baby things i love

huge adorable baby pic via

even though i have some friends that amazingly get away with having almost zero baby things i just couldn't help myself- i love shopping! however, baby stuff shopping made me overwhelmed right at the beginning. after talking to friends and family about what to get and what not to get i started my shopping quest.

i had no idea how much baby stuff there is out there. just too much!

but through the nine months (tomorrow!) of being a mommy i have come to find certain baby things that we have loved. i love reading other people's "baby stuff" lists and im glad i can finally write this. hope it helps!

feeding

via

what's for dinner mom?

 why milk of course!

right after colette was born i found out pretty quickly that breastfeeding would be a challenge. my mom was not able to breastfeed but i was just hoping for the best. that somehow i would be overflowing with milk. nope. no milk- well a little bit. at two months the most milk i would produce was 2 oz. it was quite sad. at one point i was "triple feeding". first breastfeed on both sides, then formula feed, then pump. so basically i was getting maybe 20 mins to sleep in between all that. not fun!

we ended up going to formula feeding after seeing a lactation specialist who told me my breasts aren't the type that hold much milk. but what a relief! it was so great to go to formula and seeing colette happy. and mom was happy too (and dad!). 

out of all the brands of formula we used similac advanced. it was gentler on colette's tummy and didn't make her poop super weird. its pricey but its her health! costco is the best place to buy it. we used the premade liquid formula for the first month then switched to powder after that. i also loved using the 2 oz. premade formula bottles for night feeding- it was just easier. 

 if you do end up formula feeding sign up for similac's Strong Mom program. you get $5 coupons and every dollar counts right? 

bottles!

in the beginning, our favorite bottles were medela with the enfamil slow flow nipple. as colette got older i started using the playtex ventaire bottles and the avent bottles. i love that the avent bottles don't have so many parts to wash and it never leaked when i stashed them in my diaper bag.

sterilizer!
the munchkin sterilizer is such a timer saver. since i bottle feed i sterilize about once a week and this lets me microwave instead of boiling water.

baby timer!
the itzbeen timer saved me. i love this little gadget. best $17 ive spent. it helped me know how long its been since her last feeding, her last diaper change, nap, and a wild card button. it also has a tab to remind you which side you last started breastfeeding on. so great!

solid foods!

as for solid foods i use the munchkin spoons  and little bowls that ive collected through my flea market adventures. to store homemade baby food i use munchkin freezer food cups which i love! they make storing baby food so much more organized.

bibs!

 i dont't have a particular favorite but i am looking forward to trying these. i've heard many good things about them. and colette is only getting messier by the day!

highchair!
we have the graco contempo. it takes up a bit of space but we like how high up it is and how it stores compact.

cleaning up!
the boon grass countertop drying rack is amazing. between the lawn (a bigger size) and the grass im glad i bought the grass because i don't have much counter space. you can fit quite a few bottles. rings, nipples, and caps on the grass. very fun and useful- i like that i can separate it from the other dishes.

sleep 

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sleep training books! 
i did not get much sleep the first two months but colette started to sleep 7-8 hours through the night somewhere around 3 months. thank you babywise. i know lots of people hate this book but it worked for me and ry. maybe it will for you too! just use your common sense- we didn't follow it precisely but it still worked.

sound machine!
instead of a baby sound machine we used my iPod and docking station to play ambient white noise on repeat. works great and it doesn't take up a lot of room.

swaddling! 
the baby burrito is so cute! we love the aden & anais muslin blankets (the twinkle pink is colette's favorite of the bunch we own). target has a pack of four but the quality and size are not the same as the single blanket we purchased on amazon. hope to get more for the next little one. also, my aunt handed down some swaddle me's  which we loved once colette started to attempt escape from her swaddle.

baby monitors! 

another aunt gifted me a wonderful, wonderful baby monitor. we LOVE it. i love being able to see if colette is breathing and not have to get out of bed (paranoid mom- i know) and the night vision is fantastic. its also nice that you can continue to add up to four cameras so you can keep an eye on your other kiddos. con? pricey.

pacifiers!
colette is not a pacifier baby- although she is trying to find her thumb :(. you can take a binky away but not a thumb!

health!
we love the nosefrida the snot sucker for getting out boogies and these baby nose cleaning tweezers.
the crane adorable hello kitty humidifier perches on her dresser. its just so cute and functional of course too. see here.

a friend gifted me a few babyganic products and we really like them. colette's cheeks are red and dry from teething and the dry weather- aveeno cream has been good to keep her cheeks looking cute.

playtime

she loves her toys!

hanging out!
colette adored the boppy newborn lounger. even though babies are not supposed to nap in it colette totally loved to nap there when she was super little- we just made sure to supervise her all the time.
she also loved to just hang out and stare at everyone/everything around her.

sitting up!
the bumbo was great up until now (9 months) but colette is getting too big for it- i bet in the next two months she won't be able to fit in it anymore. it did help her learn to sit up and she looked so adorable sitting in it. *the bumbo was recalled because mom's were using it incorrectly* the only way we use it is on the floor (carpeted floor) with my supervision at all times! we received the seat belt attachment in the mail and plan on using it with baby no. 2

jumperoo!
my uncle bought colette the fisher-price rainforest jumperoo and generally she loves it. it depends on her mood, but when she's happy the jumperoo makes the day even better. hopefully she keeps falling more and more in love with it. cons? it takes up a good chunk of space.

toys!
here are some of colette's favorites:
01. take along tunes
02. stacker
03. sophie
04. rattle
05. teething ring (i have a different one from my friend A but this is sort of similar)


pee & poop

via little white lion

diapering!
after encouragement from friends and family, i took the plunge into the world of cloth diapering- all the cloth diaper types and information out there can be really confusing!

here is what i did:

i purchased the Bare Minimum package deal at nikki's diapers, currently they are not available but will be once they get stocked up with the SmartFit prefolds. this package was the most economical and had everything i wanted in it. 6 size 1 wrap covers, 6 size 2 wrap covers, and 24 prefolds (12 size 1 and 12 size 2) and a free mini wet bag (more on that further down).

in the package i chose the Thirsties Duo Wrap Covers with the Aplix hook & loop closures. the colors are so fun and cute but to be more gender neutral i picked mainly white covers. with the prefolds i chose the unbleached indian prefolds. after washing & drying them 5-7 times they fluff up so nice.

snappi fasteners are quick and safer (im clumsy) than a regular pin for holding the cloth diaper together.

as for wet bags i purchased 2 of the planet wise diaper wet bags. they come in lots of fun prints too! some people do the pail method but the wet bag just seemed easier for me.

so here is an example of what i do if colette pees:
 01. have a fresh cloth diaper ready and the wet bag open
 02. undo the thristies wrap and unsnap the snappi
 03. remove the dirty pee diaper and put it straight into the wet bag and zip it up
 04. wipe. slip on the fresh cloth diaper
 05. secure it and go!

what about poop? gah i hate (but happy she is having a bowel movement) it when she poops in her cloth diaper! but here is what i do:
 01. get a fresh cloth diaper with a new wrap ready
 02. slip that under her current diaper without removing it yet
 03. undo the thirsties wrap and unsnap the snappi
 04. stop breathing
 05. wipe. wipe a lot.
 06. remove the dirty diaper and set it aside
 07. secure the new diaper
 08. put colette somewhere safe to play for a little while
 09. head to the bathroom. put on gloves
 10. use toilet paper to scoop the poop from the dirty diaper into the toilet. flush.
 11. hand wash the dirty diaper in the tub (i use dreft) to remove the stains
 12. start breathing again
 13. let air-dry till the next laundry time

whew! i know the poop is a lot of work but that is what i do- if you have any pointers i would love to hear em! by hand washing the poop diapers they have no stains and look really nice and clean- more work but i want to keep them as pristine as i can for as long as i can.

some people say not to use dreft but it works just fine and has not disrupted the absorbency of the diapers at all.

when wash day comes...
i collect my wet bag and the poop diapers that were air-drying and head to the laundry- wash them on hot water and dry them on high heat. and presto! we are done.

i think what bothers me most about cloth diapering is that it makes baby's bums really big- its cute but harder to buy clothing for. a few of colette's clothes just couldn't accomodate her bigger bottom because of the cloth diaper.

during the day i use cloth diapers and at night we use pampers baby dry. when i have used cloth diapers at night there have been big leaks and lots to clean up so i decided to use disposables.

pampers > huggies for sure. i think pampers are softer, more absorbent (yes a bit more expensive), and covers colette's bum better. huggies wipes didn't work for us- they were not as durable as pampers wipes and had alcohol. we use the pampers sensitive.

to make life easier, i do not cloth diaper if we are traveling, having a busy day, and at night. it has been very rewarding mainly for colette's bum (no rashes!) and our wallet (with all the formula we buy i feel it evens out :) ).

for our disposables we use the diaper dekor plus. the only thing i dislike about it is that you have to buy refills. but the best thing about it: NO smells!!! ive been to houses with the diaper genie and diaper champ...sometimes a little smelly...sometimes a lot smelly!

taking a walk around the block


via

strollers!
as a gift from my father-in-law we received the britax B-ready stroller. we loved all the configurations and how it can grow with our family. its really easy to put together and to whip out of the car when running errands or for just taking a stroll.

carseats!
we own the britax b-safe infant car seat and love it. it's on the heavier side but appreciate that it doesn't feel like flimsy plastic. now as colette is growing bigger we use the britax marathon car seat.

carseat extras!
since we live in a chilly place a carseat bundle cover was a practical choice. we own the jj cole original bundle me and it has been a great help. before i would just wrap colette in a blanket that would eventually fall off but this helps keep her warm and cozy. plus it makes them look even cuter!

for the warmer months we use the carseat canopy- perfect for keeping strangers from coming up to her and touching her..weirdos.

diaper bags!
the diaper bag has become my new purse and here are my two favorites:
01. the petunia pickle bottom velcro boxy glazed in frolicking in fez. (the link is to the magnetic one- mines the old version)
02. the marc by marc jacobs pretty eliza baby bag in kava green multi (a fun bright pink)

the petunia pickle bottom bag was great for the first couple months since i wasn't schlepping around so much stuff but i started to take more trips and found that the marc jacobs bag was better for more things and longer trips. i liked how the petunia pickle has straps to wear as a backpack and the roll out diaper pad. but it wasn't super roomy for holding more things (i guess a bottle feeder has more stuff to carry?). i still use it for shorter trips or when i have to carry my bag as a backpack.

the marc jacobs has been great for airplane/longer trips and not gonna lie- i love the color! and maybe with more kids in the future i might have more to carry- haha.

for mom
things that i loved receiving during pregnancy:
01. visits from friends
02. friends letting you stay at their house for a day when your house smells "odd"
03. phone calls
04. packages in the mail
05. supportive comments ("You look great!""You are glowing!""Wow are you even pregnant?") seriously lay it on thick- who gets tired of a compliment?

things i loved once baby was born:
01. phone calls & space
02. support from friends & family
03. baby cuteness 24/7
04. a flexible & caring photographer 
05. no big belly!

things i did not love once baby was born:
01. not much sleep (join the club right?)
02. being sent sweets- a really thoughtful gesture but really id imagine most women who just give birth watch what they eat right away- no temptations please!
03. hubby having to go back to work sooner than id want (again join the club right?!)


hope this super long list helps anyone who is shopping/prepping for a baby!

Christmas wish list

Wishing for Christmas:

chloe:
01. marshmalow madness- currently im having a marshmallow obsession.
02. the barefoot contessa cookbook- she's my fave. love her food.
03. family style-yum
04. tocca's brigitte- a girl can dream
05. for my groceries and more
06. dessert plates- soooo pretty!
07. copper measuring cups
08. i collect measuring spoons
09. these are cute too
10. always wanted to try these candles- Goji Berry please!

colette:
01. a tux dress for baby- size 9 months for Christmas
02. black tutu 
03. a book about feelings
04. heirloom wooden blocks
05. or even a wooden tray puzzle

sinus cones review

it's amazing how desperate you can get when you are running on only a few hours of sleep. luckily i didn't buy more things when i was in the roughest part of my cold/cough of two weeks ago. i kept googling "relief for dry throat" because my throat was pretty much dry as a desert because i could not breathe through my extremely stuffy nose; i came across these sinus cones and decided to give them a try. 

what appealed to me was that they are completely drug-free and supposedly worked right away- good for a pregnant lady. it took about 2 days to get to me (not bad) with regular shipping. by the time they reached me however, my cold was still uncomfortable, but not as bad as in the beginning. so i can't tell you how well these could have worked if your nose was completely stuffy- as in no air coming through your nasal passages at all. 

when these did arrive i was able to have a little bit of air come through one nostril- still not comfy but better than a complete blockage. 

so the question is- did these work? answer- kinda. 

the sinus cones helped open up my nasal passageways but since my nose was still stuffy it still didn't really make a huge difference. after about 2 more days when my stuffy nose started clearing up more the sinus cones started to make a bigger difference. 

bottom line:

sinus cones worked but for me they were not "magical." 

it is nice to have these when your congestion is already easing up- they will help to allow more air so you can breathe easier through your nose. im happy i purchased them, after reading about pregnant ladies getting stuffier noses as the pregnancy progresses i bet they will be used again soon. 

 you can find more info here
*by the way one set of nasal cones will last for 3 months if worn 24/7

Christmas trees on the brain

cotton candy pink Christmas tree

PERFECT. 

me want. 

would ry be okay with it? im sure he wouldn't mind 

more info here

tinkerbell silver Christmas tree

lovely and more versatile 

info

winter white Christmas tree

another perfect tree

sigh

info

are you more traditional or funky when it comes to Christmas trees?

i used to think i was super traditional (not with the real trees but the dark evergreen trees)

but these trees have got me rethinking everything!

have a great weekend! 

ry and i are looking forward to donating our couch that is too long for our house to charity and moving my craft room downstairs to make room for baby! i seriously cant wait to show you the nursery plans :) but a lot of that depends on the gender of baby so we will wait and see. 

modern storybook posters

i am definitely not a minimalist but after seeing these posters on a cup of jo yesterday i wanted to decorate minimalist in my nursery (most likely will not happen- i like frilly things way too much)

aren't they adorable?

i would still like to incorporate one into my decor  somehow

more here

which story for a boy and which for a girl?

maybe the three little pigs for a boy

and the princess and the pea for a girl?

oh too much fun!

bath and body works candles for fall and winter

in my opinon, Slatkin & CO. candles sold at bath and body works are the best! the 3-wick ones especially- they are so strong and the scents they come out with are fantastic. 

leaves

perhaps my most favorite candle of them all!

it just smells of fall and if it was seasonally appropriate i would burn this all year round. in fact, maybe i will!

months i like to burn it: september, october, november, early december

bbw description: Autumnal notes of golden nectar, juicy mandarin and red delicious apple are paired with toasted cinnamon stick, mulled cider spices and freshly harvested red berries.

acorn and fig

the salesman recommended it to me. he loved it because it is unique, more on the masculine side and just smells like going on a hike. i agree! it is a great fall fragrance that is a nice departure from the more generic (but still lovely) pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla and apple-style mixes.

months i am planning on burning it: october, november, early december

bbw description: A medley of fresh apricot, juicy pear and fig blended with fresh cut Birchwood and creamy sandalwood.

marshmallow fireside

okay- doesn't it just sound wonderful? marshmallow fireside. yum. it smells pretty divine and now im wishing that i stocked up with more. typically i am not a fan of sweet fragrances, but this scent is not too sweet. the fireside part counters the sweetness just right.

months im planning on burning it: october, november, december

bbw description: Toasted marshmallows and sweet vanilla cream wrapped in the aroma of rich smoldering woods.

fresh balsam

this is our first Christmas in a house! which means our first Christmas tree! we have a fake one that we are super excited to put up but nothing beats the smell of a real Christmas tree. so as a pretty great substitute this fresh balsam candle will be burned throughout the holiday season. it smells fantastic! so-piney!

months im planning on burning it: december

bbw description: Crisp, clean balsam fir blends delightfully with fresh eucalyptus and sweet pine and layered with notes of bright apple, cedarwood and musk.

the winter candle selections have not come yet, but i can't wait! like i mentioned earlier, i typically don't like sweet sweet scents, but the mint chocolate and hot chocolate candles were tempting me greatly. ry was proud i did not give in- he is not a fan of sugar!

shopping tip: wait for the 2 for $20 candle sale. they happen every so often- sign up for their emails so you get the notification in your inbox! 

missoni for target haul

so it was crazier than i expected

there were women with carts not just full but overflowing

not exaggerating here

overflowing with missoni for target 

i was bummed that i didnt get to see any of the home decor, hosiery and the complete hair clip collection

but snooze you loose i guess

30 minutes late is late!

but luckily i was able to snag a few fun hair accessories

bobby pins & barrettes

fun for my new short hair

happy early birthday to me!

did you snag any items? were you one of those "overflowing cart" ladies? if so i would love to come over and see what you got since i have no idea what anything looked like!

collectors

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wow 

i had no idea martha collects brass

pretty cool

click the via to see other fun collections on martha stewart.com 

one of the best things about summer

see's candies brings back the root beer lollipop flavor!

i wish they kept the name sassafras

it sounds so much more fun

every summer i look forward to see's bringing it back

for Christmas they do cinnamon 

the cinnamon is good

but the sassafras is better in my opinion

my mom is addicted to the chocolate pops 

no surprise that she passed the addiction down to me

but i am partial to the sassafras flavor

go and try one

they are only 70 cents a pop

last time i visited the mall i bought a little bouquet of pops

to tempt my mom when she comes for a visit at the end of this month

unfortunately they are tempting me more right now

missoni for target: i think i am going to faint

when i heard the news, my heart skipped a beat

missoni is coming to target!

apparel and accessories for women, children, and men

home decor- bedding to dish-ware (yipee!)

even though i adore a lighter color palette with more floral emphasis- missoni's zigzags, stripes, and swirls make me swoon. the collection will debut at target september 13- so close to my birthday! hallelujah! however, if there is nothing that somewhat coordinates with my home palette i might come back empty-handed in the home decor department. clothing however is a whole different story :) maybe ry and i will get coordinating shirts. it could be cute. 

via my fave the budget babe

she also has more info here

via

swirly-whirly bedding

via

hopefully pastels will be in the collection somewhere

via

the only zigzags i love

this would be a WONDERFUL birthday surprise for me

hint. hint. hint. 

get the freshest bread

didnt have time to make it to the bakery ?

had to pick up a loaf at the normal grocery store?

here is the best way to tell which day of the week your bread was baked

take a look at the plastic cinch that is closing the bag!

read more about it at Wise Bread

fashion craving

lately, i have been craving a sweet light pink bag

since the one pictured below is over $1000

i decided to satisfy the craving with a target version

via

not exactly the same bag but i absolutely love it!

these pictures make the purse look purple but its actually a dusty pink

a great way to celebrate Spring no?

i love the gold hardware and pebbled texture

it holds much more than i thought it would

and the best part?

it was only about $20 

much much better than $1000

probably won't last as long but i am planning on this purse to last only for 2 seasons 

details here

jewelmint review: a jewelry lover's dream

normally, i am completely anti-whatever of the month club schemes that i get sent to my inbox, but this one appealed to me.

 jewelmint

a collaboration between kate bosworth and cher coulter (celebrity stylist)

most of my friends know that i am addicted to jewelry of all kinds- costume, fancy, real, cheap, stylish, wear only once, gaudy, vintage, heirloom, you name it, i probably love it. which is why this intrigued me from day one. i got wind of jewelmint simply from browsing the internet last fall for new jewelry.

steps of jewelmint:

01. you take a fun style quiz that helps jewelmint assess your sense of style
02. you give your name and email address (NO need for credit card info here)
03. go to your showroom and take a look at all the pieces that represent your style (you also have the options to see more styles when you click the 'show me more' button)

for months i just looked through all the pieces and twiddled my thumbs and wondered if i should even hit the  'buy it now button,' but one piece really kept calling me back

the celestial wreath necklace

beautiful and something different

so what did i do? i bought it with my fifty percent off code and boom i have been hooked since. 

here is why i love jewelmint so much though- you have control. you can choose to skip whatever month you want and you will not get charged. however, you must click the 'skip this month' button before the 5th of each month in order to not get charged. you give your credit card info when you make your first purchase. not anytime before that. 

another good thing- their customer service- so even if a problem were to arise where you forgot to click the 'skip this month' button they would be happy to refund it to you. i have had great experiences with their customer service- they have not disappointed me yet. 

the big question- how much is it?!  the price is $29.99 per piece of jewelry. i am hesitant to say $29.99 a month because you can skip months. another benefit of being on their email list is you get coupons for 50% off or other deals and that makes it even better. 

another big question- quality?! these are not forever 21 pieces! i am pretty picky with my jewelry (even though i do love so many types and styles). have you ever noticed how the jewelry with metal from forever 21 smells after it has been in contact with your skin for a little bit? and the pieces have a tendency to break if you are not careful? with jewelmint i have not had any "stinky" jewelry or pieces that have broken quickly. HOWEVER, i have heard 2 people receiving jewelry that came broken. not fun. but their customer service was very quick and happy to fix the problem. and that is just 2 people out of...lots!

the shipping is fast and you can track your package straight from your "jewelry box" on the jewelmint website which shows all your past/current purchases. 

so far i have purchased 6 pieces- with one return/exchange. i returned it because i decided it would mesh as well with my other pieces of jewelry. it was a happy, smooth exchange. but if you get something and you totally don't like it- return it and get your money back- simple. 

i look forward to reviewing each of my pieces here on the blog if you want to hear about em of course. 

if you want to just take the style quiz and just wander around the site click here:

http://jmnt.me/gje3TD

that is my personal invite link- if you buy a piece of jewelry that you love i get a piece of jewelry too- share the love ladies, share the love. 

and here are some discount codes for first-time buyers:

ZOE50- 50% off

SPRING60- 60% off

SPRING50- 50% off

YTV1- 50% off 

type them in the code box and check that they work! if not, chat with their customer service and im sure they will help you get that discount. any other questions? feel free to ask! 

overall, if you love jewelry and easy internet shopping this is the place for you. give it a shot! you can cancel your membership at any time by just chatting or calling with their customer service reps. but im pretty sure you won't be disappointed. 

note: jewelmint did not pay me or give me free anything to write this review- i purchased everything myself and  this is all my own opinion! 

how many toilets can you fit in a camry?

hope you enjoy these humorous pictures of ry and i trying to fit 3 toilets in the car

good news is they fit!

i will do a review on them

yes on the costco toilets

once they are all installed and have been used for 1 month

it was so tough to find reviews on these toilets online

they were a great buy, but i hope they work well!

first time ever buying chicken pot pies

they are ry's "calorie supplements"

in case i make a dinner that is too low on the calorie charts

very very squished 

thrifty finds: tart pan

a nice find at the thrift store

after ry and i ate a fruit tart from kneaders

we just had to try makin one ourselves

well, he nicely asked me if i could make it for him

of course i said yes

here is the finished product

white chocolate fruit tart

so i skimped out on the other fruits because right now the grocery stores didn't have an abundance of summer fruit that i was hoping they would have

wishful thinking

its still february 

i do love the kiwi green and happy bright mandarin oranges 

mmmm

not bad for my first fruit tart

mistakes ?

too thick of a crust 

and perhaps the cream needs a bit more creaminess put into it

and of course more beautiful summer fruit

ill give it a shot in another couple of months 

long skirts

anthro is not always the answer
but some of the skirts i saw in their most recent catalog are

love the stripes

 

and i love the long blue maxi dress

super summery

this is very much my style

its actually supposed to be for the modern bride

but you want to hear the bad news?

it costs

get ready

$4175

no i did not forget a decimal point in there

yikes

but lanvin is lovely stuff 

see more details if you wish here

i love nice closets

let's be honest here

i enjoy my little dose of fashion

but im not really that fashionable

i would rather be in sweatpants 

albeit colorful and cute sweatpants

most days of the week

but on sunday i really enjoy looking nice

and date night of course

even then i get tempted to just sport the nicer sweats

i do have too many clothes

but i love it

no really i do

sure its a little clutterful

but one day i will get a better closet

oh i cant wait

it will be beautiful 

california closets anyone?

id rather have a nice closet than a nice bedroom
yes im serious
well not too serious
let me simmer on that a tad longer

here is some inspiration that i wanted to share

kevin sharkey's closet

so streamlined and clean

via california closets 

 

cute for the budding little fashionista

i adore this cream-themed one

 mariah mariah
you totally understand me
love your voice and love your glamorous closet
and all those shoes

so calming
i could sleep here

simple
and possibly more affordable

nope
my mind hasn't changed yet
nice closet > nice bedroom
maybe you can convince me otherwise