Happy New Year! I am so excited for 2017 – namely because it’s the year that our baby girl will be born and also because our house should be completed by November/December (fingers crossed!). I’m seriously amazed by how quickly the past two weeks have flown by! Sasha has been traveling every week for work, but was here since the 15th and we have loved soaking up his time and attention. We seriously miss him when he’s gone!

Some of the biggest highlights from the last 14 days include:

• Spending Christmas Eve at the Bayou City Fellowship service, then driving to my parent’s house in Katy, where we watched Chevy Chase’s Christmas Vacation (for the nine zillionth year in a row, and I’m not complaining!). We woke up on Christmas to stockings filled with goodies and lots of presents under the tree, and watching Isla’s excitement as she opened everything was so priceless. She basically owns everything Minnie Mouse now – umbrella, dolls, shoes, bows, socks, underwear, robe, etc. Lucky little lady!
• Celebrating Meredith’s 30th birthday (which was on Christmas) at her incredible NYE bash! It was held at the Sugar & Cloth studio, and every single detail was unreal. She’s definitely the hostess with the mostess!
• Spending the rest of NYE at the Jarvises house with our friends, the Duseks – of course, everyone was in bed well before midnight, but we had a delicious dinner and great time catching up beforehand! Isla was very excited to see fireworks for the first time.
• Photographing the Dunk, Conaway, and Bandini families and also snapping photos for the MacLean’s pregnancy announcement – I loved capturing these fun moments!
• Having our new house’s lot cleared and made ready for construction, which should start at the end of February! 
• Going to dinner with the Thompsons before they headed to Las Vegas for Christmas. Isla and Truman are so, so sweet together!!
• Almost completing the nursery – just have two pieces from By George Baby Boutique, a new ficus from Houston Interior Plants, a print from Meg Grant and a painting by Jamie Sawicki and then it’s officially done! I can’t wait to share photos.

The only real low-point was a trip to the Labor & Delivery ER after I had a few fainting spells, fortunately while I was at my 34 week checkup. It turns out I was really dehydrated, but both Emi and I are okay, despite getting jabbed far too many times to make sure that was the case!

Hope you had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Cheers to 2017!

Less than a week until Christmas, and if you would have asked me on Saturday morning, when it was a very humid 82 degrees, if I felt festive, I would probably have said, “No.” Come today, when it’s FREEZING outside (Texas freezing of course, so low 40s), I am feeling very Christmassy. I am so excited about Christmas this year, as Isla is finally at an age where she (semi) understands what’s going on. We pass multiple nativity scenes on our dog walks very day, and on Saturday, she said boldly, “I love baby Jesus… and Mommy Mary… and Daddy Joseph!” It was so sweet! 

We spent a few treasured hours this weekend with my best friend, McKenzie, who was in town from Chicago (this is definitely mild weather for her!). Sasha and I also had our first solo date night in about eight months (crazy, but when we get sitters, it’s normally for double dates!). We went to Indika and then drove around our new neighborhood looking at Christmas lights. Afterwards, we watched The Intern, and were crying laughing at one of the scenes. It was the best night!

Some other highlights from the week include:

• Going to the Cipher Escape Room to celebrate Angie’s birthday – we were so close to getting out! I am dying to go back and do the other room.
• Having our annual Christmas night with my high school best friends at our house – Isla stayed up way past her bedtime, but has serious FOMO issues!
• Celebrating Meredith’s birthday at Eloise Nichols, then going over to her house for some photos, including that cute ‘twinning’ moment with the pink boots!
• Eating breakfast with Leah at Adair Kitchen! I love catching up with her.
• Going to dinner with Destiny, Sid and Truman at MOD Pizza before they headed off to Vegas for the holidays! We played in the central grassy area afterwards and the kiddos (including Sid and Sasha, of course) were running around like crazy.
• Taking sweet Jack’s newborn photos – he is absolutely gorgeous, just like the rest of his family!
• Photographing Elly at Uptown Park after her first doctor appointment, so she came with ultrasound in hand! So excited for the Browns!!
• Eating family dinner on Thursday at Peli Peli with my parents, Karine, Jill and Kevin. 
• Getting a Bookroo delivery with two new books, one which Isla has become obsessed with – Tea Rex. Dinos and tea parties? Winning combination.
• Going on multiple “‘ventures” with Isla all around the city (these are simply errands, but when you make stops at Crave Cupcakes, it becomes a ‘venture (i.e. adventure).
• Celebrating Philip and Sydney’s big announcement!! I am so excited to meet their baby boy in June!

Hope you have the best week and most merry Christmas!!! Love and hugs sent your way.