[Stella & Dot outfit of the week:: Rebel Pendant // Crescent Necklace // Rebel Earrings // Target army jacket // Anthropologie top // Old Navy skinnies // Toms booties]
[popcorn ceiling removal = house covered in plastic and dust]
[Tallahassee, FL on a beautiful Saturday]
[Laura + Travis got married!]
What a lovely start to wedding season! We traveled to Tallahassee, FL for my cousin Travis’ wedding last weekend, and it was such a gorgeous day! The ceremony and reception took place at the bride Laura’s parents’ home, and it was simply stunning. The weather was quite chilly once the sun went down, but it couldn’t have been a prettier day. The party was complete with a bourbon/scotch/cigar bar, a crossfit-inspired grooms cake, the most endearing video made by Laura’s brother, and one guy jumping into the pool during the reception. It was such a fun night celebrating with our family!
Monthly Archives: March 2015
bump watch:: 16 weeks
# weeks: 16 — baby is the size of an avocado!
Photo location: Taqueria del Sol in West Midtown
We love love love this place — it’s one of our favorite restaurants in Atlanta. It’s also the restaurant where I finally gave in and tried guacamole, only to realize that I love it! (This realization has come in very handy since not being able to indulge in cheese dip these days.) I like to think of Taqueria as an Atlanta favorite, and now they’ve branched out to some other cities in the Southeast so more folks can enjoy the goodness. It’s casual, the food comes out super fast after you wait in line to order, and everything is fresh-tasting and delicious. And now I have a new craving this week…
Best moment this week: Having my mom in town during her school’s spring break! We ate our way around Atlanta — Cafe Lapin, Bone Garden Cantina, Jeni’s Ice Cream, Bone Lick BBQ, No. 246, Butter & Cream, and Yeah! Burger…. I wasn’t kidding when I said we ate our way around the city! I got to take mom to one of the best guest artist puppet shows we’ve had at the Center, Andrew made us the most delicious homemade dinner, and we did a little baby shopping, too!
Miss anything: Not much this week, with all that eating we did. 🙂
Cravings: Well, now it’s Taqueria.
Feeling good/bad: I finally have my energy back! They weren’t kidding when they said it’s like turning over a new leaf once you hit the 2nd trimester.
Baby purchases/gifts: I made an impulse buy at Carter’s after our (almost) 16 week appointment — a set of the cutest animal onesies! My sweet mom also bought me some really pretty, super soft Aden + Anais swaddle blankets and matching burp clothes while we were shopping at Baby Braithwaite this weekend. So even though we aren’t shopping for baby clothes until we find out the gender next month, it’s fun to get a few baby items here and there!
Looking forward to: Traveling to Tallahassee, FL for my cousin’s wedding this weekend! We don’t often see my cousins, aunts/uncles, and grandmother on my mom’s side of the family, so I’m really excited to spend the weekend visiting with them and celebrating Travis + Laura!
A Few of My Favorite Things (111)
[Stella & Dot outfit of the week:: Linden Necklace // Spiral Bardot Bracelet // Old Navy skinnies // GAP tank // JCrew cardigan]
[Jeni’s for dessert, please]
[Stella & Dot outfit of the weekend:: Rebel Cluster Necklace // Target belt // Fabrik dress]
[cheers to mom in town]
[cake smash!]
My mom came in town last week during her school’s spring break, so it felt like a little mini vacation for us, too! We took her to some of our favorite restaurants around town, my brother cooked for us, and she and I even got to see one of our most-anticipated puppet shows at the Center. We may have also done a little baby shopping. 😉
I finished up the weekend with two photo sessions, one of which included lots of cake smashing and an outdoor bath afterward! I wish it was acceptable for adults to eat cake like that, too.
showering baby Biggs
When I found out my friend Shannon was pregnant last fall, I immediately started thinking about a baby shower. I mean, by now, we all know that planning is my forte (and I love a good party), so that shouldn’t be surprising. A couple of our friends got together to host a shower for her in March (last weekend), and it was such a lovely day at Meredith’s beautiful home!
Shannon is such a sweet, caring friend, and we had the best time preparing/crafting/shopping for her special day. I’m so excited to meet baby Biggs when he arrives in May! He’s already very loved, and I’m really looking forward to our little ones growing up together!
Here are some highlights from the shower, including some source links for you fellow party planners. Enjoy!
Invitations:: Minted.com // Cake:: Sugar Benders Bakery // Catering:: Zoe’s Kitchen // Succulents + pots:: IKEA (pendants handmade) // Cookie Favors:: Yummy Delicious Cookies // Giant Balloons:: Party City (tassels handmade)
A Few of My Favorite Things (110)
[Stella & Dot outfit of the week:: Fabrik dress // Birdie Necklace]
[celebrating baby Biggs]
[baby shower details]
[perfect Saturday night]
[my drink of choice]
[photographing friends is the best]
Another jam-packed weekend is in the books! I was a hostess for my dear friend Shannon’s baby shower over the weekend, and two of my favorite girls came in town to stay with us for the occasion. We had a yummy dinner out with several friends at Kaleidoscope in Brookhaven on Saturday and I got to end the night with a gigantic Snickers milkshake while sitting around a fire pit at Zin Burger. In addition, I attended another good friend’s wedding shower on Sunday and photographed a couple friends for their engagement photos. It was the most gorgeous day!! Up next — mom’s coming in town mid-week to spend part of her spring break with us!
bump watch:: 14 weeks
# weeks: 14 — baby is the size of a lemon!
(a couple days late, thanks to being sick earlier this week)
Photo location: Krispy Kreme
Because doesn’t every momma-to-be crave HOT NOW donuts? No? That’s just me? 😉 A Krispy Kreme opened up just down the road from our house last year, and it’s been a dangerous temptation — even more so now that I have an extra sweet tooth. Here’s to hoping baby Hayes doesn’t turn into a donut or cupcake by September!
Best moment this week: Celebrating our sweet friend Courtney at her last shower before her baby boy arrives later this month! It’s been so fun adding more babies to the friend family over the past couple years, and I am even more excited now that we get to share in the journey with some of our favorite people.
Miss anything: I was REALLY missing having a glass of red wine at dinner with our friends on Saturday, especially after the long day of photo sessions I’d had. I settled for lemonade, though, which was still pretty delicious.
Cravings: Burgers this week. I had 2 in 3 days — oops. Slightly better than just a bunch of sweets, right?
Feeling good/bad: I’d been slightly less tired and drained feeling this past week, until Monday rolled around. Not sure if it was the baby on board or a stomach bug, but I felt out of it enough (mostly thanks to a killer headache and nausea) to have to stay home from work for two days. Otherwise, I feel like I’m on track to feeling a bit more like myself soon.
Baby purchases/gifts: I ordered our crib! I’m not really planning anything else for the nursery just yet, but I’ve had my eye on a particular crib from Land of Nod for a while now, and I just couldn’t resist. Plus, I didn’t want to risk it going on backorder, so it’s just going to hang out in the box for a while once it arrives.
Looking forward to: Celebrating my dear friend Shannon at her baby shower that a couple friends and I are hosting this weekend! Some of my favorite girls will be in town from Nashville for the shower, and I’m so excited to spend the weekend with them and our Atlanta crew. I’ll be sure to share photos here next week!
A Few of My Favorite Things (109)
[Stella & Dot outfit of the week:: Old Navy top and skinnies // gold Tieks flats // Linden Necklace // Pave Chevron Ring // Renegade Cluster Bracelet + Christina Link Bracelet]
[the perfect donut surprise]
[our resident cereal milk beggar drinker]
[Harris, one of my sweetest little clients]
[showering baby Swafford]
What a fun, busy weekend! We had a dinner and movie date on Friday night, since everyone has been telling us to get in our movie dates while we can. 😉 We saw “Focus,” Will Smith’s new movie about con men. He’s one of Craig’s favorite actors, and I was pleasantly surprised that it was really enjoyable for both of us. My Saturday was spent doing a fun newborn session with an old sorority sister and then down at Piedmont Park for an engagement session… capped off with a dinner date with some friends. On Sunday, we celebrated our friend at her last baby shower before her little guy arrives later this month – doesn’t she look fabulous in the pic above? The weather over the weekend was such a nice change from the cold/rainy/snowy days of last week, and it looks like spring might just be here to stay!
Also — I was planning to share my 14 week bump post today, but things have been slightly delayed due to my being sick this week. Hoping to get a photo done in the next couple days!
bump watch:: 12 weeks
# weeks: 12
Baby is the size of a plum! There’s not much of a bump yet, but we have to start somewhere, right?
Photo location*: Nashville
Music City is near and dear to our hearts, so while visiting his family last weekend, we thought this would be the perfect place to start off the bump watch! (This photo was technically taken at 12.5 weeks and is being posted a week late due to waiting to announce baby Hayes’ impending arrival… but who’s counting?)
Best moment this week: Seeing Craig’s family and some favorite Nashville friends! We got to meet a new chunky monkey baby, had a delicious brunch at Urban Grub with my college bff, and Coco got to play with her aunt/uncle/grandparents. We also visited Craig’s close family friends to tell them the news, and they totally called it — they even surprised us with a huge celebratory cupcake!
Miss anything: Oh, just wine, soft cheeses, cold deli meat… basically all the things. But it’s worth it.
Cravings: All things sweet – and then salty! I’ve been on a major dessert kick since January. Trying to curb that with healthier snacks, but it’s hard sometimes! I love chocolate and donuts and cupcakes. Don’t hate.
Feeling good/bad: More than anything, I’ve just been TIRED. I never understood what pregnant friends meant by the first trimester exhaustion until now. I never take naps, and I wish I could every day at 2pm… and again when I get off work! I’m so thankful that I have yet to succumb to any serious morning sickness — just some general nausea if I haven’t eaten every couple hours, which is pretty easy to fix.
Baby purchases/gifts: My mom sent up a big box of baby blankets that were handmade by her and other family members when I was born, as well as an assortment of other childhood items, so that has been fun to sort through. She also got baby H the cutest stuffed giraffe, which I’m sure will have a special spot in the nursery. While in Nashville, we were gifted the most adorable ducky PJs and bath towel by Craig’s family, and my college bff Charlotte got us the cutest Nashville, TN onesie. Baby clothes are the best!
Looking forward to: Starting the nursery! While we still have plenty of time, anyone who knows me knows that I am a planner to the max… so I’ve obviously already started thinking about it. First up will be buying the crib, which will determine the colors/layout of the rest of the room. Can’t wait!
*I’m planning to take bi-weekly bump photos at some of our favorite places around Atlanta (and ATL landmarks/icons) just to make them a little more fun! And because we’ll be traveling so much over the next several months, we’ll also include some area attractions or favorite local spots while on vacation. Stay tuned for week 14, coming up soon!
A Few of My Favorite Things (108)
[Stella & Dot outfit of the week:: Old Navy vest // Target sweater // Old Navy skinny jeans // Serenity Stone Earrings // Engravable Disc with monogram]
[investigating dad’s new business]
[Stella & Dot outfit #2:: GAP sweater // Rory Necklace in turquoise]
[bff brunch at Urban Grub in Nashville]
[a giant celebratory cupcake]
Last weekend, we made a quick trip up to Nashville to visit Craig’s family and share our exciting baby news with a few more friends. It was a bit of a whirlwind trip, as usual, with visits to 4 different sets of people on Saturday, but we enjoyed every minute. That giant cupcake above was a gift from Craig’s very close family friends, who had it ready and waiting for us — just knowing/hoping that we were coming to share some exciting news. They were correct! 🙂 Coco also got to come along for the weekend, and she was so worn out after playing with her Nashville family. It’s been the most fun couple of weeks sharing our news with family, friends, and now the world. We are on cloud nine from all the well wishes, prayers, kind words, and support that has been coming our way!
oh BABY!
We have some big news to share this week…. we’re having a BABY!!
We found out that I was pregnant on Friday, January 2nd, and I couldn’t have imagined a better way to start off the new year and a new chapter in our lives. It was a long wait until our first doctor’s appointment in February, so we have had to do everything possible to not spill the beans to anyone who would listen ever since then. Our due date is September 9th, so I’m currently almost 13 weeks along.
This baby has been prayed for, hoped for, and is already so very loved. It has been the best feeling in the world getting to share this exciting, life-changing news with our families and dearest friends. We’re over the moon and cannot wait to meet Baby Hayes this fall!
As you can see, Coco is a tad indifferent at the moment. 😉
Stay tuned for the baby bump watch!
hayes everyday 
