GRAY'S FIRST BIRTHDAY

Hi all! Whew! This past year after welcoming Gray to our family has been busy (hence my lack of posting), busy, busy! But, I've enjoyed almost every minute of it and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I can't believe my tiny, little baby is a whole year old now! It's definitely a bittersweet feeling and I love experiencing all the "firsts" with him. It's so refreshing to see him encounter and learn everything for the very first time. 

We had his birthday party a few weeks ago and I wanted to share the special details of the day because it was definitely a labor of love! I designed the invitations and matching decor (of course!) and my sweet friend Lauren took these beautiful pictures to capture the day. I'm so blessed to have such talented friends! Here's the invitation + party hats + bubbles I designed. 

And here's some shots of the big day! It was in our backyard and I was so worried about the weather but luckily it never rained! We just had to endure Alabama's wonderful humidity. I wanted to do something outdoors and in June I knew it needed to entail water but I still wanted to do something creative other than just having a baby pool for the kids. So, I turned it into an outdoor bubble bath with bubbles everywhere! It turned out pretty cute and I think the kids had a blast! 

And here's some super sweet pictures of my baby boy before the party enjoying the bubbles! 

Didn't Lauren do a perfect job of capturing the party!? She is a wonderful photographer if you're looking for anyone in the Birmingham area! 

GIVEAWAY WINNER

GIVEAWAY!!!

As I mentioned earlier this week, the good stuff is hosting its first giveaway today! One lucky reader will receive the QuickZip essential bundle (pictured below) to help make your life so much easier! This awesome starter set includes 1 starter set (zipper base and zipper sheet), an additional zipper sheet for convenient changing, and 1 zipper mattress pad. The QuickZip sheets made our 3-6 month favorite list for its innovative design allowing super easy and quick sheet changes. I'm so glad we were referred to these because they have helped make middle of the night bedding changes sooooo much easier!

*sleep sheep not included*

If you are expecting, all ready have a baby, or have baby showers in your near future, you will want to enter this giveaway! All you need to do is pin your favorite product from the QuickZip website and then post a comment below on why you would love to win the giveaway + the link to your pin! Super easy! I will pick a winner at random on Monday, March 17th. Hope everyone has a great Thursday!

OUR FEEDING FAVORITES

I didn't think this blog would turn into all baby stuff with an occasional design post, but it seems that it has. Taking care of a baby and designing are what I do and that's all I know right now. So, that's what inspires me at the moment! Maybe the tides will change and I will post on a variety of subjects again. I'm still working on Melrose and making changes here and there, but nothing major since Gray's nursery. 

So, on to my post! When Gray was approaching the time to start baby food, I was clueless on the entire topic. I knew I wanted to make my own purees and I needed some feeding essentials. I looked on a few of my favorite baby blogs and I browsed Amazon's top feeding products until I purchased what I needed to start trying food. I know I can be picky about stuff (even silly things like baby utensils and bowls) but I was looking for durability, easy to store, and aesthetically pleasing ... a.k.a. super cute! I made a "baby drawer" inspired by this pin that houses all of my bowls, containers, sippy cups,  etc. so that eventually one day Gray can get what he needs on his own and he can dig through the drawer while I'm making dinner! Here are our top used products to hopefully help you and your baby get started in the right direction -

ONE: Beaba Babycook - I know making baby food isn't for everyone, but I enjoy food so it's been a fun experience making Gray new foods and seeing how he likes them. We received our babycook as a gift and it has been such a breeze to make the purees. It is pretty much a one stop shop - you steam and puree in the same machine. You simply add your diced fruits or veggies to the steamer basket with the right amount of water, steam them, dump them into the processor, and puree! You could also do this with a simple food processor and steam/roast your food beforehand. 

TWO: These are on the pricier side of baby spoons, but I love that they are entirely silicone (BPA free!) and easy to maneuver with a long handle. Gray also loves to chew on them after his meal, ha. 

THREE: I looked at several different types of bowls to serve Gray his food and finally decided on these from Re-Play. They are FDA approved, BPA free, the right size for holding 2-3 purees, and fun colors!  I typically hand wash these, but I have not had any issues with dishwashing them either. Another plus for me was the matching divided plates that we will invest in once Gray is eating more table food. I like everything to match! 

FOUR: OXO Storage Block Set - These have been great for storing our pureed foods. I haven't put any in the freezer yet, but I don't see any issues. I have tossed these in my diaper bag on the go and there have been no leaks or spills so far! They're the perfect portions for his baby food so I know exactly how much he is eating! 

FIVE: Bumkins Bips - I actually "researched" bibs (I know, I'm crazy!) and these had the highest rating. I ordered a 3 pack of these and they have been fantastic. They are easy to rinse or wipe clean and collects any drops of food! Plus, they have lots of super cute patterns to choose from! 

SIX: These look really similar to the Beaba freezer trays, but are 1/2 of the price! I use these to freeze his baby food and pop out a "pod" to defrost when I'm out of fresh purees.

SEVEN: I read that the Nuk sippy cup is a good transition for babies from the bottle so I have been testing this one out. Although, he doesn't seem as interested in this sippy as compared to the Nuby (below). Maybe it is the spout? I think he will eventually use it though so we keep trying it!

EIGHT: Nuby sippy cup - Again, another talked about sippy cup that we are using. Even if he doesn't get much out of it, he loves to chew on it! 

Gray was not too pleased with his first try of peas! 

 Gray loves butternut squash, prunes, sweet potato, apples, and pears ... and really most anything these days!

***AND, STAY TUNED BECAUSE THIS WEEK I AM HOSTING A GIVEAWAY OF ONE OF OUR 3-6 MONTH FAVORITE PRODUCTS!!! YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS OUT!***

shower invitation :: HIS & HER BBQ

Hello! Here is a shower invitation I recently designed for some sweet friends. The party was held outdoors and decorated with red and white checkered table cloths, red zinnias, teal blue mason jars, pennant flags, and local barbeque was catered. It was a lovely night and I think the couple felt very honored. 

To keep with the rustic, outdoor theme, I paired the red, white, and teal invitations with kraft paper envelopes and jazzed them up with his and her kitchen "tools" liners. 

If you are interested in this invitation, or custom design work, please feel free to contact me!

MODERN LULLABY PLAYLIST

Hello! Happy Hump Day! After my recent 3-6 month favorite post, I received a few requests to share my "modern playlist" I mentioned I played on our sound machine. Before our precious babes were born, Abode Love and I sat down and compiled a list of sweet, endearing songs that could be played while enjoying or soothing our little ones. We wanted to include new and old artists and steer clear of the traditional, over played lullabies. Once we had a list of baby friendly songs, I tweeked it a bit and added some personal favorites (Ray LaMontagne, Mumford and Sons), special, unforgettable songs (like ones that were played at our wedding), my husband's favorite (Dave Matthews Band), and just random picks - so I can't promise all these will make sense to you or have a special place in your heart. Take this list lightheartedly! Enjoy! 

OUR 3-6 MONTH FAVORITES

Hello readers! I'm back with some more favorite products over the past 3 months. I can't believe Gray is all ready 7 months old! He is growing and learning so fast, and we are enjoying every bit. We had some 6 month pictures taken by a lovely Birmingham photographer so I will have to share those so you can see how much our little one has grown since his newborn pics. Anyway, here are some of our favorite items that have made our lives a little happier and easier! 

ONE: This may be my favorite product on this list. I follow the Moms on Call schedule and from the start they recommend sleep training your baby with a sound machine. Before Gray was here, I started researching sound machines and I found this one by The First Years. MOC recommends staying away from ones geared for babies (because they aren't as loud and usually have lots of lights), but this one is pretty loud and has a great white noise option. But, my favorite part is that it can play music from your ipod/iphone! Laurel-Dawn and I created modern day playlists for our babes so I love to turn it on for his bedtime bottle or if he is having a fussy night. Also, I like that it can play from batteries or be plugged into an outlet. Definitely a plus when your power goes it -- it has happened to us! We use this sound machine for all naps and nighttime. 

TWO: Gray loves these flimsy books by Indestructibles. He can wad them up, chew on them, pull on them ... I promise, they don't get soggy or tear! We were gifted these and now they are one of our favorite toys. 

THREE: At 3 months we sleep trained Gray and transitioned him out of the swaddle. Once he was sleeping okay with both arms out, we decided to start using these aden + anais sleep sacks. I love the aden + anais brand for their soft and breathable fabrics, plus they're super cute! They provide a little bit of warmth without having a loose blanket in his crib. 

FOUR: I know Sophie is a favorite for most babies, but Gray really got interested in Sophie at about three months. He loves to chew on her legs and ears and whoever designed Sophie, made her perfect for tiny hands. And he can't get enough of her squeaks! 

FIVE: If you follow me on instagram, you have seen how much action this Fisher-Price Go Wild Jumperoo received once we introduced it to Gray. Gray has always enjoyed standing up and being in the action so I knew this contraption would be a hit. It was ideal for getting stuff done around the house. 

SIX: I ordered 2 of these Hanna Andersson sleepers because they were on sale before Gray was born and now I'm so glad! They are so soft (and stylish!) but the best part is the front zipper. I never realized how annoying ALL those snaps would be and if you get one off ... you're done. So, this zipper is a life saver and makes diaper changes a breeze (if only). Plus, if you catch it right, Serena and Lily puts some styles on sale and they run 20% off discounts pretty often!

SEVEN: Now that Gray has outgrown his puj tub, we bathe him in this Fisher-Price whale tub. I think bath time is his favorite time of day. He loves it. He would kick and splash all day if he could! Since he's still too little for a true tub bath, we put the whale in the tub and just fill it with water - pretty easy!

EIGHT: We had a little difficutly with Gray taking a bottle. He started out just fine, and then one day he hated them. We tried several different brands until I desperately read a forum online and tried these Playtex Drop-Ins Nursers with the latex nipple. Not only are these way (and I mean way) easy to use and clean, but I read that the latex nipples are a little more soft and pliable and resemble a mother's breast. Either way - Gray likes them and I'm glad we discovered them!

NINE: Several of my friends mentioned these quickzip crib sheets and swore by them so I decided to give them a try. Well, they are fabulous - especially if you use bumpers. The sheet zips off of the base without having to take the entire sheet off or move the bumpers and mattress. I bought this starter set and it was perfect. If baby spits up (or more!) at 2 am, simply zip off the dirty sheet and zip on a clean sheet; takes about 2 minutes! If you've ever tried changing a sheet without taking the mattress out of the crib and maneuvering around bumpers, you understand how much of a time saver these are. 

TEN: We made the decision to start sleep training Gray at 12 weeks to help him start sleeping through the night and establish a good nap routine. I really enjoyed this book and thought it was extremely helpful without being too overbearing. I read several baby blogs that praised this book and although it was tough, I followed the guidelines and we ended up being successful! It took lots of patience and consistency, but we are at a good point of sleeping 6:30 pm - 7 am and regular naps. Yay! I strive for routine and predictability so knowing when and for how long my baby would nap, allowed me to plan my day and look forward to my "mommy time." Granted, not every day is the same, but I have a rough idea!

ELEVEN: Fisher-Price B&W High Contrast and Sleepy Sounds. These apps are so great for entertaining a baby in the car, or calming a fussy baby or just making it though dinner with friends ... regardless, they always seem to capture Gray's attention! I know there's a ton of other options but these have done the trick so far! 

TWELVE: This milk storage organizer is perfect for keeping your milk packed neatly and legibly in the freezer. We don't have a lot of freezer space and seeing bags spread all over just annoyed me, so this organizer made my day! You can see the dates easily and it fits pretty much every brand of bag!