Vivian's Big Girl Room

 

My darling Vivian is closer to turning 4 than I'd like to admit (12/28).  During this year I'd often be asked about her interests and milestones now that she's 3.  One of the most common was, 'when are you planning to transition her out of the crib and into a big girl bed?'.  My response was always something like 'uh when's she's 5!' Vivian never ever tried to climb out and absolutely adored sleeping in her crib.

Over the Summer she had a few sleepovers at her cousin's, who's only 9 weeks younger, and got to have a slumber party in her big girl bed.  She also noticed at play dates that her other friends have big girl beds. So it happened. She asked for one of her own. 

I took her on a girls weekend to the beach just her and I and my college friends and while there decided she didn't want to sleep in her travel bed but in the big guest bed. I felt the tears come up. Sigh. I let her and she LOVED it! I knew then we couldn't wait until her birthday like I had hoped.

Last Night in Her Crib

The funny thing is, once her new bed & mattresses arrived and we got her bed all set up, she refused to sleep in it and insisted that she always sleep in her crib. BLESS! After a week we took the crib down and she's been happily napping and slumbering each night in her princess bed.

BEFORE

AFTER

This dresser is so very very special! It was part of my Mamma's bedroom suit as a young girl that was passed down to me growing up, then my youngest sister and now Vivian. I am over the moon to have these heirlooms. It served as a changing table these past 3 1/2 years and now it's her place to put on her jewelry and display pretty things. All I did was add the mirror & a fresh coat of paint to it.

I wanted her new bed to be white to compliment the heirloom furniture and because there is so much color already in her lavender walls and rug. I chose a tall four poster bed because I like how grand & traditional they are. I also think they make the room seem taller.  We have one in our master bedroom and I feel like a princess in it.

I chose simple white bedding with pink trim. Personally, I'm a big fan of duvets so that I can easily swap out the covers for aesthetic and cleaning purposes. 

I took down her framed heirloom dresses from the wall and other 'baby' decor #tear. Babies do not keep!

This rocking chair is so special as I've spent time in it praying over her, singing, reading and just loving on her since I was pregnant. With each new season I pray I spend it intentionally so that I don't look back with longing and look forward with excitement.

Four Poster Bed | Bedding

Dress Your Rooms Beautifully in All Seasons

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Mamma Monday: Anxious Free Heart

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Yesterday in Sunday school this was the passage I taught my middle school class on.

Yesterday's lesson wasn't just for them, in fact God gave that lesson to me!

I've heard these 2 verses many times and had the attitude of 'yeah yeah I know be grateful and give your situation to God. Don't stress.' Well, I'm a very type-A person/control freak. It has been easy for me to be that way for nearly 15 years. I did what I wanted, when and how I wanted to do it. Mr was long distance for nearly 10 of those years so even he wasn't a huge factor. I worked hard and focused on my career.

Then came our years in military and a deployment. No Control. Talk about being anxious with your husband in the Middle East! But I still went about my day-to-day working hard and staying hopeful.

Then came baby Vivian Louise! ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL!

Now I must say, she's just like her Mamma. She thrives on schedule and routine and follows it 99% of the time.

She sleeps like a hibernating bear ~16 hours a day!

She's never cries! Just a whine every now and then when she's hungry or tired. She's truly a joyful happy baby. Don't hate me :)

But she's not the best eater. Which is hilarious because I wasn't either as a baby nor am I now. We both don't care about food. She's moody about it. She'll love something one feeding but the next she may hate it. It drives me crazy when she throws food on the floor! I hate the mess!!!

She's also a wiggle worm which creates more mess.

Sure I worried before her, about hitting the sales numbers and landing a new account at work, about my family members, about Ryan etc..

But with Vivian Louise it's so much bigger. She's the greatest gift; a blessing beyond words. She's our responsibility and we want to raise her in a manner that glorifies God.

Biggest and most rewarding job.

And with such a great treasure comes great worry. Big and little. Her health, development the list is endless.

Here's an example of my every day worries ...

I worry since she's never been sick (again don't hate me) when it's going to happen. I catch myself compromising my workouts to avoid the gym daycare (in my defense it is flu season)

I worry that she doesn't eat enough when I know she eats plenty and it's all very nutritious.

Mr constantly reminds me that babies won't starve and that she's tiny.

I worry about her falling - she's not even walking yet! And I'm a horrible mother that hasn't ordered a baby gate for the stairs. Add that to my list today.

I worry I won't be able to finish the tasks I want to complete during her nap times. I don't consider this selfish. I'm a happy Mamma when I do things for me.

My point today is to encourage you to stop all the worrying because you're not trusting God. There are so many 'what if's' out there that you'll drive yourself crazy.

Talk to God when you start to get flustered.

He will guard your heart.

It's easy to complain about our situations and compare to others but stop and be grateful for where you are and what you have. You are blessed beyond measure!

Dress Beautifully Mammas with a Grateful Anxious Free Heart

XOXO Sarah Louise

Mamma Monday: Heirloom Dress Gallery

There are so many keepsakes and items from Vivian Louise's first year that I want to hold dear and cherish forever.
While I can't keep every garment she ever wore or every toy she played with, I have hand selected pieces to keep that I can pass down to her.  I love that my Mamma saved things from my childhood.  Vivian Louise has even worn a dress that I wore as a baby.

Typically items are put away in a bin/box and stored in a closet rarely to be revisited. But just like a framed photograph can take us back to wonderful memories, I wanted to embrace that concept with some items from her first year.

Since I love dressing her in traditional, timeless clothing I thought it would be precious to frame a few of her heirloom pieces and display them in her nursery.

I used 16x20 frames and used white fabric for the backing.

I wanted to hang them 2x2 above her crib but they would hang too low and I didn't want her to be able to reach them. So we hung them on the opposite wall and they fit perfectly!

Left to Right:

This is a Feltman Brothers dress with delicate embroidery and lace.  I wore this brand as a baby.

This was the first dress I ever bought her, just 2 days after finding out she was a girl.

It's a Sarah Louise (I couldn't wait to dress her in this brand).  She wore it for her 3 month pictures and Easter Sunday.

This dress was a gift from my Mamma.  She wore it for her dedication celebration.

This is the gown she wore for her baby dedication. It was a gift from her Granny. 

Cherish those special pieces that make you remember the precious moments!

Dress Your Baby's Nursery Beautifully

XOXO Sarah Louise

Mamma Monday: Baby's First Christmas

Gals, Christmas is only 15 days away! I can't even tell you how special this year is now that baby Vivian Louise is here. Christmas used to be my least favored holiday (I'm an Easter gal all the way) but now I'm loving the magic and joy of it all.  Dressing her up in her Christmas dress, adding her stocking to our mantle and especially being Mrs. Claus!

Shopping for her is always fun and something I can't avoid no matter where I am but putting presents under the tree for her is extra sweet.  I always imagined Mr and I going shopping together to pick out her toys but let's be real he's at the hospital over 200 hours a month and while we could take her with us (she won't remember) it's no fun dragging her here & there in the hustle and bustle.  So, 90% of her presents were ordered online and have conveniently arrived on our doorstep.

So I thought I'd share what Santa Claus will be bringing her for her first Christmas.  I only have a baby girl so most are girlie but if you have a baby girl of your own or shopping for a niece or friend these are great gifts.
Also great for a 1st birthday ... She's turning 1 just 3 days after Christmas!!!

Radio Flyer Walker Wagon - I love this because it will help her when she starts to walk and she can push her toys around and even use it when outside. It's a classic!  Her Grandma is getting her this wagon.

Swing - Vivian LOVES to swing at the park! We have a humongous magnolia tree in our front yard that is perfect to hang a swing from.

Chair - While I do NOT allow her things to overtake our home (her toys are in her room or in a basket that stores in a closet; even her cage folds up to store away) I'm ok with a chair of her very own that's easy for her. I chose the regular size that she can grow into.

Teepee - I can't wait to crawl into her teepee and read stories and play with her! I like the size of this one because it won't overtake her room.

Doctor Kit - since her Daddy practices medicine it couldn't be more perfect.  I like this one because it's felt and soft for her.

Noah's ark - same company as her doctor kit.  I love the classic fabric products.  They are easy for her to play with.  She also has this fabric bible.

Silver Hair Brush & Comb - I believe heirloom pieces are important.  This is definitely more for me than her but she will appreciate it when she's older.  They also allow for up to 18 characters for engraving so I was able to put her full name.

Mailbox - We love checking the mail!  I've passed my obsession with snail mail onto her.  She sees me write notes almost daily.  I even asked Santa for a this copper mailbox for our new home.

Blocks - A classic toy and great for learning!

Peek-a-Boo Bunny - this cutie is so fun! Vivian loves to play peek-a-boo. It comes in an elephant too.


Her birthday is just 3 days after Christmas, we are gifting her these:

Baby Doll & Outfit - I wanted a doll small enough for her and soft.  I also loved the traditional outfit so that it looks like her :). This doll was my second choice.

Baby Doll Pram - I love this one because it's classic and just like her stroller.

I have no doubt that on Christmas Day & her birthday that she's going to have more fun with the wrapping paper and boxes but over the next year she will grow and play with all of these things.

Of all the gifts we give her, our time and love are the most important! That's really all she could ever need :)

Dress Your Baby's First Christmas Beautifully

XOXO Sarah Louise

Mamma Monday: Infant Toys

Happy Monday Mammas!

One of my favorite things to buy Vivian Louise is toys (second to dresses, naturally).  It surprised me but seeing her play with toys is so much fun!
The big smiles and excitement she has for them while joyful, they are also a big part of her development.

We use them for tracking, tummy time, coordination and even working on her noggin shape.

Some of the key things I look for in toys are bright colors, size for her to hold on to, noise/crinkle components, and cuteness :)

I happen to receive several hungry caterpillar toys at my baby showers and from just a few weeks old Vivian Louise has LOVED them.  She was able to see the big red head early so I began quite the collection (I'm embarrassed to tell you just how many she has). She even has a caterpillar backpack that we use to carry her toys in when we go places.

Almost all of our play time is on the floor so that she can use her body to move.

Here are a few of our favorite toys ...

Her lavender sleeper is part of a 3 piece set (zipper is awesome)

I love them so much that I've purchased them in every size.  She's still in the 0-3 month. 

Glow Seahorse - I registered for this and it's been a go-to every day!  it plays the sweetest music and she loves it! We take it everywhere, even on our strolls.

Oball - She holds this ball and eats it every day.  It's one of our top 2 toys.

Caterpillar Crinkle Book - Our #1 Fav! She holds it, crinkles it, eats it, stares at it, basically obsessed with it.  When ever I need to cheer her up it's a winner. The crinkle is MAGIC!

Clown Chime Ball - This is a classic toy. We use the clown to help with tracking, meaning following with her eyes and moving her head.  It makes a chime sound when you shake it, the head spins and the arms move.

Noggin Stick - This toy is also great for tracking and encouraging her to look/move her head where we want it.  The head lights up and changes colors when you shake it.  It rattles and has a mirror on the end.  She can now hold it and eat it.

Music Box - This box lights up when the music plays.  She loves the sounds and it is also good for tracking.

Rings- These are awesome for tummy time.  They can 'rake' use their hands to grab them and drag them.  They're also great for hooking onto things (carseat, stroller, bouncy seat) so she can play with them.

Rattle Socks- these are the jam! They're like tap shoes and help her find her feet.  She moves her legs with gusto when she wears them! I take lots of videos.

Books - It's never too early to start reading to your kiddos but they are also great to prop up for babies to look at during tummy time.

While I never imagined I'd be spending my days at 35 playing on the floor with toys, it's better than any great day in the office! 

Dress Your Baby's Play Time Beautifully with Fun Toys

XOXO Sarah Louise

Baby, Bows & Monograms Oh My!

One of the sweetest things about having a baby girl is adorning her in bows and monograms!
Like mother like daughter!

When I was pregnant I dreamed of dressing Vivian up (smocking dresses galore ... I should really share her amazing wardrobe/closet) and her newborn pictures were the first major occasion.  I knew she'd be tiny, never did I imagine bringing home a 4lb 11oz tiny, so rather than 'outfits' I wanted to present her as the bundle of joy that she truly is.

I love to support small businesses and entrepreneurs so I often turn to Etsy for unique and handmade items.  This is a great avenue for baby items.  I ordered this pale pink silk sash the day we brought her home because her one month early arrival wasn't in my plan but the shop owner made her sash and shipped the very next day! I simply used a solid white swaddle blanket to wrap her and then tied the bow around her.  This sash is not only a keepsake but could be worn around her dresses when she's several years older.

I found my photographer months in advance and had her on standby because I wanted to capture her brand new.  We took these pictures in her nursery when she was only 12 days old. I made sure she was good a fed prior so that she would sleep peacefully through all the moving around.
As for our outfits I kept them light and bright - see my previous post as I wanted the pictures themselves to be soft.  Her pastel nursery was the perfect backdrop.

Vivian Louise

Monogrammed Silk Sash

Dress Your Baby Beautifully in Monograms & Bows

XOXO Sarah Louise