House Love // House*Tweaking


Do you ever have one of those moments where you're perusing Pinterest and you come across a room that is just pure perfection?  And then that "moment" turns into hours of reading and gawking the blog it belongs to?  That happened to me a couple days ago when I came across Dana's blog, House*Tweaking...I devoured her site and just love every single room in there.  Check it out...










Amazing right?  You can check out her entire home tour here, and don't tell me I didn't warn you!

I hope you have an amazing weekend!

xo natasha

Loving Lately: The Perfect Shirt


I've had a $50 gift card to Express burning a hole in my pocket for quite some time.  I used to work at Express when I was in high school, but haven't really shopped there since.  I was really surprised, however, to discover a new line they recently launched called Express One Eleven.  All the tops are right up my alley...super soft with an easy fit.  Which translate to perfection for this postpartum mama.  Here are some of my favorites {and no, this is not sponsored in any way}:

Loving the white and gray version of this top...


 Love that it also comes in solid colors like black and white...how cute and comfy does this look?

Also loving this long sleeve version to transition out of the cold weather.

Another top that I recently scooped up is this slubbed tee from Anthro...


It comes in a ton of colors and looks very forgiving...can't wait to get my hands on it!

And last...


I know it's everywhere, but how perfect is this pineapple beauty for the spring?!  I'm trying to justify buying it...

You can shop the post here:


xo natasha

Big Boy Room + Nursery Update


It's been a little while since I updated you on Ethan's big boy room progress and Wyatt's nursery progress.  I last left you with this post and have since made the following progress:


We painted the walls Serious Gray by Sherwin Williams.  Ryan added crown molding, which really make the walls pop and we switched out the light fixture for this more masculine one from Lowe's for a steal.  It looks a lot like one from Restoration Hardware, but for a fraction of the price.  #winning


Ryan installed book ledges from Home Depot.  They were in the length we needed.  Check out Ikea for a much cheaper option.


We moved the curtains over from Ethan's room. You can see the DIY curtain rod project here.  Also, the curtains are actually shower curtains from West Elm...we just added an orange border at the bottom.


Finally, and most exciting, is that Ethan's big boy bed from Land of Nod arrived.  It's the Jenny Lind and the quality is top notch.  We also got the sheets and comforter from Land of Nod as well.  The blanket is from Spearmint Love.

Here's where the checklist stands:

Add new banner, deer head and "E" over bed. I'm now thinking that his bed might tuck away in the above right corner...thoughts?
Install reading light over bed
Move over striped curtains from nursery
Add book ledges to right of window
Move over dresser and map from nursery
Finalize bedding {I have this, this and this}
Figure out/buy a ceiling fixture
Also, if we tuck the bed in the corner...I probably will want an area rug.

Ethan is still sleeping in his crib in the nursery, which has somewhat delayed my motivation in working on the nursery.  This weekend, we plan to try and have Ethan nap in his big boy bed and move over more of his decor to make it feel more like his room.  He LOVES his room so far and we try to read books in his big boy bed and get him used to it, but for now, he still prefers his crib.

Here's the latest on the nursery:


I purchases a vintage Kilim pillow off an Etsy store called Mister Pillow.  Wyatt's nursery is going to be pretty neutral, so I think this adds a fun pop of color.  I also bought this gorgeous mirror from School House Electric and plan to hand this fun dream catcher.


Last, we added legs to my Craigslist dresser and plan to stain the legs to match the dresser.  It adds the perfect height to the dresser, while also modernizing it slightly.  The little footstool was a score from Target, but you can find a similar option here.

This is where the checklist stands:

Buy new pillow...looking for a kilim style.
Move bamboo curtains over from guest bedroom.
Move in dresser
Add legs to dresser...after moving the dresser into the room, it's only about 25.5 inches tall...we definitely need to add legs. Any ideas on where to find some good ones? I'm thinking 6 inches should do the trick.
Move map to Ethan's room
Hang buffalo print over crib
Move deer and "E" to Ethan's room
Add book ledges adjacent to crib
Buy brass floor lamp {considering this one}
Figure out what the do with the gallery wall...planning to add the Yard Bombed antlers and some other prints.

So there you have it!  An official update!  If you have any fun ideas on an area rug for Ethan's room {or if I even need one} and gallery wall options for the nursery, that would be great!

Also, I am thinking of selling the custom bedding that I had made for Ethan's crib in his nursery.  There are two sheets and the crib skirt.  Email me or comment below if you're interested!

xo natasha

Wyatt's Birth Announcement


Stopping in quickly to share Wyatt's birth announcement!


My beautiful and talented friend Darcy, captured his newborn photos...all while being 41 weeks pregnant herself, I might add!


I did my birth announcements through Minted...they're really the best when it comes to birth announcement, invitations and more.  I was really happy with how they came out...I chose the foil-pressed version.

Hope you enjoy!

xo natasha

Happy 1 Month Wyatt!


Wow, one month already?  Where has the time gone?  Life with Wyatt has been pretty great, though the nights are definitely long right now.  I feel like Wyatt has settled right into our family and being a family of four has been a fairly easy transition {except for the no-sleep part!}.  Wyatt reminds us a lot of Ethan as a baby {you can see Ethan's first month update here} and yet, he's definitely his own little person.  Some observations:

OnesieMonth by Month Signs + Blanket

Wyatt is definitely in the newborn stage right now...eating, pooping and sleeping.  The few times he's awake and alert are super fun {except for the wee hours of the morning!} and he's starting to crack spontaneous smiles here and there.  

Sleep has been pretty non-existent.  He nurses every two hours but has a tough time going back down in his bassinet.  We have tried the rock n' play and while that may work for a short period of time, it's pretty short-lived.  His tummy seems to be the biggest culprit for his non-sleeping habits.  He wriggles and turns BRIGHT red and gets reaaaaaally upset.  Like, I'm talking screaming his little head off.  It's pretty upsetting.  When he does finally poop, it's really frothy.  TMI, I know.  I've looked it up online and it sounds like it can be a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance, though it is still yellow in color.  Our pedi suggested stretching out his nursing sessions to every three hours {as opposed to two}, so we'll see how that goes!


That said, he is getting 100% breastmilk right now and had his tongue-tie clipped at one week.  I didn't notice a huge improvement on his latch or nursing ability, though I don't think we really had a problem to begin with.  He will get fussy and that will impact our nursing sessions.  I'm just trying to be patient and let him burp or toot...whichever is bothering him.  Wyatt seems to spit up and burp way more than Ethan did.

At his one month appointment, Wyatt weighs 9.1 pounds and is 23 inches long!  This, of course, is music to my ears and eases our concerns regarding the poop issue.

Wyatt has dark hair and dark gray eyes.  He's managed to hang on to more of his hair than Ethan did at one month and doesn't have the acne breakout like Ethan did.  He still fits in newborn clothes and diapers, though we've started transitioning him to size 1 diapers and 0-3 month jammies.

Wyatt prefers to be held 99.9% of the time...he falls asleep on my chest or next to me in bed pretty easily.  If he's not on us, he's in his swing.  He's also not a huge fan of his pacifier...which is pretty funny considering his big brother still LOVES his.  Hmm...

Speaking of Ethan, Ethan has really been such a sweet big brother.  He loves to hold Wyatt, kiss him on the head and tell him "it's ok baby' when he cries.  I could not have imagined a better transition for him in becoming a big brother and I'm so happy he's doing well with this big life change so far.  And let me tell you, it's quite the shock going from changing teeny newborn diapers to HUGE size 5 diapers.  Potty training needs to be in our future!

Some milestone...
Lost his umbilical cord on day 10 of life
Had his first bath that night...wasn't a huge fan!  :/
Lifts his head up with ease, especially when on our stomachs during burping time.
Had his first lunch at 1 month and 1 day at Brook's Bar-Edgewood


All in all, I have to say that this last month has been really special.  It feels like Wyatt has always been a part of our family and I really can't wait to see his little personality shine through more and more.  At the same time, I'm trying to soak in each moment because I know it goes waaaaay too fast!

I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day tomorrow!  Lucky me...I'm surrounded by three boys this year!!  ;)

xo natasha

Pretty Little Things for Valentine's Day


Pouch + Candle + Bralette
Ring + Perfume + Watch + Heart Dish
Water Bottle + Earrings + Bathrobe


I love romance, and of course, Valentine's Day seems to be the best time of year to indulge.  Hearts and lace and lots of pink!  What women doesn't love to be spoiled a bit, whether its for herself or from a loved one?

Whether it's a fragrant scent, a cozy robe, or something pretty, I hope you find something here that tickles your fancy!

Shop the post below:



xo natasha

Welcoming Wyatt: A Birth Story


It's amazing how different a birth story can go the second time around.  Wyatt decided to surprise us and come a week early, which I was certainly not expecting.  Ethan was a week late, and I was using that experience as my guide with this pregnancy.  I worked the week leading up to Wyatt's birth day...we did all the usual things that weekend before.  I had no signs of labor that would indicate that things would go any differently.  But Wyatt had different plans!

I remember we had our 38 week appointment the Tuesday before and my doctor did his first internal check.  He told me I was 2.5 cm along and that my cervix was favorable.  He also told me he was on call all weekend so it would be a perfect time to have the baby!  ;)  I took it with a grain of salt.  Ryan, on the other hand, took it a little more literally, and thank goodness!  He pulled out all of Ethan's newborn clothes to wash and installed the carseat.  I, on the other hand, still thought we had a ton of time to prep for baby.  In fact, I was planning to work that coming week and then maybe back off the week of his due date.

Early Monday morning, around 6:30 am, I felt a little pop and a gush of fluid.  Not a huge gush, but it was something.  I ignored it.  Then I felt another pop followed with the same sensation.  We have one of the alarm clocks that projects the time on the ceiling {you should get one if you don't have one, they're amazing!} and wanted to get a little more sleep.  Plus, I know if I started shifting around, it would wake the cat, who would then pester me for her breakfast.  So I probably tried to go back to sleep for about 15 minutes before I realized I should probably check out what I felt.  When I got up to go to the bathroom, I knew this was not "normal" fluid.  It was definitely different, had a distinct odor, and there was a lot of it.  I yelled at Ryan: Babe, I think my water broke.  He shot out of bed and started working through all the things we needed to do.  I was still not convinced this was "it".  I didn't leak any more fluid, didn't have any contractions...maybe I was mistaken.  Plus, I figured we would have all day to labor at home, before I went into the hospital.  Ryan suggested I call the doctor's office anyway...just to be sure.

I called them and they said, "Well you were 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced at your last appointment {I was?!} and since this is your second, you should come in right away."  Wait, whaaaaat?!  I didn't feel prepared at all.  I still needed to wrap things up at work {big lesson learned there} and I didn't have my hospital bag backed, or the diaper bag.  So that morning, I was responding to work emails, putting my out of office on, packing my bags, getting Ethan ready for school {and took some pics!} and I still didn't feel any different.  Was this really happening?!


We checked into the hospital around 10am and they asked how I was feeling...was I experiencing contractions?  I felt the same, other than I knew my water had broken.  They hooked me up to the heart monitor and all looked fine, but I really wasn't experiencing contractions...little ones, but nothing to write home about.  It was kind of an odd waiting game.  With Ethan, they made me walk the halls and sent me home after it was clear I wasn't far enough along {but of course, my water didn't break with Ethan}.  This time, I suggested walking the halls, to see if that would help {it didn't}.  But they were firm that I was staying put.

Eventually, the conversation came up about starting me on Pitocin.  Ironic that my water broke, but that I still needed the drugs to get things going.  I was worried that it would be a slippery slope, but they assured me it wouldn't, plus it was critical to get things started since they wanted to get the baby out within 24 hours of my water breaking.  So, they started me on Pitocin and I still didn't feel anything.  I really thought we would be there all day and night!

Several hours later, I started to feel tightening at the top of my uterus, which I understand is what a Braxton Hick feels like...ha!  It definitely wasn't the deep down, excruciating pain that I remember with Ethan.  Maybe this labor would be different?  The doctor finally checked me around then and said I was maaaaybe 2.5 centimeters dilated and maaaaaybe 70-80% effaced?  Um, what?  I thought I would be further along--not going backwards!  The anesthesiologist came in and said he was going home for the night {random side note, but we were the only ones in the L&D wing that day...welcome to a small mountain town, so things were slow, to say the least!} and did I want the epidural yet?  I was in zero pain, so I declined.  He said he would be on call until 7pm that night and that he only lived about 5 minutes away, so he could be back asap if I needed him.  I was doubtful that I would.  The doctor ordered the nursers to turn up my Pitocin some more.

Well...not 30 minutes later did I start to feel those deep down pains.  Those gut-wrenching menstrual-like cramps that take your uterus and twist it until you feel inside out.  Ugh, I did not miss those!  I told Ryan that I thought I would be ready for the epidural soon.  He said, ok, well just let me know when you are.

I'm ready...like NOW!

I felt like a wimp...I don't think I was more than 4cm and here I was, crying uncle.  But they were coming on strong and with no mercy and that 5 minute drive may as well have been an 5 hours.  As the anesthesiologist was walking me through the process and I was bent over the table, I literally started to cry every time a contraction hit.  No bueno.  But finally, the epidural was administered and he told me that the contractions would lessen each time and they did.  But as they lessoned, pressure started to build up, down there.  He administered the epidural around 5:30 and I thought that it would slow down my labor {as epidurals tend to do}, but by 6:15, the pressure was really starting to build.

I told Ryan, who told the nurse, who then checked me and sure enough she confirmed that I was an 8 going on a 9 with the baby's head right there and that she was going to call my doctor in now.  I couldn't believe how quickly I had progressed and that the time to push was here.  My doctor cruised in, threw on his scrubs and told me on the next contraction that it was time to push.  I couldn't believe it!  It was all going so fast!

I pushed and felt the same insane pressure...it HURT, but more from the pressure than anything else.  He told me that the baby was going to be out on the second contraction with a little cut, and I didn't believe him.  He told me the cord was wrapped around his neck {instant panic set in, not again!}.  But sure enough, the second contraction came around, I pushed and out he came.  I started pushing at 6:40 and he arrived in my arms at 6:43 pm.


Now this is where I get really emotional, because this was the part I never got to experience with Ethan.  They placed that baby right on my chest and my gut instinct was to ask if he was ok.  Wasn't the cord wrapped around his neck?  Was he breathing ok?  But my doc was such a rockstar, he pulled the cord off without a second thought and my baby was perfectly fine.  They placed him on my chest and he let out the sweetest little cries and he was all mine.  Ryan got to cut the cord {which he never got to do with Ethan} and we got to just be.  He even started rooting right away and latched right on.  It was the most magical and surreal experience ever.  I'll never forget it.  Wyatt was so alert and sweet...he looked right into my eyes and I felt my heart grow twice as big in that moment.


I instantly said , "Ah this is how it's supposed to be.  I could do this again!"  That surge of love {and hormones!} is unlike any other.  I was just so in love.  



They say every labor is different and I am so pleased that this one came out the way it did.  The staff was so on point and to have such a quick and smooth delivery was such a blessing for me.  Wyatt is already such an added joy in our lives and I am so happy he is here.  It feels like he was always supposed to be a part of our family.


You can read Ethan's birth story here.

xo natasha

Loving Lately


Being on maternity leave, means I spend a lot of time online shopping browsing around the internet in the wee hours of the morning.  Here are some of the things I'm loving {and have likely ordered} right now...



These jeans, which are on sale and are perfect for my postpartum body right now.  No need to spend a ton of money on something that I hope only fits for a short while!



These pants for Ethan.  They look super comfy and will make for a great transition to spring.



I'm not sure if I'm board with this sneaker trend, but if I go there, I love these!



A nursing tank that also sucks you in?  Yes please!  Love this line by Heather from Real Housewives of New York!


And while I'm not online, you'll find me with a baby on my chest watching Scandal.  Just got into it and I'm seriously obsessed!

I hope to be back soon with Wyatt's birth story and a nursery // big boy room update!  Happy Monday!

xo natasha