DIY Instagram Board Book

Last year I worked for about 4 months collecting images all around our home to make EJ her very own Alphabet Board Book.  It all started around the end of summer when I was house sitting with Lisa at a beautiful little bungalow near the city.  I have fond memories of watching An Affair to Remember all snuggled up with some Ben & Jerry's and shooing away two doggies.  RIP little bungalow, I sure enjoyed pretending you were my house.  Hey Lis, I wish we could go back.

Here are the images in 3 volumes. (1,2,3)

I found a company that does custom board books and sent the book off to print for a Christmas present for Evaleigh.  I used My Custom Story.  I highly recommend them.  The quality of the book has withstood the test of my little book biter and they shipped it a couple of weeks sooner than expected!  I am so in love with how it turned out and I love seeing EJ enjoy it.  (P.S. I spy one hand of painted fingernails and a curl popping out of her head at the end!)

Vintage First Birthday Tea Party for Evaleigh

This past weekend we celebrated one whole year of Evaleigh Joy's life.  We had a Vintage Tea Party for her at our little townhouse in Atlanta.  So many people helped to make this day special.  (A special thanks to Karen and CJ for helping me learn how to frost a ruffle cake!)  EJ was a perfect birthday girl.  She walked around so proud of her new dress and smiled and was happy the whole time (except when she almost inhaled all of the frosting off of the top of her cupcake).  We loved watching her with all of her family and friends who came.  It was a tight squeeze in our little space but thankfully the weather was kind and we made it work.  We had all of EJ's monthly videos playing in the living room for everyone to watch.  Thank you to everyone who made her First Birthday so special!

Happy Birthday darling girl, we can't wait to see what this next year is like with you!

Cupcake: Sweet Dee's Bakeshop

Hairbow: Bow to the Queen and King

Tea cups and mugs: Anthropologie-similar

Striped Paper Straws : Target

Big Round Balloons: Balloonsfast.com

Felt Balls: Tadaa Studio Felt

a little one year old

This past weekend we had Evaleigh's first birthday tea party.

It was surreal to be the mom at my child's birthday party.

Can't wait to share the details of the decorations tomorrow.

Til then enjoy these pictures by my dear friend Katie from Life Framed Photography (Thanks Katie!).  And a video of EJ smashing her cupcake (Thanks Jen!).

happy birthday evaleigh joy

Today, Evaleigh is one.

It has been such an honor to be her parents for a whole year.  It has been the happiest and most full year of our lives.  Watching her grow and make us laugh while we take in every minute of her has been simply the best.

I just don't even know how to take in the fact that we have had her for a whole year.  I remember a year ago today so perfectly. This time last year I had just woken up and we were getting ready to go to the hospital for the c-section.  That was the best day of my life.

Today Evaleigh is bringing me stuffed animals and giving them huge hugs.  Everytime we go down the stairs I'll sit down at the top steps and wait til I feel two little arms hug around my neck and then I give EJ a piggy back ride all the way down, she loves it.

This morning she woke up at 7am and John and I went in to her room together to get her while singing Happy Birthday.  She probably thought it was pretty weird.  She gave us an uneasy look, we are already embarrassing her.  

I can't wait to celebrate her life all day.

11

Darling girl,

I can't believe that this is the last video before you turn one.  This first year of your life has been the absolute biggest joy of mine and your Daddy's life.  Right now you are standing in our living room watching all of your monthly videos on the big screen.  

You love to stick your fingers in our mouths all of the time and you giggle when we nibble on them.  You love to dance.  You still love to nurse more than anything and I'm just fine with that, you have the rest of your life for big girl food.  You took your first steps a few weeks ago but this past week you have really started walking.  I'm so proud of you.  Your favorite activities are 'reading books' upside down and climbing the stairs like its your job.  You still love sitting still and pounding your feet on the ground.  YOU HAVE 10 TEETH, with  more on the way!!  You can say 'mama' 'dada' 'jesus' 'puppy' 'bye'.  You can clap, wave, and blow kisses.  You love to wrap your sweet little arms around mama and daddy's neck and giving us really wet open mouth kisses.

We love you.

evaleighjoymonth11final2 from John and Rachel Murphy on Vimeo.

month 10

month 9

month 8

month 7

month 6

month 5

month 4

month 3

month 2

month 1

2 0 1 2

Two thousand twelve was the absolute best.

I remember crying the first New Year's Eve that John and I were newlyweds.  I was sad that I couldn't say that we were in the year that we had been married in anymore.  If I had only known then how much better each year after that would get I would have never been so silly.

I started off 2012 as a very VERY pregnant woman. I loved every minute of being pregnant and can't wait to do it again when it happens.
On January 17th our perfect Evaleigh Joy Murphy was born in to this world and changed us forever.  That was by far our greatest accomplishment of 2012.
We enjoyed our first moments of being a family to the fullest by making forts and eating yummy things.

I soaked in every moment with my sweet little newborn.
John and I participated in an art project for a friend.
I started Tunes & Spoons Design.  I am so grateful for all of my wonderful clients and the super successful first year of designing that I had!  Can't wait to continue designing and making beautiful little spots on the internet.

Evaleigh had her very special blessing day at church and all of our family came.
Spearmint Baby featured EJ's nursery.
We cloth diapered Evie for several months

I had my gallbladder removed.  It was the most painful thing ever, by far worse than the c-section.  But I got to spend time relaxing and recovering with my sweet little family.
I threw my sister a baby shower for Parker.
Evie took her first swim at Nanny's house.

May was a very eventful month.  Cousin Parker was born!!
I had my very first Mother's Day.
Mr. Murphy and I celebrated two awesome years of marriage in Savannah.  We ordered lots of delicious food up to our river front hotel.  Evaleigh tagged along and we felt like real grownups.
EJ took her first trip to the beach.

My little girl grew and grew.
We took a trip down to the Glenn Murphy Ranch and got to be with our nieces.  Mom came down and EJ got her first teeth.
I tried to see the good in our situation of still living with my mother.

Evie tourtured me by refusing to say 'mama'
I tried super hard to make my great gandmother's famous...literally famous Caramel Cake.
Evaleigh turned 6 months and I marveled at how fast she was growing.

I got to make music with Mr. Murphy and we performed for an unplugged event.
I got to help throw a really cool Bridal Shower for a dear friend with a pretty cool lady.
I started Evaleigh's Instagram Alphabet Book.

I bought an amazing chartreuse chair.
I had a fun adventure of designing sets for Holly Robbins for a couple of her photo shoots.  I enjoyed working for her and creating beautiful things.
We spent lots of family time together and hung outside of the temple.

I turned 25 and chose to stay young and play on the playground with my husband that night.
We did fall things with Evie.
WE MADE THE BIG MOVE TO THE CITY!!  We got a townhouse and settled in for the Holidays.  Having our own place feels like being newlyweds again, we forgot how fun it was!

We got a teensy bit of a rough start in our new place.  But it didn't phase us because we were too excited to be there.
We bought our Christmas tree from some interesting Boy Scouts.  Evaleigh was also mistaken for a boy.
We got to dress our place up for Evaleigh's first Christmas.

I had a life changing experience at the Symphony with my father.
We soaked in every bit of Christmas that we could.
EJ had her very first Christmas.

Oh...and we had a puppy for about 24 hours.
But thats another story for another day.

2012,

Thanks for being so great.  Can't wait to see what 2013 has in store.  
Another Baby?  
John rocking it starting back to college? 
New friends?  
Married parents?

So excited.

(See last year's review here.  And the year before that here.)