Maternity Portraits

Hope you enjoy a few of the amazing pictures from our maternity session this month.  

With most special thanks to Double Takes Photography for the beautiful maternity portraits....we will treasure them for a lifetime!!

xoxo

Featured On: Monday's Mama's-To-Be!

Hi sweet friends!

Hard to believe I am now 35 weeks pregnant with Baby Girl...in just a month she will be here, I am just in awe at how quickly time is flying by!  

Today I am being featured on Aliya's adorable blog, Double the Fun, in her series, Monday's Mama's-To-Be.  Aliya is such a doll, and is expecting her very own precious little girl in the next few weeks too!

 Please hop on over and check it out here - there is even a special sneak peek at Baby Girl's nursery :)

More to come soon on the absolutely beautiful pink and green baby shower my family and friends hosted last weekend...and maternity portraits to follow soon too :)

xoxo

Happy Fest!

It's Jazz Fest time, and whether you can make it out to the Fairgrounds, or you're celebrating by blasting WWOZ around the clock (stream it live here!), there is nothing like the sights and smells seen and heard over the next two weekends in New Orleans.  A true celebration of Louisiana culture, Jazz Fest combines gospel, jazz, blues, soul, rock, funk and everything in between peppered with the most delicious varieties of local food and beverages imaginable.  I'm looking forward to my usual favorites...Cochon de Lait Po-Boys, Spicy Natchitoches Meat Pies, Crawfish Bread, and Strawberry Lemonade...mmm!  

Hope to see you out at the fest!

xoxo

(Pics from last year's fest here.)

(Images via Two Sprouts)

Prettiest Pink Éclairs

Sweetapolita, one of the prettiest and tastiest blogs I follow, recently posted a recipe for Pink Eclairs, which of course made my heart go pitter-patter!  Inspired by the chapter "Pastel Pretty" from Amy Atlas' new book entitled Sweet Designs, Rosie makes what could be a very daunting recipe seem almost effortless.  Needless to say, these petite pastry confections are next up on my list of yummy treats to bake.  Aren't they darling?

Enjoy!!

xoxo

Pink Éclairs

Yield: 12-14 4-inch éclairs

For the Vanilla Pastry Cream

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

5 egg yolks

1 cup whole milk

1 cup half-and-half

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the Pâte à Choux

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

For the Glaze

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Pink food coloring gel

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the egg yolks and whisk until combined; set aside.

2. Combine the milk and half-and-half in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until it simmers. Whisk half of the hot milk into the egg mixture. Return egg-milk mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and two or three large bubbles appear on the surface. Whisk in the vanilla and butter. Pour the mixture into a heatproof bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator until set, at least 3 hours.

3. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, combine 3/4 cup water, butter, sugar, and salt over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture just comes to a boil. Quickly stir in the flour and continue to stir until the mixture comes together and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to stir for 2 minutes more (a film may form on the bottom of the pan–this is okay).

4. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until the mixture cools slightly and the steam disappears, about 3 minutes.

5. Slowly add the eggs, one at a time, mixing to completely incorporate after each addition. Stop mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle as necessary.

6. Spoon the batter into a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag fitted with a round tip (Wilton Round Tip #1a). Pipe 12 to 14 straight 4-inch lines, spaced 2 inches apart, onto the baking sheet.

7. Bake for 15 minutes, do not open the oven door. At this point, the éclairs will be puffed and golden brown. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake until éclairs appear dry and are a deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Do not underbake; this may cause the éclairs to collapse. Let cool completely on pan.

8. When éclairs have cooled, use a small skewer to poke a hold in either end of each one. Gently move the skewer around the inside the éclair to clear a space for the cream.

9. Spoon the cooled pastry cream into a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag fitted with a Wilton Round Tip #230. Fill éclairs with pastry cream from both ends, taking care to not overfill.

10. In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Stir in a few drops of pink food coloring until the desired color is achieved. Hold an éclair over the bowl of glaze, spoon the glaze over it, and spread to coat the top. Place the éclairs in individual rectangular treat cups and arrange on a rectangular platter in a single layer. Replenish platter as necessary.

(Recipe and images via Sweetapolita here.)

Dear Baby Girl, a little update.

Dear Baby Girl, 

Here we are at 30.5 weeks...I can hardly believe in less than 70 days you will be here with us!

  Some days it seems as if this pregnancy has flown by...I am trying to soak in all of our little moments together, just you and I.  I love feeling your little moves and kicks (and big ones, especially after I eat snoballs or ice cream!)  You love music, and I know for sure you got that from your sweet Daddy.  We can't wait to expose you to so many things as you grow up, and share with you all of the beautiful music, art, and culture all around us. 

Your Nana, Mimi, Aunts, and most of the female relatives in our family will all attest to our love affair with bows.  We're planning to start you young, and your collection of hair bows is already quite impressive!  

I spent last weekend organizing your closet...so many pretty little things, and I am just dying to see you all dolled up in them!  So far it seems that smocked bishop dresses and bubbles are all that you own, but it's okay, I think we are going to have a lot of fun playing dress up, you and I :)  

(And yes, we've decided on your name.  Your Daddy and I knew it was perfect for you many, many weeks ago, and have been calling you by your name for some time now.  It is so beautiful, and in our hearts, we know it's so you.  We're trying to keep it a secret for now, but not much longer, and we'll share with everyone!)

I've also been getting a little crafty and have decided to make you some super cute burp cloths with some old Lilly fabric scraps I came across.  I think they are going to be adorable!

Last weekend I surprised Daddy with a 3D/4D Ultrasound for part of his birthday gift.  You were just as cute as can be, and I cried when I saw your sweet face again.  You are so beautiful with your sweet round cheeks, perfect little lips, and long fingers.  We got to watch you blink your eyes and suck your thumb, and you showed us lots of pretty smiles.  It was such an amazing experience, and we both kept saying over and over again how much we just cannot wait to meet you in person.  The ultrasound tech informed us that you have a lot of hair too.  Hooray for all those hair bows!

These next weeks I know are just going to fly by as we make our final preparations for your arrival, and I just cannot thank you enough for being the sweet little angel and true blessing to us that you already are.  You are such a good baby, and have been through this entire pregnancy.  We can't wait to shower you with all the love we have in our hearts, and watch you develop into a remarkable young lady.  Keep growing and getting bigger and stronger, and know that you mean the whole world and more to us!

All my love forever,

Mommy

xoxo

(Images all mine; Follow me on Instagram @trishyrose)

Happy Easter Weekend!

Hello sweet friends!

Spring is in full bloom here and we have been busy bees, with lots of traveling and celebrating.  Last weekend we had the opportunity to make my last trip to Washington, D.C. to visit with family before baby girl arrives.    Hard to believe on our next visit to D.C., we will be a family of three!  

My mother hosted the most beautiful family baby shower, I cannot wait to share all the details with you.  The day couldn't have been more perfect, and we were so blessed to be surrounded by so much love and happiness!  Here are a few photos below; more to come next week.

 Just popping in to wish you and yours a beautiful Easter holiday weekend...We're off to the beach for a long weekend of fun in the sun.  I can't wait to indulge in a few extra Reese's peanut butter eggs, and feel the sand beneath my toes.  

Sending Springtime wishes your way...Happy Easter!

xoxo

P.S. Almost 29 weeks now, and at yesterday's doctor appointment, baby girl is measuring a week ahead.  Oh my!

(Image via, others my own)

Little Black Maternity Dress: Shabby Apple

The little black dress:  a staple in every woman's closet from a very early age!  As a first time mom-to-be, I will admit that maternity dressing has presented some challenges in maintaining style while trying to dress my ever-growing baby bump.  I have tried to work with as many of my favorite brands by sizing up (Lilly Pulitzer, J. McLaughlin, J.Crew) over the last couple of months.  Now that I am almost in my third trimester, the majority of my baby bump growth is on the near horizon, and I am on a mission to stay as chic and comfortable as possible!

My new favorite little black maternity dress has to be this "Bow Baby" dress by Shabby Apple.  It is comfortable and easy to wear (with no ironing required!) and can go from day to night with simple accessory changes.  The bow at the waist is just the perfect size, and the slim a-line skirt is extremely flattering!

From Shabby Apple's site:

"Who said maternity couldn’t be dressed up? Bow Baby is a classy, black dress with a fun bow that ties right above the belly. The v-neck collar and empire waist make will make your pregnancy look chic and effortless. Dress comes complete with cap sleeves and skirt that hits just below the knee.

Pop the collar and throw on some heels and you are ready for a day (or night!)on the town! Made from poly/rayon/spandex jersey blend you can feel at ease while looking your very best. This dress will simplify your pregnancy even more as it doesn’t require any ironing. Make these 9 months your best ever!"

If you are looking for yourself, or even for a gift, check out Shabby Apple's beautiful collection of boutique and vintage-inspired dresses, and their maternity "Mama Apple" collection too.  The dresses are timeless and very reasonably priced!  Shabby Apple has also extended a discount to you readers; please enter "PINKPREPPY10OFF" at checkout for 10% off of your purchase.  Keep up with Shabby Apple as well by liking them on Facebook here.

Three cheers for the little black maternity dress!

xoxo

(Dress gifted by Shabby Apple for review purposes; opinions are my own.  All images mine, please do not copy without permission.)