1 Year Anniversary and Baby's First Mountain Trip

 

 

 

This past weekend my husband and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary. In our first year of marriage we have bought a house, a car and had a baby, it's been a whirlwind to say the least. We went to Boone, NC, our favorite place, and went to the annual Woolly Worm Festival and the New River Pumpkin Patch. We took the little one with us and stayed at a small little cabin right outside of Boone. We had such a great time shopping downtown and looking at all the colors change. Boone is home to Appalachain State University and so there are so many local shops and restaurants for the students and tourists right in the downtown area to try. There is such a peaceful and laid back atmosphere there that Josh and I just love.
 

 

 

Lilly had such a great time and did really well on the trip. The drive to Boone, NC is about 4-5 hours from Charleston, SC. We woke up around 5 am and before we left I fed, changed, and got her dressed and when we left a little after 6am she was asleep. She slept until about 9:30 am when we stopped at a rest stop and fed her and changed her diaper and let her stretch out a little bit. We were on the road again by 10am and continued on to Boone. We stopped at a BBQ place around 12ish and she ate again. Since we couldn't check into our cabin until 4 pm, we went down to King St to do some shopping. Josh carried her in her carrier and she enjoyed the fresh mountain air and napped a little bit while we did some shopping at the Mast General Store and some local boutiques and shops. When we traveled home Lilly slept the entire 4 hour drive without having us make a stop. So blessed to have such a good baby to travel with. She was not fussy nor had any bad crying fits the whole trip.

 

 

 

 

Fall Handbags

So my fetish is handbags. I could buy a handbag or two everyday if I could. I would say my everyday style is more casual and classic (nice jeans and a fitted t-shirt) so I like to accessorize with bags, shoes, and jewelry or scarves to make my whole outfit complete. This fall handbag trends to try are cobalt blue, leopard, a nice camel or cognac brown, cream or blush colored, hot pink and/or color blocked styles. These are the handbags that I am currently lusting for fall and ultimately want every single one in my closet :) 

Blue Fold over clutch

Blue Satchel

Blue Dome Stud Tote

Blue Zara Bowling Bag Tote

Leopard Satchel

Black Satchel

Camel Vintage Style Tote Bag

Cream Satchel

Hot Pink Nine West Satchel

Hot Pink with Gold Lock Satchel

Pink and Red Color Block Tote

Pink Zipper Crossbody

(Picture from Polyvore)

Fall Wishlist for Baby Girl

I don't just want to be hip and trendy this fall all by myself. I want my little one to be hip and cute just like mommy. So here is my Fall Wishlist for Lilly:

Printed Coat

Pink Coat

Animal Hoodie

Baby Headwrap

Chambray Top

Colored Cords

Stripe Tee

Owl Hat

Trendy Shoes

Printed Onesies

Post Pregnancy Bucket List: 10 Things I Can Do Now that I'm Not Pregnant Anymore

I ran across this article on one woman's "bucket list" of things she can do now that she is not pregnant or nursing and was intrigued to do the same for myself. It has been a little over 2 months since I gave birth and I am still breastfeeding, but I still have my own list of things I have looked the most forward to now that I am not pregnant anymore. Some of my things are the same as hers, but I think the repetitve ones are the ones every woman who has given birth looks forward to the most after pregnancy.

Here it goes:

1- Sleeping on my Stomach!

Sleeping was so uncomfortable while pregnant, even with using a pregnancy pillow (which only helped for a few weeks out of the whole pregnancy). This has truly been amazing since it is my preferred way of sleeping. 

2- Painting my own toes!

Ok let's be honest here, bending down while pregnant is a full on chore! It takes a lot of effort and you barely reach what you are trying to get if you pick it up at all. Being able to sit on the floor and paint my own toes a few weeks after giving birth was such an accomplishment.

3- Having a Drink!

Yes I am still breastfeeding, but when I do drink I do the "pump and dump" to ensure my little one isn't getting any of the alcohol.

4- Putting my own shoes on!

Being able to put your own shoes on or fix your pant legs without having assistance is another major accomplishment after pregnancy. I was pregnant a majority of the summer and trying to put sandals on was absolutely impossible. My husband became a shoe buckling expert.

5- Being able to wear real shoes again!

During the last half of my pregnancy my feet were so swollen. Heels and wedges were totally forgot about, flats really hurt, and after a while the only thing I could put on was a flip flop or something to slide into. I love being able to actually fit in my flats, heels, and wedges without feeling pain or my feet bulging out of them.

6- COFFEE!! 

Ok I will be honest, I did drink one cup of coffee everyday while I was pregnant, most days just a half cup. Before I was pregnant I would drink one, two, even up to three cups on any given day. I am so in love with coffee, I just could not give it up entirely. I discussed it with my doctor and she said it was perfectly fine for me to actually have 2 cups of caffeine (coffee or a soda) each day, but I didn't want to overdo it. Since I am still nursing, I have not increased my caffeine intake from 1/2-1 cup of coffee each day. If I have a soda, I drink caffeine free.

7- Hiking!

I absolutely love  hiking. My husband and I love the mountains and the outdoors and before I was pregnant we used to go on spure of the moment hiking and climbing trips. The husband and I have not done this yet since she is still so young. We are headed to the mountains for our anniversary and we'll see if we can actually do a little bit of hiking with her and our baby carrier. Stay tuned!

8- Going to the Beach!

I was the most pregnant during the summer here in Charleston and was so hot inside my 70 degrees house (hot flashes were more like heat waves that never went away) the last thing I wanted to do was even step outside let alone get in a bathing suit and go to the beach, I mean just getting ready and getting in the car was a 15-20  minute ordeal. I still don't want to get in a bathing suit right now but am looking forward to putting her in her carrier and walking on the beach and hopefully next summer actually make it out for some fun and sun!

9- Wearing real clothes and shopping at non-maternity stores!

Eventhough I had some really adorable and super comfortable maternity clothes, it has been nice to not have to wear them. What I have looked forward to the most is actually shopping at non-maternity stores. As weird as it may sound, Charleston really does not have a lot of options for maternity clothes (Motherhood, A Pea in a Pod, Target's super super tiny maternity section, and one maternity and baby boutique in Mt Pleasant is all we really have), so shopping at the same stores and looking at the same things every time got really old really quick.

10- Going out without getting winded!
Being able to go out and walk around the park, downtown, the store...any sort of long walking and exercise feels so good :)  

What are some of your post pregnancy bucket list items???



Fall Wardrobe Essentials for Mommy

Being a new mom to a 2 month old has me strapped for time getting myself ready everyday. Having a good stock on wardrobe basics in my closet helps me tremendously when getting dressed. "Basics," also often referred to as "classics," are wardrobe essentials that are the building blocks to your closet. Basics help you in getting dressed everyday without you even knowing it. Basics are the hardest working items in your closet because they are the most worn. They are your go-to styles each and every day. 

So let's take a look at how you can easily update your wardrobe essentials this fall without breaking the bank. 

Chambray Shirt- chambray has been a go-to item for me for the past couple of years, but especially now being a new mom. Throw it on with a pair of black pants or leggings or dark skinnies with a cute flat or sandal and your instantly adorably and casually dressed for the day without having to add too much to your outfit. It's perfect this fall for layering with your chunky sweaters, boots, and scarves. 

Dark skinnies- dark skinnies have been a wardrobe basic for years now. They are the perfect jean to throw on with any outfit. You can wear them with simple t-shirts, button downs, or can easily be dressed up with a fun, fancy blouse or blazer and heels. 

Ankle booties- I could not imagine getting dressed this fall without a pair of ankle booties. Shoes are very important in putting an outfit together, they can make or break it. Having a neutral pair that you can wear with jeans, skirts, and dresses will make you look fall ready and put together in seconds. 

Military Jacket- a military jacket has also been a major go-to item for me with my little one. Living in Charleston, SC where it doesn't really get that cool in the fall some days (some days are all the way up to the 90's), having a lightweight cotton jacket to throw on with jeans and tee is great to have in my closet for fall. If you're feeling creative you can dress this jacket up or down. It's perfect for layering and the outfit possibilities are endless.  

Black Mini skirt- a flippy black mini this fall is the perfect update to the black pencil skirt. This is a great go-to for mommies on those days when you don't want to wear pants or want to step it up a bit in the outfit department. This item can be dressed up or down; pair with tights and add your ankle booties, tee, and casual jacket and you are adorably casual, or add a cute flat or small heel and pretty blouse or cardigan and you are good to go. 

Flats- flats are a must for mommies. There are so many different styles of flats out there now that you can find any that will fit your personal style. From colors, to prints, to embellishments flats are the way to go for moms who want to pull-together an outfit. 

Striped Tee- I am obsessed with striped tees. These are perfect to just throw on or layer with a jacket, sweater, or scarf this fall. 

Everyday Tote- having an everyday tote in a neutral or fall color is essential for me. Something to throw everything for myself and my little one in that will go with every outfit takes me from weekday to weekend effortlessly. 

Chunky Sweater- fall wouldn't be fall without a great comfy, chunky sweater that you can wear any day of the week. Perfect for those chilly days and can be layered however you wish. 

All of these items are perfect for you moms out there because you can find them anywhere, mostly under $50. You can easily pair any of these items with each other and have multiple outfits this fall. 

Mommy Style Under $50

 

 

Walmart Plaid Shirt $13.94

Faded Glory Jeggings $13.44

Shoes are Gap from 2 years ago, similar here

Adventures in Mommyhood: Taking Baby to Work

So last week I started back at work and I am so fortunate that I work in an office setting and am able to bring her to work with me. I am only doing half days right now because pretty much by the time I get her and myself ready, in the car, and to work and settled then have to actually do a few hours of work, I'm quite exhausted. By lunch time it's time for a nap for both Lilly and mommy. 

Here are some tips for any moms out there thinking about taking baby to work with them:

First of all taking your baby to work will not be the best situation for every job and work environment. If you think it will be a good fit with the kind of job you have, you will need to talk with your boss about what options you have. If you work in an office in a  cubicle or a space that doesn't have door or closed off area, is there an option for you to move to an office with a door. Discuss whether you can work on a part time basis to get you and baby acclimated and on a schedule and/or if there is a way you can do some work from home.  Once you and your boss have discussed your options and determined your schedule, a few days before (or you can even try a whole week, depending on your baby) you plan on going back to work, figure out what your schedule will be. Think about what time are YOU going to have to wake up, how long is it going to take you to get ready (shower, dressed, coffee, breakfast, etc.), what time is BABY going to wake up, how long is it going to take to get baby ready, and what time do you and baby need to leave the house to be at work on time and start planning accordingly. Think about preparing as much as you can the night before, have diaper bag packed, lunch packed for you, and anything else you'll need to take for your little one. 

Here is how it works with me and Lilly:

5am-6am
Lilly and I both wake up, Lilly eats 6oz bottle then lays in swing, I pump

6am-7am
 I eat breakfast then wash up and get dressed

7am-7:30am
I get Lilly cleaned up, changed, and in the car

7:30-8am
Commute to work

When we get to work Lilly will eat again sometime between 8am-10am, depending on how long she naps and then I pump again. She stays awake a little bit, but is easily entertained by her bouncy seat or on her tummy time mat. I get as much work done as I possibly can with constant interruptions for her pacifier or to sit in my lap and look at the computer screen while I work. She'll usually take another short nap and wake up by 12-1, then we go home to eat lunch and we both take an afternoon nap and then I get dinner ready.

My Essentials for Taking Baby to Work

These items have helped me tremendously in having Lilly at the office with me

1. Thirty One Utility Tote to carry all my stuff in to the office

2. Thirty One lunch tote for my lunch

3. Thirty One Thermal Pouch for breast milk storage

4. Baby Floor Mirror

5. Ju Ju Be Changing Pad

6. Fisher Price Tummy Time Mat

7. Fisher Price Bouncy Seat 

A bouncy seat is the perfect alternative to her swing

8. Aden+Anais Swaddle Blankets

9. Baby Einstein Lullaby Classics 

Music is crucial in having Lilly in the office, it is the perfect background noise for her. 

You can also try Baby Einstein radio on Pandora.

Mommy Style

Polyvore