Search Results for “lillian” – Page 3 – Snapshots & My Thoughts by Ailee Petrovic

Personal November 30, 2015

Week in Review

Happy Cyber Monday! Have you taken advantage of any of the amazing deals yet? I hope Sasha is not home when my boxes arrive! Some of my favorite stores’ sales include Madewell: 25% off your entire purchase, LOFT: 50% off everything, J. Crew: 30% off everything, Gap: 40% off everything, Old Navy: 40% off everything, and Nordstrom: Up to 40% off. Yikes.

Anyway, can you believe there are only 32 days until Christmas? I’m so excited. Sasha finally got our tree down from the attic last night, and I started decorating. I need some serious help though!

Having our annual Serbian “cousin night out” at Benjys and then heading to karaoke at Glitter afterwards. Sasha and I sang Uptown Funk and embarrassed ourselves, but had a great time doing it!
Eating dinner at Ruggles Green with one of my best friends, Kirby, and Isla’s best friend, Lillian. Isla pushed Lily around in her doll stroller and loved it!
Celebrating Thanksgiving day with my family, our friends and then Sasha’s family! I love that holiday so much – it’s so nice to spend a whole day with people you love!
Putting up the tree and decor – follow along on Snapchat @aileepetrovic for short little videos!
Taking my family’s photos with a latter and umbrella in the rain… we are crazy! See photographic evidence below!
Photographing five sweet families in various pretty spots throughout the week and on Saturday and Sunday!
Getting a small toe surgery to remove an ingrown toe nail on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving… just an hour before taking family photos!
Doing a festive Christmas shoot at Firethorne with two of the most gorgeous little ladies!
Taking blog photos for Alex, Destiny, Sara and Caroline – a busy fashion blog week!
Taking Lauren Mills’ family photos at her parent’s house!
Having a call with Natasha of Burdlife for an upcoming shoot – she is so sweet and I’m excited to collaborate with her!

How was your Thanksgiving? Are you participating in Cyber Monday sales?

Personal June 22, 2015

Week in Review

Happy Monday! I cannot believe how quickly the last week (okay, month) has flown by. I keep on promising to get caught up, but I’m struggling to actually accomplish this. We’re heading to Colorado on Friday for a friend’s wedding, then I’m meeting my parents and Isla in Durango on Sunday and will spend a few weeks there. We haven’t gone back since spending the entire summer there last year, and we’re both itching for the mountain air. Hiking with Isla will be so much more challenging though! Ha.

This past Monday, I flew to Oklahoma City to visit one of my best friends, Kirby, and her daughter, Lillian, and husband, Brett (whom Sasha loves). Lillian is almost one, and it was so much fun to see the girls interact with each other. By interact, I obviously mean pull books of the bookshelves! Isla was a little aggressive with her hugs at first, but she calmed down after the first day! Ha. We were supposed to take photos with a photographer named Jessa Kae, but she canceled due to the rain, so we hurried outside and snapped a few photos of Lillian (and some with Isla). She is so gorgeous! I can’t wait to share more photos after her birthday!

We flew back on Wednesday, then spent Thursday running errands, going to swim class and meeting with Ally at Equinox (opening this year in Houston!). I was asked by Ashley of Sugar & Cloth to help out with a BHLDN photo shoot, so I went to try my dress on, and unfortunately, it did not work in the chest area, so I had to go and get a topper to conceal my milk-bearing chest! Embarrassing, yes. The shoot on Friday was so much fun, and I’m dying to see how the photos turned out. I absolutely love Ashley’s style and Jared’s photos, and every detail of the set was perfect.

Other highlights from the week included:

Spending Saturday morning with a former co-worker turned friend at the Trellis spa at the Houstonian. I got an oxygen facial, and I love it! I was totally convinced that I needed to buy all Natura Bisse products! Have you ever tried them? I would love some first-hand opinions!
Seeing that Isla’s party was voted as one of the finalists on Project Nursery! I would love your vote!
Celebrating two of our favorite boys’ 1st birthdays on Saturday – Isla was exhausted after back-to-back parties, but we all had such a great time. I’m going to be sharing photos from the parties this week!
Finally finishing off thank you cards (only two and a half weeks late!) – what a relief! I also managed to put away the honeycomb backdrop, as it’s going to be used in Cake & Confetti’s birthday celebration tomorrow evening (cannot wait!).
Spending Father’s Day celebrating Sasha and my dad at my parent’s house. We had lots and lots of fun in the pool (and quite a few Crave cupcakes!). I love all of the dads in my life.
Eating family dinner on Friday at our house and then playing Bananagrams afterwards (I adore this game). My older sister also babysat Isla while I was at the spa on Saturday. She took her to the Farmer’s Market! What a fun little outing.
Splashing around in swim class with new moms, as the summer session just started. It’s so nice to meet other moms with similar aged babies in the area. Isla still doesn’t get the point of kicking, but she loves going under the water so much.
Finishing some wedding work for my good friend, Brittany, who is getting married in Vail on Saturday. It’s going to be so gorgeous! I am beyond excited (and can’t wait to see our hotel room at the Sonnenalp!).
So. Many. Bubbles. Isla is obsessed. We started every single morning off with bubbles in the driveway, because she chants “buhh-ble, buhh-ble” during breakfast. It cracks me up, and I totally cave and let her play. She’s a demanding little lady! Watch this video for proof!

How was your past week? Did you have a good Father’s Day? Tell me about it in the comments below! xo

Willow Crowns (1 of 1)-10
Willow Crowns (1 of 1)-8 Willow Crowns (1 of 1)-43

Personal June 15, 2015

Week in Review

Remember how last week, I alluded to perhaps resting this week post-party? Well, that did not happen, and isn’t going to happen this week, as I head to Oklahoma City today to visit one of my bestest best friends and her daughter, Lillian, then come back to a few meetings and an exciting photoshoot with Sugar & Cloth that I’ll share details about later. I am bursting at the seams with excitement over our short ‘second generation of bestie’ trip, as I don’t get to see them enough and love them to pieces (Brett too, of course). Lillian is getting her first birthday photos taken on Tuesday, and we’re sneaking in for some bestie shots too! I cannot wait for this!

The past week was wonderful, as we got to celebrate Sasha’s birthday and spend lots of quality family and friend time. A few highlights from the week include:

Isla got new sunglasses in the mail from Blue Bison Designs – a friend from high school’s new Etsy monogramming business. I adore them! And she was cracking me up trying to put them on upside down. That girl!
Swimming every single day of the week, either at my parent’s house, in swim class, in our wading pool or in our next door neighbor’s pool. Isla is a total fish!
Meeting some of my favorite Houston mamas (all Instagram friends-turned-real-friends) at the Ervan Chew splash pad. Isla loved it (see fish comment above). See this photo’s tag for everyone included!
Getting fun packages from Cuteheads Kids and Willow Crowns – incredible businesses owned by two of the mamas I met at the splash pad! I first met both Esther and Megan when we were on Great Day Houston the same day, and we’ve kept in touch ever since. Love them both!
Attending a floral crown workshop hosted by Meredith of Cake & Confetti at Baanou (Houston’s coolest boutique!). More details and photos to come from the Get Crafty Workshop later this week (some pictures below).
Since we skipped Isla’s normal The Little Gym class in order to go to the splash pad, we went on Saturday morning as a family and loved it. Having Sasha there to flip Isla and walk her along the beam was so nice! She had a great time with Tata too.
Going to The Monogram Shop to pick out a cute little dress and bloomers for Isla to wear in an upcoming picnic shoot (details to come soon!). She was all over the place (walking is insane!), but I adore that store and it will always be a highlight to go and visit.
Celebrating Sasha’s birthday with TCBY and vegan cupcakes from both Crave and Sprinkles. Needless to say, my BBG workout/diet started on Thursday! Lots of time spent at Lifetime Fitness this week!
My dad’s retirement started a few weeks ago, and although he seems to be keeping busy with Board of Directors work, we have loved seeing him throughout the week. He dropped by quickly on Monday just to say ‘Hi’ (and to help pick Sasha’s gifts – whoops!) – it’s so nice to see him more often already!
Taking Isla to the doctor for her one year check-up, which she passed with flying colors. We ran into baby Pierce and his sweet parents as we were leaving (the day after I took his newborn photos!).
Finally going to get my eyes checked by my friend, Ashley (ahem, Dr. Bagwell) of West Houston Eye. She looked like a million bucks with the cutest Kate Spade/Anthropologie-esque outfit on – I wanted to snatch it right off her! I am in trouble for wearing my contacts too much and not letting my eyes rest, so I’m working on getting my 20/20 vision back. What a bad patient I am!
Spending time during the weekend with my sister-in-law, Ivana, who lives in San Francisco, but is in Texas right now for work (coolest job ever at Google – so jealous!).
Sipping tasty drinks at Julep for Cocktails with Creatives (an AIGA event) – I met my friends, Meredith and Brittany, and finally got to meet Ryann, the creative whiz behind Nine Zero Nine Creative.
Getting two of the most gorgeous paintings from my mother-in-law and her husband, Nenad, who is an incredible artist. I am dying to show photos of the two paintings soon! They’re perfect.
Meeting an old co-worker, Catherine, and her mom at Rienzi to take head shots for their new non-profit organization which will be empowering young women in Houston by matching them with female mentors. I’m so excited to share details and be a part of this!
Celebrating my friend, Judy, and her fiancé, Josh, at a stock-the-bar shower on Saturday night! They’re getting married in August, and I can’t wait for the wedding.
Getting trained before church to be a Sunday School volunteer in our children’s ministry (ideally the little babies!). Bayou City Fellowship has been so wonderful to us, and we’ve enjoyed having Isla watched while we worship, so it’s about time we gave back!

How was your week? What were your highlights? Please excuse the insane amount of photos below, but I couldn’t help but to overshare!

Décor May 6, 2015

10 Tips for a (Non-Cheesy) 1st Birthday Shoot

BirthdayShoot

We’re taking Isla’s first birthday photos next Friday, which is sort of crazy as she just celebrated her 11 month-iversary on Monday. However, I wanted to use the photos at her first birthday party, and we’re going to be gone for the two weeks leading up to her big day… so we’re doing them a little early! We’re having Paige of Awake Photography take them for us, as I love her pictures! She took our little Petrovic family Christmas photos, our Semple family photos and pictures for my stroller fitness post.

I’m also super excited, as last night, I booked a flight to Oklahoma City for a quick two day trip to visit one of my bestest friends, Kirby, and her adorable daughter Lillian (of course, Brett too)! One of my favorite photographers, Jessa Kae, is doing 50 shoots in 50 states in 50 days (how cool is that??), and Lillian is having her first birthday photos taken on June 16, so we’re going to join in for some ‘two generations of best friends’ photos. We’ve been talking about these forever now, and I’m beyond excited for them!

I love looking at first birthday photo shoots, although many of the ones on Pinterest are a bit too cheesy for my liking (see suggestion #9). Therefore, as I’ve done my research and prepped for Isla’s photos, I thought I’d share some tips for how to take beautiful and fun first birthday photos.

Do you have any other tips you could add?

1. Choose the best time of day for your baby. Although shooting during the ‘golden hour’ (around 7pm) is definitely the prettiest for lighting, Isla goes to bed at 6:30pm, so we opt for early morning shoots. After a full night of sleep, Isla is definitely most chirpy during this time. Make sure to specify what time of day you want to take the photos when you’re trying to pick a date with your photographer.

2. Pack multiple outfits. Isla will have two outfits to wear on Friday, but I’ll pack a third just in case something happens (blowouts are a real risk!). Try not to be too attached to any one outfit, and make at least one as neutral as possible. Sasha and I will only wear one outfit, so but I’ve got to coordinate those with her two different outfits. Solid colors work for men’s shirts and women’s dresses, especially if baby is in a print. The same works if your baby and husband are in solids – you can be a little more playful with what you choose to wear.

3. Bake a cake (or cupcake)! Cake smashes can be a hit or miss, but they are worth the try. I personally think a cupcake is a smart idea for this, as cakes can be pricey and likely won’t get eaten by anyone. Babies are small, so cupcakes seem more appropriate and are cute. See if you can get the icing to color-coordinate with your baby’s outfit (or diaper cover, depending on what you choose to do).

4. Get in front of the camera too. I know some parents choose not to be in their baby’s first birthday photos, but I recommend you take the opportunity to have some family pictures taken. If you don’t want to hire someone, you and your spouse can rotate who is in the picture or even use a tripod! If you’re new to the area and don’t know who to hire, I would use Style Me Pretty’s Little Black Book and narrow down to your city. I know they are technically wedding photographers, but you’ll find most take family pictures too!

5. Add a pop of color (balloons, streamers, etc.)! #9 below touches on props (and limiting them!), but I think it’s important to have a pop of color in these pictures. I am very much so a neutral person (our house is light yellows and muted grays), but I suggest incorporating some bright color into the photos to make it ‘kiddy.’ You can find fun colorful items at Shop Sweet Lulu, like balloons, garlands, and confetti. That store is seriously amazing.

Personal February 23, 2015

Week in Review

I seriously had the best week ever, so much appreciation to all of my lovely friends who made me feel extra special on my birthday. I was surprised by the most gorgeous flowers delivered from my sweet friend Mara (of Hook, Thread and Tinker) – the only way I would have been more excited about the delivery would have been if she had been at my doorstep instead of thousands of miles away in chilly Chicago! I also got beautiful flowers from my three close friends from high school, and have them spread around the house, bringing happiness to various corners! It’s incredible the joy that florals can bring.

In addition to birthday festivities (more details below), one of my best friends, Kirby, was in town with her husband, Brett, and daughter, Lillian (more about this tiny little angel here!). I am so incredibly grateful for the time we were able to spend together (as they live in Oklahoma City), and Sasha is too, as he loves Brett.

We had dinner at her brother and sister-in-law’s house on Friday, then went to her parent’s house during the day on Saturday and celebrated Mardi Gras together at our mutual friend’s parents house on Saturday night. I wish they lived here so badly, but I’ll take action packed visits as a second best option any day!

Some other exciting things that took place this week include:

Getting treated to birthday lunch by my best friend, McKenzie, and her wonderful boyfriend, Bryan – we ate at True Food Kitchen, and I’m officially obsessed
Eating birthday dinner with Sasha and Isla at Rosie Carrabba’s, which is one of our favorite spots in the city (and his ‘Holy Ship, it’s your birthday!’ card still has be laughing)
Celebrating my birthday with my family at Benjy’s on Washington on Saturday for lunch – their beet hummus and Brussels sprouts are phenomenal
Meeting Sasha during his lunch break at Zoe’s Kitchen on Monday – his office is only 15 minutes away, so getting to see him for a bit during the day is such a treat
Going to lunch with two co-worker friends on Friday at none other than Ruggles Green – so much fun to chat with them, especially since the main topic of conversation was blogging!
Feeding Isla restaurant food – she had a chicken skewer at Zoe’s Kitchen, a grilled chicken breast at Benjy’s and Carrabba’s, and guacamole and quinoa from A Moveable Feast – it makes our meals a smidgen more expensive, but we love watching her feed herself like a tiny human (and these stick-on mats are necessary now!)
Sleeping – although Sasha and I both feel exhausted from the busy week, Isla has slept from 6:30 pm – 7:30am every night this week, and I’m praying it’s not just a fluke… I want to get used to that!
Planning the final wedding details with Amanda, who surprised me with gorgeous tulips, delicious vegan cookies from Whole Foods and an amazing card on my birthday!
Getting a manicure and pedicure at Paradise Nails while Isla’s Baba (Sasha’s mom) babysat – it was such a treat, and I’m definitely going to try to keep it up (typically terrible at this…)
Going to Sephora and being surprised by my birthday gift, which was two NARS lipsticks – my favorite gift they’ve ever given!
Catching up with one of my best friends, Paola, who moved to Honduras after their wedding in Mexico City last fall and I miss her so much it’s insane! I did not want to get off the phone!
Spending way too much money at The Monogram Shop – that place is dangerous (if you live in Houston, you need to go)
Spending the night at my parent’s house after the Mardi Gras party and waking up with the entire family there – my two sisters had spent the night too!
Buying and setting up new furniture for our bedroom as gifts from my parents – they also got me the Audrey Lamp, which has been on my birthday and Christmas lists for years!
Heading to Memorial Park during a patch of sunshine on Sunday and doing the 3-mile loop together (and Isla’s straw hat does me in every time!)

You can also follow along during the week by following on Instagram! How was your week? What were the highlights?