26 Years & The First Halloween

This past Halloween I turned 26.  In my twenty six years of life I've experienced much and learned a lot.  I won't get all into a super sappy 'what my life has been and how wonderful it is' post... but I do want to say that I am one lucky girl.  I have THE BEST fiance and son you could ever ask for, some pretty awesome pups, a loving family (immediate, distant, AND the one I'm about to marry into), and some fabulous friends.  Life is good..... even when I think it's not.
I did a lot in 26 years.... yet, there's so much more I yearn to do.  During my life... I grew up.  (I have more growing to do.  Much more.. mentally and emotionally.)  I grew from a 'child' to an 'adult', and that takes time! Eighteen years to be exact. Yet, 18 years is an adult?! What a joke. ANYWAYS (I'm straying here...time to get back on topic) I spent the last 26 years searching, trying, and finding.  I tried every sport & dance class when I was younger.  I couldn't wait to turn 13, to finally be a teenager.  Then, I couldn't wait to go to high school. Then, college.  Then, to FINALLY graduate. I couldn't wait to find the right guy.  So many things that make you a "grown up".  Now I'm here.  I'm done. I graduated. I found the love of my life...and we have our own little family.  Now what?
Good question.
Now it's up to me to make sure I continue to grow.  To not stop here.  To stay inspired & desired (like the rhyming there? I almost deleted it because it was a little too catchy and corny... but those two words are too good to delete, so deal with it).  Nobody is telling me what to learn, how to do it, and when to do it by.  It's up to me what I want to do, what I want to learn, how I want to raise my child, and what kind of woman I want to be.  This is amazing... and dangerous.  It's so easy to fall into a rut of living without living.  I don't want to do that. Therefore, I'm going to make a bucket list.  I've always had one mentally, but it's time to put that baby on paper! It's time to live that bucket list!  I'm going to do everything I can to stay inspired 24 hours of the day...and to DO it, not just think it.  I strongly believe that the happier I am with myself, the more I grow as a woman, and the more I truly live.... the better mom and fiance/wife I will be.  And those are two jobs I take very seriously!
A littler longer...and sappier.. than I meant to be.  Ahh well.

Our Halloween:

 We put on our festive clothes

this pumpkin tushie slays me!

crafted & decorated

(John made this super fabulous bench... because I just know you were 'oohing & ahhing' over it)

 We took some a million 'First Halloween' pictures

 daddy love

Big John taught little John how to grill 

and we I watched Hocus Pocus for the 29th time this month.

We had several trick-or-treaters... and it was the bomb.  They were so cute ... and one hilarious little 5 year old girl seemed to have a crush on my fiance and wouldn't leave our porch for what felt like an hour.  I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard behind my 3 month old baby shield, while Johnny just stood there awkwardly with his 5 year old crush.... who, by the way, was twirling a sucker in her mouth the whole time.  

I ended the night with a wonderful steak dinner, magnificent CLASSY wine (not my usual grocery store stuff) from our great friend Lee, and opening my present.  It was a big ol' box with a piece of paper in it.  The piece of paper was a picture of this:

Yep! My boys got me an Ipad Mini! I am so stinkin' excited for it to come in!

As you can tell from all the pictures, it was one heck of a birthday! 

Blessed :) 

Tiny Tiger

I just can't get enough of this tiger beanie.

He kind of lives in it.

love. love. LOVE

Thanks to our amazing Hayle :)

First Mother Son Weekend

This weekend big John went out of town... for a bachelor party... in New Orleans. [Totally Jealous]
It was the first weekend that little Johnny and I were completely alone.  It was great!  It was a bit tiring... especially since teething decided to hit us like a freight train going full speed.

Little man, the pups, and I snuggled in bed all Saturday morning and listened to the rain.  When we finally got up ('finally' means 9am .. I remember when 'finally' meant 1 in the afternoon) we played with our toys, read 'Dizzy the Dragon', and sat in the wonderous Bumbo.

Can't believe he's already sitting in his Bumbo!

Then we watched a horrible disgusting Auburn football game.  Horrible.  Disgusting.
Nonetheless, War Eagle!

After a full day of little man drool and an odd temper, it hit me. This boy is teething!
I ran and got Sophie the Giraffe...I knew she'd know what to do.

Is my 9 week old SERIOUSLY teething already?!

We spent the rest of the evening with that glorious giraffe.  By 10:30 I was unbelievably exhausted. UN-freaking-BELIEVABLY.  So, I fed him his last bottle of the day, poured mama a tiny glass of vino, and watched some Saturday Night Live.  I fell asleep by 11:30. Woke up at 6am. WOKE UP AT SIX O'CLOCK IN THE FLIPPIN MORNING! That's almost 7 hours. SEVEN. Okay, I'll chill out with the all caps.  I couldn't believe it.  The longest he's been able to sleep at night has been 5 hours... and that is few and far between.  The majority has been for about 4 hours.  Saturday night was a big ol' fat seven hours! I jumped out of bed, skipped to the kitchen, twirled as I made a bottle, cart-wheeled back to the bedroom, and smiled the whole time I fed him.  I also told him 'thank you' 763 times.  I was giddy all morning waiting for John to call so I could tell him the big huge great news.  It's amazing how happy seven hours of sleep can make you.
Now I don't want to get too excited...but he did the same last night.  Ahh, please please please let this stick!!

All smiles over this way! 

[except when tiny baby teeth decide to push through]

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!