After dusting off my camera to snap some shots of the family last Saturday, I realized I hadn't really used a new lens I purchased for myself late last year as much as I thought I would after having a baby. The iphone is just so much more convenient for photos on the fly. I decided to really just play with the manual settings until I got more comfortable with it and my little I made a great model for the occasion since we were just playing on a blanket on the living room floor in her jammies. I spent thirty minutes or so just snapping photos adjusting as I went, but I love how a few of these portraits came out of her just being her, eating her rattle and snuggling with her pink blankie (her security blanket). I have tons more to learn but feel excited about getting better at it and being able to capture her for years to come. Her eyes are so beautiful at this age, I hope they stay!

Hello and welcome to the new face of Currently Coveting. I know I have taken a lot of time off from blogging in the last few months and I would love to just blame it on the tiny human that is currently taking command of most of my waking hours but it's been more than that. My heart has weighed heavily for months thinking to myself over and over again.."what to do about the blog?"

My first thought was to just shut it down completely. I was very seriously thinking about throwing in the towel and calling it a good run, because it was. I love this blog and have poured countless hours of work and love into it over the years, but frankly, laying in my pajamas and snuggling with my child, attempting a new recipe from my Cravings cookbook, catching up with girlfriends, or even organizing my fridge are all things I would rather be spending my time doing over stressing about posting my next #ootd.

The time and energy it takes to first capture whatever I am wearing to an event or holiday, finding links to those things I am wearing, loading and editing the photos, getting the outfit post up in enough time for the links to still be current, then promoting the new post on Instagram & Facebook while attempting to keep up with hashtags only to have the whole process start again literally the day after you get something up is just not something I have the drive for anymore and I have come to really be at peace with that fact.

The stress about how much time had passed since the last post was just too much to bear and for what? It wasn't fun to be worried about it and also so unnecessary. I am not a full time blogger but felt this need to be doing the same things that women who do this as a full time job were doing, which is crazy. I would be overcome with a tinge of guilt each moment that slipped through my fingers that was "instagrammable" that I didn't capitalize on and I am done with that. I have no extra sliver of life left to waste with that emotion, especially since going back to work full time. Every moment outside of work is precious.

Then I thought about re-branding. For a long time I have felt this secret wave of ickyness when someone would refer to me as a "fashion blogger" because I truly didn't mean for it to turn into a fashion blog. I don't know what I am doing more than half the time, I know people in my immediate circle that are MUCH better at it (and don't blog about it) and I really have zero business telling anyone how to dress. I did try to simply showcase the things I happened to wear without coming off like I was some kind of fashion expert but the weird feeling was still there. I realized I didn't want to re-brand what was, I wanted to fully start over.

I needed to figure out a way to archive the old "Currently Coveting" (I couldn't full on murder her) while also creating a new space to begin anew. When I stripped away all the things that were making "blogging" unenjoyable for me I realized I was left with a love of capturing moments with my camera, editing those photos, and writing a bit about where/when I was in those moments. I don't know why it's taken me this long to figure it out but I clearly wanted to transition to more of a "journal/diary" space  long ago where I could focus on my actual life, my family, my friends, my trips, our holidays, etc. So that is where we are now. I am so very happy you are here and would love for you to stick around. Please visit my FAQ page to get more insight on the transition and what changes you can expect.

Now about these photos...our little tribe of three was all set and ready to take little miss Isla to her second 1st birthday party of the month when we got a flat tire on the way. We made a valiant attempt to fix the issue by stopping at two separate gas stations for air but alas, the tire would not cooperate. Luckily, we were only a mile or so from our home so we turned around, settled back in on the rainy afternoon, and were left all dressed with no where to be. Mike decided to get back into his comfy clothes but since Isla was looking cute as a button in her little floral blouse I decided to dust of the old DSLR and snap some pics of her. She just turned 6 months old and is starting to hold her own weight very well. She can stand assisted and sit up on her own. I love this age and how cuddly she is. I could kiss that peach fuzzy head all day.

The deets: All of our jams are from Hanna Andersson.

Hello. I know it's the last week of January but here are some photos of the family from Christmas. We spent a few days before in NJ with my family and stayed at the same hotel we stayed at when we got married. We then came home to have Christmas Eve just by ourselves and our little family of three and spent Christmas Day with the Soybel side. We got Isla some soft books and some little teether toys but that's really it since she wont remember any of this. It was the perfect way to end my maternity leave. Having all the magic of the holiday and being home with my sweet baby girl made the month of December pure joy. Also shout out to Hallmark Channel for being my therapy as I dealt with the idea of popping my bubble and coming back to work.

Life is going by so fast these days and honestly, getting out the door now that I am back at work full time feels like a medal worthy event. Child clean, changed, fed, and ready? Check. Makeup, hair, work outfit ready? Check. Do I have her bottles packed and labeled? Check. Do I have all the parts needed to pump at work today? Check. Out we go! Make it to the bus on time only to realize after daycare drop-off on the second form of public transit that I forgot my own lunch and the ice pack that fits in my breast milk cooler (palm to face emoji). After all of that I still need to have enough brain power to work a full day, make it back home with juuuuuust enough time to feed/bathe/put baby to sleep and whip up some sort of dinner before it's time to go to bed and wake up to the whole event ALL OVER AGAIN. Don't even get me started on the amount of bottles I wash thrown in there as well. It's a HUSTLE, folks. A hustle. I have so, SO much respect for working mothers now. Not that I didn't before, and I hear it gets easier, but right now in this infant phase it's just an iron man every day. If I could sign up for an IV drip of coffee I would. It also just makes focusing on anything else feel hard. Bless my friends for sticking with me through this season. I still love you I am just currently busy keeping 874356 balls in the air.

Blogging is time consuming. I just don't have the luxury of handing out as big a slice of my down time to it as it requires to be good or consistent so I am in the process of working through a major change here. I am not sure what is going to shake out but after years of doing the should I or shouldn't I dance, a decision must be made. Are occasional blogs a thing? Like an "occasional chair" in your home. You like that it's there but don't actually use it very often.

The deets: Pashmina Collection set; Sam Edelman booties (similar, similar under $100); Something Navy headband; ASOS teddy coat (low stock, similar here); MAC cherry lip pencil; Rebecca Minkoff crossbody (similar under $25).

Let me start by saying I have owned this set for less than a month see all the pieces in the most recent collection here) and I have already worn it on three separate occasions. It's just the perfect comfortable and chic little black set that can be dressed up or down! Pair it with a wide brim hat for a more casual look, I have it paired here with some fun booties and a red lip & fancy headband for a holiday look (I wore this and took these photos right before our family Hanukkah dinner with my in-laws), and I totally plan on throwing on some black pumps with it for work. It does everything.

A couple reasons I love and support Pashmina Collection are because the pieces are locally sourced and produced right in the garment district of NYC (yay for small business), and Connie the owner and designer is a mom herself and all the pieces in the collection are specifically designed to be comfortable AND chic. Parent or not we all know how difficult it can sometimes be to be both of those things at once. 

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The deets: Topshop sweater dress; Fernweh Boheme hat (sold out, similar, similar under $40); Aerosoles boots (similar under $85); J.Crew earrings. On Isla: Gap undershirt & sweater (similar); Baby bling bow; Freshly Picked shoes; Mini Boden pants.

Hello. These photos are from Thanksgiving. Yes, it has taken me until the week before Christmas to post them but here they are. I always say I use this blog to document my life so I can look back one day sort of like an online memory book so I figured throwing these up here a little late won't make any difference in a few years. It was our first one as a family of three, spent at my in-laws house. I made my favorite butternut squash bake recipe and a homemade apple pie WITH a homemade crust which I haven't done before. It was delicious. Being on maternity leave over the holiday season has been exquisite. I get to put on Christmas music, light a fresh balsam candle, and wrap presents with Isla on the floor next to me cooing. It's the best. It's all the feel goods. It's basically holiday crack. She loves the lights on the tree and I just want to cuddle her all damn day!

Also this dress is an actual potato sack and I LOVE it. Was the best choice for a thanksgiving day feast post baby. Also cozy and under $100! Usually I have issues with sweater dresses and how they fit which has made me shy away from them in years past but this one is just the right shape and fit. One of my besties also purchased it and loves it too! Such an easy holiday lewk.

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