Category Archives: Photo Journal

Smartphone Photo Dump: Looking Back a Year

07/31/2015 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

I was looking through pictures on my phone the other day, and WOW, there’s so many things I forgot about! As new parents, it’s mostly Avery pics along with one date night worked in there, but thought it would be neat to do a photo dump from my phone a year ago.

Avery has changed so much (I guess teeth really make a difference), and it’s amazing just how much happens over the course of a year. Well, Uncle Preston not knowing how to hold a kid hasn’t changed…

This was one of the first times I wore Avery on my back in our Onya Baby NexStep. Notice the excitement on her face. Or maybe that’s her getting tired of my selfies.

We love a sleeping baby. Bonus points when you can get this close with the lights on to snap a pic and they stay asleep!

Hey, it’s a date night! We went to a BYOB paint class while G-Ma watched Avery. Good times with my wife!

For some reason, Kelley’s jellyfish got to stay out, but mine had to go in the closet. I don’t get it.

More sleeping. We just wanted to go a cuddle with her, but would never dare do such a thing!

This is a sight we’ll never see again. Now she’s always standing and pointing out our shirt, shorts/pants, and butt. Notice how I kept it safe with the oven on in the background.

C’mon, I know all parents love the sight of their sleeping kid(s). Never gets old!

Now she’s excited about the Onya, after I took it off. This changed and she still loves riding on my back to get a better view of everything around.

This is marks the beginning of her sharing the love of Zevia with Mommy and Daddy.

No, I wasn’t auditioning to be Bane in the next Batman movie. This is an elevation training mask I just got and decided to go for a leisurely stroll with Avery in the Onya Outback. If a baby can get embarrassed, she definitely was that day.

Hmmm, funny, this is how a lot of our meals still look today…

Before the need for a gate in the garage while working out, this jumper did just fine. I’m sure with all the jumping she did, it helped develop that leg strength for her awesome moves she does now.

Maybe I’ll start making this an end of the month thing where I share pics on my phone from that month a year ago. Hope you enjoyed the past pics, and keep a lookout at the end of August!

Go back a year ago on your phone and see if there’s anything you find that you forgot about.

Find anything cool/interesting?

Photo Journal

20 Month Photo Session: Rocking The Ponytail

07/20/2015 R.C. Liley 7 Comments

My wife started putting Avery’s hair in a ponytail not too long ago and it’s the cutest thing to see. Parenting bias aside, you can’t can’t argue with her tiny top tail paired with that precious face.

I mean…..amiright? That was the only still shot we got out of this constantly growing and non-stop crazy girl. I think her hair looks a little like Cindy Lou Who from How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Today we are back at it with our family from PA. This time, instead of a brewery, we are checking out a new vodka distillery that’s close-by. The name of the vodka is TreyMark and, get this, it’s made with black-eyed peas as the main ingredient!

I’ve found that I have been growing a little tired of beer and enjoy sipping my libations rather than drinking in volume. Needless to say, I’m excited and hope we all have a great time as my mom continues her 60th birthday celebration with friends and family!

Now, on to the 20 month photos. I don’t have much to say, but I think “crazy”, “cute”, “hair”, and “poor bear” sum it up quite well. Check them out and tell me if you agree.

Peek-a-boo with her bear.

More peek-a-boo or….

….oh, yep, eating his face.

Just stretching the legs. Gotta keep all limbs flexible as a toddler!

Hey, I see the camera!!

Ahh, she loves her bear.

Oh wait….ahhhh, she loves the arm on her chair.

Annnddd apparently no love for the bear.

So, would you agree with my four words of summation? Seriously, that poor bear never catches a break!

Ever try a vodka or another spirit distilled differently from the mainstream? If not, would you?

Does your kid have a favorite stuffed animal that they love to abuse but also love?

Life, Parenting, Photo Journal

Daddy-Daughter Photo Book: Birth to 19 Months

06/24/2015 R.C. Liley 4 Comments

For my first Father’s Day, Going Mom made a Dad and Avery photo book that means the world to me. It’s not just something anyone can buy, and she put some obvious love and quality time into making it.

This year, for my second Father’s Day, she slipped the book from it’s spot on our bookshelf (or tried, because I noticed it was missing) to add to it with more daddy-daughter photos. In my last post, Kelley was in the process of putting it together as I wrote (all hail nap time!), and after seeing the final product, my heart turned from mush to pure liquid. Kinda sounds bad, but trust me, it’s a good kind of mush-to-liquid.

I love it so much and every time I flip through the pages beginning from the first day Avery was born to just a few weeks ago, I am still amazed at how much she has already grown. I figured I’d share the entire book in a post for everyone to appreciate Kelley’s lovely crafting skills and pictures we will hold dear for eternity.

I’d like to note, the pictures of me wearing Avery in a Baby Bjorn are before we learned of the dangers of wearing babies in “crotch danglers” for impeding their hip development among other issues. Plus, having them face outward is also not the best. Not judging, I’ve obviously been there too, but I stopped right after learning of this and hope any babywearing parents will consider the same.

Okay, I’m done with the thought of the day. I can’t express my gratitude to Kelley enough for making this book of memories, and wish I was at least a quarter as crafty as her so I could do the same. Makes my photo coffee mug I got her pale in comparison.

I’ve said it already, but THANK YOU, Kelley, for being such an amazing wife/mother and for the best gift ever. Oh, and the beer of the month club is just stevia sweetened icing on our homemade chocolate cake! 🙂

Do you love sentimental gifts like these or prefer getting gifts from retail stores instead?

What would be your favorite personalized gift to receive? A photo book, jewelry, framed picture, kitchenware, etc.?