mother's day 2013

Mother's Day is always an important day for me. I find it entirely important to acknowledge the legacy of mothers who were given to me and set an example of what mothering means. In the years past I have loved celebrating my grandma and mom with my sister. We have gone to some extremely yummy restaurants, wandered through gardens full of blooms, watched movies about both babies and babies of the wild and so much more. 

This year, I got to celebrate them (even though my grandma is no longer with us), my mother-in-law, and my sister-in-law, as well celebrate being a mommy myself. We gathered, sixteen of us, perfectly fitting into our backyard for a brunch. We ate mixed berry bread pudding, baked eggs in ham, roasted potatoes in bacon and dates, chocolate, almond and plain croissants, and much more while sipping champagne from the mimosa bar. We sat amongst the freshly planted garden and newly decorated patio under the glowing bistro lights, all along one long table filled with blossoming peonies. BUT, most importantly, we celebrated and enjoyed each other. My husband gave a beautiful toast to us mommies and we were able to relish in all that being a mommy means...surrounded by beauty and decadence, baby cuddles and giggles, and love, love, love.   

Here are a few snaps from our day:

loving this little babe...

this amazing man...

and our teeny tiny family... one, two, three of us!

mother's day

Yesterday, as I celebrated my first Mother's Day my thoughts went back to last year. The day I found out this little was growing rapidly in my belly. I can't believe an entire year has past and he is here to celebrate this year with me. My little man made me a mommy back in January and he has already taught me so much in such a little time. 

He has taught me to be more humble, less reactive, and more soft than I was before. He has helped me learn how to ask for help (I still haven't come close to mastering this one) and that it is okay to not be able to do it all on my own. He has shown me that I am even stronger than I already thought I was. He has allowed me to be reflect on what is truly important, what is loving and true. Through so many smiles and laughs he has transformed my identity. I am a mommy now, and will now forever be. And for that, I am thankful of him. It is the best because he is the best. 

41 weeks and 2 days of progress...

At the beginning of my pregnancy I knew that I wanted to do something creative to document my ever growing bump. I got the idea to make a stop motion video that showed the progress of my little babe. Next up I had to choose a location, an outfit, and a photographer. All these things were complicated. The location needed to be somewhere that I could get to easily, conveniently, and would look the same for 40 weeks. The outfit needed to be one that fit (properly) for 40 weeks. The photographer needed to be someone that would be willing and able to help me execute my vision during and after the 40 weeks. The video below is the result of that. It wasn't easy to always get out there at the right time of day and when all necessary parties were willing and able but...we did it! AND...I'm ecstatic that we did. My husband and I love the final cut and I know my little man will one day too.

 

Location: my parent's backyard. Outfit: dress from Anthropologie. Photographer/Editor: my amazing sister

The turn of the season always makes me excited. The time change never seems to come soon enough but this year it definitely snuck up on me. (Something about having a little baby to take care of). Since the days are longer and the sun is brighter I yearn for spring.

This spring I plan to...

1] Make all foods fresh. Think quinoa, pomegranate, feta salad & burrata, blackberry, apple salad. Mmmm. 

2] Drink more. More water. More iced tea. Maybe even a cold prosecco here and there now that I'm not preggers anymore.  

3] Turn the TV off and listen to music more.

4] Make a round of the house in the morning and open the windows to let the light and air in. 

5] Nap outside with my little boy nestled in beside me. 

6] Have a "welcome spring and warm weather" get together.

7] Venture to the dessert for some relaxation and soaking in the sun.

8] Dive into some of my Pinterest boards and start making things I've been inspired by.

9] Go for longer walks. Morning walks. Lunchtime walks. Sunset walks. I want them all. 

10] Bask in the gratitude that all things are made new again. The darkness fades. The snow melts. The sun burns stronger. The seedlings bloom.

Do tell...what do you have in mind for the new season?

welcoming...

Obviously I have been MIA for a bit and now you know why. Although you probably already guessed. My little man bound into this world a week and two days past his due date. What then felt like forever waiting now feels like forever ago.  Isn't it funny how that happens...in the waiting, the expecting, the desiring, the time passes so slow. And yet, once the time finally comes you don't remember the torture of the waiting. Hopefully that can be some encouragement for those of you in the waiting zone...waiting for the right person to share life with, waiting for a job that fulfills your purpose, even waiting for a little babe of your own. The time will come. Until then, may you be able to slow down and enjoy each little moment along your journey. As for me, I am soaking in each little waking moment with my little man. 

xo