In which Eliza gives her cake a hug

Our precious baby girl's first birthday has come and gone (and so has her Christening, and another small birthday celebration, and a few other sidetracks in between - thus the lull. I am very, very behind on all fronts at the moment!). It was such a lovely weekend, with many dear friends and family around to help us celebrate our daughter. The day after the party, her actual birthday, was spent with me in a rare fit of tears most of the day. The emotion of it crept over me, as truly I thought I was as prepared as I could be - but the realization that that first precious year with my first baby is over was just too much in the end. There is so much to celebrate, but a piece of me needed a day to be a little wistful. And thus, my transformation to motherhood is complete. I'm the teary-eyed mama who wonders where time goes. But I have not one regret. I cherished those moments. I knew how lucky I was to be there, even on a hard day, singing to my tiny baby who wouldn't take a nap. I knew these moments were fleeting. They were, and I am so glad I grabbed hold of them. Hold on, mamas! Babies don't keep.

So whew - what a weekend! Such a beautiful time of year to have a birthday. I love planning parties, and had so much fun doing this one, which was a fairly simple affair. I an idea of what I wanted Eliza's to be for many months now - unfussy, colorful, laid-back pool party, with handmade decorations I would make, but could reuse in a playroom or her room (or maybe for another party down the road). In as much as these first birthdays are really more for the parents than the babies, I still wanted to try to incorporate bits of things that may mean something to her someday.

That said, I was so busy at the party that I really did not get many pictures of the decorations at all. Major fail, major regret! Anyway, please join us for a virtual tour of E's big bash. I make no apologies for the redundant nature of this ginormous post.

We held the pool party at Eliza's Gigi's house, out on their pretty deck. I was so pleased that everyone actually wanted to swim.

We made a pathway to the backyard with these felt flowers I found (people kept asking if I made these, and I would just like to state for the record that as a rule, I only take on craft projects that require as little effort as possible. I.e. not one zillion layered felt flowers). These are from Target. I'm not proud, but I believe they were Made in China, my dears:

(Taken the next day...thus the sad balloons)

I used fabric strips as ribbon with a flower on each post.

 A wall of photos from Eliza's first year greeted you as you walked in the gate.

I made this bunting to hang on the big awning; some of the fabric came from Eliza's quilt that my dad's wife Carolyn sweetly made last year. FYI: Even if you're a terrible sewer (as I am), bunting is a super easy sewing project. Definitely falls under the category of stuff even I am not too lazy to attempt.

I hung a fabric "e" from Eliza's nursery, and Eliza's crib mobile in the center to add to the handmade theme, and some poms on either side. I did some simple little favors - buckets with the kids names on them, a pinwheel and a pool/bath toy. 

 

We had fresh-squeezed lemonade that you could add a kick to, if you so desired, along with the standard booze that is commonplace at first birthday parties. We served easy picnic food - macaroni and cheese (from Bountiful - see below), chicken nuggets, some caprese skewers, my grandmother's famous pimiento cheese and chicken salad sandwiches and a spinach summer salad with blackberries and strawberries. I only have this one picture of the food already half-eaten.

Because we could not think of a single thing she needed, Miller and I decided to do a donation for Eliza's birthday and asked that if our guests wanted to bring something to celebrate, they could join us in donating a favorite children's book or two instead of a gift. The books will be given to the Dell Children's Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorder program, and gifted to patients of the clinic. The doctors encourage reading to help with the kids' cognitive therapy after treatment, as many of the treatments can result in some setbacks in reading and in school. To prevent the spreading of germs, all the kids are encouraged to take whatever books they want from the shelf to keep. This means the shelf is perpetually empty! So, we are helping them restock for summer. All in all, we collected around 100 books - so thank you everyone who helped with this project! 

Little Avery, displaying a remarkable amount of self-restraint.

Eliza's cake, cupcakes, and the macaroni and cheese were all from Bountiful Bakery, this wonderful place in Westlake owned by a courageous woman named Becky Nichols. She started the Loving Libbie Foundation after her precious daughter Libbie died from a hard-fought battle with Leukemia at age five. When I was seeking a place to donate these children's books, Becky was an extremely helpful resource in getting us connected with the Childhood Cancer program at Dell. After getting to know Becky over the past few months, I've been so inspired by her generosity, strength, and big, beautiful heart. The Loving Libbie Foundation donates cakes from the bakery to kids celebrating big treatment milestones and birthdays at the clinic. Bountiful is a delicious bakery with a purpose and I can't recommend the delicious food, or the work they do, more highly. Go there!

That little hat she's wearing, and the high chair bunting (which you can tell was meticulously pressed following assembly) were both super quick projects thrown together the night before. I think the high chair bunting took about 10 minutes. I had actually thought I'd ordered her a hat, but realized late in the week that I had never pushed "go" on it - so typical - so mama came up with a plan B.

So, time for my favorite part - cake face! It all started innocently enough.

But it went off the rails when she decided her cake needed a hug. Ah, nothing like a good cake hug.

Busted cake. 

 

Um, no thanks, it's all you.

I caught a little flack for letting her dive in and eat as much cake as she wanted. Your birthday only rolls around once a year. Babies have eaten much worse (ie: sticks, leaves, shoes). I say let them eat cake!

Our little Lizzy Lou remained a very happy girl the entire party. I wasn't too surprised, she's a pretty social girl and happens to love parties.

She doled out lots of kisses.

My wonderful mom/Eliza's Gigi

Bathing cap.

E with her godmother Braden, and Braden's boyfriend Adam

Adam and E. Love this series.

First pearls, a gift from Braden.

I think her favorite part, aside from the cake, was hanging with her besties. These babies have gone from little blobs on a quilt to sweet, interactive friends. For me, it was one of the best parts of having this party. Also, I love babies. And as such I make no apologies for the huge flickr dump to come.

New walker Blake was not interested in sitting for any pictures, so these are the only ones I got of her and Eliza on this day. Poor E is getting left in the dust by her March and April birthday friends.

Time out for a little baby wrasslin.

Elyse showing the girls how it's done.

Piercy and Eliza, the little twinsies

This is how Eliza "dances" to such hits as The Itsy Bitsy Spider (a move commonly known as "wave yo hands in the air, wave em like you just don't care").

Piercy and Eliza and their boyfriend, Bryker. It's a bit of a complicated love triangle, but Piercy and E. don't seem to let it get in the way of their friendship.

Mama shot.

Here we are - one year older and so much wiser! What an amazing year this has been for our family. Eliza Louise, you are the baby that made us parents. And while it wasn't an easy road in the beginning, it was absolutely perfect in the end. With many blissful, hard, unimaginably beautiful moments in between. I'm humbled, grateful, blessed and happy, happy, happy.

Happy first birthday to our little peanut, Eliza Louise. Each day with you is better than the last, and we can't wait to see what the next year brings.

In which Eliza never wants to leave (Part 2 of our Southern Tour)

Whew! Mother's Day has come and gone and I'm now in the throes of birthday party planning. Did I mention Miller and Eliza gave me a new iPhone? Mother's Day isn't about the gifts, but I have to say this one is pretty life-changing, because my old iPhone was essentially functioning on the same level as a 1992 Zack Morris model, and my new phone has Siri, who will be managing my sanity from here on out. She is my new bestie.

So, where were we? Ah yes, Birmingham! So, Eliza and I drove from Atlanta to Birmingham to visit my friend Caroline and her four kids. I had originally planned to come down for the day from Atlanta, because she just had her baby boy 8 weeks ago and I'm not usually one to intrude. I proposed the visit, she proposed I stay, and I gave her lots of outs, I swear. But she said, "No really, come stay in our nursery! It's not even being used right now and there's a bed in there! We'll drink coffee and wine and stay in our PJs and watch the kids play. The girls will LOVE Eliza!" So I said, "OK! I'm there!" And drink coffee and wine in our PJs we did. We had a lovely stay and such a good time catching up. She claims our visit was like a "vacation" for her. And in case you were wondering, those girls did love Eliza...

...and the feeling was mutual.
(Caroline, an excellent photographer, took this and many of the other pictures in this post)

Her girls, Julianne (5), Mary Margaret (4) and Leila (2.5) are some of the most precious sisters I've ever met. Little Jack, the first boy of the family, is just 8 weeks old and just about did me in with his sweetness. It's funny how you forget their early newbornisms. He's just really starting to coo and smile a lot, which of course comes with those sweet involuntary jerks they can't control. Oh goodness, he is perfect. We now interrupt this regularly scheduled blogpost for a little newborn baby ogling.

And he has four mamas doting on him at all times - lucky little man. Though of the four kids, I think he probably appreciated Eliza most of all - she took some of his sisters' attention off him for a bit!

Julianne and Mary Margaret decided to hold a birthday party for Eliza, which they sneakily planned during Eliza's much-needed, extra-long nap.

This sticker stayed on Julianne's forehead all day. I never asked where it came from but I feel very strongly that we should all wear more stickers without explanation.

There was lots of important decorating that needed to be done for the party. Actually, the house looked similar to how mine does currently. They were coloring pictures of fairies and mermaids and taping them to the wall, along with some of their own artwork, like Julianne's abstract sky. There was a banner of about 17 letters taped together (seen below, trailing down the wall) and when I asked what it said, Mary Margaret told me it said "Cake!" Of course!

As you can see, when I brought her into the room (still clad in her sleepsack), she was very, very excited about her party.

This picture is a little creepy/gross of me, who was taking "hang out in our PJs" pretty literally. I'm sure I scared all her friends in this makeup-free state. But so cute of the girls!

In case you hadn't already guessed, Caroline is one of those supermoms who cooks delicious, organic meals, has endless amounts of patience, and perfectly coiffed children at all times, but at the same time, makes it all look very easy and effortless, like they just rolled out of bed with bows in their hair (bows that she made, of course!) and smocked dresses on and that big breakfast just cooked itself. And, it was all just no big deal - "Coffee? Glass of wine? I'm having one, the bottle is open, help yourself!" It was quite a marvel to witness - she is an inspiration. Doesn't sweat that small stuff, yet her kids are so well-behaved and exuberant and creative all at once.

So, how does a mother of four kids 5 and under do it? Well, my friends, this picture pretty much says it all: Caroline taking pictures of the "party" while nursing baby Jack. Look, no hands!

Another sorority sister of ours, Fontaine, and her daughter Clara stopped by for a visit:

(we have been in a big necklace phase ever since she discovered these beautiful gold mardi gras beads at the Malatestas)

Every day around 4, all the kids on their block spill out of the houses with their mamas for a block party. How cool is that, Austin mamas? Let's all move onto the same street and be neighbors!

Rub-a-dub dub, 4 girls in the tub:

Both nights the girls joined us on the bed for storytime.

In Eliza's world, any time is a good time to put things on your head.

Being here was a bit of a glimpse into a crystal ball, in a way. It's reassuring to know the winding down time - storytime - will be my favorite time of day, even when she's five. And just as I take so much joy in her discoveries and spontaneous kisses now, there are so many happy, joyful moments to come in little girlhood, and as our family grows. I mean, of course you always know that, but it's a different thing to be inside of it instantly in this way. With each day that passes, baby Eliza is more of a little girl, and as we look ahead at toddlerhood, and maybe another baby down the road, seeing a home like this operate so happily instilled a confidence that I didn't quite have before. A wonderful thing to understand more deeply as I'm dragged reluctantly into my 7 lb., 8 oz. baby's first birthday. I think I'm finally ready to crawl out of my den of denial and allow time to march on, remembering this sweet family as she grows.

Thank you, wonderful Malatesta Clan, for having us - we loved EVERY minute in your warm and happy home!

Mom enough

This blog is rarely about anything besides motherhood, so there isn't much left to say. But simply put, there is nothing like spending your first Mother's Day with your grandmother, your mother, and the giggly baby girl who made you a mama. My cup runneth over.




I am so happy and very thankful for this day. Happy Mother's Day to our mamas, and the many wonderful mamas I am so honored to know. You are ALL mom enough to me! XO


- Posted from my iPhone

In which we do it up, Southern-style (part 1).

Whew! Andddd...we're back from our big Southern adventure. I am le tired. And le behind on le laundry, le cooking, le everything. Le birthday I have not really stopped to think about (and I'm pretty sure this was all part of my plan) but I'm sure that'll come together just fine...

So, where to start? Well, let's start in New Orleans, shall we? That's short and sweet, since the only picture I took there is of this, the most gorgeous, delicious, timely Bloody Mary I've ever had in my entire life. This is one of those that comes with its own little meal as a garnish. A wee appetizer, if you will.

Along with some knock your socks off, set you 5 pounds back shrimp and grits. With a flaky biscuit and jam on the side. I was too busy eating to be bothered with pictures by that point. And that, my friends, is how you kick off a tour of the South.

 

Though hatched one year ago in Fredericksburg, it was a very last-minute trip, but we never thought we'd actually be able to do it. The sliver of time Miller had between jobs was perfect, as was the price for such a last-minute trip, and it was a great little getaway for us both. Using our good friends Chip and Katherine's beautiful home off Magazine Street as a base, we did a bit of window shopping, a good dose of fine New Orleans eating, and, of course, spent plenty of time on Bourbon Street despite my insistence before leaving Austin that "this time will be different." We also spent a perfect Sunday sunburning, sipping beers and eating the most delicious food in the world at Jazzfest. Bruce - the big draw initially, other than seeing some old friends - was the cherry on top. He was, in a word, awesome. Even my anti-Boss husband is a convert. Love, love, love me some Bruce.

Here we are, festing and being 25 again - which was the last time we did Jazz Fest. That sunburn wasn't QUITE as bad as it appears.

The drive home was not awesome. Apparently we Millers only know one way to get home from New Orleans, and it's a crawl we've perfected over many years of good timing in the Big Easy. This time at least, we were crawling home to our little love. And this time at least, I wasn't worried they'd start making me pay a fee for time spent in the Houston Hobby Airport bathroom (thanks, Chip and Katherine, for that MOST memorable wedding weekend).

So, we returned home Monday night, and I basically dumped our suitcases into the washing machine and filled them up again so Eliza and I could go to Atlanta and see our dear Miss MJ on Thursday morning. She came to visit during a bit of a dark period, when E. was 8 weeks (a time we now just refer to as the "blackout time") and it was, well, just the most wonderful thing. I shed a tear or two dropping her off, because I was still a hormonal mess, and because these wonderful old college friends of mine - the ones who don't come along every day - are spread all over the country (and primarily the South). This was such a good little window of time to repay the visit - Eliza is so easy right now, I'm not pregnant, and we had a good reason to celebrate. Miss MJ's family was having a graduation party to celebrate getting her Masters in Education, and Eliza and I were invited!

Camera went into blinking error message mode until about halfway through the trip, when I sat down with it for an hour and jimmied with the lens until it gave in and let me take pictures again. I didn't get a single picture of her with Mary Jacob which I'm totally kicking myself for now. So here's one from her last visit:

Eliza and I were kind of nomadic; we stayed primarily with MJ's wonderful parents, but it made the most sense to stay at her sis Lucy's house the night of the party. Lucy, who is also a friend/sorority sister of mine, has the cuuuuutest baby Charlie, who is 7.5 months, so Eliza was happy to come over and play with all his toys.

(Heeeeeeeere's Charlie! Can you even stand that smile?)

My little miss was a DREAM baby on the airplane - and really the whole trip. I came prepared with all sorts of toys, books, and snacks for the flight, and I was so proud of how well she did. Not to say it wasn't exhausting, but about as easy as it gets solo with a baby. On the way there, all she really cared about was that BunBun, the bunny she loves who never leaves the crib, had magically joined us on this big adventure.

(BunBun)

With all the changes I threw at her, she continued to nap and sleep easily wherever I put her down, thanks (I think) in part to the good sleep routine and we've established. It works anywhere! It ended up being three different Pack and Plays in five nights. She never was unsettled or out of sorts; on the contrary, she was genuinely energized by all the new people and unfamiliar places, remaining happy, talkative, and outgoing until the end of our trip. To her, it was all one big exciting party. In fact, she welcomed every passenger off the plane in Austin with an enthusiastic wave while we waited on the jetway for our stroller. It all went so smoothly, and in the end, it was such a good thing for us to do together. So many new, positive experiences for us both. We sure did miss her Dada though!

(E. has started playing "peekaboo" with herself.)

Someday when Eliza and Charlie get married, this is the picture we'll put in their wedding slideshow.

Charlie and "Captain." MJ's parents are his "Captain" and "Lovey."

Sums up nicely why we never wear shoes. 

Charles with his mama, Lucy

Showing Charlie how to crawl

This was not the trip where I showed our daughter how easy it is to eat healthy anywhere. Eliza ate her first peanut butter and jelly sandwich and her first chocolate chip cookie at Souper Jenny's, a delicious Atlanta lunch place. I know this may come as a shock, but she is a HUGE chocolate chip cookie fan. Our low moment of the whole trip was when she woke up upset on the way to Birmingham, and a few bites of a Wendy's Frosty took care of that. She eats so healthy at home that it doesn't bother me a bit to let her have a little junk while we are on vacation. A month ago, this trip would have been much more difficult as we were still bringing her finger foods to restaurants and only introducing outside foods here and there. She is so adaptable now, and game for anything.

Anyway, my pictures on this leg are super spotty due to the camera malfunction, but we had the best time with Mary Jacob and her family, who were all so kind to have us come to stay. Eliza sincerely loves Miss MJ, Lovey and Captain, and I'm pretty sure there is a romance blooming with little man Charlie. Maybe one day the Atkinsons and Millers will be inlaws! Thank you, Rankin and Atkinson family, for having us - we had a wonderful time!

Up next: Part 2 of our Southern tour - Birmingham with the Malatesta family!