Shine Bright Firefly

Things have been incredibly busy for the Robinson family. I hope to be able to finally catch you up...
So, I will start with the difficult one. Maybe I have been so far behind on posts because this one is so hard.

After a six month battle with cancer, Sarah Chidgey Hughes passed on in peace on February 16, 2011. And so on June 11th, I joined my sorority sisters, friends and family to walk in her honor at the first annual One Step 5K.

Congrats and Pool Day

My posts seem to continue to pile up on me so I will work hard to get all caught up this week!

Many moons ago, or so it seems, we had the Petersen's over for a celebration dinner! Ashley and Chris are expecting their second baby and sweet Ella is going to be a big sister. We could not be more excited for them. Ashley is one of the cutest pregnant mommies!

Robinsons in Whoville

When we first moved into the neighborhood, I met Marianne at our women's club. Unfortunately, we kept missing each other at the meetings and then I became pregnant and put on bedrest and then Marianne became pregnant. We never really had a chance to connect beyond knowing what a sweet neighbor she was. Our friendship; however was meant to be. It just so happens that Carin's "friend" close by that went to her highschool who was going to start joining our playdates and Claire's friend also same highschool living in the neighborhood and most recently Alicia's friend and Jenn's friend and so on and so one IS... Marianne Horton! As soon as it clicked; As soon as we got the chance to truly visit... it was like we had been friends for years. The best part is that their family lives so close that you could hit a golf ball into their yard from mine. I feel like my neighborhood stepped out of the movies where we walk in the evenings pushing the babies and drinking a little wine from time to time in the front yard. Where our littles splash in the pool and play on blankets laid out underneath the trees. Where the playground is within arms reach and where Liam will learn to ride his bicycle from the safety of a double cul de sac and protective moms with orange cones at the entrance.

We have literally dropped into Whoville. The city located on a single spec in this great big city protected by 'elephant' caring moms and neighbors. And my neighbor "Whos" are known for their characteristic welcoming spirits and warm hearts. I cannot believe it took us so long to finally connect with the precious Horton family. Marianne is the kind of friend everyone wishes for where she treats everyone like "A person's a person no matter how small" She is genuine and kind. And Kevin and Bill get along great having similar interests! Lainey is one of the most gorgeous little girls Liam and I have ever seen and her personality lights up the room. No dating until you are older little man! wink!

Photograph by Marianne Horton

Chic Boutique Trunk Show

Last Thursday I did something I swore I would never do. I hosted a trunk show. It is not that I have anything against the jewelry, the makeup, the candles... it is just that I always feel pressured to buy. I end up buying some item that goes in a drawer because I really want to support moms that make it work from home. I admire them for finding an occupation that allows them to stay with their kids. I for some reason never really find that 'treasure' that others seem to. Until a couple of weeks ago when I attended a Chic Boutique trunk show at my friend, Claire's home. I had the best shopping experience and came home with three loaded bags!

Meet Shelby, the creative buyer behind Chic Boutique. Shelby has an eye for fashion. For what is in. What is hot. What is now! Chic Boutique features lines such as Glam, Voom and Freeway. A few of her pieces you might find in those upscale boutiques like Soho, yet Shelby won't leave you in sticker shock. I managed to pick up a top featured in the latest issue of glamour magazine as well as a Reese Witherspoon inspired coat with hot pink lining on clearance for an amazing $60.

Reggae Banana

Every good friendship has a story and ours is no different. The story of the Robbins and the Robinsons goes somthing like this...

Bill and I were two weeks into the whole parenting thing when my parents suggested that we get out of the house for a couple of hours. So I finished feeding the baby and we dashed out knowing that we had about 2 1/2 hours before the next round. With those free 2 hours we went where? Babies-R-Us. As if we were not totally consumed enough, but I will say that we needed some supplies and it was meant for a quick dash in and dash out kind of thing. On with the story...

On our way out Bill recognized someone he had hung out with at several work events... pregnant wife in tow. A simple Hi and nice to meet you would have been fine I am sure, but she had that look in her eyes. The one that puts you into tears in the bottle aisle because how the hell are you supposed to know which is BPA free, which nipple size and shape to choose and which brand for that matter. I remember that look. The very same look that walked me out of Babies-R-Us just a few months prior. The look of complete defeat! Open the flood gates of discussion. I am sure that I would have freely given mommy tips that I had learned from my other girlfriends, but let's be honest... I had just come off of 13 weeks bedrest and 2 more sleep deprived weeks with a newborn so I was ready for human interaction. I was full of "I wish someone had told me" moments! In fact, I think that so many moms have selective amnesia after giving birth. They simply choose to forget. Two weeks is the perfect time to get mom information. To manage proper expectations. Although I am not sure that I helped with the look of fear. I am pretty sure I scared Sayler half to death.

They don't tell you that 3 days after you give birth your boobs swell to watermelons, get hot and stand straight up under your chin. Just call me Pamela! They don't tell you that you might have baseballs as ankles so don't walk around so much or that hemorrhoids are just part of the package along with a blown-up donut "Booby prize." They don't tell you to eat or drink before you go to the hospital if you go right before a meal because ice chips just don't cut it or to bring your own pillow with color case so they don't get mixed up with the white hospital ones. They forget to mention buying pampers wipes but one package of huggies for the box because the Huggies box is better as it has teeth to grab the wipes but pampers are much softer. You end up wasting time and money on the wrong damn wipes!

They do tell you about how it is all worth it. How that amazing little life fills you with so much joy and so much love. And really, in the end all the other stuff doesn't matter. It gets forgotten as it should. We ended up spending 2 hours laughing with the Robbins in the Babies-R-Us aisle. The more we talked, the more we laughed. You know how some personalities just mesh? And you can talk to some people like you have known them your entire life? That is how we feel about the Robbins. The fact that Sayler's favorite is cotton candy and that she didn't eat blue m&ms because they turned her mouth blue probably set the friendship over the top, but so our story began and we have been good friends ever since. We could not be more blessed that our paths crossed that day and when they gave birth to their son, Sam we were so thrilled for them.