Labor Day on Long Island

We weren't able to make it back South this year for our annual Labor Day beach trip, and we were completely bummed. So we decided to console ourselves with a day trip to Long Island for a little bit of vineyard hopping. It was so nice to get out of the city just the four of us, and we spent the entire day outside since Bo came along. It was just what the doctor ordered, and we brought back some beautiful sunflowers and delicious blueberries to ease us into another week. This was our favorite vineyard for ambiance (they had a huge tent for shade and a petting zoo), and this was our favorite vineyard for taste.

Also, May found her one true love as evidenced by the picture above. She now pitches a fit when we make her find another play toy.

Happy hump day!                                                                                                           

Snail Mail or Electronic?

How do you send your invitations? I have done both, but my preferred method is snail mail. I love paper and pens and my return address stamp too much to abandon ship. I am going to try and do some variation on the above invites for May's first birthday party (writing out the details instead of printed balloons). Wouldn't it make your day to receive something so cheery in the mail? Also, it looks pretty easy to DIY. I'll let y'all know how it goes!

photo from edyta photography

And We're Back!

I have been quite blog delinquent, but I am going to try and be better about keeping up-to-date. Miss May has certainly been taking all of my energy; however, it is time to give my brain other things to think about besides crawling, diapers, teething and separation anxiety.

One of the things I miss about living in The South are the really cute gift boutiques that every town has, no matter how big or small. I love browsing the pretty stationary and beautiful housewares. It is easy to stop in and grab a quick birthday gift for a friend or a hostess gift for the party you are headed to that evening. The boutique gift stores up here are usually either incredibly expensive or not quite my taste; however, Pink Olive is exactly what I have been looking for. I read about their new East Village shop, so May and I headed over last week to investigate. I stayed in the approx. 200 square foot store for a good thirty minutes because there was something new to look at everywhere I turned. It was incredible and gave me the taste of home I was craving. I am so happy to know where I can go for the perfect gift for friends (and a little something fun for myself as well).

Picture by Miha Matei via Pink Olive

Right Here, Right Now

When we got pregnant, a lot of people started asking us if it changed our timeline for staying in New York.  I would be lying if I said it hadn't crossed my mind several hundred times in the past year, but I am even more confident in our decision now than I was a year ago.  Yes, I so wish that we lived closer to our families, and there are days that I desperately want a car and a house and a Publix down the road.  Living in the city is hard and has gotten harder since little miss May arrived, but I love this place and our life here.  There isn't any place I would rather live right now.

You see, while it takes me two trips to get May, the car seat, the stroller and the diaper bag down our apartment stairs and onto the sidewalk; and every time we venture out the door, I have to bundle May up in a snow suit that she hates putting on, so she screams bloody murder while I am putting her in it; and I can't just open the back door to let Bo out, I have to do the aforementioned routine, even if it is just to walk a couple of blocks; and I have to make my own network of friends with babies because we don't have close friends nearby that have ventured into parenthood yet; and our 550 square foot apartment feels even smaller now that May and her things have arrived and taken over.....there are so many more things that I love about living here right here, right now.

May sees as many new things in our walk to the park as she would in a week of driving around in a car in any other city we would choose; and we have our choice of this, this, this, or this mommy and me class (and that is just in our neighborhood); and May learns every single day that the world is made up of people of all different kinds of nationalities; and we can pick up and go to four different zoos or an aquarium any day of the week; and we walk to church and are learning what it means to live in community; and there is a kids sing-a-long in a local bar every Wednesday morning; and we get a lesson on our country's history just by walking around lower Manhattan; and we can walk to no less than five playgrounds without breaking a sweat; and most of all, we have wonderful friends who have taken care of us like family.

We will undoubtedly get back South at some point, but right now, we are so thankful to be right where we are.  And we are so glad that May gets to start discovering the world in this wonderful place.

Dinner + Drinks + Movie

There is a lovely new theater a few short blocks from our house.  If it weren't exciting enough that we can go see a movie in our little Brooklyn neighborhood, they serve you dinner and drinks while you watch.  Yep, you read that correctly, dinner and drinks and a movie, all at once.  The Nitehawk Cinema is amazing, and we love it.  The food is quite delicious!  We went on a little date Saturday night and stuffed our face with an appetizers, entrees, drinks and popcorn.  We saw The Descendants and think you should too.  It wasn't quite up to all of the hype, but it is still a really good movie.  And lets be serious, who doesn't love George Clooney?  It was date night perfection!

Maybelle Jean McGuffey

Meet Maybelle Jean McGuffey, born on October 11, 2011 at 3:56 pm.  Most of you have already met her or at the very least knew she was already here, but I figured I would make it blog official.  It has been quite the crazy three months, hardest of my life, but she is amazing.

After four long hours of pushing, she entered the world at 7 pounds 5 ounces and 20.5 inches.  We were so thankful to have both of our parents here for the couple of weeks after she was born to help us with the transition into parenthood.  I have a new appreciation for all of the parents out there; this is quite the undertaking! :)  I now understand why when I was pregnant, every parent we saw said "this will be the hardest and most rewarding thing you will ever do."  Three months in, I feel like I am starting to get the hang of things.  She is growing up and interacting so much more; which makes the days go by faster.  She can certainly melt my heart with her little smile, and it's fun to have someone to go around with me on the various errands I have to run.

Today is her three month check up, so cross your fingers she is gaining weight and doesn't freak out too much with her shots.

Note, the picture above was taken right after we loaded her up to go home from the hospital.