Category: baby

Month 1: fave baby items

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One month down!  It seems baby Lawton’s first month flew by way faster than it did with baby Denton (who’s now 19 months!!).  In some ways caring for a little seems waaaay easier this time around.  I’m definitely more confident and comfortable with a newborn now, and with a toddler we’re already in parent mode so there’s less of a “oh —- what have we done!?!” feeling.  And I’ve got my fave baby items…

 

Blankets and Swaddles

Max + Moose
Halo

Max + Moose blanket  |  Halo sleepsack

Max + Moose makes the coziest swaddle blankets.  They’re the perfect size with just the right amount of stretch to keep your little all snuggled up.

The Halo sleepsack is what we use for nighttime sleep.  It’s great for growing babies because you can swaddle their arms down when their tiny, and let them free as they get older.  And once they start rolling around at night, the sleepsack keeps them warm and cozy all night.

 

Clothes

Baby Gap
Zara Kids and Mini

sweater one-piece  |  sherpa booties  |  reindeer sweater

Gap has been a go-to for almost all of Denton, and now Lawton’s, clothing staples.  Their long-sleeve onesies are super soft, and their denim is adorable.  And it seems like Gap is pretty much always having a great sale!

As Denton has gotten older I’ve been buying him more clothes at Zara Kids.  Their sweaters are irresistibly cute, and now there’s a Mini line for little babies!!

Gear

Uppababy
Babyzen

Uppababy vista  |  Babyzen yoyo 0+  |  Babyzen yoyo 6+

I’ve got all of these strollers and I love them!  The Uppababy vista converts to a two-seater for growing families, and has a compatible bassinet and carseat.  And the basket is big for shopping!

The Babyzen yoyo is light-weight and folds down super small.  It is the absolute best for traveling!  You just need to buy one stroller frame, and then add on the bassinet and/or seat kit.

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One month and counting…

xoxo
-ash

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Bella Baby FTW!

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Our sweet little baby Lawton was born on October 17, 2018.  I delivered via C-section and was in the hospital for nearly a week.  While walking the halls I picked up a brochure for Bella Baby and it’s pretty much the best business idea ever.

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Bella Baby brings professional photographers into hospitals to capture those first precious moments with your new baby.

Bella Baby offers moms complimentary photo sessions in the convenience of their hospital room.  There is no commitment to purchase any photos– but really, who wouldn’t want to!?!!

The in-hospital photoshoot takes about 15 minutes, and access to the prints is made available via an online gallery THE SAME DAY!  It’s so easy and efficient, and I LOVE how the pics turned out.

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Bella Baby is BRILLIANT!!  I am so happy that I have these first pics of baby Lawton.  And newborn photos are just the beginning!! 

Bella Life picks up where Bella Baby leaves off.  Bella Life photographers will come to your home – or wherever you’d like –  to document special moments in your life.  Bella Life offers maternity shoots, family celebrations, cake smash photos, family portrait sessions, and more!

In fact, we just had Bella Life out to take our first family photos since Lawton’s arrival.  I can’t wait to see how the pics turn out!!!

xoxo
-ash

 

Thank you to Bella Baby for sponsoring this post.

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Getting Around with Baby x2

We’re super excited that baby boy #2 will be joining us in a couple of months!  And we’re also overwhelmed and tired AF… or at least I am.

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Since we just loaded up on baby boy stuff a little over a year ago, there wasn’t all that much left that we needed.  We wanted some add-ons for our Vista stroller to make it a 2 seater, a bigger car seat, and another Yoyo stroller.  These are not inexpensive items by any means, but they’ve come out as our top picks after surviving our first year as parents.

Uppababy

The Uppababy Vista was the first stroller we got and it is great, particularly for a newborn.  The bassinet easily pops on and off, as does the Mesa car seat.  The large basket makes it perfect for shopping and running errands.  And if multiple littles are in your future, the Vista converts to haul 2-3 kiddos!

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These are our top picks in the Uppababy line:  Uppababy Vista stroller and bassinet  |  rumble seat  |  Mesa car seat  |  bassinet holder and hamper  |  upper adaptors

Babyzen

The Babyzen Yoyo stroller has been our go-to for traveling and cruising around the city.  It is super lightweight but very durable.  We took it with us to Czech and were shocked that it held up on all the cobblestone streets!  Plus it quickly and easily folds up and slings over your shoulder like a big purse, so you can squeeze onto public transit, put it under your chair at a restaurant, or take it on an airplane.  We love the Yoyo so much that we bought a second one for the newbie, and we splurged for the newborn seat pack too!  It comes in TONS of colors.  We have both the black and the white base, and the grey and “Air France” blue seat packs.

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Babyzen Yoyo 6+  |  Babyzen Yoyo 0+ (newborn seat unit)

Nuna

Since the newbie will get the Mesa car seat, it was time for Denton to upgrade.  I had a hard time finding a car seat that was easy to use and didn’t take up tons of space.  The Nuna Rava was recommended by a friend, and I love it!  It’s sleek, easy to install (but heavy), and fits great in my small SUV.  Also, it comes with a newborn insert, so you could even use it from Day 1!

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Nuna Rava car seat

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Looking forward to strollin’ around with Denton and his little bro come October!

What are your baby must-haves?

xoxo
-ash

ashLeave a comment

Nursery Essentials

I wanted baby girl’s nursery to be girly and comforting. I have gravitated towards all things floral this time- maybe because with Hadley, my first, I didn’t want anything super girly- so this time I’m making up for it!

IMG_7408.jpgSince my mom now doesn’t live by me, I couldn’t recruit her to paint on the walls like I normally have her do- so instead, I found these amazing wall decals! Aren’t they gorgeous!? The best part is- you can take them off and move them around with no damage to the wall! There are so many different ones on Etsy!

SAMSUNG CSCI also found this handy rolling cart at Ikea. I have two in my kiddos playroom in black– but thought it would be the perfect addition to baby girl’s room for all of her diapers/wipes/soaps/burp cloths/blankets- STUFF!

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Hadley really wanted to contribute to Rem’s room, so I had her do some finger paintings for the frames (from Ikea!). Then I did the bright pink painting! It is so easy! I got a white canvas from Hobby Lobby- A tube of pink and a tube of white paint- some sponges, and a cup of water. I would then use the sponge to paint on the pink and then use another sponge to squeeze water over it to make it look more like water colors. It turned out just how I wanted it to- and it was super cheap!

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The super soft fuzzy rug was inexpensive and the perfect way to brighten up the room and make it cozy! Plus, rugsusa.com always has a coupon! Also, by far our favorite blanket for miss Rem has been our Max + Moose blanket. It’s your favorite soft tshirt turned blanket! Obsessed.

Now, I have rocking chairs in my room and beckam’s room- but I knew I would want one for Rem’s room as well- not to mention, one for lots of little people to sit on with me! No way Beck & Hads were going to give me space while I was holding their sister. They need to be as close as they can to her at all times. This was the perfect addition to the space.

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bedding: Ikea | pillows: Homegoods | headboard: Downeast | bedframe: Amazon | My dress: JL COMING SOON! It’s amazing! You’re going to love it.

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Pickles, Donuts, Pizza & Ice Cream

IMG_5363tee | jeans | lipstick

Well, it’s time for Ashley to pass on her maternity clothes! Baby #3 for our family is coming this September- and… it’s a GIRL!

Number 3 has been completely different from my other two pregnancies. I feel like your body just gives up sooner – you show sooner, you gain weight MUCH faster, and your abs disappear almost instantly. Almost like, why fight it? This is happening!

My due date is Sept. 20, but my c-section will be about a week before.

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For the next several months I’m planning on showing you some maternity looks, products I love, and my exercise routines I do to try and keep some what fit-ish! Please let me know if there is anything specific you would like me to cover over the next few months until baby girl arrives! I would love your thoughts.

Here are some of my go-to clothing items I’ve been sporting lately:

v neck tee | chambray trousers | racerback bra | maternity ankle jeans | sports bra chunky cardigan | tie top | maternity jeans | swing dress

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getting ready for baby

Having a baby and overwhelmed by registry checklists and recommended products?  We were.  What do we really need?  And what gets used most?  After grilling friends and family with little ones, here are some of the items we determined were key.

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Car Seat.  This is a must apparently just to get your new baby out of the hospital.  Rumor has it the hospital will hold the kiddo hostage unless you have a car seat installed and ready to go.  We went with the Uppababy Mesa because it easily clicks into the stroller base that we chose.  We originally like the gray (aka “Pascal”), but ultimately chose the black (aka “Jake”) thinking it would stay cleaner looking longer.

Stroller.  So many options in so many price ranges.  Ultimately we chose the Uppababy Vista in part on the recommendation of a friend.  Most important to us though was that the Vista comes with a bassinet in addition to a toddler seat; and the car seat, toddler seat, and bassinet all click on and off the base easily, without need for additional attachments.

Glider.  It sounds like a glider, rocking chair, or some uber comfy seat is a must for all the baby snuggling and feedings that are going to be going on.  The price range for comfy seating is huge.  We opted for the Delta ‘Emma’ Glider in Flax for its reasonable cost, relatively compact size, overall comfiness, and neutral color.

Diaper Genie.  Our polling was split on the necessity of a dedicated diaper pail, but for less than $30 we went ahead and got a diaper genie.  Better safe than smelly.

Crib.  Not an immediate need, but at some point the baby should have a legit bed.  We liked the convertible cribs that transform into toddler beds.  We picked up the Delta ‘Fancy’ Convertible Crib from Buy Buy Baby using one of their promotional 20% off coupons.  Lots of retailers (like Buy Buy Baby and Albee Baby) regularly send out “20% off single item” coupons that are perfect for larger purchases like nursery furniture.  Don’t forget to add a mattress, mattress protector, and sheets!

Dresser with Changing Top.  Multi-tasking furniture is the best.  The changing top is removable, so when no longer needed you still have a nice little dresser.  The Delta ‘Emerson’ Dresser was the right size, reasonably priced, and matched well with the crib we picked.  Don’t forget to add the changing pad and a changing pad cover.  Done.

Blankets.  Multi-purpose blankets for swaddling, receiving, and comforting.  We were told we’d need several of these.

Bassinet Stand/Hamper.  Okay, so this one isn’t a ‘must’ at all, and it is arguably over-priced for what it is… but I wanted it.  Part of the Uppababy line, it is a stand for the bassinet (that is part of the Vista stroller)… but then – when you no longer need a bassinet –  use the hamper insert for laundry!

Plush Toy.  You will need at least a couple of cute and soft stuffed animals because they’re adorable.  There are so many to choose from!  I picked ones that made me smile and were in calming colors.

Happy shopping!

xoxo
-ash

ash1 Comment