Charlie is 11 months old today…how did that happen?! I’ve been trying hard this year to abide by my friend Emily’s wisdom about slowing down time, and have done a good job with it for the most part, but gosh, seeing “Charlie is turning one” on his cute little birthday party invitations kind of blows my mind. I’m becoming more and more convinced that motherhood is a synonym for bittersweet–it breaks my heart that Charlie is quickly leaving his babyhood behind, but at the same time, I find so much joy in watching him grow and learn. I can hardly wait till I get to spend the whole day talking with him instead of just talking to him!

Along with party planning, this month so far has been full of out-of-town guests, both family and friends staying at our home, and a few “internet friends” I got to spend time with when they were in town for the recent Creative at Heart conference. The latter was a sweet reminder of the real-life blessings that come from blogging, and made me extra, extra grateful for you, the person reading this :) If you’ve never commented before, introduce yourself below–I’d love to meet you! Now, on to a few favorites from this month…

Local spot: One of my aforementioned friend dates was to the adorable Yellow Dog Bread Company. It was only my second or third time to this adorable bakery/coffee shop, but I already want to go back–it was the perfect place to grab a latte and a scone to take on a walk around my favorite historic neighborhood.

Blog: Charlie’s party won’t be anywhere near as detailed as the ones on 100 Layer Cakelet, but I had so much fun scrolling through their birthday party archives for inspiration a few weeks ago! Some of my favorites: a gorgeous Southern belle bash, a dreamy ballet party, a 2nd birthday party fiesta with a unique color palette, and the coolest Star Wars sleepover.

Instagram account: Hands down, one of the coolest people I know is my friend Aelish–you may remember her from this (throwback!) post she photographed, or from her wedding I blogged! After their wedding, she and her husband moved to a farm in Buffalo, Texas to start a flower and vegetable farm, and I love following along with their gorgeous crops and rural adventures. Find them on Instagram @TinCupFarm.

Wish list item: I spotted this monogrammed windowpane print camera bag in the latest Mark & Graham catalog and thought it was so chic!

Memory: I ran my first 5K in almost two years over the weekend! It wasn’t my fastest ever, but it is hands down the one I’m the most proud of. I remember during my first run after Charlie was born, I was honestly convinced that my best running days were behind me–I felt so weak and my confidence was shot. Very slowly, I’ve been getting back into running and remembering why I loved it so much pre-baby. Making it through this 5K felt like a huge milestone, and it was so sweet to see Dave and Charlie at the finish line!