Ivy and the Peanut

Hello my loves!  How was your weekend? I have a super funny story to share today!

My family was visiting last week, as you might recall... One evening, my sister Megan was nursing Ivy in her room.  I came in, chatted a little bit about how far Meg had read in Hunger Games, and noticed a peanut on her nightstand.  Without any thought at all, I said "ooooh, a peanut!" and popped it in my mouth.  Right away, I was like, "stale..." and then Meg started to laugh uncontrollably.

Meg said, "I don't know how or why-- and I'm a little embarrassed... I changed Ivy's diaper yesterday and found the peanut in her diaper."  I stopped chewing and almost threw up!  "Why would you keep it?  Why would you put it on your nightstand and not throw it away with the diaper?" Meg said she was so confused as to why the peanut was in the diaper and it seemed logical at the time to put the peanut on her nightstand. No one really knows how the peanut got in Ivy's diaper-- but what we do know is that the diaper was a really wet one and I chewed that peanut up real good and spit it out.

John and Ivy

Hello there!  Hope you had a great weekend!  I sure did-- my family is visiting this week and it has been so great to see everyone.  Especially my niece Ivy!  Ok, seriously... how cute is John with Ivy?  I took so many pictures of them!  Yesterday we all went out for brunch and it was so delicious! Except for the oyster. My sister and I both tried one for the first time. Meg swallowed hers but I couldn't! I had to spit it out. Do you like oysters?  xo, Ashley

Husband Wife Craft Night

Yes, you read that right.  Co-Crafting!
Christmas came early this year!  This Saturday, after watching Marquette win against Wisconsin, John was in an especially good mood and joined me for a night of crafting!  I can't really share what we co-crafted because a lot of it will be gifted-- but it was amazing! It was seriously so fun to work on a craft project together.

Do you craft with your love?

Newborn Photography Tips

• Make a list of pictures you love!  Find pictures that speak to you.  Pinterest is a great resource!
• If you are taking pictures for someone else, talk to them about their preferences and expectations.  Since I was taking pictures for my sister I asked her for her input-- what styles she likes, what shots she wanted.  Good communication in advance is especially important if you are taking pictures during delivery.  There is no time to clarify what mama wants as the baby is taking her first breath!  
• Be patient and flexible.  Know that you probably won't be able to get a great picture of every single shot you want.  For example, I wanted to get a cute black and white shot of Ivy on her belly with her legs tucked under... but Ivy wasn't having it!  I also wanted some cute naked booty shots... but Ivy has a skinny little butt and the pictures just didn't look right. 
• Babies are extra photogenic between 5-10 days old.  Sometimes their skin is irritated or splotchy after birth and it takes a few days for it to smooth out and their heads to settle into a lovely shape.  
• Newborns eat and sleep a lot-- so if you want a picture that doesn't involve sleeping or eating you need to work around the baby's schedule.  Right after feedings is a great time to take pictures because the baby is usually pretty content and their little hands and feet are relaxed. 
• Be prepared for accidents!  Have a change of clothes, lots of wipes, some washcloths, towels, blankets, and cute props ready for your session. 
• If you plan to take naked shots turn up the heat!  You should feel slightly sweaty for a naked baby to be comfortable and happy.  If baby gets too cold she will pee!  
• Know what your lighting situation is.  Where are the windows and what light will be available to you? 
• If you are going to get a shot of the baby taking her first breath make sure to meter your light and get your camera ready in advance.  Also, it's can be difficult to get a good shot of post-delivery activities because the doctors and nurses are busy doing their jobs!  Be respectful and creative to get the perfect picture!
• Make sure you have the right equipment!  A fantastic, low-cost lens ($100-150) that takes amazing pictures in low light settings is the 50mm/1.8.  Consider buying or renting a speedflash for your camera as well.  Also, research what kind of lens you will need to get the shots you want.  I wanted to get some close-ups of Ivy's tiny fingers and toes so I rented a macro lens (105mm f/2.8 micro) and am so pleased with my images!  

Here are some of my favorite photos of Ivy:

Homemade Butterfingers and Playing with a New Lens

After Meg and Ivy came home from the hospital, I spent some quality time with my brother, Bryson.  We made Meg a tray of homemade Butterfingers.  This recipe is super easy and great for kids!

Yum!  They were so delicious!  I was skeptical that they would really compare to the candy bar-- but they taste identical.  I didn't read the whole recipe-- so I did a little guessing when it came to applying the chocolate.  They look messy- but you forget all about their sloppy presentation after they melt in your mouth!  

I rented a fancy lens to take pictures of baby Ivy.  I can't wait to turn up the heat later today and take pictures of Ivy's tiny hands and feet, her skin, the tuft of hair on her ear...  Here are some pictures I took yesterday while playing with the new lens...