A Little Update + Three {New to me} Shops

I wanted to pop in and thank you all for your prayers and encouragement over the past week.  The silver lining of going through hard things such as this is all the love I've felt from friends near and far.  I've been so touched by the many people, some of whom I haven't talked to in ages, who have checked in and offered their support.  Thank you so much--strangely California doesn't feel so far from home because of all of you dear ones.

Actually, let me allow Mary Graham to thank you herself.

Her sweetness makes my heart ache.

Since I last wrote, Philip discovered the newly opened Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders Program through University of California San Francisco's Benoiff Children's Hospital.  Eosinophilic Esophagitis is one of four disorders in which they specialize and we were able to get a referral and a quick appointment--next week in fact!  Praise God!  We'll have allergy testing done next week.  I'm both grateful for the hope of answers from the testing and anxious about what we'll learn.  After much consideration, I chose to continue exclusively breastfeeding Mary Graham in the meantime.  Her weight seemed stable enough to justify it, and the benefits of breastmilk are obviously not to be discounted.   I did decide to take out more foods from my own diet (including many of the ones Wade has avoided for years), while we wait for allergy testing, which has proved very challenging.  I'm just really hungry.  Right when it begins to feel like it's just too hard, I watch my sweet baby drift off to sleep while she gazes up at me nursing, and I'd trade just about any food to be able to keep doing it.

trying out the bumbo (and sporting a sweater handmade by one of her great-grandmothers!)

Switching gears, I wanted to share three new (to me) online shops that have me so excited!  It just occurred to me that they all involve monograms! Ha!  All I have to say is this southern girl sure is glad these sweet things are available online!

Celerie & South

This beautiful shop was just opened by an online friend (btw, online friends are totally legit.  In case you were wondering :) who has fabulous taste.  She has a passion for monograms, so she is offering a collection of classic pieces for sale, all with the option to monogram of course.  You must check out all the monograms she has personally designed!  I think her site will be a go-to spot for me for gifts.

The Beaufort Bonnet Company

I discovered this company through Instagram and let me tell you--one look at their photos of sweet baby after sweet baby in a classic little bonnet and you will just die!  They sell other preciousness too, but the bonnets!  Oh the bonnets!  I may or may not have plans for my daughters to match on Easter!!!

The Threadbare Hare

Another discovery via Instagram.  Sara creates the most darling belts and dog collars!  I believe she has recently changed her business name, so she's still working on getting things situated on her etsy site, but definitely check back!  Ordering a belt for Wade is on my list!