baby

TRAVELING WITH A BABY – TIPS + FAVORITES

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The past few months have been filled with tons of travel with Joshie AKA Lil Intern. Road trips are my fav, but the last few trips have been plane rides with just the two of us. I must say, he’s an excellent traveler, but he definitely was O V E R it  at the end of the last plane trip!! Having good gear and being prepared was a huge help. Also just as important, the better relaxed I was, the happier he was. Hopefully these ideas will help you on your next trip. Joshie is now 15 months for your reference, but we’ve been traveling with these products since he was teeny tiny.

 

I’ve purchased and used all of these products for myself after extensive amazon review reading and youtube tutorial watching. I can honestly say that they’re all lifesavers! When you’re flying on an airplane solo with baby, you want to travel light! I didn’t have anyone helping carry all the junk… just me. I ended up checking our suitcase (one that we shared) and a TRAVEL STROLLER (love this one because it folds up super tiny and comes with a backpack bag!!). I rented car seats at the rental car company. No need to schlep your own! All I had was my backpack on my back, and my baby in a carrier on my front.

 

#1 JUJUBE BACKPACK and WHAT TO PACK IN IT – This backpack is large and in charge! There’s enough room for my laptop, ipad pro, all the baby stuff AND all of my stuff! I love the straps are padded and wide, making it nice and comfy. There’s a little phone pocket and lots of inner organizing pockets. It has a secret back pocket with a changing pad, but I like to bring THESE because airplane bathrooms are ick. If I’m not bringing my computer, I can fit several thin books in the back pocket. THESE books are my fav because Joshie can open and close the flaps a million times, plus there’s so many words to practice with him- it keeps us busy! THIS toy is thin, light, fun, and takes up lots of time. I pack one diaper per every 2 hours of travel (from the time I leave my house), baby wipes, hand wipes, diaper bags for poopy diapers or wet clothes, an extra romper in case of blowouts, snacks for him (I put crackers in a hard Tupperware so they don’t get smashed), snacks for me, sippy cup, hand sanitizer, my fav hydrating lip gloss, super thin and functional wallet, other mom stuff!

 

#2 RYAN AND ROSE PACI AND CLIP – These are simply gorgeous. Have you ever seen a more beautiful paci?? The white ones are my fav, but that’s only because the black ones are brand new… time to go shopping. I love their simple leather paci clips not only because they’re chic, but also, they save them from dropping on a gross airport floor! When you’re flying with a baby, it’s always good to have them suck on something when they’re going up or down in the air to help their ears. If I can’t get him to drink his milk or water, the paci is a great alternative. The other nice think about these pacis is that the other side is perfect for teething! Smart and chic.

 

#3 HEMMING BIRD BIBS – If you follow us on Instagram, you’ve probably never seen Joshie without a Hemming Birds bib. Josh started out having acid reflux as an infant, and has now just transitioned into a major drooler. These bibs are SO pretty and of course save his clothes from getting gross. I admit I have an addiction, but look at all the patterns she offers!! You will too! THIS style of bib is better for when he’s really drooly as it soaks up everything. THIS one is good for eating or spit up as it catches everything in the bandana style.

 

#4 MAMA AND MINI SHIRTS – I mean okay… I’m a little bit biased on this one. Simple, cute, and clearly announcing “Helloooo I’m an amazing mom, comin’ through!”. They go with everything and are super yummy and soft. Travel comfy always! I love traveling in THESE pants sooo much and THESE comfy shoes which look cute with the sweatshirt!

 

#5 BABY TULA CARRIER – I find it MUCH easier to keep him strapped into my carrier for handsfree movement. Then there’s not rushed folding of the stroller at the end of the jetway. The Tula is SO comfortable. I tried another carrier which killed my shoulders!! I put the Tula on and immediately the pressure dissipated from my shoulders. It’s super simple on the front, not fussy at all. I LOVE the pocket on the waist. It’s where I kept my phone so it was in easy reach. It’s also super cute so…

 

#6  MOON AND BECK ROMPER – If you’ve seen any of my stories ever, Josh is usually in a Moon and Beck romper. They’re soooo soft and chic, and considering that I mostly wear black, he always matches me! I love that they snap at the bottom for easy diaper changes. They last forever because you can buy them one size bigger, and the length just looks like cute harem pants. Then when your baby grows, they look like a more fitted romper. Super smart! I like to tuck his paci in the pocket when he’s not using it. Because seeing it drag along the airport floor… ew! I always like to travel comfy, so I assume Joshie would like to be comfy a well- no waist bands for us please and thank you. The fabric is so soft and roomie, not to mention light weight, so it’s comfy for the both of us.

 

#7 STARRY KNIGHT DESIGN SHOES – Yet another baby goodie I have one million of… it’s an addiction! The leather is buttery soft and in the most beautiful colors too! They slip on easily but for some reason, Joshie can’t pull them off. He’s tried “real” shoes, and they’re super distracting for him- he always tries to take them off! Since these moccs are leather, they don’t take up room in the suitcase and are super light. I squish them flat and am able to pack several pairs. They’re not only easy and comfortable, but again… they’re super chic. Sense a theme here?

 

WEIRD GAMES THAT KEEP HIS ATTENTION:

* Wash wash – I pump a little bit of bubbles on his hand, and he rubs them together. I know this seems… strange… but he loves it and asks for wash wash over and over and over again.

*Wipe Wipe – Ummm this is where I give Joshie and hand wipe and he wipes things like the seats at the gate, or the tray…..sense yet another theme here?

*Cup hand – ask the flight attendant for a few empty cups and put them on his hands, feet, head, etc. I put the cup on my head and pretend to sneeze it off. He’s a great audience.

*OTHER TIPS – When we’re waiting in the airport for our flight, I like to pick an open space where he can crawl around. Since I don’t have bags that would go on the overhead space, I board very last (as long as I have an assigned seat)! It just gives Josh more time to move around and get energy out. If you’re on Southwest and can pick your own seat, go all the way to the back row. There’s a really good chance no one will set next to you! Babies on planes are kryptonite.

 

Good luck with your travel!! Hope this helps!

xo

Leah

BABY | 6 MONTH ESSENTIALS

Hope you guys had an amazing 4th! Seemed a bit chaotic in my (Jenni’s) household, as I am pretty sure I did not take a single picture or watch more than 4 fireworks go off! I was too busy keeping my 2 year old boy away from the fire pit and my 6 month old teether from devouring my s’more, which I truly don’t remember eating. That reminds me… I will make another one tonight and eat it privately! Who says you don’t learn from your bestie/biz partner? Did you guys see the drool worthy chocolate brownies Leah made on our story?? I am living vicariously through her prego eating right now. Loving every minute!

With Leah due to have her baby ANY day now ( I can hardly contain my excitement for her sweet family), and me embracing all the milestones that come with a 7 month old, we definitely have had baby goods on. the. brain. Wanted to share a few things that I HAD to have due to Milo’s teething/feeding craziness! Seriously, he is the drooliest, quickest teether we have had. It actually tricked me into thinking he was ready to start eating real food, but truly he just wants to gum every little thing, including his spoon used to feed him. Most days, I feel like I am in a scene of MIB where an alien just slimed me. I swear there is no purpose in trying to look cute this year.

 

Teethers… tried them all. Sippy cups….tried them all. Bibs….ugh…yeah. These are a few dependable products that I would buy again tomorrow if I lost them. I was able to gather all of these goods at the one stop shop that is Baby Cubby! You guys should really shop their site for the latest, most modern baby goods. I truly had a hard time trying to just buy for baby #3 because they have stuff for all littles and mamas too! whaaaa!?!? Definitely trying to convince the hubby to let us invest in the new City Lux Stroller.

controller|orange teether|bracelet|ergo bib|sleeved bib|Boon pulp feeder|baby spoons|mini mat|hooded towel

*Thank you to Baby Cubby for sponsoring this post, however, all opinions are our own! We are moms who love good products, and trustworthy companies! We choose to share with YOU the things that we jump on board with ourselves.*

INFERTILITY, LOSS, + ALL THE FEELS

This week is National Infertility Awareness Week. It should be all year honestly. NO ONE TALKS ABOUT IT but SO many women and men go through it. I (Leah) wanted to share my own story about infertility and miscarriage even though I am currently pregnant. Since you might not want to take it from me, two of my friends currently going through IVF treatments have shared their journeys as well.

 

If you have a loved one going through infertility, this blog post is for you too. I hope that you read this and get a little insight into how that person is feeling. Learn what to say and most importantly what NOT to say. Because trust me, when we’re pumped up on hormones and shots and emotions and you say, “don’t be sad, it’ll be okay”, or tell us a success story of someone else, we will END YOU. Ummm okay so anyway….

 

IF YOU’RE EVEN THINKING ABOUT GETTING PREGNANT.

  1. Let’s just start here. You will save so much time if you simply go to the drug store and get a pee on the stick ovulation predictor kit. I would have saved about a year of “trying naturally” if I had known that I wasn’t even ovulating! That’s such a major DUH moment. I wish someone had told me to do this.
  1. Be aggressive/assertive. Even if you’re young, speak your mind! My OBGYN wasn’t concerned that it was taking so long, as I was only 24 at the time. You know your body, and you know when you’re ready. Be your own advocate.

 

MY STORY.

My story is not unique. My story is not even close to being the worst. Obviously. Going through these low times myself I know that some of you want to just punch me in the face right now since I’m currently pregnant. And that feeling is completely valid! Every time a friend would announce their pregnancy, I would cry. Then I would cry about feeling guilty for crying. This is a very real and common emotion, and I want you to know that it is OKAY to feel this way and know you are not alone.

 

GETTING STARTED.

My husband and I started talking about having a baby on our two-year anniversary. We just thought, let’s see what happens! Guess what? Nothing happened. Month after month I’d feel disappointed which soon turned into a feeling of hopelessness. We didn’t really tell friends or family. I just thought I’d be one of those girls who would get knocked up easily, so it was a little embarrassing on top of being super sad when each month, I still wouldn’t be pregnant. My secret Pinterest board of cute maternity clothes and pretty nursery decor became utterly depressing. You know what I’m talking about.

 

WHAT NOT TO SAY.

When you’ve been married for a couple years people start asking when you’re going to have kids. NEVER AGAIN WILL I ASK ANYONE THIS QUESTION. I wanted to answer, “as soon as my uterus decides to start working but thanks so much for asking this extremely sensitive and personal question!” Even sweet friends and close family would nudge at the question, and I still took it like a knife to the heart. Every month my mom would ask if I got my period. She’s my favorite person in the world, but I seriously wanted to stab her. Love you, Mom! When my husband would say, “it’ll all work out” or “don’t be sad”, I would just want to scream! It’s not going to work out! It’s fine that I’m sad… isn’t it?

 

THEN CAME MY LOWEST POINT.

My best friend from college called me to tell me she was pregnant. She knew what I was going through and was extremely sensitive about telling me. Still, I felt crushed. I hung up the phone and immediately started sobbing. And I’m not a crier. Parts of my tears were tears of guilt. How dare I not be happy for her? How could I be so selfish? I don’t know you guys… all I can say is ALL feelings are valid. I called her right back and apologized for not acting happier (as I was sobbing, so I’m not even sure if she could understand me. I think she got the gist.) She was gracious about it of course, but I couldn’t quite get over how terrible I felt that I couldn’t be happy for her.

 

BACK TO THE PROCESS.

I decided to be more aggressive with treatment and requested Clomid from my regular OBGYN. I took it for 3 months, and I still wasn’t ovulating. This is when we finally told our families what was going on, and they encouraged us to go to a fertility clinic.

Our doctor was kind and listened intently. He took us seriously. That’s one of the best parts of switching to a fertility clinic. This is their jam. Everyone from the receptionists to the blood draw techs knows what you’re going through. There are no babies in the waiting room. It’s not shoved in your face like “see what MYYYY body can do?” Our doctor switched me to Femara and also recommended fertility acupuncture. After three months of Femara I started ovulating but still was not getting pregnant. Then we started IUI’s (Intrauterine insemination). On the third IUI, I felt sure it would work. Then I got my period. I called the nurse to schedule another IUI, and she told me that I would need to start shots. I said okay great, let’s get going. Then she informed me that in order to start shots, you needed to take a month of classes. I. Lost. My. Shit. I did NOT want to wait another month. The poor nurse took my emotional outburst like a champ (this couldn’t have been the first time). The next day I was leaving for New York to visit my mom and sister, so I thought it was perfect timing to blow off some steam. But when I woke up… no period. I took a test and it was positive! Whaaaat? After taking another test on the plane (yes, I’m psycho) that turned out to be negative, I made my mom and sister take me to a random NY clinic to get a blood test. This one turned out to be positive! My doctor thought it was a disappearing twin. Such a weird situation, but I was thrilled. I had a healthy baby boy who was worth every freaking penny. With my second son two years later, we just went right back to our fertility doctor and right back to Femara and an IUI which worked on the first try. Sorry, I know that’s super annoying to some of you.

 

THIS IS WHERE IT GETS SAD.

Three years after my second son, I had a hunch and took a pregnancy test. It was positive. Wait, seriously after all this, my body just started working? Everyone was shocked and thrilled, most of all, my husband and me! But soon I started to feel strange. It just didn’t feel like my other two pregnancies. My early blood test came back with low HCG levels. An early ultrasound revealed a hemorrhage. My regular OB didn’t seem concerned and told me she had just read an article on how hemorrhages had no relation to miscarriages. She was wrong. I started bleeding when my husband was on a trip to LA. Our dear friend came over to watch the kids while I went into the ER. I had lost my baby. It was the worst day of my life, and I was completely alone. No fault to my husband of course, it was just terrible timing. I couldn’t even drive myself home, I was crying so hard. I thought this baby had been a miracle baby. I was 9 weeks when I lost her (I just had a feeling it was a girl). I hope you never have to experience loss, but if you do, just know that it doesn’t matter how far along you are. It is still devastating to lose a child, even at the very beginning. Before my own miscarriage I just kind of thought it happened often and wasn’t that sad, never really thinking through how horrible it is for that parent. I’m ashamed to say I felt that way but it’s true. Anyway, as soon as I got home, I crawled in bed with my oldest son and held him as he slept. I truly do not know how people cope with a miscarriage if they don’t have a child already. My heart goes out to you. You’re stronger than I am. That loss never really goes away, not completely. I went to a Medium months later (more as a general reading) who told me I had had my baby so that she could become my angel. I hold onto that thought daily.

 

WHERE I AM NOW.

After a few months, life got back to normal and so did my body. I got pregnant again naturally, and this time it stuck. So here I am, 29 weeks later. Am I still scared of losing this baby? Ummm yes. That’s just how it’s going to be until I can hold this baby in my arms. When you’ve gone through infertility or a miscarriage, you don’t take anything for granted. I’m not going to complain (except to my husband of course) about the hardships of being pregnant. I am grateful for every single kick, every single ache and pain, every single varicose vein, every terrible night sleep. I cannot wait.

 

If you have ANY questions at all, please feel free to email/DM/comment here. I would love to talk with you. Please read below of my friends’ experiences with infertility and IVF.

 

xo,

Leah

 

 

 

FRIEND A’S STORY (Currently going through a second round of IVF):

My husband and I had been married three years when we decided to start trying to begin our little family. It had always been in the back of my head that it would take a little time, however I truly don’t think we were prepared for the journey we were about to embark on when we started. I actually started writing this sharing ALL the details of everything we went through before we welcomed our miracle in April 2015, but then I remembered what one of the biggest lessons I learned in going through infertility and thought I’d share what really stuck with me and has actually been applicable in so many situations since!

 

The number one piece of advice I can give anyone on this road is to not compare your infertility story with someone else that has struggled. When we were in the midst of our story, I’d find myself googling blogs or message boards and reading others stories and trying to find a common ground with their situation – but also in that I’d allow comparison to lead to worry and fear.

 

When we were just beginning our IVF process I had so many friends offer stories of their friends or someone they just met who did IVF and it didn’t work BUT they’d always follow up with “then they randomly got pregnant.” Every time I heard that IVF didn’t work for someone my heart sank a little more and doubt crept in. Why were we going to do this if it isn’t going to work? Why were we spending our savings to do this if it is not successful? For me, doubt leads to a lack of trust that God is absolutely in control of everything that comes our way. If I was going to survive this infertility journey, I had to stand strong in what I believed to be true no matter our outcome. Deciding to do IVF is a very personal and difficult decision – you don’t need to also have the struggle of comparing the success with others added onto that pile of stress.

 

Thankfully our first round of IVF was successful, and we welcomed our little guy 9 months later. I’ll never forget when he was born, and I held him for the first time – I said the journey is over and I sobbed like a baby. Every. Single. Day. of those three and half years was worth all the pain and heartache for that moment. Every hormone, shot, test, ultrasound, and the money – it was all worth it to get our little guy. I can’t even imagine not trying IVF and not having that opportunity.

 

I hope that if you are reading this and you are going through this journey that you can find a hope that has been placed deep in your soul to cling to during this time. I don’t know the plan God has for you or your journey – it may not have a happy ending or the way you envisioned it going, but I know that there is a plan, and you will have the strength to get through whatever is before you. I also want you to know that you are not alone! It amazed me how friends were placed in my life that either were going through the same journey or had just gone through it to encourage and walk with us. Be open with those you love and trust – let them help soothe you when you need that extra dose of love. Leah and Jenni were two of my dearest friends during this journey – with Leah having gone through it herself and Jenni just constantly speaking hope-giving words of encouragement – it really made the journey so much easier. Thanks ladies! XO! Oh and I would recommend acupuncture if you are going through this not just for the health benefit but it is so relaxing – again thanks to Leah for that recommendation!

 

 

FRIEND B’S STORY (IVF):

You’re sick of not feeling like yourself. Exhausted, really. You’re not a sad, frustrated, bitter, jealous, shameful person. And yet. You can’t shake it. You feel angry, a lot. Someone says the wrong thing, asks the wrong question, has the wrong response. You try to forget, but these moments are seared into your story.

You feel the need to isolate, insulate. You fight yourself over it. You can see reason, logic, but can’t live it. You know they won’t comment on your weight gain or stare at your new acne. You know you should go to the shower and visit the baby. Will they see the darkness? Will they see through the strained smile and thin laugh? Will they ask? You let well wishes and encouragement from those “who know” give way to this horrific self-absorption and pity. And you feel guilty and awful about it. But you give in.

In bursts that are gone too quickly, you’re grateful for the good in your life. Your husband: working tirelessly to support this heavy financial burden, letting you act out when you learn about another friend’s pregnancy, and calling from work declaring “let’s have a date night.” He’s too good to you. You’re the reason for this. Why, and how does he stay so steady, optimistic, and intuitive, while you’re paralyzed by sadness. Your heart swells thinking about him—and, and– sigh– the sadness comes back.
You recall the conversations with brave friends that started “I hope you never need to know about this, but here’s my story.” Without them, you’d be navigating alone through the darkness. You repeat one friend’s words: “everyone gets their baby” at times that make you smile through sobs.

There’s a break. There’s a new start. There’s an opportunity to shift. You try to take it. You try to be more thankful, more emphatic and feel more love. Your family takes a once-in-a lifetime vacation and you’re present and feel joy every day. A friend sends you special cookies after your surgery and you cry because that’s love. You go to dinner and nobody asks, with that look, “how are you doing?” but instead they talk about things that are light and you laugh.

You have more days where your mind and body are busy. You’re really trying to be better. You have a plan. You go multiple days in a row without crying and that’s a win. You still have waves of overwhelming sadness, guilt, frustration. Your body is beat up and you’re emotionally exhausted. You confront the worst case scenario. You’re just so tired. But you can handle it. You’ve gotten stronger.

You get good news. The news. You hold on so tight, like those fleeting feelings of gratefulness. Can I hold on? Is it real?

You’re still so fragile. You’ll be OK.

 

 

FRIEND C’S STORY:

To make a long story short, my wonderful friend “C” who went through every test and procedure you could imagine was just matched up with a baby-to-be for adoption, and she could not be more thrilled! This is her path in life, and it just feels right. So happy for her and her husband!

 

 

If you’ve made it to the end, know that it’s not the end for you. Know you’re not alone. Sending you love through the interwebs!

xo

Leah

GIFT GUIDE – UNCOMMON GOODS

Here are a few of our favorite things!
Uncommon Goods literally has something for everyone. Helloooo taco mobile. Anyone having a baby? Can we please get you a whole taco themed gift? Personally obsessed with the light box, and my kids are obsessed with the ice cream truck! Our friends, Haulin’ Oats have their amazing oatmeal on here- and we can testify that the cinnamon girl flavor is to die for!
The best part about Uncommon Goods is that they promote small businesses, emerging designers, and hand makers. Each item has a story behind it and a bio of the artist. As makers ourselves, we SO appreciate that! They also keep sustainability in mind- helping the earth and helping us gift beautiful, handmade items? Yes please.
Scroll down for links.
Love that the ice cream truck is made out of very easily put together cardboard, so it can be disassembled easily when your kids are finished playing. Great for small spaces.
As a blogger/instagrammer, the light boxes are perfect props for styling photos! And we’ve been using this as our shop sign when we do markets.

Here are our favs below, but also check out these easy to shop gift guide links:
BABY
KIDS
FOR HER
FOR HIM
bloody mary mix
men’s wooden watch
moscow mule carry on kit

DIY HALLOWEEN COSTUME FOR LITTLES – AC SLATER

Hey Preppy. As soon as my littlest started growing curls, I was like… AC Slater! I was (okay, still totally am) a huge Saved by the Bell fan. Kelly Kapowski is basically my idol, and when you’re a kid of the 90’s, it’s pretty hard not to fall in love with Zack Morris. AC has this tough guy personality but is actually a softy- that describes Max to a T. He’s a bruiser but the sweetest little boy. 
AC is an easy peasy costume. Scroll down for sources. 
More DIY costumes HERE and HERE!
Sources:
High tops- similar
Accesories: buddy band, tiger tail, football, and lots of hair gel!

3 MONTH UPDATE + MY MUST- HAVES

I know everyone says this, but I seriously cannot believe my baby boy is 3 months old (except for when I hold his 15 lb self). It feels like we just brought him home. The first quarter of his life has been such a blur, especially that first month and a half because I was so sleep deprived. I truly experienced exhaustion on a different level. But now…. here we are! No more family of 3 talk. We are a full on operating family of 4, and I love it. 


Sleeping / tummy or side sleeper. Hasn’t been a fan of sleeping on his back from day one. He naps like a champ, and sleeps at night from about 10:30 – 3:30, then he wakes up for a feeding, but goes right back to sleep! 🙂 He is still in our room. He sleeps in his little co-sleeper ( when we don’t fall asleep together in our bed…. bad habit.)
Eating / Exclusively breast milk. It was still hard the first month, but we pushed through. It just hurts!! gah! I try to avoid the bottle as much as possible and give him that intimate nursing experience. I have been taking these supplements because my production slowed down once Remy’s feedings became more scheduled. They have worked great for me! Also, we were introduced to Gerber Soothe drops ( a probiotic) to help Remy’s tummy calm down and regulate itself. He didn’t have reflux, but definitely had gas issues. Amazon is definitely the cheapest if you have Prime. Any moment out of my day to STOP and feed him and just take a breath has been good for the both of us! Forced relaxation if you will. 
Favorites / He loves “standing” and facing out. Music is a huge part of our family life, and he loves a good serenade ( even from me… yikes!) He can go from whining to pure joy and excitement if you will just talk to him. Looks like I have another social butterfly on my hands. He also loves mommy’s nail colors on her nails, jewelry and grabbing big sis’ curls.
My favorites / His entire little man body! He is squishy in all of the right places. He was born long and lean, and we really had to work on getting him into tip top squishy baby shape. We call him our “chunky little man”. Hearing Amara say it is just the best ever!
I miss him so much when I am away from him. Having a little boy is so different already than a little girl. There is just a different connection there. He isn’t getting married until he is like 50. 😉
Ok… my MUST. HAVES!!! The second time around is so different. You are over all of the stuff that just clutters your house. These are all things I would consider a need, as they really helped get us through the toughest 3 months we have experienced as parents so far.
Aden + Anais burpy bib & swaddles | There is just nothing softer!! I own and love the Aden + Anais for Target swaddles and bibs, but even those are not as soft as the originals. I fell in love with the burpy bibs when we had Amara. So convenient and genius!
Solly wrap | It took me seeeeveral tries to get this thing right. Once you dial it in, it is so helpful. I have used this so that I could be hands free while cooking, cleaning and grocery shopping. I never wrapped Amara and after using this, I don’t know how I went without.
Nursing bras | these are the most comfortable nursing bras for sleeping!! I love this one in particular. These are the ones I use for daily wear.
Baby Sleepers | My MIL gave me one of these at my shower, and I went to purchase several more. They are the. softest. ever. They wash well also. The snaps are definitely annoying in the middle of the night, but I will choose softness over convenience for my baby any day.
Baby Shusher | I bought this a little later in the game. Remy was hating his car seat, having trouble falling asleep without being held, and he had his days and nights mixed up ( worst ever). I don’t know that this is a game changer, BUT we do take it in the car sometimes for long travel days and he uses it to fall asleep in our room during naps and at night. It just helps cut out the noise that the rest of the family makes just outside where he sleeps. I would buy it again for sure!
Avent Pacis | There is just no other pacifier that works.
Baby swing | We have a much older version of this one that we were given when Amara came along. We love this thing. For the longest time, it was the only way he would fall asleep at 3 am while one of us laid on the couch to be close to him.  We use it everyday… pretty much before and after each naptime.
Diaper Bag | I loooooove this diaper bag. I love how it looks like a handbag in front, but has all of the hidden compartments and space that a diaper bag does. I don’t need to take my own separate bag or pouch for my stuff. It has a mommy pouch! 🙂
Sanitizer & Paci wipes | any of these can be bought at any drugstore/Target. With a grabby toddler, we use lots and lots of sanitizer. I am a freak about washing hands, but when we can’t, we go through this stuff so quickly. It is absolutely necessary!
Carseat/stroller spiral toy & Playmat | Remy has just started grabbing at his spiral toy in the carseat. It provides endless entertainment for him, and it has truly saved me on some car trips. We just broke out the play mat last week. These are lifesavers when they are over the swings. 
Bassinet | We use this stroller and absolutely LOVE it. People stop me all of the time to tell me how “cool” it is. It is quite heavy to get in and out of the car, but that is a small price to pay for how convenient it is, how many different configurations it has, and how easy it glides. I can literally steer it with one hand even with both seats on. The bassinet was purchased about a month after I had Remy because he completely freaked out on our first Nordstrom trip since being born. He didn’t want the carseat, wrap or anything. I think that trip would have looked different had I had a “bed” for him to lay in. It was a nightmare because he stopped falling asleep in the carseat for the most part. The bassinet has been a game changer. It allows Remy to just stretch out and sleep while mommy shops.
Baby Bjorn | I have been using this lately because Remy is an angel baby when he is facing out. He doesn’t make a peep. The solly only works when he is sleepy. We just ordered this carrier, as we are about to embark on a week long Disney vacay and it is a sweatbox in FL when we go. We wanted something breathable, although, it doesn’t allow your baby to face out.  We will see how it goes. Also, the baby bjorn just has added waist support which is a huge must that the Ergo carrier already had. 
Tub | Remy has officially grown out of this, but man I love this thing. It makes it so easy to bathe your toddler in the bath (if they are somewhat independent) while bathing your baby in the sink. Such a lifesaver since I do most night routines alone. We just ordered this for the bathtub to accommodate his growing man body that I love so much. 😉
And last, but certainly NOT least…. boob care! ha. 
Breast pads & Boob Ease balm | I made sure that this go around I really was consistent with taking care of the “ladies”. It can be so annoying to continuously apply a balm, but it makes all the difference in the world. I had a jar for home and a jar that I kept in my diaper bag. Also, these disposable breast pads are just the best. They are thin, but super absorbent. I even tried swapping to the Target brand, but they are just not the same in my opinion. 
Hope this was helpful to you second time or even NEW mamas. We would love to hear feedback on this post!! What product(s) are you surviving on right now?
-J

GIFT TAGS – FREE PRINTABLES

I made some gift tags for my baby mama friends, and thought you all might want to use these too! The “impractical” tag was for Jenni when she had Remy. I got her a ring with an “R” on it… completely impractical like I said, BUT I mean, still fun. The “push it” tag would be fun for a push present! Oh Salt-N-Pepa… the best. And a push present would be really fun for the new mama.
Push It Tag HERE
Impractical Tag HERE
-L

BOON SUDS BOTTLE WASHER REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!!!!

We are big Boon fans over here! How can you not be? Modern design, beautiful colors and major functionality are all things that appeal to these two mamas. Boon was kind enough to send us their new SUDS bottle washer for us to try out. It is peeeeeerfect timing since I am cleaning bottles for our little one that is due in just weeks. I was so excited to try it out, even though I already knew it would be a love at first use kind of thing. 
Dishwashers are great, but lets be real….. How many times do you go into the kitchen in the morning and need a bottle or sippy cup for your little, and realize you DID NOT run the dishwasher or you just still have a FULL SINK of dishes. There is nothing I hate more than a sink full of dishes greeting me in the morning. However… it happens! This SUDS friend of ours totally makes it a quick and slightly enjoyable process to clean a bottle quickly for your little. You simply put the bottle face down on the pump, and move it up and down so that the brush gets every inch of the bottle! GENIUS! Even my husband was intrigued!! Ladies…. this might be how we trick them into doing dishes?!
My only wish for this little gem is that you could actually wash the small inner parts of the bottle. It would be great if there was a smaller brush attachment of some sort to actually do the smaller pieces of the bottle that the milk passes through. We use Dr. Brown’s bottles, which contain a couple of smaller pieces that need some scrubbing. However, I just toss those pieces in the bottom tray of the Sudsy, and it makes for a GREAT soaking tray! Sometimes, that may be all you need to get those small pieces clean. 
This is still a product I would highly recommend. Totally worth the $22.99 that it sells for. Especially if you don’t have a dishwasher!! You could easily leave this in your sink full of soapy warm water so that you can just easily clean each bottle throughout the day. Sidenote: this is a great method of cleaning for a wine glass ( or two) that us mommies like to indulge in every night every now and then. 😉






Thank you, Boon! We are forever fans, and we truly love all of your products for us moms and our littles. 
**NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY**
Boon was kind enough to offer a SUDS bottle cleaner to one of our lucky readers!! You MUST Follow Boon on Instagram and us of course!
Tag a friend on our IG, and you are entered!!!
For an additional entry, leave a comment below telling us what you FAVORITE Boon product is after visiting their website HERE. There is just too much pretty to look at!
Happy Entering!!!

IT’S A……

We went to our 5th month check-up today, which is when we also find out the gender. We asked for the Ultrasound tech to put it in an envelope because we wanted to go get a balloon filled with confetti for us to pop and find out as a family. We thought it would be fun for Amara, and wanted to make it extra special.  Leah was sweet enough to let us pop by her entirely gorgeous and so spacious I am jealous new home. The plan was to video and take photos while we popped the balloon and watched the confetti fall and tell us what our sweet new addition would be. As we were setting up and getting ready to start snapping and filming…….
this happened…..
The balloon literally just popped on its own while my husband was walking around with it. The confetti was made of stars ( with really pointy edges), and we think it miraculously poked a hole in the bottom and BOOM! Just like that ( when we weren’t even “ready”) there was confetti all over the floor.  We all just stopped and stared in silence and in shock!! Number one, we couldn’t believe that the balloon popped. I am a little bit of a control freak, so the fact that it didn’t go as planned really caught me off guard. Ha! Secondly, wait….. is the BLUE????
 We really thought pink confetti was going to fall out of that balloon, even though we were totally open ( and maybe kind of hoping) for a boy. I felt immediate happiness for my husband who said he was so okay with either and just figured it was going to be a girl. I can’t wait to watch him be a dad to a boy!!
We are ready for this new adventure, and are so excited!! After Amara ONLY speaking of a baby sister, and shutting people DOWN if they mentioned a baby brother, we thought it would be hard for her to accept. Honestly, there was an immediate smile on her face and she celebrated with us on our ride home better than I could have hoped for! After her nap today, she woke up and told me ” baby brothers can be fun too!” My mama heart melted. We feel grateful for a healthy check up, and for God offering up the perfect addition to our little family of 3. 
Thanks for sharing in our joy!! 
XO!
-J

MY FIRST TRIMESTER….LOOKING BACK

15 week bump
After the pure joy, excitement and “oh my gosh, are we really having another baby?” moment that my husband and I experienced in the beginning of this pregnancy, all I could think about is how badly I wanted to blink my eyes and be in my second trimester. I mean the first trimester is for the birds…. seriously! I LOVE being pregnant, I embrace all of the little things that come with it, but I am a major sicky in the beginning, and it just sucks.
I was truly worried about how bad it would get. Could I still be a good mom to my 3 year old? Will I drive my husband to hate me? Am I being lazy? I would just tell myself that I need to push through it and deal, but my body shut that down real fast…. I literally couldn’t get out of bed some days. I remember we found out we were pregnant just before we went to Disney in September, and I just kept asking God to keep me feeling good for the trip so I could enjoy it with my family. He did just that! Literally on the flight home, I started feeling that good ole nausea that you know is from a growing human, not a bad piece of meat.
As I reflect, it is really easy to say that the first trimester “wasn’t that bad”. I think God designed it that way so we “forget” and keep having kids. Sigh….. My husband travels for a living (he tours doing music), and even when he is home, he has writing sessions that go late and other commitments. I am so grateful that he was home for the majority of my sickness. SO GRATEFUL! Our moms both work during the day, and we have yet to put Amara in childcare. All that to say, I couldn’t just fully depend on family that I am most comfortable with. However, we made it through! The hardest part for me was just not having an ounce of energy for my daughter. Getting up to brush my teeth ( which I didn’t do most days) was a hardcore chore for me. 
Here are MY tips for making it through the first 3 months ( or longer for some of us 🙂 :
Let people help you!
It is sooooo hard to just let someone take my child for me or come over and be in my house when it is a disaster and I look like I am on my last leg. Trust me…. I get it! However, your friends ( especially other moms who have been there) are such a great tool during this time. If they didn’t want to help…. they wouldn’t offer. Let them bring you those things you need (milk for your other child that can’t be bribed with juice anymore) that you couldn’t pick up at the grocery store because you didn’t have the energy to go.
Listen to your body:
I can’t take prenatal vitamins. They really upset my stomach/system, so I literally take kid gummy vitamins to get my folic acid. I crave coke when I am pregnant…. yes it has caffeine, and probably isn’t the healthiest of things during the beginning, but it settles my stomach like no other. I like fries and everything else salty. My stomach would lose it if I tried to eat a sweet of any kind. I can sleep allllllll day. I get most of my energy ( which was still very little) in the late night hours. It was so important for me to just let my body do its thing. I just kept telling myself that it was just a phase, and all of these hours of tv that Amara was watching wouldn’t ruin her. Right? There were no instagram posts of me eating a health salad or a juice from Whole Foods. You are not out to impress anyone…. just keep yourself alive! Haha! I tried meds to take away the intense nausea, even though I am highly opposed to taking even a headache medicine if it is unnecessary. I was desperate. The meds helped, but gave me a lot of weird side effects that were almost worse than the actual nausea, so I stopped.
Take lots of naps:
A nap a day is essential for me. Even as we are entering the second trimester, I continue to nap when Amara naps in the afternoon. Did I mention how grateful I am that she still naps? 🙂 It just makes the 5-7 o’clock window much more doable. Normally, I am dragging around that time.
Don’t “make more” for yourself:
You guys…. this has been my biggest lesson. There is so much that I was even doing for Amara that I didn’t have to do. Me being in the bed a lot the last 3 months has really forced Amara to be more independent, and it has made me realize that things can still go on without me having my hand in every. little. step of the day. I am still embracing this lesson as my pregnancy goes on. I cannot carry her everywhere and every time she asks, or grab every little toy for her or get her a snack RIGHT when she asks. All of that has been a good lesson for both of us. 
Drink lots of water:
I struggle with this on a daily basis… pregnant or not. However, during this pregnancy, nothing as truly quenched the crazy thirst I will get in the middle of the night like water. I helps me fight dizziness, headaches, and even slight nausea at times. I am really trying to make a conscious effort to increase my intake daily.
Don’t cut bangs if you don’t already have them:
Yeah, just don’t do that.
I have really enjoyed watching other mamas-to-be on Instagram and/or blogs that I follow. So much has changed even in 3 years, so it is fun to see what new products are out there, what they have chosen to differently the second time around, their style and so much more. Here are some of my favs to follow right now:
Naomi over at Love Taza
Brooke from Somewhere, Lately
Sarah Shabacon ( IG name sarahshabacon) from I Wear the Headress
Thanks for reading! Have a beautiful weekend friends!!
-J 

A “TRIP AROUND THE WORLD” THEMED BABY SHOWER

We are going on a little “trip around the world” on this lovely Friday! We wanted to share a sweet shower that is just too cute to keep to ourselves. We love big over the top celebrations just as much as the next party enthusiast, but honestly swoon over small, charming celebrations such as this one. All of the little details are so perfect and sentimental. 
Sara is awaiting the arrival of her baby boy, and her sister, Beth, was the creative mind behind all of this perfection. Even her home is stunning and full of charming details.
Beth’s blurb:
It took me a while to come up with a theme for the shower.  I didn’t want to use cheesy baby blue bottles and the generic “it’s a boy” banner.  Sara was obsessed with maps growing up and I think still is, and I knew she was using a globe in her nursery, so I thought it would be a fitting theme.  It all fit – Welcoming baby into the world, had Sara’s personality, prepping baby for all the travels and experiences he’ll have in life, and it wasn’t a cheesy landscape.  So, with the globe idea, I scoured pinterest for ideas.  I found a cardstock book of travel theme scrapbooking paper and went to work! I made bunting with leftover twine and my hot glue gun.  I had extra old wooden boxes left over from my wedding, so I used those for different levels of display.  The wreath and framed welcome sign were made from paper of an atlas and I just freehanded the words in silver sharpie, and outlined them with black sharpie. My husband made most of the food, with the exception of the cake pops.  Those were a trial and error process as they were the first ones I had made.  I used blue candy melts from Joanns and gold sprinkles to give them a “globe” look and stuck them in styrofoam for stability and covered it with white rocks to continue the travel/world theme. Everything else just kinda fell together.  All of the little touches were completed last minute by things I had laying around my house.  The birds, books, extra globes, etc. were just extra items I use in my everyday decor. 

Sara’s blurb:
I loved that beth tied items I love into the decor – maps, vintage plates, globes for the decor. In one of the wood crates on the mantle, she had vintage Nebraska and Pennsylvania state plates – the states my husband, Brad, and I were born in.  I also loved that she had the Dr. Suess “oh, the places you will go” book and used it as a guest book. it fit the theme perfectly and I’ll treasure that with the written notes inside from my girls!
Thank you SO much Sara and Beth for sharing your photos with us!! Enjoy your weekend friends! When we are not posting here, we are Instagramming….. keep up with us here!

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE SERIES (BABY BOY)

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10
(1) Make your own board book to teach little ones names and faces of their favorite people (you!). Easily upload photos and simply type in names. Perfect gift for an aunt to give their favorite nephew (HINT).
(2) The cutest taxidermy we ever did see! So sweet over a crib or changing table.
(3) Sometimes babies just like to kick around on the floor. Instead of throwing a burp cloth or towel down to prevent spit-ups… or other stuff… let baby be nice and stylish on this play mat from Dwell Studio.
(4) We at Love & Lion have taught our babies simple signs which is why we love these wooden sign language blocks. Perfect for learning, stacking, and of course knocking down.
(5) We’re not alone when we say we are crazy for Freshly Picked Mocs! They come in every color and are seriously soft and comfy for those chunky baby tootsies! 
(6) For the hipster baby who refuses regular old bibs for spit up and drool, get him a bandana bib! Absorbent and oh so stylish.
(7) Wooden teethers safe for baby in every state shape. Naturally anti-bacterial, non-allergenic, and non-toxic, which of course we love!
(8) Babies loooove keys, but please don’t let them chew on them! These key-animal teethers are simply gorgeous and have the benefit of being non-toxic. You can engrave the babies name and birthday on the back too! A keepsake your baby will actually use.
(9) Every baby boy needs a bow tie. They just do.
(10) If you’ve never felt a JellyCat toy… omg. Do it. Please. This sweet little baby Reindeer will be baby’s BFF. Look at his teeny little Reindeer horns! Perfect for the holiday season.