Shabby Chic First Birthday Party

I am sorry that I have been lacking on blog posts this week, but Grace's first birthday party turned out to be a much bigger project than I anticipated.  Now that the party is over it is time to get back to blogging.

We celebrated Grace's first birthday on Saturday with 20 of our closest friends and family. Here is a closer look at Grace's shabby chic party.

I was a little nervous on the day of the party because Grace did not sleep well the night before, and only napped for an hour before guests arrived. I was so worried she would have a major meltdown around party time, but I was pleasantly surprised. She could not have been in a better mood. People have always told me that children have no idea what is going on during their first birthday party, but I am pretty sure that Grace knew everyone was there for her.  She couldn't wait to come down the stairs to join the party and ham it up for everyone!

Spring Favorites

The official start of spring isn't for another week, but the warm spring weather is already upon us.  This change in weather also means a new wardrobe for Grace. Now that she is already in 24 month clothes she has gone through her entire wardrobe that I bought her when I was pregnant. I was not expecting such a big child. On the plus side that means mommy gets to go shopping.

Here is what I am loving for spring.

Spring Feast

The sun has been shining around here and the weather has been in the 60's. I can't believe it. Grace and I spent a lot of time outside this week enjoying the beautiful weather. This meant that I didn't spend as much time cooking resulting in a lot of light and quick meals, perfect for the gorgeous spring weather. 

Meal planning this week did prove to be quite the challenge. Grace has been trying to assert her control over things more and more, and last week her conquests included meal time. She refused to eat anything other than cheese and fruit. Something I was not happy about. My husband and I are not picky eaters in the least and are always up for trying a new recipe. A picky child simply is not going to survive in this household. In order to try and keep her pickiness at bay I attempted to pair some of Grace's favorite foods with other new flavors to create some fun combinations. I also tried hard to introduce different flavors and cuisines from around the world. Luckily this weeks meals were much more successful than last weeks, and Grace gobbled up almost every bite.

One Size vs Sized Cloth Diapers: The Great Debate

A heavily debated topic in the cloth diapering world is whether one-size diapers or sized diapers are superior.

One-size diapers are the most popular cloth diaper on the market today, and are advertised as fitting babies from birth to potty training. Normally the diaper is adjusted by snapping down the front rise snaps or depending on the diaper could be adjusted by tightening the elastic inside the shell. In my experience most one-size diapers were far too large for even my 9lb newborn and seemed to fit starting around 12 lbs. However Rumparooz and Fuzzibunz seemed to run smaller and both fit Grace at birth.  Popular one-sized diapers include BumGenius, Fuzzibunz One Size, Rumparooz, Charlie Banana, and Blueberry Diapers.

Sized diapers, on the other hand come, in sizes like small, medium, and large. They tend to offer a more custom and trimmer fit due to the less material that is used. However, you will need to buy two or three sets of diapers to diaper your child from birth to potty training. Popular sized diapers include, AppleCheeks, and FuzziBunz Perfect Size.

So Which type of diaper is best for you? See the chart below to help you decide.

11 Month Toy Favorites

I am so thankful that the weather is getting warmer, and Grace and I have been able to get outside recently. Grace is such an active baby, and for the past few months I have been having a really hard time keeping her busy in the house. Luckily, during those long winter months I did stumble across some toys that kept her relatively busy and kept mommy sane.

How to Make Paper Rolled Rosettes

Paper rosettes are simple to make and can be used to make a variety of different items. I glued mine on to styrofoam balls to make a fun spring decoration for my mantel. I have also seen people make wreaths, floral arrangements, and topiaries with these rosettes. 

Shrimp Tacos and Linguini

I swear that every time I walk into the kitchen to cook dinner Grace decides to throw a tantrum. She cannot stand that mommy is 10 feet away and not holding her.  It makes it really hard to make a decent meal with a child clawing at your leg. Therefore, my meals have really been lacking the past few weeks. 

Last week, I introduced Grace to shellfish. We had jerk shrimp tacos with pineapple salsa, and Grace loved it even though it was a little spicy. I was so glad there were no adverse reactions to the shrimp. We eat seafood a lot in our household, and now she can join in too. Yay!

Jerk Shrimp Tacos Pineapple Salsa and Pina Colada Crema