This week was really fun. Not even just in terms of mom standards, but legitimately, objectively fun. Highlights included getting dressed up and going to the Nordstrom Opening Gala on Wednesday night and my birthday the next day. I love my birthday – always have, and always will. What better excuse to eat cake for breakfast and spend quality time with people you care about doing what you feel like doing. Here’s the run down on how I celebrated my fourth annual 29th birthday week.

Nordstrom Gala – Vancouver has been waiting for Nordstrom’s Vancouver store to open for years, ever since it was first announced that they would be taking over the ugly old Sears building downtown. They gutted the building and the store is beautiful. I got to check it out on Wednesday night with my friend L before the store opened to the public on Friday morning. We met before the event at Prohibition in the Hotel Georgia for a pre-gala cocktail. The gala was attended by hundreds of local fashionistas and celebrities. My favorite celeb sighting of the night was Amber Valleta, who is impossibly stunning. The drinks were flowing, the food was delicious, and the live music was fun. I walked away with a purse full of samples from the cosmetics department and the cutest little box of Sugarfina candy (it’s almost too pretty to eat). The brands this new location carries are exciting for our small city and I am excited to have the famous Nordstrom level of service a 20 minute walk from my home. The 230,000 square foot store not only has fun merchandise in it, but has many other features including a bar (that’s right, you can drink while you shop), a restaurant, and a blow-dry bar. Basically, I could happily move in for a week. Also worth noting – the kids section is super cute and they carry the Honest line of baby products, which I love. Welcome to Vancouver, Nordstrom.

Here is picture of me:

What I wore: navy dress from Club Monaco, shoes by Christian Louboutin, clutch by Tory Burch

And here are a few more pics from the night:

My Gluttonous (and Social!) Birthday – Every year I over-eat sweets on my birthday and this year was no exception. My day started off with adorable baby giggles and then we met up with my mom and dad and went for coffee and pastries at Small Victory in Yaletown. For lunch, D, Baby N and I went to Kitsilano for lunch at Au Comptoir, a Parisian cafe. So yummy.  That evening, I had some girlfriends over and we ate sushi, drank champagne, and had white cake with raspberry butter cream frosting made by my handsome husband, paired with three kinds of ice cream (salted caramel, whisky hazelnut, and cardamom) from my favorite local place, Earnest Ice Cream. I have been wearing elastic waistband pants ever since! It was a fun day and I was spoiled by the people I love. Thanks to my friends for the lovely cards and gifts, thanks to my mom and dad for babysitting N the night before and for the thoughtful giftcards to The Cross and JJ Bean, and thanks to D for booking me a trip to the spa the next day and for the Lululemon rain jacket I had been wanting!

Spa time – D surprised me by booking me into heaven-on-earth, aka the Willowstream Spa, the day after my birthday for a 90 minute massage. It was amazing and I had the best morning enjoying the spa’s amenities, including the eucalyptus steamroom and the experience shower. Best thing ever for a new mama, or anyone actually. Thanks D!!!

Saturday morning yoga – I set my alarm on Saturday morning and met my friend N at YYoga for an 8:15 flow yoga class with one of my favorite teachers. It was so gross and rainy outside and being inside while D watched the peanut enjoying a yoga class was so great. I have always enjoyed yoga but I am loving it even more now that I’m a mom.

Baby time! – And, of course, my week was filled with plenty of baby time. Baby N is a smiley little guy who is learning how to roll over onto his side… here are a couple of new photos of him being cute. He’s 3 months already. I cannot believe how fast time is going by. It feels like life is on ‘fast forward’ mode all the time now…

So that’s it for me for now. Hope you had a good week too!

xoxo
Karine