What did parents do...

without smart phones?  Seriously?

It's actually amazing to me how far technology has come just in my lifetime!  I have never been so thankful for my iPhone than since I became a Mom.  I almost always have it with me, and it has an awesome camera and camcorder right on it!  I love to pull out the "big guns" camera when I can, but honestly, my iPhone does an awesome job, has some great apps, and I can still get some pretty good edits in Photoshop from the pictures.

I uploaded a bunch of photos from my phone the other day and thought I'd be self indulgent and share a few with you of my absolute favorite subject:
(Photos from January 22nd to July 11th - more photos to come later! Also, I did NO editing.)

Kayla's Birthday

The front facing camera on the iPhone could use some work...usually those photos are noisier

On our way home from the hospital...it's amazing how much better she is at getting in her car seat.

Aunt Megan LOVES taking my picture

Post 4 month shots

Tickling

Rarely experienced cuddling time

The first time we staged her holding her own bottle, she totally does this on her own  now:)

LOVE LOVE LOVE the hipstamatic app

Again

Post bath time :)

First time meeting uncle Brendan

Driving back to MKE to head home to Daddy

Her faces kill me, and they just keep getting better!

I love to reach for myself in the mirror

So happy, no matter how much she sleeps.

Through the pack n play netting

Daddy loves to snuggle, me...not so much.

Mommy is silly & I love that thing she always puts in my face.

I love Lambie.

Haha stinker.

I love my giant dinosaur stuffed animal! (More pictures later.)

Trying to "catch" the water during bath time.

First time sitting

The 4th of July in GE is exhausting!

I could take a million photos of her in the morning.

Driving home from the Midwest...my new favorite thing is to chew on the parts of my car seat.

Check Off #3

#3: Try becoming a brunette.

As many of you may know, I like to experiment with my haircuts.  I am very UNpicky about how my stylist Nina cuts it.  (BTW if you live in the DC/VA area, go to Nina at Glynn Jones Salon & Spa...she is super amazing and fun to boot!)  I like to try new things because I quickly become bored with what it looks like.  I'll try almost any cut Nina recommends, but I have never, ever dyed my hair darker.  I've been a blonde my whole life, the only thing that we've done is some lowlights (along with highlights).  Here's a fun little series of my hair through the past 5 years or so.  I'll call it "Hair by Nina."

(Post massive photo upload edit: I posted way more pictures than I needed to, but I thoroughly enjoyed reliving my life for the past 5 years! :))

First outing with GW friends Sept 06

Out in DC Fall 06

Another night out Fall 06

Hallowwn 06

Winter 06

Winter 06 (Justin has this problem A LOT!)

Winter 06 

Jan/Feb 07

Jan/Feb 07

Spring 07

Spring 07

Early Summer 07

Summer 07 (This is when I asked Nina to "cut my hair like Victoria Beckham" (I love her). This is the shortest is has ever been.)

 

Summer 07

Fall 07 - Alumni weekend at Tech

Fall/Winter 07 in Charlotte <3 - When I decided I wanted bangs

Spring 08

May 08

May 08

Summer 08

July 2nd, 2008...a day that would change my life entirely! :)

August 08 - Maroon 5, Counting Crows, Sarah Barielles

September 08 - one of a few fun times at this apartment!

Winter 08

Jan 09

Dec 08 (a terrible idea to go ice skating...I swear I broke both knee caps.)

NYE 09

(I actually think this is out of place..Oct 08)

Wedding Hair Trial

10/10/09

10/10/09

Hawaiian Honeymoon Oct 09 (Longest it's ever been)

Hawaiian Honeymoon Oct 09

Winter 09

Spring 10 (When my hair was amazing since I was pregnant) 

P.S. this is at the sushi place I'm really going to miss.

Labor Day 10

Sept/Oct 10

Oct 10

1st Anniversary Oct 10

October 10

Oct 10

Nov 10 7 months pregnant

April 11 (Kayla's first haircut by Nina!)

So there's a history of my hair.  Although it doesn't seem all that different in a lot of the photos, I tend to go from short, to long, to bangs, to really short, to really long, with highlights/lowlights thrown in their too.  I just hate to be boring...and last week, I decided I didn't want to wait any longer.  I was going to check something off my 101 list and I wanted to do something different.  So I made an appointment with Nina to dye my hair brown.  It's two full shades darker than normal for me, and it DOES make my eyes pop! :)  I love it, I'm just not sure about the upkeep! 

And over the weekend, someone that didn't know us pointed out that Kayla's hair is light, but it won't stay like that since both Justin and I have dark hair.  I quickly pointed out to her that this wasn't my natural color, so she can be a blonde if she wants to be! :)  I guess that's just a tribute to how natural Nina always makes me look! 

August 3, 2011 - crappy iPhone photo taken immediately post color/cut and edited as best I could.