blessing day for baby everly

While we were in Utah this summer, I asked my mom if she would help me make Everly's blessing dress.  She said she would, went upstairs, and came back a few minutes later, with a bag a fabric leftover from my wedding dress, that she also made.  Tears immediately came to my eyes, because this is the dream.  The dream where you finally have a daughter, and your mom helps you sew her a beautiful blessing dress, out of the same fabric as your wedding dress, without having to cut up your wedding dress!  We immediately got to work designing the dress, cutting out the pieces, finding matching lace and tulle for ruffles, and beginning to sew.  I was quite pregnant at that point, which made it difficult to bend over to cut or sew, and my sewing skills are nothing compared to my mom's, so I was grateful for her help.  I was especially grateful when she came to help with Everly after she was born, and finished sewing the dress here at my house.  It turned out beautifully! It was exactly how I pictured it in my head. I only wish she could have been here for the blessing to see how perfect it looked on Everly.

And of course, sweet little Everly looked absolutely gorgeous wearing it on her blessing day, October 19th.

 Her daddy gave her  beautiful blessing, and she was quiet and still for it.

 My favorite part of her blessing was that her daddy blessed her that she would have a special connection with her mother (that's me!)  I grew up with three brothers, and no sisters, so besides my own mom, and a few close friends, I haven't had many close, female relationships. There is a good chance that Everly will grow up without any sisters either, so I pray that she and I can be close.  That together we can share how wonderful it is to be girls, and to be daughters of God.  Plus, we have to stick together while we are surrounded by all these stinky boys!

 I could not stop staring at her all day, and I can. not. believe how beautiful she is!

 Later that evening, we had a few friends over for cheesecake and ice cream with lots of different toppings to celebrate our tiny girl and her special day!  It really was a magical day!

 We felt so lucky to have Bart's parents and sister there.  Also, his grandparents drove all the way from Iowa to celebrate this special day with us, which meant so much to us!

P.S. Please ignore the ridiculous faces the twins are making.  Lately they cannot take a photo outside without saying it is too bright, and pulling the most unbelievable faces.  Seriously, the rest of us can see just fine, and does it really help to open your mouth like that?  And, of the 15 or so pictures we took, these are the least crazy!  Oh, well!