The Liz List - July 26, 2019
Lake Austin. Image via AustinTexas.org.
It’s been a month since I’ve last published a Liz List! Yikes! What can I say… I’ve been a mixture of out of town and busy combined with just wanting to take it easy and enjoy my time with Kate whenever I DO get some downtime. Plus David’s got a more relaxed summer schedule this year since he’s coming off of busy season, and it’s been nice having him around. And… just to keep things honest… I started watching Vanderpump Rules from Season 1 (I had only seen the most recent season), so that’s taken up a chunk of my time. 😂#priorities
Last night my aunt and uncle arrived at our home, and my cousins are coming in today. They’re hauling up their boat from Houston and staying with us for the weekend for some lake time. It will be the first time my uncle and my cousin’s husband (Billy) will be meeting Kate, so that will be fun! We’re obviously not going to take Kate out on the boat as she’s way too little, so she’ll be home with grandma(s).
Our home is perfectly situated halfway between Lake Austin and Lake Travis, so we’ve got super easy access to both lakes. Our subdivision actually has a dock on Lake Austin where the guys can swing by and pick us up which will be nice so we don’t all have the caravan to the public boat ramp. Another fun fact… the homes across the street from ours have amazing views of Lake Austin. They’re actually so great that if the right home came on the market, I could totally see us moving across the street one day. The houses on that side of the street don’t come on the market often though (mostly BECAUSE of those amazing views), but you never know!
With family in town, I’ve spent the week getting work finished so I can enjoy my weekend plus doing various chores to get the house all prepped for my family’s arrival. I’ve got a stocked fridge (and bar 😜), pre-made a couple breakfast casseroles, and our guest bedrooms are all ready for company!
Without further ado, here’s what I’ve been into the past few weeks:
MOTHERHOOD: Before I had Kate, I made the CHOICE to exclusively formula feed her. I don’t formula feed because I have some sort of problem or struggle with breastfeeding. I didn’t even try. I just knew it wasn’t for me. I know a lot of women have VERY strong opinions on this topic, but I feel beyond comfortable with my decision. Beyond. But even so, I do find myself getting frustrated about this particular topic. I won’t get into all the details as to why right now b/c it would take too much text for just a “Liz List”, but bottom line is I often feel a little alone regarding my decision. I’m actually the only person I know who didn’t even try. These days - at least in my peer group - it’s basically assumed that you’re going to at least try. So, when someone strikes up a conversation with an innocent (but assumptive) question like “which pump did you register for?” or “how’s breastfeeding going?”, it can feel a little isolating when my response isn’t what they expect. That’s why it was nice to see this story on The Bump full of quotes from formula moms. Trust me…. these articles are RARE on baby/motherhood sites! Last point I’ll make here: I actually feel like the pendulum has swung re: breastfeeding. It used to be that women were expected to cover up in public and keep breastfeeding private (ridiculous), but now it’s very much celebrated and encouraged (which is amazing). I absolutely think this is a positive thing. All for it. HOWEVER. It’s been my experience that moms who choose to formula feed face the judgement and weird looks now. Like what was for a time the norm (i.e. the 80’s through the aughts) is now something some moms are afraid to admit to for fear of being judged. Honestly I could write a whole blog post on this topic and maybe I will. LOL if you’re reading this and would be interested to read a longer post on this topic, let me know in the comments or DM me on Instagram! My main point here is that in reading these quotes from other moms, it was nice to confirm I’m not alone!
HOME DECOR: Onto lighter topics (😅)… loved this home tour. It’s California cool style meets classic Spanish design. I ESPECIALLY love the Butler’s Pantry. So refreshing to see a room with something other than white cabinets! Not hating on white, in fact that’s what I did in our kitchen. Just saying it was nice to see something different! This home’s kitchen does have white cabinets though for all you white lovers out there.
FASHION: I’ve slowly started shopping for items I know will fit me now (even if a little snug) plus will STILL fit once I lose the baby weight. Here’s a few things I’ve purchased in the last month or so that I love:
This cropped t-shirt. I know it’s a little pricey ($68) for a simple tee, but I promise the fabric is thick and it’s well-made + the fit is 💯. I love a cropped tee with high-waisted jeans.
These Carrie Forbes raffia slides. I’ve been eyeing these for about 2 years now but they’ve been sold out in my size. Once I saw they were in stock, I scooped them up. They’re SO comfortable and handmade (hence the price tag) and totally my vibe.
The Nordstrom Sale. I said I wasn’t going to do it this year, but of course I did. Here are my favorite purchases from this year’s sale:
This sleeper t-shirt dress. I bought it in blue and black. SO soft.
These Barefoot Dreams socks which I already own and love, so I stocked up on more colors while they were on sale.
This Free People tunic sweater in red.
On the athletic-wear front, I got these Nike tights, this sports bra, and this fleece vest (in forest green).
This cashmere Vince sweater in “Spice”, which is perfect for Longhorn football season.
Finally, I snagged these black, button-fly MOTHER jeans. They don’t quite fit yet, but they will by fall/winter.
BABY: I also bought Kate a few things over the last month. She’s officially in 3-6 month size clothing, so I went HAM at Baby Gap and bought her all sorts of things including…. this eyelet "skirt” onesie, this romper set, this elevated basic onesie in like 5 colors, plus a bunch of various shorts. I also bought her some new toys now that she’s playing more including… this exercaucer, this Eiffel Tower Rattle, and these black and white animal flash cards.
That was a LOT for one week! Sorry so long, but hope you enjoyed it! Until next week… 😘