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.

We’re officially less than two weeks from Christmas, and I’m so excited. Albeit, I haven’t wrapped a single gift yet, but I did get my holiday cards out last week, so I’ll consider that a win. I ordered cards from Artifact Uprising and envelopes from Minted, then added a little surprise ‘from Isla’ in each envelope – praying they arrived in a decently good condition, but you never know what to expect with the postal service!

Last week was my busiest photo week of the year, with ten different sets of photos in seven days. I am going to be spending this whole week catching up on edits, as I only have three sets this week (family session, newborn photos and blogger pics). 

Despite running around like a crazy person, there were many, many highlights last week that included:

• Getting the house painted, including Emi’s nursery! We did one accent wall a blush pink color with white stripes (which Sasha thinks are too wide – when did he start having such strong opinions all of a sudden?). I cannot wait for the room to be done!
• Photographing Destiny, Elly, and Meredith (twice!) – lots of fun holiday looks that I’m excited for each to share!
• Being treated to lunch by Destiny’s sweet Mama! I just love her!! 
• Taking newborn photos for the cutest little baby girl, Connolly. Her nursery is to die for!
• Photographing two sets of family photos at the Arboretum and Memorial Park – the weather was super overcast for both, but loving how they turned out regardless!
• Photographing two birthday parties – one for Meg’s son, Berdon, who was turning 4, and another for a little babe named Audrey,  who was celebrating her first birthday!
• Taking pregnancy announcement photos – I cannot share details or photos yet, but I will as soon as the couple does! I’m so excited for them!!!!
• Going to Bayou City Fellowship and sitting next to our sweet friends, Philip and Sydney. I love worship music around this time of the year too! 
• Having my older sister and cousin over late on Friday evening and getting to catch up with both of them!
• House hunting with my sister-in-law on Friday! Trying to convince them to move to our new neighborhood (although we won’t be there for a year!!). 
• Going to my 32 week appointment and having a growth ultrasound – baby girl is measuring 4 pounds, 3 ounces, which is in the 45 percentile for weight! So excited that she’s growing and healthy!

Hope you had a great week too! Happy, happy Monday! xo

I was so excited about tomorrow being Thursday, until about ten minutes ago when I realized it was only Tuesday. I’ve definitely fit enough into the last two days to have spread it out between three, so perhaps that’s why! Last week was equally busy, but less photography and more party prep. I threw one of my best friends, Destiny, a baby sprinkle on Saturday – you can read more about it here!

Besides the party, which was definitely my favorite part of the week, we had lots of fun moments, including:

• A day trip to Austin to meet sweet baby Matilda! She is adorable. I got to catch up with my friend, Jeff, at lunch and then eat dinner with the Gordons and Tapps at True Food Kitchen. It was such a happy day! Isla got to spend the day in Katy and we both spent the night at my parent’s house!
• Having both Amanda and Meredith help with party prep – love getting to spend more time with these two besties, and I’m so grateful for their time!
• Going to two gymastic’s birthday parties – one for my nephew, Lazo, and one for Esther’s little lady, Naomi. Both were so much fun and Isla fell asleep very easily that evening!
• Eating Fu’s Garden for dinner with Bob and Ivana – we love spending time with them and are trying to convince them to become our neighbors at the new house!
• Taking blog photos for Lauren Mills – I am seriously, seriously in love with her son, Ford. He is the absolute cutest!
• Stopping by the Houston Polo Club to see all of the horsies. Isla loves them so much! I cannot wait for her to ride one!

I’m totally braindead and am probably missing other wonderful moments, but for now, I’m signing off to edit tons of photos that I took today! Hope you’re having a great week so far! xo

Happy almost-December! Can you believe that it’s only two days away? I’m freaking out (with excitement). My favorite time of the year! Both our living room and Isla’s trees are up and decorated (it only took two weeks to put ornaments on the trees, whoops). I’ve bought two out of probably twenty Christmas gifts, but I still feel like that’s an accomplishment!

We had the best Thanksgiving at my parent’s house in Katy on Thursday. We ate the most delicious meal (veggie stuffed mushrooms and ratatouille were the best!), went around the table and said what we were thankful for this year, then played the most intense dice/present game, that always involves quite a bit of yelling. Afterwards, everyone vegged out (after dishes were done), for the rest of the day. Thanksgiving and Christmas always go by way too quickly! I hope you had wonderful Thanksgiving celebrations with your family and friends too.

Other highlights from the week included:

• Going to church at Bayou City Fellowship and getting to catch up with one of my best friends, Andrew, afterwards at our house. 
• Eating way too much at the annual cousin’s BBQ on Saturday evening – we had a great time, as did Isla, who was so sad to leave at the end of the night!
• Catching up with Sasha’s cousin, Natalia, and her mom, Zlata, at Peli Peli on Wednesday night. 
• Having our friends, the Behennas, over on Friday evening for amazing – visit Friday evening
• Doing our annual Thanksgiving turkey trot at Memorial Park – we’ve run the trails or 3 mile loop every year since 2012 and want to keep the tradition going forever! If I can do it 30 weeks pregnant, there’s no reason we should ever stop! Ha. 
• Taking family photos for my intern, Hannah, the McCabes, and the Gentrys, and snapping blog photos for  Elly at Highland Village.
• Eating lunch and catching up with my friend, Ellen, at Zoe’s Kitchen on Monday. She brought lots of goodies – can’t wait to share details next week of what they were for!
• Stopping by Papellerie to pickup extra copies of Destiny’s shower invitation!
• Drinking coffee at Tiny’s No 5 Milk & Cookies with Megan and Olivia – only Miss O did the cookie/milk combo, but she seemed to love it, and I was obsessed with my Chia Pudding!
• Going to my 30 week appointment at my doctor – the next visit will be an ultrasound visit, and I cannot wait to see my Emi Girl! It’s crazy how you have so many ultrasounds early on, then they just stop!

Hope you have a wonderful week!! xo