Five on Friday

I feel like it's been SOOO long since I've linked up for 5 on Friday!

Here are 5 things on my mind today...

1. Sorry to start off on a (kind of) negative note...but I am not doing so well with the whole breastfeeding "diet thing." Everyone told me the weight would just fall off after Ella was born...and the first 22 pounds did! Unfortunately though, I have not lost any weight since that first week. Not one single pound, in almost 3 weeks. WTF. It's a little discouraging to say the least. I'm hoping once I can run again, it will start to fall off, since I am still 20 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. Anyone have any encouraging stories? I feel like everyone I know has lost so much weight breastfeeding....of course I have to be the weird one! 

Sorry of my life, Regina George. Story of my life.

2. Moving on to something more positive....I am ready for spring!! These pretties are blooming in my backyard...

..and I hope warmer weather is coming soon! I am SO over winter!!

3. You may remember my friend who taught with me this school year, and was only 4 weeks behind me in her pregnancy...well, she is in labor right this minute!!! Ella is super excited for a new friend!!

4. Ella had her first Chipotle experience (with Kathryn!) yesterday!!

Just like with her first Target experience, I was wayyy more excited about it than she was.

5. Last but not least, happy birthday to my fabulous mom tomorrow!!!

Ella loves her grandma!

Have a great weekend!!

Ella Grace {3 weeks}

Is it just me, or does she keep getting cuter and cuter as the time goes on?!

We have had a busy week! 

Monday, Ella had her first trip to Target...

Which excited me more than her.

I also discovered my child could potentially be a rap superstar.

She was just about to bust out some rhymes in the Mamaroo...Yo yo yo!

Tuesday, we had our first girls' lunch with Auntie Kaffy at Dean and Deluca. 

We also introduced Ella (finally!) to the pacifier, specifically the Wubbanub. Best thing ever. Moms to be...get yourself several of these things! 

Tuesday night, someone slept from 11:30pm until 6:30am! Pretty sure that qualifies as sleeping through the night! We were all so happy on Wednesday!!!

Also on Wednesday, Rachel came by to meet Miss Ella! Thank you again for the treats, Rachel! :) 

Wednesday night, Ella got her first manicure (by Travis...I was too scared). 

He accidentally clipped part of her skin and felt terrible! She was upset, but it's healing fine now. We are now both terrified to cut her nails...any suggestions?! 

Thursday was Ella's first UNC vs Duke game...unfortunately she doesn't quite fit into any of the Carolina outfits in her closet, so we had to make do with a Carolina blue onesie. And then take 85 pictures of her with her UNC bow.

Oh, and if you hadn't heard, Carolina won!! They haven't lost a game since Ella was born....just sayin'. Pretty sure she's good luck :)

My parents came Thursday night, and on Friday, we took Ella to the mall for the first time. 

Of course, we had to buy her those sunglasses!

She also had her first trip to Costco!

Friday night, her cord stump finally fell off (and I cried), so we could give her her first real bath!!

She hated it!

And afterwards, decided to poop all over this cute lamb towel. 

Saturday, Ella had her first restaurant experience at my distant cousins' retirement community! All of the old people loved her!! 

Sunday, we started doing tummy time. Which Ella just kinda lays there. But I guess that's all they are supposed to do at this stage?! 

We also started reading some books....I really hope Ella can get her act together and like to read, because so far, she is NOT interested. It's like I'm back in the classroom, haha! 

We also took a walk up to TCBY with Kathryn for some froyo!

This is all just going by wayyy too fast! I can't believe next week she will be a whole month old!!!

Nursery Tour!

FINALLY!

If you've been following along, you may remember how I had such a hard time finding a rug...and then Amazon never told me the glider I ordered was never coming back in stock, so I had to order a new glider a month before she was born. That was fun.

So, needless to say, I am very glad that we are finally done setting up Ella's nursery, but I do love how it turned out!

Here are some pics of my sweet girl's room!

First, a {not so great} panoramic view...

{The paint color is Sherwin Williams Evening Shadow.}

We'll start with the wall by the door!

We have a plant because my mom (member of the Farmville, Virginia Garden Club) thinks that a live plant sucks all of the toxic fumes from the paint/furniture out of the room. 

Glider & Ottoman: Amazon

Table: Target {no longer available}

Lamp base and shade: Pottery Barn Kids

Sound machine: Buy Buy Baby

Bunny: Hospital gift from Dana :)

Blanket: Pottery Barn Kids {outlet}

Owl pillow: Buy Buy Baby

I totally LOVE how the alphabet wall turned out! Each guest at my baby shower decorated a letter! I have such artistic friends! {I got the letters off Etsy from here}

The picture in the middle was a gift from Travis' parents. It goes with this book, and I absolutely LOVE it.

Moving along...I was originally going to paint an old dresser we had, but I got lazy and decided that would be too much work. I'm SO glad I ordered a new one instead! In the dresser are pants, swaddles, undershirts (and other things that wouldn't hang in the closet), bows, extra crib sheets and changing pad covers, nursing supplies, and extra diapers/wipes! I used these organizers from Ikea to keep everything somewhat in order.

Dresser: Amazon

Curtains: Pottery Barn Kids

Changing pad cover: Pottery Barn Kids

Basket and liner: Pottery Barn Kids

Diaper Pail: Buy Buy Baby (love this one...no stinky smells!)

Navy clothes hamper: Pottery Barn Kids

I found a lady on Etsy who hand paints canvases to match Pottery Barn bedding! I was so impressed with how well it matched the Mallory duvet cover!

Canvas prints: Etsy

My obsession for Etsy continues with the mobile and bunting above the crib...I sent both sellers a picture of the PBKids Mallory bedding and they matched it perfectly!

Crib: Babies R Us

Crib sheet: Pottery Barn Kids

Crib skirt: Amazon

Blanket: gift from my parents

Bunting: Etsy

Paper mobile: Etsy

{Also you can't see it, but next to the crib is this nightlight!}

Bear play mat: Pottery Barn Kids

Bookcase: Target

Chevron bins: Pottery Barn Kids

Floating shelf: Target

Humidifier: Amazon

The owl print on the top shelf has one of my favorite quotes: 

"No one else will ever know the strength of my love for you. After all, you're the only one who knows what my heart sounds like from the inside." 

Kathryn had it on display at my baby shower and gave it to me after!

The pink frame in the middle shelf still has the same picture that Caitlin gave to us when we found out Ella was a girl!

Monitor: Buy Buy Baby

Pink lantern: Ikea (bought the day before I went into labor!)

eFg monogram: made by Kathryn :)

Owl frame: gift from Travis' parents

And onto the closet...this is probs my favorite part of her room. Makes me think of that Sex in the City quote: "I like my money right where I can see it...hanging in my closet." Haha.

On the top shelf, we have TONS of diapers and wipes. Thank goodness for that diaper shower!

A little place for all of her shoes...

Shoe organizer: Target

And then of course, the clothes. I know, it's kind of ridiculous. But in my defense, there are sizes newborn all the way up through 18 months in here! 

Clothes dividers: Etsy

And then at the bottom, we have lots of extra storage for blankets, towels, extra hangers, burp clothes, etc.

Shelf: Target

Fabric bins: Target

Oh! And last but not least, that rug!! Thank you Pottery Barn Kids, for making me spend wayyy too much money on this rug, but at least it matches perfectly!

What does Ella think of her room?! 

Here is a sneak peak from her newborn pics...

{Elizabeth Scott Photography}

I'd say she likes it! :)

{PS-Go Tarheels tonight!}

Ella Grace {2 weeks}

Thank you so much for all of the sweet comments regarding Ella's birth story! I'm glad I didn't scare off too many people, haha! 

The crazy hormones have gone (yay!) and we have been pretty busy in week 2 of sweet Ella's little life!

First and foremost, we all survived the snowpocalypse last week.

I was super excited for Ella's first snow; we even did a little snow cheer (#crazymom)! 

{this pic is my fav, haha}

Ella, on the other hand, HATED the snow. We tried to take her out on both Wednesday....

and Thursday...

and she decided this snow stuff was not enjoyable. 

Bless her little Southern heart. 

At least our house looked pretty!

Ella also got to meet her very first cockroach this week (ewwww!). Welcome to warmer weather in Charlotte, Ella Grace.

Friday was her first holiday (Valentine's Day!) and we had a little photo shoot and sent pictures to all of her little boyfriends.

Trav also got me these beautiful roses. 

And Ella got a few Valentines herself :)

Our sweet girl slept for 6 hours straight twice this past week, which is super exciting! She is only getting up once per night and eating like a champ! 

Just when I think she can't get any cuter...she does! 

Can't wait to see what week 3 of her little life will bring...hopefully no more snow!