Our Blog

Special milestones deserve special attention and our personalized baby gifts are a great way to commemorate those moments. That’s why we’re always so excited to feature a customer and their little one with our personalized onesies, big sister shirts, big brother shirts, or 1st birthday shirts in our In Real Life series.
This In Real Life features Christy filling us in on her son Jaylen’s first birthday.
What was Jaylen’s favorite thing about his birthday/turning one?!
Jaylen loved his birthday party! He’s such a social guy and he loved interacting with all the guests at his party. He also loves food so I think he had fun eating and playing with his smash cake too. 🙂
Did you throw a birthday party? What was it like?
Jaylen is 1/4 Korean and the first birthday is a big deal in Korean culture so we had a big party for him at a nature center nearby. We had a traditional Korean first birthday table that my mother-in-law put together with rice cakes and other food (some of it was fake though). We also had several objects representing future career’s Jaylen could have–like a tambourine (musician), stethoscope (doctor), paintbrush (artist), children’s Bible book (ministry), mini basketball (athlete), apple (teacher), rope (symbolizes long life) and a marker (writer). Guests voted for which career they thought Jaylen would choose. We then placed all the items in front of Jaylen and he picked the children’s Bible book for a career in ministry! Then we drew a name from the people who said Jaylen would pick the book and his Uncle Pearson, who happens to be a youth pastor, got the prize (how fitting!). We also used the free Petite Lemon birthday poster as part of the decor. I plan on using it every year!
What are a few of his milestones or personality traits that you love at his age?
Now Jaylen is 15 months old and he is so much fun! He’s starting to say more words (although my husband and I are probably the only ones who understand him most of the time). He recently started saying “mama” with it actually referring to me and I love it. 🙂 He has such an easy-going personality and he’s always smiling (he’s been like this since he was an infant). Lately he starts laughing if he sees us laughing. It’s one of those throw-your-head back and laugh out loud kind of laughs and it’s hilarious when he does it. Since it started getting warmer he also LOVES going outside and is content to just walk around the neighborhood.
What are a few things that you love about having a boy?
I love seeing him bond with his daddy over things that aren’t necessarily my favorite. For instance, my husband took Jaylen for a ride in his car and let him hear the engine rev. Afterwards, Jaylen kept saying “vroom, vroom.” We rolled the windows down and Jaylen laughed and had a huge smile on his face as the wind blew through his hair. He’s already sharing a love for cars with Daddy! I also love that Jaylen is such a momma’s boy right now. His face lights up when he sees me and I love being his favorite person.
Describe motherhood in one word?
Transforming. Motherhood has changed me in so many ways. Since becoming a mom, I realized even more fully what it means to love. Motherhood is one of the most challenging things I’ve ever experienced, yet it’s also one of the most rewarding. My life will never be the same and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Thanks Christy for sharing your story and Jaylen’s big day with us. We’re so glad he loved wearing one of our 1st birthday shirts on his special day.
Does your little one have one of our personalized growth charts, big sister shirts, big brother shirts, 1st birthday shirts? If so, we’d love to hear from you! Please email us at buzz (at) petitelemon (dot) com and let us know which of our personalized baby gifts your kiddo has and they may be featured in an upcoming Petite Lemon In Real Life post.

Like our personalized baby gifts, the In Real Life series captures a moment in a wee one’s life, whether it’s their welcome into a family, a birthday, or a special milestone that deserves  to be commemorated with a personalized growth chart, big sister tshirt, big brother t shirt, birthday tee or onesie, etc.
Today, we have our friend Whitney and her baby girl Miliana.
How old is Miliana?
-Miliana is 6 months old on March 18! 🙂 And I cannot believe that!
What are some fun changes you’ve noticed as of late with your baby girl?
-Lately she enjoys sitting up on her own and playing with her new blocks; she is very proud of the new view she has on life! She gives big smiles and can charm just about anyone with those blue eyes! She also smiles and giggles when we sing and dance with her (yes, we are those crazy parents)!
What did you enjoy most about decorating your nursery?
-When decorating her nursery, I loved finding a combination of old pieces and some new ones to use in her space.  My mom and I had been collecting globes for a while and it was fun to put them to use. I hope the globes will give Miliana a desire to travel and experience the beauty all over the world. I love decorating with my mom and I am thankful she helped me create a room that will grow with Mili. The nursery has little treasures from important people in Miliana’s life and it is a great reminder of how much she is loved!
Anything you enjoyed most about being pregnant?
-While I was pregnant, I enjoyed knowing that she was always along for the ride and already becoming a part of how we do life. It was just the beginning of adventures with my little sidekick. The whole process is such a miracle!
Whitney, we know you have a very close relationship with your sisters — what is that like now that you are a mom? How are they enjoying being Aunts?
-My sisters mean the world to me, and thankfully that hasn’t changed since becoming a mom. I now have this pride and joy that I get to share with them! They really are the best aunts! Miliana is a lucky girl to have them in her life! From the moment they found out she was coming, they have been excited, supportive, loving and giving of their time (and gifts) to the tiny babe. Miliana is now just one of the girls!
Describe motherhood in 1 word:
-Motherhood is BALANCE.
Balance in enjoying every moment of each day, yet dreaming and preparing for her future. Balance in having information and knowledge, yet trusting my gut. Balance between mom guilt and pure mom joy. Balance in sacrificing myself for her, yet not losing myself. Balance in staying grounded when my love for her is so out of this world!

(Here’s the little blue-eyed beauty herself in one of our personalized onesies, the Happy Hearts design)
Thank you so much for sharing Whitney, we loved having you and Miliana be a part of our In Real Life series!
Does your little one have one of our personalized growth charts, big sister shirts, big brother shirts, 1st birthday shirts? If so, we’d love to hear from you! Please email us at buzz (at) petitelemon (dot) com and let us know which of our personalized baby gifts your kiddo has and they may be featured in an upcoming Petite Lemon In Real Life post.

It’s been almost one year since we started our Petite Lemon in Real Life series and boy, do they make us happy! There’s nothing greater for us than to see the personalized baby gifts we’ve created being used to mark milestones in a little one’s life. But we must admit this one makes us especially verklempt as it’s from Jenny, our newest Petite Lemon family member who recently became a mama for the very first time.
Jenny fills us in here on new motherhood:
Our family experienced the best New Year’s Day on record. This little guy joined the party just in time to ring in 2015. I can’t begin to describe the joy we felt as we held Max for the first time. It was truly a miracle that we waited a long time for. We couldn’t believe he was really ours.
He is now almost two months old and he is changing every single day. Sometimes he’ll wake up in the morning and he looks different. It’s crazy how that works, but everyone keeps telling me they grow up so fast and I believe it.
What are some of the changes you’ve noticed in his personality since he was born?
Max is a lot more alert now than when he was born. He’s starting to make new noises and discover he has a little voice. Sometimes we are surprised what little noises come from him. He is also smiling a lot more, which makes a new mom proud.
How about you? What changes have you noticed in yourself?
I’m doing well. Motherhood came with a lot of adjusting that I didn’t quite anticipate. I’m a planner so I read all the books and did everything I could to make life easier after Max came home. I soon realized that Max hadn’t read the same books, so adjusting to a new normal has been key.  My personality has always been go, go, go with deadlines and projects to accomplish. Motherhood is a completely different type of go, go, go. It was hard for me to let go of strict schedules and long to-do lists each day, but I’ve learned that being a mom is rewarding in different ways. The first time he slept five hours straight, or smiled, or when he cuddles close to me in my arms is a reward that keeps me going.
Has anything been easier than you thought it would be?
I have always been one that needs sleep. I was nervous to become a mom because everyone told me that sleep would be a thing of the past. Although this is mostly true, I have been surprised how much I can do with little sleep. And, when it gets too hard a ten minute nap here and there works wonders. It’s been so long since I had eight continuous hours of sleep, I probably wouldn’t’ know what to do with myself.
You had an adorable Mustache themed baby shower we shared with readers here. What are a few of your favorite gifts you received at your shower?
I loved all the fun gifts that I received from my baby showers, but there are a few items I couldn’t live without. I absolutely love the swaddling blankets that I received. Max loves to be wrapped tight when he sleeps, so these blankets have been a lifesaver. I also loved receiving a Moby wrap. When Max wants to be close to me, but I need both hands, I put him in the Moby wrap and he almost always falls asleep. Since Max was born in the winter, I loved receiving little onesies with mitts that covered his hands. He wore those for the first month straight. Not only did they keep him warm, but they kept him from scratching his tiny face. My favorite baby shower gift for myself was chocolate, because I think every day deserves a little treat to help you make it through!
Sum up your new experience into motherhood in one word:
Adventurous! (and the adventure continues every single day)

(Caption: Here’s the sweet boy himself, dressed in one of our personalized onesies of course!)
Thanks for sharing Jenny and welcome to motherhood!
If your little one has our personalized growth charts, big sister shirts, big brother shirts, 1st birthday shirts, etc., we’d love to hear from you! Please email us at buzz (at) petitelemon (dot) com and let us know which of our personalized baby gifts your kiddo has and they may be featured in an upcoming Petite Lemon In Real Life post.

It’s always fulfilling to hear from our customers about how our personalized baby gifts are a part of their kiddos’ lives. That’s why we started our In Real Life series and it’s one of our favorite types of posts to write. This week we have Erin of Loving Henry blog, who answers our questions about mommyhood and raising a sweet boy who was born 12 weeks premature, which makes marking his growth on one of our personalized growth charts that much more rewarding.

(Caption: Eddie reading his favorite book, Goodnight Moon, next to his Junior Varsity personalized growth chart.)
What is your child’s name and age?
Eddie, age 2
What milestones do you look forward to most?
Eddie was born under very unique circumstances.  He unexpectedly came 12 weeks early and weighed only 2 1/2 lbs and was just 14 inches long.  And due to his prematurity, he spent the first nine weeks of his life in the NBICU so he could grow, learn to breathe, and learn to eat.
Preemies, especially ones as early (and even earlier) as Eddie, face incredible obstacles.  Crucial organs like the lungs and brain are still forming and developing in the womb when they are born and tiny babies expend extreme energy to make up the difference.  My husband and I watched Eddie fight each day in the hospital and do his best to grow, but he would have set backs.  We waited and tried our best to be patient so that Eddie could be well enough to come home but it was hard.  We didn’t know what lay ahead of him or what his life would be like in the future and at times it terrified us.
Thankfully, Eddie’s story had a happy ending.  We brought him home when he was 37 weeks gestation and had grown to, what was for us, a very chubby 5 lbs.  We eventually realized that each and every milestone Eddie would reach after his scary beginning was worth celebrating over.  We were beside ourselves when he rolled over, we cheered when he sat up, and we were positively beaming when he mastered walking.  And by the time he was talking and speaking in sentences, we were over the moon.  Thanks to him, we don’t take much for granted.
What are some tips or advice you’d give to a new mom with a preemie?
My biggest piece of advice for preemie parents is to be present.  Attend the daily rounds on your baby.  It can be hard to make it in time each day but it is worth it to know every aspect of your child’s treatment and what will come next.  Along with that, ask questions.  Ask, ask, and ask some more.  Familiarize yourself with your baby’s medications and oxygen levels and give honest feedback to your child’s healthcare providers.
Get to know your baby’s doctors.  Take the time to talk with them and let them know that you are an active part of your baby’s recovery.  But even more than that, find nurses that you trust and feel comfortable with.  They will be the ones who will be with your baby most and they will be your eyes and ears when you can’t be in the hospital.  Once you find the ones you absolutely adore, don’t let them go and let them know how much they mean to your family.
What are your favorite Petite Lemon products and why?
Our family loves Eddie’s colorful growth chart.  He talks about each sport when he sees it and I think it will be a fun keepsake for him as he gets older.
What do you enjoy most about Instagram/blogging?
I am a big fan of social media largely for the fact that it helps me stay connected with family and friends that I would otherwise hardly ever hear from.  And for my family in particular, our blog has become especially important for us to share stories about our children, our marriage, and our adventures.  It is a nice time capsule of our lives and I hope our kids will enjoy reading it when they have families of their own.
What is your fav blog right now?  
I have many blogs that I follow religiously but the one that always sticks with me is www.martawrites.com.  Marta is a personal friend of mine but even if she weren’t, I would still gravitate to her blog and her IG profile.  Her writing is thoughtful and polished and I’m continuously inspired by her devotion to her faith and her family.
What is your fave IG?  
I like following @realbrookewhite.  She’s a musician and a business woman but she’s a mom first.  I appreciate that she isn’t afraid to share honest posts about her worries and insecurities.
Define motherhood in one word:
Contentment
Wow, thank you Erin for sharing such an incredible story. We loved your advice on being present, it’s good advice for all of us parents who are often so distracted by a million things, and we’re so glad Eddie is using one of our personalized growth charts to record his amazing milestones.
We’re looking forward to sharing more In Real Life stories with our personalized baby gifts with our readers soon. If you have a story to share, please email us at buzz @ petitelemon (dot) com.