for this little face and all of its expressions
Monthly Archives: November 2012
may i move in, please?
a couple of weeks ago, our little family went on an outing to one of our favorite outdoor shopping spots. aaaand it just so happened that the new restoration hardware store had opened so we decided to take a stroll through. and blimey, was it incredible! the store is like a huge home with perfectly decorated rooms around every turn. truly dream-worthy, i tell you.
so here is a ridiculous amount of photos that i couldn’t resist snapping while we toured the halls of this amaze-ville.
splish splash
that sassy little squinchy face that shows up during bathtime is my new favorite. despite the expression, she actually enjoys her bath…and do we ever love our wiggly, wet bundle.
and i would like major props for limiting myself to posting only eight pictures because we have dozens and dozens.
o christmas tree!
christmas time is officially here and we have been making rather merry around these parts. watching some holiday favorites, decorating the tree, listening to christmas music, enjoying festive foods…you know, ’tis the season!
there is really nothing better than the glow of the tree lights at night. i love that we can now turn off all the lights in our home and just enjoy our evenings by the light of our little tree. tree lights make every moment seem extra special. happy christmas!
elinor’s first thanksgiving
my oh my, we have much to be thankful for…especially our little peanut.
we enjoyed a lovely little thanksgiving with family. you know, with all the fixin’s. a glorious turkey, sausage cornbread stuffing, cranberries, sweet potato soufflé, mashed potatoes, bacon brussels sprouts, and giblet gravy to boot!
we cooked together, ate together, fellowshipped together, walked together, and polished it all off with some fig pecan pie. oh happy day! i do think that miss elinor was disappointed that she couldn’t exactly join us at the table. but that just gives us something to look forward to for next year – elinor’s first thanksgiving feast! all wazzed up and squishy. just how the pilgrims did it. yum.
dear peanut
dear peanut,
this has been quite a week. and may i just say that i am slightly overwhelmed that you are already THREE WEEKS OLD! and, you are starting to fill out your 0-3 clothing! you are such a good little eater…even though you occasionally spit some of your food all over your papa. burp cloths are our new best friend.
we have gone on some strolls through the neighborhood and around outdoor shopping areas, and you have been a trooper. there have been many outings and visitors as well, because people want to see your cute little face! and who can blame them. thank you for being so good as we parade you about the city and plop you in and out of car seats and strollers and carriers. you seem to somewhat enjoy the activity which we think is pretty great. you go with the flow and like the hustle and bustle.
this week, we have started getting into the swing of things. you know that nighttime is for sleeping…wahoo! and you love to be wide-eyed during the daytime so you don’t miss anything that is happening around you. the world is such a big and fascinating place for your little eyes to behold. and i love holding you while you explore your surroundings. i can see your brain spinning and taking it all in. so much fun. we are so excited to watch you grow and learn in the coming days and weeks and months and years. you are doing it all so quickly and we are just trying to keep up and rejoice with every moment.
love, your mama + your papa
blog envy
just wanted to share another blog that i drool over daily.
best blog title ever, right?
…
and the food, oh the food. here are some of my latest seasonal obsessions…
pumpkin + thyme + mac and cheese
white cheddar black pepper scones
and yes, i am going to milk the new mama thing and get my hubby to whip some of these up asap. honey, it isn’t just that I want it…it is our daughter. elinor needs proper culinary stimulation and nourishment… pretty please? just look at that widdle face… [cue baby eyelash batting]
aaannnd…dinner is served!
gratitude {part one}
salvation and grace
my hubby’s bread
the color chartreuse
cool breeze
coconut water
elinor’s big, bright eyes
the sounds of ben’s violin as he practices for the messiah
hugs
watching my husband and friend be a papa. he loves his little girl. and woah, i love him.
flickering candles
the smell of coffee
my family
fluffy dog ears
the sunshine
cinnamon
soothing shea butter lotion
baby toes and fingers and ears and bellybuttons
our church family
whole foods
hearing christmas music for the first time of the season
baby girl’s milk drunk smirk
having a reason to wear my italian wool trench coat
family walks
dc*b christmas album
lavender
this list grows and changes daily…hourly. and i plan to post a few of these in coming weeks. what are you thankful for? send me an email {swankyanddapper@gmail.com} and i will feature your list here.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
paper tables
there is something so simple and lovely about these tables. just paper and a bit of creative magic. i just might have to create some craft paper tablescapes for the holidays.
a guest post from hatton
warm and fuzzy greetings from babyland! today, i am tickled to feature hatton from chattiehattie.com AND freshmomblog.com. you read that right! this lady has two blogs. rockstar. hatton is a full-time working mom who lives in myrtle beach with her fabulous little family. she blogs about life at chattiehattie.com and provides a mom guide at freshmomblog.com. check her out, would you please?
and now the TRUE reason why i am such a fan…
the irresistible pictures of her oh-so-handsome furry man, breaker the cavalier. we have done some major instagram bonding over pictures of those sassy and sweet faces, sharing prized images of our furry balls of personality.
so, in honor of cavaliers everywhere [and especially those who have recently been forced to share their throne with a new little one] i proudly present a very special post.
thanks again hatton!
…
Dear Fellow Cavaliers,
My name is Breaker, and I am a fellow Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I’m here to give you the honest truth about what happens when a tiny human starts living in your house. No one – not a single human, animal, or Cavalier – properly prepared me for the life-change I was about to experience when a baby decided to move in our house. I was not consulted, and I’m sure you weren’t, either.
I don’t think humans fully understand our regal lineage, but we were the lapdogs of KINGS. We have a title: Cavalier KING Charles Spaniel. We are superior. That is a fact. We are accustomed to proper grooming, well-designed furniture, and gourmet dinners. We were bred to be pampered.
All of the pampering comes to a screeching halt when Baby arrives: for some reason, attention is diverted from grooming our gorgeous Blenheim coats to changing diapers.
Here are my survival tips:
- Don’t think you can sniff around and turn in 25 circles to find the perfect spot for #2: your walking time will be cut in half. Get it done or you will not have the chance again for a very long time.
- Attention? Don’t expect much.
- Forget about peaceful, uninterrupted sleep. Mama is on maternity leave: and she’s at home all day long. No more “you time” during the day time. So sorry.
- Your scheduled trips to the groomer will be infrequent. I usually hide from the public when this happens. I just don’t want to be photographed with split-ends and un-pedicured toes, and I’m sure you don’t either.
- You will be overcome with an urge to protect the Baby. Sniff the baby, stay by its side, bark at all potential opponents, and roll around over all of its clothes. All of these things have helped keep my Baby safe, and I’m sure it will keep yours safe, too.
You can do this.
Sincerely,
Breaker
