A Little Announcement

I’m afraid I’ve been keeping a little secret from all of you – we’re expecting a second baby!

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I’m due in late September – just after Sophie’s second birthday! – and so far my pregnancy experience has been pretty similar to the first, except of course with the added exhaustion that can only be caused by having a toddler around the house. We’ve shared the news with our families and with Sophie, although we don’t know how much she understands at this age (I’m hopeful the books above will help!). I’m happy to be out of the first trimester and slowly getting back to my normal energy levels, especially with the National Stationery Show coming up in just a few short weeks! We’re both excited to welcome a new baby (we don’t plan to find out if it’s a boy or a girl) and nervous about making the transition from one child to two. I still can’t believe we’re going to be a family of four!

Puerto Rico and Sophie at 18 + 19 Months

Sophie turned 19 months old earlier this month – and since my last update was just after the 15-month mark, I figured it was high time for an update! And it’s a nice opportunity to share a few photos from our trip to Puerto Rico a few weeks ago. But be prepared: Sophie still looked like a baby in my last update, and these days she is very much a toddler. I still can’t believe how fast time is flying!

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The big news is that Sophie is walking – and running – everywhere and anywhere these days! There are times that she still wants to be picked up and carried, but typically she’ll request “down” or “walk” wherever we go. We discovered a little plaza full of pigeons in Old San Juan during our trip to Puerto Rico, and it was hands down Sophie’s favorite part of the entire trip. She wasn’t chasing the pigeons (at least intentionally) – she wanted to give them all hugs!

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We’ve really enjoyed watching Sophie’s personality emerge over the last few months. She is generally a happy child, full of smiles, laughs, and the occasional high five for everyone around her. She has a wonderful sense of humor and, like any toddler, loves to play – current favorites include peekaboo, both duplo and wood blocks, and pretty much anything on wheels. She’s also independent and stubborn (just like her mama), and thoughtful and curious (just like her papa). And so many words! She seems to learn a new word every day. It’s amazing to see her verbal skills develop right in front of us.

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But as we leave Sophie’s babyhood, we’ve also started to experience some of the tantrums and frustrations of toddlerhood. She gets frustrated when she lacks the words to communicate something to us or doesn’t have the physical ability to do something she wants to do. And Sophie has already figured out that she doesn’t have to do everything we tell her to do, which makes for some interesting experiences as she pushes her limits and we try to reinforce good habits and boundaries. Parenthood!

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A few days after we came home from Puerto Rico, the cherry blossom trees (finally!) bloomed in DC. We took Sophie to our local cemetery one evening, where many of our neighbors walk their dogs, to see the blossoms in person. Sophie was in heaven, but not so much for the blossoms. She loooooves dogs and wanted to say hello to every dog she passed – she didn’t want to go back home!

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The last few months have been some of the most exhausting (so. much. toddler. energy!) but also some of the most fun in my time as a parent. I can’t wait to see what the next few months bring!

p.s. Sophie’s Hi romper from Baby Gap (but sadly no longer available online), silver moccasins from Freshly Picked, and navy dress from Egg by Susan Lazaar

Seasonal Stationery: Mother’s Day, Part 2

Last week, I shared some awesome Mother’s Day cards – and today I’m back with a few more! There’s a little something for everyone, from adorable baby animals to floral motifs to classic gold foil. As always, I’ve rounded up a few favorites below, with lots more to browse over in the Market List!

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1. Fugu Fugu Press; 2. 9th Letter Press; 3. Little Low Studio; 4. Alexis Mattox Design; 5. Steel Petal Press; 6. Happy Cactus Designs

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7. Hennel Paper Co.; 8. Isabell’s Umbrella; 9. Sugar Paper; 10. Xenia Taler; 11. Golden Pines Paper; 12. Snow & Graham

Lots more Mother’s Day cards in the Market List right here!

{images via their respective sources}

Happy Weekend!

Oh man you guys, this was a rough week. As I mentioned last week, Sophie came down with a bug, which a few days later morphed into a double ear infection and lower chest infection. We have one sad little toddler on our hands, which has resulted in several sleepless nights and two exhausted parents. I struggle during weeks like this: days that feel like a slog behind the scenes while trying to push forward and share pretty things for all of you to enjoy. I want to share the good and the bad here, but when things get tough (and especially when I’m feeling wiped out) it often feels easier to be quiet and wait for the storm to pass. I’m also way overdue for a Sophie update and a general life update, but that will have to wait for next week when I hopefully have a bit more energy. But in the meantime…

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Photo by me via Instagram / Playing around with some paper flowers for my upcoming annual Paper Party!

…a few links for your weekend!

This week on Oh So Beautiful Paper:

Check back soon for this week’s cocktail! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you back here next week! xoxo

Lauren’s Ikat Baby Shower Invitations

Happy Monday everyone! I thought I’d shake things up a bit and start the week with these adorable baby shower invitations from Alaina at Cheer Up Press. Created for a good friend, the invitations feature a sophisticated ikat pattern and a color palette inspired by the nursery. The invitations were letterpress printed in mint and navy blue, then paired with blush pink envelopes. So cute!

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From Alaina: I was commissioned by a good friend to design and print her baby shower invitation. I was inspired by the color palette she chose for her nursery: mint and blush with navy blue accents. Overall we didn’t want the style of the invitation to scream “baby” like so many baby shower invitations do, but rather put off a more sophisticated vibe that definitely reflects my Lauren’s tastes.

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We landed on a pretty simple design with an ikat background and added a trendy bow at the top. I pulled in the blush color on the envelope and digitally printed the words “It’s a girl”on the front in navy blue.

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Thanks Alaina!

Photo Credits: Cheer Up Press