Trendy Tot Tuesday

Lilly's dress is Baby Gap that I got at Once Upon a Child

Gold sandals were a gift before she was born, I love them! And she likes them too ;)

Bow is from Carter's Outlet

Bloomers are from another dress that I got at TJMaxx

Follow Kelly and Megan, and link up your trendy tot post! 

Mommy Confessions: Having it All

C.S Lewis Quote

Okay, so let's be really honest here, I was completely terrified when I made the decision to leave work and become a stay-at-home mom. I have been working since I was 14 years old, from babysitting...to temporary summer jobs in high school...to working at a local restaurant...to a receptionist...to working in retail... then back to office work, I don't know what it's like to not have a job. I mean when I was in college I had an almost full-time retail job plus a full-time internship while still going to class. I don't know how not to work. So this endeavor to say the least is a challenge, not a difficult challenge because I love being at home with the little one all day, but I'm only 3 months in and I'm not satisfied. Yes, I love being able to be home and take care of Lilly and watch her develop and keep our house functioning, but I feel like I'm not fulfilling my potential. I had all these hopes and dreams to open my own store or move up in the corporate retail world, but right now neither are feasible. I have all these ideas and creative juices flowing and I'm trying to find ways to hone in on those while I stay home and ultimately try and "have it all."

The Holstee Manifesto

But really...can we have it all? I know a lot of you moms out there have experienced this or are going through it right now as well. I'm still adjusting to the stay-at-home-mom thing and trying to figure out a way to make it all work. I'm hoping to find something I do that I'm passionate about and am using my skills toward while also fulfilling my duties as a wife and mother. How have you made it all work? Can we have it all? What are some ways you adjusted to staying at home full-time?

Fashion Friday Mommy Style

Outfit Details

Top and Earrings are from Target

Pants are from Old Navy

Shoes are Dr. Scholl's sandals, super comfy

Bangles are Alex and Ani and two random ones ( I can't remember where they came from)

Necklace is Stella and Dot from a very, very long time ago

My Mommy Summer Essentials

My Mommy Summer Essentials by nataliemorelliwaters featuring leather sandals

Banana Republic Elbow Sleeve Timelesss Tee

Banana Repulic's Timeless tees are my favorite tees on the market. They hold up very well, have a little bit of stretch to them, last forever, and this new elbow-sleeve style is so flattering! They are pricey at full-price, but if you can catch them when they have a sale then definitely snatch one (or two or three) up. 

Alex and Ani Bangles

My husband got me some Alex and Ani bracelets for Mother's Day this year and I absolutely love them. Each one has their own special meaning, and they look great stacked with each other and are super affordable. I wear these everyday, Lilly likes to play with the dangling charms.  

Merona 5" Shorts

These shorts from Target are my absolute favorite shorts that I have found after having Lilly. I'm still holding on to a little extra baby weight and when shopping for shorts at the beginning of the season I was having a very hard time finding shorts that were long enough to cover some of my imperfections on my thighs while also being flattering on my body. At first I tried bermuda shorts from Old Navy but the material was super tight and hit very low on my waist. These shorts at target cover what I need to cover and hit at the perfect spot on my waist....love them! 

Sanuk Sandals

My husband also got me a pair of these yoga mat sandals for Mother's Day and I have not taken them off sense. They are super comfortable and go with everything. They feel like a pillow on your feet. 

Ju-Ju-Be Diaper Bag

This brand is my favorite diaper bag brand. These bags have tons of pockets and organization for all your mommy and diapering needs. This bag specifically has detachable back pack straps and messenger strap so you can wear it multiple ways to fit your needs with your little one. All of their bags can be washed in the washing machine and have antimicrobial lining. And their prints are adorable! 

Tervis Tumbler

And last but not least, of course you need to stay hydrated this summer. I love a good large insulated tumbler to take with me everyday when me and the little one are out and about.

Striped tee
bananarepublic.gap.com

Merona Women's Chino 5" Short Assorted Colors
target.com

Leather sandals
urbanoutfitters.com

Alex and Ani antique charm bracelet
bloomingdales.com

Alex and Ani seashell charm bracelet
bloomingdales.com

Lilly's First Birthday Inspiration

I cannot believe Lilly is going to be a year old come August! Time has flown by so fast and it still feels like yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital. I would be lying if I didn't admit I started thinking about her first birthday soon after we brought her home, I'm a planner so I like to think ahead...sometimes way ahead. I have already started shopping for decorations at the dollar tree since we are on a tight budget. We are going to do hamburgers, chips, pasta salad, fruit skewers, baby snacks for the little ones that will be there, and cupcakes with water, sweet tea, and soda for the drinks. Our house is very tiny and we have a carport, but it will probably be extremely hot here to have the entire party outside so I'm thinking of an indoor/outdoor scenario and still trying to decide setup. But for now here are some of the images from pinterest I have been using as my inspiration. 

Stay tuned for how it all turns out :)

Vintage Carnival

Tiny Themed 1st Birthday

Tiny Themed 1st Birthday

Tiny Themed 1st Birthday

Pinwheels Party

This is the start of my party supplies from The Dollar Tree and Tuesday Morning.

Stay tuned :)

Mommy Favorites: June

So I didn't realize until I was almost done with putting this post together that a majority of these items are beauty items. But these items are ones that I discovered last month or have been using daily for a while so I thought I'd share some of top favorites with all you other mommy's out there trying to find good products that actually work :)

Sonia Kashuk Concealer
This concealor is a miracle worker. It covers everything! From under eye circles...to scars...to uneven skin tone...everything vanishes. Try it out, it is a heavier concealor so a little bit goes a long way and it needs to be blended a little bit more then lighter ones. Another tip, I put this on after my foundation and before my powder to help set everything. 

Stella and Dot Wallet
This wallet is the perfect little wristlet and has a slot for your phone. Perfect for when I'm on the go with or without baby.

Target Towel Wrap
I love this thing. I'm literally in this all morning while getting ready and juggling the little one.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Serum / Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum
I started using these after reading tons of reviews and let me tell you I will never stop using them unless they discontinue them which I really hope will never happen. I saw an improvement in my skin within 1 week. The fastest results I've ever gotten from any skincare product! It helped my under eye circles, complexion, and scaring on my face. I don't look that horrible without makeup anymore...ha! These are on the more expensive side, but they really have been worth the cost and these bottles should last a while before I have to buy more, some other ladies that use both of these have said that they only have to buy these twice a year. Since it is a serum, a little bit is all you need. 

It's a 10 Miracle Leave in Conditioner
Best thing you could put on your hair. It has everything you could ever need in one product. Try it and see for yourself.

Organix Kukui Anti-Frizz Hydrating Oil Mist
If you battle frizz and/or humidity where you live this is going to be your new BFF. This plus the it's 10 has completely changed my hair forever. I'm so glad I tried it.

Adventures in Mommyhood: 6-10 months

Ok, so yea, it's been quite a while since I have posted anything, but believe me I have good reasons. As a new, first time mom, there are a lot of things to get acclimated to and sometimes four months pass by without you really realizing it. So lets get started on what has been going on in my mommy adventures the past four months shall we...

So first off, Lilly hit 6 months, had her routine doctor visit with her vaccines and things were fine for a couple of days....and then... one night, all hell broke loose. Lilly decided she didn't want to sleep, she didn't want to really eat, nothing seemed to satisfy her, except to throw a hissy fit. And this lasted all day and all night, sleep regression is what I was told by the doctor (there was nothing else physically wrong). The only thing that would calm her down was her swing. Well, as of a couple of months ago, the swing swung its last swing. When the swing finally gave out and wouldn't swing anymore, it didn't seem to bother her, so I was happy! After about a week or two (I can't really remember now) of the no sleep, no eating, mommy and Lilly finally falling asleep on the couch by 4 am and so on, she finally got on a new routine...Yay me! She got back on her regular feeding schedule during the day and was taking one good nap during the day and maybe a second small nap, maybe, and would wake up once in the night. Once things were good and we were getting adjusted to the new routine, she got her first head cold/seasonal allergies. So sleeping in her rock n play started again because that was the only way she could breath besides laying on my chest. As she was getting over the cold, she started breaking out in hives....Mommy Panic set in! But all was well, apparently it is very common for babies to get hives from a cold or virus. They went away exactly one week from the first onset. Husband got really sick with a cold and allergies, Lilly got sick right after him, and then mommy got sick with a sinus infection and ear infection! Every week was something new and difficult to get through while taking her to work with me part time...I was messing things up at work and I just couldn't seem to catch a break. But things have kind of leveled off for the time being and we have settled into a good routine which I'll talk about in another post coming soon.

Here's what else went down during this time and where we are at now

- Lilly started crawling

- I decided to make a big change, quit my job, and decided to stay at home with Lilly full time for the time being

- Lilly is standing up in her crib and if she holds on to something stable
- She is also waving and saying "DADA""LALA" and "YAYA"
- Lilly is sleeping better in her crib now, wakes up maybe once or twice, sometimes has to sleep in the bed with us, sometimes she'll go right back down in her crib, but no more middle of the night bottle
- She has 2 teeth
- Loves food!

So I am hoping to make this new change of being a full time stay at home mom as fulfilling as I can! 

Stay tuned :)