9.27.2018

THE PERFECT STROLLER WITH BABYJOGGER

This post in in partnership with Baby Jogger. All opinions are my own.

Family adventures are something we take seriously... even if it's just a walk in the park, or around our neighborhood, every single one is an adventure because you never know what you might see next and the best part is just to spend time with each other! A new plant to see, a bug we've never spied before, finding a new fruit tree or wildflower, a pretty rock, or finding a new trail... the exploration and adventures never end! That's why we always need a good stroller to go along with us for all of the fun things we do, see, and find!


While we liked the stroller we had before, it had slightly seen it's better days haha, and we were getting slightly tired of having to put air in the tires every time we wanted to use it... most of all... we were tired of it barely fitting into the trunk of our car, and once we got it in there, literally nothing else would fit, it was just so huge and bulky. Storing it indoors when we needed space in the car was craziness in itself too, it took up half of our entryway closet.

So finally, a friend recommend this stroller and we have been nothing short of impressed. It has been amazing. Our favorite stroller yet! What stroller am I talking about? Why the city mini® GT stroller from Baby Jogger of course! It comes in multiple colors, that are all amazing, but I loved the sleek and luxe look of the Anniversary Edition, so that's what we went with! The city mini® GT stroller anniversary edition is Baby Jogger's way of celebrating 10 years of something good, and making a special edition that's even better, with some upgrades and fun extras!


This stroller is so compact, and the small, yet perfect size, doesn't affect the style of it at all, it just makes it that much better. Here are some of the things we love most about the stroller:

Compact size makes it easy to travel with wherever your adventures may take you.

The oversized sun canopy comes down further than any other stroller I've seen to keep the sun off of the little ones.

It opens easily, and closes even easier with the handy "pull to close" tab in the seat.

The adjustable handle bars, I'm tall and so is my husband, so all the other strollers we have owned previously, all seemed too short, or were at an uncomfortable height for one of us, but with this stroller, the push handle can be adjusted easily with the click of a button on the side to whoever is currently pushing it.

The hand operated brake, right below the push handle, perfect so I don't have to bend down to flip the brake on (which is difficult for me since I'm currently expecting) or use my foot to brake it (which isn't the easiest while wearing sandals) like all of the previous strollers we've owned.

The all terrain tires, which do not have to be inflated, are perfect for all the off trail exploration you want to do.

The reclining (perfect for babies or napping children), or high sitting up (great for older kiddos like Bella) positions the seat offers.

The sophisticated look of the city mini® GT Anniversary Edition fits into your lifestyle without having to give up the sleek and minimal look you love.



We have used this stroller so much this past summer and it's just perfect for all of our autumn adventures as well, and have no complaints about it whatsoever, it's just fit into our lifestyle so perfectly and Bella has loved riding in it as much as we have loved using it as parents! Now on to all of the autumn adventures!

9.25.2018

29 WEEK BUMPDATE

HI friends! So it's been a long minute since my last bumpdate hasn't it? I would say second child syndrome haha, but that really isn't the case, life has just been so busy with a ton of blog posts in the works (hello 2018 holiday gift guides), visits from family, preparing for baby, midwives appointments, summertime things and now the arrival of all of the autumn activities, and just spending every moment as a family that we can! I shared a couple months back that we are having a boy and we are all still over the moon with excitement! Frank and I are both excited to have a baby boy, and Bella is so thrilled to have a baby brother. She constantly gives my belly kisses and hugs, sings and talks to him and tells him how much she loves him already. Nearly every day she tells me how much she can't wait to meet him and it's just the sweetest thing ever.


Due Date: December 7

How far along: 29 weeks

Size of baby: The size of an acorn squash according to THE BUMP.

Total weight gain: Around 15 lbs I think?

Maternity clothes: Yes, and no. Mostly regular clothes still (flowy dresses, etc), and a few maternity clothes (give me all the cozy leggings).

Stretch marks: A few yes.

Sleep: Sometimes yes, sometimes no. The pregnancy insomnia has arrived.

Best moment of the week: All the baby kicks and all the tiny baby things arriving.

Miss anything: Sleeping good, and being able to get out of bed and off the sofa easily haha.

Movement: Yes!

Food cravings: I have been loving caesar salads lately (with the Panera at home caeser dressing) and jalapeno poppers. Basically I'm constantly hungry these days.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Talking or laughing too much. Oh, cinnamon, and also milk.

Have you started to show yet: Yes!

Gender: BOY!!!!!

Labor signs: No, but lots of braxton hicks.

Belly button in or out: In.

Wedding rings on or off: On, but I also had to get a pregnancy engagement ring from Everly Rings to wear on days that I'm extra swelled up. Mostly I'm still wearing my regular wedding/engagement ring though.

Happy or moody most of the time: Both lol. I feel like I'm pretty happy for the most part, some days everything makes me cry though lol.

Looking forward to: Meeting this sweet baby boy! And of course all the good mail days with all of the sweet things arriving that we just purchased for baby boy!


9.24.2018

SEPTEMBER LIT LIST WITH BABYLIT

Growing up, I was such a book worm, I read pretty much everything that wasn't glued down and you'd always find me at the library or sitting on my bed reading. Of course, when I became a teenager and got my own smartphone I didn't want to just play game and text friends... nope, I downloaded allllll the free books, I read almost all the classics, Sherlock Holmes, Alice in wonderland, Moby Dick, and practically everything Jane Austen ever wrote. No small surprise that my favorite book was Pride and Prejudice, so when I found a children's version of the beloved Jane Austen novel after I became a mom, I knew my little girl had to have it, she actually needed it.



And so the obsession with Babylit books began. And once we started collecting them, we haven't been able to stop. No seriously, I have no idea what the Babylit book count is up to in our home, but it's a lot, and we love it. Our daughter can recite the original Pride and Prejudice primer we bought for her by heart, we've read it to her that much since we bought it for her as a birthday present when she turned a year old, and whenever we ask her to choose a bedtime story, 90% of the time, she'll choose one of her Babylit books.



So with a baby boy on the way, I looked over the titles we had, and ultimately decided that we needed to add some new books to our lineup, some more "boy-ish" books... So here's what we chose below:









We've been loving reading these at bedtimes so far and can't wait to start reading them to baby once he's here (I'm a firm believer in instilling a love of literature at a young age, even reading to little ones as young as a newborn).



Babylit also has some fun new storybooks, basically a step up from the primers that we love to much, and now that Bella is older, they're also perfect for sharing the entire story with her! She's had so much fun learning more about everyone in Pride & Prejudice, finding out the whole story of Alice in Wonderland and The Secret Garden, and finding a new story that she's never heard before with The Jungle Book! These titles below are the ones we chose and are so much fun:





Whether you've never heard of Babylit books before, or already love them but are just searching for some new books to add to your little one's collection or even to gift to nieces/nephews/grandkids, Babylit is our favorite way to introduce tiny people to all the classics and to help instill a love of reading at a young age. They make the perfect bedtime stories since they're not ages long, and reading is such a great way to spend  bonding time with your kiddos. The illustrations are also so vivid and Bella has always loved  just sitting and looking at them, even at a year old when we first introduced her to Babylit books. Find all their books here (so many amazing ones to choose from)... Happy reading!


9.23.2018

ADELISA & CO. FOR AUTUMN

I have a slight obsession with brown shoes. I organized our closet the other day, lined up all of our shoes and when I was done, I stepped back to admire my organization... and started laughing, 95% of our shoes are some shade of brown. So of course when I seen these pretty shoes from Adelisa & Co. last year, I immediately had my heart set on getting a pair for Bella, as well as owning a pair myself when the released women's sizes.


They're just so dainty and feminine and beautiful, aren't they?  I might be in love with them. These Cosecha Mary Janes have quickly become some of mine and Bella's most favorite shoes since they arrived last month and they're so comfortable we never want to take them off. Bella has practically not taken hers off since they came and I love wearing mine to church especially, they just bring such a cute element to my outfits.


Each pair of Adelisa & Co. shoes and boots are lovingly crafted and handmade by artisans in Nicaragua, and since each pair is made by real people, it creates a lasting impact in the lives of so many families. Additionally, 10% of the proceeds of each purchase goes to young families with little ones in Nicaragua to create a lasting impact for those in need, and the little ones they are raising.


Shopping small, and shopping where I know my purchases are actually making a difference is so important to me, that's part of why we love Adelisa & Co. so much. That, and of course their affordable prices, heirloom quality products and the simple and beautiful look to their footwear that's perfect for everyday wear, and so great for family photos. I fully plan on having Bella and myself all wear Adelisa & Co. shoes or boots in our family photos next year, and buying a pair of their adorable Paseo boots for baby boy once his feet grow big enough. Have you added any Adelisa & Co. shoes to your wardrobe? What do you love most about them?

9.20.2018

OUR FAVORITE NURSERY RUG

I received product compliments of Lorena Canals in exchange for this post. :)

When I find an item that's cute and functional and washable... you can bet I'll be sharing how much I love it, maybe even more than once. That's how we are with Lorena Canals Rugs! Right after we tried one of their rugs for the first time 3 years ago, we were hooked. I just love how they bring a space to life, but most of all how they're washable! With little ones, spills and crumbs are truly inevitable, so the fact that if something gets spilled, ground into or tracked onto this rug, all I have to do is pick it up, throw it in the wash just like I would any regular load of laundry and then dry as I normally would a load of laundry fresh out of the wash.



It's just the best, and not only does it make my life easier as a parent, but it also allows my kiddo to just be a kiddo. Another thing we love as a health conscious family, is that these rugs are about as natural as it comes when it comes to area rugs. Each rug is , eco friendly and hand made and only dyed using natural dyes. They also contain no VOCs like most carpeting and rugs.

Lorena Canals are loved by regular mamas just like you and me, but also raved about by all of the celebrity moms as well! Lorena Canals was chosen by Vogue recently as a top product for nurseries, and I can completely understand why! It's one of my favorite items in my babies shared space just because it's so functional, but especially because can be cleaned so fast and easy (no need to hire steam cleaners or buy/rent a carpet shampooer). After each wash and dry, it gets so fluffy and super soft, it honestly feels, and looks brand new with every wash!



When new moms ask me what my top favorite and must have nursery items are, these rugs from Lorena Canals are always at the top of my list of recommendations. In the past we've owned an adorable purple flower rug (not currently available), and this sweet gray and white dot scallop rug and loved them both, but this beige and black stripe bereber tassel rug has to be my most favorite of them all. It brings such a look of sophisticated-ness to the room, and lightens the room up since its a nice light neutral color. It surprisingly doesn't show dirt or crumbs hardly at all since it's a nice cream color.



While we've just used Lorena Canals rugs in our little one's space, the great thing about Lorena Canals rugs, is that they make perfect rugs for any room! Kitchens, family spaces, even big bathrooms or entryways! How cute is this rug in Bella and Baby #2's shared space?!


9.18.2018

DOCKATOT LOVE

I received product compliments of DockATot in exchange for this post. :)

One item I've been super excited about for baby boy, is the DockATot! They came out with these with Bella was a few years old, so we never got to use one with her, so this is one of those fun new products that we get to try out this time around!


So you may be asking... What exactly is DockATot? Well, here's the lowdown. DockATot is a multi-functional lounger! Part co-sleeper, part playtime lounger. So basically the perfect items for babies. It comes in two different sizes, The Deluxe (which we chose), perfect for the teeny ones ages 0 to 8 months, and the Grand, which is designed for older babes ages 9 months all the way to 36 months!



It's so soft and comfy, perfect for little ones. Each DockATot is designed in Sweden, and hand made in Europe, tested for breath-ability and is made from OEKO-TEX certified, all natural 100% cotton which makes it the ideal micro climate for babies and toddlers.

While the DockATot Deluxe is designed to keep infants and newborns as comfy as possible, the DockATot Grand, is perfect for toddler bed transitions! Whether your'e going from co-sleeping with your little one and they need that secure feeling that feels similar to you next to them, or you're moving them from a crib to toddler bed (or straight into a twin bed like we done with Bella), the DockATot is the best!


DockATot comes in so many different print options, choosing one was the hardest decision (in a good way). Ultimately I chose white because I'm a lover of simplicity and minimal solids. I love the look of it. I also wanted to make sure we had an extra cover in case our white cover got dirty because with babies spit-up and blowouts happen quite often haha. So I looked through the extra covers that DockATot offers and fell head over heals with the beautiful botanical look of this cover. Making all my fern and forest loving dreams come true. 

You can bet we'll be bring this along with us on trips and vacations when we don't have access to a crib, and baby boy will be so used to his DockATot that not having his crib won't even bother him, which I love! It creates a portable familiarity perfect for babies who are used to a certain routine.

Did you use a DockATot with your little ones? What did you love about it?

9.17.2018

ZUCCHINI BREAD

We grew a ton of zucchini in the garden this year, so with zucchini practically out our ears, I of course made zucchini bread a every few days. This is my go-to recipe and it is so warm and delicious. While it's good by itself, a smear of whipped cream cheese or a pat of butter make it simply divine. So if you've got a ton of zucchini frozen from your garden, or if you make sure to always add it to you farmer's market list, this is the perfect recipe for you.


INGREDIENTS:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 1/4 cups white sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini


DIRECTIONS:
Grease two bread/loaf pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes or so. Remove bread from pan. Let cool (or eat warm if you prefer), and enjoy!

9.13.2018

NO MORE CRUMBS WITH bObsweep

This post is in partnership with bObsweep and I received product in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.

Let's face it, vacuuming just isn't my favorite thing... BUT with little ones constantly running around and spreading crumbs in their path, vacuuming isn't just inevitable, it's a necessity. Aaaaand since becoming pregnant with baby #2, my energy levels have gone from normal to practically nothing haha, so what did I do? I headed to the internet of course to search up a good hands free robotic vacuum! I wanted something sleek, neutral, quiet and that would get the job done.


bObsweep to the rescue! Our bObi Classic compact cleaner, or "bObi" for short, has seriously been so, so nice to have around and not have to lug the big vacuum out whenever I need to get a few crumbs off the floor. All I have to do is grab bObi's remote, and with the push of a button, she's of to clean all our floors for me!

Bella loves watching her scoot across the floor, she sometimes pretends that bObi is our very own robot dog and loves following her from room to room, and bObi totally makes me think of something the Jetson's might have owned.


One of the nicest things about bObi, and something that really pleasantly surprised us, is just how quiet she is! We can turn her on to clean during dinner, or while we're watching TV and we barely even notice her unless she bumps into our feet like a little puppy begging for crumbs haha. We've even had company over and they barely even noticed her because she's so quiet!


bObi is super light and compact so she doesn't take up a ton of room while cleaning or charging at her docking station, her small size also makes her perfect for slipping under furniture and cleaning under there too. bObi has over 80 sensors to help navigate her way around and underneath furniture as well as keep her away from steep drops such as stairs. She's super user friendly, and only took a few minutes to figure out how to use her to her full potential, you can even schedule cleanings and she will clean your home at a certain time each day if you'd like!

Parents, if you've been looking for a way to make your life easier: to not spend so much of your free time cleaning so that you can spend that time making memories with your sweet little ones, you need a bObi in your life! You can head here to read more about bObi and to get your very own! Happy cleaning friends!

9.10.2018

GIRLS IN SCIENCE

Ever since I can remember, I've been absolutely fascinated with space. As a child, I dreamed of someday going to space and becoming an astronaut, and as a teenager and also as a young adult before I got married, I was planning on joining the air force and hoping to become a pilot (I just loved all things aviation, and still do). So when American Girl unveiled their new girl of the year, Luciana Vega, I was so thrilled to learn that she was interested in space and her plans were to become the first person on mars! And throw in the fact that she was into STEM and getting more young girls interested in space, science, math and more, I couldn't have been more excited to introduce my daughter to her and the world of science.



She's become the perfect tool for teaching STEM to my daughter, and even came along with us for a trip to the science center recently where we learned all about space, and robots (which was one of Bella's absolute favorite parts) and how so many things work in science! Bella had a blast carrying her and learning along right beside her new friend "Lucy".



Bella has loved Luciana since as soon as she laid eyes on her when the box arrived. Her pretty dress, the streak of purple running through her hair, she even loves when I read chapters of the Luciana book to her AND she especially loves the extra accessories that are available for Luciana. The telescope projector is her absolute favorite, she loves turning the lights off and turning it on to reveal the most beautiful and breathtaking planets, nebula, space station, the moon and of course mars! The mini astronaut figure is another favorite of hers and she plays with Luciana and her accessories for hours at a time, all while asking questions about space, the world around her and all about how things work.

I just love that American Girl worked with NASA closely on this doll to make sure everything was correct and so that through dolls and make believe, girls could find out more about STEM projects and learn about science! Way to go American Girl!