Happy birthday, JB! From middle of the night diaper changes to the effortless way you sing and talk to your son, you’ve already proven yourself to be an amazing daddy. Levi and I are very, very lucky to have you in our lives.
xx
guest post: pregnancy necessities
While I take some time to bond with my little man, please enjoy guest posts written by moms and moms-to-be from some of my favorite blogs. Today, I’m happy to introduce Emily from The Culinary Couple!
Hello, new friends! I’m Emily: wife, mother-to-be, lover of food and photography, and one-half of The Culinary Couple. I love dark chocolate, strawberries, and my red KitchenAid stand mixer. Right now, though, there are a few other things that I just could not live without. Between an expanding waistline, an achy back, and regular heartburn, it’s sometimes these little things that make all the difference.
Bella B Tummy Honey Butter: Not sure if I can credit good genes or this belly butter, but I’m still stretch mark-free at 30 weeks pregnant! Plus it keeps my stomach from itching throughout the day.
Clinique Repairwear Intensive Night Cream: Typically my skin is oily during the summertime. But not this year, thanks to Peanut. And so I’ve incorporated this silky face cream into my nightly routine. I use it after Clinique’s 3-Step products, and my husband jokes that I now have about 12 steps to complete each night. It’s true.
St. Ives Oatmeal and Shea Butter Moisturizer: Speaking of dry skin, I am in love with this body lotion. It smells sweet and goes on smooth. I use it twice a day.
Snoogle: I simply cannot sleep without this pillow — it even accompanied us on our week long road trip. It hugs the natural curves of my body and forces me to remain on my (preferably left) side all night. And its soft jersey cover is comfortable enough to replace my standard pillow. So far hubs is okay with the new guest in our bed. He even “snoogles” after I get up to shower in the morning.
Crocs flats: Wedges and stilettos may be stylish, but I just can’t wear them. Not before and definitely not now. And even my flats don’t feel as supportive as they once did. Fortunately, I found the most comfortable pair of shoes: sling back flats by Crocs. They basically haven’t left my feet since I bought them.
Jersey Dresses and Tanks from Old Navy: Comfortable. Versatile. Affordable. Love everything about them.
Prenatal Yoga DVD: I miss my power yoga class, but this DVD does the trick for now. There are planks and warriors and triangles — with modifications for each trimester. And I feel amazingly loose and relaxed after my 50-minute living room session.
TUMS Smoothies: I thought I knew what heartburn was until I entered the third trimester of pregnancy. Now, no matter what I eat, heartburn accompanies it. Enter TUMS. I eat at least three per day.
Other things I can’t live without: Honey Bunches of Oats, fruit of all varieties, Annie’s cheddar bunnies and macaroni & cheese, English muffins with Grandma’s strawberry preserves, and ice cream. Also: my husband. But that goes without saying, right?
Thank you, PJ, for inviting me to guest post while you’re hanging out with your little man! Hard to believe that I’m just a few weeks away from becoming a new mommy, too.
What products could you not live without when you were pregnant?
{emily’s photos}
guest post: the joys of having a boy
While I take some time to bond with my little man, please enjoy guest posts written by moms and moms-to-be from some of my favorite blogs. Today, I’m happy to introduce Jane from simple + pretty!
As the mother of a 13-year-old (who is almost 14), I wasn’t sure what wisdom I could impart, or for that matter, even remember, from the baby years. So instead, I’m going to share the joys of having a boy.
Quick back story: I grew up the oldest of five (four girls/one boy), so the concept of boys was pretty much foreign to me. Girl stuff ruled the house, and I figured that someday, when I had children, the odds were in my favor for having a girl. Completely delusional and unscientific, but I figured little dresses and hair bows had to be in my future.
Here’s the thing: having a son has been better than I ever could have imagined. J is bright, curious and interested in everything from sports and history to music and food + travel. While we may not be spending an afternoon at the mall, we do bond over SportsCenter, which I had never watched before J introduced me to its wonders. At 13, J still likes the same music that I do, so I don’t mind taking him to a concert, especially when it’s Coldplay or Arcade Fire. We both want to move to California. Or London. What can I say? He’s a smart kid.
Along the way, I’ve learned the rules to soccer. I’ve sat through t-ball games. I’ve tried to answer his questions fairly and frankly. I’ve learned to be patient. And I’ve tried to allow him the luxury of pursuing his passions, instead of chasing mine.
I think that is where the lesson lies. My greatest joys of parenting have come from learning who J is and then helping him develop into his best “self.” PJ, I know you’re about to embark on an amazing adventure. Your son will show you the way.
{image via Jane’s personal collection}
guest post: nostalgia
While I take some time to bond with my little man, please enjoy guest posts written by moms and moms-to-be from some of my favorite blogs. Today, I’m happy to introduce Ashley from BabyMine!
I was browsing the new toy section of Barnes & Noble the other day and spotted Chatter the Telephone atop a shelf. It turns out that Fisher Price has reissued many of their classic toys from the ’60s and ’70s! Somehow bright, rainbow plastic seems far more appealing when it conjures up one’s own youth. After all, who didn’t have the doughnut-like Rock-a-Stack?
Seeing them made me think about my own favorite toys. From Fisher-Price, I loved my phonograph (a little orange and brown record-player with its very own handle) and the Little People barn (a playset that made a moo sound when the barn doors opened). But it’s hard to say what I loved most. Now, of course, I’m looking forward to seeing what captivates our little boy.
What were your favorite toys growing up?
Congratulations to PJ and JB! Can’t wait to see the baby (lucky fella that he is)! –Ashley, babymine.net
And a big congratulations to Ashley and her husband, Aron, who welcomed a son, Hudson Paxtyn, on July 17th!
Basic Fun Two Tone Television
snug as a bug
Every day I take approximately 847 photos of Levi. Most I snap with my new Canon 60D, but I must have added at least 300 photos to my iPhone’s camera roll since he was born. Now I need to figure out how to back all of them up on my PC so that I don’t lose any shots of Levi being adorable. Do you know how to transfer iPhone photos to a computer?
The image above of Levi in a Summer Infant SwaddleMe reclining on a Boppy is one of my new favorites. I love it when his little eyes are open!
{my photo of Levi at 9 days old}
