Baby Clothing Lineup (0-3 Months) | MOMPOST

Happy Thursday! If you didn't know already, about 11 weeks ago I had a baby boy. He was born on the smaller side, so at 11 weeks he *finally* fits standard newborn clothing. BUT, over the next few months when he begins to fit into his 3 month clothing, we have some very adorable outfits planned! So that is what I am sharing today. 

Side note: I will post links to where you can purchase all of these clothes. Most of them came from Target or Carter's, and not all of them are exact but I will share the closest thing I can find!

This cute set was purchased at TJ Maxx so I cant find it anywhere online, but they do sell a few things from this brand (Chick Pea) at Nordstrom if you like the style! My favorite is the little knot at the top of the hat, it looks so adorable when its on!

// shop this other cute sleeper with a different black and white print //

I cannot get enough of this outfit by Carter's! I am in love with the tiny tee shirts that have quotes on them, and the little clouds on the knees are just too cute. 10/10 would purchase for every size haha. 

// shop "I Woke Up This Cute" //

Asher decided to roll into this shot, and he was just too cute to cut out lol. Another adorable tee with a saying on it! Anything that points out how snuggly my little boy is is alright in my book. 

// shop "The Snuggle is Real"//

 These little coveralls are so cozy, and IMO they look adorable on all babies. I also find that they make things much easier for us, as Asher is a different size on the top and bottom, so this eliminates the need to wait for one or the other to fit. 

// shop the Little Peanut and Little Elephant coveralls //

Yay for penguins! Penguins are a big deal in our house. They're my favorite animal and are slowly becoming Asher's too. He has a Wubbanub with a little penguin on it that he loves to hug while he naps. (Also, look at the little feet! *heart eyes*) 

// shop the penguin set //

Okay, honestly I have no words about this outfit other than that I cannot wait for him to fit into it so I can take pictures! (I haven't yet determined the practicality of these little bandana bibs yet, but I'll keep you posted!)  

// overalls // plaid bodysuit // bib //

I am so excited for this set! Stars and stripes are two of my favorite patterns, even for myself, so this assortment of bodysuits and pants to mix-n-match is perfect. I also love the attention to detail with the stitching on the pants, so cute! Unfortunately they don't carry this exact set on the Target website anymore, but I'll link an equally adorable set that we have as well!

// bodysuits // pants //

This last set is my absolute favorite. Orange is my favorite color on Asher, and the print on the coveralls is adorable. Here is a link to one that is just as cute! (Carter's rolls out new inventory quick, its already gone from the website! Darn!)

// dino sleep and play set //

We definitely need some more outerwear pieces as winter is fast approaching, but we have a good foundation going here. I'm excited to see my little bug in all of these cute clothes!

 (daddy came home for lunch while we were taking pictures :)

Which outfit was your favorite?

LIFE UPDATE | Fresh Start Friday

Hello everyone <3 If I'm being honest, making these "OMG I'm so sorry its been so long but I'm back now" posts are becoming redundant because I've made so many, but this is my last one! *promise*! How is everyone? I have been keeping up with all of you wonderful people, I'm always reading your tweets and new posts and trying to support everyone even when I'm busy. 

BUT, in my defense, I have had some pretty crazy (amazing) things happen so far in 2017! Crazy thing number one: I got married!!! Yes, you read that right. I still can't even believe it myself sometimes, but I am so so very happy. My wonderful husband's name is Chase, I'm sure you'll hear a lot about him in future posts. We were married on January 27th of this year, and he is a soldier in the United States Army. I'm finally at a point now where I am feeling happy and comfortable in my life, and it is quite lovely.

We had a very small courtroom wedding, and I wouldn't change it for the world. 

Chase and I on our wedding day...no he didnt wear a t-shirt he just got too hot in his nice shirt lol.

Crazy amazing 2017 experience number two: I am pregnant! YAY! Chase and I are both very happy about this, both of us have always imagined having a family and didn't want to wait very long to do so. I'll write another post about our baby and how pregnancy has been going. Its all very exciting, but its been a bit of a bumpy road so far. We always appreciate positive vibes, please please send them our way! I am due in September of this year.  Crazy amazing 2017 experience number three: Chase and I moved into a new home together!
We live on the Army base here in North Carolina, and I am loving it. Our house isn't fully furnished yet, but I'll make many posts as we go through all of that. You can be sure it will be filled will lots of twinkly lights and tumblr DIY's, because I am still a blogger after all. ;)

 photo cred: tumblr

Because of these new changes in my life, my blog and social media will be going under a bit of a re-branding! I will always post about beauty and lifestyle, but expect a new slew of posts from me as a wife and mommy as well.  Well, Ill leave it there! Talk to you all later in the week. :)   Weddings, babies, and happiness...

Tartelette 2 In Bloom Clay Palette Review | Beauty

Heyoo!!   How is everyone on this fine Thursday?! I'm swell. I've had a bit of a lazy day today, mostly filling out some paperwork and tossing around some ideas for a photography piece I am working on this week. (I cant wait to show you!)   But, because that wont be finished for another week or so, I thought I'd share something else with you! Something I've been OBSESSING over. Tarte's Tartelette 2 In Bloom Amazonian Clay Palette! This, like basically every other Tarte product I've ever had the pleasure of trying, was amazing!  

  The palette is the second to another 12 shadow matte palette that is wonderful. I personally prefer the Tartelette 2 because of the 3 gorgeous luster shades that accompany the matte ones. The entire palette itself screams elegant, and I have definitely dipped into mine.   When reviewing palettes, I usually focus on 5 things that help me decide whether or not the palette is worth the buy. It seems like a lot of work, but the extra research really ensures you aren't spending your money on a low quality product. In no particular order:   1. Packaging: I cant say enough about how much I love this packaging! It as absolutely adorable! I was a bit surprised with how much I enjoyed the square shape (I usually gravitate toward sleek, rectangular palettes that are easy to travel with, such as the Urban Decay Naked palettes) but it was just as easy to keep in my makeup case as any other. The gold paired with the flower design is really a conversation starter, and as someone who does their makeup over and over again, anywhere and everywhere, I enjoy products with personality! (also the mirror is so huge omg omg)  

    2. Wearability: I may have made this word up, but the importance is all the same. Am I going to wear the shadows often or will they sit in my dresser collecting dust? This was an easy choice for me, because I love anything that sits juuuust in between nudes and vibrancy. This palette has just the right amount of vavoom to wear out, while the lighter shades are perfect for everyday.   3. Quality: Many times I look at the brand itself for this, because it can be difficult to judge how long the shadow will last or how pigmented it is in the store. Because of my experience with Tarte blushes and mascara (and after reading a few reviews of their shadows) I took a leap and the result was just what I had hoped. The shadows last long, don't crease, and blend easily. #impressed   4. The shades themselves...(self explanatory, lol): I have used every single shadow in this palette and they are all so beautiful and fun to mix and match. There are nine mattes and 3 lusters ranging from light pinks and creams to darker gold and mauve, so it is super easy to use them for lid, crease, highlight and liner if you wish.  

courtesy of the tarte website

 

5. Price: At $45, I'd say this is pretty standard for a nice, long lasting 12 shadow palette. It was definitely worth the money!

 

All in all, I'd give it 5 out of 5 stars! *applause*

It seems a bit unrealistic to say that Tarte has achieved perfection, but if this was the last palette on earth, I'm not sure I'd even feel deprived. Buy it here!

 

 

Have you tried this palette? What did you think?

   

The Start of Something New | #HelloJanuary

Heyooo!!
Woah woah woah! How is everyone? I've missed you! As you all know, today is January 1st, 2016! *happy dance* Its #HelloJanuary! So like every other lifestyle-esque blogger, today's post will be about how I am going to go about heading into the new year and what is on my mind as I attempt to form a list of short and long term goals for 2016.

While I am posting this to inform you all of how great I'll be this year, (LOL) it is meant to be an archive post for myself, so I can look back and remind myself of what is important. So, as uninteresting as it is, here are my goals in list form:   
YAY!
1. I'd like to learn to stop apologizing so much for just being who I am! Up until this point, I have approached life in an "oh gosh I'm so awkward, I am so sorry for bothering you with my existence" type of way, which is actually quite ridiculous, but I've been like this for as long as I can remember. So, starting today, I shall walk through life as Blair Waldorf would.

2. I want to document the year as much as possible. You may be thinking, "You are a young adult with every social media platform on the planet, and you run a blog....don't you think you document enough of your pathetic tech filled life?!?!?!" NOPE! I feel really great about this year. I just got a rockin new camera for Christmas so my photos and videos will all be top notch, so why not use it as much as possible?
3. Make. More. Friends. In 2016 I really want to focus on meeting new people and making friends, because as much as I love all 476373973489749 of my internet friends, 2015 held some pretty lonely nights. Here's to a friend filled year! *clinks wine glasses*

4. I want to meet more bloggers! I have a few blog conventions and events marked on my calendar for the year, but I'm really hoping to meet some new people locally who love this platform of expression as much as I do. (Expect some collabs!)
5. I am going to stop caring so much, about everything. I know that sounds ridiculous... But seriously, can the anti-anxiety gods please step in for a little while? I'm going to really try to not overthink all of the small things and just focus on living. 

And of course I would also like to drink more water this year, keep up with my manicures, plan more, and all of those little things, who doesn't? But these are the things I am definitely making sure I carry past the end of this week. What about you? Do you have any goals for the new year? :)
January, donuts, and Blair Waldorf..

What Am I Grateful For? | November 2015

Heyo!  Happy November! I haven't posted much this month, and I'll tell you all why in a few days once I can actually sit down and gather my thoughts, but I felt like I needed to express myself so here I am! It is the day before Thanksgiving, and whether you consider it a holiday, this time of year often creates waves of thankfulness and care that spread throughout the nation, and that is something everyone should believe in! Yay! I've definitely been feeling very grateful for life recently, and I'd like to share with you the things that have been making me smile. :) 

1. My family and friends. I have had a troublesome few weeks and honestly I'm not sure what I would've done without them. I am a natural born worrier, and any feelings of tranquility that I have had within the last month have been because of them. A huge shout out to the universe for giving me such amazing humans to surround myself with..I owe you big time. 2. Feeling okay. This is one that hasn't been applicable until last night, which is exactly why I am putting it on this list. For the first time in a while, last night I came home from work, took of my makeup and had a nice chat with my sister, and felt okay. It was quite lovely. 3. Love. This is one that I haven't even ever experienced until now, and ohmylanta its been wonderful. I used to read books and get all fluttery at the idea of being loved by someone, and although theres no in love-ness happening yet, it feels pretty wicked that it could happen. *crowd awwwwww's*

because im cute af 4. BLOGGING. Where would I be without this random web page of makeup and feelings? Probably nowhere. Thanks blogger! 5. Art. I have been sketching and writing music a lot more lately, and I'm just very happy that I have all of these creative outlets for when times get tough. 6. My jobs! I have 2 jobs, as a guest services representative at a Hilton hotel and a beauty advisor at Ulta, and I'm very lucky for both of them! I absolutely love working in customer service, ensuring people have a good holiday and that they feel their best while doing so is an amazing blessing.
7. I feel safe. I have very bad anxiety, and often times I do not feel safe in unfamiliar surroundings. Since it has snowed pretty heavily in Chicago this past week, I have been confined to my home, my jobs, and a few friends' houses...and although it has been a bit discouraging staying home I have felt very safe, which I think is very important when you are going through something.  and last but most certainly not least....(I think you know where this is going) 8. YOU!  If you are reading this right now, thank you thank you thank you! It is because of you that I have the opportunity to happily live an expressive life. Yay! What are you thankful for?

credit to the artist/tumblr

Being Awkward & MEETING DAN AND PHIL!

Heyooo!!
Back again today, and IM SO EXCITED FOR THIS POST. But before I start, show of hands...who is a fangirl? *raises all limbs* Everyone? Perfect. If you are an average fangirl, or at least have a bit of insight into fangirl culture, then you know what it is like to see or meet your favorite band, musician, actor, or in my case, YouTuber. Its fun! But if you're me.. the experience itself is 25 percent excitement, 10 percent happiness, and 65 percENT COMPLETE AND UTTER HUMILIATION AT HOW RIDICULOUSLY AWKWARD I AM IN EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE. GAH!

So before I get into my adventure to meet Dan and Phil, let me give you a bit of a background on my awkward-ness. I wasn't always an awkward human, there was a time in high school when I could hang out with friends and make jokes and be a normal person. And then...college happened. I started doing things and going out and I realized that the normalcy I thought I had possessed wasn't even a thing and that in the real world I cant even form a sentence without causing the poor person conversing with me to feel uncomfortable. Anybody relate? Yeah. BUT, I have found a solution, and I will share it with you. 
This may come as a shock, but the best way to deal with being awkward is...
to accept it!

Go with the flow, man! Every situation needs at least one awkward kid to knock everyone down a few pegs, or things will get boring! Let being awkward be a part of you, you'll feel much better about it, I can promise that. 
Okay, now that I have given you some life-changing advice, *hair flip* lets get on to Dan and Phil! If you aren't familiar with them, they are hilariously lovely YouTubers from the UK, and they have recently released a book! I've only read a little of it so far, but its fantastic and I am totally going to enjoy finishing my *signed* copy.
(If you're interested in watching the videos of these crazy guys, their individual channels are Danisnotonfire and AmazingPhil, but they also run a joint channel called DanAndPhilGAMES which I highly suggest you check out because it is a beautiful, time wasting abyss that I fall into multiple times a week. Just saying.)  For the interest of a comedic blog post, I will share with you the actual dialogue I shared with Dan and Phil. Please go easy on me, it was my first meeting-my-favorite-YouTubers experience lol.

i think god forgot to give me self awareness

I went to meet them with my friend Abby, (remember her from my post about Internet Friends?) and Phil said her sweater looked warm..it was basically the highlight of both of our lives, lbh.

YAY! So there you have it kids! Whenever you have any chance to meet any of the people you look up to, I highly suggest you go for it even if you're as awkward as me, because it was the most fun I had in a long time. 

Awkward encounters and YouTube celebrities,

Body Positivity || Em's Corner

Hello people of the Internet,
My name is Emily Peters and my dear friend Brooklynn has asked me to do a guest blogpost for this lovely blog and I am super excited to be sharing my thoughts with you all today!

So let's get this party started!

Our topic for today is... Drumroll please... BODY POSITIVITY!
When Brooklyn asked me to share my thoughts on the subject I was so honored. I have struggled a VERY long time trying to accept myself for my body shape and weight. It has taken me just as long to feel even the slightest bit comfortable in my own skin. But now, at 18 years of age, I am happy to say I have finally learned how to accept myself and I think all of you beautiful people need to learn that as well! Because YOU, yes you, ARE BEAUTIFUL.

So, where do I begin? I think the easiest place to start is, well, the beginning. (WARNING TRIGGER TOPICS BELOW)

Since about the age of 10 I have struggled with body dismorphic disorder. (if you don't know what body dismorphia is, it is a disorder where one believes they are much "bigger" than they really are.) I have also struggled with bulimia as well as anorexia and binge eating. I have been swimming competitively for 10+ years now and swimming, as many of you know, is a pretty "revealing" sport. Swimmers are expected to be in tight one pieces day in and day out amongst our peers,  revealing just about everything to the naked eye. In a swim suit, every little flaw is out on display for the world. If you have stretch marks, scars, cellulite, you name it, in a swim suit it's going to be all out on display for the world to see. I felt different than my friends... much larger. I started hating how I looked from a very, very young age. Sometimes, even at the young age of 10, I would spend hours upon hours in front of a mirror staring at every little part of my body. Every surface of reflective material became a judgmental place for me to stare at my body and pick it apart. Sometimes, even walking to a store in the mall, every shop window we would pass would become another place for me to reaffirm my flaws.
So you're probably sitting there thinking, "EMILY, THIS IS SO NEGATIVE THIS IS NOT BODY POSITIVE AT ALL".

Oh contraire, Pierre(s)! My little story will take a turn soon, don't you worry your pretty little minds.

Around the time I turned 14, things got even worse. The idea of impressing boys (*shrieks hysterically*) started coming into play. On top of trying to love myself, I was constantly trying to impress the other gender. Every day I would worry about what boys thought of me. I saw all of my friends getting into relationships, having herds of boys wanting to text them, but here I was single and attempting to mingle and wondering, "Am I not good enough? Not pretty enough? Am I too ugly? Too fat? Is there something about my teeth?" I thought of almost every question in the book, trying to figure this out. I was cutting, spending nights upon nights crying to my mom that I would never get married, that I was too ugly and not good enough. I was feeling hopeless, insecure, not worthy. And all this time I was mysteriously gaining weight little by little for no reason, making matters even worse. (I realize now that it was probably because of all the stress I was putting myself under.)

By the time I turned 16, my family started to notice how all of this was taking a tole on me. My mom took me to a psychiatrist and they diagnosed me with depression and anxiety disorder, as well as bipolar disorder. I was put on medication and slowly things started to turn around.

Throughout that time that I was worrying about what others thought of me and what I thought I looked like, I forgot to love myself.

Learning to love myself has been a very long journey. I have slowly started to really learn exactly how I want to convey myself to my peers.

And what I want to be known as is just plain simple: I want to be known as Emily.

I started doing what I wanted. I would talk freely about my One Direction fan account even through the glares of others because, who cares? I love One Direction and I could care less what any of you think. I will happily belt out the words to Steal My Girl and What Makes You Beautiful any day around anyone.

I also started wearing what I wanted. I wear crop tops and high waisted shorts. I wear leggings, tight jeans or big baggy sweaters, because these clothes make me feel GOOD. Sure some people might say with my muscular body type that these types of clothing would not fit right, but heck, I love my stupid pair of ripped up high waisted shorts and my black crop top. I feel sexy, empowered, and BEAUTIFUL. Who cares what others think of what you want to wear? All that matters is that YOU like what you're wearing and YOU feel confident doing it.

So in summary here are three quick things I want to say to sum up this blog post...

1) Wear what makes YOU feel confident. It doesn't matter what it is. It could be sweatpants, skinny jeans, that old washed away Fall Out Boy tee that you've worn so many times its starting to smell like a permanent sweat stain... (GUILTY AS CHARGED) It shouldn't matter what it is. If you feel confident in it, then wear it. Who cares what others think? You feel good and that's all that matters.

2) Don't let others (specifically boys or girls) be the judge of your self worth. I thought the opinions of the boys around me were the only thing that could validate my beauty. But they weren't. And they shouldn't have been. Every time a boy would say "oh you're cute", yes, it was nice and it made me feel good, but it was temporary happiness. I still thought the same way of myself even with those compliments. So of course, say thank you to whatever compliments may come your way, but also brush off those rude comments. Having a boy/girl or not having a boy/girl does not determine who you are or your self worth. Society has taught us that if you're "single" you're probably ugly and forever alone. Or that if you've had multiple partners you're a "slut". But guess what? Neither of those things are true! Everyone is worthy enough and beautiful! Don't let others' opinions of you determine how you should feel!

And 3) SMILE. I know this is quite simple, and you're probably like "Emily I thought you were going to have another philosophical point!" But really my last point is as simple as one word!! A smile is the most beautiful part of a person. It shows happiness and pure joy! There is nothing more beautiful than a person beaming from ear to ear!! So do what makes you smile! Whether that is dancing like a maniac, blasting the Jonas Brothers as you sing along, painting, sculpting, writing, BLOGGING! Whatever makes you feel happy, DO IT. Because once you start doing happy things, you'll start feeling happy on the inside too.

Thanks for listening to me ramble today! I hope you feel a little more confident after reading this and I hope you are starting to feel BEAUTIFUL.

That's all for now!

Peace, love, and Harry Styles.

Signing off,

Em
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About the Author 

Emily Peters is a freshman at Minnesota State University studying advertising and public relations with a minor in marketing. She currently runs a blog of her own, and can often be found at swim practice or listening to the latest from One Direction, Nick Jonas, Demi Lovato and 5 Seconds of Summer. She prides herself in the amazing friendships she has formed, and her creative writing. You can find her posts here on That Brooklynn Paige on Mondays, or on Twitter and Instagram at @mylifeasem1 -- Isn't she great?! Watch out for her!