A Little Nautical: Eli's 2nd Birthday Bash is on Style Me Pretty Living

I have always known that I was an incredibly detail oriented person. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been the one pointing out the obvious, or, what I think is obvious, in everything that crosses my path. I am a perfectionist to a fault and my parents continually used to tell me growing up…Just wait until you have kids. You won’t always have a clean house, vacuumed floors, or matching dishes. But here I am. A brand new THIRTY year old with a toddler. And, for the most part, I’m still holding those high standards for all the things I wasn’t supposed to have. I am not one to rest easy and I have to make time to relax. But photography is my life-blood and so I’ve been fortunate enough to have experienced some of the greatest parts to life: a job, actually two jobs, that are anything but JOBS. And then add in the best little thing to have happened in my life–Eli–and it just doesn’t seem fair. He’s way too good, too cute, and too much fun. And I’m way too in love. … When Eli turned one, I intended to throw my husband and I a party. I knew it was for mostly for us in celebrating our first year as parents because he’ d most likely never remember it, but I mustered up the energy to try and go “all out.” It was a blast, it was pretty, and I still remember all the details I had spent hours putting together. But then a year went by faster than it should have and he was turning TWO. Only a few weeks before the big 02, I decided to try and outdo myself. I have no idea why I’m so internally competitive, but I do it for those moments in life when I’m feeling less than worthy. Or less than my very best. On those days, I will sit for hours and scroll through all the things I’ve spent half my life documenting. It’s the same thing that keeps me still energetically photographing Eli’s everyday life one photo, once a day…600+ days later.

I am not the best mom. I am not the best photographer. And I am not the perfect person I continually strive to be. But I work a lot. I pray more. I cry hard. I laugh harder. I sleep (sometimes). And I love. A bit too much.

I’m so tickled and honored and overwhelmingly ecstatic (can you picture all that?! ;)) to finally share Eli’s 2nd birthday bash. And I don’t think I’ll be sleeping anytime soon from sheer excitement over the fact that one of my all-time coveted blogs has decided to feature it today! Style Me Pretty, I’ve been swooning over all your posts for years and I can NOT believe that not only my work, but my life, is being featured today. Thank you for seeing my heart in the details. And mom and dad, I know you’re abundantly proud of me for this party, this feature, and for having a clean house and immaculately matched dishes, but I have to be honest with you: I have a Roomba. And that is why my floors are always perfectly vacuumed. 😉