14 weeks!

Playing in the mail basket with Cristina

Mommy-and-me breakfast Friday

Eating some toast and melon

Leaving Friday night dinner sans messy white dress

Pretty in pink for our lunch with daddy at R&D

Watching the fish in front of the restaurant

Pooped after pool time at Davis' birthday party

Today I'm 14 weeks and officially into my second trimester with Barrett!  This week I have been a little more tired than normal, but other than that I'm feeling great.

Friday I took Landry to breakfast at my favorite little local spot, Corner Market.  She had a ball squawking and watching the dogs outside while we ate our scrambled eggs and fruit.  Thankfully I'm back on coffee and was able to enjoy my favorite iced latte in town.

Her new favorite food is grapes and she gobbled up an entire bowl at breakfast.  This week she also tasted her first Dr. Pepper and Sno-Cone and loved both!

Afterwards we went to the mall to shop for a birthday present and some new clothes.  With these hot summer temps, I wanted to snag some breezy dresses for both of us.  My friend Nicolette called for a last minute lunch so we ended up grabbing a bite with her and Henry at NorthPark.

I love hanging out with my friends that have little boys because it gives me a glimpse into my future.  I can only hope Barrett is as good as Henry; he's such an angel.  But from the constant movement in my tummy and utter tiredness I already feel some nights with this one (and genes from his father), I have a sneaky feeling that we have a little party animal on our hands come January.

We rounded out the day having dinner with Paula and Todd and the twins.  Meals with our seven-top is always entertaining!  This one didn't disappoint.  It was a little drizzly Friday night so we decided to get a booth at our favorite Italian joint for some comfort food.  Clearly, I have preggo brain as I ordered pasta with red sauce for Landry.  In no time, her pretty white crochet dress was covered in marinara as was her face, arms, hands, high chair and anything else she could touch.  Paula ordered the same for the twins and they were equally painted red -- Charlie even got sauce in his eyes and hair.

We let them have their fun and just sat back and laughed.  Before we left, I stripped Landry out of her dress and walked out with a hillbilly baby (diaper only) on my hip.  She thought it was so funny and laughed all the way to the car.

Today I took Landry on a walk to feed the ducks and then we made a big family brunch at home with Bradley.  Afterwards we had another birthday party where we got to see Kyle, Lindsey and their kiddos.  It was a swim party and Landry had a ball in the water.  She loved watching the big kids dive off the diving board and playing with the bobbling buoys.

We grabbed dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant before visiting our friends Kim and Justin who just had a baby girl.  We brought them dinner and got in a little snuggle session with their three-week old peanut.  It's amazing how you forget just how small babies are at that age.

I can't believe in just a few months we'll have a little bitty baby of our own!

Somehow between MiCocina and home we lost Maria.  For those of you that don't know, Maria is Landry's little monkey attached to her binky.  She goes with her everywhere.  We just put her to sleep for this first time without Maria.  Fingers crossed we make it through the night!

P.S. -- Happy birthday, Mimi!  We can't wait to see you in a few weeks!

D Home article

A Highland Park Love Nest

Art, antiques, and family heirlooms fill the home of Dallas Flea founder Brittany Edwards Cobb.

by Rhonda Reinhart

Published 7.02.2013

From D Home JUL-AUG 2013

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Robert Bellamy of Bellamy Design did the backyard landscaping at the Cobb house. “There wasn’t a whole lot of original landscaping, but it was pretty special,” Brittany Edwards Cobb says. “We just tried to enhance it.” 
Photography by Nathan Schroder

When it comes to home decor, Brittany Edwards Cobb is sentimental.

Family heirlooms fill the Highland Park house she shares with husband Michael and 16-month-old daughter Landry. She’s also determined. Tell her that the perfectly sized Chesterfield she found at an L.A. shop can’t be shipped to Dallas, and she will not rest until that sofa is safe and sound in her living room. More than anything, though, Cobb is resourceful. 

The living room features chairs Cobb found at an antiques store in East Texas, a rug she purchased on a trip to Morocco for her 30th birthday, and a light fixture made of shell beads. “It tips a hat to my roots. That’s why I like it,” says Cobb, who hails from Southern California. 
Photography by Nathan Schroder

The interior designer and founder of the Dallas Flea shops far and wide and high and low for her clients and herself. In her living room, chairs from an antiques store in East Texas sit on a rug she found on a trip to Morocco. A mirror from the Salvation Army on Inwood Road and art from a North Dallas estate sale adorn the walls of the entry. And every room in the house features items she acquired on shopping excursions in her Southern California hometown. 

TOP: The outdoor dining table is from Weir’s, and the chairs are from IKEA. The light fixtures are from San Miguel Allende Inc. in the Design District. The same lights hang in the Javier’s bar, one of Cobb and her husband’s favorite spots. BOTTOM: A big metal “C” from the Dallas Flea adds a personal touch to the backyard cabana. The pillows are covered in Trina Turk fabrics and were sewn by local women in need through GAIA. 
Photography by Nathan Schroder

“Everything in this house is vintage or an antique find usually on the thrifty side,” Cobb says. “There are very few new items. That’s a major thing for me and the way I shop. I think it’s what makes a home one of a kind.”

Brittany Edwards Cobb says the sitting room is her favorite room in the house. “It’s the funkiest little room, but I love it,” she says. Cobb purchased the bamboo light fixture at a consignment store in Newport Beach, and she found the table lamp in Canton. In the center of the room is a Louis Vuitton suitcase she turned into a coffee table.
Photography by Nathan Schroder

It’s a good thing Cobb likes to shop—and likes to shop with thriftiness in mind. Three years ago, when she and her husband bought the converted duplex on Westway Avenue, they were living in a condo in Uptown. “It was a big leap in square footage,” she says. “I needed to buy everything.” That buying spree included several trips to a place close to Cobb’s heart. 

“A lot of my items are from the Dallas Flea,” she says. “I shop with my shoppers. That’s why I started it. I’m the biggest fan—I probably spend the most money of anyone.” 

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Published 7.02.2013

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Clockwise from top left: One of the upstairs balconies; flea-market art and an Arteriors lamp in the dining room; another upstairs balcony featuring a pendant light-turned-coffee table; Osborne & Little wallpaper, a print from a North Dallas estate sale, and an antique bench in the entryway. 
photography by Nathan Schroder

The curio cabinet in the living room, the big metal “C” in the backyard cabana, and the Hermès print in the dining room are from the Dallas Flea, as is much of the home’s art. 

Speaking of art, that’s another item that is always on Cobb’s shopping list. “I love all sorts of art,” she says. “It’s my biggest weakness.” 

LEFT: The gallery wall in the wine room features art Cobb and her husband have collected over the years, including childhood art projects and pieces by Cobb’s great-grandfather. RIGHT: The Baccarat chandelier in the dining room was a wedding gift from Cobb’s husband. “That room is completely worked around that over-the-top, gotta-have-it chandelier,” she says. The Hermès print is by Jaclyn Haley. Cobb had it blown up as big as her framer could frame it without having to use plexiglass. The chairs are from Antiques Moderne, and the table is from Lula B’s. 
Photography by Nathan Schroder

She’s quick to add that the art she buys “doesn’t have to be fancy.” The gallery wall in the wine room, for example, features pieces by Cobb’s great-grandfather, art projects she and her husband made in elementary school, artwork she found in antiques stores, and, of course, a few purchases from the Dallas Flea. A horse painting she snapped up for a whopping five bucks has even snagged a prominent location in the dining room. 

The tub in the master bath was the original tub in the property’s garage apartment. “We had to crane it out of the window to put it in our master,” Cobb says. 
Photography by Nathan Schroder

In addition to furnishing the place, Cobb and her husband also had to get to work on the exterior. “When we bought the house,” she says, “we decided to focus on the first floor and the outdoor landscaping.” So while the team at MORE Design + Build was reworking the interior, Robert Bellamy of Bellamy Design was busy revamping the backyard. 

“There wasn’t a whole lot of original landscaping, but it was pretty special,” Cobb says. “We just tried to enhance it.” The pool, for instance, is original to the house, and because it takes up a great deal of space in the backyard, Cobb and her husband had Bellamy make its colors more neutral so the pool is no longer the center of attention. 

Cobb designed the headboard in the master bedroom. “The Greek mirrors were an eBay steal,” she says. The rug and blanket are from Morocco, and the light fixture is from White Elephant. 
Photography by Nathan Schroder

“It doesn’t go away,” she says, “but it kind of mutes it a little bit. We wanted to enjoy the pool but not have it be the focal point of the backyard. We wanted the focus to be on the living space and the cabana.”

That cabana used to be an enclosed room that the couple opened up and turned into their own private retreat. Now they spend as much time in there as possible. “We live in that room when the weather is nice,” Cobb says. “We eat every meal out here that we can. We’re big outdoor living people.”

Bring on the blue!

Sweet Barrett Steven Cobb!

A cupcake from our gender reveal dinner

Landry pooped leaving Leila's first birthday party

Face painting fun

A snap from dinner with friends.  My latest night out in weeks!

Our new boat house at the lake!

A sliver of our pretty views!

The big backyard where the kids will run and play.
I also see lots of football games with Michael and his boys.

A HUGE oak tree on the property.  I've always had one between my childhood home and our house now.
I thought it was a sign ;)

Thursday we found out we're having a little boy!  I have to admit, it was no surprise as I've had a very strong suspicion for the past six weeks or so.  (So much so I've already purchased many blue things for his built in bookshelf in the new nursery).

Michael was traveling the day of my appointment so I had to go solo.  I wish he could have been there as his reaction would have been priceless.  I had told him I was going to wait to tell him in person that night but I couldn't keep the secret and had to spill the beans over the phone.

Friday we had his parents and Bradley over for a little reveal party with Sprinkles cupcakes.  Jerry, Michael's dad, was so excited he could hardly stand it.  I made them sit through dinner first and the second he finished he plate he said, "okay, I'm ready for my cupcake!"  I joked that I had a house tour and story reading I wanted to do first.

Everyone was just over the moon we're having a boy.  If we didn't, the Cobb name would not have carried on so it was partially a family name thing and also the fact that his parents have two granddaughters already and with this being the last baby (so Michael says...) the pressure was on!

So, mid-January we will be welcoming a sweet baby boy -- Barrett Steven Cobb -- into the world!

But, before then, we have another baby on the way... this week we bought a lake house!  I'm just over the moon about it.

I've been casually looking at lake houses for the past year or so.  I was in no rush to have one but if the right thing came along -- lot size, water location, house style, etc. -- I was very interested.  Nothing really came along until about a month ago.

I found this darling waterfront '70s barn style home in East Texas exactly 1.5 hours away (my requirements was 2 hours or less) on just shy of an acre.  It's cozy but has plenty of room for our family and friends and has a boat house, plenty of room for the kids to run around and pretty piney woods and water views.

I went alone a few weeks ago and just fell in love with it and then Michael and I went last weekend and he gave his stamp of approval.  So, we made an offer last week and came to a final price and are now in escrow.  All looks good to take possession in August.  I have about a two month minor remodel ahead of me and then hope to spend my birthday and Thanksgiving weekend out there with family and friends.

We plan to take friends out there with us all the time and make years of memories with all of the kiddos.  I'm so excited to give Landry and Barrett this experience and also show them life outside of tony Dallas.  The house is in the country in a tiny town with a grocery store, donut shop, snow cone stand, and that's about it.  It's going to be a blast!  And this California girl is just excited to wake up to water views and a little boating fun!

Yesterday we had Leila's first birthday.  Ari knocked it out of the park!  She held it at a wine bar/event space and filled it with activities, a face painter, balloon artist, and delicious food.  Landry got her face painted for the first time and was in heaven.  I figured she wouldn't sit still but she was mesmerized by the whole thing and couldn't get enough of seeing herself transform into a little princess in the handheld mirror.

Last night we had dinner -- no kids! -- with our dear friends Kyle and Lindsey.  We hadn't seen them in months and finally just caught up to speed over a four hour meal.  Between finding out we're having a boy and grabbing dinner with his best friend, Michael has been in heaven this weekend.

Landry turned 16 months on Friday.  She was a little under the weather last week (she even got her first body rash) but she's back to her normal self and doing great.  She's getting more and more powerful with her walking -- handheld, still -- and her top four teeth are about half way in.
Her vocabulary is expanding.  She now says words like hi, banana (nana) and watermelon (melon) in addition to her favorite no-no (cue the waving finger) and mama.  She's understanding language much more, too.  I can tell her things and she'll obey like "grab that toy" or "follow me."

I'm enjoying this stage so much because she's still so cuddly and sweet but I also see the signs of her turning into an independent little person.

Even though I thought two little girls would be so much fun (and nice for Landry later in life to have a sister), I am excited for her to stay the little princess and have a little brother that introduces her to things like baseball, fishing, and hopefully keeps her from getting boy crazy.

I completely contribute a lot of my traits to growing up with brothers and see the benefits for little girls. We're so blessed to be getting one of each!

Friends, froth and July 4th

Eyeing the animals at the Park Cities 4th parade

Sporting her star shades for the 4th

Mommy-and-Landry ice cream and bucket swing date at the park

Enjoyed an upstate NY Riesling from Uncle Ryan

A snap shot of our DHome article

Waiting for her turn to jump in the pool

Booty bathing suit shot!

Our attempt to get Landry and Charlie to kiss

The girls hanging out post class

My first homemade latte in six weeks!

Group shot at Uncle Jon's birthday party

I love four day weekends, especially laid back ones that just kind of fall into place.

For months, we had planned to be in Austin with Landry for the 4th.  But last week we decided to cancel after we (ok, I) finally came to grips with the fact that nap time and her new early bed time weren't going to make for the most fun vacay.

With no plans at all for the 4th, we ended up having an action-packed four days with friends.  On Thursday we met up with pals at the local parade and festivities that included an animal park, watermelon tasting (Landry loved it, of course) and enough dogs to keep Landry entertained for days.   Later in the day we hit the swings, grabbed ice cream for an impromptu picnic and grilled a delicious pork tenderloin outside paired with a nice bottle of wine my brother gave us from his neck of the woods in New York (I had a tiny glass and enjoyed EVERY SINGLE sip).

Speaking of drinks, I made my first latte in months this morning.  I think I'm finally over the anti-java hump and back to feeling normal (give or take six pounds).  My energy level is back and I haven't felt queasy in days.  I get a little winded walking up stairs but other then that I can't complain.

This Thursday I have another doctor's appointment and there's a chance we can find out the sex, fingers crossed.  Last week we got some really fun news that one of Michael's very best friends and his girlfriend (they've been together forever and have chosen to not get married) are expecting a little girl Christmas Day.  Another one of their college buddies and his wife are also due in December.  So, all three of us will have peanuts just a few weeks apart.  

Some more fun news: This weekend DHome hit shelves and there's a 10-page spread on Casa Cobb.  They shot the house back in April and the photos are really pretty.  Since the story ran in the July/August issue they featured a lot of exterior shots in addition to interior photos.  The article was short and sweet but gave props to so many of my friends, beloved builders, favorite local stores, and even The Dallas Flea.  I'm thrilled to support them in my home and now in this story.  I've received so many sweet texts and calls from friends that have seen it (that's how I found out it was on newsstands, funny enough) and am just blown away by their kind comments.

From a swim class and post lunch with Paula and Todd to Jon's impromptu pizza party birthday, we had a leisurely weekend that was relaxing yet fun.  Hope everyone had a very happy 4th, too!

Mini mall rat

Once a week Cristina takes Landry to the mall with her grandson for a little play date (for my CA friends and fam, that's considered a recreational activity here since it's so stinkin' hot outside).

Here are a couple of pictures from their adventure today.  I have to admit, I was a little sad when I saw the photos and realized I didn't take her on her first carousel ride.

Regardless, I'm thrilled she has so much fun with Cristina.  We are lucky to have such a loving nanny.