who else will be watching tonight?

Thrilled tonight is the season premier of Dexter! 

since i won't be fitting in my Dexter shirt just yet ...

can you believe this girl will be 2 weeks tomorrow?

my fellow Dexter/Michael C. Hall loving girl Kary made sure Felix at least would be decked out. Dexter fans, how awesome is this onesie?! (thanks Tia Karina xo we love you) 

have i mentioned how much i can't wait to hear this again? tonight tonight tonight!

"You were made for this."

two things i've learned so far :

to keep calm during the fussy moments (oh those first hit or miss days of breastfeeding. i don't even wanna talk about the night my milk came in) because after the crying passes {for both of us}, the beautiful face you helped create? sleeping peacefully because you comforted her... the sweetest reminder that you're a mama.

that i can't change her diaper without kissing those toe toes. how she has her papa's chicken legs and pale skin.



you know when you read something you needed to hear that it brings you to tears? i have to share something i read that really spoke to me as a new mama:

"Trust your instincts. You might not think you know what you're doing, but I promise you do.

Expect that it will hurt, expect that it will be hard, and expect that you can do it anyway. You're a rockstar, after all. You were made for this.

Cherish those first few days. They are straight up magic."

-Natalie, as part of the advice to a new mother series on Rockstar Diaries 

a week ago my life forever changed.

the last photo of my baby bump at 39 weeks, 6 days.

the very next day where husband tried to relieve my back labor pains. 

our felix.

a week ago today at 4:55 p.m. our life forever changed. this sweet girl wearing that pink bow became my life.

in an otherwise quiet hospital room around 10 p.m. when i finally got to hold my daughter, i played this song for her.  

"I'm runnin' over love clouds to you

Blue moon... is shining there for us now

It's followin' us around the room...

Just you, just you, just you, just you...

I've waited for you all day

I've waited for you all day

My love."

i love you, my felix girl. my heart is full of love for you my little.

(thank-you Kary for giving us your song with Miguelito)

Happy Birthday Felix!

On Monday, September 17th at 4:55 p.m. (after 18 hours of epidural free labor in which i failed to progress-- so discouraging-- leading to a tearful realization of a c-section-- that ended up being the best decision ever) we met the love of our lives, our baby girl:

Felix Maxham 

8 pounds 14 ounces and 19 inches long! 

{everyone asked where i hid her since my tummy never got that big} 

Thank-you lovies for all your prayers, support, well wishes and beautiful gifts that welcomed us home. It means all the world to us xo

i can't wait to share more photos of my little but for now, we're enjoying every moment we can while Auntie Marianne is here. 

"My daughter is joy personified to me." 

- Janie Harper Ford

she's not half my world, she is my world.

headed to the airport where this will happen : us twinkies in one place again. beyond excited!!!

happy things with which to end the week.

♥ late night crafting = collage birthday card 

♥ who am i kidding? i ate this yumminess straight from the container! (though my set of ice cream bowls are a much loved thrifting find)

♥ The handmade basket was part of a care package Kary sent us from her trip to Mexico. Kary also included Felix's first pair of cowboy boots -- i love that they're sassy red! {you can see the rest of her care package on my instagram}. i can't even tell you how much i love her whole family like my own. 

♥ there is no better pick-me-up than a pumpkin spice latte

♥ where my perfume sits (another favorite thrifting find)

♥ my beautiful Momma posted this photo of her on facebook with this caption (please picture her filipino accent) : I specially made this pillow for baby Felix. I love you and your twinky mommy. Melts my heart. 

 ♥ to-dos before baby includes baking cookies to bring for our hospital staff, buying this drying rack, and indulging in a pedi.

♥ the softest baby blanket made by my friend Debbie back home. Inside the book : To Miss Felix, Wishing you a wonderful life and lots of sweet dreams. Love, Aunee D (what her sister's children call her). *I am so blessed by friendship. 

and finally, the happiest thing with which to end the week literally...

♥ Please say a prayer of safe travels for my twinks because i get to hug Marianne in hours!!! She's flying in at 11 p.m. tonight and we're the happiest girls knowing we'll be at each other's sides again, just like we've always been since we were wombmates. She's staying a week and will be there to hold my hand in the delivery room on what will be the happiest day of my life. 

Happy Friday Lovies! what happy things are you ending the week with?

+please leave a link below if you do post-- i'd love to share in your happiness xo

love from lauren.

i may have mentioned a million times on my dolce vita how blessed we are to have so many friends shower our baby girl with so much love. This package came from Lauren Nicole, who said ever since i found out we were having a girl, has been collecting things over the past few months. 

the first photo of clothes isn't accurate of everything because there's cute little skirts/onsies folded on top of each other so i could get it all to fit in one photo. i know right? my favorite things had to be the sailboat dress and these sweet rompers which she will wear with her peep toe sandals. 

Lauren added to baby girl's growing library with books like Henri's Walk to Paris, The House on East 88th Street (i love how she sent Felix a stuffed animal that i told Husband he could use as "Lyle the Crocodile" when he reads that one to her), and the classic The Giving Tree. Books always make such great gifts but what made these more special is the little letters she wrote inside to Felix:

"When you're older, I'll send you one of my favorite Shel Silverstein books; that I know by inheriting your mother's love for beautiful books and stories, you'll just love." 

Not only did Lauren spoil Felix, she also spoiled me. I don't think i've owned anything as nice as the anthro set (how pretty are those colors together?) and love the pin-up style of the knickers (which, lets face it-- will be pretty perfect in the transition of getting my belly back to pre-baby size). I love vintage nightgowns and she included lots of pretty girly ones.

L. Nicole (REN), thank-you for thinking of us. There are no words to tell you how above and beyond you went with this and the thing is-- you didn't even have to. Your friendship and support is more than enough. This just shows what a generous and beautiful heart you have. Thank-you with all my heart. XOXO

oh and thank your boyfriend for picking out some of my favorite pieces (so cute). 

Wanting to know you Wens : Baby Bump Virtual Date!

me at 30 weeks with our baby girl Felix (expected birthday 9/17/2012 *soon!!!)

Even before i was pregnant, i always loved seeing photos of baby bumps. I'm excited for this virtual play date because how pretty were/are you all rocking your bump? 

Lindsay was 26 weeks pregnant with her twin boys (whom she calls Peanut and Lovebug on her blog. Seriously, they are so adorable!). This was at her baby shower. 

Holly at 31 weeks with her first baby, a baby boy named Jonas. I am so glad I found Holly's blog since our due dates are close together (she's currently 38 weeks). 

Christina (my brother's girlfriend) when she was 38 weeks pregnant with my beautiful niece Marisol. {I had to include this sweet photo of my brother laying on them}

Jaimie (my girlfriend back home) when she was 33 weeks pregnant with her son Justin Bryant.

Jessica when she was 38 weeks pregnant with her son Reeve, who was born on March 21st. I have to share this sweetness from her email:  Being pregnant was the best experience of my life. I enjoyed every day and prayed that my hands would know what to do when they could no longer rub my belly. I was so sad that they would miss that joyous, personal experience. How naive was I to think that was something I would miss? Having my son in my arms, holding him, rubbing his soft and fuzzy head, his skin, tracing his cheeks....THAT is what my hands were meant to do.

Claudia (who just celebrated a birthday - happy birthday!) when she was about 36 weeks along with her first born Sophia, who will be 11 this January. 

Erin when she was 32 weeks pregnant with her second son Sawyer (pictured with her then 2-year-old son Dylan). She was 37 weeks above. From her email:  I really looked like I had a giant basketball under my top, didn't I? Sawyer was a big baby (9 lbs, 5 oz) but that was getting to be a bit ridiculous! And would you believe I went 5 days past my due date with him? Oh my, was I ever uncomfortable! It was worth it though. So worth it. What they say about labour is true. It hurts like hell, but you'd do it again in a heartbeat to get that beautiful baby.

Lottie who is currently 29 weeks with her first, a baby girl (name, yet to be decided).

Karina on the day she endured 18 hours of natural labor to have her now 9 year old son Miguelito. I told Kary her expression says it all :) 

Skye when she was 37 weeks pregnant with her now 5 month old daughter Ever (how i love that name!)

Elaine at both of her baby showers : L- almost 8 months pregnant with Dylan (November 22, 2008) R-2 weeks prior to having her second son Kaelan (dated April 4, 2011). I love this from her email: Go figure, I had cake on my hands both times! I was a fanatic for sweets my whole pregnancy. It's a wonder I only put on 17 lbs for Dylan and 14 lbs for Kaelan! 

*i on the other hand can't even admit out loud how much weight i've gained in this pregnancy, it's so high!

Cassie who is currently at 33 weeks pregnant with a baby girl (she's also has triplet step daughters). 

Thank-you to everyone who played along and shared a photo of your sweet baby bumps. We'll have to do a follow up virtual date of mama + baby soon xo

with deepest gratitude.

from my girl Erin back home (i love the smell of vintage books)  

hello 38 weeks, day 5 baby bump

Our darling baby girl is days from being born and yet since we made our happiest announcement she has been so loved. We've been overwhelmed by the sweetest kindness from our friends (many of you dear readers) and of course our families. 

At first i was sad that i wasn't going to be able to experience a baby shower back home (just another thing about living so far away). But thanks to work, my brother's girlfriend Christina getting my family together to throw me a surprise one in Arizona, (and this one especially) thank-you to all of you lovies who have sent Felix so much love in the mail... as my twinkie said, it's like i've had a baby shower my whole pregnancy. 

I am so thankful for the showering of blessings and friendship in my life. I am so thankful to you reading this, for being with me through this magical time. It means so much to me xo