Showing posts with label Mom Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mom Life. Show all posts

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Keeping a Nursery Organized





Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.



Drawer Organizers I love these drawer organizers! Before having them, the girls' drawers were a complete mess. I had to dig through to find what I needed and that is not fun when a baby is screaming for you. These are a serious life saver!






Hanging Diaper Changing Caddy Having this diaper changing caddy made my life so much easier when it came to changing the baby.  Everything is where I need it, when I need it. It makes for quick and easy diaper changes which makes for a happy baby and a happy mama.






Baby Clothing Size Closet Dividers  One thing that was really hard for me was keeping clothes organized by size. I love these dividers because you will get ALL different sizes of clothes from baby showers, and if you are a second or third time mom, you keep all your hand me downs! So I love these dividers because I can hang up all the clothes and have the next size readily available for when baby grows, because it happens quicker than you think!






Hanging Closer Organizer This hanging organizer is one of my all time favorites! You can keep everything from clothes, to bibs, to burp cloths, towels, toys, etc! The list goes on! There are so many things for baby and this is an amazing product to keep it all organized and easily accessible.




Over the Door Hanging Organizer Another great product to keep in baby's closet! I don't know about you, but when my house is a mess, everything goes straight in the closet. This over the door hanger takes up no space at all and keeps that mess organized and off the closet floor! And yes, I was very guilty of throwing things on the closet floor before using this along with the closet organizers listed above!






Collapsible Toy Box with Flip Lid I love this toy box lids for all of babies favorite toys. When she is not using them, they are stored away and hidden under the lid. I like this a lot better than just the open bins. With open bins, you can see the clutter inside. So I am a huge fan of this!






Book Bin Last but not least, babies have quite a few board books for night time reading or just for fun! I love this cute book bin that we store on top of the dresser next to the rocker where we can organizer her books! Before this, books were in random places all over the room. I love that there is now a dedicated space to store books!





Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope these items make you and your baby very happy! 
Happy organizing!


Thursday, July 27, 2017

Summer Snack | S'more Butterfly Trail Mix





Summer is coming to a close, but here is a snack you can enjoy year round to remind you of your summer camping trips!

All you need are Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal (but I used store brand, TASTES THE SAME, and cheaper if you're on a budget like we are), mini marshmallows, and chocolate chips.

I combined the cereal, marshmallows, and chocolate chips in a bowl and started sorting them into baggies.  To make the butterfly, just divide the mix in the baggie into two sections and put a clothespin between the two sections.

Super cute snack that is fun for your kiddos!
Also great for teachers who teach thematic units!  Camping is always a fun theme!


Enjoy!

Friday, June 9, 2017

My Disney Playlist


Before Aurora was born, I made her a Disney playlist and I listened to it while I was pregnant.  Now that she is finally here, I play it for her all the time.  Have Disney fanatics in your house?  Here is my Disney playlist on Spotify!






Hope you and your kiddos enjoy it as much as Aurora and I do!


Monday, June 5, 2017

Disney Products for your Amazon Baby Registry




Want to share your love for Disney with your baby to be?  Amazon has plenty of Disney products!  Just create a Baby Registry with Amazon.com and your baby can be living the Disney life with you!

This post contains affiliate links. If you decide to purchase from one of the links below, I’ll receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

1) Bambi Swaddle Two-Pack - I love using these swaddles on Aurora!  They're my absolute favorites.  They are really big which allows me to swaddle her long body, and the material is thin which keeps her from getting too hot.  These swaddles also come with other patterns: Lion King, Dumbo, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, & Winnie the Pooh.

2) Minnie Bath Swaddle - This is the best bath swaddle.  It is the easiest towel to use when getting Aurora warm and dry!  Also comes in Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse.

3) Cars Little Racer On Board Sign - These signs are a must when driving with a little one, and these Disney ones are adorable.  Other characters available:  Cinderella, Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse

4) Mickey Mouse Stoller with Carseat - Your baby will be strolling in style in this Mickey Mouse stroller with matching carseat!  Having a girl?  They also have a Minnie Mouse Stroller with Carseat!

5) Finding Nemo Infant to Toddler Bath - Plan on doing a Disney bathroom theme?  This Finding Nemo tub would be perfect!  Or you might decide to go with a  The Little Mermaid or Minnie Mouse theme!  The possibilities are endless!

6) Winnie the Pooh Plush Playmat - This playmate is perfect for baby's tummy time.  It's soft and plush which is easy on baby's little body.  The mat is 36" which provides plenty of room for your baby to grow.  You can also get Mickey Mouse or Minnie Mouse!

7) Minnie Mouse Swing - This Minnie Mouse swing is a lifesaver when trying to get Aurora to nap so I can get some things around the house done.  I don't know what I would do without it!

8) Mickey Mouse Diaper Tote - This is definitely my favorite registry item!  Diaper bags are not always the most fashionable accessory, but fortunately this Mickey Mouse tote is totes adorable!  It's also spacious and easily accessible!


Start your Baby Registry with Amazon now.


Friday, June 2, 2017

Things that make me Happy



Happy Friday, ya'll!

Today is just a fun post about things that make me happy!  When I'm having a rough day, week, or month even, these are some of the things that help me through it.



1) Jesus♥

2) My amazing husband and his amazing smile

3) My adorable daughter and our naps together

4) COFFEE

5) Spontaneous Target shopping sprees

6) When my Amazon orders come in!

7) Disney movies

8) Disney movie soundtracks!

9) Crafts

10) Sleeping in

11) Grocery shopping by myself (because once you're a mom, it becomes a luxury)

12) Long showers (because these also become very rare when you become a mom)


We all have things that cheer us up when we're having a bad day.  What helps you through your rough times?

If you love Disney soundtracks too, check out my last blog post!

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Father's Day Gift Guide



Father's Day is three weeks away and it is time to start thinking about what to get your dad and/or husband!  Both my dad and husband are pretty outdoorsy and like things like pocket knives.  They're also kids at heart and enjoy fun things!  I've put together a Father's Day Gift Guide based on things they would like but also included some items in case the men in your life could do without a pocket knife.

This post contains affiliate links. If you decide to purchase from one of the links below, I’ll receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!


If you're planning on shopping online, use Ebates to get cash back rebates!  It's so easy! You won't regret it! In fact, you get $10 just for signing up!



1) Pocket knife
My husband is always losing his pocket knives, so I know it's always a good gift.  His favorite brands are Kershaw and Gerber which can be found at Academy in their hunting department.





2) Khaki/Camo Shorts
Summer is HOT in Texas!  These guys can never have enough shorts.  In fact, my dad specifically requested shorts for Father's Day!  My dad prefers khaki, while my husband loves his camo.  JC Penney has shorts for both of the men in my life at an affordable price.




3) Drone
Men can just be big kids at times, so why not give them something to play with?  These things are crazy popular with kids AND men!  Your husband and kids will definitely make some crazy fun memories while playing with a drone!






4) GoPro
Planning any family adventures this summer? Amazon has a great price on the GoPro Hero 4 with an adventure bundle!  Perfect for capturing your summer fun memories!







5) Amazon Echo Dot
This thing is crazy awesome!  Your husband will love being able to blast his music, control the thermostat, and so much more with this tiny device.





6) Dollar Shave Club Subscription
This would be a great gift that both you and your husband would enjoy!  Admit it, we all enjoy a well-groomed man coming home from work.





7) A Personalized Gift
Etsy is the GO TO site for personalized gifts!  Choose anything from a photo frame, mug, t-shirt, beer bottle openers, you name it!  This will be my husband's first Father's Day so I plan on commemorating it with a special photo frame and picture.  Visit Easy for tons of Father's Day Gifts!





8) DIY Gift
DIY gifts are always fun and personal.  I found a pin on Pinterest with tons of DIY gifts from kids.




9) Video Games
When my husband gets some down time, he likes to blow off some steam by playing Call of Duty.  Do some research on the games your guy likes, go through his game collection to see what he already has.





10) Quality Time
Nothing beats quality time with the fathers in your life!  Do something special with them to make them feel loved on Father's Day!



Remember! Don't forget to use Ebates when shopping online for cash back rebates at hundreds of stores!

Friday, May 26, 2017

Two Month Baby Update


Aurora is two months old today!

She weighs 10lbs and 15oz.  And she is 22.5 inches long.  That's a 3lb weight gain and 3 inch growth in 6 weeks.  She is no longer in newborn diapers!  She's moved up to size 1.  I still use Pampers Swaddlers.  She's also starting to get too long for newborn clothes.



She is can sleep a 6 hour stretch at night, and takes 3 naps a day.  She still likes to sleep a lot.  She is still breastfeeding and eats a lot.  I do feed on demand, so I don't track how long between feedings.

On car drives, she likes to look out the window before falling asleep.

She loves her daddy's kisses and snuggles.  She is seriously the best snuggler ever.  She also loves naps with her mommy.



She likes to sit in her chair with her toys that hang above her head.  I attached a bunny that has a little noise maker in it, and she move her hands to get it.  I'm not quite sure if this is on purpose or just her sporadic movements.



She holds her head up like crazy when we hold her and likes to look at us and at her surroundings.  She is starting to do tummy time for a longer period of time and is lifting her head a lot more during tummy time.

And she's goofy like her daddy!


Thursday, May 25, 2017

How I got back to my Pre-Pregnancy Weight in Two Months




When I was pregnant, I gained a total of 37 lbs.  I know many women gain less than that, and many women gain more.  Before I got pregnant, I weighed 124 lbs.  I am only 5 ft tall, so to me, I was a little heavier than I wanted to be.  When you are short, you tend to show weight gain pretty easily.

Tomorrow, Aurora will be two months and I am back down to 124 lbs.  I actually have a feeling that I'm going to drop more weight.

This was me at my baby shower on February 11th at 32 weeks pregnant.  It's the last picture of me pregnant.  I had Aurora at 38 weeks.  My total weight was 161 lbs when they induced me.


This is me now.  Sorry I cropped out my head.  I looked awful!




I had a vaginal delivery with no tearing, but when I got home, I did not allow myself enough time to rest.  I was constantly moving around, doing things around the house.  Because of this, I am still sore in my "down there" area.  So I can't really work out.

So how did I get back to my pre-pregnancy weight?  I changed the way I eat.  And breastfeeding burns tons calories.

It's not a diet exactly, since I am breastfeeding, but I do eat better.  I also eat smaller portions more often.

I kept it simple.  Trying to lose weight does not have to be overwhelming.

First, I do not drink soda.  All I drink is water, but this is normal for me before, during, and after pregnancy.

I allow myself one day to treat myself to dessert, and that's Sunday.  The only sugar, other than that, is from fruit and yogurt.  I don't do processed or frozen foods.  I don't do fast food or junk food.  I will be the first to tell you that I used to eat a LOT of junk food and fast food, so this was really hard for me.  But I was determined to lose the baby weight!  If I, of all people, can do it, I know you can too.  I also cut out bread, which I think really helped too.  Because I used to eat bread like crazy.

For breakfast:
Two eggs & two slices of turkey bacon
or
Oatmeal with add-ins such as peanut butter, honey, cinnamon, bananas, berries, etc.

Snack:
Yogurt

Lunch:
This varies!  I will usually eat my more hearty meals at lunch time.
Yesterday, I made chicken stuffed with spinach, mushrooms, and parmesan cheese.
And I had three chicken breasts, so I made it for two other days this week.
You can choose what you want for lunch, but make sure you have a meat and veggies.

Snack:
Fruit like watermelon, bananas, apples, pineapples.  These are just what I chose.

Dinner:
Salad.  H-E-B has these awesome pre-made salads that are usually 200-300 calories.  I choose to eat salad at dinner because I do not want a heavy stomach when I go to bed.  The Fiesta Salad is definitely my favorite.  They also have a Chef Salad and Cesar Chicken Salad.


This meal plan has also not negatively effected my milk supply.  Aurora gets plenty to eat and has put on a healthy amount of weight, which I am happy with because she was only 5 lbs, 11 oz when she was born.

Making better food choices has helped me shed weight without working out.  My workout is doing chores around the house.  Plus, I live in a two-story, so I spend a lot of time going up and down the stairs throughout the day.

If you change the way you eat, you can get down to your pre-pregnancy weight too(:




Tuesday, May 23, 2017

7 Things that Change once you Become a Mom



It's been 8 weeks and 2 days since I have become a mom, and it's been a lot to get used to.  It's crazy how much everything changes!



1) No more nice, long, hot showers.  They may still be hot, but they certainly aren't long.  I'm constantly rushing, because for whatever reason, it's when I'm in the shower that Aurora seems to be the neediest.

2) Hot coffee is no longer an option.  Because you are not on your schedule, you're on the baby's schedule.

3) Your body does not look the same.  I admit it, my boobs are saggy, my butt is saggy, and it's hard to tell where the stretch marks begin and end.

4) I totally took grocery shopping alone for granted.  It's so exhausting unloading a baby and groceries into a car and then getting them all into the house!

5) You will always have spit up on you.

6) It takes me a lot longer to leave the house.  At least an hour and a half.

7) Goodbye, comfortable sleep.  Goodbye, sleeping in.  Goodbye, sleep in general (at least, at first).  Aurora was waking up every hour, then every two hours, then every three hours.  Now she sleeps five to six hours.  Know why?  I fall asleep with her on my chest while I'm burping her after a feeding.

These may all seem like complaints, but they really aren't.  They are just things I happened to notice once I became a mom.

In all honesty these are the 7 things that change:

I would rather take a quick shower, so I can get back to Aurora.

I could do without hot coffee, as long as I have coffee to energize me so I can keep up with her.

I actually feel more confident about my body, stretch marks and all, because of what my body did: it created life.

Grocery shopping isn't easy any more, but man do I feel awesome getting it accomplished!

Sure, I've had people point out spit up on my shirt but I think of it as Aurora leaving something with me so I'll think of her when I'm away from her.  Silly, yes.  But I can't help but smile when I see it.

I may not be on time, but at least my daughter has been changed, fed, burped, and will be comfortable by the time we leave the house.

And I would much rather have my baby girl in my arms, than sleep comfortably on my stomach.  Because nothing beats looking down at that sweet girl because one day she won't fit on my chest anymore.

Aside from those 7 changes, you are the biggest change.  You become completely selfless to your needs because this tiny human being that is half of you, that came from you, that spent 9 months right next to your heart, is the most important thing on the planet now.  And that life that you created is worth giving up everything.



Sunday, May 21, 2017

My First Mother's Day



Last Sunday, I got to celebrate my first Mother's Day with this little cutie.  Today she is 8 weeks old and motherhood has been the most tiring and rewarding experience.  I am so grateful to finally be a mom.  I've always wanted children and wanted to start a family as soon as I could.  I love this little girl more than life itself.  I never knew what a parent's love was like, but now I understand.

To all the mom's, you are amazing and beautiful!  I hope you all had an amazing Mother's Day last week!  (I think every day should be Mother's Day!  I never knew how much it took!)

Here are some fun mom posts I found on Pinterest:








For more fun mom quotes, you can follow my Momma Quotes/Prayers Pinterest Board,



Friday, May 19, 2017

DIY Newborn Photo Session



Newborn photo sessions can range from $100 to $300.  I wanted newborn photos for Aurora as much as the next new mommy, but with the upcoming hospital bills and everything we spent just to get her nursery set up, I did NOT want to pay for newborn photos.  So I did the next best thing!  A DIY Newborn Photo Session!  And even better, I used my iPhone 7!

Here's how I did it:

I found a little bin that Aurora would fit comfortably in.



I filled it with soft blankets, washcloths, etc.



Then I picked out a pretty blanket to lay over it.



I placed this all on a sturdy bench in front of a blank wall.

I chose a cute floral headband that my mom recently bought for her.

I got a blanket to cover her with that wouldn't clash with the blanket she would be laying on.

I waited until she fell into a deep sleep so I could position her any way I wanted.

She made a few silly faces while I was snapping photos, but finally I landed the perfect shot!



It only took about 15 minutes!

Now, like I said I used my iPhone, so I used an app called Filtera to get that professional photography look.  Just play around with the filters and adjusting settings.  Depending on your lighting, you'll have to figure out how to get the same look.

Download Filterra Here!

Want the floral blanket I used in my newborn's photos?  Find it here!