Got cake?

Emma definitely enjoyed her first birthday cake at Grandma & Grandpa's house this past weekend. She first picked at the yellow icing on her smash cake and I pushed her little fist into the cake. It was all over once she realized there was yummy cake inside! She ended up mauling about half of the cake and she actually ate most of it. She started to crash after presents and cake though.



It was time for a nap after all her company left. Mommy, Grandma and Emma laid down around 7:00 PM and ended up sleeping until the next morning! We had a great time and I really enjoyed spending the time with my family up there. I'll post some more photos from out trip after I get everything ready for Emma's birthday party here.

Uh-oh mama!

How can you get upset at that face? Emma got into my scrapbook supplies while I was addressing her birthday invitations and "ate" my water color pencils! She came toddling over to me at the kitchen table and I swear I heard "uh oh mama" and I couldn't help but smile. I, of course, could not resist snapping a few pictures before cleaning off her adorable little face. I am so happy that she didn't get red, blue or green on her new pillowcase dress!



Her birthday outfit came in the mail on Thursday. It is even better than I imagined and it came so quick! We tried it on Emma after her bath and it fits perfect and is so adorable on her. She even left the headband on! Patty at ModKid did an awesome job. She even included a little dolly wearing a dress made of the same material. Emma loves it and has been toddling around the house with it ever since. We are going to make it a birthday tradition of ordering a special outfit for her from ModKid. I love Patty's work! Here is a quick snapshot I took of her the other night when we tried it on. Please excuse the bad lighting and blur....she was a girl on the move and the light from the aquarium didn't help!



I love her so much....I can't believe my baby girl is going to be one in just two weeks! We have been getting in some extra Mommy & Emma time this week as Jon has had to work late every night....you gotta love the end of the month! So we have been falling asleep together on our bed watching General Hospital. I think she must remember it from the womb. Every time the intro comes on, she stops whatever she is doing and stares towards the TV. I watched it almost every day while I was pregnant with Retto on my lap. He is the same way with the intro. Its kind of hilarious! Jon actually tells Retto to run to the saxophone of his dreams. I know we are goofy! Anyways, I've only started watching it again in the last few weeks. It is getting good....Jason, Elizabeth, Lucky. Good stuff! Anyways, I love falling asleep with her snuggled up against me and her silky blanket draped over us and Emma giving mommy kisses. There is absolutely nothing sweeter in life.



I might post again later about my birthday present....I got the Brother 2600i sewing machine last night! I bought some fabric and a few patterns too. I can't wait to start! My first project is a travel changing pad for my adorable nephew Peytonn for their shower in July. I can't wait to see him again next weekend! I stole this picture of him from my sister-in-law's MySpace page. He's getting so big and is finally wearing newborn clothes! I miss Emma being so small....



So I'll leave you with a few cute, random pictures from this week.

What do you think?

I was trying to spruce up my little blog last night while Emma was asleep. I am still at a loss on how to center my header though. I am only so-so with html and I'm clueless on this. I'm loving the green and Emma's picture being on my header!

We also finished Emma's birthday invitations last night. I love them!
I am going to stitch three pink buttons onto the bottom lefthand corner before we mail them. So what do you think? I cannot believe that my baby girl is going to be ONE in just three weeks! I still vividly remember the day she was born...how tiny & perfect she seemed even though she was covered in "cream cheese," bluish and wrinkly. I admit that the first few weeks were rough, recovering from my c-section, not having my own mom around and Emma having trouble gaining weight (she was in newborn diapers until she was 9 weeks old!) but I would not trade it for the world. I never realized how much I could love someone until she came along. Okay, I need to stop before I get all emotional!

I have decided that I want a sewing machine for my birthday. I had been kicking around the idea back when we were getting married and decided against it. Well, now that a pair of my dress slacks split at the seam last week and I've fell in love with pillowcase dresses on Emma, its a go again. I think it would be a handy thing to have around the house (especially as Emma gets older to fix any booboo's her blankey and bedtime bunny might acquire) and I might even get a little creative. I am between two right now. The Brother XL2610 which is $110 and a Singer one that is $90. My Mom had a Singer for almost 30 years and just replaced it at Christmas with a Brother that she loves. Any one have any input for me? I mostly just want a nice, solid beginner one that I can do the basics and maybe a little more with. My parents are getting Emma a wagon for her birthday and I'd love to make a cute seat cushion for it. How hard could that be...for someone who hasn't sewn since jr high?!

Hopefully it will turn out better than our trial birthday cake yesterday! My husband took the cake out of the oven and cut the top off for me...while it was still hot so it all mushed together. I also had forgotten a cardinal rule of baking myself...line the pan with shortening and flour not vegetable oil spray. The middle of the flower came out in a big mushy clump and the rest was stuck to the pan. Its a good thing that we did a trial run! Although, I was hoping to use the trial run for decorating...I guess we'll have to try again later this week. Emma enjoyed the cake though!

I probably won't be online much the next few weeks. The weather has been too incredible to miss out on, we need to finish getting the house ready for Emma's party, and then we will be out of town the weekend before her birthday. I'll leave you with a few cute pictures from this weekend...

That's mommy's girl...all sweet & festive for the camera.

Trying to get away from mommy.

Don't you know that Backyardigan band-aids make any little booboo feel better?!

Daddy was filling up the pool and somebody wanted to get in. Next time she'll have her cute swimsuit on!

Who needs shoes? Look at me...I'm walking outside!

Things to do!

I have been sitting here trying to design Emma's birthday invitation on paint.net forever now. I just realized that I need my husband to do it. He is much better at it! I have an adorable picture of Emma holding her blanket up to her face and we are going to turn it b&w leaving just the blanket pink. We are going to write the info about her party in white letters on the black part. After we get them developed, I am going to stitch three pink buttons in two of the corners to give it an added element. I really need to get them in the mail on Tuesday so I really need to get this done! Right now is prime working time since Emma is down for a nap...but my husband is out in the garage brewing with a friend. He is a "home brew master" in his own words. Hehehe. Its an interesting hobby to have and it keeps him away from mine. Sort of. We are working on a scrapbook together with his mom for his sister's college graduation. I really need to get to work on Emma's again...its just hard to find the time with an impatient toddler, a seemingly constant messy house and a full time job. I love my life though and would not trade it for the world!

Here is a picture he took of Emma in his new cooler that he is going to convert into a "mash ton" and please don't ask me what that means because I don't really know!

My understanding of it is that its what he pours oats and hot water into that eventually become beer. He likes to go on and on and on about the brewing process but he loses me pretty quick so I just nod and say uh-uh. :) I hope that doesn't make me a bad wife!

Okay, enough rambling on this blog. I have to fold a ton of laundry, put it away, clean the bathrooms, work on the invitations for Peytonn's baby shower before my Mom kills me, run to Hobby Lobby to look for the cake pan, hopefully find the said cake pan and bake a trial cake tonight so we can have it as desert tomorrow when Jon's family comes over to scrap. I'm hoping I will be able to accomplish a little on Emma's book too.

Memorial Day weekend

It is a day to remember the soldiers who have given their service to our country. If you know a soldier please thank them for me. :) My brother was in Iraq for ten months, three years ago and his time in the National Guard ended in April. It is getting scary over there and the soldiers deserve everything of us regardless of anyone's feelings on the war. Okay, I am stepping off of my soap box now. I knew I should not have turned on the news. I am so excited to put Emma in her adorable red, white & blue apron dress from Old Navy this weekend!

I stopped by a local boutique here in Murfreesboro, Whipper Snappers, to see if they carried the Pediped shoes that I was hoping to get Emma for her birthday. They did so I bought them and looked around at their hairbows hoping to find one to match her dress. The bow lady had been on vacation so they didn't have any red, white and blue so I bought a red & blue one. I knew better than to buy without a price tag there...it was $9 and they offer no refunds. Yikes! The blue doesn't even match her dress. I guess I'll consider it a lesson learned. I did find a lady on Etsy that makes custom korker hair bow sets for $5 plus shipping. I just ordered two sets...one set in Colts blue & white and the other in red, white & blue.

My hubby also surprised me by coming home with a Gymboree bag last night. He had met his Mom & sister in Green Hills for lunch and they had gone to the mall. He had seen the Island Getaway collection that Lovelyn had given me the link to and had to get it for his girl. :) He also had picked up about five hair bows since they were marked down to $1.50 each ... that really put my $9 hair bow to shame. I went ahead and bid on the made-to-match hippo bracelet on eBay today. :) Thanks Lovelyn!

We dressed her in it today to try and get a cute picture of Emma for her birthday invitations. She was not too interested in picture time and soon turned foul on us so it is now nap time in our house. She is so adorable in that dress and check out the hippo!


My husband had also thought of me on his shopping trip (with just a wee bit of prodding...) and brought me home samples of the CLEAN perfumes. I spritzed on a little of the Warm Cotton one last night at dinner and I still smell like I just stepped out of the shower and into an outfit fresh from the dryer. I know thats not what everyone wants in a perfume but I happen to *love* the light clean scent!

I was reading an article in a magazine the other day about shopaholics and I am beginning to think that is me. I have an urge to splurge when it comes to clothes, shoes, accessories, etc for my baby girl. I have decided that it needs to stop and it stops today. Well...maybe tomorrow since I have already done more than a little damage today. I noticed this morning that I was outbid on a Princess Picasso custom set that I fell in love with on eBay the other night. I told myself then that I would go to $40 even though I really should not have. Well, today I went a little crazy and upped my bid so I am now the high bidder again. My husband is going to kill me if I win...I guess it might be a good thing if I get outbid. :( It is just so easy to shop online. I am handing over my card to my husband. I will only be shopping in actual stores now and only for things like groceries and other necessities. We had to put new tires on my car this week and we realized we are busting at the seams of our budget! Besides...I know Emma doesn't *need* most of the stuff that I've bought...I just get drawn in by the cuteness factor. As does my husband, apparently, after his recent Gymboree splurge.