The Nursery Diaries: Cole's Finished Room!

Finally!! I finally got around to taking some pictures of Cole's nursery and I'm excited to share them with you :) We are very lucky that Cole has been sleeping in his room from week 1, so we spend a lot of time in this room. It's probably my favorite room in the house... mostly because my insane love of it's occupant, but I am really happy with how it turned out.

This room is very small and the usable area is pretty much a square. Because of this, I had to be creative with the floorplan. But luckily nurseries have small furniture, so it worked out. The glider is sort of "floating" in the room, but it works. Here is a full room shot:

One of my favorite pieces of furniture is the dresser that functions as a changing table. We spend a lot of time at this dresser ;)

Another favorite in this room are the custom roman shades. These roman shades were made by the talented ladies at Drawn Company (on Etsy). I wanted to save some money so instead of using my usual workroom here in Charlotte, I turned to Etsy. I was SO impressed by this Etsy shop... the workmanship was just as professional as if I had gone to my professional workroom! They have awesome pillows, too.. and I am going to host a giveaway from them soon!

Cole's room has this interesting little nook, which ended up being perfect for books and a toy chest. Even though he's only 6 weeks old, I love reading to him.. especially all the books that are new to me.  

 

This lucite stool below is one of the first things I bought for the nursery, but was the last thing finished. I could NOT decide on a fabric and looked at dozens of options. I finally settled on this greek key from Pindler & Pindler, and I love it!

While I worked on this room, I didn't really have a plan like I do with my interior design clients. I just started pulling colors and things that I liked, and then realized I had a room that was sort of a hodge podge. I knew a piece of artwork would tie everything together. So I went on Etsy (again) and commissioned the artist Pamela Munger to create an abstract using the colors found in the room. I didn't want it "matchy", but I did want it to tie everything together. I LOVE love love it. I let her do her thing, and I love what she came up with. It reminds me of all the Saturdays we spent at Laguna Beach when Matt and I lived in Orange County.

The painting is on a piece of paper instead of a canvas, and I had it floated in a frame. Honestly, the artwork and custom framing is one of the biggest splurges in the room, but it's something I'm going to have and love forever. I hope Cole loves it someday, too :)

I debated whether or not to do a crib bumper, and decided against it. I chose a classic Jenny Lind style crib and a natural linen crib skirt (custom made) that would work for the next kiddo, even if it's a girl. I love the subtle bit of orange in the crib sheet.

 

Last but not least, I have this sweet little bookshelf that Erin (owner of Isabella) gave me. It holds all the little pieces that are really sentimental to me, and I love seeing them when I sit in the glider while nursing him.  The first shelf holds toys and things from when Matt was a child, and the middle shelf holds all the little stuffed animals that have given to Cole by friends and family. There is even a stuffed animal that was Matt's as a child (the bunny on the far right) that my mother-in-law found on eBay! So sweet!

And here is our sweet little Coley Guacamole sleeping in his crib: 

SOURCES: 

Wall Color: Benjamin Moore "Chimichurri"

Rug: Overstock.com

Glider: Crate & Barrel

Throw: Isabella

Crib: Amazon.com

Crib Sheet: Land of Nod 

Crib Skirt: Custom via Global Weave

Roman Shades: Custom via Drawn Company on Etsy

Dresser: Vanguard

Lucite Footstool: Vintage, Fabric Pindler & Pindler

Toy Chest: IKEA

Toy Bins: PEHR

Introducing.. Coleman Dunn!

He's here! And OMG I am so completely and utterly in love. Cole arrived early Friday morning 4/25/14.

I always enjoyed reading birth stories of my favorite bloggers, so I thought I would share the condensed version of mine. It was such a hard, yet amazing experience.

At exactly 41 weeks (Thursday) my water broke around 2 pm and I started having contractions right away. This was exciting because I had no contractions or anything before that... We had just had an NST that morning and the tech even said I wasn't contracting. We even had set a date for an induction that morning!

I was really surprised that the contractions came on SO fast and hard. They went from about 30 sec and 10 minutes apart to 1 min and 1-3 minutes apart in 2 hours. I labored on the birthing ball during the time and Matt was at work finishing up some things. Once he got home we really were contemplating whether or not to go to the hospital - I had always planned to labor at home as long as possible. But the contractions were so long and close together and had been for at least an hour, so we left for the hospital around 5.

By the time we got there, I was shaking and could not talk or walk through the contractions and we were admitted immediately, I was 4 cm. I wanted to wait on the epidural, so I got into the birthing tub. It helped me relax in between contractions, but since they were so close together I didn't get much relief. I decided it was time to get the epidural at 7 pm.

They checked me immediately after getting the epidural and I was 7 cm! Woohoo! I was able to relax and get some rest and was complete at midnight.

The hardest part of everything was the pushing. They turned the epidural way down and I could feel everything for pushing.. It was intense and painful but I'm glad I could feel it all - because pushing took 4 hours!!!  It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. It's true what they say.. It was like running a marathon. But finally, he came into the world at 6:27 AM on Friday morning and it was the best moment of my life!! He was 8 lbs 6 oz.


Here are some pictures!

 

 

I'll post pictures of the nursery very soon! I still have a couple last minute things to do to it :) But for now, I'm spending every waking moment I can snuggling this little guy.. I'm so obsessed!

Our Home In Four Magazine

Yes, I'm alive! And things are great.. still no baby, but I have about two and a half weeks until my due date... it's coming so soon! We are so excited to meet our little guy :) The nursery is also coming along great, I can't wait to share it with you! It's 95% done.. I'm just waiting for the artwork to get back from the framers and my little bench to be upholstered. Crossing my fingers both of those are finished this week!

I wanted to share a great little magazine feature with you in a local magazine called FOUR. It's a really cool, artsy magazine but unfortunately this was their last issue :(

It was really fun having them come shoot our home and interview me though! It was very different than being featured in HGTV Magazine.. it was very laid back and the photographer shot our home as is (for the most part). I am glad she was able to capture some images of what our home looks like on a day to day basis!

 You can read the article and see the images better here!

The Nursery Diaries: Chapter 4

This chapter is all about the paint color. As I shared in the first chapter, I knew I wanted a deep, dark green color on the walls. But boy, that color is HARD!! And I wasn't 100% sure exactly what type of green. Did I want emerald? Or Army? Or something that read as almost black?

So I bought a TON of paint samples and put them up on the wall.

These four pictured above were my favorites.. there were even more samples than this! The trouble I had was... and I'm sorry this is gross... I didn't want to be changing his diaper and have the wall color be the same as what was in his diaper. I know - interior designer mom problems! So the warm-toned greens were out ;)

The color I finally decided on was Benjamin Moore Chimichurri.

Of course, I am always drawn to the most expensive thing available.. and this paint could only be mixed in Aura paint. Matt wasn't too happy about that ;) HOWEVER - after we painted the room, we realized it was worth splurging on the best paint. We only needed one gallon, and we didn't even need primer! I highly recommend it!

I knew we needed both the walls and the trim/ceiling painted, so we decided to do the walls ourselves and hire my painter to do the trim and ceiling. It ended up saving a lot of money and it really wasn't too bad painting ourselves since the room is so small. 

And here is the current state of the room with the freshly painted walls & trim (and the crib installed!)

The color is exactly what I was envisioning, and it really changes with the light (which I love). During the day, when we get warm light the room is pretty green. When the light moves past the front of the house, the walls feel a bit more green/gray. At night, it's very dark and cozy... that means he'll sleep through the night right??? ;) 

This picture below most accurately depicts the color:

I'm really excited that we are getting pretty close to being done... now for all the "fun" stuff like fabric and art! I have ordered the crib sheets and the crib skirt and roman shades are being made. I've also started looking into art.. but other than that I'm really at a loss with fabrics. So I'll share those details as soon as I figure them out! ;)

As I mentioned in my first post about the nursery, I really love nurseries that appeal to an adult aesthetic, but have fun & youthful details. So now that I have the masculine "base" that I was going for.. now is the time to bring in the "cute" stuff. For example, I've ordered two of these little Pehr bins:

I love these colors... I'm planning on pulling them into the room.

On a side note.. I can't believe my due date is in 59 days!! The nursery may or may not be finished by his arrival.

My Pregnancy Wardrobe Must Haves

I have to admit, I was hesitant about posting my last post because I didn't want it to come off as whiny or superficial.. but OMG I am so glad I did!!!! THANK YOU for each and every comment.. I read through every one of them and took them to heart. It is so comforting to know that there are others out there feeling the same feelings. I love you guys!!

And as promised, I put together a maternity clothing post for you! Unfortunately a lot of the clothes I was wearing in my previous post are no longer available because I got them on sale during the holidays (aka they are last season). BUT I compiled a collection of my maternity favorites and some pieces that are very similar to what I have and would totally work!

1// J.Crew Leggings (non-maternity) // I never really wore leggings before I was pregnant, but I am OBSESSED now. Seriously.. pregnancy and leggings are like peanut butter and jelly.. they are just made for each other. When I first got pregnant, I ordered two pairs of these J.Crew leggings - one in black and one in navy. And at 30 weeks, I'm still wearing them every week (although the band is getting kind of tight around my belly now). They are never see-through, never sag, etc. They are great!

2// J.Crew Black Suede Boots // I actually own these very similar Clark boots (as pictured in my previous post), but they don't have many sizes left and I wanted to give you another option. (I actually like the look of the J.Crew boots better). I swear I wear these boots 3-4 times a week. Having a small heel is great when your pregnant because it makes you still feel somewhat feminine. And this style boot with the small opening is great with leggings, tights and jeans.

3// Snake Print Shirtdress (non-maternity) // This style dress works so well during pregnancy. It's loose and flowy, and you can choose to use the belt or not (I usually go with no belt). This type of dress has become a pregnancy staple for me.. I wear it with a jacket and tights and the boots that I just featured.

4// Biker Jacket (non-maternity) // I've been LOVING motorcycle jackets during this pregnancy. I have one from Zara similar to the one I featured and also one from Nordstrom Rack that is similar to this one from Anthropologie. I especially love wearing them with flowy dresses. I think they work great with pregnancy because they hit right at the waist and work well with the bump.

5// Blush/Black Chiffon Tunic (non-maternity) // I don't actually own this shirt from Target, but I think I need to buy it ASAP. Honestly - some of my favorite clothes during this pregnancy are loose non-maternity pieces from Target like this shirt. (And I always like them to cover my butt.. if you look at the pictures on the website, this one does!) I just buy a size larger than I normally do.

6// Black Opaque Tights (maternity) // I have tried a handful of maternity tights (because non-maternity tights are just too uncomfortable) and these are the only ones that don't fall down. They look so cute with the black suede boots!

7// Sleeveless Tunic (non-maternity) // These inexpensive tunics from Target have turned out to be the BEST maternity clothing purchase I've made. In fact, I purchased one in store from the clearance section early on in my pregnancy, then I went online a couple months later and bought every single color. They are the perfect length.. they cover my butt but still look cute with the side slits. I layer them with everything.. the white is especially cute under sweaters! If you are pregnant, I swear you have to buy these (I bought my normal pre-pregnancy size)... you can't go wrong for $14!

8// Caravane Tunic Dress (non-maternity) // Anthropologie has the BEST non-maternity maternity clothes. I own a handful of their tunics like this one. They are all oversized and flowy and work perfectly for a growing bump. I don't own this particular one, but the cobalt blue color is on my "to buy" list. I think it would be great for spring.

9// Gap Always Skinny Maternity Jeans (maternity) // I have to say maternity jeans are the one thing that I have really, really struggled with. As I've mentioned, my legs and butt have gotten so much bigger.. and of course all the maternity styles are "skinny" jeans :-/ ugh. Almost every single pair of maternity jeans I have tried are suffocating in the legs OR fall down. However, these Gap Always Skinny Jeans are/were my absolutely favorite. I would say they are ALMOST perfect.. but there is one issue - I had to stop wearing them around 25 weeks because the band became too tight around my stomach. Not just uncomfortable, but unbearably tight. And it wasn't the size.. the legs still fit perfectly. I tried on a size larger and the band was the same. I even took my own pair to the seamstress to widen the band and it still didn't help. Where it hit on my stomach and the amount of elastic just didn't work for me past 25 weeks. HOWEVER.. I still 110% recommend buying these jeans if you are pregnant (and especially if you have thick legs) because I wore them from around 10 weeks - 25 weeks and I know I will wear them all the time after the baby is born (who knows how long it will take to get into my pre-pregnancy jeans... boo hoo). Also, when you order these.. order a size down. I bought a size 4, and I DEFINITELY am not a size 4 in other brands. Gap's sizing is weird, and they also stretch out.

10// Shelf Bra Cami (non-maternity) // I owned these camisoles from Target before I was pregnant and surprisingly I am still wearing them at 30 weeks. I wear them ALL the time under tunics, sweaters... pretty much anything sheer. They cover the weird dark fabric of full panel maternity jeans and tights so it doesn't look like your pants are up to your boobs (even though they are, ha!) I have a feeling I'll be switching to maternity camisoles soon, but so far so good with these!

11// Liz Lange Tank (maternity) // I LOVE these Liz Lange tanks. They are perfect when I need something longer than my non-maternity cami's (and they are pretty long).The fabric is also so soft and comfortable. I have a white one and a black one, but I may need to get more.. they are awesome! I know they will be great for post-baby, too.

Phew, I know that was a lot of info.. sorry!! It took me about 5 months to figure out things that worked for me, and hopefully it will be helpful for you, too!

You'll notice - the majority of these pieces are non-maternity. I'm currently 30 weeks pregnant all of these clothing options still work for me and my big belly. BUT I want to add that the majority of the clothes I'm wearing now, although non-maternity, I bought specifically for pregnancy and purchased a size larger than I normally wear. Pre-pregnancy I always wore small/medium, but everything I wear now is a size Large. However, these styles are so loose and flowy that a size Large will totally still work when I'm a non-pregnant size medium again (I can't wait!!!!).

If you have any maternity clothing must haves, please do share!

My Changing Body

Cheesy title, right? That's what I labeled a secret Pinterest board to store ideas about what-the-hell to wear during pregnancy. 

I'm not going to lie - I have had a really hard time with the changes happening to my body during pregnancy. And I want to put this out there, because I feel like people don't really talk about it! Whenever I envisioned myself pregnant, I always thought I'd look like myself, just with a cute belly. NOPE. 

I have always had a "pear" shaped body. In high school, I had a guy tell me my legs were "voluptuous". IN HIGH SCHOOL. When everyone is always the skinniest. (And no, he definitely wasn't hitting on me - he was openly gay). And it's true, I have always disliked my legs. But luckily to offset my "voluptuous" legs, I always had a flat stomach. Score! Well.. until pregnancy that is. It seems as though from day one, my legs started getting bigger and bigger and bigger. It's like my body was thinking "OMG, we have to sustain this baby! Let's store a TON of fat in her legs, and he will be content for 9 months!". It didn't help that during my first trimester, I was terribly sick and the only thing that made me feel better was eating lots of carbs all day long. They say you shouldn't really gain weight during your first trimester.. ha! What a joke. 

I grew out of my pre-pregnancy pants pretty much right away. First I went to my "fat" jeans, then around 12 weeks I was in full fledged maternity jeans. UGH. And all the while, my flat stomach was no more, too. I know all this sounds like a pity party.. but it's a hard thing to go through when in a matter of weeks nothing in your closet fits and your self-confidence plummets. You know what they say.. when you look good, you feel good, and I was not looking or feeling good at all. There were a couple nights where I burst into tears out of frustration in my closet trying to figure out what to wear. 

I got to a point where the frustration had to stop - I had to buy new clothes. So that's what I did. 

I mentioned my secret Pinterest board above.. during those couple of weeks where I was desperate to find a solution to my changing body and clothing situation, I searched Pinterest for some ideas (which is also pretty depressing.. all the pregnant girls on Pinterest look AMAZING and are a size 2. UGH again). 

Here are some outfits that I saved: 

source unknown

via

source unknown.. but this is obviously Jessica Alba ;)

via

via

After gathering some inspiration, I went on a mission to find some pieces that I felt good in. And 90% of what I found was NOT from maternity stores (maternity clothing is THE WORST. I think that added to my frustration). Luckily all this happened during the Holidays, so I had a bit of Christmas money to spend on some new clothes and there were some great sales!

If I put on an outfit that didn't make me want to cry, I took a picture so I would remember it. Here are some of my "go to" maternity outfits (sorry for the bad picture quality): 

All I have to say is... THANK GOD I'm pregnant during the winter. Being able to layer has been such a blessing. I've had a lot of people tell me "you don't even look pregnant!" and it's because I choose not to wear things that accentuate my stomach. Honestly - I feel the most comfortable in big, flowy clothing. I've found that maternity clothing that accentuates my stomach also accentuates my very large behind.. and that's not something I want out there in the world to see. 

Some of you may be looking at the pictures above and thinking "she doesn't even look big!" But luckily I have found clothes that help minimize my "pregnancy induced thick leg and butt" syndrome. (Plus I think that angle in the mirror is flattering.) The same day I wore that last outfit, the Charlotte Observer came and took our picture and did a really cool little write up about us. Here is the picture they used: 

I'm not going to lie - I cringed when I saw how wide I look, especially next to my husband who now officially weighs less then me. Talk about an unflattering angle! (I'm blaming the wide angle lens.. haha!) 

I wanted to (and I am going to) share my favorite maternity clothing "must haves", but this post has gotten much too long for that. 

Sooo.. I want to end on this note... I know it sounds like I'm super vain and whiny in this post. And maybe I am a little on both accounts. And honestly - I am SO HAPPY and BLESSED to be pregnant. We didn't have an easy road to getting pregnant and thought we were headed towards infertility drugs. But then we got that positive on the test and it was the best thing ever. And every time I feel our little guy moving around in there, it makes me so incredibly happy and excited. Pregnancy really is such an amazing, awesome, crazy cool thing. BUT I really believe that every woman wants to feel good about themselves, and I wish I had known how hard the "vain" side of pregnancy is.. when your body no longer feels like your own and you so badly want to feel good about yourself again. And that's why I wanted to share my experiences with you! 

Home Tour Round Up

I am SUCH a sucker for home tours and I've come across a couple lately that have really WOW-ed me. Sure, homes in magazines are great.. but they are heavily styled and don't really feel "lived in", and it's hard to get a sense of how the home flows.

First up is Stephanie Bradshaw's home on Glitter Guide. This home is so feminine and pretty and there are some major swoon-worthy spaces like her closet. I LOVE this image of her living room:

She has this room off of her living space that I am completely envious of. A sunroom is on my list for my dream house someday. A place to go with a glass of wine and some magazines.. sounds like heaven.

This sleek white sofa next to the bed is so cool. Why not put a sofa next to a bed? Sometimes you want to relax and read, but not necessarily go to bed yet :)

And the closet... enough said.

Check out the rest of this tour HERE!


Next up is Kathleen & Bradford Whitaker's home featured on Remodelista. OMG I love this home and it's simplicity (very much how I like to "vibe" of my own home). I'm always drawn to "less is more" type of spaces like this living room.

What an amazing office. If you know me, you know I'm a sucker for dark rooms!

And this den.. I'd probably not be bold enough to paint a room this color, but it works SO WELL! The trim painted the same color of the walls makes it. 

Check out the rest of this tour HERE!

Whitney Port's home was recently featured on Domaine, and it's amazing! I love how "California" it feels. I love the chairs in the picture below:

OMG.. again with the closet:

Check out the rest of this tour HERE!


And last but not least.. I think this if my favorite recently. It's an interior design project from Tara Guerard Interiors featured on Style Me Pretty Living. This living room is AMAZING. I love everything about it:

 And this bedroom.. I love this bedroom. So simple, a little bit masculine and a little bit feminine. 

 Check out the rest of this tour HERE!

Home Tours is one major feature I wanted to be a regular occurrence on the new Isabella blog because I love them so much. I just shot one last week and plan to get it up this week. I'll keep you updated!