SUMMER VACATION FAVS !

Hello, all my Summer lovin' friends! I know you're so excited to be in the midst of a season for vacations (I know I am) and I'm celebrating by sharing some of my most fav items I'll be packing in my suitcase for Florida this weekend! 

I'll be listing where I purchased everything underneath the photos, with the link that will redirect you to the website!

 1.Vintage floral lace kimono $29.90 found at Love, Peace & Boho

2. Mad Love Keava Footbed Sandal $22.99 at Target

3. ELF BB Cream with SPF 20 $6.00 found at Target 

4. EOS Lip Balm $2.99 at Walmart

5. Floppy Visor Hat retails for $11.99 at Cato Fashions

6. Crochet Triangle Bikini Top $19.99 at Target

7. Crochet Inset Cheeky High Waist Bikini Bottom $22.99 also found at Target

8. Relaxed High-neck Swing Cami retails for $24.99 at Old Navy
I love this tropical top, it's perfect for the beach! 

9. Sally Hansen Airbrush Sun Instant Tanning Mousse $11.74 purchased at Walmart. A little info. This instant tan really does work! It goes on evenly and I love it! 

xoxo, Ally

DITCHING THE PACIFIER COLD TURKEY!

My daughter was 14 months old when I knew it was time to take my her pacifier. I dreaded the thought. I almost bailed on the idea all together! I wasn't mentally prepared for how badly it would probably go. 

I do want to point out that pacifiers aren't all bad. In fact it can prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and best to let your baby use them until 6 months old!

There does come a time however, the binky MUST go! They can't keep them forever, though I will admit I thought once or twice about letting Aubree have her pacifier for as long as possible, but quickly realized how silly it was to entertain that thought. I couldn't bare the agonizing feeling of taking something my baby was so dependant on for so long. 

If your child is anything like mine was, she insisted on having her pacifier during nap and bedtime. Without it I'm afraid she would not fall asleep! This made the process very difficult for the both of us. 

I googled and googled. Read other mom's blog advice on how to go about taking her pacifier. Thought hard about taking the "weaning" direction, but the more I read about weaning her, it seemed to be more trouble than it was worth. 

The mommy instinct was gravitating more toward doing this cold turkey. Believe me it wasn't easy. She screamed bloody Mary the first day I laid her down for a nap. It was the single most heartbreaking thing I've ever done.

Yes, just like most moms, I almost cracked! I wanted to give the pacifier back and forget everything. As if all the screaming and crying never happened! "So why didn't you"? You might ask. Easy. I threw all those prized possessions in the trash, because I knew I'd want to "just start over tomorrow" (no such thing). I kept two for her baby box and that was it! 

Here comes the "aah, I can finally breath again" part. After a week of no pacifier, she was perfectly fine with nap and bed time! Whew. I could finally relax when these times rolled around. I did it! I still feel pretty victorious about it. This mom never budged! It takes consistency to do something like this. Never give up, even through the chaos! Remember the old saying, "it gets worse before it gets better".

In the end, I'm so glad I took the cold turkey method. It was quick. Not easy, but quick! Maybe this method won't be best for you and your baby, but nevertheless I am rooting for the mommy's out there!

Dear Teenage Me.

Father's Day is Sunday and with it come many blogs about "Father's Day Gift Guides", but I'm taking a different approach.

My brothers and I are going on 5 years without our dad, so Father's Day isn't really celebrated with us anymore. We've put it on the back burner and haven't
looked back.

As I thought about what my blog could be about pertaining Father's Day, it came to me. A letter to my teenage self on all the things I wish I would have known before he died. It was hard to reminisce on this stuff to say the least, but it's a way to honor my dad on yet another Father's Day spent without him.

Teenage girls, if your dad is still well and very much alive listen up!

Dear teenage me:

Watch your words. I understand hormones are raging. You're 14 and think you know everything. Every time he says "No", you "hate him." He's looking out for you. Someday you'll understand. 

Dear teenage me:

When he hugged you and said "I love you", you pulled away, not saying it back. You thought you were too old for dad's hugs. He responded with, "one day I won't be here and you'll wish I was." Wow, he was right. 

Dear teenage me:

Tell him thank you every chance you get. After all, he has always been there like a dad should be. Providing and making sure food was on the table every night. 

Dear teenage me:

You're 15 now and a boyfriend seems more important than he does. I'm begging you to please break up with this guy and spend all the time in the world with your dad. Boys can wait. Unfortunately time spent with your dad can't..

Dear teenage me:

You're 16. Through tears I ask you to please answer his call. He leaves a voicemail, because you in fact did not answer. You were probably mad about some crazy adolescent thing. 

P.S. you will hold onto to that voicemail for the rest of your life.

Dear teenage me:

The last night you see him.... Hug him tight. Don't let go. I'm screaming to you from the top of my lungs to please, please hold onto him for as long as you possibly can. Tell him you love him over and over. Even if he is wondering why you sound like a broken record. He doesn't know why, but I do...

Dear teenage me:

Do not, under any circumstances hang the phone up on him!!! You did.. There you go again with that awful teenage attitude of yours. You think you know everything. If you did, you would heed my warning.

Dear teenage me:

It's the night of July 15th 2013 and you're in your room watching a movie. You are just a 16 year old teenager without a care in the world. Still a child. I don't know how to tell you this. He's already gone...

Dear teenage me:

I'm not going to sugar coat anything. The weeks following will be really, really tough for you and your family. Stay strong. God will see you through this trial. 

                                               

For my dad. Happy Father's Day ❤

5 Reasons to Have Another Girl!

As I talked about in my initial blog post, my husband and want another baby. Not at the moment. But, that doesn't mean I can't ponder the pros of having another girl.

It's no secrete with my first pregnancy how badly I wanted a little girl! I practically prayed for her since I was a child (not kidding) I always knew I wanted a daughter! 

There's so many reasons for wanting another baby wrapped in pink. The frilly outfits, bows, beauty pageants! I could go on all day, but we don't have enough time for that! 

I do have time for writing 5 reasons to have another girl. Stay tuned!

1. We Already Have Everything We Need

I pretty much kept the essentials and while that wouldn't stop me from going shopping for baby #2, at least I can say we have the necessities. Things Aubree either wore once or didn't get to wear at all. 

2. Aubree Would Have a Best Friend for Life 

Yes, of course you have a best friend in siblings brother or sister. However, brothers tend to go their own way as you grow into adults, but sisters are another story. You have a long term friend in a sister. Someone you can share clothes, secretes, laughs and tears with. 

3. Cute Girly Things 

I love, love, love dressing Aubree up! The big bows, frilly socks, painted toes. The whole shebang! You name it, I love it! 

4. Tons of Girl Names 

It's extremely hard finding boy names, or is it just this indesisive couple? I love having things planned way ahead, so therefore I wanted to be prepared by having names chosen for both genders, but would you know. We couldn't agree on any names for a boy! Thank God Aubree was an Aubree the entire time. Phew! 

5. Bonding 

You can bond with your son, true. I've learned that it comes easier with daughters though (after the teenage angst years). My hope and prayer is to have that distinct bond with Aubree as I do with my mom and how awesome would it be to have that bonding experience with two girls?