John Frederick - 2 Months

Little man is two months old today.  He has grown so much in two months! His eyes have started to follow everything. He follows our eyes, bright colors, and anything that suddenly moves.  A couple weeks ago I noticed that his smiles were most definitely not gas...they were on purpose.  Then all of a sudden, you can't get him to quit smiling! Not that you would ever want to... it's the greatest smile you'll ever see.  He's such a happy baby.  When I was pregnant and praying for his health and safety...I always added 'happy'.  "Lord please watch over our baby.  Keep him safe and let him be healthy... and please let him be a happy baby.  A very happy baby."  I've learned that as a parent you're constantly scared that you're screwing up..and hell, sometimes you are screwing up.  John Frederick pee'd in his own tiny little face a handful of times before I developed my awesome catlike reflexes.  His OWN face.  You wouldn't think that tiny wee wee could pee pee so far... but holy cow, it can! My brand new baby peeing in his own face mixed with my batshit crazy hormones led me to cry almost every time he did it.  This shameful parent moment goes in my "you screwed up" folder.
...but you know what? Yeah yeah... he pee'd in his own face..whatever.  He's happy.  He's a happy baby! That's what is most important to me.  He will receive as much love as John and I can give... and as long as he has that, and plenty of laughter - he'll be alright in this world.  Even if he does pee in his face. (but I'm still going to do everything I can to make sure that doesn't happen too often. It freaks me out a little)

Also, just a heads up, when you see his "3 Month" and "4 Month" pictures... don't be surprised if you find yourself looking at a big chubby dough ball.  The past couple weeks he has developed a rather large appetite. Just like a fat kid, he gets very angry and mouthy if you take his food away.  John and I are just waiting for him to blow up like a tiny michelin tire man.

Look at that pretty face and pot belly!

I just love love love this guy.

 Also new this month:

• He has started 'talking' to us. I just love our conversations! I can't wait until he starts saying real words.. I constantly imagine what his little voice is going to sound like. 
• His diapers have gone from little newborn baby poo to full on explosions.  Pretty gross and mighty dangerous at 3 o'clock in the morning.
• We still aren't sleeping through the night... but damnit we are TRYING! We definitely get an A++ for effort.  Fingers crossed that we're getting closer.
• He has good taste in music.  

Happy 2 months sweet pea

Starting Over

I want to start over with my blog.  I need to start over with my blog.

It's been about 27 years since I last posted, and SO much has changed.  I now have a fashion degree, a handsome fiance, and a baby.
Whaaaaaaa?! Yep, a BABY.  A perfect little baby boy.

Engaged in March - then went straight to Puerto Rico! 

Graduated in May.

The best day of our lives was August 1, 2012.

That is when John Frederick Emley IV came into our world.

We currently live in Mississippi.  Hours away from our friends and family.  As a team, we're learning how to juggle this crazy new life.  A life with two spoiled dogs, one beautiful (and demanding) baby, and no help.

It's crazy hard and unbelievably amazing!

Here are a few things we've learned so far:

• If you have two dogs and a newborn and you have to be somewhere, at a certain time, then start getting ready 4 hours ahead of time.... and expect to be 15 minutes late. 
• NOTHING is clean enough for your baby.  You put a blanket down before you lay him anywhere, sanitize your hands 500 times a day, and wash his clothes in the most expensive baby detergent there is..... yet, YOU'RE still wearing a shirt you put on 3 days ago, that has spit-up on it ...and you're using a blanket he pee'd on. 
• You forget how to make an actual lunch.  A spoonful of peanut butter on a piece of bread that you somehow fold together and cram in your mouth qualifies as lunch... on a good day.

Personally, I'm trying to figure out how to use a fashion degree in North Mississippi... and stay fabulous while speaking baby gibberish.

How am I going to keep up with the latest fashion trends when I have 567 bottles to wash and a tiny tushie to clean?

Don't sign me up for a minivan just yet! I'm determined to be a fabulous chic mother... but don't be mistaken, it is NOT going to be an easy task.  

OH yeah, and I have a wedding to plan.  No big deal.

I'm going to use this blog to document my new crazy life. 

A life that mixes fashion with diapers and merlot with enfamil (not literally!).

I'm blogging for anyone and everyone who may be interested... but more specifically for all of our family and friends who aren't able to watch little man grow up in person, and want to know what's going on with our little family.  I'm also blogging for myself.  I think it MAY help me stay sane. MAYBE.

Christian Siriano Fashion Show

Yesterday was the Christian Siriano fashion show at Gus Mayer in Birmingham.  

Christian is super talented! ..and nice. Very nice!

(Like how I refer to him by his first name as if we're BFF now..)

There were a lot of AU volunteers.  Between them, the Gus Mayer team, Christian's team, and vendors - I was definitely in good company.

It was a lot of fun and the fashion show was absolutely FABULOUS!

Model Tryouts:

SO tall, SO skinny, SO pretty, SO many

During the day:

Showtime

After show:

FIERCE! 

Blog Neglect

Sheesh, I've done it again.  Neglected by poor beautiful blog for way too long.  

I don't know why I always do a blog post about not blogging- I think it's to just show that: 

Yes, I do realize the error of my ways. One of these days I'll learn how to better manage my time.

Fingers Crossed!

'Autumn Romance' Outfit

I had to put this outfit together -

 I've been in love with these colors lately!

Probably has something to do with it being the start of Fall.

Wear the skirt at your waist with the blouse slightly tucked - FAB.

• Blouse - Alberta Ferretti (here)
• Skirt - Hussein Chalayan (here)
• Watch - Timex (here)
• Shoes - Kelsi Dagger (here)
• Earrings - Monsoon (here)
• Ring - Dara Ettinger (here)

A Simply Fabulous Life

I met an interesting woman last night. 

A very interesting woman - VERY.

We talked about her success and fashionable life..

(which, did I mention, it was oh so interesting?)

Then she said...

"Hey, I love my life. My life is charm."

I swear, I felt a little tingle inside.  

The kind of tingle you feel when you 

hear a song that seems was written

just for you to hear. 

Immediately after we finished talking I decided,

if anyone ever ask me to describe my life in one word

I want to be able to say "My life is charm."

Therefore, I'm going to make sure my life IS charm.

Think about the one word you want your life to be.

I think that once you figure out that word - 

it's easier to make it happen. 

....Now, to make sure I succeed in this,

I need a chandelier over my bathtub.

www.apartmenttherapy.com

I'll take one in every room.

A chandelier is a MUST to be charming.

A Tupelo Finding

A few weeks ago, Johnny and I visited the Tupelo Flea Market.  The Flea Market is only there the first weekend of every month. It's huge. Gigantic! There's always a mixture of junk, frilly hairbows, guns, PUPPIES, and randoms.  Basically, it's a good way to waist some time.  Well, after Johnny pulled me away from the 12th batch of puppies we saw, we stumbled upon an older man's booth.  It had antique green jars, BIG old mason jars, purple glassware... that kind of stuff.  Then John said, "HUN, look." - and he reached in the middle of a cluster of old glass Coke bottles and pulled out a commemorative AU 1983 SEC Championship Coke bottle:

OH yes. We bought it.

•  Do you think it's the absolute coolest thing in the world? Probably not.
•  Can you most likely find it online in 5 seconds? Yep.
•  Is it worth money? Nope.

BUT..... 

Did it make our day? Oh yeah!

One man's junk is another man's treasure.

[so true]