Focus Point

I am so very excited! I learned something new with my camera by first getting the tip from the Pioneer Woman Photography blog and then by reading my camera's instruction manual. I just learned this Saturday evening, and I applied what I learned on Sunday. I know I am no where close to being a photographer, but these are amazing pictures (for me)!

Before, I used the auto focus function, but with this new trick, I was able to still use the "auto focus" on the lens itself, but adjust where the little red boxes appear and focus on Annabelle's face or eyes. Finally, I got more pictures where Annabelle's face is clearer than anything else in the picture, and I didn't even have to take a hundred pictures to get that perfect shot.

Following are my two favorite pictures from Sunday! Is she not the cutest thing ever?

Here she is celebrating her Daddy's birthday at a park in Alpharetta off Cogburn Road. Her Daddy is helping her climb. Look at that dimple! It is clear as day!

And, here she is dressed for success at Nonnie's house. We were visiting with Nonnie, Uncle Matt, Aunt Meredith and Cousins Adam and Molly to celebrate hubby and Aunt Meredith's birthdays. Molly and Annabelle were playing in the sunroom. Molly had been playing with the fireman hat earlier, and as soon as Molly laid it down, Annabelle turned to me and asked, "Mommy, may I play with this now?" as she held the hat up in the air. So very sweet and polite! I think her new friend, Annalee, has rubbed off on her. Annalee was such a sweet and polite little girl when we spent time with her and her family in Hilton Head. Thank you Annalee!

So, I told her that she could play with it as long as Molly had finished playing with it. So, she then turned to Molly and asked, "Are you finished playing with dis?" Molly apparently approved. Then, Annabelle picked up the maraca, and I couldn't stand to not take a picture. She just looked too cute. She had already dressed herself in the apron before she got the fireman hat from Molly.

Of course, by the time I grabbed the camera, she was almost finished playing with the maraca. She put it down right after I took this shot, but I persuaded her to hold it a little while longer so I could take a few more shots. This picture still turned out to be the very best one.

Dear Annabelle,

One of the hardest things about being a Mommy (to me) is the mundane day to day activities of laundry, dishes, lunch, snacks and dinner. I think the one thing I miss the most from working full-time is the constant learning. Well, looking back, I do remember getting frustrated at work sometimes because even some days on the job were mundane as well, and I didn't feel like I was learning something new every day.

But, over the past two and a half years, I have learned to venture out to learn new things and create new hobbies for myself that I never felt I had time for before while working crazy hours. Honestly, before you were born, I really didn't have any hobbies besides my love for traveling. Work was my only hobby. Sad, but true!

Since you've been born, my hobbies (besides you, of course) have become blogging, digital scrapbooking and photography. The latter I haven't been very good at, but I've wanted for so long to learn how to take better pictures and use my camera properly. I have a long way to go, but it makes life so much more enjoyable when you can learn something new every day.

I hope you will also strive to learn something new everyday! My Mama Gordon, your Great Grandmother, loved to learn new things, and as a result, she loved to live! She even learned to e-mail when she was in her nineties. Not that she did it very often (if more than once), but she wanted to learn!

I love you sweet girl! Thank you for helping me learn what life is all about!

Love always,

Mommy