Happy Halloween! love, Felix.

our little Angel's first Halloween, 6 weeks. 

what did you dress up as this year?* if you have kids, what did they go as?

if you post about costumes, i wanna see! leave your link below.

*Not feeling like myself just yet, i let myself bow out this year. Last year i felt amazing as Catwoman and seeing those photos makes me more determine to get my pre-pregnacny body back. 

a special delivery.

When i was pregnant, my dear friend Alyssa asked me to write a little love letter to Felix on a piece of paper and send it to her. 

The ever so amazing and talented Alyssa embroidered my handwritten note. AMAZING. and because she knows my love of deers she added the pretty fawn you see. 

I would say this is a gem of a gift to me, but just like her package was addressed to-- it's a one of a kind gift for Felix. I love that she'll always have this and know how much her Mama loves her. 

Thank-you Alyssa for this and her embroidered name xo it's amazing, you're amazing! 

*You can find Alyssa's fabulous work at Red Bow Designs. 

i miss my sollie girl.

We got back to El Paso last night after spending two weeks with my brother Marco and his beautiful family in Arizona. 

I already miss my niece Sollie so much. It's amazing to see how much she's grown from the first time i held her as a one-month-old baby (the age my baby is now) to now-- at 4 months. She's exploring everything with her hands and knows her name. She's so smart and such a happy baby. 

And of course, beautiful! (longest lashes ever. she has no idea how lucky she is!) 

Being an aunt is my favorite. 

*i sent the 1st photo to my brother because it looks like she's pointing to her pajama saying, "i love my daddy."

and the last one, she's saying, "no more photos auntie." ;)

love my little poser.

Wanting to know you Wens.

thanks to lindsay of hello hue's instagram feed, i found printstagram.com. 

i loved the quality of the squares and think next time i'll have to make a tiny book of Felix-- wouldn't that be a cute stocking stuffer for family?

i love how i've met other mamas/friends and blogs to crush on through IG. 

are you on instagram? let's be friends :) leave me your instagram handle below or find me @dolcemicaela

circa October 2007.

my friend Jackie posted this old photo on facebook.

it's a terrible photo of me (wearing way too much make-up in my reporting days) 

but a great one of my now husband (far left).

we were both working at the news station back in Wichita Falls and this was during an event called Safe Kids Halloween. 

i remember we gave the little trick-or-treaters more candy than the one piece our sales rep told us to stick to. 

we weren't even dating yet.

and now we have a 5 week old daughter together.

seeing this old photo reminds me of this post. 

i am so glad it's him.

Sharing Sundays... an etsy favorite from oh, albatross.

these sweet buntings. 

i bought "kiss me" as a housewarming gift (perfect with twinkle lights).

also the place for great vintage pieces

+ handmade little creatures with their own personalities. 

our first month favorites.

I really can't believe i've been a Mama for a whole month already. I thought i would share my little list of life savers that helped me, especially during those first two weeks when it felt like i was just trying to stay afloat. 

These Swaddle Blankets. Even though my sweet nurse Gloria showed me how to swaddle Felix using a regular blanket, i was paranoid i wouldn't be able to do it tight enough and she would come out of it in the middle of the night. I loved that with these blankets you can just velcro your baby in.  

a co-worker gave me this WubbaNub Teddy Bear Pacifier at my baby shower and I'm pretty sure it will now be included in any baby shower gift i give. I was one of those who swore she wouldn't give her baby a pacifier until we got breastfeeding down. Clearly, i didn't forsee the meltdown Felix would have the second night in the hospital were she cried all night and the only thing that worked was a soothie a nurse hunted down for me. 

I love the bear because she can explore it with her hands and sometimes even hold it in place. 

My little sister Maddie gave me a personalized Baby Diary by May Books. Easy way to track feeding/sleeping schedules (including which breast you nursed on during a feeding), pediatrician notes, and logging dirty diapers those first few days. 

i am so thankful and blessed my parents gave us the Graco Pack 'N Play. We placed it near our bed and  it's where she sleeps (the music and vibration features help a lot!). The napper station is great for middle of the night diaper changes. 

things that helped with breastfeeding 

Lanolin is the reason i didn't give up breastfeeding when Felix latched on wrong (i seriously cringed when i had to feed her on that side).

My BrestFriend Nursing Pillow

My best friend Maria praised the Medela Freestyle Breast Pump saying it was worth every penny. Lovies, i am so glad i went with it because it's user friendly and so fast (and there i was thinking i could get away with the manual pump i ordered thinking i wouldn't need to pump since i wasn't working. the things you learn). 

I'm still trying to figure out this whole pumping thing (how much, when, storage etc) so if you have any tips, i'd love to hear them! also, for those of you who do breastfeed, do you feed on demand or try to stick to a schedule? 

Mamas, what products would you add? or better--if you've posted a product love list before, leave me the link in your comment so i can check it out. 

Happy One Month to my Felix Girl!

bff cousin time.

a now 4 week old Felix with her bff cousin Marisol, who's 4 months

Hello Lovies! I'm enjoying some much needed family time in Arizona. My brother Marco picked my Mama and me up last Thursday night (Felix survived her first long roadtrip-- 5 hours with only two meltdowns, both because she was hungry). We'll be staying until next Fri. so we're going to try and soak up all the time with cousin Sollie while we can. 

We'll be back to regular posting then... and hopefully with lots of photos to share xo

Wanting to Know you Wens.

My guilty pleasure is Hart of Dixie-- i just love Rachel Bilson.  I happily breathed a sigh of relief when it was renewed for another season. Me and Marianne always say we wish we could live in Bluebell ;) I'm Team George and she's Team Wade (Faiza wants you to know she's Team Levon).

Besides Hart of Dixie, i mentioned how thrilled i was to have Dexter back on my Sunday nights. I'm also glad for Grey's Anatomy (and because i don't believe in spoilers i won't get specific but gosh,  the changes!)

A new show i'm loving is The Mindy Project. Besides Dexter, it's the only one my husband will watch with me. I desperately want to be Mindy's friend and thanks to tonight's episode, i can't wait to go dancing again.

Lovies, what shows are you watching? tell me what i'm missing out on below, or if you watch the same shows i do-- tell me what you think of their new seasons so far. 

sweet things + giveaway winner.

beautiful handmade gifts from Rhianne : bunting with felix's name & granny square quilt (her 1st!)

kissed feet after a diaper change

yes, SO VERY cute in response to Leesh's question (made by her mom Luckie) 

lips i can't stop kissing 

the sweetest bangle, a surprise gift from our landlord

+ the winner of the pumpkin spice cupcake soap giveaway is Meghan of The Perfect Compilation Tape! thank-you to everyone who entered.

and baby kissed filled thank-you's to Rhianne and Leesh from Felix xo

my world, these two.

i love watching my husband and baby fall more in love with each other every day. 

(my Mama made Felix and her cousin Sollie all kinds of bows like the one she wore today. i absolutely l.o.v.e. having her here with us)

my mini me.

my felix as a newborn

me as a newborn

a care package swap is my favorite.

during our SF-Anaheim Roadtrip to Angel's Stadium for twinkie

i'm so happy that Ezgi has finally made the jump to blog. She's hilarious, has fancy taste in fashion and dining, and i get to live vicariously through her during her travels (she just got back from Barcelona). Lucky for me, on her last trip to NYC she met up with us in CA to complete the domino five-- most amazing girls' trip! 

She's also one of the most giving persons i know. We decided to do a care package swap when i was looking for eyeliner and she wanted Essie's 'luxxe effect' in pink. 

Ezgi sent Felix the sweetest book and surprised us with this ceramic piggy bank i had in my etsy favorites (thank-you Auntie Ta-Ta!). How cool is that pinhole camera? and thanks to Ezgi, i'm a fan of The Body Shop's eyeliner and will never buy another kind of mascara except Rimmel's Scandal eyes. Thanks to her fancy taste in jewelry, i can't wait to wear the necklace she sent me, especially since i have cleavage for the first time in my life and i have a feeling it will accentuate them. Thank-you breastfeeding and thank-you Ezgi for such a great package xo

I decided to use the nail polish Ezgi wanted as my theme for my care package for her. I thought Emily Schuman's book would be perfect for her love of fashion, decor, and DIY. Also Ezgi mentioned wanting to try more recipes this year and there's always fabulous ones on Cupcakes and Cashmere. We both agreed there's no such thing as having too much stationary (i love the NYC postcards she sent me), so i picked out this notecard set by Emily Hone. The lifesavers were a roadtrip snack of ours and the last two things are favorites of mine: victoria secret cotton panties and popsicle soap from SoapMuch Love.

*Don't forget Lovies, i'm having a giveaway where you can win a pumpkin spice cupcake soap from SoapMuch Love. Details here


A care package swap is my favorite, especially with a dear friend like my Ezgi. 

Be sure to check out her blog View From the Naughty Step (love that name!) and welcome her into the wonderful world of blogging.

happy things with which to end the week.

♥ that this guy is my husband. that this guy is Felix's Papa. 

♥ Felix getting some fresh air while Mama hangs laundry outside (love those toe toes peeking out of her sleeping gown)

♥ Felix snoozing while Mama watched the Cowboys game on Monday Night Football (let's not talk about how many interceptions were thrown)

♥ the beautiful flowers my in-laws sent me and Felix

♥ remember this deer pillow that was on my nursery wish list? Lindsay over at Undomestic Mama (who has fast become a dear friend and a go-to with my new Mama questions) surprised us with it, along with a custom print from her etsy shop Lilo Prints (currently it's in husband's care with instructions to frame it for Felix's nursery). We can't wait to someday meet her and her ADORABLE twin boys.

♥ since i've been exclusively breastfeeding, bath time is Papa and Felix bonding time. I mean look at this photo -- he's holding her hand.  

♥ last night as Mama was watching Grey's Anatomy (that show never fails to make me cry) Felix fell asleep with her arms crossed that her sleeping gown looked like a straight jacket ha

but what's making me most happy today?

♥ My Momma will be here this evening!!! *this was after i told her i was pregnant (i was 12 weeks along) I can't wait for Felix to meet her Lola :) oh, and obviously i'm wearing twinkie's Angels shirt. I will be so nervous watching the Texas Rangers game tonight.

+ also, don't forget to enter the giveaway if you haven't

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