Snapshots & My Thoughts by Ailee Petrovic
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Week in Review

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Week in Review

Week in Review

Finally – sunshine in Houston! I can barely believe it – the past few days have been unbelievably beautiful, which is much-needed after a month of overcast skies. Given the change in temperature, Sasha and I spent much of the weekend outdoors, getting the house ready for the wedding shower that we’re hosting next weekend. Sasha is amazing, and he drilled holes and hung strung lights (six sets of these ones!) in our backyard for many hours on Sunday. I took care of well-overdue re-planting (all the plants I planted in the spring died) in our front entryway (see photo below!).

Some of the other highlights from this week include:

  • Catching up with two of my favorite co-workers over dinner at True Food Kitchen
  • Meeting with Amy of Eco Modern Concierge to discuss an organization project
  • Receiving the final pieces of Amanda’s wedding invitations – cannot wait to put it all together (and share details!)
  • Recording a vlog that I’ll share with you in a few weeks
  • Receiving the world’s cutest Janie and Jack outfit (that red bow!) from Jenny of Jenny Journey – the girl has style, let’s be honest here!
  • Taking photographs for Feather Thread – a fashion blog that is launching in February (two more sneak peek photos below!)
  • Wandering around Over the Top Linen and ordering the cutest runners and table cloths for the wedding shower
  • Having my older sister over for dinner on Saturday and playing gin rummy (and winning for the first time in ages) – we drank this Chandon sparkling red that we bought in Napa and it’s seriously my favorite drink of all time
  • Eating my favorite salad – the Insalata Fiorucci from The Original Carabbas on Voss – not once, but twice (food heaven)
  • Having both my dad and Sasha’s dad over to play with Isla and snapping cute moments of her with her granddads
  • Allowing Isla to nap in my arms once or twice, as she has a cold and needs extra mom-loving (so I tell myself)
  • Branching out into new foods, like broccoli, prunes and (sob!) chicken – Sasha insists, while I want her to be a vegetarian! I’ll pay someone to find research that giving babies meat is bad!

How was your week? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

 

Lastly, congratulations to Courtney Carlton, who won the ‘Best Baby Items on Etsy‘ giveaway! Thank you to everyone who entered. I hope you order some of these items today! You won’t regret it!

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Week in Review

Week in Review

Happy Monday! It feels like the rain has not stopped in months here in Houston, although it’s only been a few weeks. I do not know how people survive in a city like Seattle, where rain is the norm, as I’m about to go stir crazy. Before having Isla, I could still leave the house, knowing I would just dash out of my car and under cover. Now that I have to go around the side of the car, get her car seat out and sometimes her stroller too, I end up drenched if I try to brave the rain… so lately, I haven’t been. Dear mother nature, please stop.

Besides the weather, the past week was very productive. Preparations for the wedding shower we’re hosting at the house are underway, which unfortunately for Sasha meant scrubbing the grout in our kitchen on Saturday night and applying a new layer of sealant. Fun times at the Petrovic household!

Some of the main highlights from the week include:

  • Isla’s giggle fit at my terrible cheerleading jumps – watch here!
  • A trip to Thompson+Hanson for some flowers – I am obsessed with this nursery [as well as the attached restaurant – Tiny Boxwoods]
  • Finding a dress [option #1 at least] for the shower – the Aubrey dress by Equipment [this one, but in pink]
  • Meeting Alexis and sweet little Kevin at True Food Kitchen for the first time [it’s so good – definitely heading back again soon]
  • Isla asking McKenzie to be her Godmother [she accepted, thank goodness!]
  • Adding strawberries, raspberries and fusilli pasta to Isla’s current food menu [avocados, carrots, apples, bananas and sweet potatoes] – going to try broccoli and cauliflower next!
  • Hosting a dinner party and playing the most outrageously fun games – Cards Against Humanity and Head’s Up [Ellen DeGeneres’ iPhone game]
  • Receiving these gorgeous workout pants and this comfy top from Albion –  you’ll see more of them soon!
  • Finally breaking into the winter diaper patterns from Honest Co. – the bears are my favorite ones
  • Celebrating Serbian Christmas Eve service in Galveston on Tuesday and then Serbian Christmas in town on Wednesday – it’s so nice to get to party twice in one year!
  • Receiving our three Little Animal Print Shop darlings in the mail and hanging them immediately in the playroom
  • Packaging up the invitations for the shower and getting them shipped out (nothing like being last minute!) as well as getting together with the hostesses to plan everything out!

How was your week? What were your highlights?

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Week in Review

The last two weeks have been a complete blur. I am obsessed with the holiday season (Thanksgiving through New Years Eve), but it’s definitely exhausting. I think we averaged three guests per day to the house during the last seven days (not exaggerating), and I loved it. Most visitors were family and friends who were in town for the holidays, and I am so thankful that I got to catch up with them. Sasha’s sister lives in San Francisco (works for Google and has the coolest job ever), and she has been in Texas (between Houston and Austin) for the past month and I’m pretty depressed that she left for California yesterday. It was so nice to have her in the same city as us again!

A few highlights from the previous week include:

  • Going to the Texas vs. Arkansas bowl game, although we definitely got our butts kicked…
  • Watching Isla pull herself up on the couches, chairs, crib, people, etc. – she’s on the move! This also means naptime is a nightmare, and she stands up all the time then cries for you to help her sit back down… so there have been a ton of naps in our arms recently
  • Meeting one of my sweet friends, Sydney, for lunch at Bistro Menil (it’s delicious – updated my Best of Houston: Restaurants & Coffee post!) and then strolling through the Menil Collection afterwards
  • Eating lunch at Tiny Boxwoods with Sasha and Isla – their beet burger is the best ever (as is their white wine mojito!)
  • Ordering invitations and envelopes for a couple shower that I’m co-hosting at our house in a few weeks (and doing lots and lots of planning!)
  • ‘Baking’ even more delicious treats from the raw, vegan cookbook Mara bought me (there goes any weight-loss resolutions!)
  • Cooking dinner for my little sister, Jill, who is at med school in Houston – we haven’t had her over by herself yet, and she’s been in the same city as us for over a year and a half!
  • Buying a new bed and nightstands! More details about that here
  • Catching up with my friend, Andrew – one of my favorite people in the world – and hearing about his amazing new business venture (which I will definitely be sharing details of when it launches!)

In other news: Isla turned 7 months old on Sunday. Cue repetitive (but true) time flies comment! You can see Isla’s month-by-month photos here: one, two, three, four, and six. I skipped the five month update due to the Isla’s First Christmas with Carter’s series (but did snap photos!). I love this age so much. She is definitely a momma’s girl right now – if she starts to cry when someone else holds her, she reaches out to me and looks at me desperately, which melts my heart. Her favorite things include bath time with Tata, playing with Belle’s tail and collar (see photo below), sweet potatoes and avocado, standing up, crawling at a scary rapid speed, sitting up, going on runs with me in the morning, playing with the other kids at the Lifetime Fitness daycare (she squeals when older kids come up to her!), reading Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, One Ted Falls Out of Bed: A Counting Story and Goodnight, I Love You, playing with her new Hape bike and walker, when we do stupid dances, and chewing on absolutely everything. She is now sleeping from 6:30pm-5:30am, then feeds and goes back to sleep for another hour or so. I was up past midnight every night for the last week, so I haven’t really gotten to enjoy the whole ‘sleeping through the night’ experience, but plan on changing that soon! Isla is not keen on eating purees, keeping her shoes on, when I try to pick her boogers or wash her face, being awake past 6:30pm, sitting still, and missing out on fun (serious case of nap-time FOMO). She is very high-energy, and I love her.

What were the highlights of your week? Happy Monday!

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Week in Review

Week in Review

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas or happy Hanukkah – can you believe it’s all over? I am seriously in a state of denial. I cannot believe 2015 is just a handful of days away. I am excited to see what the new year brings.

We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day with my parents in Katy, which is only 20 minutes away from our house (a short enough drive to do throughout the day to let Belle in and out of the house). I was taken aback when Karine and Jill (my older and younger sisters) asked to change the family tradition of watching Christmas Vacation on Christmas Eve (I discussed it here), but it all ended up working out as we agreed to watch Frozen as a family (obsessed). We woke up nice and early with stockings at the end of our bed. Isla wasn’t quite as excited as I was! After waking up Karine and Jill, we opened stockings then gifts. I got the colorful Riad rug from West Elm (in photos below), a new steamer, a T3 Featherweight Luxe 2i Ion Generator Hair Dryer (it dries my hair in half the time!), amongst other lovely gifts from my family. One of the major highlights of the entire day was opening all of the incredible gifts (so well wrapped that I was slightly hesitant to do so) from my sweet friend Mara (of Hook Thread & Tinker). She is amazing and sent the most adorable and thoughtful presents for me, Isla, Sasha, and Belle. I wanted to hug her, but she was off vacationing in Mexico (jealous).

The week was pretty chaotic getting ready for Christmas and then getting ready for Isla’s Christening on Saturday. I will be sharing photos and details of the ceremony and reception tomorrow (taken by the very talented Christie of KiKiMac). Other highlights include:

  • Meeting my coworker-turned-friend for lunch at Ruggles Gree, taking a stroll through Town and Country (this does not normally happen in Houston, as proven by the lack of sidewalks for strollers) and picking up some clothes at Gap and books at Barnes and Noble
  • Trying a new feeding method that is working! We are now doing baby-led-weaning (or BLW) instead of feeding Isla purees, and so far, so good. Isla has been smearing her face in banana, apple and avocado for a week, but also eating a lot of it, which is a good step forward
  • Playing with our x-Isla-phone a lot… it’s so much fun (mainly for me, I think)
  • Sitting in the shopping cart at HEB for the first time using our new Infantino Cloud Cart Cover
  • Going to REI on Boxing Day for my family’s annual ‘jacket trip’ – Sasha and Isla left with new thermal jackets (see photo below), and I got some cold weather running gear
  • Spending time with all of Sasha’s cousins who are in town for the holidays
  • Making floral arrangements for many hours on Friday to prepare for Isla’s Christening the following day (which meant a trip to Southern Floral Co, HEB, Whole Foods and Trader Joes!)
  • Having a semi-lazy Sunday due to all of the heavy rain in Houston! I loved it
  • Baking up a storm with recipes from the delicious raw vegan cookbook that Mara gave me… I will be sharing my favorites soon!
  • Finishing three Shutterfly projects: a family birthday calendar for Serbian Christmas (January 6), a Christening book, and my annual 2014 book (I’ll share later!) – there are always incredible sales taking place, and I totally jumped at the sound of 40% off (especially since I ordered 16 items)

This week, I’ve got to write a million thank you cards for Christmas and the Christening, as well as get started on my friend Amanda’s wedding envelopes. We’re heading to the Texas vs. Arkansas game tonight (my level of excitement is around a 0.4 – not a football fan!) – I will be a good sport though for Sasha (the ultimate football fan). What do you have planned for this week? How were your holidays?

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Week in Review

Week in Review

I cannot believe that next week’s ‘Week in Review’ post will be recapping Christmas [insert little kid excitement!!!]. I love this time of year so much! I am finally done with gifts, but haven’t wrapped them all yet. I am a terrible wrapper, so I tend to procrastinate with this task or revert to gift bags at the last minute.

I really enjoyed this past week, as I got to catch up with a handful of friends. However, there was a tremendously low moment of the week: Isla’s 6 month appointment, which I braved alone. Four shots almost did me and Isla both in. I hate needles, and so far, Isla does too. Ugh. So terrible! She is the 94% for height – I cannot wait to see how tall she ends up being.

Some of the big highlights from the week include:

  • Seeing sweet Simon (Mara of Hook Thread & Tinker‘s son) with his little menorah (see stolen Instagram photo below)! Happy Hanukkah!
  • Exchanging gifts with McKenzie early, as she’s heading to Illinois to spend Christmas with her boyfriend’s family (most comfy J. Crew slippers ever!!)
  • Watching Isla play with her new Xylophone (also gifted by McKenzie) – or as we call it, the Isla-Phone (lots of photos below)
  • Seeing Isla pull herself up using her crib bars – which also scares me, but thankfully we lowered the crib last week!
  • Meeting Santa Claus at Memorial City Mall (horribly unfriendly staff, but wonderful Santa!)
  • Eating lunch with one of my closest friends at Adair Kitchen (love that lady!)
  • Catching up with one of my parent’s good friends at the house – she gave Isla the cutest little tulle skirt outfit!
  • Celebrating Isla’s Godfather’s Christening on Sunday – he had to get Christened before he could officially get the new title!
  • Spending time with my sister-in-law who is in Texas for most of the month of December thanks to the recent launch of Google Fiber in Austin
  • Breaking bread at our house (and by that, I mean mimosas) with my roommate from college – truly one of my favorite people ever! She’s wonderful
  • Updating my annual Shutterfly book – I was 6 months behind, so that took quite awhile!
  • Visiting my (super tiny and pregnant) friend Julie and her sweet daughter Evie
  • Attending my niece’s Christmas performance of the 12 Days of Christmas (cutest thing ever)
  • Singing Christmas carols and enjoying an early candlelit service (tradition discussed here)
  • Witnessing Isla get very, very excited about her bedtime story (Good Night, I Love You)
  • Spending much of Saturday at my parents house and strolling Isla around the neighborhood in her Balmoral Silver Cross Pram (imported from the UK upon news of my pregnancy)
  • Finishing my very first set of wedding invitations (doing the calligraphy, not the design!)
  • Enjoying a full night’s sleep – after numerous nights in a row, I can now say that Isla is sleeping from 6pm to 5:45-6am (ouch, still early)! It took some painful CIO nights, but it worked!
  • Teaching Isla to drink from a sippy cup! So far, so good. And this week we will begin to teach Isla sign language with the Signing Time DVD (very excited about this!)

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