Bloggin' (with a baby) Ain't Easy!!! Common Royalty 2.0

Wow! It has been a hot minute since my last post!

Sorry for the MIA status, but Emma has been keeping me SUPER busy, these last few months as her naps have become much fewer (basically one long nap around mid-day) and her awake time has been much more active.

Emma Update:

At 7 months now she is pulling herself up to stand and is crawling all over the place. As a result I have been finding that the "free" time I have while she is asleep is eaten up with cooking, cleaning up, errands, etc..and by the end of the day, I am either zonked or vegging out in front of some very bad reality TV while giving myself a DIY mani. That said, she's been worth every single second of sacrificed "me" time ♡♡♡:

(...that smile tho'!!!)

I posted on my Instagram a fun little "magazine cover" I made of Emma using PhotoGrid:

I was snapping iphone pictures of her in her car seat just as we were readying to leave the house one day, and I got this super serious shot of her that look so "posed". I couldn't resist the urge to do something fun with it and I think it is HILARIOUS!  I must say, I am quite proud of my clever little baby celeb "articles" listing - I am planning on framing it and adding it to her nursery.

Blog Update:

My maternity leave is just about half way over now, and while I did contemplate giving up on my blogging "experiment" (particularly about two months ago when Emma had me getting up two sometimes THREE times at night!!) I have decided that I'm not yet ready to call it quits and so I will forge on - despite the fact that my readership is dominated by close friends and obliging family ;) 

Truly, as blogging is something I've always wanted to try, I am doing this for myself and for the fun I have in designing this page - Yes, I did every last bit of this blog on my own using Google search to direct me to a bunch of helpful sites and providers of the requisite html codes! (No, I did not have any idea what html is/was prior to this endeavor - and for the most part I still do not beyond the fact that I am able to copy and paste the 'code' I need into the box I am told to to make my blog do what I need it to do!)

Common Royalty 2.0
As I move into my second effort at this blog I've made a couple of changes. The first is I've changed the title from this:

to this:

I've added an Instagram feed to my @commonroyalty page along the right side bar and upped my social media game by finally creating my google+ and facebook fan pages!!!

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Common-Royalty/988045997886849

 

Thalicia Pennant (Google+)

I've been doing a lot of research on how to attract readers and connect with other bloggers and so now that I am happy with the design and functionality of my site, I am planning to spend this next phase really focused on increasing my content and and connecting with others in hopes of improving my online presence. 

I'd love to hear from any of you who may be in a similar boat as far as facing the challenges of starting a blog, or if you have any thoughts on the new look of my page. Let's connect!

Shoppin' for Baby!

Happy Friday Friends!!!

I was super excited when I checked my e-mail this morning and discovered that Old Navy was having a 50% off baby sale! It just so happens that while Emma's closet is indeed busting at the seams, for some reason, she is in need of pants. She's got tons of onesies and sleepers and sweaters and tops (still too cold for dresses up here...), but she has managed to outgrow virtually all of her pants or has not yet fit into the bigger sizes.

Now, this is my second time around the baby block and I know just how quickly they outgrow everything in this first year. As a result I am adamantly opposed to paying full price for baby clothing if it can be at all avoided.

I am also a mother who tends to be naturally drawn to colors, styles and fabrics for my daughter that I would also purchase for myself. I like crisp, clean denims and a base color palate of soft pink, white, navy and grey. Fortunately there are a lot of great options for kids and baby clothes that cater to momma's like me who preferred neutrals over brighter colours for baby. My favourite stores for baby shopping include Baby Gap, Zara (Baby), H&M, Joe Fresh and Old Navy. Price points at baby Gap can be a bit higher but fortunately sales are regular, and I can usually find whatever it is I need at reasonable (and even bargain basement) prices by shopping the sales (I have gotten every winter coat that Grace has ever owned - great quality, stylish, down-filled coats - at 50-70% off the regular Zara or Gap kids price by purchasing next winter's coat at the end season sale of the previous winter!)

Here's what I picked up at Old Navy for Emma today:

Everything was on sale for between 30 and 50% off, and the 5 pocket denim jeans and the stretch jeggings were both on red tag clearance for $4.99 (sweet!!!). The cotton pants are really soft and wash really well (I have them in grey and grey stripe for her as well).

Finally, I picked up a couple packages of socks for her as she's outgrown most of her 0-3mos ones:

                           

I think that Old Navy and Baby Gap make the best socks for baby. They are super thick, stretchy cotton that is so soft and comfy. I especially love the ones that are designed to look like little mary-jane shoes - too, too cute!

After un-bagging everything and removing the tags and packaging, I couldn't resist the urge to do a little "baby styling" and put together a couple of "outfits" for Em :)

Bunny Rabbit Puffer Vest - H&M

Pants - Old Navy (similar)

Moccasins - Baby Gap (old, similar)

Blouse - Baby Gap (old)

Jeans - Old Navy

Sandals - Baby Gap (old)

Any baby items tagged as "old" are actually hand-me-downs from Grace and so they are like 5 years old! I will try to find similar items where possible and provide you with the links.

Have a great weekend!!!

Emma's Sweet Pink and Grey Nursery

I am so happy to finally be sharing pictures of Emma's nursery! This project was so much fun to do. When Grace was born, we were living in a small 1 + 1 condo in the city and her "nursery" was actually the den! That being said I still managed to put together a sweet little space for her in the 8 x 6 foot room and if I can find where I stored those photos, I will definitely post them.

Now that we are in a house, I had a lot more creative freedom given the additional space we have to work with. My mommy style, doesn't tend to stray very far away from my personal style - I like classic, clean, sophisticated looks, with a touch of trend. Graces nursery was cream and pink and I had made her crib bedding from a beautiful toile fabric I purchased in the garment district. This time around, I chose to go with grey and a soft blush pink as my theme colors, and I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out:

I really scoured the web and sites like Pinterest and Project Nursery for ideas and inspiration. One of my favorite things in the room is her framed "E" monogram. The silver E is made of wood, and I found it at Chapters-Indigo for just $15! I felt like it needed something to accentuate it and so I removed the glass from a black Ikea mirror and spray painted the frame with a high-gloss white paint to create the look below:

Crib - Babyrama (Ajax)

Bedding - Carousel Designs

"E" - Chapters-Indigo

Frame - Ikea

I had come across a lot of nursery designs that had opted for "pom poms" in lieu of a crib mobile - an idea that I really liked. So I was thrilled when I found these silver and white pompoms at Michael's with a damask print that was a nice complement to the crib bedding. I dressed up a standard Ikea dresser by switching out the knobs with these pretty glass ones from Zara Home, and added a changing pad and mirror to give it double duty as a change table:

Mirror - Homesense

Lamp - Homeoutfitters

Piggybank - Winners

Dresser - Ikea

Curtain Rod (Umbra) - Homesense

Curtains - Homesense

Now although we are now in a house, and this is an actual bedroom as opposed to a "den". this room is still on the smaller side. I had initially hoped to add a glider (something we had absolutely NO space for in Grace's nursery), but when I went to try a few out, I found that the gliding motion actually made me nauseous!! Fortunately Ikea makes a really comfortable sitting chair that looks very similar to the Pottery Barn glider I was coveting but is much more small space (and budget) friendly. I relocated this pretty, nail head trimmed ottoman that we had in our living room to create a perfect space for nursing, and reading and cuddling with baby Emma. The pillow is a leftover from Grace's nursery covered in that toile fabric I mentioned earlier. The plastic butterflies were from a home-made "diaper cake" given to us by a friend. I think they add just the right amount of whimsy:

"The Sweet Life" wall hanger - Pottery Barn Kids

Chair - Ikea

Pillow - DIY

Diaper Bag - Marc Jacobs

Ottoman - Homesense

Rug - Walmart (2 sewn together)

Finally, I found the perfect grey linen hamper that I prettied up by sewing on this off-white bow that I got from the ribbon used to package a stroller blanket that I had purchased:

I am so delighted with how it all turned out. I think it looks pretty and sweet and it is a space that I think we will both love to be in. The bedding was a bit of a splurge, but I saved in so many other areas and with a bit of creativity still managed to pull of a custom designed look.

I'd love to hear what you think of Emma's space as well as your own ideas for creating a serene nursery for your little one.

Time to head out

So it's been a few weeks since I had Emma, and my body (and style) are beginning to adapt to our new - shall we call it - reality....Having been down this road before (albeit 5 years ago now...) I am better prepared for what to expect from my body apres delivery, and less shocked at what pregnancy has done to my figure. When it comes to my personal experience (and my body type) this is what I know:

1. Much of my pregnancy "bloat" is indeed water - take that all you meanies that thought making comments about how "HUGE" I was and predicting that my baby would be ready for delivery at month 6 was so hilarious!!!! (For those of you who have never been pregnant, and may not be aware, it is never ok to tell a pregnant woman that she is big....EVER. Unless your comment about her appearence is something along the lines of "you look fabulous/glowing/radiant/fantastic" keep quiet - we already know our feet are swollen, skin is breaking out, belly is huge and that we waddle when we walk. No commentary is necessary.

2. I will lose most of the weight I gained while pregnant with very little effort - The last 5-10 pounds is VERY difficult to shed. My bigger challenge will be losing the weight I tend to gain after the baby...oy!

3. Maternity leave is counter productive to losing weight - Being on maternity leave in the Canadian winter (ie, grossly inactive, all day access to television/magazines/internet and REFRIGERATOR) is the ultimate saboteur to my weight loss efforts - I actually tend to gain weight after I initially lose my pregnancy pounds.

4. Above all, don't stress - I gained and lost it before, I will gain and lose it again.

Style wise, I've spent the last 7 weeks in a uniform of black leggings, Roots sweatpants and loose sweaters. Today, as I ventured out into society with a purpose that did not involve dropping off or picking up our 5 year old from school, I decided it's time to make a little effort. Here's what I wore to hit the mall and begin (cringe) my Christmas shopping.

V-neck pullover - H&M

Scarf - Zara

Bracelet - Fossil

Pants - Lululemon

Shoes - Calvin Klein

Diaper bag - Marc Jacobs

Sunglasses - Sirens

These pants from Lululemon are among my favorite! They are so comfy and forgiving yet super stylish. NOBODY knows how toned (or not) your thighs are in these pants!!! I also love using pattern and colour in an unexpected way, and think that the faux snakeskin flats and red sunglasses add just the right amount of personality. 

I hope to share more of my post pregnancy style ideas and would love to hear your tips and feedback on how to keep your look stylish but at the same time comfortable and conducive to caring for a little one.

Welcome Emma Peyton!!

So it's been a minute since my last entry. But I was super busy completing final preparations for the newest addition to our family and then resting and recovering from delivery.

In addition to having a second baby, my husband is also finishing up his very first attempt at a total gut renovation (minus the basement). New house, new furniture and new baby! Of all the changes, my favorite one came in at 7lbs 5oz, with an angelic face and serene temperament :)

Please meet our newest bundle of love, Emma Peyton:

I know I'm biased, but isn't she a doll?

I suspect that keeping up with regular blogging will be something of a challenge, what with a newborn, a four year old and Christmas around the corner, but I will do my best to stay connected!

So, we're having a baby....AGAIN!!

After 36 of the longest weeks of my life, I am happy to announce that not only am I in the final days of this pregnancy, but I am also officially off of work - for the next 13 months!!! (Gotta love the maternity benefits of the Great White North!) So I thought what better way to spend my last few days in what I am fairly certain will be my last ever pregnancy than shopping!

Truly, I didn't intend to purchase anything today - was headed to the mall with sole purpose of meeting a friend for lunch - however I was understandably side tracked by the "30% OFF all Baby and Maternity Wear" sign, screaming at me from the Old Navy shop window. Let's face it, the only thing I love more than fabulous fashion and thrifty finds, is fabulous fashion and thrifty finds - ON SALE!

I had to at least take a look...

...and ended up leaving with this sweet polka-dot pullover:

I think this deep "V" is a most flattering neckline for girls like me with shorter necks and it brings the attention up to the face and away from the belly. Also, I love that this piece will transition nicely into my postpartum wardrobe.

Now, throughout my pregnancy, I've purchased very little in the way of true "maternity" clothes because:

   1. They are so gosh-darned expensive

B. They are very rarely attractive OR stylish

and

iii. I simply cannot justify the expense for just a few months of wear

Fortunately I was "visibly" pregnant primarily during the summer months and so I was able to get away with stretchy maxi dresses, leggings, long tanks and my GAP 1969 denim vest, all from "non-maternity" collections. My typical weekend wardrobe consisted primarily of the following:

Walmart was my go-to spot for the strappy tanks which made for great layering pieces. And at just $3.50 a pop they are practically disposable! I purchased multiples in the three available colors of white, grey and black. You can purchase them online with free delivery in Canada here.

I did invest in a couple of maternity wear staples including a couple of pairs of maternity leggings (I find that piece of fabric over the tummy oh SO comfortable), 3 pairs of maternity jeans, (2 purchased for 75% off at Thyme Maternity and a faded blue cropped pair from the Gap) and 2 pairs of maternity dress pants for work (also from Thyme, also on sale).

For the most part I found that I could work dresses with stretch fabric under blazers left open for work, such as this Joe Fresh dress and Mendocino Blazer combination:

I did have one wedding this summer and after disappointing finds at the local maternity boutiques I finally sent for this black dress with a scooped back and crystal back chain detail from ASOS:

You can purchase it online here.

There are a lot of creative ways to look cute during pregnancy without breaking the bank. I'd love to hear your ideas for dressing your bump. Feel free to comment below.