Hannah Morrison

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Search Results for: gender reveal

Gender Reveal Party



July 2, 2017

So, as you probably saw on Instagram/Instastories a couple weeks ago, we did a gender reveal party.

Verdict: We are having a boy!!

I really wanted a gender reveal party, it was my idea, but I am not gonna lie.. I was really nervous. After some planning, I started to get a little uneasy and wanted to find out beforehand, then just surprise the family with what we are having in a fun way. But my sweet hubby loves surprises and stuff like this, so we stuck to the plan where we find out with everyone. To be honest, my biggest fear was what my reaction would be if it turned out to be different than I was expecting. And, considering both Paul and I felt deep in our bones baby Morrison was a girl… we were both shocked when three balloons and blue smoke came out of the box. You can see in chronological order my reaction in the photos below.. haha.

Shocked doesn’t mean ‘not excited’.

It just means different than expected. Have you ever been so sure about something, like you would bet all your marbles on it, and then it turned out to be wrong? That was me all in a matter of .02 seconds. It took me a few seconds to register that everything I had been thinking about and planning for the last three months was irrelevant. Even still, my immediate reaction was excitement in the midst of shock. Much of that was to do with Paul’s twirling dance moves the second he saw blue come out of the box. I will never forget that moment. It energized me, and it got me excited, too.

I literally can’t imagine the letters for GIRL coming out of that box now. I am so READY to be a boy mom. I am ready for a mini version of Paul, and I can’t wait to learn boy things, play soccer and football, camp outside, and play ninjas. I am so ready.

As for the party… our friends and family are AMAZING. We had close family, some friends, and church staff at the home to celebrate with us. I am so thankful for technology, too, because we had multiple people holding phones for our family members who couldn’t be there to be Facetimed in for the reveal, and it was so sweet for them to be part of the day EVEN while hundreds of miles away.

The Reveal

Details on food and decor:

Twinkle, Twinkle Cake- A Sweet Life 

This beautiful cake, shown below, was sponsored by local baker, Leigh Gibson, and it was a HIT. I mean, we have all been to parties where the cake is hardly touched… that wasn’t the case at this one. Literally the whole cake was eaten except some of the top tier which was especially gluten free for me and my GF friends! IT WAS SO GOOD. The bottom part of the cake was her amazing French Meringue Buttercream, and word on the street is that it was AMAZING. (I wish I could have tasted it!)

Leigh was wonderful to work with, created such a stunning cake for us, and BONUS it wasn’t just pretty but it was TASTY.

If you have a party coming up, I cannot suggest her enough for your cake.

Other

Colored Popcorn for Popcorn Bar: Mom and Popcorn

Pink & Blue Macarons: Creme de la Cookie

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Banner: Here

Garland: Here

Smoke Bomb: Here

Letter Balloons: Party City

Moon Balloon Set: Here

People To Thank:

My mother-in-law, brother-in-law, future sister-in-law, and aunt & uncle-in-law… they seriously brought to life the party of my Pinterest dreams, and I couldn’t stop saying “thank you”. Jake and Faith put together the amazing gender reveal box and Paul’s uncle helped assemble the logistics of it opening and smoke setting off… it was literally perfect. They are the best, and I cannot believe how much they poured into the day to create such an amazing party for Paul and I. Every detail was so special, all the way down to customized M&M’s… like, they killed it, y’all.

The Johnson Family! Our sweet friends Kyle and Julie opened up their beautiful home for us to have the party at, and we are so so grateful. They are so hospitable, and I couldn’t think of a better host home for such a special day!

And, of course, all of our sweet friends and family who came out to celebrate with us! It was the perfect day.

xoxo- Han

My cute top is from Landry Kate, here. You can wear it as a tunic or a dress, but the small was too short for me to wear as a dress. Size up for dress.

Shoes:

All photos by Cottonwood Road Photography for The Cake by Hannah

The Cake


Table and Decor

Popcorn Bar



     Friends and Family




CATEGORIES ~ Blog, Pregnancy 33 Comments

Tips from a Mom of Two



May 26, 2021

Well, it’s really hard to believe I am inching toward one year of Rory. He is actually, I am convinced, the easiest, sweetest baby on the planet. And with this milestone also comes one year of being a mommy to two. To be honest, I was really scared after the excitement of a second pregnancy died down and reality set in. I remember asking Paul on multiple occasions if he thought it was normal to feel jealous for your firstborn. Like, I genuinely felt jealousy for time with Knox and a gut wrenching feeling anytime I thought about having to share my heart with another baby. It felt impossible to even imagine let alone live out.

Momma, I am here to say the cliche… your heart just somehow really does multiply. You CAN do this. You CAN love more than one kid despite how utterly unreal and difficult to wrap your mind around it you may feel it is. So today, I wanted to give practical tips to those of you mothering two babies. Going on 11 months now, though far from perfect and lots more to learn, I feel I have figured out some basics that might encourage you if you find yourself pregnant or thinking about a second [or feeling currently overwhelmed with two!].

It’s okay to feel sentimental [and jealous] for time before baby is born with your firstborn.

I truly did feel a fiery jealousy in my belly as I would ache thinking about having to split my love between Knox and a new baby in our home. It hurt and genuinely made me sad. I cried a lot about it. The weirdest part was it was completely unrelated to the excitement I felt for Rory to be born. I felt a wild rollercoaster of emotions. And, well, turns out it’s fairly normal. I didn’t feel my pregnancy was fully real the second time around until I was in labor, because I tried so hard to just focus all I had on Knox. I soaked up every last possible thing I could with him – just us. It was a really special time and I am so grateful. COVID also made this time incredibly easy as we were in lockdown the final months of my pregnancy.

Preparations with Your Firstborn.

We included Knox in everything possible for Rory before he was born and talked about all the ways he would make a great big brother. Positive talk was the key to this big life change. We would talk about all the fun things brothers get to do together and would have Knox talk to us about the things he was excited for. Knox had ownership & security of his role in our family and as a brother before Rory was born, and I really think that helped us transition. There were random days/weeks over the last year I felt like Knox was being a little mean toward me, and I know it was from feeling frustrated about a baby. But, for the most part, the transition has been almost seamless *knock on wood*. After Rory was in the NICU for a week, it definitely made coming home over and over without baby confusing. But, the moment we got to bring Rory home and introduce Knox was so special and everything I dreamt it’d be. We let Knox show Rory to his room, holding onto the newborn carseat and helping daddy carry it to the nursery. From the second Rory arrived at our home, Knoxy got to be an important role to Rory.

Also, something I say often to Knox as our firstborn is that I get to be the mommy and tell Rory “no” so that Knox just gets to be the big brother. Already at a young age, I am trying my best to help him know he isn’t responsible for Rory or being held to an unrealistic standard of a “mini parent.” He just gets to be Rory’s brother, for fun and friendship, and nothing else. I say it so much to Knox that he is starting to be able to repeat it back to me or finish my sentence.

Take time alone with each one.

Often, Paul and I will split and conquer with intentionality. Knox loves himself a special daddy date, and likewise enjoys just some one on one mommy time out of the house. We also will take turns going out with just Rory to enjoy that intimate one on one time with him. I used to just stroll for hours with Knox in a Target with a coffee in hand, cooing and showing him things for the home he had no concept of, and I don’t want to miss out on that with Rory. Though it is so SO fun to go on adventures with both of my boys, I think making sure I set aside intimate time with them alone is so important even when Rory is so little. I feel just as bonded to Rory as I do to Knox, and I think that has taken intentionality to not just “survive” with two boys on my hip as I navigate my days.

YOU TIME.

It is what it is, I am a better mom when I get sleep, alone time, my nails done, and a good book in from time to time. Going to the nail salon twice a month is part of our budget – I need it. Telling Paul I need a car ride alone to listen to an Audible book with a fresh cup of coffee is medicine to my soul. Getting in a Peloton ride during nap time is vital to my well-being. It is so easy to put yourself on the back burner in motherhood, and especially as you add more babies to your home. But don’t. I am serious… don’t do it. Your spouse needs to be your number one accountability that you’re getting that to yourself, and visa versa. My number one tip to new mommies is ALWAYS do whatever you need to to feel like you again the quickest postpartum. I truly think this helps you be the best mom you can be and helps battle those baby blues. I also believe that truth remains solid throughout your entire motherhood journey long after those first 6 months or so. It’s true for every season of motherhood. Don’t lose YOU. Become a better you alongside the journey of motherhood. I am a better Hannah Marie-Cheves Morrison because of my sons, but I am still me.

Sibling Love Makes It ALL Worth It.

No, I am serious. Knox can make a toot noise with his hands and Rory dies. I try… and we have crickets. Knox is the funniest person in the room to Rory and I think it is absolutely perfect. It’s pure magic. I don’t know what fairy dust is sprinkled into their little hearts at birth that makes them feel such a sweet bond to their sibling, but dang it’s real. And it’s so sweet. It makes me mushy thinking about my own siblings. Surely we had that, too. I can only imagine we did and it makes my heart swell. Time and distance may make their lives or relationship change, but I think Rory and Knox [and all siblings for that matter] have some special fairy dust forever that bond their hearts.

You will miss the “cute” things like milestone blanket pics… it’s okay.

With Knox, all I had to focus on every day from sun up to sun down was… well, Knox. Now it’s a toddler and a 10 month old. I am just trying to make sure Knox doesn’t run outside without pants on while also making sure Rory isn’t putting his finger into a light socket. I had the milestone blanket pics up on IG on the right day with some magical caption to pair with Knox and I believe Rory has had… three? My love isn’t reflected for Rory in a milestone blanket picture or a grand gender reveal [which I intentionally did privately with my husband for baby #2] or designated highlights on my Instagram just to him, though. I want Rory to see I loved him intentionally every single day as his mom… that’s it. And though I wish I could have done all the things just as cute and beautifully as I did with Knox, the truth is… life changed and my time did, too. But my heart swells and runs over equally. So what I am saying is… forget whatever guilt you might have for not “keeping up” with this one and go smooch them on the lips and spend time with them. It’s better anyways.

CATEGORIES ~ Blog, Mommy & Me Leave a Comment

What Was and What Will Be



January 17, 2018

Hey Hey lovely Cake Community!

How are we doing today? It’s hump day, and I ain’t gonna lie… I have been dragging a little with a fussy babe who is a little off schedule from a long (but super fun!) weekend conference at our church. I left Knox for the first time with other people, down the hallway… but still, and it was really hard. I felt that mommy guilt, I had that postpartum anxiety for the first time to be super transparent, but it felt good and I know it was a necessary step to get completely back to normal. It felt so good to get back on stage leading worship. Sort of like that final puzzle piece that needed to be put back into place to feel 100% back to myself post-baby.

Ugh, new mommy stuff y’all. But enough about that, because I am SO EXCITED about this new year. There is so much new in my life in all areas, and I have been dreaming a lot about how to take our community to the next level. We have to keep in touch better through all the crazy Instagram changes (derp), and besides, who wants our community and contact to be limited to squares.. am I right?

This year, I will be sending out weekly emails with words of encouragement, scripture and devos, things I am reading and loving, and by being signed up for my emails you will be the first to know about new products and limited collections in the shop. You’ll never miss any new posts, because I will make sure you know what came out since the last email was sent and we will basically feel like best friends. 😉

As we move forward to all the new things, I have taken into account my top posts up to this point on The Cake by Hannah as a way to gauge what to bring for you this year. You all have sent me a lot of DMs and commented on posts I asked you about what you’d like to see on The Cake, and it ranges from fashion to what I am eating to mommying, and (most important to me) my faith and marriage.

So, first off, how do you sign up for my emails?

It’s real simple. On the right-hand side of this post is “Sign Up For Emails From Hannah” and “Subscribe”. Signing up for emails from me is going to get you my weekly, personal emails with thoughts/products/devos/etc. (this is the sweet stuff!). If you want an automatic email that simply let’s you know when I have a new blog post go live, that’s the “Subscribe” button. I suggest both, because I will have new posts go live different days than my personal emails. Easy enough, yeah?

(You are looking for this)

 

Now, let’s wander down memory lane a little.

Below are my top posts of 2016 and 2017. Say whaaa?! In the middle of the whole “I just had a baby” thing, I totally missed my blogiversarry. So happy birthday to The Cake by Hannah! You have made this small town girl’s dreams of writing and encouraging people for a living a reality, and I am so grateful.

  1. Positive Body Image ft. Kortni Jeane Swimwear- This has been my top read post (next to my Gender Reveal Party) for two years straight now… sounds like we ALL are on the same page about loving our skin and cheering others on! Read here.
  2. Gender Reveal Party- This has gone viral on Pinterest and I don’t even know how… but it’s so fun to hear from so many of you doing a similar box for your own parties!! LOVE IT. Check it out here.
  3. Change of Plans- The story of our almost farmhouse I left a letter on the front gate for and how we got into our first home. Read here.
  4. We are…- Announcing we were PREGNANT, which was the most exhilarating “Publish” I have ever pressed. It also somehow went viral on Reddit because someone posted I was a dumb Christian woman whose husband forces her to have kids. LOL. Thanks for the traffic, haters! Read here.
  5. Welcome To Our House- The process of buying our first home and the scripture I held onto throughout the LONG process. Read here.
  6. Nursery Reveal ft. DaVinci Baby- Our cute ‘classy safari’ themed nursery came out even better than I could have hoped, and I am so obsessed. I have ALL THE THINGS linked in this one. Read here.
  7. How We Started Sleeping Through the Night With Our Newborn- One of my newest posts, I shared our routine with Knox and how we are sleeping on average 6 hours a night straight with our newborn baby. (SAY WHAT?! It’s true!) Read here.
  8. Welcome Knox Chandler!– The (not so easy) story of how bubba came into the world. Read here.
  9. Welcome To Our House- How we got into our first home. Read here.


CATEGORIES ~ Blog, Marriage, Mommy & Me, Pregnancy 7 Comments

I am Hannah, a mom of 3 and wife to Paul. I believe beauty is found right under your own roof, from the faces at your table to the vase that's been chosen with care to sit on top of it. My hope is to inspire you to find joy in every space you inhabit. I hope you choose to create and live a loved life that exists right in front of you.

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