Looking back on my childhood, I distinctly remember sneaking into my mother’s closet and falling in love with a pair of her shoes. They were the quintessential 1980’s red pump. They weren’t exceptionally high. The toe the perfect combination of round and point. They were bright and bold; grown-up and classically chic. And they were hers. They were everything in my five-year-old eyes. Just like she was.

In the past, I’ve been a sucker for fall flannels- buffalo plaids, tartans, different shades of reds, blues and greens.

But this year, I’ve found myself reaching for all the neutrals- an ivory car coat, sweaters in shades gray, taupe booties and leopard sneaks.

I’m typically not one for a capsule wardrobe, but having just a few staples in rotation has made getting dressed and ready all the simpler this autumn.

Happy Friday, kids!

This week was a short one for us- or at least I made it that way. Phil was off on Monday, and for the third year in a row I accidentally kept MM home, thinking she was off too. I would blame it on all the moving parts around here these days; but, if I’m being honest, I’m pretty sure I would have kept her home had I remembered. There’s really nothing better than these rare days when we can be together just us four , and I would feel weird sending her to school while Dad gets the day off to play.

Friday marks six weeks with our newest addition and I can’t believe its gone by so fast.

I learned rather quickly with MM that what they say is true: The days are long, but the years are short. Cliché, yes. But clichés exist for a reason. And in this part of our journey, where so much has changed, that remains the very same.

It has taken me some time to sit down and write this piece about our transition from a family of three to a family of four, because the transition has taken us- has taken me- some time. More than I had thought it would; more than I would like to admit.

Rainbows and hearts and baby cheeks, oh my!

If you’ve been following along on Instagram, you may already know we’ve been spending a whole lot of time in our pajamas around here.

Early newborn mornings, cozy fall afternoons and lazy long weekends have been begging for our comfiest pairs; and I’ve taken ever opportunity to dress these two chickadees up in matching sets.

Four weeks ago today we welcome this sweet little bean into the world- Lila Lee, born 9.6.19. On her due date, no less.

And, so far, it’s been an absolute dream. From the beginning.

Happy Friday, kids! I’m officially 38 weeks today, and at this point, you could say I’m BEYOND ready to meet your girl. I took it pretty easy this past week, but I did manage to pop into our local Jojo Maman Bébe to try out their Maternity VIP Service- a personal shopping experience for expectant mothers.

Back to school photos are starting to fill my feed, and it is getting me super excited for my favorite time of year. Yes, I’m sad to see the summer come to an end, albeit less so than in previous, non-pregnant years. But there’s just something about fall that I can’t shake.

As I’ve mentioned before {here} I’ve been pretty invested in clean beauty ever since becoming pregnant for the first time, roughly five years ago.

It was through a little bit of research way back then that I learned the importance of avoiding parabans and phthalates when pregnant. Immediately, I began switching over so many of the products I used on a daily basis; and I’ve been interested in clean, everyday swaps we can make at home ever since.

Happy Friday!

There are a few weeks left of summer vacation, and I hope ya’ll are enjoying fun in the sunshine and the last trips of the season.

This 37 week bump and I have been pretty much hibernating inside with the air conditioning, and I’ve delved deep into streaming some great shows the last few weeks.

Last week I shared a few of my tried and true tips to freshen up your home- simple tweaks that can make the space feel like new without breaking the bank.

Then, a few days later, I took a trip to Home Goods and remembered another favorite way to spruce up a room- throw pillows.

A few weeks ago I shared my plan to preserve all of the paintings, crafts, drawings and keepsakes created by our MM over the years {here}.

After years of struggling over what to do with all of Madeline’s special creations, I finally found Artkive- a simple and easy-to-use service that will convert all your kids’ precious artwork into a beautiful hardcover book.

Happy Friday! We’re 36 weeks today, and now we’re really almost there. We’re four weeks away and in the home stretch to meet our girl. Compared to my first pregnancy, this one has been quite a breeze. And I’m so grateful that I’ve had the energy and time and physical ability to document it here, in this space. I was hesitant at first, to get in front of the camera, to share this personal journey. But now, looking back, I’m so happy I’ll have this little diary of this phase of life for years to come.

Every now and then I get the bug to update the feel of our home- to freshen up the space and bring new energy into our well-loved rooms.

Thankfully, for our wallets, this rarely requires a major overhaul like swapping out furniture. Instead, I’ve found there are a few simple, inexpensive tweaks that can easily update our space- and most of them are free- woohoo.

When I sat down to write this post, I headed to my Musings tab to see what I’ve already said about my previous experience with pregnancy and postpartum anxiety. And I was shocked to find- very little. Aside from a few mentions in my 30 Week Bumbdate {here} and a few posts on Instagram, I haven’t really delved into the anxiety that riddled my first pregnancy and reared its head after Maddie was born.

So here it is:

35 weeks today and I really can’t believe it. I’ve been pregnant this entire year; it’s gone by SO quickly, and yet I still feel like I’ve been pregnant FOREVER.

Only a few more weeks before we’ll be welcoming our next love, and we are counting down the seconds until we get to meet her.