My First Birthday Dress

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Isabella's First day as a second grader

Good morning everyone!!!

Today is Isabella's first day as a second grader student. WOW time goes fast, seems like the other day she was just a little babe. Now, she even didn't let me pick a nicer outfit for her first day, the one I chose for her she said it was not comfortable, she would rather have comfort over style LOL, gotta love that little girl! :)

The house feels empty, what a difference our kids makes in our lives.

The cutest thing she said this morning to me when I asked her only joking:

- How about now my second grader? Are you still going to sit with the kindergarten kids on the bus?

- Mommy, I am still going to do that because what counts is not the the cover up but what it is inside a kid and I enjoy the little ones....

That made me feel so proud of my little girl :) She has been growing up so much lately. To all the kids out there. Let's all moms pray that they will be safe and God bless our little ones and our family :)

Have a blessed day!

Zee

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Never let people, money, or your past control your life

Today... Oh today... I could go on and on about all the things that happened today, some good, some bad. As always, LOTS of work. No matter how hard I worked today, how many challenges I've faced today, no matter how many times I wondered WHY? I am so thankful for this wonderful day :)

Thank you so much dear Lord for one more opportunity that I had to spend time with the ones I love and really matter in my life. Thank you for teaching me how to say "NO"," IT"S ENOUGH" This was something I have been trying to learn for a long time, but today I consider myself a victorious. I said NO. How do I feel now? I feel like a heavy load is off my shoulder and I am in control of my life and business again. It's a good feeling :) That is why I chose to have my own business, to be my own boss, to work from home, so that nobody would tell me what to do. Yes, I know my little First Birthday Dresses don't make me enough money yet, but I also, I know myself, I know exactly what I want and I am in no hurry to get there... I like to enjoy, to stop and smell the flowers along the way.

I know the time will come when I wont be able to make enough dress for my website. I can see it clearly. it's my passion, my pride and joy. So, don't tell me what to do and what make or doesn't make money. I want to have a life, I want to enjoy what I do. What we take with us from this world when we are gone, are all the good moments that we live, so, thanks for misunderstanding my words, that was the only way to set me free. I am SO THANKFUL for today :) All the work is done and I am ready for some rest. I know that tomorrow will be a brand new day and that everything will be possible because I BELIEVE :))

Blessings to you all kids :)

Monday, August 19, 2013

Yes this is our motto “True Course Ever”

Hi there :)

How was your day? Busy?

You tell me about it...I have been up at 5:00 AM working and right now it's 9:56 PM. At 4:30 I had to stop for a few hours so that I could attend my Pilots Meeting. Am I a Pilot? Nah... Pilot International is this wonderful non profit organization that I am proud to be part of and serve as a board member. If you want to find out more about it, here is the link to the website.Pilot International It feels good to be able to help and raise awareness about brain related injures and diseases, adding to this mission we make lot of friends around the country and the world at the same time. Friends that we can count on them during good and bad times, our motto is “True Course Ever” :) My life, is much better better and makes more sense when I am able to help and donate some of my time to make this world a little better. I believe in the human being and I believe that if each one of us donate a little bit of our time, we can change the world around us. What a good feeling it is knowing the I am not only passing through this world, I have been trying to touch other peoples lives. Thank you Lord for giving me the desire and helping me to find the time to do this. Our Chapter in Springfield is still tiny compared to others but, we will find more member to join us . Today it's our Governor Holly Spirrison Baker 's birthday. She was supposed to be among us but her family needed her with them tonight, Karla, from Jacksonville, IL, brought a tiny and delicious cake, we ate it in Holly's honor :) afte our meeting was over with. What wouldn't we do to put a smile on Holly's face :))) Happy Birthday Holly. God bless you always.

I am very proud of women like her who have two small kids at home, work and still find time and dedication to be a "Pilot" There is no better way in my opinion, to show our kids how to make a difference than making it ourselves.

Sometimes, when I lay in bed to finally rest, I thank God for one more day and I get amazed with everything I get to accomplish in a day. Lots of work done today. No My First Birthday Dress embroidered though, too many regular orders to get delivered.

Tomorrow will be another day and I hope I will be able to have another beautiful and productive one. I want you to BELIEVE that you can do anything if you decide that you want to.

Blessings to you and your family.

Zee

Friday, August 16, 2013

Trying to get back to the normalcy

Hi there! It’s been a while since I have posted here.

I had my parents visiting from Brazil, they were here for a month and we had lots of fun but, I've gotten so swamped with my work. Unfortunately I couldn't take the entire month to enjoy their visit to Springfield, IL, but trying to jungle in between work and given them some attention.

At the beginning of their stay at our home, it was really hectic, Customers calling, coming in out all the time, I was feeling kind of lost but, things got better. Isabella, my 7 years old daughter had some fun time at the pool with her grandparents but, the language barrier really sucked. They don’t speak English and Isabella doesn't speak Portuguese so, it was a little confusing for her.

The best part of their trip, was being able to give my daddy a party to celebrate his 66 years. He was so happy and excited with our friends coming to say happy birthday and enjoy some good food with us. I love my daddy :) My mommy and daddy also went fishing, we went to the church and did some nice things together.

What I didn't know is that my Daddy's dream was to be able to fly on a plane. He had never flown before. It made me feel very good inside, knowing that I was able to turn one of my daddy's dream come true..

My parent’s visit has taught me something very important. I REALLY need to teach my daughter the Portuguese Language. Poor thing couldn't communicate very well with grandpa. Actually, I think we all should teach our kids another Language because it will make their life much easier in the future.

Oh right, now that I am back to normal life, I am keeping on embroidering my First Birthday Dresses and hoping that the economy will get better soon so that I will be able to sell more of them. It’s my treat to myself, stop once in a while and enjoy sometime embroidering each one of my little dresses.

Juliana has still been helping me with the website and I am so happy about that… One less thing to worry about.

Yesterday, after I had a dress sold on my website, I realized that my customers didn't know they could have their dresses personalized for free with their baby’s name, so, I had to make some changes to the website. I hope it will bring me more Customers :)

I intend to start posting more often now that life is getting back on track and finding out more way to help the moms celebrating their babies First birthday! It’s a very special occasion and an important milestone in a child’s life, celebrate their First Year of life.

Here are some pictures of my parents visit

You all have a great day and enjoy life 

Blessings

Zee

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Celebrating your baby's first birthday

\Whether you're planning an intimate gathering of friends and family or an all-out bash, your baby's first birthday celebration is bound to be special — at least for you and the other adults and older kids in his life!
Yes, a first birthday party is really for parents and their guests. Your baby won't remember this party, and may even be overwhelmed by it. But that doesn't mean you can't all have fun. For party planning suggestions and tips on keeping your baby (and young visitors) comfortable, read on.

Who to invite

Your 1-year-old may be fearful of strangers, and strange or new places. Despite liking other babies, she won't understand how to play with them yet. She will enjoy individual attention and likes to make you laugh. These factors often convince parents to opt for an intimate, low-budget family party or small gathering of relatives, close friends, fellow parents, and neighbors.
But no matter how many guests you have, keep in mind that your 1-year-old will want a lot of your undiluted attention. This is especially true if she's feeling overstimulated by a large crowd of well-wishers.
Get answers to all your birthday party planning questions from parents in our Birthday Ideas community group.

How much to spend

Birthday Time Machine
Find out what happened in history on your child's special day.
According to our poll of more than 5,000 parents, the amount spent on a baby's first birthday party is all over the map, from less than $50 to more than $500. A majority — 61 percent — of parents spent $200 or less, 25 percent spent between $200 and $500, and 11 percent dished out more than $500.
The amount you spend is up to you, and depends on what kind of party you want to have for your child. Keep in mind that food is the main thing that drives costs up, followed by decorations and the cake. Don't feel pressured to spend more than you can afford — small is beautiful at this age!

Choosing a time

Your baby will probably still be taking a morning and afternoon nap when her first birthday rolls around. If so, it's best to plan your party around nap times if possible. And if you're inviting other young guests, check out their nap times with their parents. Once one starts crying, they all might! You may want to keep the party brief — an hour or so is probably long enough at this age.

Choosing a place

Home is usually the easiest place to host a first birthday party, and it's where your baby will feel most secure. But if your home is too small for the number of guests you want to invite, consider a local community center or church social hall, a kids' museum, a restaurant (you may want to go with a kids'-themed place or a fast-food restaurant with a play space), a relative's house, or, if the weather is nice, a park or zoo.

Food

Keep food simple — a lot of it will probably end up on the floor anyway!

Finger foods work well for both babies and adults, and eating them won't interrupt play or socializing. Some babies may have quite a few teeth and be able to bite into food; others may still be toothless, so cater to both extremes. Tiny sandwiches with cheese spread (you can cut them into shapes), cubes of mild cheese, cut-up fruit, pasta spirals, and mini yogurts are good options. You can also try animal crackers or graham crackers broken into small pieces.

Your small guests will probably eat very little, so aim for a variety of tastes, textures, and colors rather than quantity. (Get more finger food ideas here.) And avoid serving nuts, hard candies, popcorn, raisins, marshmallows, and other foods that may present a choking hazard to little ones.

As for beverages, it's a good idea to have water, milk, and diluted fruit juices around for the kids and mineral water and sodas for the adults.

Don't forget a wonderful birthday cake. Some parents like to have a small separate cake for the birthday baby — this way she can smash into it to her heart's content. (It also works to serve cupcakes to everyone, including your baby.) Homemade treats are special, but supermarkets have a great variety available, or try a bakery. You may need to order the cake or cakes in advance. And don't let your baby get too close to the candle as she'll want to grab it, not blow on it.

Games and activities

Loud bangs from party poppers and bursting balloons may frighten your baby, and discarded poppers and balloons are a serious choking hazard until age 3. Why not have some musical fun, such as dancing with your baby, or a nursery rhyme tape on in the background? She'll also enjoy peek-a-boo games and finding toys hidden in a box or under a cloth. And, of course, she'll enjoy helping you open her presents (although the wrapping paper will be far more fun than the gift!).

Goody bags

Goody bags aren't really necessary at this age, and the usual treats like candy and balloons are downright dangerous for the babies at your party. If you want to give a going-away present to your little guests, opt for a small, safe soft toy or a board book to chew on.

Birthday presents

By now your baby will appreciate toys that make noise or light up, or both, so activity centers are a good choice. It's never too early to read, and textured board books are great fun for your tactile baby. A push-along toy to aid walking skills may be a hit, and new bath toys are always welcome. You may want to consider a big, lasting present, such as a baby swing for outdoors or a rocking horse. And if you already have loads of toys, your baby won't object if some people buy her clothes!
See more great gifts for 1-year-olds.

General tips

Have somewhere clean, handy, and well-equipped for diaper changing.
Breastfeeding moms may appreciate somewhere quiet and private to nurse.
It's crawling, walking, and climbing time — safety gates and other childproofing devices are essential.
Stow away precious ornaments and breakables.
Keep pets well out of the way (for their own protection!).
Keep a watchful eye on the party area for hazards, such as forks and small swallowable objects, and clear them away quickly.
Babies will play alongside each other, not together, so keep a variety of toys available within a large, safe floor space.
Relax — let your baby and her guests set the pace.
Make sure you have a willing volunteer to take plenty of photos and video. You may be too busy, and you don't want to miss those shots of your baby digging into her first birthday cake!

Article borrowed from Babycenter.com

If you wish a special First Birthday outfit for your baby, please visit My First Birthday Dress