lingering daydreams

{dear grayson} you are 7 months old

by Lila on July 16, 2014

Dear baby boy,

You are officially mobile. You’ve got your army crawl down, sometimes you even pop up to your knees. To my surprise, this milestone has increased your frustration. You are so close to being able to roam free, you can taste it.

You can sit-up like a pro, but getting from crawling to sitting is a work in progress. Right now it is the dry-land equivalent of a belly flop. The thud that follows always makes me jump and I work hard to control my reaction. “Bump!” I say as I force a smile and give a kiss.

You’ve started to turn when you hear your name. The first time it happened I struggled to believe you knew I talking to you, but as the month went on it became clear you knew what was up.

There is a basket of stuff in your room that you love to explore. It is filled to the brim with everyday items we collected from around the house. Your favorite is the large wooden spoon we nabbed from the kitchen. You take one thing out at a time, deposit it directly into your mouth, bang it around, and then reach for the next item. It is part of our daily ritual.

Your favorite toys outside of that basket are your rinky links. They have kept you happy through diaper changes, car rides, and stroller adventures.

We are learning sign language together. Every Sunday a group of families join us at our home and we learn a new set of signs. You sit with me or your dada and stare intently at the instructor or giggle at the other babies filling the room. I love it, learning another way to communicate with you.

You woke up in a tent for the first time this month, wedged between me and your papa. You loved it. You crawled over us and patted our faces. You didn’t sleep much.

You are filled with joy and a desire you explore. You are curious and loving. You have this excitement, sometimes you take in quick, deep breaths like you can’t wait for what comes next. Your highs are high and your lows are low. In some tearful moments we just sit and rock in the green chair.

You are oh-so-loved.

Love,

Your Mama

You can read Grayson’s 1 month letter here, his 2 month here, his three month here, his four month here, his five month here, and his six month here.

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28/52

by Lila on July 13, 2014

“A portrait of my baby boy, once a week, every week, in 2014.”

July 4, 2014: For the fourth we road-tripped it up to Mendocino County. After zooming down the highway long enough for one solid nap and one time through the Jay Z Rockabye Baby album we pulled off to give the little guy a snack. We ended up pulling a blanket out of the car and through it on a patch of grass next you a office parking lot. It was sweet, our little impromptu picnic. Grayson played and crawled on us and we soaked in the sunshine and each other.

Linking up with Jodi’s 52 Project

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{oyster party} invite

by Lila on July 11, 2014

I love large simple graphics. Especially those involving type. This is going to be a no-fuss, small, backyard dinner party. I thought the invite should match. I’m a sucker for paper-bag-brown, it is such a solid canvas for whatever you put on it. For my invitation I included a couple suggestions, for example, dress warm because we are eating outside in the evening in San Francisco. Seriously, wear layers.

Deets:

Font: Steelfish
Paper: Printed on Cover Weight paper in Paper Bag
Envelope: #10 Envelopes in Peacock

Download your free printable here: Oyster Party Printable Invite

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family portraits – priceless

by Lila on July 7, 2014

It is always hard to get out from behind the lens and get family portraits. I love taking photographs, but am always wanting shots of our whole family. Lucky for me I have my incredibly talented sister, Caley Keene. She met with us at the Botanical Gardens for a little photo shoot and I am so happy she did.

It was an incredible afternoon. Jeff was able to take a day off of work and all of us able wandered and chatted and laughed. Caley has an amazing way of connecting to little ones. She is a joy to be around and is passionate about photography. I couldn’t ask for someone better to photograph my family.

I think my favorite part of the day was watching Jeff and Grayson interact. They love each other. So sweet. She captured the joy of my little guy and the sweet moments we have together. I am definitely going to be one of those moms who makes sure to get family portraits every year and my sister is just the person to help us with that and now she can help you too! She is now taking on clients. If you want her to capture your family moments as well, check out her contact information

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27/52

by Lila on July 6, 2014

“A portrait of my baby boy, once a week, every week, in 2014.”

June 28, 2014: This boy can’t get enough of the water. He still fits in the sink for his bath, but I’m not sure how long that will last. This was taken after his first adventure to a sandy beach. He was happy as can be. Got his toes wet, dug in the sand, was covered by the time we were ready to go home. So. Much. Fun.

Linking up with Jodi’s 52 Project

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{oyster party} inspiration

by Lila on July 4, 2014

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

So I have been itching to have an oyster party. I love them. Oysters that is. They are delicious and fun. If you had asked me when I was eighteen if I would ever even try an oyster, I would have said no, but now I love them. Ah life and its twists and turns. So here’s what I’m thinking:

1. Champagne: what goes better with oysters than bubbles. Nothing.

2. Outdoor lights: I have been itching to hang them in our backyard for eons now and I’m hoping this little gathering is what pushes us over the edge. Love outdoor lighting.

3. Mignonette: This recipe looks awesome as well as every recipe from Hog Island Oyster Company. Yum. I love mignonette and think it is kind of a must at an oyster gathering.

4. Wine tags: We are keeping this a small dinner party, which is the perfect time to bust out the wine tags. These ones from my shop are industrial chic, gotta love it. Each tag in this set says cheers in a different language. What better way to celebrate summer.

5. Kraft paper table cloth: This example is hyper classy. I’m pretty sure when having an oyster feast you are going to end up with some stuff on your tables so what better way to make a classy table cloth then some brown kraft paper that can be composted when the meal is done.

Be sure to check out all of the ideas I’m am finding by following me on Pinterest!

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26/52

by Lila on July 1, 2014

“A portrait of my baby boy, once a week, every week, in 2014.”

June 27, 2014: With each week he grows and with each week I become more and more grateful for this project. Some say he is looking more like his daddy. My uncle asked if that bothered me. I said, “Not at all, I think that guy is pretty good looking.” Some say he is looking more like me. His blue eyes and his blond hair hail from my genes for sure. What amazes me is how I can see both of us in him, the two of us wrapped up in one beautiful little package.

Jeff took a half day this week to venture out into the Botanical Gardens for a photo shoot with my sister, Caley Keene. She is an incredible photographer and I am so excited to have a collection of gorgeous photos of us as a family, so hard to get when you are behind the lens. I will be sharing all the photos from our shoot with her later this week!

Linking up with Jodi’s 52 Project

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25/52

by Lila on June 23, 2014

“A portrait of my baby boy, once a week, every week, in 2014.”

June 17, 2014: When I went to the pediatrician for Grayson’s six month appointment the doctor told me it was time to lower the mattress in Grayson’s crib. My reaction to this news caught me off guard. I didn’t want to lower the mattress. I lean in and whisper in his ear when he is going to sleep. I kiss his forehead when I head to bed. I nozzle into his neck when he wakes up.

It struck me that his age and maturity is somewhat measured by how he has slept. Starting in our bedroom in a small cradle that looked big with his newborn body nestled into it. When he moved into his own room and bigger crib, it was huge. The distance was scary. It was going to be so much harder to listen for his breathing in the middle of the night. Now he has hit another small milestone, he has grown up a little bit more. It has happened so fast.

I took this picture when we got home before setting Grayson on the floor, getting out my tools, and adjusting his crib.

Linking up with Jodi’s 52 Project

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{baby sprinkle} the recap

by Lila on June 20, 2014

Among all of the baby shower ideas out there, I must say that the “sprinkle” theme was so much fun. There were sprinkles in the balloons, sprinkles on the tables, and sprinkles on the bagels.

For the tables we had linen overlays, gold dip dyed jars, table sprinkles, and all white arrangements. For each white arrangement I made a flag that read “Oh Boy!” All white arrangements are my favorite and really allow the color you do introduce to pop. What was awesome about this theme was that a hole punch and pretty paper was all I needed to tie everything together. I had three different sized hole punches that I created table confetti with, used for the custom cake banner, and sprinkled anywhere that needed a little pizzaz. I even punched out tissue paper to fill clear balloons before having them inflated.

For the buffet I made simple scallop edge streamers and carried out my mint, gold, and cream color scheme by using vintage cake stands. The food was delicious and also followed the sprinkle theme. Did you know that you can buy sprinkle bagels! Amazing. The menu consisted of brunch croissant sandwiches, doughnut holes, a parfait bar, and a cookie desert. The parfait bar was perfect for this event. Parents were able to pick out what their children could eat and everyone was able to cater to their own dietary needs. The desert of cookies and a shot glass of milk was so cute and worked great for kids and adults alike.

For the gifts we had a rolling rack from IKEA. So cute and functional for a nursery. We filled it will goodies as people arrived.

It was a gorgeous day in a beautiful garden with delicious food, great company, and a wonderful reason to celebrate! Congratulations Kelly. Your new little one is already surrounded by love!

Don’t miss the rest of the Baby Sprinkle Series! You can find your inspiration here, printable invites here, how to make your centerpieces here, recipes here, and ideas about what to wear here!

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{dear grayson} you are 6 months old

by Lila on June 19, 2014

Dear baby Grayson,

You are growing up so fast, right in front of my eyes. For the first time I have had flashes of what you will look like as you get older. I am so excited for our conversations, adventures, and the stories we will tell each other. But each moment of joyful anticipation is paired with an immediate pang of how fleeting these precious moments are. I can’t wait to watch you grow up and I want you to stay exactly how you are all at the same time.

This month marked your first solid food experience. Avocado. You loved it. You have loved everything you have tried so far; the first bite always accompanied by a face like you have just bit into a lemon, but quickly followed by a grin and an open mouth wanting more. Raspberries, fresh peas, and cherries are just a few of your favorites.

You’ve managed to get your toes into your mouth this month. And that is not the only thing. Hand-to -mouth is your new favorite game, anything you can get your hands on is quickly deposited. The other thing you have figured out how to get into your mouth is your lower lip. You suck on it, making it disappear below your upper lip, but not able to hide a grin.

You have a fascination with my green water bottle. You can spot it across the room and stare at it while I drink. Now you have your own that you are slowly learning how to use. As of this month you are, occasionally, sitting in the big boy stroller. It makes you look small again.

You have worked and worked on sitting up. You would reach out for my hands, pull yourself up, flop back, and then start the game again.

The best part of these moments now is the connection. You are engaged and engaging. You make more eye contact and have more expressions. Once, in the frozen yogurt shop I looked down to find you staring up at me with a huge grin on your face. I had you on my hip in a sling. I kissed your forehead, smiled, and went back to my conversation with Kristin. When I glanced back down at you, your eyes were still locked on me. You giggled, my heart melted, and I squeezed you tight.

Sleep is still hard, your smiles seem to get bigger everyday, you love to study Calla, and you sometimes explode with loud long notes, especially when we are in public.

I love you bunches.

Love,

Your Mama

You can read Grayson’s 1 month letter here, his 2 month here, his three month here, his four month here, and his five month here.