HOW I'M MAKING LINEN'S FIRST BIRTHDAY SPECIAL
Where has the time gone? I feel like it was just yesterday that I was writing about 4 weeks with a newborn and here I am, planning her first birthday party. I'm a mess even thinking about it, but the closer we get to the day, the more sentimental I feel. On one hand, I think about all of the milestones she's hit, how much she's changed + grown, and the places we've taken her. On the other, I still tell people I have a newborn. You know - a sitting up straight, sleeping through the night, eats fruits and vegetables newborn. These last (almost) 11 months have truly flown by and the amount of joy she's brought into our lives is immeasurable. As much as I already miss that tiny, baby stage, somehow, each day continues to get sweeter and sweeter - and it keeps you going.Y'all know that I put sentiment in ... well, just about everything. John constantly jokes that I would put sentiment in a papertowel if I could and you know, he's not wrong. I'm just a 'moments' girl - always have been, always will be. And let me tell you, Linen's first birthday will be one of the greatest moments of my life. We're not only celebrating her and how much she's grown, we're celebrating us. One year old baby, one year old parents. Anyway, from a craft to a keepsake box or idea, anytime I share how I'm creating one of those special moments for my daughter, many of you want to know more. Being the list maker I am, I thought I'd come here to put all of my thoughts on paper as a way to not only document my to-do list before July, but hopefully inspire you to create some of the same traditions for your little ones, too.For her little celebration, I'm simply doing an afternoon dessert party in the backyard. Keeping it simple, surrounded by our favorite people, and focused on our birthday girl. Cake + macarons, fresh flowers everywhere, balloons, and LINEN everything.ONE // I'm a sucker for a gift that's beautifully wrapped, so I found a beautiful, floral ribbon that I plan to wrap around Linen's birthday gift this year, and every year to come. It's something that's so simple, but after years and years of use, will be so special one day. From her first birthday to her 21st, I hope she unties the bow, anxiously awaiting what's wrapped within it, knowing how much heart I've put into it all.TWO // A keepsake invitation. We may or may not have an actual birthday invitation for every single birthday, but for the first, I wanted it to be something that's stunning. I worked with Nadia & Co to create a custom piece of art that captures Linen beautifully. A portrait of her, all of our favorite things, and reminiscent of her French garden nursery. I'm taking that piece of art and creating her first birthday invitation with it and it has been the sweetest project to dream up. Nadia is beyond talented and not only will I have the artwork forever, but the invitation will be one for the books.THREE // An heirloom piece she'll have forever. As most of you may know, because I wear it every single day, Rondel Jewelry was kind enough to send me the sweetest necklace in honor of my first Mother's Day. All of their pieces are 18K gold and will last forever. They're creating a custom baby bracelet for Linen that will match the chain of my necklace and it's going to be SO sweet. I love starting traditions for her at an early age and building her sentimental jewelry collection, just like mamas.FOUR // Linen everything - in every sense of the word. From linen tablecloths draping the ground to linen napkins at every reach, the soft, femininity of the fabric is what drew us to the name. We'll wear it and be surrounded by it. It's in every nook of our home and I wanted to be sure it's in every detail of her party, too.FIVE // The party is simple, the details are thoughtful + intentional. For the serving ware, I ordered a special cake cutting knife that has her name of it. Similar to the ribbon, I'll pull it out each year to cut her birthday cakes with and one day, she can use it to cut her wedding cake. I also have a linen bib for her to wear while digging into her smash cake, as well as a napkin I had embroidered for her as a keepsake. My favorite things are always in the details!SIX // Some of you may remember the story of Linen's dahlias, but after we planted bulbs when I was 20 weeks pregnant, the first bloom opened up on the day Linen was born - July 21st. We came home from the hospital to huge, white dahlias lining our fence in the backyard and full tears streaming down my face. It was like God was welcoming us home in the sweetest way. So of course, we're going to have dahlias everywhere at her little party - mostly from our very own garden.As I've thought about her little birthday over the past couple of months, my priority has simply been to pour my heart into the details and give her memories that she'll have forever. They don't have to be expensive, nor are they what the celebration is about. Just sweet, thoughtful things here and there that I hope remind her how much she's loved. Today, tomorrow, and forever to come.Thanks so much for stopping by, X.Meg