9.23.2013

Monday Musings and Weekend Recap

We had a nice low key weekend and the weather was perfect!

On Saturday we took a day trip up to PA to Kyle's hometown so that we could see family and visit with friends. It was Miller's first trip up there and it was so fun to introduce him our friends who hadn't met him yet. 

In honor of our trip I had to dress Miller in his monogrammed polo shortall that my sister in law bought him


We have a drooler on our hands these days so bibs have become essential 

On Sunday we took Miller to church for the first time and he was so good! I think it helps that a little kid in the pew behind us was obsessed with him and kept playing without him through out mass.  We then went to breakfast afterwards.

Here is my mom holding him so I could get a picture of his outfit, which is from Madrid, Spain.  Thanks to my sister in law's parents living abroad Miller has gotten quite a few of his wardrobe staples from Europe.


If you are in the mood to eat a whole bag of candy I suggest going to Target and purchasing these. 
They are soooo good and so addicting. I picked up this bag last Friday and it's already gone. Thankfully they were out of stock when I was at Target this morning. Otherwise I would have been in trouble. 

I also picked up Essie Merino Cool this morning after Steph suggested it to me last week.   I'm going to paint my nails with it tonight- it looks like another perfect fall color.  

The next two colors I want to get are Essie Carry On and Essie After School Boy Blazer. 

Another pick up on my Target trip this morning was a pack of La Croix Cran-Raspberry.   I have been craving soda lately and I'm trying really hard not to drink it so I'm hoping this will help curb my soda cravings.   I usually love plain seltzer water but I was looking for something with a little flavor. 
I put Miller in the bumbo chair over the weekend and he loved it!  He couldn't really sit up that long and it almost made me cry because he looked like such a big boy in it. 

Doesn't he look like he's having fun!?
SHARE:

9.20.2013

Five on Friday

I'm linking up again to share five things I am loving this week...


Since the weather has cooled down here I've been wearing flats instead of sandals and wowza I have developed some blisters.  My feet haven't been in real shoes in about 6 months so I am currently loving these Band-Aid blister healers- they not only block the blister but also help to heal it so you can keep wearing your shoes. 



I decided to help me feel normal again I would purchase a pair of pants without an elastic waist!  (I'm not going to lie though elastic waist pants are amazing in their own right!)  These jeans are perfect.  They come up high enough that they cover the pouch/muffin top I still have but don't come up too high that they resemble "mom" jeans.   To top it off they are currently on sale at ShopBop here.  

3. Straws
This one is totally random but prior to getting pregnant I drank water all the time. I loved it and had no problem exceeding the recommended 8 glasses a day. Once I got pregnant and the nausea kicked in I had the hardest time drinking even one glass of water.  I basically just forced myself to drink it through out my pregnancy. I thought it would be better postpartum but it hasn't and now that I'm breastfeeding I need more water than ever.  (who knew breastfeeding made you sooo thirsty!?) so I have started using straws.   This sounds dramatic but they're amazing!  They have helped me so much and made my water drinking that much easier.

4. Lilly Pulitzer Elsa Top
 
How gorgeous is this blouse?  I absolutely love it!  I don't love the price tag of $158 for a shirt but it really would be a fun addition to my closet.  I'm thinking of getting my sister to split it with me and we can share it. If any of you buy it please tell me how amazing it is so I can live vicariously through you. 

5. Baby Gap Jersey Pants

These are some of the sofest pants I have ever felt!  Since the weather is cooling down I was on the search for some cute but comfy pants for Miller and these Baby Gap ones do the trick.  They are so soft and slide on and off easily for diaper changes.  They also come in solid and stripe so the possibilities are endless.  I picked up the orange and navy stripe above along with a solid navy pair.
SHARE:

9.16.2013

Monday Musings

Happy Monday y'all! Did you have a good weekend?

I got a much needed pedicure with Essie In Stitches. I think it's the perfect mauve-y pink for this time of year when I'm transitioning from bright colors but not ready to go too dark.


Did you all check out the 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target?  I have to be honest I was sort of underwhelmed. I don't know why but I feel like I get so hyped up (like everyone else) over these Target
collaborations and then I end up being disappointed.

This is the bag I was hoping to like:


In the taupe color it just looked too cheap, I think black would have been better.  I will say the smaller handbags they offered looked better but I didn't love any of them either.
The clothes my store had we're ok but again underwhelmed and just didn't seem like good quality for the prices.
It could just be my age but I'm starting prefer saving my money and investing in nice classic pieces that will last rather than jumping on every trend.  Anyone else feel like that?   Am I just getting old?

I took my first postpartum run this weekend! Yay!!  I only went 1 mile and it took me 12 minutes BUT I didn't die and so far it doesn't seem like I've torn any major muscles.  So I consider it a success.


I had my first Pumpkin Spice Latte this weekend too (did you know you could get it decaf?) it feels like fall here and It's pretty freaking amazing. It was 95 and humid all last week and then we got these crazy Thunderstorms and they brought in a cold front and its  been gorgeous ever since.  Fingers crossed it stays this way!

Have a great day!
SHARE:

9.13.2013

Five on Friday



I'm linking up again to share another five things I'm loving this week... 

1. Fellow Bloggers- I could probably do a whole post on this but I just have to say that I love this blog community! My husband doesn't understand at all and totally makes fun of me but it's nice to come here and vent and have other people who understand or can relate to what I'm going through.  So Thank You to everyone who stops by here and reads my blog and takes the time to leave a comment.  I really appreciate it!

2. BaubleBar Tortoise Bloom Necklace-  this looks just like one that J.Crew had earlier this summer but for half the price!

3. Coffeemate Pumpkin Spice Creamer-  I love pumpkin flavor in the fall and this creamer is the perfect way to get the flavor at home!  I know this creamer is exactly healthy but it's more convenient and cheaper which is always a win in my book!  


4. Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa Foolproof-  my sister gave me this cookbook last Christmas and I am finally breaking it out to use it because it looks amazing!!  I know that was almost a year ago but I kind of hate/suck at cooking so I've decided my new goal is to make one recipe a week out of this cookbook until I feel more comfortable in the kitchen.  
Do anyone have any other cookbooks the recommend that are relatively easy?

5.  Picture Frame moulding-  We have finally started to get the contractors/companies in to start working on renovating our house.  I cannot wait until it's complete!!  One architectural detail we are going to add through out the house is picture frame moulding.  I LOVE this look and think it will really help to bring our house up a notch in our cookie cutter neighborhood. 


 via



SHARE:

9.12.2013

It's Been One of Those Weeks....

that calls for a bottle of wine to be drank in one sitting. 

- My normally happy content baby has been fussy and cranky the past two days.  Yesterday he had to be held All.Day.Long and needed to eat like every 2 hours.  He wouldn't even sleep last night unless he was on my chest. Which means I basically got no sleep.  So today I am one exhausted momma. I'm pretty sure he's going through a growth spurt. 

- Did I mention that I can't drink caffine because it upsets the baby way too much?? Yup so there is nothing I can do to pull myself out of my fog.  So I keep on drinking my decaf and pretending. 

- I really, really want to do some major shopping but I can't fit back into my pre-pregnancy size yet and I don't really want to buy a bigger size.  This is totally a personal vanity problem that I need to get over. 

- I can't fit back into my size yet because I can't stop eating like I'm still pregnant and I haven't started exercising yet even though I got cleared to start 5 weeks ago.   Blah.  It all sounds like too much work.

- I'm sort of back to work and helping out another agent in my office who is going out of town and it's exhausting and frustrating.  I won't go into details but this person was supposed to be helping me during my maternity leave and sort of dropped the ball on me and my clients soooo it makes me bitter that I have to help this person back now.  I'm going to do it though because I'm a good person and a deal is a deal.

- My dog chewed and broke my Ray-Ban Wayfayers this week.  I didn't even have the energy to get mad at her because it's my fault that I left them in a very easy spot for her to get.    The upside is now I have an excuse to get new sunglasses!

- In two weeks I have to go to my husband's boss' birthday party.  It's a costume party with no theme. WTF.  I have no idea what I could possibly pull off with my mushy flabby post baby body. I'm thinking I need to go as a tent or a ghost or something that hids everything.   The depressing part is there will be 50yr old women there with incredible bodies that will just make me cry. 

- Mom guilt is much worse than Catholic guilt.  I now understand so many stories and things I've heard from moms about why they do what they do.

- I hate that I'm feeling cranky and complaining when I have so much to be thankful for.  I know this and I am so grateful for everything in my life but sometimes it just helps to vent. 

- K and I still haven't been on a date night since Miller was born 11 weeks ago- we've taken him out a lot but we haven't had a night just the two of us.  I think we need to schedule one soon. Other moms- when was your first date night sans baby?

If you made it this far thanks for listening to me vent...






SHARE:

9.09.2013

One and Two Month Favorites

When I was pregnant I loved reading what items bloggers loved for their babies.  Since I'm two months into this parent thing I thought I would share with you all what has worked for us the past two months.


Baby Favorites



1. Fisher Price Rock n Play Sleeper- Intially Mills did not like this but after about 2 weeks it was the only thing he would sleep in.  We also liked it because he started spitting up and getting the hiccups really badly around 2 weeks old if we laid him flat.  The Rock n Play helped ease our worries about choking and hiccups.  We stopped using it around 7 weeks for sleeping (because I didn't want him to get attached to sleeping on an incline) but I still use it around the house if I need to shower or do a chore. 

2. Dr. Brown's Original Bottles-  I started pumping and giving bottles right away because I wanted Mills to get used to both breast and bottle.  He originally liked Playtex nursers, then he liked the Avent originals but with both of those bottles he would stop eating or just play with the nipple  I had received some Dr. Brown's at my shower so I gave them a shot and he loved them!  We've been using these since about 6 weeks and so far so good.  They are a pain in the ass to clean with all the little parts but such is life.

3. Fisher Price Cradle and Swing-  This swing has been a lifesaver for us!!  For the first two weeks it was all Mills would sleep in.  We now keep it downstairs and use it during the day for some morning/evening naps and for Mills to just sit and hang out in.  When Mills is overstimulated or wants his alone time he wants to be in the swing.   We usually keep it on a very slow swing and play the music and spin the little lambs around he will coo and laugh at them if he isn't asleep.

4. Summer Infant Swaddleme-  These were also a lifesaver!  Miller hated being swaddled and would break out of any blanket swaddle as a newborn so we purchased some of these and they saved our nighttime sleep.    We used these until he outgrown them and swaddling which was around 6-7 weeks

5. Dr. Brown's Bottle Brush-  If you're going to be cleaning bottles or breast pump parts I highly suggest getting a bottle brush and this one is the best in my opinion.  I thought I would use the dishwasher for bottles but I have found that it is much easier to just hand clean them rather than waiting for a dishwasher load to be ready.

6. Carter's Sleep and Play with zippers-  We LOVE Carter's in this house!  Miller sleeps in footie pj's everynight and Carter's are our definitely favorites.  I have some other brands I LOVE too but you can get Carter's on sale for as cheap as $6.00 and they are so soft.   As many people told me when I was pregnant the zippers are great because it can be hard to snap up 100 snaps in the middle of the night or if you have a swirmy baby who can't stay still like I do. 

7. Carter's Receiving Blankets-  I use these blankets for the floor for tummy time, as a big burp cloth, to cover a couch cushion at someone else's house, etc.  I consider these cheap enough that I don't care if they get bodily fluids on them and I think they are thick enough to put down when I at someone's house so that Miller doesn't spit up or have an accident on their nice carpet or furniture.

8. Pack n Play with newborn bassinet and changer-  The PnP is another biggie in our house.  The first 6 weeks it stayed downstairs in our family room and made diaper changes and nap time so easy.  Especially if you have a c-section you don't want to be doing the stairs 10x a day for diaper changes.  Then when we were ready for Miller to sleep flat it moved upstairs next to our bed.  The best part is that it folds up small and compact so it was easy to take with us on vacation. 

9. Aden and Anais Swaddle Blankets-  I posted about these before but they seriously are as great as everyone says they are.  I orginally had 4 and went out and bought 4 more because I use them that often.  We take 1-2 walks a day and these are great for blocking the sun but are also light enough that he doesn't get too hot.  They were perfect at the beach for the same thing and I use them all the time for nursing when I'm not at home.

10. Halo SleepSack-  Miller broke out of his swaddle pretty much since he was born but we kept pushing it up until about 6 weeks.  It was about then that we switched to sleep sacks.  He loves his sleep sacks and now coos and smiles when we zip him up in them for naps or at night.  I love the Halo ones but also have ones from the brand Just Born and Carter's.

11. Philips Avent Double Electric Comfort Breast Pump- This is the breast pump that I was lucky enough to receive free from my insurance company.  To be honest I was very nervous about this pump because it wasn't one of the heavy hitters like Medela that I keep hearing all about.  So far I absolutely love it.  I pump 1-2 times a day and have been using it pretty much every day for the past 2.5 months.  I have zero complaints and I hope that it continues to work well for me. 

12. Fisher Price Rainforest Melodies and Lights Gym- Miller has so much fun on his activity mat.  We tried to use it 1-2 times a day and he has just started reaching up and hitting the little toys hanging down.  He also loves the music and lights and will start laughing/screaming when we turn it on.  It's been so much fun watching him discover all the different little toys and see his arms moving.

I hope this helps anyone who may be looking for suggestions!  Feel free to ask me any questions if you have them. 
SHARE:

9.06.2013

Five on Friday: Fashion Finds






TGIF y'all!  Are you ready for the weekend?  I know I sure am!

Here are 5 things I'm loving this week.

1.Tory Burch Caroline Flats


I decided to take advantage of the Tory Burch labor day sale and get some Caroline ballet flats because I've heard so many people rave about them.  They were right! They are so comfortable and the Camellia pink color is a the perfect neutral.

2. Old Navy Tipped-Collar Crepe Dress


I stopped by Old Navy to look at Halloween PJ's for Miller and I ended up in the women's section because they had such cute stuff! ON can be really hit or miss with me but they really came through with this dress.  It's super comfortable and can totally be dressed up or down depending on the shoes or jewelry.  It will totally work for work or a fall evening out.  Old Navy is currently offering 25% off adult styles too. 

3.  J.Crew Factory Chambray Dress


I saw this dress on Natalie on instagram and knew I had to have it.  The picture on the site does not do it justice at all.  It is so cute in person and perfect for the fall transitional weather. To top it off it's currently on sale.

4. Pottery Barn Kids Classic Diaper Bag

This diaper bag has been amazing!  First off it is gigantic which is the #1 requirement for me and my bags. It has 3 separate compartments which makes it easy for me to organize baby stuff in 2 parts and my stuff in the 3rd part.It also has slots for bottles on the outside which makes it easy to grab one and keep them from spilling over.  The bag is so awesome that I have a few friends that want to buy it or are buying it (even though they don't have kids) to use as a carry on or travel bag.

5. Tory Burch Miller Sandal



I'm starting and ending with Tory Burch today.  So about a month ago on Five on Friday I posted about wanting the Miller sandal.  Well I ended up buying a pair and I am OBSESSED. Yes they are outrageously expensive but they are so comfortable and cute.  I now want to get them in every color but I'm going to hold off until next spring since we're heading into Fall.  I would suggest if you live somewhere that stays warm longer or all year round that you pick up a pair! 


SHARE:

9.04.2013

Shop My Closet!

I'm cleaning out my closet and I have some items that need a new home!!  I'm linking up with Lamberts Lately Big Blog Sale!


Here's how it works: 
If you would like to purchase a item leave a comment with SOLD, the item you would like to purchase, and your Paypal email address.

All items are first come, first serve. Feel free to email me at eastcoastnat@gmail.com with any questions or for additional pictures

Free Shipping!   Items ship the day after I receive payment via USPS.

I also list stuff via my Instagram @shopnattyscloset


Tart Infinity Maxi
*New with Tags* 
Size: Small 
Color: Royal Blue 
Retails for $285- selling for $150

Here is a photo of the dress on and link to the many different ways you can wear it- click here

Blue Rain Dress

Size: Medium
Color: Blue/gray/black
$15

Lilly Pulitzer Harlow Dress
100% Silk
Size: Small
Color: Blue with swirls of dark blue, pink, green, etc
$70

The Webster for Target Dress
Size: Medium
Color: Navy with pink and yellow design
$20

A Pea in the Pod Maternity Shirt 
 *New with Tags*
Size: Medium
Color: Maroon
Purchased for $109 selling for $50

J.Crew Boyfriend Cardigan 
100% Merino Wool 
Size: Small
Color: Green
$30

Old Navy Polka Dot Sweater
sorry its a bit wrinkled!
Size: Small
Color: Tan with Black polka dots
$15


Banana Republic One Shoulder ruffle dress
100% Silk -worn once
 Size: 8
Color: Gray/silver
$50

Ann Taylor Strapless Dress
100% Silk taffeta - worn once
Size: 2
Color: Black
 $60

J.Crew Blouse 
Size: 6
Color:Eggplant
$20

Banana Republic Cardigan
Wool and Angora 
Size: Small
Color: Black
$30 

J.Crew Shirt
Size: 4
Color: Orange
$20

Ann Taylor Loft Dress
*New with Tags*
Size: 6
Color: Red, pink, purple floral
$35

Lilly Pulitzer Polo
Size:Small
Color: Black
$15

Madewell Flare Jeans
 *New with Tags*
Size: 29
$50

SHARE:

9.03.2013

Baby Mills: 2 Months



2 months as of 8.27.13! Where is the time going! 
 
Weight:  12lbs 12 oz (75th percentile)
Length: 24.75 inches- (95th percentile)
 
Mills has gained 5lbs and grown almost 5 inches since he was born!! The nurse measured him twice because she was in shock that he had grown that much.  I'm tall and so is my husband so it's not totally shocking but it's crazy how fast it's happening.   


Clothes: We are pretty much completely in 3-6 month clothing.  He is fully grown out of the 0-3 sleepers because he's so tall but he can still fit into 0-3 onesies and outfits if they are shorts and not pants.   It was quite depressing to pack all those clothes away. 
Health: He's doing great.  Since passing the 6 week mark the hiccups are very rare and he really doesn't spit up or get an upset tummy unless he's eaten too much

Diet: Still 100% Breastmilk and going well
 
Sleep: Right around the one month mark he started sleeping 5-6 hour stretches and now we are currently working on 8-10 hour streches!!! We were getting 10pm-6am but he's now doing more 9pm-7am.   I would say it's amazing to get so much sleep but I still find myself waking up at 4am and again at 6am checking on him because I can't believe he's still sleeping.  

Baby Gear Love:   Still loving the FP cradle n swing, , Aden and Anais swaddle blankets, FB rainforest activity mat,  Baby Jogger City Mini, Diaper genie, Pack n Play, Pottery Barn Sailboat mobile 

Likes:  Eating, sleeping on mommy or daddy, his swing, baths, going on walks, watching the mobile in his crib, Rainforest play mat

Dislikes: pacifiers and the car seat

Crying: He only cries when he's hungry or in his car seat - if anyone has advice for a baby who hates their car seat I would love to hear it?!

Milestones: First vacation to OBX! It was so much fun to take Mills to OBX where K and his family have been vacationing for 30 years.   It was so fun for him to have the opportunity to spend time with K's side of the family and his older cousins


As you can see the ocean water was thrilling.


Social/Visitors: We had our first family vacation with K's family so Miller got to see some other little kids/babies and it was interesting to see how he just sort of stared as his older cousins and watched their moves.  I can't wait until next year when they can all play together at the beach.  He's been out to dinner quite a few times which is pretty good except for the whole hating his car seat.  I think it will be easier when he can sit up in a high chair and look around. 
 
Postpartum: I've been doing really well.  I got the clear to exercise again around 7 weeks but I haven't really done much yet besides walking.  I tried to do cruches last week and OMG I could barely lift my shoulder off the ground.  I'm going to try to start running now that our weather seems to be cooling off a bit and slowing ease myself back into lifting/crunches.  My goal is run 2-3 times a week and lift/crunches 2 times a week.   I'm going to take it slow because my c-section site still gets sore sometimes so I don't want to push it.  


SHARE:
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Blogger Template Created by pipdig