Thursday, October 9, 2014
Birth Announcement for TBT
Sweet and easy baby announcement. This time last year we were trying to figure out how to announce our baby news!
Top Five Favorite Baby Products
I am a self professed product lover... I love anything that is cool and unique but I also can not justify ridiculousness of $500.00 highchairs and $90 jeans for an infant either. With that being said my favorite baby products that I have found to be totally worth the money and very useful are listed below!
1. Stroller and Infant Car Seat Combo.
The car seat I love is the Mico AP by MaxiCosi. It is the lightest premium car seat on the market, the seat comes off to wash, and it looks really nice. I have the infant and the toddler version and they are both great! They recently began selling a combo pack of the Quinny Stroller (which is amazing) for $499.00 That sounds like a lot but when you figure the car seat alone is at least $200 its actually a great deal. I bought my car seat for $200 and then a $400.00 stroller that isn't as nice as the Quinny. And seriously these colors are amazing. If you have to carry around all this gear I think it should be fashionable!
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3. Halo Bassinet
This is my serious lust item. My baby is already too big but when I saw this I wanted to kiss the inventor! What a genius. When my baby was in the bassinet and I was nearly dead from exhaustion getting him out to feed him every two hours, I nearly tipped the bassinet over trying to pull him out. This has a drop side that makes all of that so easy! Major must have for baby number 2! ps I have heard great things about the co-sleepers too but because my bed has a big wooden frame it just couldn't work in our house.
5. Clothes
The best time is when they have a 40% off of all sale items. I love their cute little clothes and I trust the quality. I have bought a lot of things at Babies R Us and they haven't lasted or washed well. I love the look of a little baby in mini adult clothes so to speak but I seriously feel guilty when he doesn't seem comfy and I know that there will be plenty of time for baby H to wear jeans and stuff so I try to buy soft comfy outfits for him and gap is my go to spot! I also love Freshly Picked Moccasins and the trendy brands like Little Hip Squeaks but I can't make myself pay $31 for a pair of baby leggings.... Their hats and headbands are worth it though!
1. Stroller and Infant Car Seat Combo.
The car seat I love is the Mico AP by MaxiCosi. It is the lightest premium car seat on the market, the seat comes off to wash, and it looks really nice. I have the infant and the toddler version and they are both great! They recently began selling a combo pack of the Quinny Stroller (which is amazing) for $499.00 That sounds like a lot but when you figure the car seat alone is at least $200 its actually a great deal. I bought my car seat for $200 and then a $400.00 stroller that isn't as nice as the Quinny. And seriously these colors are amazing. If you have to carry around all this gear I think it should be fashionable!
2. Anything Aden and Anais
Seriously...anything. I fell in love with the swaddling blankets and now an obsessed with everything from bibs, wearable blankets, towels ect. I love the super soft, light and natural feel of these products. Light enough for summer, big enough to nurse under, beautiful prints and warm enough for fall what more can a girl baby ask for. Love Love Love.
This is my serious lust item. My baby is already too big but when I saw this I wanted to kiss the inventor! What a genius. When my baby was in the bassinet and I was nearly dead from exhaustion getting him out to feed him every two hours, I nearly tipped the bassinet over trying to pull him out. This has a drop side that makes all of that so easy! Major must have for baby number 2! ps I have heard great things about the co-sleepers too but because my bed has a big wooden frame it just couldn't work in our house.
4. Bamboobies!
I know I wrote a whole blog on breast pads and said that the washables basically sucked... welllll that was before I found Bamboobies!!! OMG so soft, so absorbent, so cute and wash up beautifully! $35 seems like a lot to spend on 6 pairs of breastpads but I would have spent that every two months with the disposables and been not even half as happy as I am with Bamboobies. I bought two packs and considering I do laundry every other day I never run out. These are by far the best option I have found!
The best time is when they have a 40% off of all sale items. I love their cute little clothes and I trust the quality. I have bought a lot of things at Babies R Us and they haven't lasted or washed well. I love the look of a little baby in mini adult clothes so to speak but I seriously feel guilty when he doesn't seem comfy and I know that there will be plenty of time for baby H to wear jeans and stuff so I try to buy soft comfy outfits for him and gap is my go to spot! I also love Freshly Picked Moccasins and the trendy brands like Little Hip Squeaks but I can't make myself pay $31 for a pair of baby leggings.... Their hats and headbands are worth it though!
What baby products can you not live without? I am still in search of the perfect nursing bra and diapers that don't let my kid have regular blow outs. Does anyone have any recommendations?
Long Luscious Lashes
Nothing is better than long, thick....eyelashes! I see some girls that look so gorg with no mascara or eyelash extensions and I am so jel because that will never be me. Dont get me wrong I rock the no makeup look all the time, but because Im fair skinned and blonde my eyelashes are invisible. I have tried getting them dyed, castor oil treatments, extensions and other diy recipes for making them long, stronger, thicker and darker and nothing worked. I have had the extensions which are great but I simply don't have the time to get them done every 2-3 weeks. I finally found a miracle that has made them so long and strong! Its called lylash and I bought it on overstock for $99 but it has lasted for over a year already! It doesn't help with making them any darker but it does make a huge difference in the length especially after taking extensions off and they need some TLC. I actually have to be careful to only put on a light coat of mascara now or they seriously look fake! Maybe no ones else cares as much about eyelashes but to me they make all the difference in the world! The below picture is after using lylash everyday for a few weeks and then scaling down to about once a week or every two weeks and just a VERY light coat of mascara for color!
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Gelish Manicure at Home
I am a relentless nail biter/picker. Its a horrible habit but in 25 years nothing has really cured me. Wearing acrylic nails helped but as soon as there was any lifting I would just pick and rip them off leaving the wake of destruction on my nail beds behind. When gel nail polish came out I was excited to have a tougher than nail polish but softer than acrylic covering on my nails. I still have tendency to pick but so far the gel has been great...the only problem was the time commitment and the cost. Being a stay at home mom is the greatest job ever but it doesn't exactly pay well. Often times I look at something and think I can make it or do it myself and it is a total disaster but when I saw an LED mini light on amazon for $30 (the cost of one gel application at the salon) I had to try it! I ordered the supplies which include the light, base, top cleaner and remover and set out for my DIY gel mani. After some trial and error I have to say it is actually pretty easy. If you are a type A perfectionist like me you will easily master it in no time. I have gotten the value out of my supplies ten time over in just 6 months. The best part is not having to go sit in the chemical filled salon for an hour! Here are my top 5 tips for gel mani's at home:
1. Follow the directions for prep. File, push back cuticles and buff your nails. Then wash your hands, use the cleaner and then the bonder to dry out any oils. If you skip any of these steps the gel wont stick as well.
2. When the bottle says apply a thin coat it means it! The gel has to cure to become hard and if the coats are too thick it can't do this properly and won't come out right. Its ok if you need 3 coats of color to have it look right as long as they are thin coats.
3. Refresh your mani without starting over. I can do a full set of gel nails in about 40 minutes, with a baby, a dog, a house and a husband to take care of, 40 minutes of alone time isn't something easy to come by. To stretch out my time in between full sets I lightly buff my nails apply one coat of base, one coat of color and a top coat. This take about 15 minutes and makes my nails last an extra 5 or so days.
4. Do one full hand at a time. If you are like me and doing this in between baby naps and loads of laundry, do one entire hand to completion, check your kid or whatever you are working on and then go do the other hand. Often times I have been halfway done with both hands and been interrupted and it ruins the whole thing. The gel is sticky until the top coat and cleaner and if any lint gets stuck to it before then it will bubble and be a wreck!
5. Don't rush. My best tip for you is to be patient and careful to get the gel to the edges of your nails without getting it on your cuticles. With a tiny bit of practice your nails will be fabulous with out the cost or the commitment!
1. Follow the directions for prep. File, push back cuticles and buff your nails. Then wash your hands, use the cleaner and then the bonder to dry out any oils. If you skip any of these steps the gel wont stick as well.
2. When the bottle says apply a thin coat it means it! The gel has to cure to become hard and if the coats are too thick it can't do this properly and won't come out right. Its ok if you need 3 coats of color to have it look right as long as they are thin coats.
3. Refresh your mani without starting over. I can do a full set of gel nails in about 40 minutes, with a baby, a dog, a house and a husband to take care of, 40 minutes of alone time isn't something easy to come by. To stretch out my time in between full sets I lightly buff my nails apply one coat of base, one coat of color and a top coat. This take about 15 minutes and makes my nails last an extra 5 or so days.
4. Do one full hand at a time. If you are like me and doing this in between baby naps and loads of laundry, do one entire hand to completion, check your kid or whatever you are working on and then go do the other hand. Often times I have been halfway done with both hands and been interrupted and it ruins the whole thing. The gel is sticky until the top coat and cleaner and if any lint gets stuck to it before then it will bubble and be a wreck!
5. Don't rush. My best tip for you is to be patient and careful to get the gel to the edges of your nails without getting it on your cuticles. With a tiny bit of practice your nails will be fabulous with out the cost or the commitment!
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Seven Things No One Told Me About Breastfeeding
1. Leakage...I vastly underestimated the amount of leakage there would be. Seriously it squirts out like a fountain and can soak through a bra and shirt in a matter of seconds...way faster than you can run to the bathroom to stuff your bra like an eighth grader.
2. You will sweat. and sweat and sweat some more. Blame it on the hormones the hot little baby on you or the vegas summer heat but I have never sweat so much in my life. It slowed down after the first 5 or 6 weeks but still very extra hot and sweaty.
3. Your baby's shit wont stink... We all love our babies more than life and figuratively think their shit don't stink but seriously if you breast feed it wont smell bad at all! Its a delightful side effect for all your hard work!
4. Roll your nipples between your fingers. I know it sounds horrifying but my doctor told me to do this while I was pregnant and I really believe it helped. It prepares them for all the attention they will be getting when the baby comes.
5. Breastfeeding is so much easier than pumping. Pumping for me has been very difficult, stressful and annoying! I barely get anything when I pump and if I didn't know for a fact that by baby is getting enough food (he is so fat and very happy) I would be so concerned that I don't have enough milk.
6. Breastfeeding is also way easier than lugging around an ice chest of milk or formula, bottles and special baby water.
7. It is not always easy but it really is the most miraculous thing to provide nutrition and comfort to your child with your own body. Watching him grow and eat is the most amazing experience. Holden is almost 4 months old and although I have pumped and put some in the freezer for emergencies he has never had a bottle. My original goal was one month without any bottles or formula and by that point all of the hard part was over and we were pros. There is so much negativity out there about how hard breastfeeding is that the great emotional experience seems to be overlooked. Bottom line is you can do it and you may even love it!
2. You will sweat. and sweat and sweat some more. Blame it on the hormones the hot little baby on you or the vegas summer heat but I have never sweat so much in my life. It slowed down after the first 5 or 6 weeks but still very extra hot and sweaty.
3. Your baby's shit wont stink... We all love our babies more than life and figuratively think their shit don't stink but seriously if you breast feed it wont smell bad at all! Its a delightful side effect for all your hard work!
4. Roll your nipples between your fingers. I know it sounds horrifying but my doctor told me to do this while I was pregnant and I really believe it helped. It prepares them for all the attention they will be getting when the baby comes.
5. Breastfeeding is so much easier than pumping. Pumping for me has been very difficult, stressful and annoying! I barely get anything when I pump and if I didn't know for a fact that by baby is getting enough food (he is so fat and very happy) I would be so concerned that I don't have enough milk.
6. Breastfeeding is also way easier than lugging around an ice chest of milk or formula, bottles and special baby water.
7. It is not always easy but it really is the most miraculous thing to provide nutrition and comfort to your child with your own body. Watching him grow and eat is the most amazing experience. Holden is almost 4 months old and although I have pumped and put some in the freezer for emergencies he has never had a bottle. My original goal was one month without any bottles or formula and by that point all of the hard part was over and we were pros. There is so much negativity out there about how hard breastfeeding is that the great emotional experience seems to be overlooked. Bottom line is you can do it and you may even love it!
You may accidentally squirt your baby in the face but hey, worse things have happened!
Monday, July 21, 2014
3 Months Postpartum
Now that we have had the last three months to get used to being parents and enjoy our little one, I can honestly say I have never been more overjoyed at life on a daily basis. My little Holden is the sweetest best baby I have ever seen. He wakes up and goes to sleep with a big smile everyday. He loves to sing songs and for his parents to act like absolute fools for his entertainment. He has never had a bottle and is a boobie monster! He is over 16 pounds and has long legs like his daddy. He can roll over and loves to stand up. He will never understand how much I
love his little soul.
Fav products
I love all things beauty and makeup products! These are my top five must haves!
1. Klorane Dry Shampoo (the non-aerosal kind)
I have tried 20 different dry shampoos and this one blows them all out of the water! There is no chalky feeling or weird smell and it and makes your dirty hair look and feel amazing!
2. Lilash lash serum, ok this is a weird one but after a few rounds of lash extensions my lashes were very wimpy and abused and this has brought them back to life on more than one occasion!
3. Toofaced Better than Sex Mascara. One word: Amazeballs. I have been a fan of the Diorshow for years but my sister recently showed me this one and I love it!
4. Bumble and Bubmle Dryspun Hairspray and Volumizing cream. If you havent noticed I love all things voluminous, hair, lashes, lips ect. This stuff takes my air dried straight flat boring hair and somehow makes it beachy beautiful and happy!
5. Khiels Ultra Facial Moisturizer If you have dryskin you need this! Its delightful and Im really into it. That is all.
1. Klorane Dry Shampoo (the non-aerosal kind)
I have tried 20 different dry shampoos and this one blows them all out of the water! There is no chalky feeling or weird smell and it and makes your dirty hair look and feel amazing!
2. Lilash lash serum, ok this is a weird one but after a few rounds of lash extensions my lashes were very wimpy and abused and this has brought them back to life on more than one occasion!
3. Toofaced Better than Sex Mascara. One word: Amazeballs. I have been a fan of the Diorshow for years but my sister recently showed me this one and I love it!
4. Bumble and Bubmle Dryspun Hairspray and Volumizing cream. If you havent noticed I love all things voluminous, hair, lashes, lips ect. This stuff takes my air dried straight flat boring hair and somehow makes it beachy beautiful and happy!
5. Khiels Ultra Facial Moisturizer If you have dryskin you need this! Its delightful and Im really into it. That is all.
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