Closing Time

It is official.  All this packing has been done for a reason because we are certified, legit home-owners.  After pretty much signing over our entire lives & killing at least one tree in the process, they gave us the keys & everything.

Although I truly felt that at any point, those big-time important people were going to ask us to leave and go back to Math class.  It is really unbelievable that we are old enough for all of this.

 We are obviously over the moon about this new chapter of our lives, but can't help but feel a little emotional.  We moved into our current house six years ago as recent college grads who had little more on the agenda than riding our bikes to the bars & laying out all day at the beach. 

 It's safe to say that life has changed.  And it's all happened in this townhouse.  We got engaged here, married here, and of course, made a baby here.  Nine months later, it was this house that we brought her home to.

All of Waverly Maye's firsts have been in this house, the house that she has helped us make a home.  Without a doubt, the hardest part of walking out the door on Sunday will be fact that she doesn't know anything different.  The nursery we spent months perfecting and that she has slept in for the duration of her life will be taken apart.  We will have to say good-bye to our beloved swings at the neighborhood park & to our friends on our street that she waves to each night.  Somehow, we will leave the yard that I have played "momarazzi" in daily for the last year.

But with bittersweet endings come beginnings, and I can't think of a better one than this.  Our new house is in a neighborhood with lots of kids, an elementary school & a park down the street.  While we have lots of work to do, that is just what we were looking for. And best of all, it is twice the size of our current house.  There is more than enough room for Waverly to play in, to make lots of memories in, and to store her ever-expanding wardrobe in.  And to someday, have brothers or sisters in. :)

Happy weekend, friends. 

PS - Thanks for so much love on our anniversary & Waverly's 11 month birthday.  It's been a big week and it has been that much more special with lots of support. XO 

Eleven Month Update

 

Age:  Eleven Months

Weight:  18 Pounds & 5 Ounces

Height:  26 Inches

Milestones:  I am convinced that all parents feel this way, but my little lady is a certified rock star.  She has changed so much in the past month that it literally blows my mind & I swear we have a genius on our hands.  Waverly can wave bye-bye (although she actually does it towards herself) and does it ALL the time, wherever we are & to whoever walks by.  She also now picks up the phone - or really, any object she can get her hands on - puts it to her ear and talks on it.  It is seriously adorable, but at the same time, a sign that either we talk on the phone too much or we have a little socialite-to-be.  Probably both.  Just like last month, she continues to pull herself up but now she can walk with either her radio flyer or toy walker we got her.  Again, adorable & amazing.  We are pretty much obsessed with her and think she is the smartest 11 month-old there ever was.  Obviously. :)

Sleep:  Great news to report on the sleep situation!  Waverly Maye is still sleeping like a baby each & every night, from about 8 PM - 7:30 AM.  Since I got out of school last week, my goal to get her on a nap routine is well on its way.  After researching online (thank god for google & baby blogs), I decided on a 10:30 morning nap and a 3:00 afternoon nap.  I am seriously shocked at how well it worked.  This no-napping ninja has taken two hour & a half naps for three days in a row.  The whole "sleep begets sleep" thing really must be true, imagine that.  *Of course now that I have stated our success publicly, I am certain the whole entire thing will go to hell tomorrow.  Wish me luck.

Eating:  Waverly Maye's eating regimen looks pretty similar to last month's ... mainly mac & cheese, grilled cheese, and cheese quesadillas.  Sense a theme?  Anything with cheese is at the top of her list and I can't say that I blame her.  We also still start off most mornings with waffles & have snacks of yogurt, cheerios, & LOTS of fruit during the day.  This lady still does not like her veggies, any way I make them, so it looks like I will have to start getting creative in that arena.  Isn't there a book on that?  I think I need to look into it.

Favorite Moments:  At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I have to say it.  This month is the best YET again.  Waverly is such a little person now & she makes me everyone around her unbelievably happy.  It is amazing how one little lady can bring so much joy.  Our most memorable moment from this month was probably Waverly's first official vacation.  Traveling to Nashville with our trendy tot in tow was so much fun & I can't wait for many more memorable moments to come.

Worst Moments:  None, nada, nothing.  Waverly is past her "teething" & sleep issues and we are one happy little family. 

Extra Comments:  My baby girl is one month from being one.  ONE - one whole year!  I would be lying if I said that I won't feel a little sentimental on her big day, but overall, I will be full of joy.  I don't know how I could feel anything but that when at look at this healthy, smart, beautiful girl who is progressing by the day.  I never thought I could love anyone like I love her, and catch myself staring in awe at MY baby girl.  And I definitely think the best is yet to come.  (Well, until she takes after me and plans a party at our house her freshman year of high school.  But why think about that now?)

Anniversary #2

Today marks our second wedding anniversary.  It's been two years since I made my high school sweetheart my husband in a backyard, vintage-inspired garden wedding. 

 

 

 During our 18 months of planning (which was when I actually started blogging), I could definitely picture what our wedding day would be like.  Thanks to lots of support from so many special people in our lives, it was nothing short of perfect.  Our dream came to reality & that day, we became an official, legit couple.
Since I'm feeling nostalgic, our highlight video is here.

 Today, 24 months later, we are the proud parents of a healthy baby girl & are set to close on our first home at the end of the week.  THIS life we have created is beyond anything I could have imagined.  Though I always feel thankful, it's days like today that really make me realize how far we have come.  Honestly, I still wonder if we really are old enough to do all of this.
And then I remember that I will be turning 30 next month, but no need to focus on that today.

Thank you to the man who makes us dinner most nights of the week (can't believe I am admitting that), drives to pick up my wallet, keys, or cell phone in the random places I leave it (again, not my proudest moment), and let's face it, the man who wraps gifts & cleans much better than me.  He deals with my need to celebrate events for weeks at a time & to take pictures most days of my life. 

And of course, to the man who is the most amazing dad ever, just as I knew he would be.  It makes me love him even more.  I can't believe I get to keep him, as we continue to create this lovely little life. :)



 




 

 



A Bittersweet Beach Weekend

We live in Virginia Beach & currently, at the beach.  To clarify, we obviously don't snuggle up on the sand each night or take baths in the ocean (although that doesn't really sound half bad).  But we live close enough to the oceanfront that it's a short walk away.  So we take advantage of it.  Often.

This Friday, if all goes as planned, we will be closing on our first house.  A house that we are SUPER excited about, but that is a twenty minute drive from our current one.  In the fear I will completely kill the deal, I am going to wait to completely proclaim our joy for this move & count the reasons why this new house is perfect for us.  But in the meantime, we are savoring our last moments as official, within-walking-distance beach residents.

We spent most of our weekend at the oceanfront, soaking in the sun, splashing in the waves, & of course, chasing after our crazy girl.  Who we have quickly learned shares our love for the beach.

Lucky for me, I was able to work one of our summertime to-dos into our beach-themed weekend.  As I expected, Waverly Maye was more than happy to partake in a trip to our beach Farmers Market.  Any place with people, food, & an opportunity for the spotlight is a happy place for her.

  

 Though my non-VB friends think it's weird that we ride bikes out here, it's normal for us.  Since we are so close to the oceanfront, we ride our beach cruisers everywhere.  It's completely convenient to go out, have a couple drinks, & make your way back home (which can sometimes be extremely entertaining.)  Though those nights are few & far between lately, we took our last beach weekend as an opportunity for a bike-riding date night.

It had been two years since I had been on a bike, seeing that I couldn't master it while pregnant & this past year I have been a little busy.  Needless to say, the maxi skirt seen above is now in two pieces.  It was caught in the spoke of the bike on the way home.  I have since mourned its loss & determined a date night with my handsome hubby was much needed and well worth it.

And will obviously be at TJ Maxx soon to find its replacement.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

XOXO

 





Summertime To-Dos

Confession:  I have an obsession with making lists.  I am one of those typical Type-A, OCD people who have about ten of them going at one time.  And I really get pleasure from checking off items I have completed.

That is typical, right?

 

Now that my summer season has started, it's time to make it official with a list of the festive fun to be had. Yea, I'm also one of "those people" who have to over plan lots of themed-out, family activities.  I just can't get enough.  Since we live at the beach, it's a given that we will be spending some major time in the surf & sand.  It's safe to say that we have already been a time or two, and that we have one little beach babe on our hands. 

 

Side Note:  The need for this redhead to be covered in sunscreen is at the top of one of my to-do lists.  She gets it from her mama.  :)

 

On to the list of all the rest of the excitement to come.  Half of our last summer was spent overly pregnant & the other half was spent inside with a newborn, so we are ready to take in the moments of this one with our growing girl.  Sweet summertime, gotta love it.

 

   

1 - Attend a baseball game.

2 - Make smores.

3 - Go on a family picnic.

4 - Indulge in homemade popsicles.

5 - Attend a farmer's market.

6 - Go to the zoo.

7 - Go to the aquarium.

8 - Make homemade pizza.

 

Others not included were givens (not doing them would be like not having a Christmas tree) ... fireworks on the fourth, lots of water time, sipping some festive adult beverages & celebrating all three of our birthdays this July & August.  Seriously, just writing this post is making me feel all summery inside.  That & (one more) sight of our beach baby.

 

 

Happy summer, friends!  Enjoy & take advantage of these special moments.

XOXO



 

 

 



 

 

 

 

    

Trendy Tot Tuesday: Festive Fourth Fashions

Second to Christmas, the Fourth of July is my favorite holiday of the year.  Without a doubt.  It's something about the combination of warm weather, food from the grill, & sparkly fireworks that immediately makes me feel happy.  And patriotic, of course.

Best of all, the Fourth always brings some festive fashion with it.  I have been dressing in theme on the holiday for as long as I can remember.  Last year's Fourth was spent anxiously awaiting the birth of our sweet sparkler.

 

So this year will be Waverly Maye's first Fourth and we are obviously super excited.  So excited, actually, that we are already practicing being all patriotic.

Red, white & blue are colors that I love to wear throughout the year, both together & all on their own.  You really don't get more classic that that. 

My favorite festive fashions are ones that aren't so literal, that way they can be worn well past the holiday.  You may suspect that Waverly Maye already even has a few of these pieces, for reasons that have nothing to do with the Fourth.

1:  Ruffled Yoke Tank; 2: Striped Dress; 3: Embroidered Cap-Sleeve Dress; 4: Embroidered White-Denim Shorts; 5: Checked Hat; 6: Shorts with Star Belt; 7: Studded Sandals

Even though I only listed seven, there were about 27 pieces I kind of died over.  We may just have to dress in theme for the entire month of July.  Appropriate?  I think our "founding fathers"

 would approve.

Want to link-up?  Join Kelly, Megan & Lindsey for Trendy Tot Tuesday.



Dad Day Details

As much as I loved celebrating Mother's Day last month, the day for dads was much cooler.  I am not sure there is much better in life than watching the teenage boy you started dating in high school turn into one incredible dad.

  

Jumpsuit

I know my hubby knew he was in for some craziness when he married me, but I don't know that he was fully prepared for the upcoming full-blown celebrations, never-ending photography sessions, & the fashion hoopla that would arrive with our first child.  It's safe to say that Waverly Maye & I are not the most low-maintenance of ladies, and he could not be more different.  Yet he deals with it & even (usually) supports it, with a smile on his face.  Gotta love him.

In addition to our main man, we naturally had to celebrate the other great dads in our life.  Our day was spent with sweet family, yummy food, & a few festive drinks.  And of course, some special treats for those deserving dads.

We clearly have no shortage of pictures or videos of Waverly Maye (Hash Tag - OBSESSED) - so I thought I would put them to good use & create a movie for this first-time dad.  It ended up a bigger project than I thought, but many hours & a few tears later, this dad's surprise was complete.

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

Now that Father's Day is behind us (although I think that sweet hubby of mine may try to extend its welcome - I'm pretty sure he enjoyed his day of glory), it's on to the next holiday.  Obviously.  And this one just happens to be one of my favorites.  Stay tuned for a festive Fourth of July post for Trendy Tot Tuesday tomorrow.



Cheers to the Weekend

Without a doubt, today marks the start to one of my all-time favorite weekends of the year. 

Like seriously, I might just burst from pure delight.

First things first, I am now officially a full-time momma to this sweet, scrumptious baby girl.

Well, for the next 10 weeks.  But why think about specifics today?

There has never been a last day of school that I wasn't downright giddy, as a student or a teacher.  The last two years have been especially exciting since one marked one week until my wedding & last year's "last day" was weeks before I became a mom.  But this year, without a doubt, tops it all.  For obvious reasons.  If I'm honest, I am having a hard time stopping myself from searching high & low for matching outfits that Waverly & I can rock all summer long.  Since we will be together all day, everyday of course.

In addition to my newfound freedom, I am also anxiously anticipating celebrating the dads in my life.  I know I'm biased, but Waverly Maye & I are some of the luckiest girls around.  Starting with my dad.

Without going into detail, because I totally could, my dad pretty much is the coolest man EVER.  He is everything to me & I know he will be to Waverly Maye, too.

When we first found out that we were expecting, my hubby was hoping for a boy (shocker!).  It took a couple of weeks after the gender reveal for him to come to terms with the addition of a mini-me in the house. I can't say that I blame him.

But since Waverly Maye has come into our lives, my tough, manly husband has become the perfect girl dad.  Waverly ADORES him, lights up everytime he walks through the door, and I already know that she is going to be a daddy's little girl just like I was am.

I'm not going to lie.  Their relationship makes me a little jealous.

Happy Weekend, friends.  Enjoy the summer weather & dote on those deserving dads.  Soak it all in, just like we will be.

Trendy Tot Tuesday: Waverly's Weekend Wear

PLUS ONE! :)

For this week's Trendy Tot Tuesday, I thought it was only fitting to join my mini-me.  Not only did we have a fabulous mother & daugher weekend together (which is really every weekend), but we are also in a single-digit countdown to summer vacay.

Which in other words, means fabulous mother & daughter time ALL.THE.TIME.  Everyday.

I am slightly dying over the excitement. 

On Saturday, we followed a morning of cleaning, packing & the grocery store (we are clearly party animals), with a cookout at my sister & brother in-laws. 

My Forever 21 Dress No Longer Available
Waverly's Shorts

 Currently, I am addicted to anything with studs.  Even though my own closet has been full of them for a while now, it's only been recently that Waverly Maye's has been taken over, too.  I'm not sure that there is anything cuter than seeing my sweet girl in a feminine outfit with some rocker edge (shoes).  It kind of matches her personality.

On Sunday, we spent the morning at our weekly My Gym class & the afternoon at a friends baby shower. 

Side Note:  Again, party animals.

My Forever 21 Jumpsuit No Longer Available
Waverly's Dress

Because we hadn't had enough, Waverly rocked a few more studs on her sweet denim dress.  And we had to pair that dress with some gladiator sandals.  Obviously.

 

There is no hiding from us, Waverly Maye.  We know just how much of a trendy tot you are!

Want to link up?  Join Kelly, Megan, and Lindsey. :)

Celebrations to Come

My favorite kinds of festive events are ones that celebrate someone other than myself.  I was definitely that kid who lived for Christmas & my birthday (for the presents and spotlight, obviously).  Yet as I have gotten older, I have definitely grown to appreciate days dedicated to others.  In reality, I lose endless hours planning details & perfecting plans for some special people in my life.  And it's totally worth it.

These days, my Type-A (over) obssesive brain is in overdrive since I'm getting ready to celebate my two FAVORITE people in the world.  Even though my hubby had a baby on the way last June, this Sunday will mark his first official Father's Day.  I can't think of anyone more deserving.

Waverly Maye & I have been busy and definitely have a few tricks up our (always fashionable) sleeves.  Yet since it's possibly my hubby may read my blog sometime this week (although that's a total maybe), let's just say that he will have the day that he deserves - complete with a yummy breakfast, a couple sentimental suprises, and of course, lots of beer.

 And speaking of Waverly (as I often do!), our baby girl's first birthday is getting closer & closer.  In fact, today's date will make it exactly 47 days away.  Make no mistake, in between our everyday lives, holiday hoopla, and packing our entire house for a move at the end of the month ... I am in TOTAL planning mode.  I have pretty much transformed what is left of the decor in our house into a yellow, pink & orange hysteria - complete with frames, banners, food containers, & naturally, a sun-shaped pinata.  And (who doesn't?), I successfully staged Waverly Maye for a save-the-date on our street.

You may also expect that Waverly has two themed-party outfits & some festive headbands on the way for the occasion.  That sweet hubby I was mentioning?  He doesn't quite understand my need for a couple months of planning for a one-year old's birthday.  Thank goodness he is rolling with it, because I, on the other hand, think it's entirely appropriate. :)

A special thank you to Shapes on A String, Truly Sanctuary, Sleepytime 4, & Sadie Sky Boutique for already working with me on goodies for Waverly's You Are My Sunshine theme.  More details to come in the official party post!

 

Nashville News: Part Two

One more update on our Nashville trip.  Waverly Maye's first vacay (even if not tropical) is much too monumental for a single post. :)

The real reason for heading west was my cousin's wedding.  I love a wedding.  What is there not to love about a bunch of happy people dressed up in their best, drinking lots of champagne & wine?  There is not much (except for Waverly Maye) that makes me happier.

 Friday night was the rehearsal dinner at an Italian restaurant.  

I was slightly nervous about how my girl would act at a formal dinner that started at her bedtime, especially one that would serve as the official introduction of Waverly to my dad's entire side of the family.  Sure enough, during the first few minutes of dinner, Waverly resembled more of an angry animal than the sweet, smiling cutie I post photos of on Facebook.  But once heaps of pasta, fried mozzeralla, bread & chocolate cake were brought to the table, this growing girl was back to her happy self.

#MYGIRLLIKESTOEAT - I am fairly certain she ate more than any of the grown men sitting near us.

Following the feast, Waverly got her second wind and proceeded to crawl around the floor of our private room.  I'm not so sure it was entirely appropriate for the venue, but I've quickly learned that sometimes, you just have to do what works.  And that was what was working for Waverly.

Dress

With lots of family around who were more than happy to help us with Waverly, my hubby & I were even able to relax a few minutes AND to celebrate with a few cocktails.  Cheers to that.

Saturday was wedding day.  Of course, Waverly was adorned with a giant floral headband to commemorate the occasion.

Baby Gap Dress No Longer Available

Waverly Maye was certainly dressed the part but I wasn't sure how this whole thing would play out.  In an effort to not completely hijack the couple's special moment, we strategically planned for all possible scenarios. (Worst Case - We would leave the wedding & run through the Wendy's drive-thru.)  Once again, my girl exceeded my expectations & other than needing to detain her through the ceremony, she was perfect.  In fact, she was the life of the party. 

She loved the dance floor and never wanted to leave it & even pulled off some pretty impressive dance moves.  Something tells me I have trouble ahead with this party girl.  Wonder where she gets that from?  It's possible it could run in the family.

Celebrating with Waverly's Aunt Lexie

Happy Wednesday!

XOXO