StyleOnPointe: January 2018

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Work It Wednesday

Happy Wednesday!! Did you happen to set any new year resolutions? I didn't. I don't like them.

The truth is, a new year doesn't motivate me to change habits. A goal does. And now I have a goal.

I want to lose 15 pounds by March 10 by eating healthy and working out daily using BBG.

Why? Because we are going on a beach vacation to the Bahamas.

Does 15 pounds in 5 weeks sound like a lot? Yes. It's a big goal. 3 pounds a week is intense, but for me, that's how it has to be or I won't stick to it.

I'm a true believer in "go big or go home."

I don't choose to be, it's just how I am.

I think it would be nice to set a more realistic goal of losing a pound a week and staying on track; slow and steady. But I get bored easily and when I'm bored I get lazy.

"Oh, I only need to lose one pound a week so I'll go ahead and have these tacos and margaritas now and just focus on losing 2 pounds next week."

☝That's me.

I'm that girl.

I'm that friend.

And I know this... after 34 years of being me, I know this. It's not my greatest trait. But I work with it.

So, 15 pounds to lose in 5 weeks... by eating healthy and working out daily.

Did you notice I wrote not only my goal, but how I was going to achieve it? I think that's a big deal in goal setting.

Setting the PLAN.

Setting the HOW.

It's not hard to say what you want, but it takes some thought to decide how to achieve it. I try to answer the HOW for every goal I set.

And I wrote... using BBG. That's the "Bikini Body Guide" by Kayla Itsines. If you're on the gram, you probably have seen her posts or seen a success story shout out. Well, I'm diving in. I start today and am fully committed. (plus I just shared it on the internet so I feel more pressure now... 😂😳 #truth)

So feel free to jump on a goal of yours with me! Let me know what it is and how we can help each other below!

-xo

Monday, January 29, 2018

#momlife Monday; Baby's Nursery

Happy #momlifemonday! Today I'd love to discuss preparing for baby... specifically baby's nursery.

So you're pregnant for the first time... and you're experiencing crazy changes. You order all these books to read about pregnancy and what to expect... and learn the ins and outs of pregnancy. That's great. But did you learn what to expect from a newborn? Or what to expect from the first month of parenting? Probably not.

My sister for example studied up on pregnancy. She read what was happening to her body and what would or could happen during the birthing process. Honestly... She terrified herself. I tried to tell her to stop focusing on being pregnant and focus on being a new mom; but alas pregnancy hormones made her hearing very selective. 😉

And then she wasn't pregnant anymore.

She had a new baby at home and no idea what to do or what to expect.

And it became overwhelming.

I totally get that. But IMO the best way to not get overwhelmed is simply to be as prepared as possible. Understand what you're going to feel the first day after having the baby, the first 2 weeks, the first 3 months, etc. These are the pivotal times where your hormones are whacky and you're over-exhausted and the last thing you have time for is to sit and read a book about how to sleep train and feed your baby.

So here are some of my tried and true tips to preparing for Baby!

During your pregnancy develop your sleeping plan. I personally used this book; but skimmed a few different plans. I recommend you, study a few different options, pick one you think would work best for your personality, and focus on trying to implement it with your newborn as early as possible. (I'd say around week 3 is when it's plausible to begin)
Have the nursery ready around 34 weeks. If you can! I know it's asking a lot but to not have the stress of finishing a nursery in your final weeks of pregnancy will be a nice relief. My daughter's room wasn't complete when she was born at 36 weeks and it drove me nuts. It was small stuff, but seemed like a big deal in the moment. So safe yourself the stress, and your spouse the nagging, and just get it ready ahead of time!
Have a plan for feeding and an understanding with yourself if that plan doesn't work. For example; I had my heart set on breast feeding my daughter. I researched the benefits and would do anything to give her the best start. But my body never produced milk. I went to lactation nurses and tried everything under the sun. I felt like I failed her by not being able to feed her naturally. It was devastating. I had never considered bottle feeding and using formula; but ultimately I was left without a choice. And that was something I had never considered... Then with my son I produced enough milk to supplement a formula and breast milk diet. But he had such GI issues that he couldn't digest the breast milk I had. I was told to stop attempting to breast feed and my son was put on a formula intended for feeding tubes. Ultimately, the proteins were already broken down so his body didn't have to do it. I wasn't prepared for that either. But in both situations, my children got exactly what they needed to thrive. It wasn't about my emotions and preconceived opinions; it was about what was best for my baby. And that should always be number one.
Don't stock up on newborn diapers. Truly. If someone wants to gift you diapers, ask for size 1-3. My first was so tiny she was in preemies to start and by the time she grew into her newborn diapers she was ready for size 1. Both my sons wore newborn diapers for 2 weeks max... and I think I am rounding up there.
Invest in the car seats. For the first few months having the ability to carry baby in from the car to the house in her car seat will be a necessity. No one wants to wake a baby to bring them inside... so let her sleep and have the carrying car seat. Then when it's time to upgrade to a 5-point system, get the good ones that can grow with your child and keep him as safe as possible for as long as possible.
Save $ where you can. Babies are expensive little people. They require a lot of time and resources. And they deserve it. But be smart. I bought my Bratt Decor crib for my daughter on Craigslist at literally half the cost as a new one and in pristine condition. I also bought each of my mamaroos at a discounted price either from Craigslist or open box buy at BuyBuy Baby. You can order a new fabric seat for about $20 so no germ issues because what new parent isn't a germaphobe?!
Speaking of germs... keep antibacterial around your house. I kept antibacterial on the changing tables, kitchen counter, and by the front door. Of course I want every visitor to wash their hands but it's also nice to have antibacterial readily available all the time. Personally, once I had a child, my home became a "no shoe zone." I know some people find it annoying, and that's okay. I don't mind annoying people. Think about all the dirt your shoes go through; walking through people's spit in the parking lot, stepping in dried dog urine on the side walk; walking in and out of doctors offices and public bathrooms?! Omg. The germs on your shoes. Now do you want those germs brought into your home, on your floor where baby does tummy time? Or on the carpet where baby is learning to crawl? Ugh. No. Be annoyed; but I have a no shoe sign at my front door that I found on Etsy that says it all; "since little hands touch our floor, please take your shoes off at the door." Done. And done.
Make the baby's nursery a space YOU love. I personally would never feel comfortable in a room decorated with cartoons and primary colors, so why would I do that for a nursery? The baby isn't going to notice or care, so make the space an extension of your style just geared for a child. I DO recommend having color in the room, though. Babies aren't born with the ability to see color, but surrounding them with color helps train their eyes to accept it. An all white or ivory nursery is actually crippling to their development. So make a space you would be happy to be in at 6am.. and 9 pm... and 12 am... and 3 am... you get the idea...

Below I've shared my son's nursery. I created this space to satisfy my own desires for what I want in his room, but made sure the staple and high price items are able to grow with him and his personality as it develops. For example, the crib is a convertible that will convert to a full; which I always recommend, and the walls are a light blue, but neutral enough to go in a variety of design directions.

I've linked the resources under each photo in case you're interested in them for yourself! What are your thoughts on nursery design and preparing to be a mommy? I'd love for you to share!
-xo

Blanket | Bin | Bamboo Tree | Crib & Dresser | Rug | Box

Friday, January 26, 2018

Mom Life

So, let's be real; as parents we are ALL just learning as we go.

Even when you're on your third newborn there is a learning curve-- because no two babies act exactly the same. It's amazing to see the personalities and character traits so early in life-- but sure enough, there they are.

For example, my daughter was the easiest baby. Her sleep schedule was manageable, she cooed and babbled with me, she was always happy, and I woke up every morning feeling well rested... I really thought this whole parenting thing was EASY! She was simply a dream!

So when she was about 5 months old, my husband and I very confidently thought "let's have another!" And sure enough... we did. And sure enough...our son was completely different. I mean 180' difference. He came into the world a little "grumpy" from GI issues. He required a lot of attention, special formula and medication, and overall was in a lot of pain for the first few months of his life. The crying was constant, the stress was high and I was beyond exhausted. Even my 16-month old daughter would cover her ears and walk away from him! Not only was it not EASY, it was down right HARD.

Thankfully, we got my son the right formula (that cost an arm and a leg and of course wasn't covered by insurance. Thankfully, we could manage the expense, but God bless those who need it and can't afford it.) and he began growing into a healthy baby.

Fast forward 2 years and here comes baby #3! Probably the easiest of them all... no colic, no health issues... quiet. 😳 He looked like a Gerber baby and just sat and watched his siblings. Literally. He didn't walk until he was 14 months old! My daughter walked right at 12 months and my first son started walking at 9 months! (And hasn't stopped!Needless to say mama is tired ☕)

But now... oh my. He is bossy. He is 18 months old and throws himself on the floor and kicks his feet when he doesn't get his way. He'll lay on his stomach, and bury his head in his arms crying. Then he'll roll to his back and kick his feet while covering his face with one arm. I mean- all the dramatics! Neither of my other children have ever had a temper tantrum, but #3, oh, it's in his blood. He's gooood at it. And he knows it.

So, back to the point. Every child is a new adventure, and all of us are learning as we go. But I'd like to start discussing my experience with you. I'm not claiming to have the answers to all your questions, but I am willing to share my #momlife and help in any way I can. Parenting is tricky. I didn't have a tribe to turn to or other mom friends to bounce situations off of. I learned on my own as I went along... and still am. I turn to other blogs and books and ultimately my gut in how to parent and want to be a source to others who are starting out on this journey-- or taking it for the 2nd, or 3rd (or more!) go round.

So, I'm implementing my weekly dose of #momlifeMondays on the blog and Insta! Each week I'll share a bit of mom life... whether it's thoughts on prepping for baby's arrival, learning resources, discipline tactics, or just what crazy cahoots my kids have stirred up recently. I hope you enjoy it and I'd love to hear about your mom life! Drop any questions you have or topics you'd love to discuss below and check back Monday for the first feature of #momlifeMondays!

-xo

Monday, January 15, 2018

The CLOFTICE; a sneak peak

The Official Style On Pointe CLOFTICE

Three day weekends are amazing... and exhausting. I tend to forget how much I love having 4 hours in the morning with just the baby and myself until preschool is out. With today being MLK JR Day school was closed and I had the three kids home with me. We invited another family over for a playdate this morning which was lots of fun. 7 kids. 2 moms. 30 degree weather. Needless to say, we stayed inside and the house was a disaster when they left... but they had fun and used up lots of energy! It's crazy how much we take outside play time for granted. When I lived in Florida we would play outside in increments because of the heat; now it's the complete opposite where after 10 minutes we're freezing our tails off! Talk about a 180!

Anyway, this afternoon I was able to spend a little time in my "cloftice" ... I know a "cloffice" is all the rage; but I took it one step further by putting my cloffice in the loft. Hence, we have, the cloftice.

If you are unaware, a cloffice is a duel purpose closet and office. It's pretty much genius. If you have a spare room in your home to use as a personal office, why not making it multipurpose by using the perimeter as a closet. Being surrounded by shoes and purses makes working a little easier. IMO...

The official closet part gets installed next month, but atleast I unpacked the boxes that had been in the space and cleared it out to start using it. I've linked my rug, desk, chair and chandelier below. I highly recommend all of the pieces. (The Jonathan Adler desk is not as sturdy as some; but it is great for a laptop and small things and a major bonus is that it looks beautiful free standing in a room 🙌)
I didn't realize until linking these items; but they can all be found via Wayfair.com. If you haven't used Wayfair for your home furnishings--you're missing out. Mayfair's sister companies; ALLModern, BirchLane, Joss & Main, and Perigold are truly my go-to's for home styling and even event decor. Just a heads up... it's worth checking out!
Can't wait to give you more updates on the house!

-xo

Rug | Desk | Chair | Chandelier

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Christmas Recap

Christmas Foyer 2017 with a guest appearance by Buzz Lightyear 😂

I can not believe it is already 2018... The end of 2017 flew by in a blink of an eye. I've been ridiculously swamped, but I'm back and ready to pick up where we left off. Thanks for sticking with me! I'll give a quick recap on what's been going on and am anxious to share some progress pictures!

We were able to move into our new home on Thanksgiving. Literally.
I actually made our Thanksgiving feast at our old house and drove it to the new home for our first meal here. Talk about crazy!

Shortly after my entire family got hit with illness. My daughter and I ended up with pneumonia and spent the better part of December hibernating and trying to restore our health.Thankfully I was able to do all my final Christmas shopping online (Yay for Amazon Prime and Nordstrom! 🙌)

The house still has some minor touch ups and tweaks, but overall is everything we've dreamed of. It was a bit unusual to move in and decorate for the holidays immediately. I actually didn't order certain furniture pieces because I had Christmas trees in their place. 😉 But now that the festivities have wrapped and our Christmas decor is packed up I am working on finishing the home esthetically. In the meantime, I am so thrilled to share a few pictures of our new home from the holidays!!

I hope you all had a fabulous season and I wish you the very best year yet in 2018! Thanks for joining me on this ride and I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

-xo