Late Mother's Day Present

Isn't she a beaut? This is my late Mother's Day present from Dan. I guess you could say this was actually my late Mother's Day gift, but if you're gonna have a camera then you need a camera bag. Am I right?

I actually debated sending it back because Tuesday night we discovered we owe a LOT of money back to the government. Apparently, they overpaid us for our move out here and are now taking the money out of our paycheck (all $3600 of it) over the next year. Pretty sweet, right? Not. The funny thing is, they didn't even tell us! We just started noticing we were getting paid less. Fun times. Anyway, I though about returning it, but, in the end, decided to keep it. Mainly because I didn't want to have to pay for shipping a second time. Also, just look at it! Not only is it pretty, but it meets all of my needs, in terms of a camera bag. I wanted something that could carry my camera, along with the rest of my crap (read: baby's  crap). This bag from Jo Totes does just that. I will still be using my diaper bag for my regular day to day activities. This will, however, be my go-to bag when I'm hoping for a photo opportunity, which is fairly often these days.

Wordless Wednesday

My Top Ten Baby Products

I know when becoming a new mommy, it can become incredibly difficult to figure out what products you will actually need for your baby. With Nico, we bought everything under the sun. Only to later find out that many of these products were totally useless to us (baby wipe warmer? puh-lease). While I can't say there aren't products that have gone unused with Lola, it's definitely been to a much lesser degree.

Over the past three years, I feel I've become pretty savvy about what products are out there and which ones are most useful to us. This being said, I have created a list of our must-have baby products during this stage of babyhood.

Here's my Top Ten List (in no particular order):

1. The Boppy

This is easily the most utilized product we own. I have used this thing since day one with both kids. It's intended use is for breast-feeding, but that's just one of the many functions it serves. When Lola was younger, we used it for tummy time and now that she's older, we use it as a cushion behind her when she's playing on the hardwood floors. Also, it's great for napping. Super comfy.

2. The Jumper

Lola loves this thing! She can bounce and play with the little toys on here for an hour, easily. It's great for times when I'm cooking or working out and want to keep a close eye on her. She loves jumping so much, in fact, we bought a second one while we were staying in a hotel. The 2nd time we purchased the Sassy Seat Doorway Jumper. I think these are both equally useful, in their own right. I would recommend the Baby Einstein Musical Motion Activity Jumper if you have the space, because it has more toys and things to entertain a baby. However, the Sassy jumper is the better option if your space is limited. Just make sure you have a doorway to hang it in!

3. Kokopax Carrier

We only got this carrier a few weeks ago, but it has been a godsend ever since. We loved the Baby Bjorn when Lola was a newbie. However, as she's gotten bigger, it no longer provides the back support we need. The Kokopax is super light (weighing only 3 lbs.) and seems to distribute the baby's weight more evenly than the front carriers. Also, it breathes easier, making it perfect for the outdoors during the summertime. It's a little pricey but totally worth it, in my opinion.

4. Sophie the Giraffe

Sophie is THE must-have teether. It's made of 100% natural rubber + phthalates and BPA free. Also, it doubles as a squeaky toy. 'Nuff said.

5. Footed One-Piece Pajamas

Lola wears these footed sleepers by Carter's to bed every night (sometimes during the day, too). She loves to kick her socks off, so this is the perfect solution to keep her little feet warm. Also, we're not comfortable with letting her sleep with a blanket just yet. Since these cover her entire body? Problem solved. We also like the stretchies from The Children's Place (especially when they're on clearance for 2 bucks).

6. Boon Flair High Chair

I've literally been swooning over the Boon Flair since I was pregnant. Recently, we took the plunge and bought it, and I couldn't be more excited. There are several things that set it apart from the rest. The first being that it's a single piece. Meaning there are no cracks or crevices for food to get stuck in. This makes it super easy to clean. Also, it's BPA free, phthalate free and PVC free, which is important to us. The chair has a pneumatic lift so you can adjust it to the exact height you want. It comes with two removable trays that are small enough to fit in the dishwasher (talk about convenient). Last but not least, this whole "spaceship" (as the hubby likes to call it) is on wheels. The Flair comes in several color combinations, which are all aesthetically pleasing. While this isn't a major selling point, who wants to look at something that's fugly day in and day out?! Not me.

7. Soothe & Glow Seahorse

Oh man, does the babycakes love this seahorse! If she's upset, we give her this little guy and she, almost immediately, calms down. The lights and music just mesmerize her. Another similar product is the Lullaby Gloworm. It has equally awesome capabilities.

8. California Baby SPF 30 Sunscreen

This sunscreen was recommended to me when looking for a chemical-free alternative. My first thought was, "Duh! Why didn't I think of this?". We have been using the Califonia Baby Diaper Rash Cream since Nico was a baby and just love it. This sunscreen is not only non-chemical, but fragrance and PABA free (as is the case with all of their products). It's been consistently rated as one of the safest, most effective sunscreens out there for babies. It's a little more expensive, but worth every penny.

9. Burt's Bees Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash

An added bonus to this being a natural, tear-free shampoo & wash, is the fact that it smells delicious. It's super gentle, which is perfect for our kids sensitive skin. I've heard great things about the California Baby bath products, as well. However, since the Burt's costs half the price, it's our go-to bath product.

10. Baby Trend Expedition Jogger

Having two kids requires a multitude of different transportation devices to get around. We own a double stroller, umbrella stroller and this jogger. This is, by far, our favorite of the three. Now that Nico is older, he doesn't require a stroller when doing simple tasks like going to the park. This stroller is a beast! No longer want to be on the sidewalk? You can simply "hop" the curb with it's large wheels. While this jogger might not be as fancy as some of the others out there (i.e. Bob, Baby Jogger, etc.), it suits our needs just fine. And totaling at under a 100 bucks? You can't beat that.

There you have it, folks. The top ten, most used baby products in our household. What are your must-have baby products?

(Sidenote: I didn't include the Beaba Babycook on this list because I've mentioned it before and plan to do a post using it to make baby food. It is, however, one of my most favorite baby products. If you're thinking about making your baby's food, I highly recommend it).

Our Friday...

This past Friday, Cars 2 came out. Dan got work off, so we rounded up the gang and headed out to Woodbridge for the first showing of the day. I figured since we were seeing it so early, it wouldn't be busy. Boy, was I wrong. We got there about 20 minutes early (my fault, I thought it was showing at 11:50 a.m., when it was actually at 11:20) and it was packed. Like we almost couldn't all sit together, packed. I forgot it was summer and everyone was out of school. In a way, though, it made it more fun because everyone there seemed as excited as we were. 

Dan had promised Nico popcorn ahead of time, so we, of course, had to get him that (I was good and didn't have any though). It's funny because every time Dan would try to eat any, Nico would say, "I think you're not hungry, Daddy!" Little man can get down with some popcorn. He, literally, ate the entire bag all by himself. The movie ended up being really cute and was definitely worth it.

Afterwards, we strolled around the mall, since it's connected to the movie theater. I exchanged a top at Forever 21, then scored some clothes for Lola at H&M. By this time, the boys were starving so we grabbed a bite to eat. Luckily, I was able to find something relatively healthy (chicken teriyaki) at a Japanese place. After eating, we ran a few errands before heading home. I was a little worried that homeboy would be cranky because he missed his nap, but, to my surprise, he was in somewhat good spirits.

When we got home, I had planned on making this recipe, but was far too tired. Lucky for me, Dan was feeling up to the challenge. It ended up being really good and pretty healthy, too. We spent the rest of the evening playing cars and taking it easy. It was such a fun, low-key day.

P.S. - I will be back tomorrow with a list of my Top Ten Baby Products!

(Sidenote: My first weigh-in was today and I'm down 2 1/2 pounds from last week! I know this isn't much, but as long as the #s keep going down, I'm happy.)

Sunday Funday

The term "Sunday Funday" had a much different meaning to the hubby and I back when we were dating. These days, you're more likely to find us spending our Sunday doing something like this...

Time-Out Is Now Being Discouraged? Pshh!

A couple weeks ago my mom called asking if I'd seen the latest episode of "Pregnant in Heels". My response was something like, "No, Mom. I have it on the DVR, so don't tell me what happens.". Per usual, she then proceeded to tell me what happened.

I was in the middle of making Nico's lunch with Lola on my hip, so I was only half-way listening (sorry, Mom). Anyway, as she was going on about this show, I caught the tail-end of her saying something about how we're no longer supposed to put our kids in time-out because it brings about feelings of shame. "Wait, stop! Rewind. What??" She then said, "Yeah, apparently we're just supposed to talk to them and tell them what they're doing is wrong, instead". There was a short pause, which was quickly followed by a long laugh. Because, well, if you have kids then you know that sometimes this just doesn't work. If only it were this easy, right?

In our household, sitting down and talking to our kid is how we initially address right from wrong. However, if he continues to do something he knows he isn't supposed to, you better believe we're going to put him in time-out. While I don't spank my kid (if you do, that's totally your choice), I am a firm believer in the power of taking a "break" to think about what you've done wrong. In the instance where Nico has done something he knows is wrong, he goes and sits in the corner for three minutes (because he's 3). Then when the three minutes are up, he tells us why he went there. For us, it works like a charm (notice I said, "for us", because I realize every family is different and has to do what's best for them). Rarely, is there a time that Nico has gone to time-out for the same reason more than a couple times. Why? You may ask. The answer is simple. Because he doesn't like it. Seems pretty cut and dry to me. So for now, while the "experts" are conjuring up new reasons as to why punishments given to our generation and generations before us are no longer valid ways of teaching our children right from wrong, you can find me at home spouting my time-out threats loud and proud.

(Sidenote: If you are able to get your kid to mind 100% of the time, simply by using your words? Please come visit my house! Because you're, quite possibly, magic.)

Our time-out spot

Wordless Wednesday

In honor of my babycakes cutting her first tooth. Because, quite honestly, there are no words...

Real Talk: Dieting

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So I am now, officially, back on the dieting bandwagon. As of yesterday, I am strictly following my Weight Watchers plan. Like, for real this time. See, I rejoined Weight Watchers back in January (gotta love New Year's resolutions) and followed it pretty strictly until about March, when my MIL and BIL came to visit (why is it always so much harder to stay on track when you have visitors?). It just went downhill from there. From the time our stuff was moved from San Diego until the time we were able to move into our home out here, we were living in hotels for about a month. That's a month of making consistently poor eating decisions.

Since moving into our new home, things have calmed down and I am cooking again. I've been doing better lately, but this past weekend was just BAD. We ate at a Hibachi buffet on Friday night, then after not eating all day Saturday, indulged in Five Guys. A burger + fries and a vanilla Coke? Yep. That. Needless to say, by Sunday, I was feeling pretty disgusted with myself.

While I haven't gained any weight since getting off track, I haven't lost any either. This means it's time to really buckle down and get my butt in shape! I'm feeling really motivated to do this right. I will be starting Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred today. I've done this workout off and on in the past and am hoping to stick with it this time. Though I plan to do it five days a week instead of seven. I tend to get burnt out on things fairly easy and think that 5 days is more realistic for me. Anyway, it seems to be a pretty big deal in the blog community right now and in the spirit of this, I figured, why not? (since I already own it).

I am hoping by putting this out into the universe, it will make me more accountable to stick to my points system and workout routine. My goal is to lose 50 pounds. Yes, that's right. FIFTY POUNDS. Between baby weight + weight I needed to lose pre-babes, this is where I'm at. I am hoping to lose this weight by Christmas time, which I think is a pretty attainable goal. I will be doing blog updates on my progress.

Yay to being healthier!

Mini Road Trip: Port Discovery Children's Museum

Before moving out here, Dan and I would lay in bed at night talking about all the fun adventures our little family would have while living on the East Coast. Since moving out here in April, how many "adventures" had we actually taken? Two. And neither one of them turned out quite like we expected, to say the least. I guess you could say, we've been a little discouraged when it comes to venturing out to places other than what's become familiar. However, we know that we won't be living here forever and want to take complete advantage of this opportunity.

That being said, on Saturday we decided to brush ourselves off and take a trip up to Baltimore to visit the Port Discovery Children's Museum. "Three floors of educational, interactive exhibits"? Hell to the yes! I must say, this museum did not disappoint. Nico was in heaven! At closing time, we had to drag him out of there kicking and screaming. Under normal circumstances, something like this would totally piss me off. On this particular day, though, I embraced it. For this meant that my kid had a "great day" (his words), full of fun and exploring! And for a little kid, there is nothing better.

Here are some pictures from our day:

Grocery shopping

Soccer

Driving the train

Playing in the "leaves"

Crossing the rope bridge

Fishing

Giant bubble machine

Man, was this place fun! We will definitely be returning when Lola is a little older and can partake in the activities, too. I am so very glad we decided to put our big kid pants on and take a gamble with this trip. It definitely paid off, ten-fold. Another adventure has been checked off our list and we're even more optimistic about our next one. What a perfect day.

(Sidenote: I really need to learn to hand over the camera more. Going back through these pics, I was not in a single one of them. It's almost like I wasn't even there. Next time, I think Dan will be in charge of the photos.)