Skip to primary navigation
Skip to main content

Motherhood
Lifestyle
Style
Travel
- Packing Guides
- In My Bag
About
Shop

The Lovely Laura Life

It's a lovely life.

Looking for something?

Search

20140123-095121.jpg

January 23, 2014

20140123-095121.jpg

Reader Interactions

Popular Posts

Creating an All Seasons Capsule Wardrobe | The Plan Fair warning: this is a lengthy read. Best accompan...
20 Questions (and Answers) About Personal Style A few months ago I came across a post over o...
DIY Hand Stamped T-Shirts [Tutorial] A month or two ago I decided that I was going to finall...
30 Summer Outfit Ideas So I've been using the Stylebook app for awhile now, bu...

Instagram

A WHOLE ‘lotta fun this weekend means a WHOLE ‘lotta catch-up this week. Bring on the caffeine.😴☕️

A summer’s end Caesar Creek trip! ☀️(Swipe t

A summer’s end Caesar Creek trip! ☀️(Swipe to see why we should have brought swim suits.😆)

From when he turned 1 month!✨ A week ago... *sha

From when he turned 1 month!✨ A week ago... *shakes head* I mean, 8 days ago... *nods head in approval* So really he’s 5 weeks now... *eyes pop up and to the left as they count on an imaginary calendar* Well, 5 weeks and 4 days to be exact... *face floods with disbelief* Wait so he’s almost 6 weeks now...?! #thisismylifenow

T W O Y E A R S O L D ✨ To see this girl as a

T W O Y E A R S O L D ✨

To see this girl as an active, happy and sassy two year who is essentially thriving is something I wasn’t sure, at multiple points in time, I’d ever thought we’d see. But here she is! A walking, talking, bow rebelling, way too smart for her own good, big sister Donna Jean still shining that light and pinching her brothers on into her second year!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DONNA JEAN! 🎉🎈

3 weeks old today.✨

3 weeks old today.✨

Daddy’s back at the office (although admittedly

Daddy’s back at the office (although admittedly his office is still currently our enclosed front porch...) and Mommy’s back to making breakfast (although admittedly it’s hard to call a Costco muffin on a plate a “breakfast”...) // P.S. Swipe to see if you can spot his baby Zoolander face.😆

Survived our first night of two-year-old molars pl

Survived our first night of two-year-old molars plus newborn feeding schedule. 😬😴⠀
⠀
Sidenote: run-of-the-mill teething symptoms are flat out scary during a pandemic... Probably going to have that second cup coffee this morning. ☕️☕️

Two weeks old today and already headed into a week

Two weeks old today and already headed into a weekend like... 😴😴

I don’t always post half naked pictures of mysel

I don’t always post half naked pictures of myself on Instagram, but when I do it’s to bear witness to an honest postpartum experience and also to honor a body that I’m often quick to shame.⠀
⠀
I took this photo 10 days after Ira was born, in utter awe of all that my body has done for our family. In awe of all that I have asked of it over the years and of all the times it has simply rose to the occasion. I mean holy crap, 10 days previous to this photo this body held within it a 9lb 11oz baby boy. ⠀
⠀
My body still has much healing to do — growing and birthing four children into this world has been no small thing — but dang-it if it hasn’t been just as magical every. single. time.

On track to be giving sink baths for the rest of m

On track to be giving sink baths for the rest of my life.✨

We hit the one week mark Friday.✨ So far four ki

We hit the one week mark Friday.✨ So far four kids is every bit as chaotic but also way more fun than it sounds. Have a I mentioned how much love there is in this house?😉 Also I should probably start drinking more coffee... 🤔

Blantons in the wild. 👀 Another day of deliciou

Blantons in the wild. 👀 Another day of delicious food, loads of dishes, piles of laundry, soft snuggles, plenty of poopy diapers, and overall adjusting to a family of six.❤️

It will never cease to amaze me how the love grows

It will never cease to amaze me how the love grows seemingly out of nowhere. There has never been less love to go around. Only more, so much more. #myblantonbunch

It’s been a wild ride you guys, but little man c

It’s been a wild ride you guys, but little man chose today to be his birthday!

Meet Ira Lee Blanton. Born 7/10/2020 at 2:24 pm. 9lbs 11oz and 23 inches. ❤️

P.S. We have another redhead on our hands! 💥

On Tuesday I hit 40 weeks. Yet *another* due date

On Tuesday I hit 40 weeks. Yet *another* due date come and gone... I guess on one hand I wasn’t surprised: four babies, four due dates, Four due dates come and passed. All now “late”. I mean, I’m nothing if not consistent.

On the other hand, I think I was hopeful that I wouldn’t have to wait this time. I feel like God asks me to wait a lot. I’m not so good at the waiting.

Mentally, reaching a due date feels a little like what I imagine it would feel like if you were running a marathon, reached the finish line and then someone told you had to go run the last mile again... I mean what was the point of the finish line then?! Right?! On Tuesday I felt sad, a little defeated and even angry at times. I did a lot of praying, meditating and noting of thoughts and feelings, a decent amount nesting and inviting of distractions and a little letting go.

Yesterday when I woke up I realized that I didn’t feel so much, “I reached another due date… “ 🙄 but more so, “I reached another due date!”☺️. I’ve been able to carry this baby full-term and without complication. That felt like more than enough to be grateful for and to even celebrate, so yesterday evening Nick and I stole way for a mini-hike and grabbed Chipotle takeout for dinner. What will probably be our last date, for a little while anyway.

I find myself still tempted to believe that there are these moments of “arrival” throughout our life. You know, the times that we come to these great realizations and assume that they will permeate and stick around for good... Certainly not have to be revisited again, again and again. But I’ve been here before. I’ve done this before. And I’m finding myself having the same kinds of revelations that I’ve already had. Some days I’m frustrated by that fact. But today I feel less frustrated and more grateful that our thoughts, feelings and revelations aren’t subject to one moment in time in our past, despite how ever grand. I feel grateful and inspired that we are instead subject to the graces of a new day, whether that day be filled with new choices or intentionally repeated ones. New lessons or lessons that feel frustratingly familiar. #40weeks2days

Baked all the baked goods today. 👉🏻Swipe at

Baked all the baked goods today. 👉🏻Swipe at your own risk. 🤤 Also, how much more do you think baby will weigh if he comes much later than say, tomorrow? 🍪🙃 #39weeks #and6days #nesting #baking #butnocandlestickmaking

Red, white and bump baby. 🇺🇸💥 // P.S. Che

Red, white and bump baby. 🇺🇸💥 // P.S. Check out my stories to see how much Donna has grown into (and out of) this dress since last year.😭❤️ #39weeks #and4days

Decided I’m giving her sink baths until she lite

Decided I’m giving her sink baths until she literally won’t let me anymore. ✨

Today’s nap scene. 😴 Swipe to see her perilou

Today’s nap scene. 😴 Swipe to see her perilous perch atop my belly. 👉🏻 #39weeks

Follow on Instagram

Join the Email List

First Name Last Name EMail Address

Follow on Instagram
Follow on Pinterest
Follow on Facebook

Copyright © 2020 The Lovely Laura Life, Made by Underline DesignsBack to Top