emma grace // a nine month update

dear sweet baby girl,

oh how i wish i could freeze time.  each and every day is so much more fun than then last.

you give the sweetest and slobberiest kisses.  you're reaching out for your people and trying to climb up mamas legs.  i never knew a little leg hug could melt my heart so fast.

you're loving sweet potatoes, squash, black  beans, bananas and avocados.  you're a big fan of puffs and i can't confirm it, but i'm pretty sure you have a little contest going to see how many you can get in your mouth at one time.  so far, the record sits at 5.

we welcomed our first two teeth! it was a little rough, but you handled it like a champ!

you also discovered that your cute little cough brings attention.  it's pretty hilarious to see you fake cough and then follow up with a giggle.  it's amazing what you can get away with when you're a teeny-tiny-cutie-patootie.

you've discovered your toesies.  when you're laying down, in your carseat, or sitting in your stroller, you're always making a grab for your toes.

you're a little roley-poley.  one morning, the monitor woke me up at 3 am to find you rolling around, grabbing your toes, playing with your toys and having a little party in your crib.  it took all of my self control to let you play on your own and not run into your room to join in on the fun.

you're the sweetest, snuggliest, smiliest baby there ever was. and i'm so glad i get to call you mine.

love always,
your mama

emma grace: five months

sweet baby girl,
we are so thankful for you.
i love watching your curiosity and just love watching your little brain discover new things.
your sweet smile lights up a room and you charm everyone you meet.
and even though you're still not a huge fan of naps or bed time, i really don't mind. more snuggle time for me! :)

Emma Grace: Two Months

sweet baby girl is two months old. 

i'm completely addicted to her little coos, snorts and almost-giggles.

her smiles and snarles melt my heart, even at 3:30 am. #soworthit

she never stops squirming, even in her sleep.

morning stretches are serious business and require at least 30 different facial expressions. 

she's stubborn and strong and i love every single tiny inch of her. 

month 1

Emma Grace: One Month

and just like that, our baby girl is one month old.

sleep has been replaced with snuggles and diaper changes, and my target gift cards are spent on diapers and pacifiers instead of cute shoes and maxi dresses.  i'm not complaining though...she's pretty darn adorable. even at 2 and 3 and 4 am...

inspired by @gusandrubyletterpress 

twenty five and i'm feeling good!

last week, i turned twenty-five. ahhhhhhhh!
i spent the day being spoiled by my sweet bub-hub, and the rest of the week/weekend being spoiled by friends and family.
twenty-five is a pretty big life stage.

bub-hub's family has this fantastic birthday tradition that involves the birthday-ee choosing all of the meals for the day. when we got married, i made sure to inherit this tradition.

we splurged on donuts for breakfast, chick fil a for lunch, and chipotle for dinner with fro-yo for dessert. the next day, we had a yummy family birthday dinner at sfuzzi's! and of course, lots and lots of red velvet birthday cake!

i think twenty-five is definitely my favorite age so far, and i have a feeling it's going to be my best year yet!

what birthday is your favorite?

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grown up gifting: girls night in

i think giving gifts might be one of my favorite things. i love coming up with a unique or special thing for one person. and when my sister-in-law turned 21, i knew just what i wanted to get her.

a grown up "girls-night-in" kit! after i came up with the idea, i began floating walking around target dreaming of what a perfect night in would consist of, and this is what i came up with.

here are the ingredients for a perfect girls night in:

one // a fabulous movie. preferably from 1980 starring molly ringwald or john cusack. i chose pretty in pink. everything's duckie edition. duh. say anything came in close second.
two // box of wine. or a bottle. or a carafe. your choice.
three // chocolate.
four // nail polish! mani are a girls night must.
five // fuzzy socks. the whole point of a girls night in is to wear comfy clothes right? or am i the only lazy one out there?
six // cute straws. for your wine.

what must-haves did i leave out?

to the bestest dad ever...

 

dear dad,

thank you for teaching me how to see the fun side of life,

how to work hard and play harder,

for encouraging me when i was feeling down,

and always finding an adventure around every corner.

you're the bestest dad ever.

 

happy birthday!

 

murder at stirling hall

i admit it: i'm addicted to downton abbey.

so when we were invited to a murder mystery party,

 at stirling hall in england, in the year 1919,

i was pumped.

i might not have come close to solving the murder,

but it was really fun trying to figure it out.

bub-hub figured it out.

#whatasmartypants

 

have you ever been to a murder mystery party?

 

 

a sweet and sunny day

so far, being twenty-four is pretty fantastic.

my sweet mom came in town to celebrate with me!

we had a yummy brunch at tiny boxwoods,

including a perfect vanilla latte the size of my face,

and enjoyed the beautiful sunshine and cool weather on the patio.

after brunch, we headed to rice village for a little bit of shopping,

and then to crave for a yummy bithday cupcake!

red velvet is a family birthday tradition.

yummmmmmm.

sweet raider used his most intense and most cutest stare down face.

please mom, just one little crumb?

this might have been the one and only time i didn't give in to those big brown eyes.

nothing gets between me and a red velvet crave cupcake.

a perfect weekend

have you ever had a perfect weekend?

i definitely did! :)

 

my birthday is coming up this week, but since bub-hub has been sucked into the craziness of tax season, we decided to celebrate this weekend!

he planned a perfect day for me: manicures, lunch at adair kitchen, shopping, and the most yummy dinner i've ever had in my life.

we had dinner at a brenners on the bayou. it's a beautiful restaurant in a beautiful part of houston. it's tucked away in the trees, and you don't even feel like you are in the city.

such a perfect place to celebrate.

 after dinner, bub-hub and i met up with some sweet friends at a 1920's themed cocktail bar. we had so much fun drinking fancy cocktails in beautiful glasses and dancing the night away! i think dancing with my friends is one of my favorite things ever. #embracetheawkwardness

 

 

sunday, raider and i enjoyed the sunshine and went for a walk at memorial park.

how can you stay inside on such a perfect day?

 

o, and did i mention he had the restaurant sing me happy birthday?

#soblessed

 

 

how do you like to celebrate your birthday?

do you like to dance like a fool?

pinning for the birthday boy

confession #1:

i am super nervous about celebrating the bub-hub's first married birthday.

when you're just the girlfriend,

or just the fiance,

there's still a little pressure,

but you still have his mom to fill in the slack.

this year,,,,i'm stepping up my game.

confession #2:

i might be using bub-hub's birthday as an excuse to make a ridiculous amount of food and bake a lot of not-fantastic-for-you-sweets.

bub-hub could care less about what he has on his birthday. 
he is the most laid back, chill fella on the planet.

honestly, he would probably be happy as a lark on a couch watching sports center with a bowl of cheerios.

option 1:

monkey bread,,,sort of.

Source: stamps4fun.blogspot.com via Sarah Grace on Pinterest

option 2:

cinnamon rolls

Source: thekitchn.com via Sarah Grace on Pinterest

option 3:

homemade baked doughnuts

[using the fun donut pans we got for the wedding!]

Source: eatdrinkpretty.com via Sarah Grace on Pinterest

after a fantastic birthday dinner out,

it's dessert time!

duh!

option 1:

mint chocolate chip cake

Source: megseverydayindulgence.wordpress.com via Sarah Grace on Pinterest

option 2:
texas sheet cake

a classic and a personal favo-fav!

[and yes...that was intended to be said like the clock man...flava-flav!]

Source: nancycreative.wordpress.com via Sarah Grace on Pinterest

option 3:

malibu rum cupcakes

because everything is always more fun with a little malibu!

Source: bystephanielynn.com via Sarah Grace on Pinterest

i'll probably make them all.
and then i'll check myself into sugar-rehab.
go big or go home right?
or maybe i'll just go to crave. :)
let's be real.
it doesn't ever get better than crave.