lochlan's newborn photos

Hello abode lovers! Today I am sharing Lochlan Patterson's newborn photo session with Holland Williams. She's the bomb, she's a super sweet friend that took a TON of photos for us (and spent a TON of time at the abode doing it!) When sweet Holland came over I was in tears over who knows what... hormones, I swear. Anyway, she completely calmed me... she's precious and I'm lucky to call her a friend! Thank you so much Holland for these beautiful photos! (And for dealing with the most crazy, hormonal version of myself I have ever known.... I mean, it made the 7th grade version of  myself seem sane... it was that bad.) 

Here are a few (okay, a lot) of my favorite shots from that day... enjoy drooling over my perfect little lad.

Now... this is SUPER special. General Dad MADE this cradle. Yes, that's right. Shed a tear, I know you want to! My amazing SuperMom made the bedding... that's right, she dyed the linen herself and stitched that beautiful bedding by hand. We were inspired by the boucle cloud bedding from Restoration Hardware Baby & Child, I think my mom's version is even better! My parents are pretty much the most talented duo ever- I am so lucky to have them! (and so is Lochlan obviously!) Lochlan has been sleeping in this cradle in our bedroom... he'll move into his crib when he gets a bit older. 

General Dad made a cradle for my mom's first baby and all 5 of us kids slept in it when we were babies. They stored the cradle in my room growing up and I kept all of my baby dolls inside. There's nothing more special than this cradle-- it takes me back to playing "mommy" all those years ago. 

This blanket was lovingly stitched by Lochlan's great aunt... I LOVE it. 

         

For some of my avid abode lovers, yes, that is new bedding and no, I have not blogged about it yet but will soon! 

I thought Mister Husband was pretty off the charts good looking until I saw him holding our son... talk about a whole new kind of handsome, wowza. I sure do love these two guys!

This photo is one of my favorites, I love that my little lad's eyes are open and that he's got my hair wrapped around his fingers... precious. 

This was certainly the shot of the day- Holland, you rock. I tell you what, we were hovering over these dogs like you wouldn't believe to get this photo. SuperMom, Mister Husand and myself were all inches away just in case the dogs got weird-- but all was good and I'm pretty much in love with this photo!

I hope all of you abode lovers out there have an amazing college football/Labor Day weekend! Mister Husband and I will be introducing Lochlan to the amazingness that is Auburn Football... we just know that he's going to love it. War Eagle Y'all! 

my little lad's source list

Hello abode lovers! My little lad is doing so great, aside from a few sleepless nights, and he's totes loving his nursery. Here's where you can get all of this amazing stuff! Also, some of you asked about a changing table... I am not including a changing table, I have never changed a baby's diaper on one neither has my SuperMom who has 5 kids. Instead, we have little baskets all over the abode with changing supplies. Also, I had many people question my placement of the crib as well as the fact that I have bumper pads. Chill out y'all, the double paned windows do not allow a draft in the room and the shade over the window has black out material behind it so that sunshine will not overheat my baby. As for the bumper pads, I understand that many of you are worried for Lochlan's safety, but it will be okay. As soon as he starts moving and scooting, I will consider taking them out... All baby stores sell bumper pads, and there are GOBS of people out there who use bumpers... I'm one of them. There WILL be changes to the nursery as Lochlan begins to grow and change. Also, as a side note, he's not even sleeping in his nursery yet, instead, he sleeps in a cradle in the master bedroom. I very much appreciate all of the kind comments about this nursery that I put tons of love and thought into! For all of my very concerned readers, please know that I do have my baby's safety in mind-- thank you for the concern.

Restoration Hardware Baby & Child augusta iron canopy crib that's now on FINAL SALE! Bedding via Serina & Lily and no longer available. Lantern via Overstock.com. Dupioni Silk Drapes in Platinum Gray via Pottery Barn.

Sheep Creek Needlecraft custom mobile made to look just like our pups, King and Lady! I ADORE this mobile and will cherish this gorgeous piece of art for the rest of time!

Custom wallpaper that can be purchased in fabric or wallpaper via Spoonflower. (More on this process later!) Frames via West Elm. Hanging Porthole Mirror via Wisteria. Go Get 'Em Tiger Card and Animal Alphabet Chart via Rifle Paper. Pug Eduardo Print via Holli. Where the Wild Things Are embroidery hoops via Makingjiggy. Zinc Prize Ribbon via Jayson Home.

Original piece of Laurel-Dawn artwork, prints now available in the shop!

The Clovers for Lochlan print is available here!

Serena& Lily, Mirimar hair upholstered in Turquoise Diamond. Deer Wreath Pillow via Coral & Tusk. Julian Apothecary Lamp via Ballard Designs.

Jameson Wide Dresser via Restoration Hardware Baby & Child. Ceramic Table Lamps via West Elm, no longer available. Great Britain & Ireland Vintage Map via Emperical Style.

Industrial Baker's Storage Rack, tall via Restoration Hardware Baby & Child, iPhone Gramaphone via Restoration Hardware. Deer Herd Plotter Paper Poster via StevenBeckly. Stripes Around the Floor Bin via Land of Nod.

Drum Side Table, no longer available. Pierre the Bunny via BlaBlaKids. Goggle Plate via West Elm. Leather Pouf via At Home Furnishings. 

Please let me know if you have any other questions about the items in Lochlan's Irish Hunt nursery! I will reveal more about the process in the next few weeks so stay tuned! Have a great Thursday abode lovers! I am SO glad to be back in the blogosphere! 

lochlan patterson, best diy to date

Hello abode lovers, well... I did it! I had that sweet baby and my life has completely changed in every way possible. I am so in love- crazy love. There's nothing like having a baby... everyone told me what it would be like, but there's no way to know how much it affects and changes you until it happens. Lochlan is doing so well and I am doing the best I can to sleep and stay fed... life sure changes when you bring home a newborn!

My birth story starts in the hospital, where I left all of you with my last post. I was getting a pre-induction with the "balloon" to work on dilating a bit more before the actual induction-- some of you commented that you got to experience this lovely tool... it hurt, BUT it worked for me! We went in at 4pm on Wednesday, July 24th and Mister Husband and I were supposed to sleep at the hospital to give the balloon it's best shot, instead we stayed awake talking and being nervous.  I'll spare all of the details, but after an hour of painful contractions and tears (followed by a shot of Nubain to ease the pain) and a LOT of fear for what was coming... my body did what it was supposed to. I got about 45 minutes of sleep and was awoke around 4:30am by the nurse telling me that I needed to be checked... I was at 5cm! The blasted balloon worked, I couldn't have been more thrilled and relieved. I was under the impression since before I was pregnant that it would be very likely that I would have to have a c-section due to some scar tissue on my cervix, so the fact that the balloon worked felt like a major miracle. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better birth story.

By 6 am my awesome doctor came in and broke my water, that was also quite the experience, thank goodness it was quick, because that too was painful! I got started on pitocin immediately and then followed up with an epidural. That epidural was the bomb. I tell you what, it was lovely and warm and tingly and amazing. I didn't feel any pain after having my water broke. My two amazing nurses and doctor all thought that we should expect Lochlan to come into the world around 2:30 or 3pm... well, Lochlan had other plans. About an hour or so after getting the pitocin I got to 8cm... and then an hour or so later I was ready to push. I had told my nurse that I was feeling a really odd sensation and that I wanted her to check me... everyone that was in the room was in disbelief that I could already be at 10cm! Thank goodness I got the epidural so early, if I would have waited I probably wouldn't have been able to get it! Mister Husband and I couldn't believe it when the nurses said it was time to push, we thought we would have HOURS to prepare mentally and physically for this baby-- I think we both expected to take a nap before we met our son! Instead, Mister Husband and I prepared ourselves for this miracle... he held my hand and I pushed for about 5 minutes-- then the nurse told me to STOP! She said we had to get the doctor in there ASAP, and that this baby was coming NOW... holy cow. I swear, it was the most amazing thing-- my doc came running in, literally, and I pushed for another 5 minutes... and then he was here. My perfect, beautiful baby Lochlan was taking his first breathes and screaming like a champ. I was completely overwhelmed and so surprised that he bounded into the world so quickly. About 10 minutes of pushing total and my baby was here... it was a miracle. It was also only 10:58am, hours before we thought we could expect our little lad. Life is good, God is good, we are so very, very blessed.

Here is Mister Husband and myself, SUPER PREGNANT, and leaving for the hospital...

Getting settled in for the night... 

I know this photo is blurry, but it captures our sleeping arrangement so well... I tried to talk Mister Husband into climbing into my bed to go to sleep... but he wouldn't do it. I think they should make those beds bigger to accommodate the husbands, I wanted to have one more night of spooning before we were a family of 3! 

Here we are the next morning, and I'm getting ready to PUSH! Do you see the nurse prepping Lochlan's little station? That's when things started to feel really real... I did my best not to cry through the entire experience, but it was hard! I don't think I've ever been more emotional-- I was so excited, scared, nervous, thankful, you name it, I was feeling it!

and there he is... 

here we are meeting our perfect, beautiful son for the first time...

...so happy I could burst! 

Mister Husband was amazing through the entire experience, calm and super sweet. He knew just what I needed to hear, thank God for this man!

I mean, abode lovers... look at my perfect baby! I think this is the best DIY so far... Lochlan Patterson is the yummiest little baby I've ever laid eyes on. 

Here is Lochlan with his twin cousin, Lottie-Monroe that was due 8 days before him! She was around 2 weeks old when she came to meet her cousin, Lochlan in the hospital! I love that she climbed into his little box to take a nap with him! Having a baby with your sister is so fun, a bit stressful, but the most amazing gift ever!

And here is Lochlan with his best friend, Gray from The Good Stuff... they really hit it off, obviously. 

Here we are getting ready to head home to the abode! I really didn't want to leave the little bubble of living in the hospital, I was really enjoying the experience and didn't want it to come to an end!

Mister Husband and I getting Lochlan ready for his ride home. It takes two when you're new parents!

The all powerful SuperMom... she was in full force that week... super, super, SUPERmom! 

My darling little angel, all bundled up and on his way to the abode. 

Thank you all so much for your well wishes, thoughts and prayers. I can't wait to share more and more of this little lad with all of you-- he is perfection! I will be sharing the source list for Lochlan's nursery this week, so check in a bit later! I hope all of you have a great Monday!