A seussical celebration on a budget, with FREE Dr. Seuss printables!

On January 1st, while everyone was busy ringing in the new year with resolutions, black eyed peas, and fireworks, I was watching my sweet bee start her first day as a one year old. It's unbelievable how fast that can happen! Of course this monumental milestone came with so many things to celebrate, and deserved a fabulous party. We decided that a Dr. Seuss theme would be perfect and reinforce Bee's love for all things whimsical. Or mine, at least! So, where do we start?

Everything you see here was prepared the day of the party, and was all do it yourself. Lets take a closer look at the details:

Paper banners are such a fun way to decorate, and you can't beat the price! I went to the craft store and selected some scrapbooking paper for $0.15 cents a sheet! If you're using a standard paper size, here's a template of how to cut it so that your banners are the same size, with the gray sections becoming scraps for other projects:

When you're done, poke some holes in the top and string along different lengths of ribbon to hang all over! 

We used this great book as a guest book for people to sign, and Bee is so lucky to have so many thoughtful signatures. I plan to mail the book to family who was unable to attend so that when she's older she will be able to cherish everyone's first birthday wishes. The pen is simply wrapped in ribbon, and topped with a section of a string of feathered boa. I bought about one and a half yards of this boa string in different colors from the fabric department of my craft store for only a few dollars! You can also see how it went to use with those adorable truffula trees in the vase. Just roll them into a ball shape, hot glue in place, and secure to a paper straw. 

Before the party I was able to find a few Dr. Seuss books in terrible condition at a garage sale for a quarter each. They were written on, had pages ripped out, torn up, and absolutely perfect for tearing out the few intact pages to use in frames as inexpensive decorations.

Here you can see more truffula trees behind the delicious cake and cupcakes that are sitting on top of some fabulous DIY cake stands. I used dollar store glasses in different sizes for varying height, turned them upside down, and hot glued plates on top of them. They turned out fantastic and only cost me $2.00 each! 

I designed these adorable cupcake toppers which I am delighted to share with you all at the end of this post. I also used some of the paper scraps from the banner to make a mini banner for the cake, which I think was a really special touch. 

I bought some coordinating containers from the dollar store to serve snacks in. In keeping with the color scheme we served fruit skewers, chocolate covered marshmallows, and chocolate covered strawberries all held up by lollipop sticks from the craft store that I stuck into floral foam at the bottom of the containers.

Another way I added height to the table display was by using shoe boxes as platforms. I was able to find 3 different sized shoe boxes and wrap them in this great chevron wrapping paper which I found at Target for $1.00! I added some extra ribbon and labels and they looked wonderful! The tissue paper in the other containers was also an inexpensive target find and really helped tie everything together, as well as hide the floral foam in the bottom of the containers. I also used the left over tissue paper to cover the paintings above the kitchen table. When everything was set up they just really seemed to clash, so it was an easy fix to just tape the paper over them.

 These super cute 'One Fish, Two Fish' jello cups were the only thing I had to prep the night before. Mix your jello and allow it to set in the refridgerator until it's almost solidified, then drop a couple of swedish fish on top.

Aren't these mason jar cups the cutest thing?! I found the idea on pinterest. It's just a cupcake wrapper in place of the original metal lid. So easy to do, and what an awesome impact it makes! I was able to easily poke these paper straws through and tie the labels onto each jar with ribbon. I purchased mine from this etsy seller, but I've also seen some at my local craft store. 

One of the splurges for the party were photo props from another etsy seller (who is phenomenal, by the way). I printed these props onto card stock and taped them to wooden dowels. I also bought 2 yards of fabric to use as a backdrop for some impromptu photobooth pictures. I really loved how these turned out, and the kids had so much fun with it!

Happy birthday, sweet bee! As promised, I am thrilled to share these printables. Click for full size. You can print these on your own printer, for home use, and cut them out with scissors or use a large hole punch to do the work for you. I left some spaces in the cupcake toppers blank so that you can customize them with your child's name and age. The font I used is called Doctor Soos, and you can download it for free here. Enjoy!                                   

Happy holidays from sweet Bee

I have been so busy during this holiday season, and have really taken on more projects than I can keep up with, blog included. Rest assured, I have several wonderful toddler activities to post for the new year! Until then, I'll leave you with a little holiday cheer.

And finally, busy little helpers need frequent breaks!

I hope you're all enjoying your Christmas eve.

Thankful for the Family bed

"Sleep-sharing babies get the message "I'm just as valuable to be next to at night as I am during the day. I belong to someone twenty-four hours a day."  - Dr. William Sears, M.D. 

One of my favorite things about my new family is sharing sleep. There is nothing better than sleeping baby snuggles. Western culture seems to insist that parents and babies should be separated, most especially at night. Mothers are encouraged to ignore their instincts and to focus on teaching their baby independence, as if it isn't a milestone that comes naturally. I sometimes imagine what life would be like for a mother who has to jump out of bed in the morning or in the middle of the night to comfort a crying baby.

At brightly living headquarters, our nights, and our mornings, do not look like this. They look leisurely, natural, lazy. I wake up to a sleeping Bee and I'm free to watch her. I take in all of the moments I'd miss if we were sleeping alone. Things like her laughing and smiling through dreams, or her stirring slightly and settling when she reaches out to touch me. I can see her chest rise with mine, our breathing patterns completely in sync, we are totally relaxed and secure in our attachment. She does not cry when she wakes, she smiles. We are each other's first sensory experience every day. I feel her warm body against mine, I hear her breathing, I smell her lavender washed hair from the previous night's bath, I see her. It's our only time to be completely together without interruption.

"When babies sleep with or near their parents, especially mom, they are not being spoiled, they are being made to feel secure and accepted." - Dr. Lendon Smith, M.D.

Aside from being a perfectly practical parenting tool, and from enabling me to spend an extra 3,000+ hours of skin to skin time with my sweet bee, the family bed also has granted me the peace of mind in knowing that my baby is safe and that her needs are met. It's a security that I've never felt as thankful for as I do now. Last week, while Bee was sleeping soundly, I noticed an episode of apnea where she stopped breathing in her sleep. It seemed like the whole room stood still while I leaned in close to listen. There was nothing. I placed my hand on her stomach and chest, still, nothing. No rising movements, no air moving in or out, no inhaling, no exhaling. I was terrified, but I waited a moment, thinking the pause may be normal. I counted to three, to five, to ten. Nothing. I shook her, and she startled awake taking in a very deep gasp of air. She looked pale.

I called her Doctor that morning and he us saw right away. He checked her throat for obstructions and did not see anything. He referred us to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist who saw us the next morning. He's ordered a sleep study to check for something called Central Sleep Apnea. We haven't had the sleep study yet, and we haven't had any changes in our sleeping pattern. I've continued to keep her close and sleep with her. I've thought back to the moment when she stopped breathing and there's a horrible rush of panic when I imagine what could have happened if I wasn't right there. If she was in a crib, in another room, not in my arms. What's worse is I can vaguely recall other moments in her life where I've felt like this has happened, but was quick to write it off as I was half asleep, or just overly paranoid. Last week, though, there was no mistaking it and no denying that it happened.

I will know more once the sleep study is completed, but on this day, Bee's first Thanksgiving, I feel obliged to write this entry. I feel obligated to share for other mothers who may second guess their instinct to keep their babies close. Who may be feeling the effects of a lack of sleep, or the constant nagging of well-meaning friends and family who are convincing them that their babies must learn to sleep on their own. I have so much to be thankful for in Bee. Her curiosity, bravery, introspective and exuberant nature, her health, our nursing relationship, and much more - but today there is nothing that I'm more thankful for than the family bed. Than the fact that I've listened to my instincts and kept her with me. Today, I feel confident in saying that if I hadn't, her cessation of breathing could have easily gone unnoticed and I'd have much less to be thankful for.

Trick or Treat

"things which in my mind blossom will stumble beneath a clumsiest disguise"

Today Bee experienced her very first Halloween. She celebrated by showcasing her wiser side through a very sweet owl costume which I fashioned for her, and we enjoyed going trick or treating for the first time together. 

Establishing Traditions as a New Family

'It takes three to make a child'

During the final weeks of my pregnancy with Bee I had made it a point to remember to enjoy the last moments between my husband and I before our family changed forever. I wondered what a new addition might mean for us as a couple. I wondered if we would still take time to enjoy each other, to enjoy our routines, and to spend time together. The thought of our dynamic changing was very stressful to me at the time and, quite frankly, the source of a lot of grief. I think the fear that a new baby will function as a dividing wedge rather than a member of a cohesive family is a worry many couples have when faced with the birth of their first child. After all, it's such a huge change, and one without the benefit of drawing on past experience!

Looking back, I honestly feel so silly that I spent any time at all worrying about how our new family would work. The very first time I saw my husband holding Bee, I felt a completely new sense of love for him that I didn't even think possible. Not only was he my best friend, the person who I trust the most and had come to be madly in love with, but he now had a new role as the father of my daughter. Bee, this perfect, tiny person who we were so taken by from the start. Who we would delight in teaching and learning from, who we would care for, and who would come to know she could rely on us her entire life. From those first moments that we met her it just was. This new family, that I thought would require so much work to piece together, just happened. Completely perfectly and naturally without any effort at all on our part. It just was, as if it always was. We were a family, no questions asked, no looking back.

One of the best parts of being a new family is establishing our own traditions. As the holiday season approaches there are so many opportunities to celebrate and begin new customs that your family can enjoy each year. Today, we did just that by picking out Bee's first Halloween pumpkin at the pumpkin patch.

Bee was very cordial in her first introduction to pumpkins, welcoming them into her life with a round of applause!

The hay was especially fascinating - much different than the grass that she's used to!

She was most interested in the pumpkins that were as big as her!

'many parents wouldn’t exist if their children had been a little more careful'

International Babywearing Week!

It's International Babywearing week, and I thought I'd share these great pictures of Bee enjoying her ocean view in a secure back carry to celebrate.

Aside from being an entirely practical parenting tool, babywearing in an ergonomically correct, deep seated and supported from knee to knee position encourages optimal muscle development and body control in your baby. Keeping your baby so close also enables you to meet her needs quickly, which affords your child security in the comfort that she can rely on you and allows her natural need for independence to flourish.

As Bee's sense of independence grows, she is given more opportunities to explore the world around her, but I take great comfort in knowing that baby wearing is providing her the tools to feel secure and confident in doing so.

9 Months of Breastfeeding

Bee has turned nine months old this week. Despite the fact that she has blossomed into a walking, talking, independent being who is rushing into toddlerhood with unparalleled determination not to remain a baby, I have kept the promise I made to her when she was born. The first time I held her, comforted her, nursed her, and watched her sleep in my arms I promised her that I would always remember her the way she was at that very moment, and I always have. It is a complete novelty to me to see her standing up, let alone walking! My sweet, tiny, new baby couldn't possibly be capable of that already, but I digress!

There are so many milestones a baby meets during their first year which are celebrated. Their first smile, first laugh, first word, first tooth, first step. So many firsts. Becoming a mother is also followed by several firsts and important milestones, which are often less celebrated - especially in western culture.  For everything that Bee has become over the last 9 months and all of the firsts she has completed and moved on from, the milestone I am most proud of meeting is our 9 months of breastfeeding.

There is no debate whether or not breastfeeding is the healthiest choice for mothers and babies. After all, it promotes bonding, protects your baby from a variety of illnesses, lowers your baby's risk of dying from SIDs, boosts your baby's immunity, decreases the risk of your baby becoming obese and reduces their risk of childhood cancer - among other things. For the mother, it can help ward off post partum depression, decrease her risk of several cancers - including breast, ovarian, and uterine cancer as well as lower her risk of diabetes. My favorite benefit of breastfeeding, though, is the time you spend skin to skin with your baby. Breastfeeding provides a unique physical closeness and a cocktail of hormones that you simply cannot get while bottle feeding and it's the most incredible feeling that really can't even be described to someone who hasn't breastfed. 

While the benefits of breastfeeding are something that almost everyone is aware of, what isn't talked about so openly is how difficult and challenging and hard it can be. Bee and I have faced so many challenges over the course of our nursing relationship that there was a time when I didn't think we'd even make it to my minimum goal of six months. In the beginning, she had frenulum issues more commonly referred to as a tongue tie. We could not get a correct or deep enough latch, so nursing her was very painful - every time - and she was (is) a very demanding nurser. The first few weeks I cried during each nursing session, it was a horrible feeling knowing that I was doing what was best for her but wondering if it was the best thing for me, and in turn, for our family. Babies need healthy and happy mothers, and I was spiraling further into post partum depression and desperately wanted breastfeeding to work for us. Even so, I dreaded every nursing session. I grew to hate breastfeeding, I felt trapped by it, and I experienced a tremendous amount of guilt for feeling those things.

I met with La Leche League leaders, other mothers, doulas, lactation consultants, and pediatricians. The support I received from them and my husband was so instrumental to our success. I'd tell myself that there were many parts of parenting I might not enjoy, but I had to do what was best, and I'd continue breastfeeding - taking it one day at a time. When Bee was in her sixth month, her father and I made the decision to demand a referral to an ear, nose and throat specialist who could perform a surgery called a frenectomy to clip her tongue tie. Knowing that it would be a short and easy procedure didn't calm our nerves, but we knew that if her latch was not corrected we would not be able to maintain our breastfeeding relationship and she and I would be put at significant risks of everything that comes with weaning, including emotional trauma and an increased risk of illness. 

This photo was taken in recovery after her surgery, it was the first time in almost 7 months that I was able to nurse her without pain - it was absolutely surreal and incredible. I knew in this moment that we wouldn't have to wean and that I could continue breastfeeding bee for as long as she needs. It was an amazing feeling because it meant that our entire struggle was worth it. 

Though it was only a few months ago, those days seem so far in the distant past. Breastfeeding bee is now one of my favorite parts of our relationship. It's an absolute joy and it's now so natural that I sometimes forget it was ever a challenge. There are times when bee is hungry and nurses with such intensity. There are times when bee is playing and walks by to nurse for just a quick moment to reconnect before returning to her work. There are times when she is upset and I take her into my arms and latch her on and she breathes a sigh of relief and her whole body just goes limp with relaxation. There are times when she falls asleep at my breast and smiles in her sleep when she reaches out to touch my skin. It's so much more than nutrition and something I'm so glad that I can provide to her and so glad that we made it through the difficult times to get where we're at now. To every mother who is also struggling with breastfeeding and worried that you won't make it, I think you are amazing. I am proud of you. It will be worth it.