P.A.R.T... WHY? Cuz I gotta!

Ok mommas... why do we do this to ourselves?
I am obsessed with parties, and most of all, planning them!

I am in mega party planning mode between V's baptism and birthday... this momma is going in sane!
Not to mention, I plan fundraising events for a living :S

So, I decided to help mommas out there that may need a little help :)

Here are some websites that I'd like to share for ordering supplies:

• www.pritchard.com
• www.partycity.com
• www.partystock.com
• www.swoozies.com
• www.etsy.com

You don't need to limit yourself to online stores, make sure you visit:

• Dollarama
• Michael's
• Solutions
• Bulk Burn
• Party City
• Prichard
• Party Mart
• Cody Party Centre
• Party Time Rentals
• Target
• Walmart
• Costco

I'll be posting a few articles about helpful tools (like LISTS! I love lists!) to use when planning a party.

Stay tuned :)

Here are some inspirational pictures for party planning and decorating! This was my gorgeous baby shower that was planned by a group of exceptional ladies!

Desert table... yum!

For once, I didn't hate my kitchen :)

A Tifany's theme!

Looks beautiful! A romantic tea party

Back to work, back to life...

... Back to reality! Preach it Soul II Soul! They were so wise for their time.

Well friends, today was my first official day back to work! So far, so good, but much planning and anticipation has gone through my head to make sure I start off on the right foot.

Keys to making this day a success:

1. Plan ahead- From your shower schedule (switching to nights!), to your lunch, your work outfit and dinner. Have as much ready as you can the night before. You will be so thankful the next morning.
2. Get your sleep. Or should I say, don't stay up late watching the Help until 12:00 a.m. (my bad! I love Emma)
3. Don't put too much pressure on yourself to get caught up with all your  work on the first day. Today was Inbox cleaning day and urgent request day. I am very happy with the amount of work I put in today.
4. Have a trustable person you can leave your children with. 

Instagram of my outfit that I chose last night.
Classic, comfortable and easy!

I woke up early this morning at 5:45 a.m. I got dressed, did my hair, had breakfast and made my lunch all in 1 hour. Then magically, Victor woke up as soon as Grandma came to look after him! He was happier to see her than me, and just fell into her arms. I thought to myself… THIS IS MY QUEUE! I better escape :) I wasn't insulted that he didn't want to see me, in fact, it reassured me that he was in great hands. I realize that I am extremely lucky to have my mother-in-law look after little V. But I am also not lucky to have been working during maternity leave. This is life's way of balancing itself out… a.k.a Karma.

When I got into work, I carefully sent an email to all staff to advise them that I was back! To my surprise, I had about 50 balloons dumped on me from the other side. It nearly scared the living death out of me. I rarely get surprised… well played Social Committee, well played.

It was really nice having lunch in the lunchroom today, a la yuj. A colleague asked me if I had made "the call" to check in… I was like "No?" hahaha. No news is good news! That's my motto and my way of staying relaxed. I am not the person that will check in every couple hours.

When I got home, Victor was so invigorated and happy to see me. So was I. I have to admit I got really tired when it was time to make dinner. I started prepping right away, in time for Michael to get the BBQ going (btw… the coldest day to BBQ was today!). I got a second wind after dinner, I must have been really hungry.

Me blushing after being surprised with a whole bunch of balloons dropped into my cubicle.

Me after a long day at work. So thrilled to have a parking space back
and to be going home after my long day!

Victor greeting me at the baby gate near the side door.
I was trying to capture his sweet welcome home reaction.

This is all I could get from him.

We just finished up with dinner; marinated flank steak with green beans and carrots. All planned ahead the night before and I even have some left overs for lunch tomorrow! Michael is giving Victor his bath, and I just finished cleaning up the kitchen. So far, it's 6:47 and all that's left are showers for mom and dad. I wish and pray that every day can go this smoothly!

Tomorrow, I'll be flying solo, because Michael has his night shift. It will look like a different day. No elaborate meals, more of a "fend for yourself/clean out the fridge" dinner. This is also my chance to head to the gym before work. Let's see how I do.

What makes you nervous about returning to work? Do you like work or prefer staying at home with baby. Do you have any tips to share? Please leave your comments below.

Baby Pictures 101

If you are anything like me, there is nothing more valuable to you than a beautiful professional picture taken of your family.

I know it's not for everyone, and it's not necessarily a vanity thing… It's mostly because I am the family photographer, so I don't always show up in the pictures. Oh, my first world problems! Anyway, when I die, there will be loads of professional pictures taken of me, and people will only remember how great I looked (because I had hair and makeup done in all the photos ;) ). Mouahahahaha

Ok, back to business. You may think I am crazy for talking about Christmas photos in early November, but trust me when I say, YOU NEED TO BOOK EARLY! The good photographers in the city are always booked up! Plus there is so much planning that goes into this, and you need time to prepare.

Because I have experience with both pre-natal and family (us with a 9 month old) photos, I decided to write a post to help you plan and prepare for these special moments. These are not just pictures, these are the memories you are creating for the future. This is why you should pay attention to your clothes, your hair, your props and keep the photo style as classic as possible! Don't forget to make it "YOU", if the photo doesn't match your style or personality, you won't be happy sharing them with your friends and family.

Love the vintage truck and the custom hat I had made.

Maternity photos from Nov 2012.
We didn't know the sex so we went with "Baby Day".

• Plan ahead- book your appointment a few months before you need the pictures. Not only does the photographer get booked, you need some time to receive the images as well. We waited about 2 weeks, witch is faster than industry standards. Note that wedding pictures take much longer because you have so much more coverage.
• New born pictures are fairly complicated, you need to book for around 10-12 days to get the squishy sleeping pictures. They are also more fussy, so you need more time to get it all done right. I did my own new born pictures, so I don't have advice to give you here.
• Photo sessions take about 45 min to 1 hr depending on the photographer. You really don't need more than that. Kids get tired easily and you don't need hundreds of the same picture. Just one great shot matters!
• Ask the photographer about props and outfit changes. The older the kids are, the faster you can change them. Some photographers have lots of great props (like mine), but you may want to bring your own things to keep it original. Props can make or break your image. It's a fragile zone between cute and cheesy… so be careful. You've been warned!
• Plan your outfits. It should be coordinated but not matching. For example, we chose dark outfits with pops of red (my lipstick, V's bow tie) and plaid on Michael and V's shirt. I was so stressed about what I should wear. I wanted to go "cozy" but bulky clothes is not the most flattering on me nor is it a classic look. I am happy with our outfit choices. We look comfortable, clean and classic!
• Put some thought into your props. I like the antique feel, and that's my choice of decor at home. I like original prices like my mistletoe. I bought this for my pregnancy shoot and used it again for our family shoot. I also had a hat made for Victor to support a fellow mom's business. I did a bit of Pinter-research to get inspired too. 
• Make sure you book the session at a good time where baby will have had a nap and food. They need to be rested because it's a lot of work for them. 9 months is a good age because they can smile, they can sit up, they can't walk yet so they will stay put. Get the good pictures out of the way, because their energy doesn't last.
• Make sure you like your hair, that you put on makeup (while still looking like yourself) and have the men with clean hair and shaven face. You can't look scruffy, unless that's the look you are going for. Photographers always complement on my makeup, and I later tell them that I am a makeup artist, which helps :)
• Be organized on the day of the shoot. As you know I love lists and I would die without them. Again, if I die, there will be great photos of me (full circle, see how I did that?) haha. For real though, make sure you have payment, your props, your list of photo ideas, outfit changes, your diaper bag with milk and snacks, baby's favourite toy for distraction and give yourself enough time to get beautiful!
• And for all photos, smile, have fun and be yourself! Candid shots are gorgeous, just like the posed ones can be as well.

Have you planned a shoot? Need some help or inspiration? Leave your comments below, I'd love to help!

Fun sox are a great way to make an expression!