Nursery inspiration photos

These days, nurseries are looking so amazing! I've been flagging inspirational images, such as the nursery of J.Crew creative director Jenna Lyon's son, above. Aren't the yellow stripes amazing, and who would think to paint a nursery wall black?

A polaroid heart from a grown-up bedroom in Paris...

And sweet details, like the knit blocks in the fireplace, love pillow and teeny yellow boots!

The giant giraffe is amazing, but my eye was immediately drawn to those red frames. What a great way to showcase artwork.

Decorating with maps = inexpensive and inspiring.

This photo is from Moomah's playspace. The white frames mimic a gallery wall, and that friendly bear print is totally amazing. (Does anyone know where to find it? Update: The Moomah bear print is by Jacqueline Schmidt of Screech Owl Design. Thank you, Sarah!)

The shades of blue in this room are lovely and calming, and the Tord Boontje hanging lamp looks magical. What nursery colors or special touches do you like? I'd love to hear... xoxo

(Photos from Domino Magazine, Cookie Magazine, Living Etc., Moomah, and others)

Guest Post: Mini things for mini people...

...that i'd totally wear in grown-up sizes...

{left to right, top to bottom: roxy little girls romper, smallable striped tee, j.crew girls dress, giga & zaza shoes, j.crew boy's tie, and trumpette metallic mocs}

-- By Joy from Oh Joy and Oh Joy Eats

Napping adventures

As her maternity-leave hobby, new mom Adele photographs her baby daughter Mila napping. Oh, the adventures she has!

(Thanks, Liz)

Toby's new trick

Toby asked me to show you guys his new trick. It's called the Magnificent Head Raise. He has been working hard on it every day.

How to massage a baby

At three and a half months old, Toby is already a little bon vivant and loves full-body massages. Here's how we do it...

Depending on how luxurious we're feeling, we use pure vegetable oil (which our doctor suggested, funnily enough) or nothing at all. I start by softly rubbing his forehead in circles and tracing his eyebrows...

Then I rub his chubby belly and down his arms...

Next I give him a double foot massage (his fave!)...

And pull up his legs for a satisfying stretch.

Next I flip him around onto his belly and rub his back...

And finish with some light karate chops! It's become a sweet bedtime tradition, even though he is the wriggliest massaged person I've ever met. Do you guys have any other moves you'd recommend? xoxo

P.S. In other baby news: I'll be posting our birth story this coming Monday, September 20th. Thanks for all your sweet notes about it; I'm excited to (finally) share.

(Photos by Brookelyn Photography. Thank you so much, Brooke!)

Motherhood Mondays: Ten tips for traveling with a baby

For today's Motherhood Monday post, I'd love to talk about traveling with a baby (and hear your tips). We just got back from a week in San Francisco, and we also took Toby to California last Christmas. During those long trips, we learned a few things (on the fly!) that helped us travel more smoothly and with fewer freak-outs. :) Here are 10 things that we discovered make traveling with a baby much easier...
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Motherhood Mondays: Has your style changed since having a baby?

For today's Motherhood Monday post, let's talk about style. I've always had a pretty low-key look (cardigans, flats), but after Toby arrived, my style became even more relaxed (read: worse!). I didn't have time to do much for my own look, and I sort of forgot about myself in that way. My focus was so much on sweet Toby. But now that Toby's a year old--and we feel much more comfortable and confident as parents--I'm excited to take some time for myself and reestablish my style. Here are the pieces that are getting me started:

* Red lipstick. Red lips make you feel glamorous and feminine, even when you're driving trucks in the sandbox or changing a diaper.

* Striped shirts. Along with everyone else in the (blog) world, I adore French-style striped shirts, which make you feel like a modern-day Jean Seberg.

* Dark jeans. Around a baby, you run a 100% risk of getting covered in banana, yogurt, sand, spit-up, snot, pee, or something strange-smelling and unidentifiable. Dark denim is the way to go! Spills just magically absorb until you have time to do laundry. :)

* Big bags. Instead of an actual diaper bag, I like carrying big regular bags and throwing everything in. I love this leather bag from Banana Republic. Bonus: It has a magnetic clasp, so it's easy to open and close while juggling a baby.

* Ring slings. I tried a Sakura Bloom ring sling for the first time recently and fell in love. Not only are they super cozy (Toby sleeps so well in it!) and surprisingly easy to put on, but they look beautiful. Instead of wearing a strappy carrier or pushing around a stroller, you wrap yourself and your baby in silk. It's a fashion statement as much as a baby carrier. Also, don't you love how you can see the shape of their big diaper butts? Heartbreakingly sweet. :)

So, I'd love to ask: What are your go-to pieces? How would you describe your style? If you're a mother, how has your style changed since having a baby? Do you ever wear your baby in a sling or carrier? xoxo

P.S. This post is part of the Sakura Bloom Styleathon, hosted by my friend Leigh. Read more here, if you'd like. I'm honored to be a part of it!

(Striped shirt from Chance; layering tank c/o Lilla P; jeans from Emersonmade; sling c/o Sakura Bloom; sunglasses c/o Selima Optique; heels from Michael Kors; bag from Banana Republic)

Motherhood Mondays: 10 favorite bedtime stories

Let's talk about books! This past year, Toby and I read tons of bedtime stories, and he gravitated toward a handful of special favorites. (He's very opinionated!) Here are ten books we've love reading most...
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Modern fairytale posters

How rad are these minimalist posters of classic children's stories? The Princess and the Pea is my favorite. And did you spot the wolf's paw in Red Riding Hood? Eeks!

(By Christian Jackson. Buy them here. Thanks, Susan)

Motherhood Mondays: Summer kids clothes

Crewcuts summer clothes are totally adorable. These little prints are giving me baby fever. Take a look at the full collection here, if you'd like.

P.S. Don't you wish the clothes came in grown-up sizes? Especially that colorblock dress:)

(Graphic design by Rachel for Cup of Jo; thanks to Crewcuts for being one of my April sponsors)

My mom's tomboy style

My mom recently sent me some old family photos of our cousins, summer vacations, all sorts of things-but what stood out most was my mom's incredible style. She wore Wellington boots, flannel shirts and my dad's sweaters, and her pieces were loose and relaxed. Yet through her tomboyish style, she still exuded grace and femininity. I'm so inspired by these beautiful photos and am going to try to shop my closet to see if I can create some similar outfits. What was your mom's style like?

P.S. Having babies in Paris, and my mom on her wedding day.

Motherhood Mondays: Cutest bunny

Sir Hopsalot is too flipping adorable.

(Via EastSideBride)