Ruari is 10 months old.

Dear little Miss Laureli,

Wow. I cannot believe you’re already 10 months old! You have turned into a little human this past month. Seriously. So many changes. What are you up to you ask? Well, here… check it out:

  • Crawling. I was afraid you’d never roll over 2 months ago… BUT, here you are… you can roll over like it’s nothing and you have moved on to a crawling little monster!
  • You’re eating your food better. Most of it stays in your mouth!
  • “Ma ma” only comes out of your mouth when you’re crying… and you believe you need me or the world is going to end if I don’t pick you up IMMEDIATELY! UPDATE: I started writing this Sunday morning. Sunday evening: you have mastered saying Mama… you now look at me while in daddy’s arms and scream “Mama” non-stop.
  • “Da da” is your favorite thing to say. Pfft. ;D
  • Angus (our little Chihuahua), or as you say it: “An-duh” was your first word. You pretty much call any dog “An-duh”.
  • You are a waving maniac! You wave hi to everything!
  • Clap clap clap! Yay! You clap all the time.
  • You get very excited when you see someone you recognize… Me, Mike, Angus, Princess, Pistachio or your Grandma.
  • Playing contently on your own is something new. You will sit and play in your pack n’ play for a good 45 minutes and let me sit and blog! ๐Ÿ™‚ That was never the case before.
  • You’ve started smiling and giggling when you’re pooping… poor child.. I’m afraid you have our sense of humor!
  • I’ve realized this week I REALLY need to lower your crib… I came in and found you standing… uh oh. You were so happy!
  • Pretty much EVERYTHING you touch still goes in your mouth!
  • You must weigh more than 22 pounds… because you barely fit in your 22 pounds or less car seat! We ordered a new “big girl” seat… it should be here soon.
  • You happily swing your legs when I hold you. I think it’s so cute.
  • Mirrors are the best thing ever. You think they’re pretty! ๐Ÿ™‚
  • You’ve started pushing me away when I try and kiss you… what up with that?
  • You sleep on your belly. You sleep on your face. You freak mommy out when you sleep on your face!
  • You’re still waking up at 6 am… You fall asleep anywhere from 8 pm to 10 pm…
  • Mike thinks you will be walking by next month. I’m not too sure…. ๐Ÿ™‚
  • You’re such an amazing sweet baby!
{41/365}

Love you baby boo head shmooby! Two more months and you’re 1 year! Wow!

Love,
Mama

You know what Ruari wants for her 10 month bday?
A vote for her blog. Just 2 clicks! She would LOVE it SO much!
We Are Top Baby Blog. Click here to vote!

Note: Don’t forget to check the announcements above the posts! Giveaways and photo challenges. Yay!

My pick on Monday:

This REALLy cute tutu from Whimsy Ranch!

{Whimsy Ranch}

Would ya could ya? Vote for me?
Vote For Us @ topbabyblogs.com!

Tags: , ,

Categories: family


Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Would ya could ya? Vote for me? Numbers have been reset! Thanks!

Vote For Us @ topbabyblogs.com!

Scavenger Hunt Sunday:

  • Side-lighting: Ok, I think I might have mentioned it before… But, I’m sort of afraid of partial shadows when I photograph! I’m not quite sure how to deal with them. BUT, Ashley said we have to challenge ourselves… blah blah blah… ;D

  • Jack ‘o Lantern

  • Faces in nature: I see a face. ๐Ÿ™‚ This is frozen steak by the way.
  • Sunset: Uhhhh…. apparently I forgot to take a photo of a sunset. Oops. Hopefully Ashley wont ban me from her blog. ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Warm: Warm day in October!

Would ya could ya? Vote for me?
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Categories: Uncategorized


GIVEAWAY: Win a photo manipulation from me! $40 value – CLOSED –

I’ve been meaning to do a giveaway from my shop for so long! I’m finally getting to it!

Win a photo manipulation from ME! I can really do whatever. Well, maybe not WHATEVER. I don’t know how to shed the pounds off of your photos. Maybe I’ll figure that out some day! ;D

But, I can manipulate your photos to look like this:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

OR, I can tattoo your baby! Or you. Or your grandma. Whatever!

{Stella from Hi, Baby.}

I will work with you through email to see what you want! We can REALLY manipulate your photo for your holiday cards. How about elf ears? OR, I can photoshop a string of Christmas lights on your arm.

OR, if you really want… I’ll create a banner and a button for your blog. We’ll figure something out!

PLUS, in addition to this giveaway… I am giving everyone a 10% discount to my Paper Lady shop AND my Paper Mama shop. Just use this code during checkout: THEPAPERMAMA, and I will refund you through paypal. This expires on November 15th, 2010.

On to the giveaway details:

How do you win? Please follow these steps… AND make sure I have a way to contact you through e-mail. If I don’t… I’ll have to delete the entry… ๐Ÿ™

Mandatory entry:
1) Tell me what you’d like to do if you won!{1 entry}

Optional entries:
1) Follow me (see sidebar) {1 entry}
2) Like my Facebook page for The Paper Mama{1 entry}
3) Blog about this giveaway… linking back to my blog (please post blog post link in comment). {3 entries}
4) Grab one of my buttons in the sidebar there… {1 entry}
5) You can vote for me… ONLY if you really want to (vote once daily… and get 2 entries each day!!! Let me know each day you vote.) ๐Ÿ™‚ Click here: Vote For Us @ TopBabyBlogs.Com - A Top Baby Blog List By topbabyblogs.com {2 entries a day}


Giveaway ends November 15th 11:59 PM Pacific Time. ๐Ÿ™‚

Would ya could ya? Vote for me?
Vote For Us @ topbabyblogs.com!

Categories: paper mama shop


Please?

Could ya spare a couple clicks? The numbers have been reset! They may not show yet, but they have! Yay! I would VERY much appreciate it! I really want to be in the top 25 this time around. Please?

I’m already setting up a giveaway to post later today to my Paper Mama shop. BUT, if I can get to the top 25 and stay in it through Monday I will do a second giveaway! A LARGER giveaway! Who wants a tattooed baby? ๐Ÿ˜€

To vote, just click on the button below. Then, click on the “Click Here to Vote” image. That’s it! You voted! Thanks! Let me know if you need a vote to, I’ll head on over and vote for you!

Help Our Rank & Visit Top Baby Blogs, Baby Blog Directory!

By the way, you can vote once a day. So, vote once a day. Doctors orders. ;D

Would ya could ya? Vote for me?
Vote For Us @ topbabyblogs.com!

Categories: Uncategorized


The Paper Mama Photo Challenge: Fall.

October 16th – October 21st
NOT ALWAYS PICTURE PERFECT

This weeks guest judge: 
Tez from: Not Always Picture Perfect.
This weeks challenge 

Fall
The challenge will be based around your children. Take or find a photo of your baby (or kid… or puppy… or kitty) doing something “fall-ish”. Jumping through leaves, carving a pumpkin, warming by the fire, dressed in cozy clothes… falling. ๐Ÿ˜€ Get creative!

  • Fall example from Tez:

  • Fall example from Chelsey:

Here are a couple links to some free photo editing software if you don’t already have something:
Picnik
Picasa
Gimp
Pixlr

……………………..
There always has to be rules… I know, boring right? But, it’s to help me and you. ๐Ÿ™‚ Click on the link for more details… Each entry does need to link back to my blog… Click here to see last weeks winner… All photo entries need to be in by 11:59 PM Pacific Time on October 21st…
……………………..

Guess what…. after 4 challenges there will be a week long vote off of the winners from the 4 previous challenges… The winner of the vote off will get a small prize! 4 more challenges to go…

Winners so far:

  • Fall: … no one yet …
  • Black and White: … no one yet …
  • Halloween: … no one yet …
  • Food: … no one yet …

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If you have an Etsy shop and would like to give away an item as a prize… please drop me a line! I โ™ฅ sponsors and will show your shop some love for your contribution. ๐Ÿ™‚
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Click here to see last weeks winner of “Me and Mama”.

The Paper Mama

AND, just a little FYI. There’s another Fall photo challenge here:
Aspire Photo Challenge

Would ya could ya? Vote for me?
Vote For Us @ topbabyblogs.com!

Categories: Uncategorized


Time for the VOTE OFF!

Vote for your favorite at the bottom of the post:

  • 2) A hint of color: Love3

  • 4) Me and Mama: Supermom

Please Vote! Voting will end on July 30th, 2010 at 11:59 pm. Get your friends and family to vote! ๐Ÿ™‚ Make a post on your blog linking back to the vote post.

What will the winner of this vote win you ask? A couple of cards from my Paper Lady Invites shop! Yay! So, go on and vote!




Would ya could ya? Vote for me?
Vote For Us @ topbabyblogs.com!

Categories: Uncategorized


AND, the winner of "Me and Mama" photo challenge is…

Can I just say how good all of you are getting? I mean, you were all great before, but wow. Some of you have been playing along for so long now.

This weeks guest judge:  Me! 
(Ok, not really a guest, but I thought I’d judge the photo challenge this week!)  
This weeks challenge: Me and Mama.

The challenge:
This weeks challenge is just a bit different. Take or find a photo of your baby (or kid… or puppy… or kitty) and you. I know we did a self photo challenge a couple weeks ago…. but, this time I’d like to see you AND the babe in your photos. ๐Ÿ™‚

Why I chose this photo: “I love the special moment between mama and baby. The solar flare is just beautiful. It’s really just the perfect Mama and Me photo!”

Congrats! Please feel free to grab a “fact: I’m awesome … #1 winner” button below. Because: you ARE awesome! And, thank you SO much for participating!

The Paper Mama

Why I chose this photo: “Again, I love the special moment of this photo! I just LOVE it. The edit is lovely too.”

Why I chose this photo: “I’ve seen this photo before, and I loved it the first time I saw it. I love the hug. And, the cropping is lovely.”

Why I chose this photo: “Another very special moment captured. You can really see the love in this photo.”

Why I chose this photo: “Look at her go! Carrying both her babies and hiking through the woods (I made that part up. I don’t know where she is ;D). This photo made me laugh out loud! I love the edit too.”

Congrats to the top 5 winners! Great job, and please feel free to grab the top 5 button below! You’re all awesome!

The Paper Mama


So, I know I just chose the top 5… but, I have a few favorites too. Here they are:




If you’re one of my favorites you are more than welcome to grab a “Paper mama hearts me” button below!

The Paper Mama

Guess what…. after 4 challenges there will be a week long vote off of the winners from the 4 previous challenges… The winner of the vote off will get a small prize! 0 more challenge to go…

It’s time for the Vote Off!

Winners so far:

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If you have an Etsy shop and would like to give away an item as a prize… please drop me a line! I โ™ฅ sponsors and will show your shop some love for your contribution. ๐Ÿ™‚
โ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅโ™ฅ

Would ya could ya? Vote for me?
Vote For Us @ topbabyblogs.com!

Categories: Uncategorized