Summer Must-Haves for Toddler!

Summer is just around the corner and you know what that means. Trips to the beach, poolside and mini vacations! I can't believe Aubree is old enough this summer to run around the beach and play in the sand! Making memories is what it is all about after all! And there are some essentials we can't live without when summer approaches.

● COPPERTONE WATER BABIES SPF 50

This is a big one! I leave sunscreen in the diaper bag at all times being that her skin is sensitive to sun rays. Coppertone Water babies is also my fav' choice of sunscreen for my toddler. 

●SUN HATS  

They're so cute, but also keeps our baby's heads from blistering.

●SUNGLASSES 

I am a huge fan of the cute sunglasses even if my 16 month old only wears them for a few seconds. My advice is that if your baby will wear the glasses, let them! It's also a nice touch for summer outings with your little ones.

●ROMPERS

Sporting rompers are the cutest fashion for summer and one of my favorite outfits to pair with sandals for Aubree! We get so many compliments with this choice of style. I'm sure this keeps her pretty cool as well in 90 degree weather.

 ●EOS LIP BALM 

Okay, this one may or may not be more for mom (it totally is), but it's a summer necessity if you're planning on being out in the sun for a few hours.

Side note: My little diva loves putting on lip balm! 

●SWIMWEAR
Cute, stylish bathing suits are in every summer! Of course I had to buy a few for Aubree. 

●WATER, WATER, AND MORE WATER  
Our babies have to stay hydrated. Keep those sippy cups near this summer and every summer! I GOT mine from Target

What's on your list? I'd love to hear some of your favorite summer essentials for Summer 2018! xoxo

We Want Another Baby!

Beside God sending his Son to die on the cross for us, having babies is the second greatest gift God could have given women. I absolutely love being called "mama", by my 16 month old daughter, it makes me feel superior knowing that someone so small looks up to me for her every need. I LOVE what I do! 

My husband and I have often talked about having another baby and the list of reasons why could go on forever! 

We Want Aubree to Have a Sibling:

I often reminisce on all the fun times my siblings and I had growing up. They were my first best friends! We did so much together. Depriving her of all the adventures she and her siblings could have doesn't seem fair. And oh the love they will have for one another! Personally, I couldn't explain how much I truly love my siblings.

Starting Over: 

That doesn't sound very appealing to every parent, but we would love nothing more! 

Being in awe all Over Again:

OH BABY! The teeny outfits, the new baby smell, sweet little baby feet! The unimaginable feeling when you hold your baby for the first time! Don't get me wrong, we're still in awe over our little girl. She gives us new reasons to be every single day! 

Having the Knowledge we Didn't Have With Baby #1: 

Obviously we're human and first time parents can't get everything right. Having baby #2 gives us the perfect opportunity to brag about how much we already know and saying things like "oh don't worry we got this. Been there, done that"! 


More to Love:

We have all the love in the world for our daughter and there's definitely room in our hearts for another baby! 







While a sibling doesn't look to be in the near future for Aubree, we would love the blessing of not just one, but two little blessings when the time is right! As of right now, we want to spoil our little girl with love and hugs while she's still so little. She deserves mommy and daddy's undivided attention. I'm sure she wouldn't argue with that statement! 

The Truth About Stretch Marks

It took me awhile to come to terms with my body. And by awhile I mean a year.  Pretending to be the perfect mother who didn't have stretch marks. Trying to cover them up every chance I got, because I was seriously terrified about what someone might be thinking. Well, I'm through with that noise! And here's why.

They are not going anywhere! Face it. It's the hard truth. I've spent money and time lathering oils and lotions all over my stomach in hopes that in a few months they would slowly fade, but they didn't! They won't! In time they will fade. That is true. But completely? No. Immediately? Nope. I know this isn't what you want to hear, but bear with me, I promise I'm getting somewhere with this.

If I waited until they're totally gone to show my face at the beach again I'd be waiting a lifetime. That's a lifetime of stress wondering what others think of me. It's a losing battle. I'm dropping the weight but the stretch marks are here to stay! I'm taking pride in them and you should too. We are the real deal. We carried and gave birth to another human being. 

Let's recoil from this dark place we've placed ourselves in, scared of what others are going to say or think. Our stretch marks have a story. Our baby's story. Would we ever feel ashamed of our children? Of course not! Why should we be ashamed of our stretch marks? That's where their story began. 

You are beautiful! 

Whats in your Hospital Bag?

When I packed a hospital bag for my daughter I honestly had no idea what I'd actually need. So, what did I do? Packed her bag completely full of course! And newsflash! I ended up not using half of what was in there. I wish I would have known what I know now. So, what will you actually need? Stay tuned!

●Warm Blanket(s)

This one is important. Your baby wants to feel surrounded by warmth. This gives them that "safe place" feel. Bringing your own baby blanket also beats the heck out of using the thin blankets from the hospital. 

●Baby Hats

Baby hats aren't just the absolute cutest on newborn babies, but they also keep them warm and cozy!

●Pacifier 

I know this is a personal preference and some parents would much rather stay away! However, some parents introduce the binky as an extra comforting tool. I must note that I myself did not pack a pacifier (completely forgot), but totally would have if I remembered. The hospital did provide us with one. But... pacifiers from the hospital didn't exactly scream clean to me. 

●Socks 

This is something the hospital did not provide us with. I wanted our little angel to be as warm as possible and socks were a must have! 

●Mittens 

(Should have seen this one coming after the socks). Once again, I wanted to keep her warm. A bonus mittens have are that they can be extremely helpful when you have visitors, just so they won't feel obligated to touch your newborn's bare hands.

 I may be be a little OCD, don't judge. 

●Burp cloths

Newborns tend to spit up. Like a lot. Need I say more?

●Car Seat 

Please, do not forget about this one, very important thing! Obviously you will not be able to leave without a proper, working, infant car seat. 

●Gowns 

You have no idea how awesome gowns are until you have to change your newborn's diaper. Adding to that, they go on so easily! Sure, you can pack the cutesy outfits for picture purposes. I did! 

●Going Home Outfit 

This one doesn't have to be fancy or anything unless, you know. Picture purposes.

●Baby Book

You don't want to forget about the baby book. Making sure you write down everything immediately before forgetting. From baby's weight, height, eye color, birth story etc. 


                         

 Did I miss anything? What would you add to the list that is an absolute must have item for your newborn's hospital bag?

Loving Yourself Again.

After giving birth we're left with the uncertainty of what might happen to our bodies. I'm going to be perfectly blunt here, we feel ugly and fat. It's the absolute truth. The baby weight lingers for months, being tired is the new normal, messy buns are your only choice of hairstyle, the jeans you use to put on effortlessly will not go over your thighs anymore. And makeup... Well, when was the last time you actually had time for that? With these new responsibilities it seems as if the old us has transformed into someone totally different. Entering into this whole new world gives us an awful perspective of ourselves. We discover somewhere along the path that we no longer have self love...

Pregnancy is one of the most authentic things we'll ever do as women. We accomplish so much in nine short months, but the aftermath it has on our bodies can be difficult. I'm talking about a week after giving birth. You've had a long day of feedings, diaper changes and naps. Literally the same routine for hours on end. As the night draws to a close you FINALLY get the "mommy time" you've been craving all day. So what do we do? Hot bath of course! You're about to jump in, ready to wash the day away, with spit up (and God only knows what else) when you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror. You come to a complete halt. You notice for the first time.... The loose skin where your baby use to be, extra weight, stretch marks, dark circles underneath the eyes. THE HORROR! Everything that pregnancy left you with sticks out like a sore thumb in this particular moment. The women in the mirror is a total stranger. For weeks we pity ourselves, asking are we still enough? Our bodies have changed. It seems as if feeling beautiful will never happen again. 

IT WILL!

Slowly. You slowly start to love your body again. As your baby starts sleeping considerably better, we finally get the sleep we've missed out on for weeks. Our jeans are fitting again, makeup has made a reappearance. We actually feel like doing our hair! Looking in the mirror is now bearable. We feel beautiful again! It's miraculous what sleep and a little weight loss can do. Time is truly key!