Black Friday Sale Favorites

I used to love shopping Black Friday sales when I was younger. We were never crazy enough to be part of the group that goes at 4am but it was still fun to get out and shop the sales with the crowds. Now that most of them can be found online too I can guarantee all my Black Friday shopping will be done from the couch in my pajamas with a cup of coffee in hand.

Here are some of my favorite sales:

Gap- 50% off everything in stores and online with code BLKFRIDAY

 Gap Primaloft Luxe Fur Trim Puffer

I've been lusting over this coat and it's hard to resist at 50% off!! Brings the total down to $45- which is a steal!

Gap Stripe Ponte Dress

I love all things stripe and this dress is no exception! I think it would be a great casual winter dress.

 Gap Baby Sherpa Jacket

 

I've been eyeing this jacket for Miller and with the 50% off it comes to $17.48!! I think I'm going to have to pick this up.

 J.Crew- 30% off  full price styles in stores and online and 40% off sale items with code HOLIDAY.

J.Crew Excursion Vest in Buffalo Check

 I love this vest and highly suggest it to anyone! I have a few of these vests and the buffalo check is a great addition to my collection.

J.Crew Tassel Trim Top

on sale so you can get 40% off!

I love this top! I picked it up in Black last week and it's so cute. Everyone says it runs a little big which I agree. I'm usually between a 4/6 and I got a 4 and it fits perfectly.

J.Crew Factory- 50% off in stores and online. Free shipping on orders over $50 with code THANKS

J.Crew Factory Draped Henley 

 I also picked this up in red a few weeks ago but I'm loving this burgundy color. It's nice and long which is crucial for this tall girl.

J.Crew Factory Crepe Drop Waist Dress

I'm not sure I could pull off a drop waist dress but I love the simplicity of this dress and think it would look great with a big pearl necklace.

Madewell- 25% off in stores and online with code GIFTON

Madewell Cable Front Sweater

My sister just bought this sweater in this color and the cream and it's so cute. It's nice and warm/comfy while still having a flattering cut.

Madewell Rhiannon Boot

I've been looking for a cute heeled black boot and I love these! I think they'd look great with that drop waist dress above

Old Navy- up to 50% off the entire store and online.  Save an extra 15% online with code GRAVY

Old Navy Baby Cable Knit One Piece

I love this outfit for Matthew and I'm thinking about picking it up for our Christmas card pictures next weekend.

Old Navy Star Printed One Piece

I love the stars and light blue for a baby boy.

Piperlime- 25% off sitewide and chance to win a trip to NY fashion week with code IHEARTNYC

Joie Deon Blouse

I love the colors of this blouse and with 25% off it might be worth splurging on.

Rag  & Bone The Skinny Distressed

I'm not sure I can really pull off distressed jeans right now but I'm kind of loving this look again.

Tory Burch- 20% off $300+, 25% off $500+, 30% off $750 with code LUCKY

Tory Burch Caroline 2 Roccia

I have 3 pairs of Caroline's and I think they're so much more comfortable than the Revas (I have not tried the new Revas but I know a few people who don't like them). I love this snakeskin  print and think they would dress up outfits this winter.

Tory Burch Sally Wedge

I don't know how many times I've talked about these wedges but they really are the best! The  2.5 inch heel is perfect when you're looking for a ittle something but don't want a huge heel.

Well those are my favorite Black Friday sales! Are you shopping today? Have you picked up anything good?

Matthew's Birth Story and Choosing His Name

As most of you know I had a scheduled c-section planned for my second pregnancy.  I actually picked his birthday of November 4, 2014 back in May but didn't know the time of my surgery until the day before.   Just like my c-section with Miller I ended up being scheduled for 10:30am which I thought was good luck.
For some reason even though I knew what to expect I was still very nervous for this c-section.   To help ease my nervousness and stress we decided to take Miller and Layla to my parents the night before surgery so that Kyle and I could go to dinner and try to get some good sleep. We are lame and ended up at Cheesecake Factory but I did treat myself to one last dessert with their delicious pumpkin cheesecake.

Here is my last bump photo the day before Matthew was born:

On November 4th we arrived at the hospital two hours prior to surgery at 8:30am and got set up in triage. I was lucky enough to have a labor and delivery room prior to surgery with Miller but this time they were booked and some of the rooms are being renovated so I was stuck in triage. It wasn't awful being stuck in triage but they would only let me have one visitor at a time and they weren't allowed to stay long. Due to this rule I only got to see my mom and sister briefly before my surgery.   At this point we still hadn't decided on a first name for this little guy. We went in with 4 choices:
-Matthew
-Brooks
-Tilghman
-Hayes
The middle name was set as Joseph but we decided in the hospital that we wouldn't pick a first name until we met him and we would wait to discuss it until I was feeling up to and not groggy from surgery. Kyle's first choice was Brooks, mine was Matthew but Tilghman was a close second for me.  Kyle got to make the final decision on this name because I got to choose Miller's so I was prepared to go with Brooks if  that's what Kyle wanted.

In triage I got all hooked up to the machines and monitors and got my IV in as I waited for my doctor and the anesthesiologist to come by and talk to me before surgery. I wasn't loving my OB in the appointments leading up to my c-section but the day of he was great and his bedside manner was much improved from my office visits.

We headed back to the OR right after 10:30am. The first thing to happen in the OR was my spinal.  I got extra nervous when we got into the OR and it was freezing cold so I was shaking like crazy.  The anesthesiologist, Dr. Nguyen was awesome and let Kyle stay in the OR to hold my legs while I got my spinal.  I LOVED Dr. Nguyen but it took him 3 sticks to get my spinal in right!! After the first two mess ups I was freaking out even more but everyone in the OR did an awesome job to calm me down. They were all telling stories and making jokes to help me forget.
Once the spinal was in and set we were ready to roll. At this point I was so ready to have this baby and be in the recovery room. Since I was so nervous Dr. Nguyen promised me once the baby was out he would give me a special "cocktail" to calm me down. 

Baby Boy H was born at 11:14am. I couldn't wait until I heard that loud baby cry and just like his brother he let out some huge wails before he was taken away for all his tests.  With Miller I felt absolutely nothing during the whole surgery but this time I could feel all the pulling and pushing especially when they got the baby out. It was a really weird sensation to feel the movements but not the pain. I even said I few times I can feel it, I can feel that and they were like don't worry your spinal is working trust us you'd be screaming if you could really feel it. Kyle was able to accompany Baby Boy H to see him get weighed and his tests run.  I was so excited for them to get back to me so I could meet him.

Sorry for the close up!!

The minute I saw him the tears starting rolling down my cheeks and I just knew he was a Matthew. I didn't say anything to Kyle because they were whisked away to our recovery room so that they could finish up my surgery.  I was so happy to hear he was healthy with an apgar score of 9 and weighed in at 8lbs 2 oz!!  Dr. Nguyen gave me two "cocktails" which made the rest of the surgery go by really quickly and made me relax without feeling groggy.  My OB told me when the surgery was over that my uterus was really thinned out where my first c-section scar was so he was happy I chose a repeat c-section over a VBAC.  That kind of freaked me out but made me feel good about my decision.

Once I was in recovery I started to feel good right away.  With Miller I was really groggy and out of it in recovery but this time I felt absolutely great. Kyle asked how I felt and if I was with it and I said I felt great. He was holding the baby at the time and looked at me and said "I think he's a Matthew. I don't think he's a Brooks at all" (that was Kyle's first choice, mine was Matthew). I seriously just smiled and said "Oh my god I think he's a Matthew too and felt it right when I saw his face." I was honestly shocked that we both chose the same name after just seeing him. Matthew is Kyle's middle name and Joseph is named for Kyle's grandfather that he was close with who passed away in 2001. I never got to meet him but heard many wonderful things about him.

We spent about an hour in recovery before it was time to head to our room and for Matthew to met the rest of the family.  Everyone is our families were anxiously awaiting not only meeting him but learning his name. We spent the next four days in the hospital just getting to know Matthew and soaking up our time as just the three of us before we went home to big brother.  I can't believe it's already been 3 weeks!  I can't imagine life before Matthew anymore and he's made our family feel complete. 

Ally from Life as I know it: Dining Room Tour

Hi Everyone! Today I have Ally from Life as I know it sharing her favorite room in her house. I've been hooked on Ally's blog ever since I found it about a year or so ago. She is tall like me so can relate to all my #tallgirl problems, has the cutest doodle Pixie who I know Layla would love, she loves good food and wine, and she has a killer wardrobe. If I lived in Charleston I would be borrowing clothes from her all the time!  Thanks so much for guest posting for me Ally and make sure you stop and say Hi- after seeing this room I'm convinced we need a house tour! 

 

Hello! My name is Ally and I blog over at Life as I know it. I was so honored when Natalie asked me to guest post for her while she's out having her baby boy! She gave us a couple of topics we could choose from and I instantly picked to post about my favorite room in my house, my dining room. It's kind of funny because although this is my favorite room it's my husband's least favorite. I get why he doesn't like it, we never use it! It's a fairly big room and in his eyes is just wasted space. I love it because it has so much history in it. Enough talking, here's a tour:

It's the first room on the right as soon as you walk in our house:

Welcome! 

This table was used by my great grandmother, my grandmother, my uncle, and has been passed down to me. It's actually in pretty decent shape but I love it for the history it has. The wood has a good bit of scratches on it and it's really hard to pull it apart to make it longer and use the leaf but I love that it's been passed down from generation to generation. It had a 6th chair but unfortunately it broke through the years. 

On the right wall of the dining room is a shadowbox with my dried wedding bouquet. Funny story, my husband's aunt had my bouquet for over a year and kept telling she had it drying and if I wanted it because she'll just throw it away. I kept telling her no I don't want, what would I do with it? Literally the next week I went to an Estate Sale, bought this shadowbox and decided my wedding bouquet would be awesome in it. I called his aunt quickly to make sure she hadn't thrown it away, she luckily hadn't, so I took a good bit of  the flowers out and rearranged the bouquet to make it fit. It's just a little special something to remember from our wedding. 

This massive picture, it's massive in real life, it looks small here, was a wedding gift from one of Theo's uncles. It's the Charleston harbor in 1739 back when Charleston was called Charlestowne. This was really special to us because Theo and I have lived in Charleston our whole lives. Plus it's just a cool picture.

On the left side of the room is a bar cart my mom passed down to me. About a year ago I was looking for one for the dining room and my mom said she had one in her attic and I was welcome to have it. When we have parties or if it's a special occasion I'll put fresh flowers on it but it mainly serves as a house for Theo's liquor. 

On the other left side of the room is this amazing art I found at a consignment store. It's handmade string art and I thought it went so well with the Charleston harbor picture. I believe it was made in the 1970's and it's extremely fragile. Those strings are barely on the nails. I got it for a crazy price too. When I saw it I just knew it was going to be a couple hundred dollars. It was on clearance and I think I paid $45. 

The rug under the table was a rug my mom won in an auction. It has also become the rug where Pixie likes to relieve herself on. :) I'm not too keen on the fabric on the chairs but somehow they go with the rug. I may reupholster them in the future since they're kind of outdated looking but for now it works.

The view of the dining room from the kitchen. Pixie lying in her "spot" wondering what the heck I'm doing. 

So that's my dining room. I would like to get a fiddle leaf fig in the future to fill the space. Theo has others plans and wants to turn it into a bar/man cave. I told him I can't imagine not having a house without a dining room even if we never use. I think once we have kids we'll use it more and when I had a friends' wedding shower at my house a few months back it was a great room to use. 

Thanks for having me Natalie and can't wait to meet your new baby boy!!

What's in my Bag? Katie from Katie Elizabeth

Hi Everyone! Today I have Katie from Katie Elizabeth sharing What's in her bag! Katie and her husband just made the move from downtown Chicago to the 'burbs of Michigan where they just purchased their first home! Not only has it been so fun to watch as they update their new house they also just got the most adorable puppy!!  If you don't read her blog you must check it out! I mean what's better than home decor photos and pictures of a puppy!  Thanks so much for helping me out today Katie! 

Hi everyone!  I'm Katie from the Katie Elizabeth blog and I write about a variety of topics including my life with my husband and a new house in Michigan, my favorite recipes and my love for any and all beauty products!  I'm so excited to be here on East Coast Chic and hope Natalie is soaking up all of those precious newborn snuggles right now!

To be completely honest, I never really got "into" purses.  Don't get me wrong - I appreciate a beautiful bag and would die to get my hands on a LV but I've never been one to spend a lot on purses or to switch them up everyday. I'd say the majority of my bags are from Macy's, Target or Marshall's and I switch them up every other season - so I have a fall/winter bag and a spring/summer bag (that's the lazy girl in me).

I've been carrying this Steve Madden bucket cross body bag since the beginning of September.  It was a TJ Maxx find and I fell in love with the cognac color for fall, plus you can't beat the $30 price tag.

Another thing about me -- I'm a pretty organized person so you won't find many "extra's" in my purse, just the necessities.  I also make sure it's cleaned up (receipts in my wallet, any trash taken out, etc) everyday.  Nothing drives me more crazy than not being able to just reach in my bag and pull out what I need!

+ If I only switch out my purse twice a year, you can probably guess how often I switch out my wallet -- pretty much never.  This blue/green wallet is from Urban Outfitters and is actually super special to me because I bought it on the day my husband and I got engaged!

+ I always have a pair of sunglasses in my purse - but I make sure they are cheap sunglasses since they are likely to get pretty banged up in there.

+ My planner is my LIFELINE.  I would be lost without it.  This year I'm using an Erin Condren life planner and am enjoying it for the most part -- you can read my full, honest review here.

+ The most random possession found in my bag is definitely the tape measurer but that's because we just moved into a new house and I'm constantly furniture shopping :)

+ These are all the lip products floating around in my purse, it's so bad!  I absolutely can't leave home without my Carmex - I've been known to stop at a Walgreens and pick up a new one if I do happen to forget it.  My two other favorites are the Bare Minerals Moxie Gloss and the NYX Butter Glosses.

+ The little pink and red bag holds all a few other random necessities - Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin (best scent ever) hand lotion, Tylenol, Visine, a hair tie, and some chewing gum.

I feel like a "what's in your bag" post can tell you a lot about a person and in my case, it definitely sums me up -- an organized, makeup obsessed, brand new home owner!  Stop over and say hi sometime :)  Thanks again for having me Natalie!

Jillian from Cornflake Dreams: Bedroom Tour

Today I have Jillian from Cornflake Dreams sharing a tour of her master bedroom! Jillian recently to my favorite city Charleston, SC and is pregnant with a baby girl due next spring! I love following along as she gets to know Charleston and drooling over her restaurant wishlist!  If you haven't checked out her blog yet it's a must read for food, fashion, and life. Thanks again for helping me out Jillian!

Hello there! It's Jillian from Cornflake Dreams. I recently moved to Charleston, South Carolina from Chicago, Illinois with my husband and we're renting a Carriage House downtown. The location of our place is amazing -- we can walk everywhere and we love looking at historic homes in our neighborhood. But our place is small -- as in 1 BR, 1 BA and 650 sq. ft. small. It works for now... it'll be real cramped next March when we add a baby to the mix (but that's another story). My favorite room in our Carriage House is the bedroom. It's probably the girliest room in our place and it is super comfortable (Tempur-Pedic mattresses are life changing!)

Lindy Upholstered Bed - Havertys

Modern Border Duvet Cover and Pillow Shams - Dwell Studio
Leela Cushions (Indigo) c/o Kalyana Textiles

Pregnancy Pillow - Bump Nest (pregnant ladies, this thing is a lifesaver!)

Gray throw blanket (similar) - Crate and Barrel

Hemnes Nightstand - IKEA

Custom Wedding Cake Toppers - Etsy

Silver frames (similar) - Crate and Barrel

Metal Floor Mirror - West Elm

Kallax shelving units x2 - IKEA

Kvarnvik storage boxes with lids - IKEA

Magazine files (similar) - IKEA

Vintage typewriter

Little Birch Jewelry Stand - Urban Outfitters

Silver-Plated Jewelry Box (a wedding gift from my grandma) - Pottery Barn

Large square 8"x10" and Medium square 5"x7" brushed silver wall frames - Crate and Barrel

Drapes - Bed Bath and Beyond

What is your favorite room in your place?
-xo-
Jillian

My Christmas Wishlist

Today I'm linking up with April, Katie, Zelle, and Elise for the second annual These Are a Few of My Favorite Things link up. Today's topic is "Christmas Wish List" and I had so much fun putting mine together. I don't expect to receive all these items but it's still fun to play around and I plan to send this to Kyle to give him a little help :)

{Splendid Striped V-Neck Sweater}

I stumbled upon this sweater while browsing at 3am the other night and I'm in love.  First of all it's striped so it needs to be in my wardrobe and secondly it has the cute and comfy factor going for it. That's a key element in my wardrobe this winter.

{Steve Madden Pondrosa Suede Boots}

I'm in desperate need of new boots. My beloved Banana Republic ones I've had for 5 years are on their last leg and I've had my eye on these for months. They're the exact color I've been looking for and the price point is perfect- not too expensive!

{7 For All Mankind The Skinny High Waist Jeans}

I already own a pair of the 7FAM The Skinny jeans and they really are as amazing as everyone says! They seriously suck you in making you appear skinnier and the high waist is perfect to help control my post baby tummy.  I have these in a lighter pair but think this dark indigo would be perfect for winter.

{Gigi New York All in One Clutch}

I'm hoping to get one of these to go with my Teddie Tote to help with a little organization. Plus I can pull it out and use it as a clutch when I go out or for date nights.

{English Norman Mom Personalized Bespoke Bangle}

I can't remember who blogged about these first but I love them. I am hoping to get one of these bracelets with my boys names and birth dates on it. They have all sorts of combinations and I think they can fit up to 4 names. Great present for a mom or grandma!

{Kate Spade Glitter Stud Earrings}

Glitter earrings? Yes Please! I would actually love to have these prior to the holidays so I can wear them to all my holiday events and definitely on NYE. I mean how fun are these!

{Zella Live In High Waisted Leggings}

So everyone including my sister raves about these leggings. I love that they have a high waist version so I can avoid a post baby muffin top and everyone says they suck you in all over which is what this mama needs right now. I figure they'll be great for running errands, hanging around the house, and working out this winter.

{Asics Gel Kayano Running Shoes}

I am so excited to start working out again!! Prior to getting pregnant with Miller in 2012 I used to work out and run regularly but haven't really done anything since then.  I am so ready to be back at it and I'm thinking some new running shoes will help keep my motivation up! I've been wearing Asics for years and I'm loving this fun pink color.

{Brother SE400 Computerized Sewing and Embroidery Machine}

So I have a major thing for monogrammed anything but my obsession has gotten worse since having kids. I feel like I'm always shelling out $$  for monogrammed clothes, towels, burp cloths etc I thought I might give the whole monogramming myself a try. Meg helped lead my in the right direction and I was sold on this machine when an Amazon reviewer who claimed she can't sew, hates following directions, and never reads manuals said this machine was easy for a beginner.  Sold!


So that just about does it! Hopefully Santa will surprise me with some of these gifts this year!

What's on Your Christmas List?

 
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Life Lately: A Newborn, A Toddler. and Postpartum Life

Hi!! It feels so good to back in this little space of mine on the internet.  I have missed my little slice of the internet so much over the past two weeks,  more than I thought I would!  I still have plenty of guest posts left for the next few weeks but I had to just pop in to say hi and fill you all in on life lately.

Matthew

      I can't believe he will be two weeks old tomorrow! It feels like he's been with us at least a month if not longer. It's amazing how quickly we're adjusting to having him and he just fits right in with the family.

Not gonna lie, I  forgot how exhausting the newborn sleep/eat schedule is. Especially when you're breastfeeding.  The longest stretch of sleep I've had in two weeks is 3.5 hours. I also forgot how hungry and thirsty breastfeeding makes you. I seriously cannot get enough water. Matthew is a mama's boy so far and only likes to be held. By me.  This is the opposite of Miller so it's been quite an adjustment. When Miller was upset he loved being put down in the swing or bouncer to chill out. Matthew likes to be held to chill out. Not the easiest with a demanding toddler around but we're making it work. I'm breaking out my Solley wrap today since it's Kyle's first day back at work and hoping that helps.  In general he's been such a good baby that I can't complain. He really only cries when he's hungry or having his diaper changed. Other than that he's just happy and content.

Miller 

    He's been really good with Matthew. He mostly just ignores him unless he's crying and then he's really interested in him. He's given Matthew a few of his toys and tried to give him a snack once. It was actually quite cute and my pediatrician said it's a really good sign that he's accepting of Matthew.  We are still working on him being "gentle" with him but it's hard since Miller still doesn't really understand what gentle means.   Most of the time that he's gotten upset over the past two weeks have been when I can't pick him up (because of my c-section). Thankfully we are just over that hump and I can pick him up again! We are having trouble with  Miller and staying asleep at night but we're not sure if that's related to baby Matthew or not. 

Life with two and Postpartum
   I think the hardest part about having two so far is that I really don't have any free time for myself.  It seems that every time I sit down to eat breakfast or just relax for a minute someone needs me.  I'm trying my best when Matthew is asleep to devote all my attention to Miller which of course means things like house chores, blogging, and showering get pushed to the back burner.  I know this is just a fleeting moment in my life and I will probably look back years from now and miss the days when I am so needed by little ones.
The one thing I can say is that even with a c-section you immediately feel better after having the baby!! I felt the same way after Miller, just not being pregnant feels better.  All of my swelling is gone and I'm already down 22lbs from the 38lbs I gained. 

I feel awesome after this c-section. I had such a rough recovery the first time so I was nervous the same thing would happen again. Thankfully it didn't and the adjustment at home has been easy. I'm pretty sure I have my anesthesiologist to thank for feeling so good, he was awesome!  I plan to post Matthew's birth story sometime soon and if anyone has any questions about c-sections feel free to ask.  I felt so good last week that I managed to not just shower but do my hair and get dressed in real clothes!! We then spent a wild and crazy Friday night at Wegmans grocery shopping and eating dinner.  I couldn't walk very far but it felt great to be out in the real world. 

Well I'm off to tackle the day! It's Kyle's first day back to work so wish us luck!