2019 Family Photos

Happy Valentine's Day! To celebrate, I'm flashing back to early December when we spent the morning with Doug and Stana of Loneman Photography to capture time with our little family. Here's to Henry at 20 months old - let's do this!

That's all for now y'all... I'll be here ugly crying wishing another two months hasn't already flown by while flipping through our 2018 family photos when Henry was only 10 weeks.

P.S. Here are the outfit details... On Henry: Polo Bodysuit, Overalls, Shoes + Jacket; On Dan: Flannel, Jeans, Shoes + Jacket; On me: Sweater, Jeans, Booties, Jacket.

Life by Design

Although we don't quite have a routine down, we're 2.5 months into Bozeman life and feeling quite settled. We can park our car in the garage (although there is still an Everest size mountain of unpacked boxes...), we're fully furnished (I mean, check out those kitchen chairs talking to the Nelson Bubble Pendant - hubba hubba!), we're discovering our spots like the Market at Ferguson Farm (it's a mini version of DC's Union Market - squeee!), Henry is changing by the day with new words like "baby," "horsh" (horse) and "trut" (truck) and this stunning hand painted Juju Paper has completed our master bathroom.

Most days involve a pinch or two to make sure this is real life. But hey, we still have stinky diapers and unedited sticky snot to bring us back down to earth too!

Happy Wednesday sunnies - shine like a bright pair of new shoes!

Life by Design

As mentioned, life is a little slower these days but admittedly it's just as good if not a little better.

Our Bozeman house build is well on its way - SQUEE!  Our boy is officially ONE and had his first taste of Momofuku Milk Bar Birthday Cake (after a full of week of baking) - AND he loved it, three cheers! I finally made it to the top of  Mt. Helena. Definitely worth the hike for my gluts and the view! Last but not least... Henry is loving to explore the world of food - albeit much of it ends up on the floor to Woodley's absolute delight.

Happy Friday, dear Sunnies! Who's watching Beyonce's Homecoming this weekend? EEP, I can't wait!

Henry is ONE

In just over a week our Henry will turn ONE! We can hardly believe it... I swear I was JUST pregnant! To mark the occasion, we're hosting our families at our apartment in Helena next Saturday afternoon. It will be wonderful to fill our little home with love to celebrate our vivacious, kind and smart little boy. Still bald as a cucumber, what Henry lacks in hair he makes up for with JOY! And boy does he know how to spread joy through his smiles, giggles and snuggles. We couldn't feel more complete!

To match our little guy's spirit, we've planned a bright and colorful fiesta complete with a Momofuku Milk Bar Birthday Cake, letter balloons to spell out his years, party hats, a knit crown for him to sport and custom laser cut invites and banners. We're keeping it simple with a taco bar and the gifts at a minimum. But the Hubs and I did snag a couple items for the boy including these sunnies and this book by Joanne Liu.

Cha-cha-changes!

Whelp, a lot has happened since the last post in July... I got a new day gig, we sold our DC house annnnnd we have moved across the country to HELENA, MONTANA! These past three months have been quite the whopper but the Hubs and I are taking it in stride and finally starting to catch our breath. Things we've learned along the way...

1. Moving is THE worst. Because our ultimate goal is to end up in Bozeman (MT) after the Montana legislative session, our move has been a bit more complicated. Our stuff will arrive Election Day in two places - some things going to storage in Bozeman and some things coming to our rented furnished condo in Helena. We're crossing our fingers AND toes the division of our goods goes smoothly...

2. Henry IS Henry. Despite all the change, Henry continues to smile and roll with whatever comes

(*Image Credit)

his way. He's no longer in a nanny share and had his first day of daycare last week. As expected, Henry loves interacting with ALL the other kids and ALSO has a wicked cold - which we also anticipated. 

3. Change is HARD. Although our longterm plan has been to return west, we were unprepared for our move to happen this year. There are only a few opportunities in my home state of Montana that size up to where I want my career to advance. So when the call came, we got our affairs in order, threw in a penny for luck and hit the road but that does NOT mean it's been easy. Every day has been HARD work.

4. Woodley IS Woodley. Despite his years and wise (looking) gray beard, our high anxiety dog Woodley continues to be high anxiety and needs time to adjust. Unfortunately, we learned this the hard way... AGAIN! Halloween dinner cost us some interior car upholstery and our only warm bedding (AKA our down comforter). But don't worry, we learned our lesson and are now the weirdos parked around the corner spying on our dog via baby monitor...

5. It's OKAY to rely on your people. I am fiercely independent and do not like having help from others. It doesn't matter if you're family, friends or a complete stranger. I'm the person who yelps "I've got this!" while balancing a baby, all the groceries and rapidly typing an email on my phone. But sometimes it's okay to accept help. Although this a lesson I'm still trying to learn. I think it's important in order to not sweat the small stuff.

6. CRY, it helps. This transition has been nothing but H-U-G-E and shedding a few tears makes it a little more bearable. We left DC when one of our dearest friends became pregnant and I envisioned us buggying our littles together around town... When I finally felt like I had gotten a routine as a working mom... When we felt settled in our house and loved every nook and cranny... We left DC and our Sunday Suppers with the Hubs' parents which elevated DC to feel like home. So let those tears run guuuurl, you need it!

7. Buy ALL the warm stuff. Yep, we moved from a warmish east coast fall and it's now full on fall/winter in Montana (i.e. snow this week --eeek!) I finally will admit my decade on the other coast has really made me a wuss and I have not invested in pieces other than "city warmers." Time for this mama to go shopping and get practical!

8. When in doubt, DRESS your baby as a fawn. But seriously. Halloween came at just the right time and we dressed our little dude as a fawn, which is western speak for baby deer. And GAHD DAMN IT, Henry was the cutest thing and continues to don his costume because it's the only warm thing we own that fits him. #HalloweenForever 

9. Get your nails done. For real. Get your nails done, fluff that hair and put on your armor. Life is freaking scary and you better believe it's easier to face what's coming when you feel prepared!

10. Worry LESS (or do something about it!) Worrying less is not my forte so instead I've become a master at re-chaneling energy. This means... scared about the election? Go out and canvass. Anxiety not letting you sleep? Go for a hike. Easier said than done but it's worth a try...

Later Gators...

2018 Family Photos

You guys! I'm back and here to say we survived our two and half week adventure in Europe with our three month old! The Hubs, Henry and I took on three countries (Austria, France and Germany) in 15 days and although we're now battling some serious jet lag, it was worth every minute!

Buuuuut hold up... More on that later... For now, please enjoy a selection of our family photos from an intimate morning with Rebecca Thornton Photography. Throwing it back to when Henry was just 10 weeks old (insert ugly cries here...!!!) Thank you Rebecca for capturing ALL the L-O-V-E of our little family.

Happy Thursday folks and keep it here for a quick roundup of our epic overseas tour soon to come!! 

Life by Design

BLUE hydrangeas

The Hubs hung this framed abstract calendar page to continue the celebration of Henry

Mosquito season is here, which means our hydrangea beuts are heading indoors

Our youngest member of the family is officially TWO MONTHS (!!!)

Life lately has included heaps of hydrangeas and M-I-L-K (or as the Hubs calls it, "boob gold")! I've frankly been shocked and awed by the production of both these items. The silver-lining to all our May showers? Our hydrangeas have been growing gangbusters and are BLUE! You guys! We planted these bushes six years ago but after the first year, the flowers turned Pepto-Bismal pink. I've been battling ever since to get back my blue beauties by adding supplements to the dirt, burying a rusty nail (a total Pinterest fail) and reading up on gardening. And then this year... nothing, I did NADA and now our hydrangeas are blue AND bigger and better than ever!

While the hydrangeas have been growing, Henry too has been gaining on the charts. We celebrated two months this week and all the giggles, smiles and poo that goes with it! It's also a FACT that at our two month wellness appointment, our pediatrician was blown away by the volume of my milk production and my Hubs (completely fascinated by my new skill) glowed with PRIDE. 

On a final note... We love this little boy beyond and keep hoping time will slow down but our dude keeps on sprouting! Don't want to miss a a beat? Follow our Instagram stories to see what trouble little H and I are getting into on the daily! 

Weekday/end Musings

EATING // Frozen dairy! Whether it's ice-cream or gelato, Henry and I are touring DC's best frozen treats to beat the heat during my maternity leave. Favorites include Jeni's for ALL the flavors (14th Street NW), Pitango Gelato for pistachio and local rhubarb (Capitol Hill), MilkBar for cereal milk soft-serve with sprinkles and the cornflake crunch - OBVIOUSLY (City Center) and Bon Matcha for Matcha soft-serve (19th and I Street NW). SQUEEE! And have you heard DC is soon to have a MilkBar flagship that will roll out experimental desserts weekly? I think I found a new side gig... Chief of the Test Kitchen! The flagship opens THIS Saturday (June 2nd) so watch out!

HOME*WORK // The silver-lining to our east coast torrential rain is that our flowers are near perfect. Last year, we missed our blooms but this year our hydrangeas are on fleek! Don't believe

PSA: happy life, happy wife... happy mommy! Graphic via Letters are Lovely.

me?! See here as "Exhibit A." 

CRUSHING ON // DC's new Line Hotel. While my bestie Nicole was visiting, we finally made the trek to this former Christian Science church now hotel and OMG... It is everything I dreamed of and more! If the Line wasn't in the most inconvenient neighborhood in the city (Adam's Morgan is kind of the worst) - I would be there today, tomorrow and always! Of course we ate at Eric Bruner-Yang's Brothers and Sisters... That Potato Rosti Eggs "Benedict"... Yeah... No matter that parking is like poking your eyes with needles, I can't wait to return! Even to just lounge in the space... The Line is beyond beautiful! 

READING // Per recommendation, I read All the Ugly Wonderful Things and loved this tragic story that ended with sunshine. As the divisions in our country seem to increase daily, this smartly written novel was a great reminder about how fortunate we are to have our life in DC and a healthy, happy little boy. It also highlights what truly matters - not money, not objects or possessions - but L-O-V-E!

THANKFUL FOR // The human body. Almost two months out from my c-section, I'm shocked at how fast my body has recovered. I hit my first workout class over the long weekend and my goodness did it feel great! Moderating myself and not over doing it remains tough but when I hop back on that yellow SoulCycle bike this weekend... It will take everything in me not to belt out Gloria Gaynor's "I will survive!"

THINKING ABOUT // I'm officially half way through my maternity leave and although I get a full 16 weeks home with my guy, it already feels too soon to go back at the end of July. Especially now Henry has started smiling. You guys! My heart nearly exploded with that first sign of his upturned lips. I just can't even! Please make time slow down... 

WATCHING // Eeeek the drive-in at Union Market is back for a new season! Weather permitting, tonight we'll be cuddled up with Henry watching Clueless. Click here to see what's playing next... 

WEARING // My new mom uniform. Always a fan of jeans and a t-shirt, I find myself wearing this classic pair on repeat. I'm currently obsessed with this soft tee from Cuyana and these distressed Frame jeans.

Summer Edit '18

Sorry for the delay in getting out my Friday post... I was up late last night texting with my bestie Paulo about how our SOs think they're cooler than us because they sometimes teach us things on Instagram and will call our photos trash and not good enough. The gall of our nerds. The. GALL. (!!!)

KNC Beauty Lip Mask  // Collagen - say what?! I've only used this collagen lip mask once and have a few more trials before I'm ready for a verdict but it's been a nice change of pace to have time to pamper. 

Liewood Holger Pram Chain Toy // This stroller panda string brings so much joy to our bambino. And you know Henry's current love for black and white has me swooning all day long!

Clare V. Bandana // In anticipation of our Paris junket in July, I've already been dreaming about what keepsake to bring home. I'll be a newbie to the croissant laden city but for some reason a silk scarf just says bonjour! Once we find THE scarf, I plan to have it framed to adorn our wall and remind us of our first family adventure as three f-o-r-e-v-er!

Vio Palm Pom Structured Tote // Every time I bring out this cheery straw tote, the Hubs rolls his eyes. But you guys! I can't tell you how much this bag makes my heart skip a beat, which means (duuuh) it's now on regular rotation #sorrynotsorry

Greenwich's Ina Garten Card // Royal wedding, say what?! Sorry, I was too distracted by Ina, the domestic goddess! But in the interest of full disclosure, we no longer have cable so we watched Molly Shannon and Will Ferrell host the royal wedding via HBO Now and it was too funny! Have no fear though folks... You know I went deep on googling all the things about the new Duchess and Harry's nuptials. And damn was their ceremony gorgeous!

Soludos Knotted Linen Slides // We could not have timed our baby bundle's arrival better! My maternity leave will span both spring and summer so clearly these simple slides would be a hot addition to my closet!

Quay Australia Sunnies // Now we have an active boy on our hands, I'm ditching the Pradas for these sleek and cheap sunnies. Highly functional and ready for anything!

Crazy Rich Asians // I picked up this book in anticipation of its silver screen block buster and loved its Big Little Lies vibe. It's the perfect summer read and a trilogy... Heck YAAAS!

InvisiBobble Traceless Hair Ring // I'm anti-scrunchy for many reasons. Mostly because I hate 90s fashion and my hair is too thick to pull off a scrunchy as a mane-tamer. Buuuut these hair ties are my happy medium and a great option for wrangling my coif.

Madewell Skinny Overalls // My first attempt at breastfeeding in public was a bit of a comedy (and that's an understatement... Read on...) Needing a few supplies from CVS, the Hubs and I parked in a loading zone outside of the pharmacy for a quick minute. Baby Henry started to fuss while my dutiful Hubs was inside picking up a few items so I thought, "I can solve this!" Perhaps famous last words?! Regardless, I joined Henry in the tinted backseat area of our car, donned my full coverage nursing scarf and began to breastfeed. Not even five minutes in, I heard a knock on the car window. I proceeded to roll down the window a crack and was greeted by a uniformed police officer who promptly asked me where my parents were. Not able to utter anything more, I screeched - "I AM the parent!... I'm breastfeeding, Sir!!!" Immediately the officer reddened, told me to take my time and bolted away from the car after he said he almost ticketed us for parking in a loading zone - HAHA! I only wish I knew the officer's name because I want to dedicate these overalls to him and keeping my youthful glow!

Alrighty team, enjoy the long weekend - here's to rosé, sun and THREE days!!

Life by Design

Henry's first museum and exhibit... Burning Man at the Renwick, obviously!

Our best shot at living colorfully (photo via Josh)

This boy and ALL the patterns (one month!!)

Henry's first dinner out... Little Pearl (get the mussels and the burger with your wine, enough said!)

Lately life has been in the fast lane but in a really old and slow minivan... Let me explain... My days are now broken up into three hour chunks devoted to feeding, changing and easing Henry into naps. While individual tasks seem slow, life is in warp speed. How is our beautiful boy already five weeks?! FIVE WEEKS! You guys, that seems impossibly long because I swear we just came home from the hospital. Somehow the calendar says otherwise but I'm still in denial...

Regardless of my conflict with time, I am 100% loving motherhood, maternity leave and being home together as a family. As predicted, we continue to stay busy with walks, dinners, museums, family and friends. We are truly smitten with our life by design.. now just to get this boy out into the woods!

Weekday Musings

With one month under our belts, I'm ready to get back into the swing of things with my adorable sidekick baby Henry! So bear with me while I dive back into the blogging game, I may be a little rusty...

EATING // Everythaannng! Y'all, I thought I was hungry when I was pregnant but that was before I'd ever breastfed. Holy buckets! Nothing prepared me for my constant desire to eat. As a consolation prize - it seems the more I eat, the more milk I produce... Winning, right?!

HOME*WORK // No surprise, our new addition requires a lot of stuff. Which means my work on the house right now is pretty basic - i.e. finding places to hide ALL the things so our house doesn't become THAT house. You guys know what I'm talking about... Today, I pledge to maintain some sense of style and design regardless of the baby gyms and play mats. Please keep me accountable!

CRUSHING ON // Gwyneth Paltrow and the Goop Podcast. You guys! It's fire. Her first episode is an interview with Oprah... OPRAH! Load it up on your phone ASAP. Word on the street is that listening to this podcast goes well with coffee and/or rose!

READING // Orlando Soria's Get it Together. This book is laugh out loud funny and the perfect read while Henry naps or feeds. Yes, it's a design book but it's also about life and in the words of the wise Tim Gunn... making "it work!" Plus Orlando himself is just awesome, follow him on Instagram for an instant social media feed brighter, this guy is GOLD!

THANKFUL FOR // My growing mom tribe. The sisterhood among moms is strong. Through social media and technology, I've reconnected with so many mom friends near and far. The outpour of love and support for this new adventure was unexpected but I count my lucky stars because these wonderful ladies have given me strength on the hard days and also helped me learn to celebrate the small wins.

THINKING ABOUT // After reading Bringing up Bebe, the Hubs and I are much more conscious about how we parent Henry. We are working on not becoming American helicopter parents and  maintaining a version of our previous no child lifestyle which means continuing to meet friends out, a daily walk at the Congressional Cemetery and going out to eat. We know it may not always be possible but we also know that these are the things that make our daily lives full so here goes nothing!

WATCHING // Handmaid's Tale. Admittedly, the first season of this show sucked us in with its dystopian state and our parallel worries given the last major election. And now with season two, we're back in... Despite our growing annoyance with June and her carelessness, we look forward to Hulu's new episode release every Wednesday.

WEARING // All the beauty products. While pregnant, I created an extensive list of beauty products I wanted to try during maternity leave - including everything from liquid eyeliner to these collagen lip masks everyone and their mother seems to be raving about... And thanks to AmazonPrime, the arsenal of goods has arrived. As I work my way through these new beauty products, look for my reviews and advice here... My critiques may not be as titillating as a Bravo Housewives reunion but I PROMISE to be honest - no sponsorships here (although if you want to sponsor anything, contact me! Seriously... my email is mrsonhst@gmail.com)

* Image credit and inspiration via Anthony Burrill. We love Mr. Burrill's "Work Hard and Be Nice to People" and may just NEED this one for our walls too!