a lesson in unnecessary traditions

this mom thing is really opening my eyes to a new world of fun and unnecessary traditions.  the cake smash has to be at the top of the list. it's for sure one of my favorite unnecessaries to date. :)

i tried to keep it simple. i found a few inspiration photos on pinterest and realized that simple is the way to go.  plus, i didn't want to spend a lot of time and money on anything that was going to be covered in yogurt and couldn't be washed.

i'm not a health nut by any means, but i am trying to make wise-ish decisions about what foods to introduce to baby girl.  i found this cake and thought it would be a safe bet.  the yogurt icing is amazing and i want to eat it by the gallon. while it's definitely not as amazing as my favorite cream cheese indulgence, it definitely hit the spot.

this cake definitely made me think i could give up sugar.
at least until i made my next fro-yo run. oops.

and can i just say, i was expecting her floral headband to last about 2.5 seconds.
but homegirl surprised me and kept it on for almost 7 minutes, which is basically an eternity!

if i was teaching a baby preparation course, i would definitely add "how to clean up your baby after they try and feed themselves anything" to the agenda. luckily, between dad and gran, they got the job done.  and we only had to soak her in the tub for a few hours to dissolve the dried yogurt from all her nooks and crannies. #babyrollproblems #myfavoriteproblem

the deets:
chambray tank - baby gap
bloomers - jcrew baby
floral headband - little winter shop

all photos by sarah carpenter photography. 

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 

emma grace // a ten month update

oh sweet baby girl,

you're first little teeth made their appearance in a big way this month. i never knew a gummy, toothy grin could be so cute!

you're such a wiggle worm.  gone are the days where you stay anywhere for longer than one second.

you're starting to scoot a bit, and i have a feeling, you're going to be a crawling machine any day now.   i love watching your determination as you scoot over to grab your toys, or the little eeleaf that blew in from the back yard.

you're such the social butterfly.  you love going to walks and riding in the grocery cart. you've got a lot to say and can't wait to tell everyone you see.

you're my favorite baby girl. always and forever!