Wordless Wednesday: Favorites

memories

I really love the idea of having something tangible for Lovie to have when she's older about when she was a baby...Something she can really touch and see. So when I saw that I could get a customized (somewhat) book for her, I snatched it up.



first customizable page- click to enlarge



And since I got it for her 1st birthday, I figured what would be better than using the book as a sign in for all the guests at her party. It worked out awesomely. Sure I've got the cards people gave with their gifts but a) not everyone gave cards and b) I suck at scrapbooking. So I told a couple guests that I had the book with markers and asked that they signed the inside front cover or inside back cover and pass it along. And they all did so while eating and while we opened gifts.



inside front cover

close-up inside front cover: "...most beautiful girl...", "...best granddaughter..."

inside back cover- even has some pizza stains! :)



close-up inside back cover: "...most gorgeous..."

Really. How friggin sweet are people to make comments like that knowing that my baby doll will sit down and read this for years to come? I about cried when I read all these.

We're really so blessed.

the video- for real!!

OMG thank you SO much Sara!! I totally forgot about Vimeo!

Here's Lovie's 1st birthday video... the thing I slaved over for months and months. Ack, I love this thing so much- especially when played with the perfect song.


Happy 1st Birthday, my love. from finally Mom on Vimeo.

the birthday video

I spent months working on this thing. Months. Many a tear was shed working on this video. Not out of frustration or anything like that but out of... love and admiration and amazement.

When I first thought I was done with the video, it was about triple in length. And I realized that while I'm ultimately making it for my daughter to have one day and that she (and I and her dad) wouldn't mind 10 minutes of photos, others might get bored. And really, I thought, this is a documentation of one year, not one hundred; I should be able to get it down to fit into the song I wanted to play in the background.

Oh the song. Oh how I hated this song when I first heard it. And then, while driving to Lovie's school in the morning and back home in the late afternoon I kept hearing it- and it sorta stuck after a while.  And soon the tears welled and I was a hot mess!  This song will always hold a special place in my heart because it's a song that represents Lovie's first year of life... and it fits her beautifully.

Unfortunately... I have no clue how to get youtube not to disable the song. *pout* I was able to upload it to Facebook and the song does play, but youtube is not allowing it. And I'm sorry Strange Internet Weirdos People, but I'm not about to open up my Facebook account to the world.

So here it is. The video excluding the sound. Ugh. I'm pissed about this because the song really really really goes so perfectly with the video.




"Just the way you are" by Bruno Mars

Oh her eyes, her eyes
Make the stars look like they're not shining
Her hair, her hair
Falls perfectly without her trying

She's so beautiful
And I tell her every day

Yeah I know, I know
When I compliment her
She wont believe me
And its so, its so
Sad to think she don't see what I see

But every time she asks me do I look okay
I say

When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile,
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
Cause girl you're amazing
Just the way you are

Her nails, her nails
I could kiss them all day if she'd let me
Her laugh, her laugh
She hates but I think its so sexy

She's so beautiful
And I tell her every day

Oh you know, you know, you know
Id never ask you to change
If perfect is what you're searching for
Then just stay the same

So don't even bother asking
If you look okay
You know I say

When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile,
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
Cause girl you're amazing
Just the way you are

The way you are
The way you are
Girl you're amazing
Just the way you are

When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile,
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
Cause girl you're amazing
Just the way you are

the goods

this is probably not a big deal to a lot of folk, but to me it is.

i created that there invite. completely on my own. i scoured websites looking for the perfect invite to lovie's 1st birthday party, but didn't see anything perfect. but looking at all the different designs definitely inspired me to come up with my final. and i really freakin love it. especially the NONpink colors- and the fact that i was able to get 50 of them printed at Costco for $15!

but not as much as i love the thank you's below.

omg. how perfect is this? that face, those eyes, the cake, the shirt, the colors... pop, pop, POP! eek, i really love em! and printing them to vistaprint enabled me to get 20 for a mere $15 because of some coupons. i don't even think i could buy those generic THANK YOU cards prepackaged for that little money.

cheap and adorable. just like me (cheap) and my lovie (adorable). ha! a new blog, perhaps? i wonder if it's taken... cheapandadorable.blogspot.com. just checked and it's not... until now! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!

happy monday!

Party One One

Yesterday was New Years Day, 2011.

More importantly it was Lovie's big birthday bash with family. And it was really a great, fun party. The food was good, the cake was really good, and everyone really seemed to enjoy themselves- especially the star of the show, 1 year old Lovie!

Picture overload below. Fortunately for you, I had someone else take pictures with my camera and the majority of the pictures came out super shitty. It's OK. There were plenty of decent shots to get the gist of what kind of party it was...

Yes, there's graffiti on the walls. That's part of the charm of this Chicago pizza chain. Mmm, look at all that goodness!!

This is her THIRD damn Seahorse she's been gifted- and she still loves getting it!! : )

Sesame Street Chatters Cookie Monster- big, big hit with Lovie... and she's never seen Sesame Street. It's just that cute of a toy. I'll be remembering this for any future 1 year old parties we may be attending. Super cute!

Lovie's looking at me and my fat arms are wrapped around a beloved Monchichi doll. When I was about 6, Monchichi dolls were all the rage and I loved mine so stinkin' much. I still have it (in storage)! This was gifted from my BFF cousin. It's going to be hard for me to let Lovie play with it. ; )

 

The cake. Honest to god, this is what I got the most compliments on - next to Lovie's adorableness and good nature, of course. I got the cake from Costco. It serves 48 people. I think there were 50 at the party. Everyone had at least one piece and so many people expressed how great it was and asked where I got it from. The best part (because I'm a cheapass) is that it cost $16.99. (Let's not discuss that apparently the cake decorator thought Sabrina is spelled with and "e" and quickly added a dot above the "e" "i".)

My girl. She loves her some cake.

Lovie had a blast and made it through three hours of complete chaos without any type of crying or screaming. She's seriously a rock star baby. There were several people there that hadn't yet met her and so many of them commented on how "good" she is and asked if she was always like this. "Yes," was my reply. "She's a great kid; we're very, very blessed."

And that girl. She's very very loved. It really and truly warmed my heart so much to see the turnout of all our family. And the love they poured over my Lovie. I ordered a customized book for her 1st birthday and I had every guest sign the covers. Today, I read over what people wrote and ... wow. My Lovie is a really lucky girl.

Not as lucky as I am thought cuz I get to be Her Momma- the best title ever stowed upon me.

Party One

I rushed to pick up Lovie from daycare yesterday, and then rushed home so that her dad and I could party down with our little munchkin. She turned ONE yesterday. And while her big party is on Saturday, we weren't about to let the day go without some sort of celebration... it's been the best freakin year of our lives, after all!

favorite dinner: Mac N Cheese

  

she was super tired and therefore super clingy... and i was a-ok with getting lots of hugs

favorite picture- that smile is what it's all about!



FAMILY

Happy 1st Birthday to my one and only Lovie!!




then (12/2009)                                          and now (12/2010)            



My doll

Just last night, I watched as you played with some of your new toys- especially your new baby doll. My goodness do you love that thing. Your voice gets so soft and high pitched and your face lights up with a big ole (almost) toothless grin when you show me your baby doll.  My baby doll holding her baby doll.

A piece of me always melts when I watch you play.  You're so incredibly happy.  All the time.  It truly is amazing.  You are truly amazing.

My sweet baby doll. 

The absolute love and light of my life. 

How life was lived before you doesn't even matter anymore. Nothing matters but you and your health and your happiness.  And as I watch you play and watch as you have a smile on your face at all times... I realize that I have everything in life. I have it all.  And it's amazing.  Life is amazing and so full and so warm and it's all because of you. My sweet baby doll.

***********************************************************

My Facebook Status today (from 7am): One year ago... just one short year ago ... I was embarking upon the greatest chapter of my life. It's absolutely incredible to think about how long I yearned for that change- and how much more magical it is once it happens. And in 17 more hours that magic was bundled up tightly and placed into my arms- and every single thing in my life finally made sense. I'm so unbelievably blessed...and quite the sap lately.

If I were an update whore, it would now read: One year ago I was laying in the hospital bed unable to feel anything from midsection down. My water broke about an hour ago and I opted to get the epidural almost immediately as the pain... oh the pain! I wouldn't start pushing until 10PM. And miss Lovie will be celebrating her 1st year with us at 120 in the morning.

She's the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me. (here come the tears- I've been emotional all day!) I waited so friggin long to become a mom and was blessed with the most amazing, most beautiful, most sweetest, most happiest baby. I just can't believe she's mine and that she's 1 (in 12 hours and 13 minutes).

 

Help... Please!

I really need guidance, advice, opinions, thoughts, ideas, etc.

For several months I've been working on making a video of my Lovie of her first year... and I finally finished it last week. I couldn't even say how many hours I put into this thing... this thing that is like three and a half minutes long.  And holy hell was it difficult to get it down that short.  But I wanted it to fit inside the length of my favorite Lovie song... a current song that reminds me of her every single time I hear it.  And it fits perfectly now. The video is perfect. It really is.

But. I made it on Windows DVD Maker. So I can burn it to a dvd but then what?? I want to share it on Lovie's private blog and on Facebook and even here. But how?? How do I get the video from the dvd onto the computer and into the web?? And how do I get permission to use the song we're using?

Please. If you can offer any thoughts on the matter, I'd be sooooo appreciative.

TWO MORE DAYS!!