everyday life and you became super sensitive to certain foods. Even the smell of coffee in the morning made you want to throw up, even though you normally needed a cup or two most days.

You sat on the couch and held your stomach. Even though your baby was only the size of a half grain of rice, they were fully controlling your every move. Drew sat down next to you and pulled you into his chest.

“Do you want a boy or a girl?” he muttered. You smiled, knowing what he wanted already. He wanted a little girl that he could spoil. You on the other hand wanted a boy. You wanted a mini Drew running around the place.

“Secret,” you mumbled. He chuckled at you as you closed your eyes. The fatigue set in, causing you to fall asleep in his arms. He watched the mother of his child with the most admiration possible and hoped that in a few months he would have a new girl to hold in his arms.

Month Two

The first month passed quickly and you found yourself in front of the wall again. You held up the blackboard that read two months and smiled for the camera. However, as soon as it was taken, your smile faded. You were exhausted and your hormones were going crazy. The doctors informed you that you had to severely limit your caffeine intake and withdrawal was setting in. Your head was constantly in agony and the nausea had somehow gotten worse throughout the past week.

Drew got home early from a shoot and looked around. Usually you were in the living room, but today the apartment was silent. He knew you didn’t have a doctors appointment and began to worry something was wrong. He opened the door to your guy’s bedroom and found you nestled in between the sheets. He smiled at your sleeping figure before crawling into bed.

You stirred awake and flickered your eyes open. Drew eyes met you and it filled your heart with warmth. All the sickness and fatigue was worth it when you saw the way he looked at you.

Month Three

The first sign of life appeared when you looked at the picture for month three. A small baby bump presented itself as you excitedly held up the blackboard. It wasn’t very big, but it was enough to make the both of you emotional. He held you from behind, his hands on your tummy. This was his new favorite position. He loved to have as much contact with your unborn baby as he could.

You laid on the floor of the apartment angry. Your emotions weren’t quite back in check and the crazings were starting to set in. All you wanted was peanut butter and tortilla shells, but you were out of peanut butter. You had asked Drew to grab some on the way home, but he was having a less than ideal day and said no. That put you in a mood and you haven't moved since. You wanted to have a stand off and wait until he caved and agreed to get it for you, but the baby was demanding food.

You forced yourself up to look in the cupboards, but nothing sounded good. Feeling emotional and defeated, you sat down on the kitchen floor and just began to cry. Minutes later, the door opened and Drew walked in. He heard you crying and knew that he should’ve had more patience with you. He walked in and crouched down in front of you, holding a new container of peanut butter out for you. You sniffled and looked up at him, knowing that if you two had a little girl, Drew would never be able to say no to her.

Month Four

You stood against the wall with a huge smile. Your stomach was continuing to grow every week and your excitement grew with it. You had begun to think of names for your child, but Drew and you had different tastes. Drew didn’t want to play into the whole celebrity child names, but you wanted something different. No child of yours would be named Jacob or Hannah.

You sat on the couch with the most energy you had in weeks. Drew slumped next to you, just in the mood to cuddle. You were in the mood for other things though. It was the first time in the past few months that your sex drive was back. You leaned over and pressed your lips to his neck, causing him to jump. He looked at you as your hand gripped his shirt. He looked at you wide eyed and told you politely that he didn’t want to. You stared at him, mouth agape.

“I-I just don’t wanna hurt the baby,” he said with the most innocent look on his face. You laughed at him and placed a soft kiss on his lips telling him that you loved him.

Month Five

You stood up as straight as you could, proud of the baby that was growing inside of you. You held up the sign and smiled as big as you could. Drew was running around the house for the past week, excitedly talking your ear off. You were supposed to find out the gender this week and he literally couldn’t wait. You two had finally settled on names and that made everything so real. If it was a girl, she would be Lilith. If it was a boy, he would be Jasper.

You sat in the doctor's office with Drew. His arm was slung over your shoulder as the doctor walked in. She smiled at you and told you that the baby was in wonderful condition. So far, there were no issues.

“So, would you like to know the sex?” she said.

We both said yes and you leaned your head on Drew’s shoulder. He had a hand placed on my baby bump and we waited as she looked at the file. She opened her mouth and Drew began to tear up. He kissed the top of my head as you wiped the tears away.

We were having a little girl.

Month Six

You stood against the wall and basically begged him to take the picture. Your legs were aching and you were gaining weight so quickly these days. You smiled as he took the picture, holding the sign like always. After it was done, you went and sat on the couch. Drew joined you shortly after, lifting your legs onto his lap to rub the cramps out of them. You closed your eyes and let him comfort you for the rest of the night.

You looked around the room and smiled. It was painted this muted yellow color and had accents of pink and white. A crib sat in the corner of the room and decorations were everywhere. It was really starting to come together. Drew pulled you in for a quick kiss as you stood in the center of the room. You felt the baby kick inside of you and smiled brightly. Drew had never been around when she was kicking. You grabbed his hand and placed it on your tummy. You watched his eyes go wide as he stared at you in awe.

“Our kid is pretty great, isn’t she?” he said. He loved her so much already.

Month Seven

You were getting pretty big by now. You stood by the wall and held the sign. Our families were getting so excited as we got closer and closer to the due date. They lived for your monthly updates. They also FaceTimed you guys weekly to make sure you felt perfect and so they could see what was changing. They loved being updated on my cravings and you health condition.

You laid on the couch, cuddled into Drew’s arms, as you talked to Jodi. You loved seeing how similar Drew and his mom were. She smiled and asked for a hint on the name we picked, but you had agreed not to tell anyone until after she was born. It was killing your parents.

When he finally hung up, you smiled at each other. The baby always kicked when we talked to our moms. Their voices triggered a happy reaction. He placed his hands there again and felt the movement. He placed a small little kiss on your belly.

“Hey, baby girl… It’s daddy,” he whispered. Then he said something that made you fall in love with him all over again. “I love you, my little lilypad.”

Month Eight

You took the picture for month eight and smiled. You were continuing to gain about a pound of weight a week. You knew we were on the home stretch and honestly, you just wanted my little girl to be here already. Drew took the picture and smiled at you. He was being especially sweet that past few days. He constantly praised you for carrying his child and it made your heart so happy.

We laid in bed together and you shifted in discomfort. The baby has been pressing up against your ribs lately and it was really uncomfortable. You felt Drew pull you into his arms and rubbed your back. You sniffled as your chest felt like it was tightening.

“Hey, shhhh…” he cooed in your ear. He placed small kisses all over your face. “I’m so proud of you. Just a little bit more and then we finally get to meet our little lilypad.”

He was right. One more month and Lilith would be right here in your arms.

Month Nine

We took the final pregnancy photo and jumped for joy. Our little princess would be with you guys in no time. He had gotten your hospital bag ready and the nursery was now finished. All of your friends and families were getting super excited to meet your little girl. Most days, you sat on the couch, on the phone with your moms. They both were planning their trips out here for after the baby was born.

It was about a week before our due date when my contractions began. You sat in bed and panicked as you tried to get a hold of Drew. Your eyes squinted as they became more frequent. Finally, he picked up and you told him you were going into labor. You stood up to grab the hospital bag as he told me he was leaving the gym, clearly in a state of shock. While you were hanging up, your water broke. That’s when it all became way too really.

About 7 hours later, you laid in the hospital bed with Drew. Your little girl was curled up in his arms and the way he stared at her made you melt. He teared up as she slept so peacefully in his arms.

“She’s so beautiful,” he said in a strained voice. He was holding in tears at the sight of our child. “Welcome home, lilypad. Mommy and daddy love you so much.”

______________________________________________

Tag List : @justcallmesams @jellyfishbeansontoast @prejudic3 @queenieloveswriting @jjtheangel @infinitydols @simpingforrudypankowonly @waywardbarbie @outerbankslut @outerbongs @ilovejjmaybank @beth-winchester21 @jiaraendgame @sunwardsss @talksopretty @bb-tings @teenwaywardasgardian @netflix-imagines @canibeoneofthepogues @raekenliar @judayyyw @jjpogueprincess @waywardbabie @casper17

Tagging a few more: @spilledtee @starlightstarkey @potterheadhollander @anonymous0writer @tomhardybby @diverdcwn

#drew starkey #drew obx #drew #obx #obx netflix #outer banks fanfiction #outer banks imagine #outer banks

173 notes · View notes

jacquelynlowenthal · 5 years ago

Photo

Cactus Reusable Monthly Newborn Chalkboard, Baby Photo Prop, Cacti Nursery, Succulent Nursery, Cactu https://ift.tt/2KARQw1

#IFTTT #WordPress

0 notes

craftyfever-blog · 8 years ago

Photo

Baby monthly milestone wood slice from @rusticdeerdesigns What a cute rustic photo prop to use for monthly updates on your loved one. The small number piece is a wood slice just like the big piece only it is a chalkboard. Follow RusticDeerDesigns on Instagram for deals giveaways and new product. Also check out Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/rusticdeer #etsy #etsyshop #etsystore #etsygifts #etsylove #etsyfinds #etsyseller #handmade #handcrafts #handicrafts #milestone #wood #wooden #baby #babygifts #decor #home #rustic #accessories #babyshower #newmom #cowboy #shabbychic

3 notes · View notes

sunkissis · 7 years ago

Text

Our time here has felt like light speed. The year before we moved Paris was the longest of my life. Now the days are flying by in an instant. So, what is life living in Paris like? It’s amazing, complicated, sometimes cold, strenuous, always exciting and the best thing that has ever happened to me (with exception to marrying Antz and having Olivia!)

This is just one of the hundreds of beautiful blue doors of Paris. I get caught up in the beautiful mix of this city’s architecture and the urban dirt. Besides my obvious tourist uniform, I know I stand out here because I’m the only person who looks up at the building and I always take not of the stamps found of buildings that show the architect and the year it was built. I appreciate every little detail. I also am constantly hunting for Invader mosaics using his app on my phone. I have already found 48 just this month.

I am going to keep it real. I love it here but it comes with the same issues as home. Most days are rad but some days suck too. I love the fresh food, the bread is insanely delicious and the charm of dining in French cafes never gets old. I do find eating at the cool places is becoming expensive, I miss In & Out drive thru and please, for the love of God, will someone bring blueberry bagels to France? They literally have every flavor but my favorite! We don’t yet feel completely settled because we will be changing apartments next month so we are still living out of our suitcases. We also haven’t figured out the final step of finalizing our visas which is stressing me out but also Merde, we have 90 days to get it together.

Our first week here was heaven. Antz had the week off from work and Liv wasn’t enrolled in school yet. Since we had the rental car for a few days it made getting around town a piece of cake. We took road trips, explored the streets of Paris and stocked up on groceries. When I took the car back at Charles du Gaulle airport, I took the Metro home. I was quite proud of myself for taking public transportation 45 minutes through Paris, at night, by myself. I would never have done that in Los Angeles but the Metro is relatively safe although you do have to be aware of pickpockets. We purchased monthly Metro passes with the help of a kind Metro worker who didn’t speak any English. The Navigo passes require your photo on them so I was able to use our rejected visa photos. Monthly passes cost 75 euros each but I think that’s a bargain since we use them several times a day! So far the hardest part about using public transportation is the nonstop walking and stair climbing. Inside of the Metro is an underground labyrinth that seems to never end. The train line we take most often is the furthest away and about 5 stories deep. There is something I will never get used to when using public transportation. Total invasion of personal space! I get it, most times the train or bus is packed with hundreds of commuters trying to get to their destination however, I get so annoyed when strangers touch me or lean against me. I know that sounds very American gross of me but I like my bubble. Also, I get stared at…ALL THE TIME. I’m used to people looking at me, I look like a giant baby doll but this is awkward, borderline rude staring. I get the full up and down look and I’m not sure if it’s judgement because I am the only person in Paris who wears bright colors, is a foot taller than everyone and I’m usually dancing with my headphones on or confusion. Either way, I have a tough skin when it comes to the staring or I stick my tongue out at them and they stop. On the brighter side, despite my self-admitted laziness, we are walking so much more now than we ever have. All three of us have lost pounds since our arrival and I can see a difference in how my clothes are fitting. My wedding rings are loose on my finger!

One thing I will say I am impressed about French people is they are avid readers. Nearly everyone reads on the metro. I have already finished reading Ready Player One in a few weeks which is something I never seemed to have time to do in LA.

Everywhere we walk there are public bikes for rent called Velib. Liv is always asking us to rent them so one day I couldn’t take her asking anymore so I gave in. Turns out the bike seat wouldn’t lower enough for Liv’s height so she was having trouble steering and braking. Instead of using the hand brakes (her bike at home is a beach cruiser so she is used to foot brakes) she would just jump off the pedals and let the bike drop. It wasn’t going to work. Antz ended walking with her the rest of the way home but I enjoyed my bike ride until I got off and realized how my butt was sore.

We had to do some shopping to commence our life in Paris so we hit up my two favorite stores, Bonton and Merci!

Me plotting on how to steal this fiat I can’t even fit in!

Antz needed a new scarf so he tried on almost every scarf they had. I don’t know who suggested paisley print for mens scarves but he opted for a simple yet stylish chambray blue. I browsed the lovely Merci en Rose pop up shop but I didn’t get anything. I may go back and get a Merci tote bag (hard to pick a color). I also want those eyeglasses that make me look like an adult with a PhD. Liv almost talked us into buying her this adorable fisherman hat but it was just too small. I hope to find it in medium.

When they finally pulled me out of Merci we walked to Bonton, a rad kids store that has toys, clothes, accessories and furniture. I knew the only way to get Liv from bugging us about renting bikes was to get her a scooter. Every kid (and some adults) has a scooter here. I liked that she had something fun to do during our long walks and Antz didn’t have to worry about her crashing like the bike. She even paid for her own bell with her euros from Aimee.

I haven’t seen the kid walk ever since!

The second week Antz went back to work (from home) and I was devoted to enrolling Liv in school. This part really sucked. Before we left LA, I spoke with our school’s campus director (French version of a Principal) and he wrote Olivia a letter in French to give to her new school’s director. He gave me a list of documents we needed to enroll her, the school calendar and a list of school supplies. He seemed confident that we wouldn’t have any issues with enrollment. Monday morning we took Olivia to visit the school to meet the Campus Director and inquire about enrollment. We didn’t have an appointment so we arrived when school started at 8:30 am. Of course no one in the school staff spoke English so we stood around smiling and nodding for several minutes until Liv was somehow able to translate that we wanted to meet the director. The director reminded us of a character from Harry Potter but he was very friendly and kind. He took us upstairs and with very limited English, we discussed our desire to send Liv to his school. He told us he would love Olivia to come to his school and he complimented her French. I almost hugged him with joy but he also mentioned, if we had the correct address for enrollment, he would welcome her. As we were leaving we asked to peek into a classroom to get an idea of what the environment was like. I was impressed to see the students all stand whenever the director enters a classroom. We used to do the same thing in Catholic school. We even had to stand anytime we spoke during class. Kids today have no idea how easy they have it! Liv mentioned how they didn’t have a smartboard like her school in LA. She hasn’t used a regular chalkboard in class before. He told the class that Liv was from Los Angeles and they looked at her like she was a celebrity. I was so excited for Liv to start school in a few days!

When it was time for me to go to the Mairie (town hall) to enroll Liv in school things got much harder. Back home, I researched everything I would need to enroll Liv in the school. I knew I needed to bring her birth certificate, proof of address, our passports and her vaccinations. The day we went for some reason, I totally forgot to bring her French translated birth certificate. We had to come back with them and the woman informed us that because of our address, we would be assigned to another school. Olivia had to act as our translator and due to the nature of our conversation, there were many words she didn’t understand or didn’t know how to translate. I tried my best to explain to the Mairie woman why we wanted to attend that school but she wouldn’t change her mind. It was the famous French bureaucracy that I had always heard about. It really wasn’t a matter of me talking her out of this, it was our address that dictated which school Liv would attend. I left the Mairie in tears. I have never felt more frustrated. The main reason we moved to France was for Olivia’s education and I wasn’t going to settle for just any school. It was my shittiest day here. The next morning, I brought her French translated birth certificates, copies of our passports, I made an appointment to meet with a doctor to translate her vaccination chart into French and I had to pick up an original document to prove our French address. Once I arrived at the Mairie, I felt determined to win this woman over and knew that I had one more chance to try to get Liv into the school I wanted. When I arrived at the Mairie, the woman told us she was leaving for lunch and I needed to talk with her colleague. The colleague had no idea what we were asking her and she was even meaner than the first woman. When I say she was mean, it’s more of a blunt attitude. French people aren’t very smily and sweet like I’m used to. I was learning that if you don’t have the right paperwork here, you are screwed. She didn’t seem to understand that I was in the process of getting Liv’s vaccinations translated (I had an appointment later that day) and she keep requesting copies of paperwork the other woman had already approved. I ended having to ask Antz to email me documents and walking to a print shop and getting the copies printed three separate times that day. Since it was Friday and the Mairie closed at 4:30, I finally called it quits. I was panicked. Liv was supposed to be enrolled by the first week and starting school the next Monday and I still hadn’t made any progress for getting her into the school we wanted. I spent all night trying to figure out a plan. I went back to the Mairie on Monday and decided, I’m going to sit here as long as it takes to get Liv into the school. I finally had all the documents I needed. I was still waiting for the French vaccinations but she seemed to be fine with us showing the school once we had them. I sat there for three hours confused at Liv’s translations and feeling ill that I would have to enroll her into another school. She finally said she needed to speak to her boss about making an exception. I guess she saw that this crazy American wasn’t going to leave until I got what I wanted. She called the campus director and I was like Yay! He will vouch for us. When she got off the phone she was like, the campus director told you he would welcome you at his school IF you had the right address to enroll. Oooh No! So, after a stare down she went upstairs and told Olivia something about having to speak to the mayor. I thought Liv’s translation was off but shortly after, a guy in a suit came downstairs and sat down with us. He spoke a little English so he told me we didn’t have the right address for that school. I explained my situation to him and showed him the letter from Liv’s school director in LA. I have no idea what that letter says because it’s written in French but he made a phone call and then asked me why do you want to go to that particular school. I tried to explain but I’m sure he didn’t understand my English. He then said all the schools here are the same. I was like, I know parents of children that go to the school, I have researched this school online, I want the location of this school and then I stopped myself from saying I walked past the school everyday daydreaming about Olivia attending when I made a surprise visit to Aimee. Whomever he called I owe them my gratitude because the woman printed a form and told me to sign it and was like, Okay you can go to that school! I almost passed out with joy. It took me a week longer to get her in but the next Monday would be her first day of school.

I can’t believe that the morning of Liv’s first day we woke up to this white powdery magic!

Her first day was rad! She spent the first hour sitting in a fourth grade classroom. Everyone thought she was ten years old! She said at recess the kids were crowding around her like she was Michael Jackson. The best part is she had no problem with the language barrier. She has already made several really good friends. Her school starts at 8:30 am then at 11:30 they get an hour and a half for lunch and it’s served in an actual cafeteria! I thought those only existed in movies from the 80s. She isn’t so excited about eating French food but at least she’s trying new things. The rest of her day is from 1 pm – 3 pm, then after-school activities until 4:30 pm. She has an acting class and has joined the chess club. On Wednesdays they are dismissed early (at 1:30) so she goes to ballet class.

I researched a dance school when I came to visit Aimee so when we arrived, I signed her up for a month of classes. To my surprise, we showed up for the youth ballet class but everyone looked much older. I mistakenly thought one of the students was the instructor because no one spoke English. I could tell Liv was way out of her comfort zone. The teacher is BRUTAL! She doesn’t look like a ballet dancer but halfway through the class she unhooked her bra and kicked off her heels and started busting some serious moves. I was able to sit in the first class but I didn’t understand anything. Liv looked like a deer in headlights and I thought she would burst into tears any second. The teacher did a lot of shouting, clapping and stomping, it was intense but I loved that she pushed Liv and introduced discipline she has never experienced before. It wasn’t as strict as I’ve seen Russian ballet schools but it was not at all like her sweet, patient teacher at her ballet school in LA. After class one of the students tried to translate in English. All I understood was the teacher said Liv has deformed feet. I’m sure that was just a poor translation. I managed to take some secret photo during the class.

The woman in black is who I thought the instructor was. That is her teacher with the fiery red hair! At first, I didn’t think her teacher (aka Madam Black Swan) would allow her to stay but she met us in the courtyard and told Liv she was up for teaching her to Liv’s dismay.

She definitely outgrew her old shoes and leotard so we headed to the famous Repetto Paris store. I was surprised that she chose black this time. My seven and a half year old teenager!

This was my kid’s face after her almost two hour class! Three weeks later, she’s really enjoying the class. She still groans about having to go but she comes out showing off her new skills and her posture is visibly improving. I know it will only make her a more skilled and stronger dancer. (did someone say Stage Mom?)

We had to celebrate that challenging week with a date at Princess Crepe.

It took me ages to find her a backpack for school. I originally wanted to use her Kanken backpack but it was obvious it was too small and every single kid at her school has this adorable French bag called Tanns. I asked some of the Moms where I could find them and they told me to go to Le BHV (a fancy mall). We only found a lame Frozen one. Finally, we walked around the neighborhood and bam! We realized there was a huge luggage store right around the corner from her school.

We all weighed in and this pink one was her choice. We added the iron-on patches of course.

So with school all sorted out, I think I have the grocery shopping here down to a science. The first thing I learned is shopping on Sundays is limited unless you head to the Bastille Marche which is a wonderful, large farmers market. I was bummed because they already sold out of the Spanish paella.

Monoprix has been my one-stop-shop, much like Target in LA, it has everything from clothes, to school supples, to groceries, to linens. I have a great Boulangerie (bakery) around the corner that I love but I’ve been pretty bummed for the last few days because they have been sold out of butter croissants. When that happens, I stroll down a small street nearby and find another bakery however, I have found that the croissants just aren’t as good. I think most fruit stands anywhere have consistently fresh produce but because they don’t soak everything in chemicals and pesticides like in the US, fruit spoils very quickly. We usually eat all the fruit on our walk back to the apartment. We still go all the way to the 10th arrondissement to our favorite boucherie (butcher shop) that sells our incredible rotisserie chicken and roasted potatoes. That has been our favorite meal since we arrived. The guys know us because we go there once a week!

I am so impressed by the level of quality and presentation the food is at Monoprix. Exhibit A: The meat and seafood section

Something as simple as buying bacon requires a variety of tasting different meats and having the butcher hand cut a half a kilo (that’s always weird to us). I don’t know half of the meat they sell but everything looks perfect. I have never seen so many different varieties of cheese. When we first went shopping Liv was like, can we just please get plain old yellow cheddar?

The shopping baskets at Monoprix aren’t this chic. I wouldn’t have much need for a wheeled basket in LA, but I bought this cute one from Olliella to use (when it’s not raining) to carry our heavy loads home. The plastic carts at the store barely roll, have a handle that is always broken and the insides look like someone threw up on them.

How cute is this guy?

One of Liv’s favorite thing to do is use the fresh orange juice machine at Monoprix. Why isn’t this wonderful machine in every grocery store in America??!!

We drink a large bottle every single day. Feeling healthy AF! There’s a little section in Monoprix devoted to “American” products like regular mustard (the French only use Dijan), pancake mix, syrup and oddly Nerds candy (my favorite!). I was dumbfounded to discover there is no steak sauce anywhere in Paris. After complaining about it to Aimee she send me a care package with a lifetime supply of A-1 sauce.

So what’s it like eating in Paris? Expensive! We are lucky to have Chef Antz prepare fresh butter croissants and omelettes for breakfast most days but when we eat out, it’s always an 80 euro bill. It’s hard not to indulge in decadent meals and the kid loves ordering escargot. I pushed myself to try something new so I order a duck dish with roasted carrots and potatoes. I liked it but I probably won’t order it again (too gamey for my taste). We usually stick with a fish or chicken entree.

We have been guilty of eating at a few American restaurants as well. For my birthday we went to a Texas BBQ place called Melt, that was incredible. Best Brussel sprouts I’ve ever had.

Oh yeah, I am quarante-et-un now. This old lady had a birthday last month. I already got my wish, duh! My sweethearts found this rad rainbow cake for me.

Antz and I had an early morning date at Breakfast in America (they have the fluffiest pancakes in Paris!) It’s nice to know we can take a break from the exhausting life of being French.

My biggest craving other than bread, butter and grapes has been popcorn! I go once a week to get fresh popcorn from the cutest place called Yummy Pop! which happens to be owned by Scarlett Johansson. It reminds me of kettle corn from the farmers market from LA and we have made friends with the girls who work there. They know my regular order and I know this may sound gross but it’s strawberry mixed with truffle parmesan popcorn.

The weather in France is not what I expected at all. When I was packing to come here, I brought heavy sweaters, scarves, gloves and winter coats. This is why we had so much luggage! I was preparing for blizzards and freezing temperatures. We have been pleasantly surprised with how much we enjoy the cold weather. It rains much more often than in LA but we haven’t been too cold. There have been a couple of times we were caught in a downpour without our umbrellas. I am getting used to wearing a coat or jacket and a scarf everyday. Even the few days when it snowed it’s been bearable.

We are starting to get warmer weather. When the rain stops the sky is the most vibrant blue. Spring is here! This is a park close to Liv’s school. I cannot get over how beautiful this city is.

So that sums up our first month here. This post almost took a month to finish because I was having some technical issues with getting my photos and videos to upload. Needless to say, it’s been a fun whirlwind. I am hoping to take it easy in the next few weeks. Liv has two weeks of spring break vacation and we are taking a trip this weekend.

Merci my friends for checking in!

Bisous

SaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

Moving Abroad: The first month Our time here has felt like light speed. The year before we moved Paris was the longest of my life.

0 notes

elliotclaudeyh · 7 years ago

Video

youtube

Buy it on Amazon - http://ift.tt/2EJXE26 - Cheap Monthly Milestone Blanket Frame Photo Props -Two Layers Muslin Thick Blanket For Babies Boy Girl Newborn Infant For Each Month-Large 47X47-For Expecting Moms -- Click the link to buy now or to read the 8 4 & 5 Star Reviews.Subscribe to our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2vxKR8EHwbwAVT7OcsNVng?sub_confirmation=1 Like us on Facebook for videos, pictures, coupons, prizes and more - http://ift.tt/2wCDdi2 Cheap Monthly Milestone Blanket Frame Photo Props -Two Layers Muslin Thick Blanket For Babies Boy Girl Newborn Infant For Each Month-Large 47X47-For Expecting Moms Love it and a great price! ... Reviewer : Laura O. Great blanket! Love that is comes with the frame for the monthly number. I was using a milestone chalkboard but the markers were getting hard to get off as the months go on. This is so much easier and just as cute! ... Reviewer : BrookeKelly Click http://ift.tt/2EJXE26 to buy now on Amazon or to read more reviews. 100% cotton muslin blanket,two layer thick blanket. Package include Muslin milestone blanket & blue frame. Celebrate their development with a custom picture. Get as creative as you want to make memories every step of the way. Snap photos tracking baby's growth during the first year to share on social media,an elegant and modern way to track baby's growth. This milestone blanket is the absolute cutest ever. I brought this because those monthly stickers fall out and depending on how many months the baby is they can try and put it in their mouth etc. This is so easy and babies love to lay down anyway and relax so for me personally this was so much better. Also, you can add props while they’re laying down as well and get creative. This is such a great blanket for your baby and a perfect gift for a new mom. ... Reviewer : Melody Click http://ift.tt/2EJXE26 to buy now on Amazon or to read more reviews. ***Let Us Know What You Think… Comment Below!!*** Watch my other review Videos – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2vxKR8EHwbwAVT7OcsNVng See other products on http://ift.tt/2xhK4Ru Subscribe to our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2vxKR8EHwbwAVT7OcsNVng?sub_confirmation=1 Like us on Facebook for videos, pictures, coupons, prizes and more - http://ift.tt/2wCDdi2 #Monthly Milestone Blanket Frame Photo Props -Two Layers Muslin Thick Blanket For Babies Boy Girl Newborn Infant For Each Month-Large 47X47-For Expecting Moms This is a review video for : B075BKKDS9 Thanks for watching! http://ift.tt/2xhK4Ru Related Videos in Channel

#IFTTT #YouTube

0 notes

wrencashcl · 7 years ago

Video

youtube

Buy it on Amazon - http://ift.tt/2DWH0Lw - Monthly Milestone Blanket Frame Photo Props -Two Layers Muslin Thick Blanket For Babies Boy Girl Newborn Infant For Each Month-Large 47X47-For Expecting Moms Review -- Click the link to buy now or to read the 9 4 & 5 Star Reviews.Subscribe to our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0QizpPvHKM54INrY9b130w?sub_confirmation=1 Like us on Facebook for videos, pictures, coupons, prizes and more - http://ift.tt/2wCDdi2 Monthly Milestone Blanket Frame Photo Props -Two Layers Muslin Thick Blanket For Babies Boy Girl Newborn Infant For Each Month-Large 47X47-For Expecting Moms Review The blanket is cute for monthly photos,There are commemorative values for baby! ... Reviewer : Y.mom.ớ ₃ờ Great blanket! Love that is comes with the frame for the monthly number. I was using a milestone chalkboard but the markers were getting hard to get off as the months go on. This is so much easier and just as cute! ... Reviewer : BrookeKelly Click http://ift.tt/2DWH0Lw to buy now on Amazon or to read more reviews. 3 layers muslin blanket,100% cotton,good material. 5.6 X 6.5 inch letter,durable printing for years of use. Package include Muslin milestone blanket & blue frame. Snap photos tracking baby's growth during the first year to share on social media,an elegant and modern way to track baby's growth. This milestone blanket is the absolute cutest ever. I brought this because those monthly stickers fall out and depending on how many months the baby is they can try and put it in their mouth etc. This is so easy and babies love to lay down anyway and relax so for me personally this was so much better. Also, you can add props while they’re laying down as well and get creative. This is such a great blanket for your baby and a perfect gift for a new mom. ... Reviewer : Melody Click http://ift.tt/2DWH0Lw to buy now on Amazon or to read more reviews. ***Let Us Know What You Think… Comment Below!!*** Watch my other review Videos – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0QizpPvHKM54INrY9b130w See other products on http://ift.tt/2xhK4Ru Subscribe to our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0QizpPvHKM54INrY9b130w?sub_confirmation=1 Like us on Facebook for videos, pictures, coupons, prizes and more - http://ift.tt/2wCDdi2 #Monthly Milestone Blanket Frame Photo Props -Two Layers Muslin Thick Blanket For Babies Boy Girl Newborn Infant For Each Month-Large 47X47-For Expecting Moms This is a review video for : B075BKKDS9 Thanks for watching! http://ift.tt/2xhK4Ru Related Videos in Channel

#IFTTT #YouTube

0 notes

dtqbubverdieqki2 · 7 years ago

Video

youtube

Buy it on Amazon - http://ift.tt/2DWH0Lw - Monthly Milestone Blanket Frame Photo Props -Two Layers Muslin Thick Blanket For Babies Boy Girl Newborn Infant For Each Month-Large 47X47-For Expecting Moms Coupon -- Click the link to buy now or to read the 9 4 & 5 Star Reviews.Subscribe to our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvEiG02ML4S2bmDkiExcUvQ?sub_confirmation=1 Like us on Facebook for videos, pictures, coupons, prizes and more - http://ift.tt/2wCDdi2 Monthly Milestone Blanket Frame Photo Props -Two Layers Muslin Thick Blanket For Babies Boy Girl Newborn Infant For Each Month-Large 47X47-For Expecting Moms Coupon The blanket is cute for monthly photos,There are commemorative values for baby! ... Reviewer : Y.mom.ớ ₃ờ Great blanket! Love that is comes with the frame for the monthly number. I was using a milestone chalkboard but the markers were getting hard to get off as the months go on. This is so much easier and just as cute! ... Reviewer : BrookeKelly Click http://ift.tt/2DWH0Lw to buy now on Amazon or to read more reviews. 3 layers muslin blanket,100% cotton,good material. 5.6 X 6.5 inch letter,durable printing for years of use. Package include Muslin milestone blanket & blue frame. Snap photos tracking baby's growth during the first year to share on social media,an elegant and modern way to track baby's growth. This milestone blanket is the absolute cutest ever. I brought this because those monthly stickers fall out and depending on how many months the baby is they can try and put it in their mouth etc. This is so easy and babies love to lay down anyway and relax so for me personally this was so much better. Also, you can add props while they’re laying down as well and get creative. This is such a great blanket for your baby and a perfect gift for a new mom. ... Reviewer : Melody Click http://ift.tt/2DWH0Lw to buy now on Amazon or to read more reviews. ***Let Us Know What You Think… Comment Below!!*** Watch my other review Videos – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvEiG02ML4S2bmDkiExcUvQ See other products on http://ift.tt/2xhK4Ru Subscribe to our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvEiG02ML4S2bmDkiExcUvQ?sub_confirmation=1 Like us on Facebook for videos, pictures, coupons, prizes and more - http://ift.tt/2wCDdi2 #Monthly Milestone Blanket Frame Photo Props -Two Layers Muslin Thick Blanket For Babies Boy Girl Newborn Infant For Each Month-Large 47X47-For Expecting Moms This is a review video for : B075BKKDS9 Thanks for watching! http://ift.tt/2xhK4Ru Related Videos in Channel

#IFTTT #YouTube

0 notes

jeremyangelicanf · 7 years ago

Video

youtube

Buy it on Amazon - http://ift.tt/2DWH0Lw - Buy Monthly Milestone Blanket Frame Photo Props -Two Layers Muslin Thick Blanket For Babies Boy Girl Newborn Infant For Each Month-Large 47X47-For Expecting Moms -- Click the link to buy now or to read the 9 4 & 5 Star Reviews.Subscribe to our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdCFsrPm9VkFAfDcEFbS4ig?sub_confirmation=1 Like us on Facebook for videos, pictures, coupons, prizes and more - http://ift.tt/2wCDdi2 Buy Monthly Milestone Blanket Frame Photo Props -Two Layers Muslin Thick Blanket For Babies Boy Girl Newborn Infant For Each Month-Large 47X47-For Expecting Moms The blanket is cute for monthly photos,There are commemorative values for baby! ... Reviewer : Y.mom.ớ ₃ờ Great blanket! Love that is comes with the frame for the monthly number. I was using a milestone chalkboard but the markers were getting hard to get off as the months go on. This is so much easier and just as cute! ... Reviewer : BrookeKelly Click http://ift.tt/2DWH0Lw to buy now on Amazon or to read more reviews. 3 layers muslin blanket,100% cotton,good material. 5.6 X 6.5 inch letter,durable printing for years of use. Package include Muslin milestone blanket & blue frame. Snap photos tracking baby's growth during the first year to share on social media,an elegant and modern way to track baby's growth. This milestone blanket is the absolute cutest ever. I brought this because those monthly stickers fall out and depending on how many months the baby is they can try and put it in their mouth etc. This is so easy and babies love to lay down anyway and relax so for me personally this was so much better. Also, you can add props while they’re laying down as well and get creative. This is such a great blanket for your baby and a perfect gift for a new mom. ... Reviewer : Melody Click http://ift.tt/2DWH0Lw to buy now on Amazon or to read more reviews. ***Let Us Know What You Think… Comment Below!!*** Watch my other review Videos – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdCFsrPm9VkFAfDcEFbS4ig See other products on http://ift.tt/2xhK4Ru Subscribe to our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdCFsrPm9VkFAfDcEFbS4ig?sub_confirmation=1 Like us on Facebook for videos, pictures, coupons, prizes and more - http://ift.tt/2wCDdi2 #Monthly Milestone Blanket Frame Photo Props -Two Layers Muslin Thick Blanket For Babies Boy Girl Newborn Infant For Each Month-Large 47X47-For Expecting Moms This is a review video for : B075BKKDS9 Thanks for watching! http://ift.tt/2xhK4Ru Related Videos in Channel

#IFTTT #YouTube

0 notes

littlenuggetco · 7 years ago

Photo

THREE MONTHS OLD! It's so fun to watch baby James grow! We love how mama @gingergiraffe has been using our app + a chalkboard to keep track of his growth. #momhack ⠀ .⠀ Show us your baby's monthly milestone photos! Download the app today - link in our profile. 👆🏼Tag #LittleNuggetCo and @LittleNuggetCo to be featured and entered into our weekly giveaway! ⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀ #babyapp #pregnancyapp #babybook #monthlymilestones #milestones #memories #printyourphotos #photography #iprefercookiesovercupcakes #photographer #memory #keepsake #babykeepsake #brandrep #motherhood #momlife #clickinmoms #candidchildhood #momhack #sevenmonthsold #momapp #iphoneapp #photoapp #editing #photoediting #babyupdate #3monthsold — view on Instagram http://ift.tt/2iLW7xW

#Instagram #IFTTT

0 notes

littlewoodshop-blog · 7 years ago

Photo

Chalkboard Baby Photography Prop, Baby's Room Decoration, Framed Chalkboard, Monthly Photo Prop, First Birthday, Chalk Board Sign COLORS

0 notes

wanderingmyra · 8 years ago

Text

As I mentioned in my last post, the past few weeks have just flown by. I can hardly believe our daughter is over a month old already! Having a newborn is definitely not the easiest thing in the world…I have never been more sleep-deprived in my life…but I wouldn’t want to miss a single coo or smile! We’ve had a lot of family visit over the past few weeks to visit the new addition and also give us a hand so we have managed to get out of the house a bit and I managed to make sure not every item on this month’s list is baby-related. ;)

1. Graco Pack ‘n Play Playard Snuggle Suite

Image source: http://www.amazon.com

Space is at a premium here in Hawaii and when I first started looking around at our little one-bedroom apartment, I had a hard time imagining space for all the things I saw advertised as essential for a baby’s nursery. Then one of my friends told me about how some play yards are now made to take the place of cribs and are designed for smaller spaces. After some research, we selected the Graco Snuggle Suite version and I absolutely love it! The bassinet section provides a safe and comfortable place for our baby to sleep and the attached entertainment feature includes a light that allows me to easily check on her in the middle of the night without turning on the bright overhead room lights. The suite also comes with a changing table and storage area that snap onto the frame so everything is conveniently located in one place. One of our baby’s favorite features is the bouncing infant seat: it can snap onto the frame or be removed to carry into a separate room. I love it because I can easily take our baby into the other room and have a safe spot for her to rest and she loves the ‘soothing vibration’ feature, which often lulls her to sleep. It takes up less space than some of the more traditional cribs plus we don’t have to have a separate changing table. As she gets older, we can remove the bassinet and the lower section becomes a play yard. And the frame folds up into a convenient carrying bag! While we haven’t needed the portability aspect of the pack ‘n play just yet, it’s one of the features we were looking for and I’m sure we’ll be happy for it soon. :)

2. Chicco Bravo Trio Travel System

Image source: http://www.chiccoshop.com

I love, love, love this travel system! When I was looking for car seats and strollers, I did a lot of online research and asked friends and coworkers who are parents for their recommendations. I also went to a couple stores and tested out floor models of various strollers to see how easy they were to turn, fold, etc. This travel set won out. The KeyFit 30 infant car seat is highly rated and with the leveling foot and bubble-level indicator, it was super easy to install the base for the car seat. Anytime we go somewhere, we simply set the car seat on the base, listen for the click that tells us it’s locked in place, and we’re good to go! The stroller functions as a carrier for the infant car seat and once again, it’s very easy to slide the seat into place on the stroller and with one click, you’re off! It also includes a basket so you can easily carry bags/supplies without having everything slung over your shoulder, a convenient tray with cup holders for parents, and a canopy that keeps the sun off our baby. I love that the stroller is very easy to maneuver and it’s super easy to fold as well. You just pull the handle located under the seat and it automatically folds itself…only one hand required! (And let me tell you, I’m finding that I always seem to need another hand for something these days so this is really awesome!) Plus, once our baby grows out of the infant car seat, the carrier transforms into a full toddler stroller. So convenient!

3. Monthly baby photo

The past few weeks have gone by so quickly and while I did notice that our baby was growing, I didn’t realize how very much she had changed until I was showing family some photos taken the day after she was born. It’s amazing how much they grow and change in just one month! To help capture this, I decided to do a monthly photo of our baby so we can see her progress over time. After looking around Pinterest for some ideas, I decided to go with a simple chalkboard and include updated info each month (things like weight, height, milestones, what she’s loving this month). I simply dressed her in a cute outfit, placed her and the chalkboard on a cream-colored blanket, had the hubby snap a photo, and voilà! Instant adorable photo! <3

4. Logan

Image source: http://www.imdb.com

One of the things our visiting family members suggested we do was take a little time for ourselves to get out and see a movie. We’re definitely not going to have a lot of time for just the two of us so we took them up on their offer and went to see the latest Marvel movie. I don’t even remember ever seeing a trailer for it so I was expecting basically what I expect from the majority of these movies: an action-packed, fun and entertaining movie that doesn’t necessarily have a lot in the way of complex plot or superior acting. That’s not a criticism really; I quite enjoy that kind of movie on occasion. But this movie was much more than I expected. I don’t want to spoil anything but it was much more serious than any of the other Marvel movies I’ve seen…in a good way! The more serious storyline allowed Patrick Stewart (Professor X) and Hugh Jackman (Logan) to actually show off their acting chops. This movie is much darker than the simple/fun movies I usually expect and is set in a future where things have not gone well for the original X-Men team (what and why are revealed during the movie) leading Logan and Professor X to go into hiding from the world. I was especially impressed by how well Hugh Jackman portrayed a very weary Logan with the weight of the world on his shoulders. It was definitely not a happy movie but it was very well done and I would certainly recommend seeing it.

5. Banán

Banán is a cute little spot offering dairy-free soft serve made from locally grown bananas and other ingredients. The soft serve comes in several flavors like acaí, liliko’i (passion fruit), and green tea and though they all have a strong banana flavor (at least all the ones I’ve tried have), other flavors definitely do come through. They also have a lot of tasty toppings like shaved coconut, honey, and pineapple. My favorite so far has been the chocolate mac flavor with local dark chocolate and mac nut honey butter toppings. Yum!

That’s it for March! Now maybe I can take a quick nap before the little one wakes for her next meal… ;)

Things I’m Loving – March 2017 As I mentioned in my last post, the past few weeks have just flown by. I can hardly believe our daughter is over a month old already!

#2017 #baby #banana #Car seat #chocolate #dessert #Logan #March #movie #pack n play #photography #Pinterest #soft serve #stroller

0 notes

jacquelynlowenthal · 5 years ago

Photo

Flowers Reusable Monthly Chalkboard, Baby Chalkboard, Newborn Photo Prop, Baby Girl Nursery, Month t https://ift.tt/2BKMbih

#IFTTT #WordPress

0 notes

repwinpril9y0a1 · 8 years ago

Text

How to Use Photoshop to Create Milestone Photos of Babies

Buried deep in my parents’ basement are boxes of slides with pictures of my siblings and I, when we were kids, all taken with my dad’s Minolta DSLR that has long since been lost to the ages. I have a few scans of those early photos but most of them won’t see the light of day anytime soon. Thus the images that marked the passage of time for me, my sister, and my three brothers are few and far between.

This picture taken with a pocket camera and the fabric was purchased at a thrift store.

Thankfully modern technology and the prevalence of digital cameras means babies born today will likely have no shortage of images to mark their early years. One of the most common methods of documenting milestones is to take pictures at weekly or monthly intervals. Often these are augmented with some type of decoration or adornment to indicate the passage of time (e.g. a small chalkboard, a giant sticker on the kid’s tummy, or a number stamped in the corner of the picture).

There is an incredibly easy, fun, and highly effective way to do this in Photoshop. It only takes a few minutes and produces great results, even if you have never used this program before you should be able to figure it out.

Preparing for the photo shoot

My wife and I got this idea after reading a post on the popular do-it-yourself blog Young House Love but have tweaked it to fit our style. To get started you will need a few things, many of which you probably already own:

Fabric with big colorful prints; Finer-detailed prints are okay, but the bigger and more prominent the pattern, the better it will look when paired with your baby. Don’t spend much money on these since you’ll need a lot if you do a different fabric each week. Pro tip, let the grandparents know you’re in need of fabric. Ours were thrilled to go shopping at thrift stores and send us what they found.

White onesies; A t-shirt works better after the first year, but until that time onesies are best because they stretch nice and even across the baby’s body leaving you with fewer wrinkles to contend with in the post-processing phase.

Blue painter’s tape; Used to hold the fabric down to the ground.

A big window; Or a glass door, or another similar surface to let in a lot of light.

A step stool; so you can get a higher angle.

Tape to hold the fabric in place; Blue painter’s tape will work but I like to use Gaffer’s tape (I recommend this brand which is stronger and leaves no residue on the carpet when you pull it off.)

A reflector; We didn’t buy one of these until well into our second child and it’s amazing how much a reflector helps get nice even lighting.

It doesn’t take much to prepare for this type of photo shoot.

The session

The process works best with two people; one to take pictures and someone else to do multiple jobs like hold the reflector, smooth the blanket, and soothe the baby. Position your child with his or her feet near the light source (i.e. giant window or glass door) and have your helper hold the reflector by the baby’s head to bounce light back. Then get up on the stepstool and start taking pictures! Babies wriggle and squirm around a lot so don’t worry about quantity. It’s better to have too many good ones than to have to redo everything because you only took three shots and the baby was frowning in all of them.

Photoshop time

After your pictures are done it’s time to head to Photoshop where the real fun begins. You will need two fonts: Fyra for the numbers and one that you want to use for the letters. I like Fertigo Pro, but almost anything will work, it’s largely a matter of personal taste here.

Open your photo in Photoshop and it will appear as the background layer. You can leave it as is unless you plan to do any editing such as color adjustments or retouching, though my advice is to keep it simple and avoid all that if possible. You’ve got a newborn and you can’t spend hours editing your photos every single week when there are diapers to change and clothes to wash!

Add the text

Click the “T” button in the tool palette to activate the Text Tool, then click anywhere in the picture to create a new text layer. Use the Fyra font and type a letter which will show up as a big circular number – perfect for marking the weeks or months of time that have passed.

Use the toolbar at the top of your screen to adjust the size of the number, and if you don’t get it perfect you can always change it later using the Transform Tool. Press [enter] to lock in the number, then repeat most of the process for “weeks” by clicking the Text tool, selecting a font, clicking on your baby, and typing the label (weeks, months, etc.) you want.

At this point your picture might look like something the neighbor kid made in Microsoft Paint, but you’re just getting started. The finished version will look much better thanks to the magic of Photoshop.

Resize and warp the text

The next step is to customize the size and position of each of the elements. Using the Layers palette select the layer with a single letter, which is actually the number in the picture, and choose “Edit > Transform”. You can now reposition the number where you want it, and resize it by clicking and dragging on one of the corners. Hold down the [shift] key while doing this to maintain the proportions (shape) of the number or else your finished product will look all stretched out. You can even rotate the number by hovering your cursor near one corner until it turns into a cornered arrow and then click and drag.

Repeat the same process for the word you’ve used then with that layer still selected, click the Text tool in your toolbar and manually select the word (in this case “weeks”) itself. Then choose; Layer > Type > Warp Text… and add an Arch style. (You can also click the “Warp Text” toolbar button to do the same thing, see red arrow below.)

I like to use just a couple of degrees here, which helps the text simulate a more natural curve that you might see if it were printed across the white onesie directly. Usually, +5 gets the job done just fine.

Text color

After that, the next step is to change the color of the text so it complements the fabric on which your baby is laying. Use the Text tool to select either the number or the word (weeks) then click the black box next to the Warp Text button to change the color of the text.

Use the eyedropper to select a color from the fabric and tweak as necessary. you will also see the color of your text or number, whichever is selected, change as you try out different options. When you find one you like you can click the “OK” button to lock it in place.

But, before you do that select the six letters and numbers in the # box at the bottom and press [ctrl+c] to copy it. This is the hex code that tells your computer what color is in use, and you will use it again in the next step.

Repeat the same process for the other layer of text. To get the same color you can either hover the eyedropper over the newly-colored text on the picture or paste the color code (6-digits you copied) into the box at the bottom. When you are finished you will have an image that is close to the final product, but you’re not quite done yet.

Blend mode

Two final editing steps remain before your image is done, the first involves blend modes. These have to do with the way in which layers work together and how one layer’s color can be altered based on how it is combined with the layer below.

Use the Layers palette to highlight a text layer and change its blend mode to “multiply” with an opacity of 75%. This will allow some of the texture of the white onesie to show through, and make the text seem like it naturally printed on the fabric instead of just pasted on afterward in a computer program.

Masking

At this point, you may be thinking about using the eraser tool to fix parts of your image where the baby’s hands obscure the number or text. But trust me, this is not what you want to do!

Photoshop has a fantastic feature called layer masks that let you hide (erase) parts of a layer and even recover (show) them again later if you erase too much. In the example above, you will note that the baby’s arm should be covering up the 20, so the solution is to use a layer mask to remove (hide) that portion of the 20.

Click the text layer that you want to edit then choose “Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All”. Now you will see a white box next to the layer that you can use to show and hide different parts of the layer itself. When you add anything dark to this layer mask it will erase (hide) that part of the layer, and when you add anything white to the mask it will show that part of the layer. This is an incredibly useful feature in Photoshop that you can use in all sorts of ways to edit your images, not just snapshots of your baby with milestone stickers.

Click the brush tool and start painting over the portion of the layer mask you want to erase, but keep one finger on the “x” key of your keyboard to switch between erasing mode and adding mode. If you accidentally brush over something that you want to keep, press “x” and add it back by painting it back in white! Then press “x” again to go back to deleting (painting with black).

Press the “z” key to zoom in on your image (and option-z to zoom out) and then “b” to go back to the brush tool. After a few strokes of your brush, your image is ready to share with family and friends!

When to stop

Right here is where I like to stop because the image is, as I like to say, good enough. There are some imperfections that could be cleaned up like using a displacement map to alter “weeks” so it follows all the contours and folds of the fabric, but I have found that these are just not worth my time. To be honest, most people won’t even notice.

You can easily spend hours using warp transforms, color tweaking, and spot removal to get each picture looking pixel-perfect and ready to print in Baby Cosmopolitan. But parents of newborns have to find a balance between time spent on the computer and time spent with their families.

After 52 weeks of doing pictures we used a slightly different setup and reduced our images to once a month with our child standing or sitting instead of lying down.

Conclusion

If you have an infant or are expecting one, pictures like this are a fantastic way to mark the passage of time. My wife and I did shots like these with our two boys every week for the first year of their lives, and then every month until they turned two.

At the time it seemed like a huge hassle to get out the fabric, put a white onesie on, and try to soothe a fussy infant long enough to snap a few pictures every single week. Looking back through them we are so glad we did. When shown in an album side by side these images provide a priceless way of seeing how our kids both grew so much during those early times of their lives.

If you have a small baby and give this a try, please share your images and/or questions in the comments area below.

The post How to Use Photoshop to Create Milestone Photos of Babies by Simon Ringsmuth appeared first on Digital Photography School.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2jaD2Va

#DIYS

0 notes

joya34blanco · 8 years ago

Text

How to Use Photoshop to Create Milestone Photos of Babies

This picture taken with a pocket camera and the fabric was purchased at a thrift store.

Preparing for the photo shoot

Blue painter’s tape; Used to hold the fabric down to the ground.

A big window; Or a glass door, or another similar surface to let in a lot of light.

A step stool; so you can get a higher angle.

A reflector; We didn’t buy one of these until well into our second child and it’s amazing how much a reflector helps get nice even lighting.

It doesn’t take much to prepare for this type of photo shoot.

The session

Photoshop time

Add the text

Resize and warp the text

Text color

Blend mode

Masking

At this point, you may be thinking about using the eraser tool to fix parts of your image where the baby’s hands obscure the number or text. But trust me, this is not what you want to do!

When to stop

After 52 weeks of doing pictures we used a slightly different setup and reduced our images to once a month with our child standing or sitting instead of lying down.

Conclusion

If you have a small baby and give this a try, please share your images and/or questions in the comments area below.

googletag.cmd.push(function() { tablet_slots.push( googletag.defineSlot( “/1005424/_dPSv4_tab-all-article-bottom_(300×250)”, [300, 250], “pb-ad-78623” ).addService( googletag.pubads() ) ); } );

googletag.cmd.push(function() { mobile_slots.push( googletag.defineSlot( “/1005424/_dPSv4_mob-all-article-bottom_(300×250)”, [300, 250], “pb-ad-78158” ).addService( googletag.pubads() ) ); } );

The post How to Use Photoshop to Create Milestone Photos of Babies by Simon Ringsmuth appeared first on Digital Photography School.

from Digital Photography School http://digital-photography-school.com/photoshop-create-milestone-photos-babies/

0 notes