.so incredibly loved.

dear my two youngest,

yes, it's true. i already love you both more than i knew i could. more than i knew was possible.

and i didn't want you to potentially look back and figure that the lack of posts about you both has anything to do with loving you less than the first time i went through this with your precious big brother.

yes, the majority of my time is spent playing and chasing after jack, and boy does he keep me busy, but i want you both to know that you two are always on my mind as well. it has truly surprised me in so many ways to discover how the same feelings i had the first time around have circled back completely.  and they have felt just as precious and just as special as they did then. all the little kicks and twirls and love jabs you both give me daily is a constant reminder that i have been given this amazing gift...the two of you.

to be honest, at first i was so worried that i couldn't love anyone as much as the love i have for your brother, but boy was i wrong. i feel inertly protective already. i feel that momma bear fierceness for you both. i feel blessed. i feel pleasure in knowing you both are mine. i feel so full of love that i fear i might burst some days.

so while i don't get to spend as much time counting the weeks & days left or verbally sharing the milestones of your growth, i did want you to know that i am privately getting to know you both intimately and quietly and it has been an absolute pleasure. i hope you can feel that, within the roundness of my belly and in the roundness of my full full heart. i hope you both know how much joy you've already brought your new family. your dada, your mama, and your older brother. seriously so much joy.

so there you have it. being the middle and youngest [wow! so neat to be able to say that] of my children, i sincerely don't want you to think you are any less loved or important. because kids, you are   so both.

so important and so damn loved.

xx
momma

.dear, jack.

hey, bugg. it's momma.

just checking in to let you know that man - i love you. i know the twins are coming soon and your little world is about to change, but this insane amount of love dada and i have for you isn't going anywhere. that will never change. never ever. in fact, it seems to grow more and more with each passing day. i can't even explain it. you are just so darn awesome.

even with all those lovely toddler-two tantrums you've been showing us. we still love you.

even with all those insanely stinky diapers you love to save for momma. we still love you.

even with the refusal to eat anything healthy lately. we still love you.

even with the nightly 2:30 am wakings where you won't go back to sleep unless it's in our bed. we still love you.

even with the mess you make right after momma has tidied up. we still love you. 

even if you refuse to enjoy a bath alone and one of us has to crawl in with you. we still love you.

see, jack. we still love you no matter what you throw at us and these little siblings of yours, coming so so soon, are only going to make our family even better. i hope you know that. 

i also hope you know that if you ever just need a little alone time with momma or dada, we're here. anytime. we will still have our special moments like we do now, just the two of us [or three of us] if you need. anytime. you are our little bugg man and that will never change.

so remember that we love you, no matter what. forever and always. 

[and i am so incredibly lucky to have meg henderson [els photography] in my life to capture these amazing pictures of me and my boy. these mean the absolute world to me, hormonal or not, and i cannot thank her enough. and her talent....i mean, it's pretty incredible right?!]

.morning hopes.

photo || els photography for shoptheskinny.ca

early this morning, with jack lying in my bed next to me watching tv as per our usual morning ritual, my channel flipped to cmt music. while i don't particularly partake in country music ever, a particular song started and the lyrics grabbed my attention....lee ann womack's 'i hope you dance' played [and judging from the outfits in the video, probably released in the early 90's!] and i couldn't help but hope for those same things for that sweet little boy in my arms. call it pregnancy hormones, call it love.

jack henry - i hope you always dance.

xo

momma.

i hope you dance || lee ann womack

"I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,

You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,

May you never take one single breath for granted,

GOD forbid love ever leave you empty handed,

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,

Never settle for the path of least resistance

Livin' might mean takin' chances but they're worth takin',

Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth makin',

Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter,

When you come close to sellin' out reconsider,

Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.

(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along,

Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone.)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance, 

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance. 

Dance....I hope you dance. 

I hope you dance....I hope you dance. 

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.. 

(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along 

Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone)"

.dot com.

fancy napkin got herself a .com handle! and a little facelift. 

what do you think? 

i know, not much pizzazz [or colour] going on but i am loving the clean lines and simplicity of how she looks. still have to clean it up a little, add a few more page links and fun for your viewing pleasure, but other than that...done.

i thought it might be fun if you are just joining us, or since i took a 3 month hiatus, re-discovering us! to walk you through a few areas of interest.

1] my 'hello' page gives you a little more info about me & my family. growing quickly from 3 to 5! yep, if you didn't catch this post here, i am pregnant with twins due sometime in october and we are elated!!

2] 'categories' basically send you to a new page of interest. i personally like the food section, but then again they are all my fav recipes so i may be a tad bit biased. that, and i'm pregnant so food is always on my mind. click on each link to have a look.

3] 'the skinny' link will take you to an upcoming project i am currently working on. seriously big news in these parts!! however since it's not quite ready to be published you'll have to be satisfied with my sneak peeks here and there on instagram or facebook. but i am beyond excited and happy about this and cannot wait to officially share the news with you all. coming very very soon...

4] speaking of instagram or facebook, you can go directly to those sites if you click on the little triangles above my 'hi there' picture. also applies to pinterest and twitter. obvious i know, but my not-so-savvy-with-the-computer grandmother may be reading this?! and besides, i'd really really like you to follow me. ha!

5] the 'shop' link will take you to some of my most favourite and currently loving items that you can purchase online. i update this regularly as i like to shop, a lot. however, for total and utter disclosure i may make a few cents off your purchase if you click and buy. just saying. but trust me, the 50 cents i might make doesn't affect my opinion or likes. what you see is what i've boughten or would buy. simple as that.

so that's a quick rundown of what fancy napkin is all about. i am planning on having more regular daily posts and perhaps a few of my fav re-occurring series; like my monthly favourites videos, my monthly shopping lists, book review videos, weekly recipes, bump style updates, my weekly happy things, perhaps a jack/kiddo style report and a monthly edmonton date-night review, just to name a few. 

hope this sounds like a good plan and i sincerely hope you'll check back once-in-a-while. i really did miss you.

xoe

.i am a teepee.

i am a teepee.

comforting like the canvas, providing you with love and warmth.
strong like the poles, always giving you a place of strength and support.
i am a place of laughter. a place to play. a place of fun and games.
a place to be loud and my echo will join you in singing songs till our hearts content.
but i am also a place of solitude, allowing you a little quiet and peace when needed, but never letting you feel alone.
i am a place of imagination and discovery. here to assist you in your many adventures.
and a place to learn, reading books and talking about the day.
my walls will protect you from the inevitable rain, as i know it will eventually pour, and i am here to keep you dry.
i will also show you the sunshine peeking through the top after those rainy days.
i am a place to sleep. usually on and will always have a nice place for you to rest your tired head.
i am a place of softness, my blankets and cushions keeping you cozy in case of a fall.
and i am place to hide if you are feeling scared, and i will be your support to confront those fears when ready.
i am tall, so if you ever get lost i can help you find your way home.

my structure simple, but my entirety all yours. i will never fail you in always being their in love, support, strength or reassurance. i am your teepee, as i always will be.

happy mothers day to the other teepees out there, with their own walls of love. and especially to the strongest teepees of all, my own mother and mother-in-law. love you.

.i resolve to:

anyone who knows me or has been following this blog for a while knows just how much i adore lists. they help me de-clutter my mind and accomplish things in a timely manner. while it can be daunting to think of a year full of 'resolutions' or to-do's, i have found that if i break them into quarters or seasons, it becomes more attainable and i don't feel as weighed down with all the tasks i throw at myself. 

so 7 days into the 2014, here are my winter/spring list of resolutions. looks attainable enough, right?!

i'm curious, what are your 'resolutions' this year?

ps. in keeping me accountable [trust me, i'll need it!], here is my daily smoothie concoction in case any of you feel like playing along.

.happy first birthday, my sweet boy.

today marks your 1st birthday, my sweet boy. 

it's been 1 whole year since you turned my world upside down. since you showed me how deep my love can be. and it's just so different than loving your daddy [which i do now, more than ever]. this love - when it concerns you is internal, it's deep and unconditional, it's unavoidable. it's just something that i do. something that i can't control. you are my heart, baby bugg.

along with your wide toothless smile, your bright blue eyes and the most awesome head of blonde hair came a spirit of sweetness and laughter. you are happiness and loveliness and represent everything good in the world. i never knew what to expect in a little boy, but you have exceeded anything i could have ever dreamt.

this year we have watched you grow into such a sweet little boy, much to my dismay [won't you be my drooling baby forever!?]. you bring so much love to everyone. we've watched you learn to clap your hands and then wait for our applause afterwards. you blow raspberry kisses and think it's the funniest thing ever. you enjoyed 'soldier' crawling for ages and just recently learned the ease of actual crawling on your knees. you prefer to be on mommy's lap when watching cartoons, rather than sitting by yourself. you flirt with everyone you meet. you enjoy full-face sloppy wet kisses and occasionally try to slip a french one in. you love books and choose them over toys. unless that toy has wheels on it, then those books may have a little competition. you love your pacifier and now require one in your mouth and one in your hand before naps or at bedtime. you adore balloons. you love to crawl around naked as a jaybird and it gets the most laughter out of you always. perhaps something about the fresh air on your equipment! you love bath time with daddy and reading in daddy's arms. you're also cheeky, like your daddy. you share each others sense of humour and i can see trouble in the future for me dealing with the two of you. in the best possible way though. you like to crawl over our legs like a little ant and are busy as a bee. you smirk at women, like you're working a deal [and you probably are!] and you always get what you want. you never forget where a button/switch is located and love to turn things on and off, much to daddy's dismay [hockey game, on and off on and off]. you love music and bop your little body to the beat. you are small and mighty and sweet and empathic. you have a heart of gold and a spirited soul. 

you make me proud every single day and i love you more than words can describe. i will always support you, and i hope you always remember you have a place right next to me forever and ever. 

happy birthday, jack bugg. we love you so very much.

xomomma

.thankful.

just wanted to pop in and wish everyone a very happy [canadian] thanksgiving! i know i'm already down one turkey dinner, with 3 more looming before me, which i am both incredibly thankful and incredibly excited for. things just don't get much better than a houseful of loving family and a belly full of turkey. 

in saying that, today i sit here thinking of this exact time last year. i was 10 months pregnant, over due by a 5 days and just ready to meet our sweet, jack. he, in his usual fashion, was late to the party and although we were surrounded by family i remember thinking we were missing one vital piece of that puzzle. our boy. 

now, this thanksgiving, he is here. and almost a year old! goodness! but everything feels so damn right. and so damn great. and i, for one, am so damn happy and thankful for all of it. each and every day i thank god for that little beautiful boy and all the joy he brings me. for my beautiful husband. for my beautiful family. for my beautiful friends. for it all. 

i hope you get to spend a few minutes being thankful for something that brings joy to your life. something that makes life beautiful.

xoe

*photo's by jessica leigh photography

.blog update.

you may have noticed fancy napkin has been going through a few minor changes. i am currently working on bringing in some new series: a trending report, a 'say hi' feature focusing on businesses or people, a monthly shopping list, weekly threads & outfit posts for both myself and jack, a monthly video favourites [yep, bringing it back!], more crafting & diy projects, and a weekly recipe. i'm focusing on building a more structured site and would appreciate any feedback you may have on what you love, like and perhaps can do without [but let's be kind please!] on here. i enjoy all aspects of blogging, but find i'm a little too 'all-over-the-map some days and hence my cleanup. 

i'm also sourcing out a blog designer to clean this little baby up....again, any suggestions? a few more items on my agenda - working with more advertisers [for  obvious reasons] with product reviews or clothing posts, as well as partnering with a few photographers [and actually videographers too!] who may have a few extra hours on their hands that could be fancy napkin's sole photographers for detail shots, outfits posts, etc. etc. 

so if you, or if you know of anyone interested in anything like this in the edmonton or surrounding area please tell them to give me a shout. they'd build a bunch of marketing/advertising for their site or business! i know i've certainly helped a few photographers build some clientele this way :)

so email me at erinn_treb@yahoo.com or leave a comment below. 

thanks, as always for following along!

xoe

.back at work.

[photo's taken by my friend, chelsea. also jack's carer and friend :)]

well, if you follow me over on instagram you may have seen that tuesday was my first day back to work. i started the day with bittersweet emotions. a mixture of sadness, excitement, nervousness, and worry. i knew this day was coming and like the organized fool i am, basically had everything ready by the front door like a kindergartener. jack's multiple items were packed for his carer [he's spending a mixture of days between my amazing mother-in-law and my amazing friend, both of whom jack and i love and trust impeccably], my outfit's for the week were picked out, and our meal plans were done. i was ready, but i just couldn't shake this feeling of sadness. 

after the initial drop off, i should share that i did shed a couple of tears in my car as it was parked outside my office. and it completely surprised me. perhaps because i wasn't really sure as to why i was crying.

i enjoy my job enough that i wasn't scared to go back. in fact my coworkers are great and i get along with a plethora of different clients which makes it fun. i'm not stuck in an office 9 - 5 and i'm pretty confident at what i do. i wasn't crying because i was sad at leaving jack with someone else [although that does kinda suck] and i understand that i am lucky that i have both my mil and my friend watching him rather than a stranger. i know jack is comfortable and probably about to have the time of his life playing with someone other than his old momma.

no, i was crying because it was yet again another change. yet another adjustment to make. our routine, that i felt was perfect, about to fade away.

as a girl who prides herself on usually embracing change, being a mom has really made me appreciate the normalcy of routine. the normalcy of just having the small moments count. the normalcy of family and good friends and how important love and respect is. i used to thrive on being busy, on not missing anything. on never saying 'no', but since jack has entered our lives those feelings of always having to do something different and exciting and wild has slowly diminished. i now simply enjoy knowing what's going to be happening today, tomorrow or the week after. and i think i felt that was all about to change. i sat in my car and cried because i didn't know if i would be able to handle this change, yet again. could i juggle work and being a mom? could i get us back to the perfect routine we had just the day before?

and then something great happened. my husband called just to say "you'll do great, erinn. i'm here for you if you need me". and like that, i realized that i don't have to juggle it all. i don't have to have a perfect routine fully organized to the last minute. life is about living. so with that i marched through those doors and was welcomed back with a bunch of smiles. and although i won't lie and say i'm not entirely pooped out, i can say that it wasn't that bad. the change, i mean. everything is going to be okay. i realized that a little change was good for jack and for me. and i realized that we're all much stronger than we sometimes give ourselves credit for.

**side note: i was struggling on what picture to add for this post and when chelsea sent me these pictures throughout the day today, i knew they were perfect. a play-by-play for a momma missing her baby boy.

.simply put but not simply meant, thank you.

i'll let the video do the talking, but this is a sincere and from the heart, thank you. 

xoe

.we need your help: the h&m fashion family contest.

photo by jessica l photography

hi friends! today i am excited. very very excited!!

i kinda have some pretty darn awesome news! my little family has been selected as a top 10 finalist in the h&m fashion family contest!

YEP! you are reading that correct! MY LITTLE FAMILY IS A TOP 10 FINALIST!!! whoo hoo! somehow, those kind folks over at h&m canada [yay!] has selected us and now we desperately need your help! in order to win to grand ol' prize [a $5000 spending spree and a feature in the december's edition of today's parent magazine for h&m!!!! no joke and so awesome, right!!] we need your votes.

each day, starting now till sept. 10th, you can vote for my little family [the trebaczkiewicz family!] right here. the more votes we get, the better our chances of winning. and i sure would like to win :).  also! for every vote you put in, you are entered for a chance at 10 x $50 gift certificates!! so a vote could be a win win for both of us!

so please please please with a big ol' fat cherry on top head on over [click here!] and vote for us. a vote each day would be utterly fantastic [pretty please!] and i promise good karma will be coming your way.

thank you all so much in advance. you don't know what this would mean to us.

xo

erinn and the boys.

ps. to vote, just click on the 'vote' button in the top right side of the page [link provided here], fill in your information and click vote, then go to your personal email and click on the link provided in the email from h&m and you're done! it's really not that hard and takes a couple seconds :)
***update! for you all you US friends, you will need to use a canadian zip code to vote, so please use mine if that helps: t5t 1n2

pps. sending all our good karma juice to you!

.threads: those warm summer days.

can you feel it? the air at night is getting cooler. my light-weight sweaters are slowly finding a way back into my closet rotation and my tall riding boots are being dusted off. fall is just around the corner.

while i can't hide my excitement for my favourite season [at least in the clothes department!], i am determined to enjoy my last few moments amongst the sun. i simply need this last month or two of warm days to clear my head and to prepare for what's next. to prepare for what 'fall' means to me this year.

i should mention that this summer, although slow paced and really uneventful, has been one of my favourite summer's thus far. i'm sure you can guess why - it's simply because of that little darling, our jack bugg. we have spent so many enjoyable days outside doing absolutely nothing other than exploring and getting to know each other just that much better. playing, learning, laughing, a little crying, but just being in the warmth of summer and all the joys the sun can bring to a person's soul. 

so this year i have such bittersweet thoughts on fall. a time when i usually can't wait for cooler nights on the deck wrapped up in a blanket and a cup of tea watching the leaves change. 'fall' this year means so many different things...it's when i have to go back to work. it's when i have to leave my baby with someone else. it's when i have to enter the world of adults again. it's time for juggling my career and my family. it's time for yet another change. 

and while i truly think i'm okay and ready for that change, i also find myself holding onto a little more of those warm summer days. 

ps. and when you have a great dress like the lacy white beauty i'm wearing above, it makes holding onto summer just that much sweeter.
*make up: illuminate your beauty by ally stone

dress, free people || clutch, jcrew [old & gifted] || wedges, nine west || bracelets, stella & dot / club monaco 1, 2 || earrings, melanie auld

shop the look here

.feeling folky.

so my birthday was yesterday. 

at this point i'm not sure if i should still be getting as excited as i do when my birthday rolls around, but i mean, what can i say? i quite enjoy the love and attention! ha! it was a busy week filled with dinners, drinks, bonfires, music and lovely conversations. i also got spoiled rotten! geez, i have some really beautiful people in my life who make me feel loved [and not just because they know how to pick a sweet gift out! ha ha! i mean that in attention and thoughtfulness too!].

as for my actual birthday yesterday, it was a gorgeous sunny day and we spent it at the edmonton folk fest with some equally gorgeous and sunny friends. it was also jack's first festival and i was perhaps, even more excited about the thought of that and showing him what a joy music can be.  after chels & her family treated us to some birthday tickets [and cupcakes! thank you! and yum!] we packed our bags and nabbed a spot on the hill to catch a few tunes and soak up some rays. as i said, it was a super sunny and hot day out where a little shade was appreciated. jack was slathered in sunscreen and we lounged around in the open air. it was just awesome. we also ate, drank, and people-watched till our hearts content. we soaked in some live music from the various 7 stages and walked the site numerous times. i seriously think my legs wanted to beat me up after walking up that hill a couple times.

the folk fest is one of my favourite events in the city, located in our gorgeous river valley and i am just so happy to share this day with our son. he loves music and his little bopping body was bouncing away once that beat was heard.

unfortunately, taking a 9 1/2 month old to a full day music festival turned out to be a little too much for the tired little fella, so we packed it in a little early and headed home to rest from the busy weekend. peter may have had a little pout about leaving earlier than when the avett brothers where to take the stage [bummer for us both, actually] but that's what you do when you're a parent. and in the end, we had a little family snuggle, which is actually just what this 31 year old wanted. and frankly, needed.