10 things I want to say to my daughter

1)You’re currently 13 months old!

2)You’re not walking on your own yet, but you love to walk while holding our hands and holding onto furniture.

3)You love to push small boxes, chairs, and anything with wheels around the house.

4)We went to the Strawberry Festival this past weekend. When I took you out of the stroller you decided you wanted to push the stroller and you didn’t want me to pick you back up.

5)Your absolute most favorite food in the world is…..RED GRAPES!! You love love love them.

6)You like music, and you like to do baby dances. You also really like the final Jeopardy music and will stop what you’re doing to look at the TV.

7)When you get older, I know that you will like music from the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s, because that is your momma’s favorite music; so anytime I listen to it with kids in the family, they end up liking, no LOVING those old songs.

8)You are such a mini-me with all of your talking and feistyness. Lately you’ve been pointing your fingers, while standing in your crib and giving some very serious baby talk. I call you the professa (professor). Your dad calls you Preacher Megan when you do that. We’ve got to get this on video.

9) You like to take books and pretend you are reading! Seems like you will take after your dad in this regard and read lots of books on your own when you get older.

10)It’s been an amazing journey with you. May God continue to have mercy on us and allow us to all have a beautiful future together. 

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**Hugs & Kisses**

Mother’s Day Ideas!

 I love Mother’s Day!

As I mentioned in this post, Happiest Little Girl in the World, I had a magical, wonderful childhood thanks to my wonderful parents. And of course, we just happen to live in a neighborhood with lots of kids, and a great location that provided us many opportunities to have so much fun.

Mother’s Day is an important day for me. I may let Christmas gifts and Birthday gifts slide, but Mother’s Day is that day where it’s important to make sure mom feels very special and appreciated as you look back on the years she has given so much to raise a family in this challenging world that is about everything but family.

Ideas

1)I’m in the process of starting my own (online) photography gift shop. I’m starting off by offering photo books and 4×6 and 5X7 prints as part of a gift package. My 1st photo book is Rainbow-themed. It will have rainbow photographs that I have taken, as well as prayers, quotes, cooking ideas (How to make a rainbow cake), a photography article (how to photograph a rainbow), and rainbow lesson ideas for teachers and parents. I will like to give my mother (and my motherinlaw) the first copies of my book that I hope does well. More on all of this later.

2)So I will basically like to have an entire table set up for mom with all types of little things, such as:

3)Colorful flowers, something to match the very slight rainbow theme I am going with. Of course this will be a joint effort of my sisters and me.

4)A CD with some family videos of her grand kids. Also will be the Easter speech videos from her grand kids. She saw the Easter speeches on my cell phone as best she could. She asked for these to go on a CD, so what better way than to make it for Mother’s day.

5)I’m thinking of putting together a little booklet where each grandkid write something for her and draw something. Gotta get the rainbow theme in here somehow.

6)A Giftcard for her to, I guess her favorite store.

7) I will need to have a photo of all of the grand kids on it.

8)She has already asked us to cook for her. (Why didn’t we think of that). So for dessert it will be the layered rainbow cake.

Photo Credits:

 http://static.tastykitchen.com

http://chella.typepad.com/

 

Birthday Party Ideas (Part 2)

Part 1 is here.

Theme: Butterfly

Invitations

Since it’s only going to be close family & friends there, I really don’t see the need to focus on invites.  For keepsakes, I might get some darling ones I saw in Dollar Tree though they didn’t match my theme. They had a kitten on them & were too cute.

Food/Menu 

This is the hardest part for me. I wanted to do all platters because they are so pretty, but like my sister said platters are just so costly. One year..not this one though, lol.

Food platters sure do cost: Sandwiches??

Fruit?? Pizza, chips, & dip?? Goodness I just remembered we’ll need drinks as well.

The Cake:

They are fairies but still match the butterfly (and garden/flower) theme. At first I wanted cupcakes with butterflies on top, but after seeing this cake I will scratch the cupcake idea.

Edited: Ok I’m changing my mind about the cake. I LOVE this cake below. Maybe the store (or I) can add some butterflies so it will match the theme.

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*Other ideas*

Okay, I have had to ban myself from coming up with anymore ideas. I already have too too much to buy, plan for, and put together.

Display Table: 

Decorations: I will just have to go in stores and see, at this point I can’t come up with how I want it until I start putting something together. I’m thinking small candles, a nice table cover, and of course butterfly things. The main things on the display table will be the Pregnancy/Newborn Photobook (I have scratched the idea of making a photo book about her 1st year for now. Maybe later. I need to go back to printing individual pictures) I was thinking about making a book about her 1st year & giving a copy to each of her grandmothers for Mother’s Day.

A Card(s) for everyone to sign:

The outside of the card will have her picture on it. It will say “Megan is Number One.” 🙂 The inside will have a picture of a black & white butterfly. The bottom of the inside will say:

“Our Little Butterfly, set the skies on fire,

Rise up even higher,

so the ageless winds of time,

can catch your wings.”

That’s a quote from one of my favorite songs called “Black Butterfly.”

The back of the card will have a photo of her the day she was born. It will say, “One Year Ago…” March 7, 2011.

Butterfly Garden

I want to make (a very small) one, real flowers & all,  and put it on the balcony. This will be a good educational component for the kids (and adults too!). I will print some educational information to put near it. I’m not expecting it to actually attract butterflies because I just don’t have the time to research & find the type of flowers needed for my area and season. But it should be interesting & educational either way. I’d like to include a little butterfly house as well. The kids will love this.

When I was on a photo shoot in the gardens I came across a large, professionally created butterfly garden.

Butterfly Treats or Favors

Guests can put some candy in the plastic butterflies above.

Butterfly Gallery

The kids will choose a picture of a different butterfly before the party. They will color it (crayons, markers, water color..), and I will frame it (maybe?) & display it & call it a gallery.

Photo Credits:
http://www.miacarina.com; http://www.publix.com; http://party.tipjunkie.com; http://www.bridaloccasion.com

Ideas for Meg’s First Birthday Party

At first, after seeing the expenses & stress from other parents planning their kids’ parties, my husband & I agreed that we would just keep it really simple and have more like a ‘get together’ just for the kids. I was still going to do my themes though. But my husband started calling people saying “Megan’s party.” I was like, okaaaaaay, so are you giving me the green light to basically turn this into a partay and ‘be me & do what I do.” I tend to get really deep, okay obsessive, over things like this. I truly love coming up with ideas & planning & creating things.

I have started planning a little late and may not be able to pull everything off this year.

Theme: Butterfly

Similar to those type of butterflies in above photo. Photo Credit: http://www.funny-wedding-ideas.com

Invitations: ????

Food/Menu: ????

Cake vs Cupcakes: I prefer cupcakes for her first Bday. Okay edit: My husband just said we should have a mini cake; will do. Cupcakes with butterflies on top:

Photo Credit: http://cupcakespictures.com

Goodie Bags/Education for the kids: I guess candy and something educational about butterflies. I know most people don’t consider incorporating academics into a party, but I think it will show the kids how learning can & should be fun and applicable to their everyday lives. If I had more planning time, I’d have the kids either do a theme-related (art) activity before the party (& have it nicely displayed at the party) or have them do an activity or art during the party.

Display Table: Flowers & 2 Photobooks. The first book is the Pregnancy & Newborn photo book I made. I’m working on the 2nd book now, which is basically a review of her first year: First Holidays, First time in Church, First time at the Pier etc… & of course my other babies are always in my photo books a lot. I think it will be cool for the adults to  flip through these books. It can kind of be a daunting task because I try to make sure all of the kids are equally represented in the books. And plus I don’t want to leave out any of the close adults in her life either so it’s a lot of work trying to include everyone.

Balloons: Let’s not forget balloons.

Outfits: Probably this:

photo credit: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SherbetBaby

7 Things About Megan

• She was born on 3-7-11. (Hence the 3-7-11 for this blog).
• She’s currently 8 months old.
• Recognizes the camera & likes having her picture taken
• Not too excited about solids just yet
• Though she usually sleeps through the night (Hallelujah) she’s recently started waking up at 2 and 3 am wanting to play (Praying on this) 🙂
• Loves to talk & fuss. Very vocal. Her dad says she gets that from me. (Okay, I can’t argue on that one)
• Loves to hang out with her Sprout friends: Elmo, Patty the Pig, and especially Chica.