Oh look, guys! I still have this blog! Our year has really put a damper on my documenting efforts (and man do I LOVE documenting... so that's been sad). I can't let a milestone like a birthday party fly past me though, so here is a month-late, phone-photo recap on our first "big kid" party!

The year was 2018... It was days before Rowan's actual birthday... We had no plan. He had asked for a rainbow party, then a fall-pumpkin-halloween party, then reptiles and snakes. Calm down, child! The darkness was closing in around us, and I had no ideas, no time, no faith, no hope. Then Zack cries out, "WE JUST NEED TO GET THE PET STORE TO BRING A SNAKE."
Cake! Snake! Text the neighborhood kids! 4 year old birthday party done! By golly, this just might work!

One insane part of life is how your opinions of things can change on a dime. I was never really into the 4th of July celebrations for some reason.  Maybe it's my love for so many other cultures or my dislike of the summer heat, but good ol' Independence Day just was never a highlight of my year. Don't ask me why! I know fireworks are fun! But turn all of that upside down now, because it will forever be one of my favorite days to celebrate with this little firecracker-angel-blessing being "Born on the 4th of July."

This past weekend, my sisters-in-law threw me a baby "sprinkle" that -- as I mentioned in my last baby sprinkle post -- is pretty hard for people to actually do when a new baby is involved.  It was probably more accurate to say we got drenched and showered with baby girl goodies. 

They reserved Studio Bham which is such a great spot to have a bridal or baby shower.  It's just the right intimate size while also being open and having all the set up items you need.  I'm always a big fan of how events turn out there. 

The "baby in bloom" theme was right up my alley and perfect for spring .. lots of flowers (wrist corsage by Gold Leaf Floral), greenery, potted succulents for game prizes + herb and flower seeds for favors. 

In 2016 I had a resolution of working harder to lift up others instead of being in my own emotions all of the time.  On a day to day basis, we are all just trying to survive adult-life/mom-life that we hardly have time to make grand gestures for our friends beyond big milestones like baby showers or birthdays. 

The Leslie-Knope-created "Galentine's Day" holiday is a perfect excuse or reminder to lift up your gal pals.  Let's be real... most women being really emotional puts a big hurdle for female friendships.  We keep tabs of things like "well they haven't initiated hanging out with me, and I've asked 2 times. Fine I guess they never want to hang out with me."

Well that's not how Leslie Knope thinks, my friends! She will bombard you with friendship and make a binder about all your favorite things. She doesn't take things personally and skulk back into a surface level friendship. It's definitely a lesson in being more intentional and thoughtful with your friends.

Bertha from Chic in Academia ran with this idea and hosted a fun "mom's night in" Galentine party at her house this month, and it turned out so sweet!  I was able to do some calligraphy origami place cards for the dinner table, and they turned out exactly like I pictured in my head! whew!

Head over to her blog to check out the recipe! ​

Rowan turned two this month, and we had a birthday breakfast picnic with our family + a few of his little friends. And I did it! I finally did it! I threw a low-key party without stressing (except once for five minutes), no crafting, and zero let-down expectations.  

The only theme I did was everything in dark blue (his favorite color). So I used picnic blanket plaids in blue and had lots and lots of blue balloons around his birthday present -- a teepee! (I figured this was the last year before he was fully talking and submitting birthday theme requests, so I took it and ran! One last, easy, cutesy party before dinosaurs invade my life!)

I'm so excited to have been a part of this styled shoot done by Becca Bell of 2b Photography that's now featured in the October 2016 Issue of Beauty, Cocktails, Girl Talk's on-line magazine. My lettering (invitations + place cards) makes an appearance -- and somehow Ann Marie Leveille conned me into playing the Bride again... not a tough sell. ;-)

Today I sit here baffled by the fact that I'm about to have a two year old. Around this time two years ago, I was having not just one but THREE amazing baby showers from the end of August to the beginning of September. Mainly that was due to having giant families... but still! Yesterday I stumbled across these gorgeous pictures taken by the endlessly talented Morgan Trinker -- photographer, expert home-remodeler, and (as you can see) President of Flawless Parties.

Thanks to Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland of Repertoire, my calligraphy was included in the sweetest garden party shoot she designed for Social South Magazine.  My favorite part of the shoot is definitely the florals made by my bestie, Sarah Woodall.  Her centerpiece was amazing, and all of the girls had their own flower crown -- which, let's be real, makes me jealous. I wish I could wear a flower crown every day!  Everything was captured beautifully by Love Be Photography.