Ornament Swap check-in.

Hello Lovies! For those in the swap, i hope you've had fun shopping for the perfect ornament for your partner {i know i have!}. Today's the date i set aside as when your ornaments should be in the post. We all know life gets busy so if you're running behind i'm sure your partner wouldn't mind if you let them know. 

I can't wait to see all the beautiful ornaments exchanged this year. As they come in, don't forget to email me a photo along with your social media link. I just love showcasing them on my dolce vita!

Happy Ornament Mailing Day xo

(love the vintage ornaments i found on mine and Felix's last thrifting adventure. Twinkie deers remind me of Marianne & me)

fairy lights + glitter.

I am so in love with our white Christmas tree {even Husband has admitted to liking it}. I'm a lucky girl.  

I'm glad the dogs don't love it as much as i do. I've always worried our pups would think ornaments were toys and have stuck with this 4 foot thing for the last couple of years. 

Instead of buying a baby's first Christmas stocking, i kept the tradition of handwritten name and glitter like my Momma did with all of us. 

I love that this year there's a teeny stocking added to the mantle. 

words i needed to hear.

Lottie of The Tiger and the Pussycat just had her sweet baby girl Ava Amelia (love that name) and kindly asked me to keep her readers company.

You know when you hear something at the perfect moment you needed to hear it? Go here to read the words that touched my heart, especially in my role as new mama.

Congratulations Lottie & Welcome to the world beautiful Ava!

us maxham girls.

For my anniversary gift, husband gave in to my wish of a white Christmas tree and i couldn't be happier! Me and Felix braved the Black Friday traffic/crowds all for this tree. I'm so excited to decorate it.

Other than that quick trip, we've been in our pajamas since (that and I finished all of the green bean casserole and baked macaroni).

Did you venture out today or even last night? if so, what did you get? A friend who had gone to Target last night waited nearly an hour to check-out. Thank goodness we didn't go there or walmart. Bless you working in retail!

Felix and i hope you had a very Happy Thanksgiving. We're going back to bed to cuddle xo

i love us.

(about our wedding date)

happy thanksgiving lovies xo

photo 

Before i even knew what we were having, i bought this baby's first thanksgiving onesie while thrifting with my twinkie. I was only 12 weeks along. i remember being so excited that our baby would get to celebrate the holidays with us, starting with Halloween. It doesn't even seem that long ago and now here she is. 

it goes without saying what i'm most thankful for this year ♥ so blessed.

ps. Go Cowboys! 

two months.

My baby girl turned two months on the 17th.

i love this photo because i managed to capture her tongue sticking out and her little finger pointing (Felix, didn't your Mama teach you never to point at people?) i like to pretend she's saying, "i love YOU."

i also love her light eyes and will probably mourn the day they turn my brown.

Right now she's laying on our bed cooing and having a conversation with the fan. i am loving this age for that very reason. Every morning when she first wakes up is my favorite part of the day. Her smile when she sees me? sigh. and we lay down on the bed and just look at each other, flirting before i feed her. I'm currently reading Operating Instructions and i underlined what Anne Lamott wrote about breastfeeding, "This is the easiest, purest communication I've ever known." I can definitely agree to that two months out.

i was emailing a friend the other day and she asked me about motherhood and i told her that Felix is such a joy, even when she isn't.

Those mothers who say they don't remember their life before they had their baby? i am not one of those. I remember my life before my daughter pretty perfectly. I could take long afternoon naps whenever i wanted, go grab as many beers/shots/cosmopolitans on any given night with friends, wear a bikini. Now i feel like the only one in the world who hasn't seen Breaking Dawn : Part Two.

But she's such a joy to me, even when she isn't.

Yesterday, we were going to the post office listening to Christmas music. After parking, i went to get her out and just stared at this perfect tiny human my husband and i created. She was just sitting there in her car seat looking at me and i thought, she is all the reason i need to believe there is a wonderful God who loves me.

Happy 2 months my little miss Felix Maxham! my little blessing.

P.S. oh and i'm planning on seeing Breaking Dawn tonight. Skipping pilates (priorities, priorities) so i can get Felix to bed for the night and catch the 10 o'clock showing with a girlfriend. 10 is like middle of the night for me now, but it's worth it for Edward. ;)

oh my onesie!

You know that feeling when you find a kindred blogger and instantly know you're going to meet one day and fall that much more in love? Faiza is sunshine walking (in knee high boots). I was lucky to finally hug her during our girls' trip this past summer. 

{don't we look like sisters? i was 21 weeks pregnant with Felix}

If you know Faiza, you know how amazing her heart is. She is so thoughtful! Felix got the most amazing package from her Auntie in Canada. I literally gasped when i opened the package to these one of a kind, very Felix's Mama onesies. 

In her card, Faiza explained each one:  For her family heart, your blog heart, your vintage heart, your spanish heart...

the left one is the vintage onesie and has this definition for baby: tiny person; nocturnal mammal; especially prone to dribbling; destined for greatness 

...and your Robbie heart!

I have loved Robbie Williams since i was 10. I literally jumped up and down when i got to this onesie! Even my husband laughed at the caption because I have reminded him hundreds of times already how i will pass on my love of Robbie and his music to Felix, just like my Momma gave Elvis to me. 

Sweet Faiza, 

there are no words to tell you how much each one of these mean to me. On top of these perfect gifts, you also included the softest blanket, wash cloths, AND another pack of onesies. You are amazing i say! and we are so incredibly spoiled but mostly, we feel so loved. You are love. Thank-you my beautiful friend. Someday i hope the Lechugas and the Kanjis get together. 

Felix sends drooly kisses and can't wait to already wear these (bless you for thinking ahead and getting bigger sizes). We love you! xo

Sharing Sundays... an etsy favorite from Cherry Time.

Cherry Time's beautiful cake toppers make me want to host a party every weekend. 

The best friend creative team also make the cutest crochet toys for kids like the above bunny and mobiles (this one is my favorite). 

adorable, all of it!

Ornament Exchangers : Check your Inbox!

photo via

Thanks to Felix taking a long nap in her swing (hurray!), i managed to email everyone signed up for this year's Ornament Swap.

If you signed up and for some reason don't have an email from me, please email me and i'll get it sorted, promise.

I'm so excited for this and hope you are as well! Don't forget to take photos of your ornaments so I can showcase them, one of my favorite posts to share.


Thank-you for playing along and happy ornament shopping!

xoxo

Wanting to know you Wens.

happy little things

when a song you love plays on the radio while you're driving

packages addressed to my little Felix Maxham

having my first beer in 11 months during my 1st night out with friends
{i made it to nearly 1 a.m.}

commercials that make you laugh, like this one  (poor michael jordan)

returning to pilates

hoodies for babies

when a Pumpkin Spice Latte + pedi in OPI shim-merry chic happens in the same day 

talking to my twinkie and laughing til we're crying

hot pockets

taking naps with my baby girl and waking up to that face below

what are some of your happy little things? 

for sweet dreams.

During my pregnancy, i had the craziest dreams and sometimes they felt so real it was scary. Since then, i have been on the hunt for the perfect Dreamcatcher for Felix's nursery. 

You would think since i live in El Paso, it would be easy to find one since they sell plenty of them here and in neighboring New Mexico. I even searched on Etsy knowing i would know when i found the perfect one. 

It's funny how God/the universe works. Tyra was of the first friends i met through instagram. She made this beauty for Felix and it was exactly what i was looking for. 

The quality and details are so pretty. I told Tyra she needed to sell these and it just so happens she recently opened up an etsy shop. You can find her beautiful creations at Eclectic Sanctuary (wouldn't the stormy skies dreamcatcher be beautiful in a baby boy's nursery?)

Right now, Felix is napping under her dreamcatcher.

Thank-you so much Tyra for this beautiful and thoughtful gift which just shows there is so much kindness in the world. xo

(speaking of happy mail, today is the last day to sign up for the ornament swap!)

Veterans Day.

I am so thankful for the men and women who have served our country and for those who are currently protecting our freedom. My hero has always been my Papa, a Vietnam Veteran who gave 30 years of service to the U.S. Air Force. 

This photo of my papa always takes my breath away. Wasn't he handsome? 

Heartfelt thank-yous to all our Veterans and so many prayers of thanksgiving and safekeeping for those currently overseas. 

P.S. my favorite Christina (my brother Marco's girlfriend) is the prettiest soldier ever. Her post about Veterans Day touched my heart. Please take a second and wish her a Happy Veterans Day? xo

Only 4 more days to join in the Ornament Swap!

Maybe it's too soon to be in Christmas mode but Thanksgiving is around the corner and if you're like my family-- the Christmas tree goes up soon after (um maybe even Thanksgiving night). 

If you haven't join this year's Ornament Exchange, you have until November 12th. 

DETAILS HERE. We'd love to have you!

This year i'll be hanging my ornaments from my past swap partners :  Kaileen, my very 1st swap partner in 2009 (the first exchange was round robin style so i sent ornaments to Erin. I met her through this swap and i honestly can't imagine my life without her friendship), Erin of c'est la vie in 2010, and last year from Bianca and Lauren. 

Every year has been so much fun and this year, i hope you join in. I think ornaments are special memories and it's a swap you can actually use no matter what you get. 

*special thank-you to everyone who's spread the word xo

(pin-up girl ornament from 12LegsCuriosities // 1950s glass ball ornaments from simplychi)

election 2012.

Four years ago, two best friends (who were already in love but not quite "official") voted together for Obama. 

These two best friends are now this smiley girl's parents. 

*i know it's not smart to talk politics or religion like ever, but this Mama's for Obama. And yet-- as the first polls start to close, Felix girl and I just said a prayer for both candidates and their families. We prayed that whoever is elected will be the best leader for our country. 

Here's to an exciting election night in America! 

PS. i've loved seeing everyone's election day photos on instagram. find me @dolcemicaela 

Her name means "Happy" in Latin.

Felix is My Happy.  

the only thing that would make her happy this morning was Mama smiling at her (while using that obnoxious baby talk voice) on photo booth. She's 7 weeks today. She's at that age where she can really see you now and those smiles because she recognizes you? goodness this is what i was born to do... be her Mama.

Listening to this song by the Lumineers also made Felix happy when she started to get fussy {clearly, she's got good taste}. Something that's changed since i became a Mama? every love song i hear, i think of her.

"i belong with you, you belong with me you're my sweetheart."

Don't worry husband, you're still the bee's knees. 

ps. what's also making me happy? everyone who's signed up so far for this year's ornament swap!

Ornament Swap!

Lovies, it's that time of year again...

I can't believe it's my 4th year hosting an ornament exchange on my dolce vita. I look forward to this swap all year-- I've met my favorite girls through it. Getting to spread Christmas joy while connecting with another blogger is my favorite.

to join:

*email me, micaela.maxhamATgmail.com with subject line : ORNAMENT SWAP

*include your postal address + blog link. If you don't have a blog, you must include your instagram, etsy shop, or fb page please. (also indicate if you can't send overseas)

*cut off date is Nov. 12th  i'll try and get everyone partnered by Nov. 15th // ornaments will be mailed out by Nov. 29th

*ornaments can be bought/vintage/hand-made... whatever you fancy but $10 is the max spend amount because i know it's about to get crazy with holiday shopping. PLEASE put some thought into your ornament--check out your partner's blog/links and see what their style is etc.

*DO include a Christmas card for your person. Tell them about your favorite Christmas quote, song, family tradition, or why you chose the ornament for them.

Have fun with this! snap a photo of your ornament sent/received so we can share them on our blogs (i love the actual exchanges and showcase them).

pic : such pretty things

feel free to use the button on my sidebar lovies. i hope you'll join-- the more, the merrier xo