though we are in denial that she is a walking babbling 1-year-old, we had to document it somehow!

i was not this together for boston’s first birthday. it would take lots of searching to find his monthly pictures, and even then, i’m not so sure if they would be as fun to print as these were.

i shot these in her crib next to a cute chalkboard that i found on etsy. i wouldn’t recommend attempting to get a picture that involves laying down every time though because once she could sit, she was ticked every time! i had to move fast and the pictures became much harder to catch! i’m actually relieved that i’m done!

this little girl has been so much fun every step of the way. she babbles so much, and has so much personality that it’s been so much fun to hang out with her every day.

last night on her birthday, we had a dance party, just us, and this little knows how to wiggle. there hasn’t been a day that i don’t say out loud, “dang it, she’s so cute!”

she and i share a bond because of how special her birth was for me. she was born at home, after having a c-section, so it was the opposite of my first experience with birth and it was something that changed the first few months with a new baby 180% for me.

you can read all about reese’s birth story if you’d like to here.

all i did to make this little DIY {i don’t know what to call this} baby months {art? display?} picture was to paint an ombre background using 2 pink shades and a vintage white. i took a painting class in college {remember, i majored in theatre, so this was more like a scenic/set painting class…}, but my favorite technique that i learned was this way to blend paint and give it lots of character and dimension. you can’t really see in the photos, but up close you can see the brush strokes here and there, but the colors blend perfectly. i did this while catching up on the phone with a dear friend and it took me maybe 20 minutes. it’s like 2 for one therapy really…

after painting the entire canvas in the white and letting it dry, i dropped a line of paint on one edge and brushed it in one direction until spread, then dropped the second color down the middle and with a damp brush just “swipe” the brush from back to front until the colors start to blend. after the colors were done, i added gold glitter paint from the white edge down so it added a little shimmer to the top. these little clothespins got smothered in gold metallic paint and they were stoked about it. and after i pinned these wires to hang the photos, cc took them and rearranged them to look more like a clothesline. see, that’s why i married him. we think together, ya know?

i am a part of a little group called #creativebuzz, and this month’s theme is “numbers”

be sure to check out some of these awesome projects by my friends!

1. Telephone Table Makeover by One Krieger Chick

2. Month by Month Picture Ombre Frame by Color Me Meg

3. Giant Flashcards Playroom Decor by Crafts by Courtney

4. Neon Number Tees by Sugar Bee Crafts

5. Soft Baby Blocks by seven thirty three

6. Number Wreath by Just Us Four

7. DIY Growth Chart by A Glimpse Inside

8. Back to School Countdown Printable by All Things with Purpose

9. #2 Pencil Treats by Made to be a Momma