Life Lately: September

Happy Friday, friends! I haven’t done a “Life Lately” post in a while so I thought it was high time to get that back on track after the summer. Weekly felt like too often so I’m moving this to a monthly series for now and adding a fun little Q&A component down at the bottom. I had people ask questions on Instagram stories yesterday and I answered five of them below.

As always, I have some great reads and finds from around the web and a recap of what was on Lemon Stripes.

This week was nutty but in the best way possible. Anel is opening his new fitness studio (for one-on-one personal training) next Monday so we spent the better part of our week dealing with final design details and more logistics than I ever thought possible. Although he’ll start seeing clients there next week, the space won’t be completely furnished for another month because of some delays out of our control which has been really frustrating. As soon as it’s finished, I’ll share photos and a big update here because it’s been a huge part of our lives, but I realized I haven’t talked about it that much!

The other big news this week was the we dropped Amalia’s night bottle and moved her to a sippy cup which means that we’re officially done with bottles. It feels exciting and liberating (no more washing bottles OMG!!!) but also like the end of an era. She’s growing up so quickly, it’s freaking me out! I updated this post to tell you how we did it. Slash how Anel did it while I was out of town lsat weekend… Which was a huge blessing because I didn’t even have time to stress over the transition.

Lastly I want to say a big thank you to everyone who sent messages, emails, and comments on my PPD post the other day. Anel and I went back and forth for weeks on whether I should write about it or not because it was so personal and emotional. But in the end I had multiple new moms tell me that they were feeling the same way I did and ended up telling their doctor or therapist to get help which made me so happy, I can’t even put it into words! This community never ceases to amaze me and I’m so grateful for you all.

Have a great weekend!

Topshop Plaid / J.Crew Jeans / J.Crew Factory Flats

Around the Web

Topshop Plaid. sdf If you’re looking for something more affordable, this J.Crew Factory plaid is a very similar pattern and only $29!

Ice rollers are the new jade rollers. I’ve been saying this for months and now Chalkboard Mag agrees. The best purchase I’ve made this year was my ice roller and it was only $12! After reading that article, now I think I need eye globes too. Has anyone tried them?

Pregnant in Dior. I took three days off of Instagram two weekends ago and when I came back, so much had happened… Including one of my favorite bloggers announcing her pregnancy. She wrote a post this week about why she hid it on social media for five months that I really loved.

29 Rooms. Tonight I’m heading into the city to check out Refinery 29’s 29 Rooms exhibit. It looks so cool, and I’m excited to do something a little different with my Friday night.

J.Crew Jeans. I’m doing a whole outfit post about these high-waisted jeans on Monday because they’re so flattering and amazing and every woman should have them in her closet.

September Reading List. I don’t think I’ve ever done a Life Lately post without one of Grace’s reading lists. Her September one looks good and I just bought two of the books on it.

Currently Reading. Speaking of books, I’m currently reading Lilac Girls thanks to many of your recommendations. It’s the 4th book I’ve read in the last few months set during WWII so I think I’m going to do a whole blog post on WWII novels

Drop Waist Shirt Dress. I wore this same drop waist dress in light blue over the summer (seen here) but it sold out really quickly and everyone was so bummed about it! Luckily it’s back in red and white stripes for a great fall staple that you can wear on the weekend with boots or to work with a cute pair of pumps.

Simplified Planner. I realize that buying a 2019 planner in September might seem insane but Emily Ley always sells out and I live and die by her Simplified Planner. I got mine (which is now sold out) but there are still a few great patterns left! I use the daily one to organize my days. It has a section for your calendar with times and a section for your to do list so it’s all in one place. Also, as a leftie, I appreciate the rings so that I can fold pages back and write on it comfortably… Non lefties will never understand how real our struggle is 🙂

Oversized Flower Earrings. If all goes to plan, I am going to a meet and greet with one of my all-time favorite actresses on Monday night in the city. The dress I’m wearing is navy so I got these pretty pink oversized flower earrings to go with it. Any guesses on who the actress is?

September Q&A

1. Do you want another baby and if so, what would the ideal timeframe be? Yes we do but we’re not ready yet. I’m in a stage right now where I’m just enjoying Amalia so much and I feel complete and content with that. We’re going to talk about it in 2019 but we don’t have a solid plan as of now. I always thought I wanted kids really close together but in reality Anel and I agreed that getting pregnant again ASAP wasn’t what we wanted.

2. What time do you start your day and what does your daily schedule look like? I assume you mean my work day, and that starts at 9:30 every day. I wake up at 6 or 6:30 and get dressed and have tea before Amalia wakes up at 7am. Then I feed her, hang out with her, get her dressed and take her to day care. After that I take Boots for a hike and then get home, quickly shower and get to work. Your question inspired me to write a full day in the life post so stay tuned for how the rest of my day looks in the next two weeks.

3. What is the best thing about being your own boss? How do you stay on top of yourself? I love being my own boss but it is definitely hard to motivate myself which is why I have to put systems in place to make sure I get everything done. I’ve been time blocking for a few months and so far, that’s been the most helpful thing I’ve ever done in terms of productivity. The best thing about being my own boss is that if my baby is sick or needs me for any reason, I can be with her and get my work done after she’s asleep for the night. Having flexible hours is awesome.

4. Any advice for leaving your baby for an overnight stay with grandparents? We just did it for the first time and it was hard. Set yourself up for success by giving them as much information as you possibly can so that they’re prepared for any situation. Then leave and try to let go if you can. Check in a few times a day and encourage them to call you if they have any questions.

5. Where is your next big vacation? Anel and I haven’t done any big vacations outside of New England in a while, but we’re due for a trip to Bosnia to visit his family hopefully next spring if all is going well with his business. We’re hoping to tack on a few days in Croatia or Italy while we’re already in the area.