What to do with muslin swaddles when your baby is older?

I know you already know how much I love Swaddle Designs. Their muslin blankets (THE softest ones ever - sorry Aden & Anais), now come in a "touch of shimmer" collection available at Target.  

For a little throw back to newborn Emma, take a look at my first review here. We LOVE these blankets. I know you found yourself swaddling your infant in these incredibly soft breathable swaddles, but did you wonder what to use them for when your swaddling days are done?

Here are a few of our favorite ideas:

1) Impromptu picnics. I love that these are so easy to throw in my purse (instead of a bulky quilt). They are great for the playground, the park, or the front yard. Adding a snack and calling it a picnic makes my 3 year old's life.

2) As a light weight blanket. These are nice for this spring (February?) weather we have been having. A light blanket is nice, it keeps the wind and bugs off of the girls, but they don't get over heated.

3) For the babies. Since our babies were swaddled in these, Olivia's babies must be as well. I love that they don't take up a ton of room, but help entertain Olivia. And with the swaddle instruction pictures sewn in, even Olivia can do it!

4. Travel. Because they fold up small, we keep them in the car, my purse, the diaper bag. They are used as impromptu changing tables, bibs, or just a layer between our kiddos and whatever germs are on the highchair, seat, etc. 

The sweet people at SwaddleDesigns are giving away a 4 pack of their touch of shimmer collection to one of my readers. Head over to Instagram to enter!

Emma's First Birthday Party

We lucked out with the most beautiful spring weather for Emma's party. I'm not sure how I would have entertained so many children if we were stuck inside. It made the flamingo theme even better!

The cupcakes were from Publix, but I used candy melts and a food coloring marker to make flamingos and some "one"s to top the cupcakes. 

The biggest hit, however, were the marshmallows dipped in leftover candy melts and pressed into gold sprinkles. Straws were from the dollar section of target. The kids thought these were the greatest! 

We had lots of alcohol, obviously. Including kids pink lemonade and adult pink lemonade. Emma spent half her time crying over not being allowed to have wine. And the other half carrying around an empty beer bottle.

My favorite part were the Happy Birthday balloons! And then we printed each of her monthly pictures to hang across the fireplace. 

A yay balloon and her sweet high chair topper. Which fell off one second into the smash cake pictures. 

I'm going to make the girls wear their flamingo shirts again and get a good picture. They were too excited for the party to pose for the camera. 

It was such a fun time, and I love that we had so many people there to celebrate our sweet Emma. Olivia said, "I need to have my friends here, and Emma needs her baby friends." And we had both! Such a wonderful Saturday!

Emma's Smash Cake

She loved her cake so much! She thought it was the coolest thing when everyone sang happy birthday to her, and her big sister blew out her candle. The next day, Olivia ate a cupcake and Emma squealed and shrieked and reached for it, as if to say "YESSSS! Give me more cake!" 

Emma is One!

Emma baby, how are you already one? You are busy, curious, and such a happy baby, yet if anyone offends you, cue the drama and tears. But, oh, if anyone messes with your big sister, you will mess them up as much as your tiny little body allows. You fit into our family seamlessly, like all we were ever missing was you. Thank you, Emma, for making Olivia a big sister, as she loves you more than anything else in the world. Thank you, Emma, for teaching me how quickly our hearts can expand, and how quickly I can love another child as much as I love your sister. You are the greatest gift our little family of three had ever been given. And today we celebrate you! Happy first birthday sweet thing!!

She can walk up to 4 steps before getting nervous and sitting down. Since she took her first steps a month ago, I think she's taking this slowly. 

She has such a fun personality. She plays by herself very well - but loves to part of the action and play with the big kids. She gets how to play kitchen, or blocks, or babies, mimicking what Olivia does. 

She wont let us rock her before bed. She just fights the second we go into her room (because she doesn't want to go to bed!) and won't cuddle. Because of this, I never want her to give up the bottle. Its the only time I can sit and hold her. Dan and I fight over who gets to give her her bottle because we know her days are numbered.

She's 27.5 inches tall (4%) and 17 3/4 pounds (19%) - so she's a teeny little thing.

She is a climber. Constantly climbing the furniture, the stairs, her toys. We have to make sure everything is nailed down.

Emma is so much fun - a personality much bigger than her tiny size. We can't remember life without her and she is such a wonderful addition to our family. Happy birthday Emma baby! Never get bigger. 

Falcons vs Packers

I never got this written, but wanted to remember it. Two weeks ago the Falcons (my team) played the Packers (Dan's team) in the NFC championship. Things were tense around here. Dan was being mean (which is funny now because they lost ... suckers). And we had long conversations about what the girls would wear during the game.

A few days before, Dan asked Olivia who she was rooting for. Not prompted she said "the Falcons." Yesss. Dan said "Olivia, you know how we clean up bird poop off your trampoline? Well the Falcons are birds. They poop on your trampoline." Olivia got all mad a defensive, "NO daddy them don't!! Them poop in the potty!" I was laughing so hard at her comeback.

Then Dan goes to put a cheesehead on. He comes back and says "if you're a Packers fan you can wear a cool hat!" pointing to his head. Olivia looks at him, rolls her eyes, and says, "The Falcons wear normal hats daddy." 

It was so funny!

The day of the game, Olivia had worn a red dress to church and then refused to put on any football attire, so at least she had red. Poor Emma was changed around 9 times. Whoever had her kept switching out her cheerleading outfit. 

BUT we won and we're headed to the Superbowl!!! And even though it was touch and go for awhile, Dan wont be sleeping on the street.