Saturday, April 28, 2012

¡Dia de los Bebes!

We had Mandy and Seth's baby shower at our house today and I gotta say, it was pretty rad. We had a Mexi/Goth theme, which you don't see too often for baby showers. No pastels here! 69 people RSVP'd (!!) but I don't think that many people came through. Maybe 40-50 over the course of the afternoon? Still a big party! I was balancing the baby on my hip as I was taking most of these pictures so sorry for the lack of artistry in them. We had some professional photographers up in the party so hopefully they'll send some of their pictures my way to post.


I made a bunch of these papel picado banners, and cut out bats to hang from them. It's hard to tell here but it was a mama bat with a baby bat hanging from her. It was cute. Mandy and Seth like bats. It made sense.


I saved a bunch of Elsita's baby food jars and painted them green and then Kate and I planted succulents from our garden in them. Mandy brought over a bunch of their awesome pregnancy photo shoot pictures to decorate the tables, they were perfect.


We rented tables and chairs for crazy cheap at a Mexican party store down the street, covered them with black tablecloths and decorated with the yarn covered vases I made for los flores.


Elsa was in SUCH a party mood! You put a party dress on that baby and she is ON! She had a marathon nap in the morning while we decorated and set everything up (so ideal) and was then in the best mood for the party. She was handed off to a ton of party people and was smiley with everyone. Except Matt. He made her cry. Jana fixed it though.


I don't care what Karen says, carnations are rad. I love them. They smell so good and look at these colors! Plus they're cheap and not at all fragile. I was going to get all We Like Flowers on this shower, but budget and time pointed me towards clusters of carns. I liked how they turned out though.


This was the graphic on the invitation I sent for the shower, spurring the whole theme. My mom embroidered the skull, which Mandy now has framed at home, and I added a bow, a bat, and a gold pacifier.


It was the inspiration Jana took to make her freakin' amazing cake. That gal did it again. Look at this thing!!


SO perfect. It was a spiced mexican chocolate cake and the skull cake topper was sculpted rice krispies covered in fondant and expertly painted. Adorable and delicious. Lynne also made her mom's famous pistachio cupcakes to supplement the dessert table and those puppies flew. So yummy, and the acid green frosting with black sprinkles were very appropriate.


And the guest of honor! Lookin' fierce in her stretch leopard print dress. So pregnant! But still a month to go...


Congratulations Mandy and Seth! We love you guys and can't wait to meet your little rugrat!

p.s. THANK YOU to all the friends that helped put this shower together! Jen, Kate, Jana & Matt, Lynne, Karen, Kim, and everyone that brought yummies!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Monday, April 23, 2012

So stinking cute

Fat baby feet in little vintage leather sandals are probably my favorite thing ever. I just bought these on Etsy (vintage but never worn!) and can't wait to strap them on Elsita.


Stealing Jeff's phone.

Look at the gems I found on Jeff's phone:


So tough.


Grandpa taking her for walkies.


At Grammie's house, in her beautiful garden.


Baby profiles are so sweet.


Easter at the Miller's!




We got Henry this circus tent from Ikea for his 3rd birthday. Elena and Henry wanted me to get out and leave Elsa in there with them.


Food on her face!


Yup. She got my eyes.


Great Auntie Jane got her this shirt (I may be little but I'm still the BOSS). She wears that shirt and owns it.


GEMS!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

What congenital hip dysplasia?

Elsa just got back from another appointment with her orthopedist, and looks like it might have been the last. Her x-ray showed normal hips! Yay! The sockets were completely formed and her little baby acetabulums nestled securely inside. The harness worked and the doctor doesn't see a possibility of any related problems. Elsa's dream of becoming a professional belly dancer can come true!




Monday, April 16, 2012

Rancho Palos Verdes

Jerod and I took the babies to the Botanical Gardens in PV this weekend. It was beautiful and the lake was stunning. I think this is where we'll have Elsa and Jude's wedding.



In the dahlia garden:


Oh hey dahlias, you're gorgeous and I confused you with ranunculus.


In the redwood forest:


Brain plant!


Mother Nature touched us:


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Friday, April 13, 2012

9 months!


Elsa turned nine months old yesterday. My baby is three quarters of a year old!! How the crap did that happen?? She had her 9 month check up with the doctor today, and is 15.8 pounds and 28 inches long. She's growing up!




Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Thor needs to floss more.

I don't know how I'm going to break the news to Thor that there is no tooth fairy.


He lost his front fang awhile ago, but this molar just came out. Poor little kitty with gingivitis. He's acting fine though, and even beat up his brother this morning, biting him while Tyr's claw was caught in the curtain and he was rendered helpless for a minute. The vet said that it was possible Thor would lose all his teeth (sad face) but she said cats can survive just fine without them. We'll just have to go with softer and smaller food, but apparently their gums are strong enough to mash up the food and eat it as they would with their molars. It'll be weird to see him without any teeth though. Maybe we should start saving up for kitty dentures.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Baby Swimsuit Fashion Show

It was 82 freaking degrees today, sunny and beautiful. What's a baby to do, other than try on all of her bathing suits and go for her first dip in the kiddie pool?

Swimsuit #1, a gift from Jana and Matt. I especially like the flutter sleeves and belt on the bottoms.



Swimsuits #2 and #3: From Gymboree, courtesy of my friend Jen who used to be a designer there (bummed she quit and now works for North Face! What good does that do me!?).


I bet there was a matching swim cap that went with this top. Ignore that drool chain up above. She's teething! She can't help it!


I kind of want this one in my size. I love the colors. I'm glad it's a little big on her, we can still wear this one this summer.



Swimsuit #4: From the Baby Gap, a gift from Auntie Lynne. It is too stinking cute and if it wasn't a pain in the ass to put on her, I'd make her wear it everyday.


She was not keen on the kiddie pool. It was just a larger and colder version of her nightly bath, except she was wearing a diaper and swimsuit. We'll get it warmer next time.


The straps are so cute, but it was hard getting her into this. Worth it though!


This was the romper she was in when she wasn't wearing a bathing suit. Pretty awesome, right? Another Gymboree score, this time not from Jen, but from the sale rack in San Jose that I perused while we waited for the Hunger Games showtime.


Again with the drooling! Cute buttons though.


Some videos of Elsa's swimsuit fashion show are up on my YouTube channel!

Friday, April 6, 2012

Hipstas

Some recent Hipstamatic shots...