what I wore Sunday

Today's post is a little out of my comfort zone.  A few sweet friends have asked me to write about my favorite clothes and where I shop, so I thought I would oblige and post an outfit every now and then.  Honestly, this kinda makes me nervous because 1.) I am not a fashion blogger, nor do I claim to know anything about anything in the fashion world and 2.) I feel like there are WAY cooler people who could do a much better job than me at something like this.  But I also understand where they are coming from -- I too love to see what people are wearing.  It's fun! And it's nice to affirm how other women wear their clothes and see how they celebrate their own personal style.

For me, I simply buy what I think fits my style best and what is mom-friendly.  Then I try (key word try) not to compare myself to other people, which is something I will forever be working on.  In three words, I think my style is simple, practical, and comfortable.  I like neutrals, but I'm a sucker for anything in a shade of blue or a vintage floral print.  My celebrity style crushes are Emma Watson, Zooey Dechanel, Taylor Swift circa 2012, and Emma Stone.  I shop mostly at Madewell (usually via places like Thred Up, eBay, or end-of-season sales), but also like pieces from Target, Loft, and Old Navy, while supporting ethical shops when I can.  And I really love buying vintage dresses from Etsy. 

Anyway, I'm titling this series as "what I wore Sunday" because Sundays are usually the for sure day of the week that I have a well thought-out outfit (mass day!).  I also love seeing how other bloggers incorporate their Sunday best into their blogs, so without further ado....Here's my first look:

My shirt is an old one from Old Navy (from MIDDLE SCHOOL believe it or not...).  The sweater is also old (cough cough high school) from Banana Republic.  My skirt is from this UK store, which I bought last year on major sale when I was super pregnant with Pier.  Here is a similar shirt, sweater, and skirt. 

And because what I wear on my body is not as important as the state of my soul, I want to end on this verse from today's readings:

Endure your trials as “discipline”; God treats you as sons. 
For what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline?
At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain,
yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness
to those who are trained by it.  So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. 
Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be disjointed but healed.

HEB 12:11-13

Happy Sunday friends!

bradley turns 28!

Happy Birthday Brad!  I wish y'all knew how much I love this man.  He is the most generous, hard working, thoughtful, and faithful person I know.  He sees beyond barriers and greets each person he encounters with patience, kindness, and humility.   He's the type of person who brings his wife flowers "just because" after working for 20+ shift.  He takes care of his family first before even thinking of himself.   I'm privileged to share my life with him and I can tell you for a fact that he is a genuine, virtuous soul.   He still gives me butterflies and makes me laugh harder than anyone else can! 

I'm in awe at how much Brad loves our family.  He is a selfless father who brings constant joy to our household.  Pier loves his daddy so much...it makes me a little emotional watching them play together.  It's such a gift to know that Pier has someone like Brad to look up to as a role model and father.  

Now for the birthday fun!  So, I really love celebrating birthdays for the people I love...I tend to go a bit overboard with all the festivities.  It's the perfect excuse to eat treats and do fun things all week long right?! Right. I made a simple cake and Pier helped me decorate ;)...he loved singing to daddy and helping him blow out the candles! 

Brad has been working a lot lately, so we haven't be able to spend one on one time together.  My mom has been in town the past week which gave us the opportunity to take not one but TWO date nights.  What can I say? We're wild.

We ate here for a sweet dinner last night.  How adorable is this place?!  It's a market/garden/restaurant in the Broad Ripple neighborhood in Indy.  Good conversation over some locally grown (and delicious) food -- there's nothing better.  

Birthday Date #2 consisted of seeing a movie at a DRIVE-IN THEATRE! Did you know those places still exist?  Because I didn't! And when I found out about it I just had to go.  Once you have kids going to the movies is a rarity so we have to make it count you know?  Plus, Brad would rather do a fun activity than enjoy a fancy meal at a restaurant, so that's what we did.  I picked up pizzas and a bottle of wine and left over birthday cake.  Then I set up the back of our car for an optimal movie viewing experience and had a little picnic. 

It rained so hard before we got there, but thankfully it stopped when we arrived.  As the sun was going down, there was the most beautiful rainbow left in the sky.  It was like God wanted to give Brad a present for his birthday :)!  

August is not the best month for movies so our options were limited, but we settled on Pete's Dragon. Honestly I had no desire to see it, but after hearing a segment about it on NPR it peaked my interest.  I won't get into a film analysis or anything, but it was a beautiful movie about family, faith, trust, and innocence.  I think it was a bit theological as well, and I really recommend it if you're looking for a movie to watch at the end of summer.  Also the soundtrack was AMAZING.  

We missed Pier on Brad's birthday dates, but it was so nice to spend some quality time together.  Date nights are for reconnecting, laughing, day dreaming about the future, talking about the latest cute thing Pier is doing.  It was the perfect birthday celebration for my favorite person.  Happy birthday to you Brad the Dad...we love you so! And now I'll leave you with a Fossi Family Birthday selfie. 

month 12 | year 1

Well, I've avoided writing this post long enough.  I'm still in denial that he is ONE, but I guess I gotta finish the year strong and knock out this last month-by-month update. Month 12 has been an adventure.  Traveling, teething, ear infections, visitors, milestones -- life is movin fast and keeping us busy.  Pier has learned how to do some pretty fun stuff this month: clapping, pointing, waving, SPEAKING ACTUAL WORDS LIKE A PERSON, and just overall being super cute.  

Some of my favorite things he's up to this month:

• He's super shy!!! It's really sweet.  When we walk into a new place and someone tells him hi, he immediately puts his head on my shoulder and clams up.  It takes him a while to warm up to new faces and environments.  He's uncertain about anything unfamiliar!
   
• Maybe this is because he's been sick the last few weeks, but he is very cuddly right now.  He will play with his toys for a few minutes then crawl over to me, sit in my lap, nuzzle is head on my shoulder, and start sucking his thumb.  After a few minutes of that he'll look up at me, then give me the worlds biggest smile and go right back to playing!
   
• He's starting to point at things!  He will point to random objects and then look at us so that we can tell them what they are.  His favorite things to point out: lights, Jesus, the clock in our living room, Gertie the cat, and his ball.
   
• He started waving! It's so stinkin cute! He waves backwards, opening and closing his hand toward his face (if that makes sense?).  But he can wave to people on command.  It's the sweetest.
   
• We're working on a few words right now: Gertie, ball, clap, and Mama
   
• This isn't really a favorite thing, but he has started screaming (LOUDLY) and flailing and kicking when he doesn't get his way.  For example, if I'm not fast enough giving him the next bite of food, or if I won't let him crawl up to the alter during mass, or if I have to move him away from some type of dangerous things he fights me. Big time.
   
• He started clapping! And he is so proud of himself!  If I say "YAY!" enthusiastically he starts clapping his hands together and gives me a big grin.
   
• Speaking of grins, he's giving us the funniest smiles lately.  I call it his cheesin smiles because he squints his eyes, crinkles his nose, and smiles as big as he can.  They are hilarious! It makes my life!

I think books are his favorite toy.  When I put him down to play, he crawls straight to his book basket.  He flips each page and actually reads to himself!  His voice goes through the sweetest inflections and he points to the pictures on the pages.  He's in heaven when we go to the library! (Or when mama isn't looking and he gets to pull all of her books off the bookshelf)

He's eating a lot more solid food this month too.  His favorite foods right now are sweet potatoes, bananas, blueberries, raspberries, eggs, guacamole, bread, olives, and sliced turkey.  He also obsesses over Whole Foods as much as his mama does :).  Oops.

How are we doing on sleep?  Wellll it's hit or miss this month.  Sometimes he sleeps through the night, sometimes he doesn't.  He's been doing this really fun thing lately where he wakes up ready for the day at 4:30 and won't go back to sleep.  He's still taking two hour and a half naps a day, but he must have perfect sleeping conditions (black out curtains, white noise, sleepsack) or he won't sleep at all.  He doesn't even sleep in his car seat!

Andddd it's officially summer in Indiana! You bet I LOVE IT!  The weather during the warm months here is simply lovely.  You can actually go outside! And not die! This week it was in the 60s and 70s and that is simply unheard of during a Louisiana June.  We've been spending as much time outdoors as we are able...farmer's markets, picnics, park visits, long walks.  I try to take advantage of it while we can (because...winter..).

Another favorite outdoor activity: SWIMMING!  Except they were out of baby pools everywhere (literally), so I had to settle for a drink bucket.  Pier or Beer...you wouldn't even know the difference ;).

I feel like a repeat myself every month, but I just can't help but think that each new stage is my favorite....and then the next month comes and it's even MORE fun.  He is full of surprises, and brings me so much joy.  I hope you've enjoyed all of his monthly updates over the past year!  I've loved looking back on past month-by-month posts and seen how far we've come and how much he's grown.  But I this isn't the last Pier update, so stay tuned for more in the months to come.

pier's first year | a video

pier turns one

We had the sweetest birthday party for our Pier Francis yesterday.  Is it just me, or was that the fastest year ever?  It's like the entire year flashes before your eyes and you are flooded with memories of how the months passed by. The night before his birthday, I found myself looking at Pier videos from that sacred time in the hospital as a newly minted family of three and couldn't stop tearing up. It's hard to imagine that the little boy who loves to chase our cat around the house, "read" books to himself, and eat raspberries by the handful is the same baby who was engulfed by his car seat when we took him home from the hospital just a few months back. 

I have a 12 month update in the works, but for now, I wanted to share photos of Pier's birthday party.  I know Pier will have ZERO memory of this day, but I felt it was a day worthy of recognition.  We celebrate not only this life who has changed so many lives, but also the milestone that is becoming parents for the first time.  We celebrate the friends and family who have prayed for us, offered us advice, and helped regain our sanity when we really needed it. We couldn't have made it through without your prayers and support.  We celebrate the joys, tears, and growth that needed to happen in order to get to this moment.  You bet it deserves to be celebrated! 

Our Indianapolis friends came over for an afternoon full of birthday fun!  I made tacos and we ate lots of birthday cake as all the kids ran around in the backyard.  It really was the perfect day, and I'm grateful we have made so many valuable friendships in our new city. 

So...Pier is not only teething (currently 4 teeth coming in...) but also has an ear infection. My expectations were pretty low on how he was gonna behave yesterday. The birthday boy was indifferent to everything (even his delicious birthday cake? I mean is he even my child?) but he ended up being a total champ dealing with the party excitement.

On this day, we celebrate you Pier Francis.  We celebrate the boy who makes my heart melt every single day. We give thanks to Our Creator that you are happy, and healthy, and playful.   You have a boyish charm that is irresistible to all who know you. You are the non-stop active kind of baby, but every few minutes you stop playing with your toys and crawl over to me for some snuggles just to let me know that you're thinking of me.  You are a reminder to me that I can do the impossible. You, my sweet baby Pier, will always be my baby and I thank you for giving me the best year of my life.  Happy, happy first birthday!

*thanks for the photos valerie keinsley!