Boy's Room Tour

Finally finished up the boy's room and thought I'd take some detailed pictures to share with you. They are loving living together here and have done an amazing job sharing a space. Each boy has a spot where he can have his special toys or important goodies and that area reflects their personalities and interests to a t. Everything else is white and bright, with touches of light grey and accents of red. The space is a good size but not huge so I didn't want to close it up with color on the walls. As always, white makes a space feel so much more airy and spacious and we needed that in here with all the odds and ends to fit in! All the beds match expect for a unique quilt at the foot of each bed which belongs to each child. I loved these vintage-y twin beds, an awesome and inexpensive find from Walmart and the first purchase we made for the room. Everything fell into place after that. 

Monty's side includes his rockstar side table which is simply made out of drums, his first real drum set actually. He has a light hanging above his bed that's from a South African flea market and then a bookcase close by which houses our collection of books and a few storage tins for tiny things. The baskets hanging on the wall are from World Market and they keep more precious items, jewelry, tooth fairy pillows, gold pirate coins and such. The things we don't want tiny hands to get hold of.

Elliot's corner includes a basket of bigger toys and some balls. He's obsessed with basketball, so he's got 2 of those piled up in there along with Buzz and a few other buddies. Best of all, he has that great rail along the length of his wall which keeps all of his favorite costumes close at hand, in case of emergencies. You just never know when someone will need a super hero to save the day. 

Parker's corner has a couple of shelves where we house our cool robots and cute monsters. And he has a shelf that's just his, for his favorite books. Right now it's filled with books on planets and the solar system. Each bed has an unbed storage box from ikea which is great for additional toys and stuffed animals. Monty's is busting at the seams with the latter and can not now be zipped shut. 

And there you have it!

Here's a run down on where we found a few other things:
Duvets and covers - Target
Curtains - Target
Bookcase - Target
Wall shelving - Ikea
Side table - thrifted
Quilts - thrifted except Parker's which is Pottery Barn
Letter E - Anthropologie

Maternity Style {36 weeks}

{dress - Free People (an early birthday present from Phil!), slip dress - Anthropologie, purse - T J Maxx, ring - Azure (GB), sandals - Lady Savannah (GB)} 

3 Boys

{this is a part of a series in 2013, a picture of each of my children almost every week for this year}

Relaxing and playing in the late afternoon light. 

Lately ...

Well ... it has been a busy week, a really fun one, but pretty exhausting. Thankfully this sort of work week comes in spurts every few months, not a really normal thing for me. I now have two big photo shoots under my belt which required quite a bit of prep (visiting local boutiques, styling outfits, and model fittings - all a blast, I can assure you!). And I did a maternity shoot too which was pretty cool, which is for an article on dressing the bump this spring. And now as an end to the picture snapping, I get to do an awful lot of writing, all in preparation of my favorite local women's mag (YOU magazine) best issue, spring and summer time fashion, in all its gorgeous glory!

So I'm left physically exhausted today after the high of this busy week but it's all for a very exciting cause and will all be wrapped in a shiny bow by baby's arrival. Great timing I think. Much like this dance recital I'm also working on, which is just 2 and a bit weeks away. It'll be a great big relief when all is done and we can focus on the babe and a summer of freedom!

This week has also brought with it a shining sun and temps which have risen to a very comfortable and happy degree and so I'm feeling light hearted and refreshed by spring's air. We're all giddy with the opportunity to be outside again.  

Maternity Style {35 weeks}

{jacket - Hollister (sooo old), dress - mom's closet, socks - Free People, boots - resale from Plato's Closet (GB)}

Oh golly, 35 weeks! It's a little hard to believe that it's all just around the corner now but I'm so thankful at the same time. Sitting is uncomfortable, laying down is uncomfortable. Standing up from sitting is uncomfortable, walking around too much is uncomfortable. You catch my drift. She likes to punch me in the pelvis, so that there are moments when I wonder if her arm might just punch right out. Gross, I know, but we all think of these strange things when they're happening to us. :) 

There are moments when I get terrible heart burn, the kind that scares me a little, just in case it's not "normal". Any indigestion that I experienced in my first trimester does not even compare to this (I understand the burning of the chest sensation now!) but it's very sporadic, these episodes. So no biggie. I have no room to hold food any more, so I'm full almost all the time. I never felt that way with the others and could easily eat an entire Thanksgiving spread at any meal, but now I feel completely filled to the top after just the chips and salsa appetizer. Good if you're hoping to keep the scale from tipping 25 pounds of weight gained, I suppose. I'm at 21 pounds gained as of last week. Have ranged anywhere from 19-25 in the last 3 pregnancies, so right on target. 

I've realized that if I don't nap in the afternoons I become a horrible mommy monster, the kind that is not capable of surviving any bedtime shenanigans without completely losing it. So I try to nap. My feet and hands are now swelling at night, starting around 5pm. It's a true delight. 

So that's all the awful stuff. But there are some wonderful moments too! I'm getting all sorts of love from the boys ... lots of belly kisses and baby chats. Elliot has decided that he too has a baby, that it's a boy and that it hurts him when it kicks. We have all sorts of interesting conversations about how little one will come out, as you can imagine. And for the sake of recording these precious and hilarious little moments, I will share what we've sort of settled on (read at your own risk :) which is that mommies have a special place that babies come out of (no it's not the mouth, belly button, or where you go poopy) and it has a sort of magic power because it opens and closes like one of those sliding doors, the kind with the sensor. Yes, that's what they decided and well, it sounds good to me. I don't want them to consider the fact that mom might experience any sort of excruciating pain to bring their sister into the world. They are already very grateful that they will never have to carry a baby. That in itself seems hard enough!

Maternity Style {casual Friday}

{hat - Target, overalls - New York and Co, sweater - Aerie, shoes - Forever 21}

Sometimes the 90's call to me in an all too familiar loud, grungy voice. And when they call I answer with these. I'm a sucker for those blasted denim overalls and though these are not as farm-girl as my high school pair was, they hold my ballooning belly with as much love and TLC. 

4 Things {from baby girl's room}

It's been a busy week and I've felt extraordinarily tired. Time here might become a little more in and out for a while now but you never know, we'll see. I took a few pictures in baby girl's room today, of a few newer odds and ends.

1. A diaper bag from Cocosheaven. A gift from Phil. It's kinda gorgeous.
2. A new crib bumper, recovered by my mom in the fabric from the curtains that hung in my bedroom as a tween in South Africa. It was my favorite bedroom ever and the curtains and bedspread matched, with that cool but super girly tribal-y fabric. The name of the print is "Zoey" which I noticed is still printed on the back of the fabric. I remember that my best friend Raschika thought that was a cool name when we read it together those 20 something years ago. And it just so happens that she now has a daughter named "Zoe". Wonder if there's a connection there? :) Anyway ...
3. A mobile by The Alison Show that I'm pretty much crazy about. It works really nicely with the more geometric patterns in the nursery and tempers down the wildly feminine decor that I couldn't in a million years resist. It's made with black, white and gold leather triangles, all handcrafted. Smells delicious too. I'm having a real handmade moment here, finding it hard to resist the craftsmanship in those goods and the treasures they become in their uniqueness. Another huge site that is just ah.ma.zing is Brickyard Buffalo. It's a pop up shop that offers these handmade goods at a sale price, changing the line up each week. The selection is really trendy (think what's hot in baby/toddler world right now) but so, so irresistible. And at great prices. This mobile is from there. I'm just a little obsessed with the site, it's just that good.
4. Would I call this a mobile too? The one matches her bumper, also from my bedroom (yes ... curtains, bedding and deelimabobbie to match. My mom is awesome!). And the elephant one is from Monty's nursery.

And there you have it!

Maternity Style {34 weeks}

{jacket - Kohls, dress & necklace - Forever 21}

People have started to notice that I'm pregnant! There's an awful lot of curves on this body now and I say every preggie mom needs to wear a t-shirt dress at least once (if not everyday) to show off those "lady lumps", as they're ever so much fun. Hah! And I certainly can appreciate the fact that baby has allowed me boob and booty implants for just a short while, in otherwise flat as a pancake areas. Must enjoy them while I can! ;)

3 Boys {on a Saturday morning}

{this is a part of a series in 2013, a portrait of each of my children, almost every week throughout this year}

The 2nd week in April

Grrrr! It's nasty outside and we feel like we live in a giant snow globe, constantly shaking, without hope of our beloved seasons. This is insane. While we wait for spring to shine it's glorious sun on our antsy little bodies, we're keeping busy inside ... a little music, a few cartoons, video games with our cousins, and experimentation with creating a slew of crowns out of toilet paper rolls, pipe cleaners, you name it. 

Surprisingly, dear boys, you're keeping it together really well and finally learning to get along and play together like friends instead of the impatience of last week. I'm proud of you. I know you need to run and play and dear God, please let it happen soon! I'm losing my mind down here (as are we all). 

Bleached Beauty

 {1 - 4 from Svermeri tumblr}

Just found the loveliest place to get away in cyberspace, Svermeri. The inspiration is never ending. 

Mood Board

{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6} 

My amazing friend Holly has been working on a lookbook for my photography business and sent over this dreamy mood board that she created for me and my brand. Isn't it lovely? It is the inspiration behind my new logo for the business. Amazing work! Thank you a million times over Holly. 

(Holly is a stellar graphic designer. If you have any graphic design needs, please visit her site Holly Marie Designs and get in touch with her.)

Maternity Style {33 weeks}

{jacket - Hollister, dress - Urban Outfitters, shoes - Besselli (GB), bag - T J Maxx, bracelets - World Market, ring - antique ear ring made into ring by Adam at Diamonds and Gold (GB)}

Baby girl is about 3 pounds and 12 ounces right now, according to her ultrasound. I'm shocked at how uncomfortable such a tiny thing can make me feel ... it really doesn't make much sense. I'm pretty sure that this is the most uncomfortable I've ever felt in a last trimester though I know there's the possibility that I just forgot what it felt like. Surely not though? Sometimes it worries me a little, this insane discomfort. I know that may seem silly but, well, I have to pull together a really lovely little dance recital in the next 5 weeks and that means that I need to be able to dance! Not anything too weird and wonderful, I can assure you, but enough to have my sweet dancers ready and a pretty stage all decorated and an all in all stunning show. #1. Baby needs to stay put and allow me to continue to teach! I really have no doubt that this will happen as I've taught dance through all 4 pregnancies BUT this little lady has me waddling and squawking already. #2. She feels awfully high up and I'm already working for a good breath. And it's causing some nausea again, much like that first trimester. #3. These contractions! Or as my man likes to refer to them, the Toni Braxton hits (still thinks it's so funny, 4 pregnancies later :).

All in all, not something I want to deal with in the busiest 5 weeks of my entire year! That's an awful lot of complaining, isn't it? I don't get it either. I feel like there's at least 8 pounds in there. Please be nice to me would you little one?

And yet, despite all of this, I'm completely loving it and I have many moments when I look at my swollen belly and get sort of sad. This is it. I'm ready for that, I'm happy with that, but I know that I'll miss carrying a child and I'll sorely miss having a baby nestled in my arms. But, as I read today in an article in Redbook magazine, a quoted husband so cleverly and wickedly reminded me that I'll no longer be "a vending machine for tiny humans" and really, when you put it that way, it kinda does make me feel a sense of relief. It may be really nice to move on.

Oh who am I kidding .... it'll be completely bittersweet. I might even be a terrible mess about it.

3 Birds and a Butterfly

{this is a part of a series in 2013, a portrait of each of my children, every week throughout this year}

Parker - enjoying the peace of baby's room

Monty - creating with dominoes

Elliot - drawing

Baby girl - way too squished to get a good shot but it's her nonetheless

This was a difficult week, a week of discipline I guess you could say. Monty and Elliot have started to play together more and as a result, fight more. They're both firecrackers, those two. They love passionately and fight passionately. So we've had little peace and much time spent crying in the bedroom. But this too shall pass. Parker takes moments to breath peacefully in quieter places and baby's room is an oasis. It's beautiful. I'd spend the day in there if I could ... reading, napping, playing a game of Candyland with them, drawing in sketch books. 2 of us would love nothing better than a room and something in our hands, while the other 2 need to move .... A LOT. Thank goodness for variety, the spice of life!

I'm Dreaming ...

 Of perfect summer lace, sunlight, and tiny people to come

Of fields of flowers

 Of tiaras made of stars and pink floating dresses

Of crazy wild beauty and far away places

Of a daughter ....

{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}