Thoughts for Thursday: Naptime Confessions

Welcome back to another Thoughts for Thursday! Thank you so much for joining us each week. Remember to grab the button and link up below.

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It's been awhile since I've done one of these and I feel like I just need a brain dump...

- Packing sucks. I already told Kyle we are living in this house forever because I don't have the energy to move again.

- Miller has been watching way to much tv/you tube truck videos lately but I don't know what else to do with him while I (try to) pack.  I am not proud of this.

- Speaking of you tube truck videos, these things are like crack. He would watch them all day long if I let him.  He's currently obsessed with the Disney toy review ones. Basically adults opening up toys and showing you how to play with them.

- I'm getting better at blogging again but I am HORRIBLE at answering emails and reading all my "blog friends" blogs. II read most of them on my phone and can't comment. I'm trying to get better and catch up with all of you.  It's just been so hard to find time lately.

- Kyle has been out of town for work the past three weeks, he's home on the weekends but they go by so fast. Solo parenting is exhausting. All single parents deserve a special award

- Matthew is officially my crazy kid. My sweet little tiny cuddly baby that was, I swear, just born is so busy now! He does not sit still. He beelines for the steps any chance he gets.  Pulls up and climbs onto anything and everything. He is so much worse than Miller and anyone that knows us in real life knows Miller is a wild man and Matthew is making him look calm.  #heavenhelpme  Those two are going to give me a run for my money.

- Miller is obsessed with playdoh right now and he loves to mix all the colors together!  Who is this child??! I was obsessive about my colors never mixing growing up and it takes all my self control not to scream "NO don't mix them together"

- Speaking of playdoh I love the smell of it. Anyone else?

- I quit breastfeeding Matthew a month ago. I'm happy and sad about it. I was down to two feedings a day (the rest were formula) so it wasn't too hard to do.  My hormones are all out of whack though as I adjust. I never experienced  this with Miller because I was already 8 weeks pregnant at this point.

-I still have 10lbs of baby weight I cannot.get.rid.of.   My regular clothes fit again and I know it's just a number but I still feel blah about it and want it off.  The scale does not budge at all.  I think I'm going to finally break down and do a shake/diet program of some sort.

- My postpartum boobs are even more depressing than my weight. Nursing two kids has ruined them. Now I just need to budget in a boob job for me...

- Oh and my face looks like a teenagers. I feel like I have full blown acne again. It will not stop breaking out.  I guess this is what happens when all the hormones are out of my body.

- I broke my no shopping in July... I picked up a few dresses for a baby shower I have next weekend. I'm waiting for them to arrive and will return them if they don't work but I just hate everything in my closet right now.

- I bought a lot of non-maternity clothes when I was pregnant with the intention of wearing them again and I haven't touched them once this summer.  I HATE all my clothes from pregnancy. I think they remind me of being bigger and uncomfortable so I've lent them all to my sister who is pregnant.

- I can't wait to start fall clothes shopping!  Anyone else?

Now it's your turn!

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The Perfect Brown Leather Bag

This fall I've decided I want to add a nice classic brown leather bag to my collection.  As you know handbags are one of my favorite fashion accessories and you can't go wrong with a classic brown bag.  Every year I say I'm going to get one and then I don't so this year I'm changing that.

Since I'm awful at making decisions I've rounded up my favorites and would love to hear what you all think.

Top Row: J.Crew Downing  hobo// Botkier mini soho tote // J.Crew Hayden hobo// Gigi NY Olivia Shopper// Marc Jacobs hobo 

Middler Row: Annabel Ingall tote// Madewell Transport tote// Gucci Miss GG hobo// Fossil Sydney Tote

Bottom Row: Tory Burch Robinson pebbled tote// Michael Kors Selma Satchel// Cuyana Tote 

I go back and forth between wanting a small bag or a big tote bag.  I've had the  Madewell transport tote, Annabel Ingall tote, and Cuyana bag on my wish list forever so maybe I will finally pull the trigger on one of those.  The Gucci one is a total of a splurge but Gucci leather is so gorgeous and it is probably a bag I'll have forever (I just need to convince Kyle with that price tag).  I always love J.Crew's bags and own a few plus their prices with sales are always awesome.  Then I saw that Botkier one and fell in love but I'm afraid it's not as classic and I might tire of it easily.  My sister has the Gigi NY Olivia shopper and it's gorgeous in person and a good hobo/tote combo since the bottom is structured. Then I still love all the other ones I listed too. See I told you I was indecisive!

What do you all think? Own any of these that you love?

Linking up with Pampers and Pearls for Mid Week Muse

Life with a Two Year Old

This post is more for me so I can remember all these little details of Miller. So bear with me since it's a little wordy ;)

It has been one month since Miller turned two and we officially have a two year old living in our house.
It has been crazy to watch him change from little baby to little boy over the last year.
Sometimes Kyle and I look at each other and can't believe we have this little person with major feelings, opinions, and personality living in our house.

Miller is all little boy. We cannot get enough trucks, trains, fire trucks, police cars, or construction equipment in our house.  He only likes shows with trucks in them and we talk about every.single.truck that drives past our car or house everyday. I never knew so many different trucks existed.

His vocabulary has gotten so much better over the past few months and it blows my mind to hear what he says sometimes.  I think he learns a new word and phrase everyday.   He remembers every single thing and you cannot get one over on this kid. Ever.  If you get M&Ms from the pantry and share some with him he will remember them and exactly where to find them. If he put a toy on a certain shelf or basket before bed it better be there when he wakes up or he will let you know where it's supposed to be.  If he's been to your house before he will remember where all the toys are and what snacks you had. It's crazy to me to see that little mind at work.  We have quickly realized we have to watch what we do and say around him.

 He loves dressing himself and picking out his shoes. This is one of those battles I didn't think I would be having so soon but I know it's just him expressing his independence and I win some I lose some.

He is a total cuddle bug these days. Constantly giving hugs and kisses to anyone that will take them. He loves to snuggle up and read books or watch a movie with me.  Since Matthew is getting to the age of exploring and not snuggling it's nice to have someone want to snuggle with me again :)
Speaking of Matthew, Miller absolutely adores him. Miller wants to constantly be checking on "my baby" and giving him lots of love, hugs and kisses. If Matthew is crying he will try to do anything to calm him down. It's so sweet!  Miller, in perfect oldest child behavior likes to remind his baby of the rules too and is constantly telling Matthew "No" or coming to get me if Matthew is doing something he doesn't like.  I hear a lot of "Oh no baby no" through out my day.

Miller is fiercely independent yet cautious. He likes to do things on his own and does not like to ask for help or be given directions. This is so hard for me because I want to help him so badly but I know part of learning is failing until you succeed at something so I'm trying to step back and let him explore. As Miller would say, "all me".  (Unless it is dangerous then I obviously supervise)

As with every stage of parenting there has to be challenges, right?  The tantrums, oh the tantrums.  I can't decide if they're worse or better than I thought they would be. Miller is so stubborn and determined and does not like to give up. Ever.  Sometimes I do a great job of ignoring them and other times I lose my mind over them. I think the hardest part is the unpredictability of them.  I can put a snack in a red cup as he  requested and suddenly it's "no blue cup" and then it's the wrong blue one and then it's flailing on the floor kicking and screaming. He can go from sweet to monster in 15 seconds I swear.  We have also entered the "me" and "mine" stage where everything under the sun belongs to Miller and he will let you know with screaming mine or "no me" over and over and  over.   I still wouldn't label it the terrible twos yet, but give me a few months.

I sometimes still can't believe I have a two year old little boy! I cannot wait to see what the next year holds for us and I can't wait to see how Miller's personality grows and develops as he gets older.

Saturday Shopping: Summer Outfit Inspiration

As summer wears on I start to find  myself over my summer clothes and itching for fall. Anyone else do this? Since temps are still in the 80s and 90s and not slowing down I pulled together some outfits to keep me inspired and in love with my summer wardrobe.

The top two looks I think are perfect for running around with the kids or a casual Saturday.  I love the white jeans look for a date night and think I might need to pull mine out. I haven't worn them all summer but I think I'm feeling inspired now.

Bag // Shirt // Sunglasses 

Earrings // Watch // Shorts // Sandals

Bag // Top // Sunglasses
Earrings // Watch // Shorts // Sandals

Outfit on the Left:  Sunglasses // Top // 
Earrings // Clutch // Watch // Sandals 
White Jeans
Outfit on the Right: Top // Sunglasses 
Clutch // Earrings 
Heels // Watch 

Anyone else started to think about fall fashion or are you still loving summer?

Friday Randoms

TGIF! I'm so ready for the weekend! Kyle has been out of town all week and solo parenting is for the birds! We don't have anything exciting planned but I'm just excited to have someone to help me with bath time and bedtime ;)

Here are my random Friday thoughts:

1. Packing up our house- We move in just a few weeks (like 2) and I still can't seem to bring myself  to pack. I think part of me is a bit in denial about this move so I keep packing a few boxes here and there but I know I need to get serious. This weekend I'm buckling down and doing it.  In the mean time the boys are enjoying more places to climb:

2. Potty Training- So now that Miller is two is seems that potty training is something I need to start stressing out about.   Miller has been letting us know when he needs his diaper changed for the past two months and when I mentioned this to the pediatrician she said that was great news and we need to start encouraging potty training.  I guess my big question is- where do I start? 

I was looking at this little potty:

BabyBjorn Potty

But then quite a few of my friends suggested this instead:

BabyBjorn Training Potty Seat

 

Any advice either way? Success or failures with either one? Are boys really harder than girls to potty train? Any tips or tricks?


3. GreenPan Cookware-  The calphalon non-stick pans we've had since our wedding are shot so I've been on the hunt for new ones. With all the talk about how original non-stick coating isn't that good for you I've been hunting for an alternative to the ones I'm used to. A few people recommended stainless but everyone said there can be a big learning curve when cooking with those and that it's easy to burn food.  Then at the beach my sister in law's parents had the GreenPan brand pans and now I'm hooked!
I picked up a pan for us at Target but while doing some searching for the rest of the off white set (since the Targets close to me only carry a few sizes and colors) I found that JCPenny  has them on huge sale so I'm picking up a few more sizes.

GreenPan 10in Ceramic Fry Pan

Here are some more stats from the company:

Thermolon ceramic coating is healthy, safe and does not contain any toxic chemicals or persistent pollutants

no harmful fumes, peeling, chipping or flaking off of the coating

PFOA, lead and cadmium free

60% less CO2 is emitted during the curing phase of production of Thermolon coatings, compared to the emissions during the curing phase of production of traditional coatings

GreenPan processes used materials—such as upcycled stainless steel for the handles and upcycyled aluminum for cookware bodies—into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials

handle is double-riveted for durability

oven safe to 850ºF Aluminum/ceramic/stainless steel. Dishwasher safe. Imported.

I just love everything about what they offer! Do anyone of you own their stuff? Have you tried it?


4. J.Crew Sleeveless Flounce Dress

I love everything about this dress but I'm 99% sure that I would not pull it off correctly.  I just have a sixth sense that it won't look good on me but I still want it.  Since I can't shop until August you all go buy it and tell me what you think.

5. Tito Fresco- I cannot stop thinking about this delicious drink we had on vacation and now I'm dying to re-create it at home.  It consists of Tito’s Vodka, St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur, cucumber infused water & lemon simple. Sounds pretty easy right? Like the perfect summer cocktail. I'm hoping to make some this weekend. Of course I forgot to snap a pic. 

Have a happy weekend everyone!

Thoughts for Thursday: Outer Banks 2015

Every year we go to the Outer Banks with Kyle's family. This year marked the 10th year that I've been going with them. So crazy!  It was so nice to be away but it was exhausting with two kids.  Sorry for the picture heavy post!

We left on Thursday July 2rd thinking we were ahead of the crowds but we were wrong. The drive is usually about 6-7 hours for us but traffic was awful and it was raining so it ended up taking close to 10 hours. We got desperate toward the end and let Miller run around in the Chick-fil-a playground thing, which I swore I would never do pre-kids.  I've officially decided those things are genius!

The weather was gorgeous the whole time, we had a little rain here and there but nothing big enough to put a damper on plans.

 It took Miller a few days to warm up to the ocean but once he decided it was safe we couldn't keep him out of it. Running from waves and screaming was his favorite.  Since he's so fair skinned I like to keep a hat on him and this is the only one he would wear. It's from Hanna Andersson and highly recommend them. They have a big brim and they're bathing suit material  so they can get wet and dry out easily.

Matthew on the other hand was not a big fan of the whole beach experience. I wouldn't say he hated it but I wouldn't say he loved it.

  It was hard because he's crawling and putting everything into his mouth so I couldn't really put him down on the sand. He hated being held because he wanted to explore and it was so hot that he couldn't really last more than an  hour on the beach.  He was a trooper though and rarely cried. 

We celebrated 4th of July with the local parade in Duck which was a huge hit with the kids and the adults got to enjoy some fireworks.  I wanted to get some family photos so I had matching outfits for us all except I  forgot mine :( so I'm the odd one out in my bright colors.

 Boys outfits are Smocked Auctions and my top is Lilly Pulitzer Elsa- one of my favorite styles! This is an old print but this one is similar.

 
Kyle and I were lucky enough to sneak out with his brothers and wives for an adults only date night!

 We went to Aqua in Duck and I thought the food and atmosphere was great!   My J.Crew Factory Romper was a huge hit and I got a ton of compliments on it.  If  you're looking to try a romper I highly suggest this one- fit my long torso and appropriate length shorts.

I really wanted to get pictures of the boys on the beach this year but the day I had planned to do it ended  up being 102 degrees. Since it was so hot we opted for pictures on the deck and they did not go well.

Miller was unhappy from the beginning and then took Matthew down with him. I've decided I'm printing this series and framing it. It's almost too funny not to.

The beach was exhausting with two kids but the memories were so worth it!  I would do it again in a heartbeat.  Thanks for bearing with me through the photos.

Until next year OBX

Now it's your turn!

Grab the button and link up to Annie and Natalie  on your Thoughts for Thursday post.

Use #thoughtsforthursdays on Instagram and tag us @homeofmalones and @eastcoastnat.

Link up starts at 7am EST. 

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Summer Essentials

I'm all about practicality when it comes to everyday dressing with my kids.  As much as I would  love to get dressed up my boys are still young so t-shirts and shorts are what works for me right  now, when I'm not in gym  clothes ;).  Even though I live in this "momiform" I still try to dress it up and be fun where I can.

Here are my summer essentials  for a cute "momiform":

Pearl Studs// Square Stud Earrings// Michael Kors Watch// Vneck Tee// Aviator Sunglasses//  RayBan Wayfarers// Jack Rogers Navajo  Sandal// Tory Burch Miller Sandal// Havaianas Flip Flops// Lilly Pulitzer Callahan Shorts

I never go anywhere without earrings and rotate between my pearls and these Kate Spade studs which I own in a few colors.  My Michael Kors watch is another piece of jewelry I never leave the house with. I'm old school and still wear a watch :) I usually wear a long necklace or bracelets too but since Matthew is in the grabby stage I've put those on hold for awhile.  I pretty much only wear flat sandals and keep my Jack Rogers, TB Miller sandals,  and Havaianas on constant rotation.

As you know I've proclaimed my love for the J.Crew v neck tissue tees for awhile  now but I've recently fallen in love with these Target ones.  My newest love this summer are the Lilly Pulitzer Callahan shorts.  I used to love my J.Crew chinos but I've become obsessed with the LP Callahans.  I've been trying to add more color in my wardrobe and I love all the fun prints. The 5in inseam just feels more appropriate for me these days. I also think they are very flattering on me right now more so than my old J.Crew ones. If you  don't like the print they come in solid pink, white, aqua and navy. 

Do you have a summer uniform that you wear all the time?  Do you have a certain brand of short or t-shirt that you love?  Do you live in flip flops like me in the summer?

Linking up with Pampers and Pearls for Mid Week Muse

What's on Miller's Book Shelf?

Over the past six months or so Miller has really become obsessed with books. We let him read one book before nap time and three books before bed (depending on the length of them). We also keep lots of books in the playroom that he loves "reading" to himself.  At around 16-18 months he started really getting an opinion on what books we read which was exciting and sad for me. Exciting because I loved that he had favorite stories and sad because now instead of the baby books we mostly read about trucks or dinosaurs :) 

It is so fun to watch his interest in books grow as he gets older and I wanted to share some of our favorites with you. If you're looking for more books for your kids or a gift for a little boy all of these would  be perfect.

Here are his current  favorites in particular order:

Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site

Steam Train, Dream Train 

We love this one and the one above it by the same author and lots of trucks, trains, and animals to identify between the two.  Perfect for bedtime since the trucks and train are going to bed.

How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Room?

Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do You See?

(Slide and Find version)

We love the slide version since it's interactive

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Good Night Dump Truck 

Sometimes we read this one 10 times a day, he never tires of it.

Little Blue Truck

Little Blue Truck Leads the Way

This one and the one above are two of my favorites. I love Little Blue truck and hope she continues to write more books about him. 

Dinosaur Dig 

My Truck is Stuck!

My First Trucks and Diggers

Miller can spend forever (like 20 mins in toddler time) looking at this book and screaming out the truck names.  This is probably are current favorite #1

First 100 Words

First 100 Animals

I love these first word books. They have been great over the past couple months as Miller talks more and learns more words and animals.

I buy most of his books at Amazon,  Marshalls, and TJ Maxx.  No point in paying full price! 

Are these some of your kids favorites? Are there any good little boy books I'm missing?