Jessica age 6.

Can you believe I forgot to post Jessica age 6 pictures yesterday?? Were you so sad? Did you keep checking to see when they would go up? NO? I am shocked.

A few weeks before Jessica turned 6 she lost her first tooth when we were in Florida. So I need to include that picture.

For her 6th birthday she had a 12 dancing princesses party (I made those skirts- well except for Addies- right Emily?).

oops forgot some important ones

Can't believe I chronicled year 5 and forgot the first day of Kindergarten pictures! Here she is running to the bus stop. I was so afraid she would wipe out and I told her to slow down. She said she couldn't because her feet were making her go that fast- man was she excited.

Here she is getting off the bus in the afternoon.
For the record she has been permanently scarred by the fact that she wore a skirt and sandals on the first day AND it was gym day- both are no-nos. I doubt you will see Jess in a skirt on the first day of school for many years to come.

Jessica age 5!

This is the picture we used for Jessica's 5th birthday party invite- holy over exposed and out of focus Batman!
Taken in August- she was working on her posing.

One of my favorites from our OBX vacation that year.

Here she is my big Kindergartener!

Four days until Jessica turns 8- time for 4 year old Jessica!

This is the picture we used for her birthday party invitation the year she turned 4- can you guess the theme? I made that hook- can you tell? almost looks real, right? She is trying to look fierce!
This picture was taking in August. Goodness her hair used to be so blond, especially at the end of summer. She is truly a light brunette now but Jessica still thinks of herself as a blonde. I told her that was ok because Aunt Kathy still thinks she is a blonde too :)
Oh wait- I tried, but I can't stand the 2005 processing on the above picture (think I needed to clean that lens or what?). Hold on...

- phew this is so much better... ahhhh

Here are some from my own attempt at taking the "holiday" picture of my kids. I was very into the "soft" filter at the end of the process for awhile.
One more...

... dang I tried to let it go, but I just couldn't. still can't quite salvage my soft focus...

Look at those hands! they look like baby hands.

Manj- I could totally talk you through my processing but you would need some working knowledge of Photoshop- got that?

Jessica age 3!

There are two things I think of when I think of Jessica at age 3. The first was her smile for the camera. It was a diagonal smirk and often included one eye closed. The second thing was this huge mane of hair that she had. Marc did not like to have her hair cut. He used to growl at my friend Karen when she came over to cut her hair. So we were left with this huge knotty tangled mess most of the time. This picture captures both of those things.

Then a few months after she turned 3 Jessica took matters into her own hands and cut 6 inches off the side of her hair. Here she is quite proud of her handiwork.

Then end result after I rushed her to Karen for hair 911.

Here is my cutie, her hair slowly growing out in the fall.

I found this picture in the January folder which means she was only 2 month away from turning 4. a) it is clear my photography hobby has begun because there is a backdrop and b) Marc was losing the short hair debate in our house at this time.

Now seeing the above picture as it was, SOOC (straight out of camera for you non-photog types), was tough for me. I have come along way in my processing of photos so I had a go at it with my 2009 skills. What do you think? Taking the picture is only part of the puzzle- knowing what to do with it also plays just as an important role.

Black and White anyone?

Jessica age 2!

Here she is at her second birthday party. It was a Sesame Street theme with an Elmo cake and Dee found this adorable cookie monster dress for her to wear.

This is taken a few weeks before Justin was born and with our new spiffy digital camera.

Here she is meeting her baby brother for the first time (man I wish her hair was still this cute).

This is one of my favorite pictures of us together. After Justin was born she went through a very "needy" phase- a Mama is my best friend stage. This was taken after I had gone away for a night with some friends and she was quite happy to see me return.

Seven days until Jessica turns 8!

Continuing with my theme.... here are some pictures of Jessica at age 1. This one was taken on her actual birthday. There was a huge snowstorm just before she was born but on the day of her first birthday party it was 70 degrees- crazy March.

Here she is at her party. She was just taking her first few steps. One of the biggest things was that she grabbed hold of these balloons and then walked 6 or 7 steps across the floor- to great cheers from her admirers.

Around age one is when the awkward hair stage began. I started to put her hair into the whale spout pony- love it!
Here are some pics from around 18 months. Her hair started to get really blond.

Jessica was Blue for Halloween- I made the costume- quite proud of this one in fact.

Here she is with her Daddy- he was Joe that Halloween- aren't they cute together?