We’ve reached the tipping point month of our 2021! Having had another baby in July, I know firsthand the feeling of having your year bisected: there is before we’re a family of five, and there is after we’re a family of five. The weeks leading up to this point have not been the easiest (and they actually seem to be increasing in chaos as we draw closer to my due date…), but I am grateful for the little moments of peace we have had: eating dinner at twilight with friends, an uninterrupted hour of Lego play, a last date night, evening blueberry runs, porch dinners with plates balanced on our knees, reading in bed later than I should.
With everything going on, I haven’t dwelt too much on our newest family member’s arrival (beyond attending to practical concerns!). Therefore, as weird as it might sound, I am anticipating with joy checking into the hospital and having my focus 100% on one precious baby girl when her birthday rolls around. We will take all the prayers for a healthy baby and healthy delivery in the meantime! Here’s what else we have planned this month…
On my calendar this month: — Welcoming our new baby girl to the family! — Celebrating John’s and Shep’s birthdays — Celebrating the Fourth with our town’s parade and clearly some sort of patriotic dessert
What I’m loving right now: — I am at the point in this pregnancy where I have been wearing the same four outfits on repeat and am craving variety. A few things on my radar: this floaty floral dress, this jumpsuit with pockets, this pretty green dress (I know NOTHING about this company so order at your own risk, ha!), this pleated seafoam midi skirt, this punchy dotted dress, and this striped shirtdress (which would actually be good for nursing!). — We have tried out several phone tripods over the years, but never found one that’s both functional to use and convenient to tote around. Enter: the pocket tripod! It’s the size of a credit card (I keep it in my wallet so it’s always close at hand) and folds out into the neatest little tripod. Would make a perfect gift for your favorite photographer or gadget lover! — My love for everything Jenny Rosenstrach is well-documented. She and a friend (the also-illustrious Jodi Levine) recently started the sweetest Instagram account, This is Like Magic. It shares “endless ways to make someone’s day” and is exactly the kind of thing I want in my feed.
Bonus pick: you all!!!! Several of you have gifted us things off our registry for baby girl (what?!?!) and one of you offered to gift me an extra baby book you had lying around that was the exact one I was planning to order. And the rest of you leave the nicest, most thoughtful comments day in and day out. I am so grateful for each of you who chooses to be here, especially in a season like this one! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
What I read in June: — Being Mortal | I have a handful of books that I evangelize about to anyone and everyone, and this one is now absolutely included. I may end up writing a whole post about it at some point, but in the meantime, just know it is SO thought-provoking and so very worth your time to read. — The Lions of Fifth Avenue | Eh, not my favorite. It was fine, but not of the caliber I’d recommend to a friend. Evvie Drake, which I read last month, was a much better pick in a similar genre! — A Column of Fire | This is the third in the Kingsbridge series that begins with Pillars of the Earth. All three books have been exceptional – so rich, so layered of a world to sink in to! – but this was probably my least favorite of the three. Still, I loved it and would recommend the series to anyone who enjoys historical novels with multilayered plots and characters!
My reading list for 2021, if you’d like to follow along! I’m a little out of order but have read 10 out of 24 so far.
Revisiting my June goals: Print and frame a few of our maternity family photos(Done! June requested a duo for her room, we added one to baby sister’s dresser, and updated our main gallery wall.) Buy and wrap gifts for kids “from baby sister,” and shop with June for stuffie for baby sister(Done!) Execute and enjoy the garden party!(Done!! So happy we pulled this off!) Give info for our Meal Train to be set up(Done! Loved writing a post about meal trains, too!) Plan for newborn photos(Mostly done! We booked Graham, chose a date, I booked a hair cut for early in the day, and I know what I’m wearing.) Update older kiddo baby books (No progress here…) Plan ahead for John’s birthday and Shep’s birthday(Done! Gifts have been purchased and John’s ice cream cake ordered :)) Send our 2010-2014 family album to print (Not much progress here. Rolling it over!) Film June in June, Volume 6!(June is over, so filming is also over. I am definitely concerned about the quality and quantity of footage we got with all that’s going on in our lives right now, but if this year’s video is short and sweet, it is what it is.)
July goals: — Buy the last few things to get ready for baby girl’s arrival — Finish out our Big List for baby girl: wash and organize her clothing, dust off the stroller, set up the diaper changing station, set up the bassinet, pack a hospital bag… — Choose newborn photo outfits for baby girl and older kids (June was wearing leggings with holes in them for Shep’s photos, so I’d like to plan a little more ahead, ha!) — Lay out 2012 in family album (breaking the big goal down!) — Prep for kindergarten — Edit June in June, Volume 6 — Enjoy our first few weeks with our new family member!!
As a reminder, many of these are drawn from my 2021 goals!
Thank you so much, as always, for being here, friends! I adore you!
Earlier this year (probably a few weeks after we realized we were having babies two weeks apart!) I floated the idea of hosting a joint garden party to Nancy. I wasn’t picturing a baby shower per se – certainly not in the traditional sense of a guest of honor, gifts, and games – but the opportunity just seemed ripe to celebrate spring, new babies, access to vaccines, and a new season of life with COVID on the wane here! Nancy was game, and we quickly roped in our friend Sam, too. She completed the pregnant hostess triumvirate: three summer babies in six weeks!
After much back-and-forth on dates, we eventually settled on a Wednesday in early June. We were aiming for a weekend night, but I’m actually happy we landed midweek – I think we got a lot more “yes” RSVPs that way, and it was something special to look forward to! Nancy agreed to host us in her backyard, and I happily took the lead on all things planning: after a year and a half with no group celebrations, I was thrilled to have an excuse to put together an inspiration board and pull together details.
Of course, John’s injury threatened to throw a wrench in the plans, but thanks to keeping things as simple as possible and lots of help from my parents on the home front, we pulled it off! We ended up having the sweetest evening, and I’d love to share a few photos and details, if you’d like to see.
After choosing a date, our first order of business was putting together a guest list. This was one of my very favorite parts of the whole celebration: with three hostesses, we invited three interlocking friend groups whose edges were blurred in the most delightful way. Even though I didn’t know all of the guests well before the party, I knew they’d all be lovely people if they were friends of my friends! It was neat to see gals who had never met mixing, mingling, and getting along famously.
We used Paperless Post for an evite (asking friends to wear their favorite floral dress or garden party attire!), and I kept track of details and to dos in a Google Doc so we could all access it easily. The evening itself was very simple: we gathered at 6:30pm, had a 45-minute or so “cocktail hour” of chatting with drinks and a charcuterie platter, and then sat down to dinner. We didn’t get up again until 9:45, when I looked at my phone and realized we should probably start packing it in! I had originally considered incorporating an activity, like planting pots to take home, but should have known simple conversation with friends who hadn’t gotten together in so long would be more than enough to fill our time.
To seat everyone, I used a folding table of mine and borrowed two from a friend. We did rent 16 chairs from a local company, which was totally worth it at $45. The tables were covered with these block print linens – I already had one, and purchased a second (which I plan to gift to a friend on some future occasion!). Since it was a garden party, I splurged and ordered two centerpieces from Wylde, then sprinkled in potted plants from our favorite nursery (they all got planted in our yard post-party!), lots of tea lights and candles, and a few piles of limes and clementines. My friend Katie (who just opened the SWEETEST citrus-themed Etsy shop!) contributed the orange garlands and place cards.
You may even be able to spot a brand-new product (THAT I LOVE) from Cultivate launching this fall – I got permission to test it out with this crew, and it was a big hit! EEP!
For the place settings, I went with plastic plates in aqua and green, pale pink plastic bowls, pastel flatware (also in green and blue), and patterned paper napkins. At $.50 each, the plates and bowls were almost cheaper than a paper or flimsier plastic version, and now our family has an outdoor dining set to enjoy! We avoided the need for cups by serving sparkling canned drinks like LaCroix.
Food-wise, we also kept things simple by ordering three family meals from Cava, a Mediterranean chain. Guests were able to mix their own greens or grains bowls, adding in things like hummus, tzatziki, cabbage slaw, tomatoes and cucumbers, and pickled red onion. On the side, we had plenty of pita (actually, a laughably large amount) and fresh fruit. We re-plated everything into our collection of serving bowls and stands, and it looked cute grouped together on the table! And tasted delicious, too.
For dessert, we passed around Tillamook ice cream sandwiches (YUM!) and also cut into a small cake and sang to Sam – it was her birthday the day before!
Though we kept things as simple as we could, the logistics still felt like a lot at times. There’s one thing I’m really grateful I did, though: I used vacation time to end work a few hours early on the day of the party. Instead of frantically running out the door, I was able to get to Nancy’s in plenty of time and enjoy a leisurely set up before our guests arrived. As I’ve gotten older and wiser, I’ve realized the beauty of prioritizing this buffer time, even if I would have previously resisted using vacation time for it!
All in all, it was the sweetest evening. “My” guests included five of my dear girlfriends, some of whom knew each other and some who did not, but all who got along famously. What a treat to enjoy their company all together on a beautiful evening on the cusp of welcoming this new baby into our lives! I’m so glad we prioritized it and grateful we could pull it off.
I’d love to hear: have you had any memorable celebrations since the pandemic eased? Or the fun experience of hosting with friends, resulting in a mixed group of guests?
I have unofficially officially declared myself the Queen of Meal Trains. This might sound grandiose, but here’s the good news: the number of people who can hold the title is limitless, and you need absolutely no skills to do so.
Why the title? I believe meal trains are magic. Before having June, I wasn’t really sure if I wanted one: would it feel awkward to ask people for help? Would we really need it? What if they arrived right when I was feeding her or she was crying? What if they stayed to talk for way too long? (Introvert problems, am I right?)
But then she arrived, and the meals arrived, and it was magic. Not having to think about dinner at the end of the day? Magic. Yummy food made just for you? Magic. The feeling of being thought of and cared for by friends? Magic.
And so now, because I know how much it meant to have meals brought to us as new parents, I basically chase pregnant people down on the street to ask if I can set up a meal train for them, or at the very least bring them a meal. (This is only a slight exaggeration.) I don’t want anyone I’m even mildly acquainted with to miss out on having a meal train, either because they didn’t understand the value or because no one thought to ask them. It’s such a small thing, but I’m making it my thing!
Want it to be your thing, too? Here are my best tips:
1. Use MealTrain.com. It’s free! It’s easy to set-up! Absolutely no skill is needed! Just ask your recipient for a few pieces of basic information (address, desired delivery time, meal preferences, number of people eating, allergies, etc.), fill out the online form, and voila! It’s ready to go. I usually recommend running the train on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays (to give working meal-bringers a weekend option!) for 2-3 months.
Once you’ve activated the Meal Train, a link will be sent to the recipient so they can block dates, add a photo, or make changes as needed, too.
2. Ask everyone. Like seriously, everyone. I used to worry that people might think I was weird or overly-forward for asking. Maybe a closer friend had already set one up? But who the heck cares?! If they already have one, then you have the perfect opening to ask for the link so you can sign up to take a meal – and they’ll be tickled you thought of them. And if they don’t, you’re giving them a huge gift that literally takes ten minutes of your time.
3. Offer to send an email. I know it can be awkward to ask for help, which is why I always request a list of email addresses to send the meal train to on behalf of the recipient. I strongly believe people want to help, and when you give them an easy way to do so, they’ll gladly jump on board! I’ve found there is a huge difference between the number of sign-ups when an email is sent and when one is not; this is almost always due to the direct ask, not the size of the friend network. (And if someone sets up a meal train up for you and doesn’t think of this, do not hesitate to ask if they’d mind sending one! I’m sure they’d be thrilled to!)
On a related note, if you’re passionate about bringing meals, this post has 10 great dinner ideas for new parents, and a few of my favorite tips. The only thing I’d add a few years out: it is 100% okay to bring a store-bought meal or takeout favorite. In fact, I did just that this weekend – our life is a little too crazy right now to make an extra home-cooked meal, but I happily picked up a few favorites from Donovan’s Dish and delivered them on Saturday afternoon to a new mama friend. If you’re self-conscious about your cooking or worried about getting the delivery timing right, this is a great option!
I would love to hear: do you have an acts of service “thing”? Do you always remember to write condolence notes? Do you watch friends’ kids so they can go on a date night? Do you send a Starbucks gift card for big days or hard weeks? (I have a friend who is consistent with doing this the week friends go back to work after maternity leave – so sweet!) And if you don’t yet have a thing, I hope this post (or the comments!) might inspire you to choose one! :)
The gallery of photos from our family session with Ally & Bobby arrived in my inbox a few days after John tore his Achilles’ tendon – the day before his surgery. What a slice of sunshine in a week when we really needed it! Of course, no matter when they arrived I knew they’d be a treasure, but the timing did feel like a gentle nod from God. These were my first maternity photos in three pregnancies, and I’m so happy I got to capture them surrounded by my family (at 28 weeks). Here are a few, if you’d like to see!
Our session lasted about 45 minutes, and for the last ten, the kids were pretty loopy. It helped that they could wander in the tall grass of the NC Museum of Art to their hearts’ content in between shots!
I ended up wearing the pink striped Hill House Nap Dress borrowed from Kristin, and am so happy with the choice. Thank you, K!! I can heartily endorse it as a maternity option – the smocking makes it very comfy! June’s sweet dress is from Amazon, John is wearing his favorite All Day shorts, and both kids are wearing Saltwater sandals (here and here).
We already knew Ally socially, but had never shot with her personally before this session. As we were driving home, John was like, “Are all photographers that encouraging? She was so excited about everything,” ha! While I do think all photographers work hard to put their subjects at ease and make them feel good, Ally does have the sweetest spirit and just the most delightful, bubbly personality. We LOVED being photographed by her!
My only hesitation before booking Ally was whether she’d capture the energy and motion of a young family, because I was much more familiar with her (serene, gorgeous!) wedding photography. As you can see, I needn’t have worried :)
My heart. We are so very lucky to have him as the Daddy in our family.
It really hit me when I looked at these photos – how crazy and wonderful it is that there will be a third little face squeezed into the frame the next time around! We feel so very lucky to have had this season captured for our family, and excited for what’s next!
Wishing a very happy Father’s Day to all this weekend, in whatever way you’re celebrating, and a happy Juneteenth!
