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A Tropical Paradise Party

I promised party details from Emerson's first birthday and here I am, months later, finally delivering on that promise. Seeing as we have a June (almost July) baby, we decided to do a pool party in our backyard, with a bit of a tropical feel. Think flamingos, pineapples and palm trees. 

Here's the inspiration ...

Images via: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

And here's how you can get the look ...

 Flamingo Lights | Paper flowers: large and small | Cocktail recipes: Pineapple Margarita and Hemingway Daiquiri | Pineapple tumbler | Faux greenery | Drink holder floats | Paper plates and napkins | Table runner

We didn't go crazy on decor, just incorporated plenty of palm fronds, pineapples and flamingos where we could. As for food, we stuck to simple party platters that didn't need to be heated or maintained throughout the day. We served the two signature cocktails (Pineapple Margaritas and Hemingway Daiquiris) along with beer and wine. And as for a cake, we ordered several plain white cakes in different flavors from Publix, and then decorated them with the paper flowers. 

Although it did end up raining a bit on the day (kind of a bummer for a pool party), overall it ended up being a huge success because Emerson was surrounded by friends and family that loved her. Lucky little girl!

I blinked and my baby is one

The big day has come and gone, my little baby is not a little baby anymore. On Thursday, June 30, 2016, Emmy turned one (and I officially survived my first year of parenthood). Two big milestones that came quicker than I could've imagined.

Now, I don't get super sentimental very often and I hadn't felt sad or emotional leading up to her birthday; just a mixture of excitement for my growing girl and disbelief that it was here already. However, I believe it was the night before her birthday, I went against my better judgement and clicked a link on facebook titled "Moms say this is the best song ever." Oh my gosh, you guys. Cue the water works. I don't know if it was the video itself, or the timing of it, but it got me. It got me good.



Like every other parent out there, it scares me how fast it all goes by. All of it. The good and the bad, the sweet cuddles and the sleepless nights, it's here and gone in the blink of an eye.  While watching that video, the future became a little too real, and felt like it was coming on a little too fast. I could see her growing up, becoming a "big kid," and I don't know if I'm ready for that. First it's the walking, and then the talking, and then play dates and school and sports and homework and graduation and holy cow, where does the time go? It's too much to handle on a first birthday. Too much.

I know she's going to grow up, and I don't want to stop her. I know she's going to walk and talk and let go of my hand and become an independent little one. So for now, my wish is this: That for each time she runs away from me because she wants to "do it herself," that she will also eventually run towards me - whether it's for comfort, or for guidance, or love, or friendship ... or just because I'm her mom.

Happy birthday Emmy, we love you.

psst ... stay tuned, party details to come!

11 months: Emerson Marie

Dear Emerson,
Here we are, just a couple of weeks away from your first birthday, and you're no longer my little baby, instead you've become such a little person, but with a big personality. You are active, spirited, happy, smiley and oh-so-sweet (most of the time). I love watching you grow and change and you continue to fill our hearts with so much love! Honestly, kiddo, I don't think we could ask for anything more. 

CATCHING UP WITH EMMY ...  

Eating: She's still a good eater, but I have noticed some changes since she's started eating more "daycare foods" (macaroni and cheese, pizza, fries), and stopped eating my homemade vegetable purees. She definitely has more dislikes now than she did before. And she will let you know by taking whatever it is she just put in her mouth, pulling it out with a disgusted look on her face, examining it in her fingers, and then chucking it on the floor. She's currently very into pad thai, pickles, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, eggs and snack-y finger foods like puffs and pretzels. 

Likes: These days she loves toys she can hug, like her stuffed bunnies, her baby doll, and her little sock monkey. She also loves containers that she can put things into, and then take them back out. Her toy chest is another favorite - not necessarily the toys in it, but rather climbing into and sitting in there. For the most part she's pretty bored with most of her toys, so I'm excited for her to get some "big girl" toys for her birthday. 

Dislikes: Having her face wiped, when I put her hair into a ponytail, being in the carseat for too long. Really, she's pretty easygoing.

Sleeping: She's currently sleeping from 7:30 pm to about 7 or 7:30 am. She had been getting up around 6:30, but ever since we went on a family vacation to the beach, she's been sleeping in later (woohoo!). She's still an amazing sleeper, it takes about two seconds to get her down for the night. Lately she's been a great napper, too. In fact, while we were on vacation, there was one morning where she crawled into her travel crib (it zips open on the side), and put herself down for a nap!

Saying: Mama, dada, bababababa. Still talking up a storm, and still not making much sense to us. 

Milestones: She recently learned to drink through a straw (and loves it). She just started walking with a walker, and is starting to take a wobbly step here or there, but we're still waiting for the big moment where she just goes for it. She is so active, and will climb anything and everything. And she's much more loving now, giving us hugs, and showing her affection by putting her forehead against ours. There's nothing better than when Emmy stops what she's doing to show you some love : ) 

Fear and family

I am a worrier by nature. I always have been. Unsurprisingly, the extent of my worrying has only worsened since becoming a mom. It makes sense, after all, the more you have to love in your life, the more you fear losing it all. It's something I think about often, as a lay in bed at night; how grateful I am for such a beautiful life, and how painstakingly aware I am that it can all change in an instant. Trying to acknowledge these fears without letting them take over can be a struggle ... and then last Monday happened.

It wasn't a typical Monday in that I had Emerson home with me instead of at daycare because she had been sick. It was a beautiful day out and I was entertaining the idea of putting her in the pool for the first time. At around 1pm, I put on a bathing suit and gathered up towels, sunscreen, a swim diaper and headed outside. As I walked towards the back door, I read a new text message from Alexis:

"Just in case you were on Facebook or watching the news I wanted to let u know first...there's a bomb threat at our hospital. Don't really know too much. Sheriffs dept should be here shortly"

Now of course I'm freaked out, but I'm telling myself to stay calm, it's probably nothing. Just a threat, not real. I replied "are you evacuating?" and wait a very long few minutes before he responds, "Active shooter."

And then I lost it.

With tears streaming down my face I place Emerson in a bouncer and start searching the internet for more information, but there's nothing. I turn on the TV,  and there's nothing on the news either. I send Alexis a text message asking him to let me know when he is safe and telling him I love him. As much as I want to know what's going on, I want him to focus on staying safe, and not worry about answering my texts. Scenes from television shows like Grey's Anatomy and Chicago Fire flash before my eyes, where people are hiding behind furniture and you see the heavy black boots of a gunman slowly walk by them. Emerson starts to cry and I try to calm her as I constantly hit refresh on every "breaking news" website I can find. For thirteen long minutes I just wait and hit refresh. Wait and hit refresh ... while trying not to let my mind wander to incredibly frightening places.

Finally, he responds "Everything is ok. I guess they have it contained. Opening up the doors now."

Oh, the relief. Sweet relief. I had NEVER been filled with so much fear before in my life.  I honestly cannot even describe the anxiety, pain and terror I felt while waiting for him to respond. I told him I was still freaked out and I wished he could come home, but I already knew he'd be there till 7 pm as usual.

When he did come home, we didn't say too much to each other. I finished cooking dinner, and he put Emerson to bed. When we sat down to eat, he told me the entire story. That someone had called in a bomb threat and warned that no one would know when it was coming. A code was called throughout the building and the doors were locked. The lights were cut off, and the landlines were dead. They had to move people close to the exits to prepare for an evacuation, but couldn't immediately evacuate in case the bomber was outside watching. There was NOT an active shooter, thank God. The police got the call that there was, but it sounds like it was a miscommunication from someone in the building calling out to his or her family and then the family calling the police. SWAT came in and did a sweep of the building and eventually gave the all clear.

I am unbelievably thankful that no one was hurt and that there was not a shooter. I realize how incredibly lucky we are. But even now, a week later, I'm not sure what to take away from this situation, especially considering the threat is still out there, just hanging over our heads. I'm sad that we live in a world where we have to worry about these things. I'm grateful for the people who work to keep us safe, and can't imagine what their families go through on a daily basis, as they must live with this kind of fear all of the time. I wish that I had a profound takeaway from everything that happened, but all I can really do is give thanks, hold my family a little tighter, and suggest that everyone else does the same. Each day is a gift, not a guarantee, and life can change in an instant. So the next time you find yourself getting stressed out, just stop, take a breath, and try to laugh it off. Because unless the situation is life or death, it probably won't matter much in a day, a week or a year. Your family and friends, however ... they matter. So don't hesitate to let them know. It will probably be the most important thing you do all day.

Mother's Day gift guide

Mother's Day is only a few weeks away, and although I certainly don't speak for all the moms out there with my wish list gift guide, if you happen to have a new mom in your life that loves neutrals, classic styles and striped everything, there's a pretty good chance she'll appreciate something (or everything) from this list.

1. A shirt with stripes and a pom pom trim? J.Crew, you just get me.   |   2. The Jones Co. necklaces are so pretty and are safe for baby to chew on. Win-win.   |  3. Lately I've been craving beautiful blooms in the home. Farmgirl Flowers makes the most gorgeous arrangements and Mother's Day is the perfect excuse to splurge.   |  4. It's sandal season! I wear these Tory Burch sandals ALL THE TIME and it's starting to show. I love this new style because the back strap allows it to go a bit dressier than the original flip flops.  |  5. There's just something about this grey + rose gold watch that is so incredibly lovely.  |  6. I have a thing for pretty water bottles. This one will keep your drink cold for 24 hours (or hot for 12), and the largest size can hold an entire bottle of wine. Cheers!  |  7. Slip is a silk pillowcase "for the ultimate beauty sleep." What mom doesn't want their beauty sleep? I know I often wake up with a scary rat's nest of hair on my head and creases in my face from my cotton pillow case so I am totally buying into this idea.  |  8. I recently stumbled across Mommy Mailbox on instagram and I just love this idea of a monthly curated box of treats for mom.  |  9. The perfect non-diaper-bag diaper bag. Cute enough to convert this anti-backpack momma into a believer.  |  10. Sweet, delicate rings you can personalize with her little one's initials.  |  11. Because mom is the boss (and she needs her caffeine). Enough said.  |  12. A gorgeous ceramic vase perfect for displaying those Farmgirl Flowers.

... now how do I discreetly send this list to my husband?

p.s. Check out a few more of my new mom picks over on the Vera Bradley blog today!

9 months: Emerson Marie

Dear Emerson,
I can't believe how fast time flies! How quickly you've gone from my teeny tiny, sleepy little newborn to a crazy, crawling, will-climb-anything daredevil child on-the-go. At daycare they call you the "gymnast," and every day they tell us how much you love to eat. You have the sweetest disposition, but are not afraid to let us know when you don't like something. These past few months have brought such big changes, from sitting up, to crawling, to standing, and now dancing. I can't wait to see what you will learn next. Some days it feels like you have been with us forever, and yet some days I look at you and, even though I carried you for 9 months inside of me, and have now carried you for 9 months in my arms, it still feels surreal that you are here with us. We are so very lucky to have you in our lives. 

CATCHING UP WITH EMMY ...

Height: 28 inches  

Weight: 17 pounds 10 oz.  

Eating: Emmy will eat just about anything, but sweet potato puree and oatmeal cereal seem to be some of her all-time favorites. I make her purees of squash, zucchini, carrots, chicken, green beans, broccoli, apple ... pretty much any fruit or veggie we have on hand. She just recently started eating some of the toddler food provided at daycare along with her purees.The girl loves to eat (She gets it from her momma). She also loves puffs, and it didn't take long for her to learn how to get them into her mouth on her own. Surprisingly, however, she did not have the best reaction to strawberries and pineapples when she tried them recently. I don't know if it's the texture or if they are too tart, but it made for a good video. 

Likes: She loves toys that she can stand up to play with (i.e. pound on), the three colorful balls that came with her Fisher-Price Bright Beats, and she especially loves my cell phone. She has a strange attachment to her bath toys, which includes a book about a garden and a random plastic lobster. She also enjoys bath time in general, and gets a huge kick out of being around Teddy (our dog).

Dislikes: Getting into her carseat, getting ready for bed (although she actually goes down quite easily), and wearing a lifejacket.

Sleeping: Em goes to bed around 7pm, and wakes up between 6-7am. She takes naps that last 1-2 hours, but isn't really on a nap schedule, which is understandable considering she's at daycare during the week and it's bright and loud all day long. She used to be a terrible napper, and it's not until recently that her naps have started going longer than 45 minutes at a time on a consistent basis. 

Saying: a-bah-bah-bah-bah. The girl talks A LOT, I just wish I could understand her! 

Milestones: She is everywhere. She's now pulling herself to a standing position using whatever she can find to hold onto. She plays by herself in a play yard in the morning while we cook breakfast. She can put her pacifier into her mouth on her own (this is a huge win in my book!). She's just started waving good bye (if prompted), and is starting to crawl on her knees every once in awhile (as opposed to the belly crawl which she's been doing for awhile now). She also recently started dancing when music is playing, which I happen to think is the cutest thing ever!