happy birthday emmers! | cake and presents

cake is definitely the highlight of any birthday. at least any birthday i've been a part of!

we chose pink velvet for her baby bundt cakes. 

selfishly, i wanted to try and avoid a giant mess with a bunch of icing [we already messed with that during her smash cake shoot...] but let's be real. it's not a real birthday cake if you don't have icing on top! 

home girl also has quite the love for her crackers.  i would never think twice about having to choose between cake or crackers, but she just couldn't leave her first love behind! :)

emma grace had so much fun opening her gifts!  she loved crawling and climbing on all the bags and pulling the paper out. but she also loved the goodies.  maybe next year will be our "cardboard box" birthday celebration.

from the very beginning, bub-hub and i decided we wanted emma grace's birthday celebration to be a giant thank you party for our friends and family.  we are so beyond blessed with love and support, and i can't even begin to imagine how different our first year as parents would have been without them.

was it a little unncecssary. sure. but it was fun, and we got to share the day with our friends and family, so in my book, that makes it all more than worth it!

nursing in style // the shirt dress

shirt dresses are such a fantastic thing to have in your closet.  they can be dressed up or down, and re-styled in so many ways just by changing your shoes, jewelry or adding a cardigan.

here are three different styles that are definitely closet staples: denim, bright, and black

a girlfriend pointed out that the only downside to full button down style is her sweet babe learned how to pop the buttons. #thingsonlyamamawouldthinkabout

personally, i prefer the styles that come with a cinced waist, but it's so easy to add a belt to the  straight styles, it's hard to complain.  

this is also a fun way to change things up, add a gold belt one day and a red belt the next.  and as i've mentioned a million times before, i'm the cardigans biggest fan.  

why it works // the buttons in the front make nursing really easy to maneuver under your nursing cover, and the lose style of the skirt is forgiving and easy to move in.  i prefer to wear a pair of shorts underneath, mostly because baby movements don't always allow time to channel lady like movements. #honestandtrue 

polka dotted peplum // nursing in style

i'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing, but i have a strong love for polka dots.  i try to keep my addiction as "mature" as possible. i avoid lime green sometimes and try and pair them with other items that won't embarrass bub-hub, or my children in the future. :)

i have had this shirt for a few years. i actually wore it in my engagement photos. #totesadorbs and now, it's back again.

i have a pretty defined waist, so this style works for me.  i really don't need any extra help in the hip-department, so i like that this peplum lays flat. 

why this works // this is a wrap style shirt, the pattern and peplum make it a little more fun than your standard wrap shirt.  this style makes it really easy to maneuver without having to lift up your entire shirt. and of course, my favorite nursing tanks, always and forever. and the stretchy shorts. winner winner. 

j-crew factory // sheer pink jacquard shorts, polka dot wrap shirt (from a past season)
target // white nursing tank

bohemian market // necklace, similar here

lilac is the new black // nursing in style

you might be catching on, but i have a few faithfuls in my closet: cardigans, camisoles, toothpick jeans and kendras.   #winnerwinner

j-crew factory (yes, the outlet!) toothpick jeans are my go to because i have midget legs, and they are the only jeans i can buy at ankle length without having to hem. #honestandlazy  they look great with a shirt, tunics, or dressed up with heels.  when your budget is stretched and your fun-money-funds are a little scarce, it's important to find key pieces that fit well and make you feel fantastic in all scenarios. 

why this works // button downs are an obvious go to for nursing, but the flat front is super slimming and flows well.  these camisoles are lined, which is fantastic for avoiding extra layers in warm weather.  you could also pair with shorts and sandals or tucked into a maxi!

jcrew factory // camisole, jeans (similar), cardigan
target // shoes (from way too long ago)

what do you think mamas?

easter blessings from our little family

our first easter as a family of three was lovely.  it was simple and sweet. a little break from the chaos of a busy season.  we were able to attend church with our families, laugh, play games, and just enjoy a day together. 

i also discovered my love of smock dresses. #betterlatethannever

oh, and we didn't get a family photo. but let's be honest, these snaps of EG are way better. :) 

incase you were wondering what sunshine looked like in baby form, she is it.  

each and every morning, i wake up thank the Lord for the gift of this beautiful baby girl.  the Lord knew exactly what he was doing when he placed her in our lives.  and oh how glad i am that he knows best. 

i am so thankful for a loving Savior, who came and lived a perfect life, died and rose again to save my sweet family.  in the last year, i've developed a new appreciation and perspective for what sacrificial love really means. in my relationship with bub-hub, with our families, and especially for our baby girl. 

this world is so full of evil and trouble and fear and anxiety, but knowing that we serve a sovereign Lord who protects us and provides for us is more than enough.  he is all the hope we need. 

oh, and my photography assistant, a.k.a. pops, stole few kisses.  perks of the job i suppose.

Christ is Risen. He is Risen indeed.

smock dress // borrowed but similar here
ivory floral crown // little winter shop

playful polka dots // nursing in style

my favorite black shorts are making their second appearance.  

this time, i've paired it with a a fun pleated ruffle tank.  in texas, the weather swings from chilly to smoldering hot in the matter of hours, so when i wear this, i keep a cardigan with me and then toss it in my diaper bag once i start sweating. pardon my pasty-arms everyone.

why this works // this shirt has buttons down the front and is loose fitting. it's comfortable and flattering and like i said before, it can easily be layered with a sweater or worn alone, making it easy to maneuver under your nursing cover.  depending on your preference, you can tuck it in, or leave it out for a more casual feel. 

shirt // jcrew factory, similar here 

bangles and shorts // target

sandals // dsw

ps: let's be instafriends! :) @sarahgracechastain

sunshine and storytime

spring has arrived, and we are taking advantage of every second of tolerable temperatures we can before they disappear into summer. last week, we took a trip to klyde warren park downtown for story time!

the librarian that runs the baby story time is perfect at her job.  when you see her, you know that you're in the right place.  she's so engaging and the babies love her, and by her, i mean all the rattles and fun goodies that make noise and fit perfectly in their mouths.  oh, and she brought bubbles.  best day ever!

after story time, we were able to snag pops away for lunch at savor! #anyexcuseforyummylunch

i think babies should make more appearances downtown.  EG was a hit.  i'm not sure if it was her bright pink romper, her bunny bow, or simply the fact that she's the cutest baby girl there ever was, but she was bringing a lot of smiles to the stressed and overworked professionals during their lunch meetings.  #you'rewelcome  #smilesarefree

bunny bow tutorial // our little family diy
bright pink romper // carters
pink stone necklace // bohemian market

spring break fakin'

spring is in the air y'all, and by spring, i mean summer. because let's be real. spring doesn't exist in dfw. well that's a little bit of a lie. it exists for 27 minutes. 

EG and i had a lot of fun parading around town during spring break.  i mean, our lives are pretty busy, so we needed to get away from the daily grind.  #gimmiethebbq

we took a trip to the farmers market, ate a ginormous sandwich at pecan lodge, threw a fun gender reveal party for our bestie, played in the backyard, and ordered chocolate chip pancakes at the local diner.   #allonatuesday 

we also hit some pretty major milestones this week. EG posed for her first passport photo #cheeseplease and fed herself puffs.  she's gotten pretty good at swatting them off the highchair, but now we've moved on to bigger and better things. aka: stuffing her whole fist in her mouth, sometimes resulting in puff-eating success.  raider is pretty bummed about it. he's not blinded by her sweet baby girl grin. #gimmiethepuffs
we also got to hang out with uncle grayson this week!

yay for spring break. it's pretty much awesome all around. even if you're fakin' it.