Five Favorites on Friday

Another Friday which means we are another week closer to Chase's very first birthday and I couldn't be more excited!  This week was a productive one for sure so we are looking forward to a bit of down time this weekend.  We still have some stuff to take care of for the party but other than that, we hope to get outside and enjoy the weather!

Jumping right into the favorites this week...

1. These flip flops have been on my wish list for a while.  I think I may have to buy a pair of black patent ones because I fall more and more in love with them each time I see them.  They're an investment but the quality is great! 
2. Seriously crushing hard on these melon colored Nike sneakers!  I'm not a sneaker person at all but I'm going to need a pair to keep up with a running toddler soon!
3. I love the color combination on this hoodie for the little man!   
4. I can't get enough of how pretty this serving dish is!
5. We make this broccoli recipe all the time and I'm seriously craving it with some grilled marinated steak this weekend!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Summer Reading and Recharging

I have never appreciated alone time more than I have in the last year.  Being a new mother is wonderful but it is also exhausting on many levels. You give so much of yourself every single day and it's very important to recharge your batteries!!

Finding time for yourself maybe difficult, but a "mommy time-out" is a wonderful thing!  Doing something like enjoying a cup of coffee while flipping through a magazine for a few minutes, going to get a pedicure, or sitting outside in the sunshine for a bit can help in the best of ways!

I used to be an avid reader!  I would read as often as possible and couldn't get enough of suspense novels.. still can't - but I just don't have the time like I used to.  Chase usually takes one good nap a day for me (sometimes he naps twice but usually its a one time a day kinda thing!) for about two solid hours.  Since the summer time is coming and the weather is warming up, I've made a promise to myself to take a little me time each day.  I've made a summer reading list and during nap time, I'm going to attempt to enjoy an iced coffee and a few chapters!

Mommy's Summer Reading List

Murder House - James Patterson

While You Were Sleeping - Kathryn Croft

Into the Water - Paula Hawkins

The Stranger - Harlan Coben

The Couple Next Door - Shari Lapena

As you can see, my crime and suspense novel obsession is real!  I cannot wait to open one of these babies up and dive in!  Now it's just deciding which one should be first ;)

The Registry Series: Medicine Cabinet

I know medicines for babies can be a bit controversial but all of these items above, we've used with Chase and have discussed them and got approval from out pediatrician.  I am in no way a doctor or medical professional, these are simply items that I've found worked for us and I hope will work for you as well.

1. When Chase has a stuffy nose, nasal spray is helpful in getting the tough stuff out!  This formula is made by the same company that makes Boogie Wipes and it's gentle for sensitize little noses!

2. I had never heard of this miracle cream prior to having Chase but I'm so very glad I know about it now!  In Chase's whole year of life, he's had only one minor diaper rash when he first came home from the hospital.  I contacted our pediatrician late one night and they recommended this cream.  We ran out to get it that same night and by the next morning it was just about gone!  After that, I used it with each diaper change as a preventative measure for a bit.  It's a little on the pricier side but it's worth it's weight in gold!

3. Vick's Baby Rub was also recommended by our pediatrician when Chase had his first cold.  We used it sparingly but it definitely helped with his congestion.  It's a great item to have handy!

4. Boogie Wipes are a favorite of ours!  I have them in Chase's nursery, my car, and my diaper bag.  I like to use them over regular tissues because they never dry out his nose.

5. We have this thermometer and love that it's a noninvasive product that can be used on newborns and adults alike.  It's very easy to use as well!

6.  It's always good to have some sort of pain reliever in the house - especially when it's teething time!  We love both Infant Motrin and Infant Tylenol.

7.  The idea of the Nose Frida nasal aspirator may be very unappealing and might actually deter some from purchasing and using it but honestly, this product is amazing!  It's much more effective than a traditional aspirator and it's easy to clean.

8. This outdoor duo pack from Babyganics has both mineral based sunscreen and natural insect repellent - both very important to have!

9. The First Years American Red Cross Baby Healthcare and Grooming Kit has all of the essentials for your baby.  It's a 17 piece set that includes a nasal aspirator, digital thermometer with case, soft-tip medicine dispenser, comfort tip medicine spoon with cap, brush, comb, scissors, nail clipper, fingertip toothbrush, emery boards, and a rattle.  It all comes in a handy zippered case for easy storage.

Next up is nursery and bedding essentials!

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Chase's First Birthday Inspiration and Wish List

Our little man will ofishally be one on May 12th and it's really hard to believe!  It seriously feels like just yesterday I woke up with pains in my stomach and we met him a few hours later!  It's been such a whirlwind of a year and the fastest one of my life for sure!  I get a little emotional thinking about it all, but I'm so excited for the future because of him!  I can't wait to see him do everything and anything!

I've had his party theme set in stone since November and I slowly purchased decor items and pinned away a ton of different ideas.  We decided on a fish themed party since he's infatuated with water and sea life. Above are some of the photos I found on Pinterest that inspired me!  I can't wait to see everything come together for him!  We aren't having a huge party, but rather a small gathering at home of family and friends - who we lovingly refer to as his fan club ;)  I'll share more photos of Chase's big day in the next few weeks!

As far as his birthday wish list, he really has all that he could possibly need.  I've put together a list for him of items that he could have fun with, but also things he could use as well.

1) Little Tikes Spiralin' Seas Waterpark - The weather is getting a little nicer everyday & we've been trying to spend as much time as we can outside.  This water table is sure to keep him occupied and cool on those warm days!

2) Paw Patrol Staw Bottle Thermos - We could definitely use this to keep his drinks cold as he's outside playing!  And we love the Paw Patrol at our house ;)

3) Janod Alphabet Puzzle - It's never too early to start learning the ABCs!  Chase loves blocks and this puzzle is perfect because the pieces are similar to the blocks he loves to play with.  I've read great reviews on this item.

4) Yikes Twins Shark Hooded Towel - I really wanted a shark robe for him but all the ones I could find were for up to 9 mos.  This towel is adorable and the quality is great!

5) Yikes Twins Shark Slippers - Matching slippers for the towel that are almost too cute to handle!

We are really looking forward to celebrating our little man in a few short weeks!  I still can't get over the fact that he's going to be ONE!

Five Favorites on Friday

Happy Friday friends!  This week went way too quickly!  Chase's first birthday is only three weeks away and I'm in full on party prepping mode!  In preparation for his party, I'll be spending the weekend getting all of the miscellaneous projects completed around the house and making sure we have everything we need for his cake smash photo session that's coming up!

Here are my favorite finds of the week!

1. I'm really loving the idea of copper kitchen accents... the trend is so pretty and classic! I came across these wire baskets and couldn't help but notice not only how nice they were, but also how practical they would be for storage! They come in several colors so if copper isn't your thing, there are other colors to choose from!
2. I'm doing a bit of a revamp of our bathroom and I love this coastal shower curtain!  I may run out and grab it this weekend.
3. These jeans at Express are great for the summer months!  I'm obsessed with the bottoms of them!
4. I made this slow cooker pulled chicken recipe this week and it was so delicious and so simple!  I served it on toasted rolls with honey mustard and chopped white onion.  They were great!  We are actually adding them to our menu for Chase's birthday BBQ!
5. Seriously obsessed with these Victoria Beckham flat top visor sunglasses - hello birthday wishlist!

Time to go get my shopping lists together for Chase's party!  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

The Registry Series: Bath

Other than playtime, bath time is definitely Chase's favorite part of the day!  We've been using these items since we came home from the hospital and he could take his first bath!

1. & 2. Just Bath by Just Born Hooded Towels  and  Just Bath by Just Born Washcloths - I'm a little weird when it comes to bath towels and washcloths for Chase.  I really dislike the ones that are silky soft and tissue thin because they don't get much of the job done (in my opinion).  These Just Bath by Just Born towels have the perfect amount of weight and texture, as do the washcloths.   J.J. Cole is another brand we are fond of at our house.

3. Spout Cover: 4Moms - There are a lot of different spout covers on the market and we have two that we really love and would recommend.  The first one is this 4Moms cover.  This will give you a piece of mind when you are filling up the tub for your baby as it has a heat sensing element that will notify you by sounding an alarm and flashing bright red if the water is too hot.  If it is just right, it will stay in the green zone.  It also displays the exact temperature.  The 4Moms cover does double duty by acting as a thermometer and barrier from the metal.  We also love the Boon Flo - we recently purchased this and like it a lot!  The Flo has a bath bubble dispenser and the bottom comes out to help was soap away, all while protecting your child.

4. Bath Seat: Angelcare Bath Support - After seeing how gross baby tubs can get, I read wonderful reviews on this seat and am so glad it is ultimately the one we chose.  This is such an easy item to clean and it doesn't get moldy or disgusting.  We love that it supports your child from birth to 30 pounds.  A must have!

5. Aveeno Baby Bathtime Solutions Set - Chase has super sensitive skin and he also has infant eczema in certain areas.  We tried Johnson & Johnson products and they would irritate the eczema so we talked with our pediatrician who recommended the Aveeno Baby product line.  We currently use their bath soaps, lotions, and eczema relief products.  They have helped his skin tremendously!

6. Nuby Tear Free Rinse Pail - You can always use a good old fashioned cup to get this job done, but we love our Nuby rinse pail because it perfectly contours to the baby's head so nothing gets in his eyes.

I hope you find these items worth looking into!  Next up are medicine cabinet must haves!

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Easter 2017

Happy belated Easter everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with your loved ones!  It was a bittersweet holiday over here because it was Chase's last first holiday, but boy did he enjoy it!

Saturday while he napped, I put together his basket and filled his eggs.  Since he's still so little, we decided not to do an egg hunt but instead fill a few with his favorite snacks.  I put Cheerios, Puffs, and yogurt melts inside of them which worked out great because he munched on them throughout the day.

I set everything up in the living room on the coffee table for him (which is now his favorite place to stand against) but before he saw his basket, we ate breakfast.  His mouth is bothering him so much lately with his molars trying to pop through so he has been giving me such a hard time eating.  One of the few things he will actually eat are frozen waffles that are just heated through enough to be a little mushy.  He ate a few pieces in his highchair but then started to stop so I brought him outside in his little police car and thankfully, he ate the rest out there.  Afterwards, he tore through his basket and eggs - his favorite item was his little egg sorter set!

After he played, my husband took him for a walk and then he napped as we both got ready for Easter dinner at my grandmother's house.

When he woke up, we got him dressed and ready to go but before we left to spend time with the family, we had to take his first Easter pictures ;)

We had a wonderful day celebrating with my family!  It's amazing that just two years ago, my niece Kylee was the only little one... she had the egg hunts and baskets all to herself!  This year, my nephew Myles was big enough to have an egg hunt as well.  My parents did separate ones so each of them could do their own and we wouldn't have any fights on our hands.  Chase loved watching them!  I can't believe last year he was still in my belly and next year he will be out there running for eggs with the others!

Five Favorites on Friday - the Easter Edition

Since Easter is this weekend, I thought I'd round up a festive Friday favorites list for this week!  Lets hop right in - pun intended ;)

1. I know many kids are gearing up for the big egg hunt that will be happening this weekend!  Here are 11 interesting ideas that will make Easter egg hunts even more fun!  
2. This bunny cake is so pretty and it can do double duty on your table by serving as both the centerpiece and dessert!
3. These cupcakes are another festive dessert option and I know everyone (especially the kids!) will enjoy the sweet surprise!
4. I absolutely love this idea of Easter sundaes on Easter Sunday!  
5. And finally, ladies we can't forget about our big kids on Sunday!  Here's a great "How To" article on how to make the perfect basket for the man in your life!

I hope you all have a blessed Easter with your loved ones!  Have a wonderful weekend!

**Image via Pinterest**

Chase's Easter Basket

I've been slowly collecting items to fill Chase's very first Easter basket for a while now.  Since he's still so little, we won't be doing an egg hunt with him this year so I went a little extra with his basket.  I did purchase a package of 8 clear eggs and I'm going to fill them with Puffs, Cheerios, and yogurt melts for him and put them on the floor in our living room - kind of like a mini egg hunt for our mini man ;)

Last Easter I ordered this wire basket from H&M (I ordered a copper colored one as well for future a sibling one day - yes, thinking WAY ahead!) for him knowing that I would use this for years to come as his main basket.  I love this because it's large enough to hold all of his goodies!  I'm going to purchase a more traditional basket for him to do his egg hunts with since this one doesn't really have handles that would be practical for such a thing ;)

We always had a tradition growing up where we would get one gift on Easter (usually we would find it with a series of clues), and we'd also get a basket with goodies.  For Chase's "big" gift, I purchased this awesome bath toy by Yookidoo and I can not wait for him to open it!  He's such a huge fan of bath time so I know he's going to LOVE this!

For his basket fillers, I did a mixture of his favorite snacks, useful items, educational items, and some fun toys!

-  For the snacks, I picked up a tin of Gerber Lil' Crunchies and a pack of colorful Goldfish crackers.
- For useful items, I grabbed him this festive shortie PJ set, a new tooth brush (the boy loves to brush his teeth!), and this fun little silverware set (Paw Patrol is a favorite in our house).
- For the educational items, I love to get him a holiday book for each passing holiday and this board book is a classic.  This egg toy is not only festive for the Easter holiday, but it encourages dexterity and helps kids recongize shapes and colors!  Fisher Price makes great toys for every age and this alphabet tablet has three levels for development and helps kids learn letters and words!
- For the fun items, he has the VTech Go! Go! Police Station already so I got the fire truck to add to the road!  A teddy bear will be in the basket too - it's seriously the softest thing ever and I can already see him cuddling up to it - heart melt!  And finally, these bath drops are going to be fun to use during one of his favorite times of the day!

The Registry Series: Playtime and Toys

This section of the Registry Series can be considered optional because it's all about playtime and toys. Some of you will not find it absolutely essential to register for toys and that is fine - to each their own.  However, those of you who would like to add a few playtime items to your registry, I've broken this list down to essentials and extras.  All of these items I've used with Chase and some he still plays with (most actually).  Here we go ;)

I think all registries should have a jumper, playmat, and walker on them which is why I've listed these three as my essential items.  You will use these relatively quickly and for a pretty long period of time.  These three items are Chase's favorites!  He still uses them all to this day - the police car gets the most use right now because he's always on the go!

1. Play Mat: Infantino Grow-With-Me Mat & Ball Pit - This was one of the first "large toys" Chase played with.  We love this in our house because it gets more and more fun with each stage.  At first it is an activity mat and it converts into a ball pit!  It's a multipurpose item that is sure to get a lot of use!

2. Jumper: Disney Finding Nemo Sea of Activities Jumper - We love this thing!  I'm talking a deep deep love!!  We purchased this for Chase over the summer and once he went in, there was no getting him out!  This jumper is highly interactive and will stimulate almost all of your baby's senses!  There's so much color, lights, sounds, textures, and tons of  toys to play with!  It has three different height settings to grow with your baby. It's just so awesome!  Chase is quickly outgrowing it now and I think it's about time to box it up - although I have to admit, I'm going to miss seeing him bounce around in it!

3. Walker: Combi Police Car Entertainer - Play time gets more fun once your little one is ready to move!  This police car walker is adorable!  It is definitely Chase's most favorite at the moment!  It has a padded seat, a little steering wheel that honks and plays melodies, adjustable height, and a snack tray.

For the extras, I wanted to include some of the items that my son has loved and used for a while.  We are going on 11 months and almost all of these toys are still played with daily.

1. Jacques the Peacock was the first toy we ever played with and from time to time now he will pick it up.  This is a great starter item!

2. The WubbaNub isn't necessarily a toy per say, but for an infant it doubles as a toy and pacifier!

3. We have both the Sit to Stand Learning Walker by Vtech and the Little Tikes Light N Go Activity Walker and they are both wonderful!

4. Our beloved Sophie has had a bit of a bad rep lately but if you use her carefully and follow the guides/instructions, she's wonderful to have when the baby is teething or just looking for something to squeak ;)

5. The Sassy Link Ring is another great beginner item - and as a bonus, you can take it apart and use the links to extend other toys!

6. This Baby Einstein ball set was in Chase's Christmas stocking and he just loves it!  All of the balls have different elements inside of them that keep him occupied and curious!

So there you have our playtime favorites from birth to the first year!  Now don't get me wrong, there are lots of other items that he plays with now, but all of these have been kept in rotation and played with over the last 11 months.  We love them all and hope you and your babies will too!

Next up is bath time - our favorite!

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Easter Sunday Best

Easter is one of my favorite holidays.  I love spending time with family celebrating each holiday and Easter is always a special one.

As we look forward to any oncoming holiday, there is always so much to prepare for!  Easter is a big one, especially if you have children!  Not only are you planning menus, baskets, and egg hunts, you also have to find a sweet little outfit for your bunnies!  I've had Chase's first Easter outfit since the end of February (yes, I'm turning into one of those moms that plan for everything in serious advance!), but below, I've rounded up some style inspiration for kids that are very budget friendly!

Dress // Headband // Bunny Flats // Plaid Shorty // Straw Hat // Bunny Sneakers

The Ten Month Update

It's hard to believe that Chase will be eleven months old on Wednesday - only a single month away from being a whole YEAR OLD - what??!!

Ten months has been a ton of fun!  It's definitely the most mobile month we've experienced so far!  All he wants to do is either be in his police car cruising around or pushing his activity walker around,!  Chase also wants to stand a lot and is now pulling himself up from just about anything!

Here are some stats from month 10!

• As far as his height and weight, we didn't have a doctors appointment this month so if I had to guesstimate, I'd say he's at least 25 pounds now and he's getting taller by the day!
• He's still in size four diapers but he fluctuates so much when it comes to clothing!  He's in mainly 18 months but he can get away with some 12 month shirts and he's also in a few 24 month and 2T pieces (mainly jammies)
• He finally started to put his knees down when he crawls - he's been doing the "inchworm" or army crawl for a few months now so this is exiting!
• I think his beloved Nemo bouncer is officially going to retire - he does not like to be in anything stationary anymore
• Chase tries to imitate EVERYTHING - whether it be a sound or a motion, little man is sure to try to copy whatever you do!
• Words are starting to form now - he says things like Mama and Dada, but he also calls for his cousin Tyler (Ty Ty) and Myles (My My), and he says buh-bye when you leave
• If you ask him, "How old is Chase man going to be?" he will lift up his pointer finger ;)
• He had his first taste of Sunday dinner at my grandmother's house - pasta and meatballs - and loved it!
• We've finally broken a barrier with table foods!  He eats mainly what we are eating now (but getting molars has set him back a bit, so he still does the purees from time to time).  Some of his favorites are banana pancakes, blueberry waffles, fresh fruit, american cheese, oatmeal with fruit mixed in, grilled cheese, pasta, potatoes of any form, eggs, and homemade chicken soup.  Breakfast items are by far his favorite!
• Tubby time is his favorite time of the day for sure!
• Sleep is still a mystery - some days he does really well but most we battle to fall asleep and wake at least once (or he's asleep all night but up with the chickens in the am)
• Chase loves to be outside!  We had the cop car and his Raptor out finally and he loved the fresh air!  Come on spring/summer!  
• Little man is weary of people he's unfamiliar with and definitely makes connections when I tell him we are going to see people that he knows well
• He strongly dislikes whenever mom leaves the room!
• As far as toys, he loves anything for the bath, his new activity table that he can stand around, his push walker & police car, blocks of any kind, and his Vulli fawn teether when he's in the car 
• We are beginning the weaning process with him and he's doing very well - he's down to three nursing sessions a day now.  I feel the night/bedtime session is going to be the hardest one for both of us to stop :( 

Those are just a few of the moments of the month!  We've had such a good one (although the night thing kills me most days) and I can't wait to see what his eleventh month has in store for us!  

We just love you baby boy!

Five Favorites on Friday

Well the first week of April has come and gone in a flash and here we are at yet another Friday Favorites post!  I can't believe how fast this weeks fly by!

We've had a very productive week over here and are really looking forward to the weekend.  I can't wait to start my spring cleaning and purging the house of items we aren't using anymore.  Something about cleaning and organizing makes me feel calm... odd to say but honestly, my stress levels go way down when I know the house is in order - something that's not as easy to do now with the little guy!

Here are some things I'm currently loving...

1. I just ordered these black and gold pajamas and I can't wait to get them!  I love a good PJ set and this one was too cute to pass up!
2. I'm an avid iced coffee drinker but this creamy coconut butter coffee recipe I found on Pinterest sounds delish!  It's a must try for me this weekend!
3. I have a bit of a crush on Harry Styles and I was really excited to find out he was putting out a solo album.  His new single, Sign of the Times, came out today and it's already on repeat!
4. Gap has some adorable shoes for the littles out for spring/summer - these shark shoes for the boys and these jelly sandals for the girls are just too sweet!
5. And finally, for those of you boy moms out there, I found this article and I think it's a must read... it will certainly tug at the heartstrings a bit!

Well, that's my extremely eclectic list for this week!  Hope you enjoy the weekend!

The Registry Series: Feeding

I hope you all enjoyed the first installment of the series!  For today's post, I am going to discuss some feeding essentials for a new baby.  Just to let you know, I did not include my nursing favorites in this section.  I am going to devote an entire post to nursing favorites at a later date.  I will also do a post on toddler feeding favorites once I get a list going - Chase is still new to eating solid table foods so we are still experimenting with products now.

1. Spoons:  Munchkin Soft-Tip Infant Spoons - We have gone through several different types and brands of spoons but these are by far my favorites.  They are sturdy, soft enough to not bother teething gums, dishwasher safe, and very inexpensive.  We also really like these spoons by Munchkin (they tell you if the food is too hot)  and Chase really loved these by Beaba when he first started eating solids (they are super soft and are great for teething gums).

2. Boon Lawn Drying Rack - This seems to be an essential item on any registry I've come across!  It is wonderful for all of the little bottle parts, pump parts, sippy cups... you name it!  It fits all shapes and sizes!  It also comes with an array of different attachments (we have this one) for extra space and is easy to clean as it's only two pieces!  I was originally going to return the lawn, which is the largest size, for the grass but I'm so glad I didn't!  It's amazing how much this holds and it doesn't take up as much space as I thought it would (which was my reason for wanting a smaller one).  This is a must!!

3.  High Chair: Peg Perego Siesta - This is one of the pricier high chair options but it's an example of you get what you pay for.  This is also a wonderful investment piece for babies because your child can use it from birth throughout toddlerhood.  It has 9 different height positions and 5 recline positions.  It also has a 5 point safety strap and lock buttons for the wheels.  There is a double tray that stacks on top of each other and each piece is dishwasher safe.  It's easy to clean and my favorite feature is that it is one of the slimmest folding chairs on the market!  I love this chair and highly recommend it!  Well worth the money!

4.  Bottle Set: Philips Avent Infant Starter Set - This is a great set to register for because you get a little bit of everything - 5 bottles of various sizes, a soothie pacifier, a dispenser, and a bottle brush.  This is also a great set for both breast and formula fed babies - my son has been exclusively breast fed and loves these bottles and I also have a niece and a nephew who were both formula fed babies and they used them as well.  For a breastfed baby these are great because they have a breast shaped nipple which helps to prevent nipple confusion.  We also have these bottles and love them too!

5.  Bibs - The amount of different bibs on the market is amazing!  There are so many different fabrics, styles, and brands out there.  For infants, I love these by Frenchie and these by Tommee Tippee because they have a neckline that prevents leaks.  We have both and love them!

So these are a few of my essential feeding items for little ones.  Like the items in the previous post, we own all of these, love them, and use them on the daily for Chase.  I hope you find this information helpful!  Next up is playtime!

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Easter Baskets Ideas

Happy April everybody!  Easter is officially right around the corner and it's time to do some thinking about what to fill up those baskets with!  It's Chase's very first Easter and I've been planning his basket for a few months now (I'll do a post on his basket and the contents as soon as I get it all together).  I've rounded up a few simple ideas for both little ladies and little men below.  I tried to include a festive toy, some colorful pajamas, and a little something to use.  All of the items are fun and functional - which is a win win!

For the Little Ladies

ONE     //     TWO     //     THREE     //     FOUR     //     FIVE 

For the Little Men

ONE     //     TWO     //     THREE     //     FOUR     //     FIVE 

A few other items to add into baskets are holiday books, snacks (other than candy), coloring tools and books, puzzles, hair accessories for the girls, hats for the boys, DVDs, tooth brushes, bubbles, bath toys... just to name a few.  I hope these ideas were helpful in some way!