what's in my bag {hospital bag edition}

this isn't the complete list by all means, but only a few of my favorites :)

apparently in the year and a half since I had brooke, all reason has gone out the window. for a second i apparently totally forgot how to pack for the hospital and then my over-packer self kicked into overdrive and i packed bags like i'm going away for a two week vacation.

pretty sure i didn’t use half of the stuff that i packed for brooke's birth but my MO is {better safe than sorry} and i'd really hate to need something and not have it. mind you, our hospital is only about a 10 minute drive from home but i'd rather have all my comforts good and ready when i need them. 

when i packed my hospital bag for the first time, i read tons of articles for advice. the problem is everyone's opinion is different and necessities vary according to each individual. so i'm putting mine out here just as a suggestion {if anyone needs it}.

i'm packing three bags for the hospital{see what i mean by over-packer?}: one for labor that we’ll take up when we first get there, one for recovery that my husband will get out of the car after the baby is born, and one for the baby, that we won’t really need until we’re ready to leave. i used a list i found online as a guide and added or omitted as needed.

{labor bag}

in my mason bag :: yoga mat, warming rice bag for back pain, yoga towel, massage tools, island & reggae music for relaxation, my own gown and robe, comfy fuzzy slipper & shower havaianas, shower cap, emergen-c packets for when i need a power boost, sweet almond massage oil, aromatherapy oils, eye mask, lip balm, aromatherapy room spray, hair bands and bobby pins. {not pictured} :: nikon dslr {we didn't take many pictures with brooke's birth so i'm adamant about it this time around}, yoga ball, bathing suit for laboring in shower, birth plan and snacks {lollipops, power bars & coconut water}.

{recovery bag}

in my bag :: nursing tops, soft pajama bottoms, jersey chemises, 2 robes, grandma underwear {in bright non-grandma colors}, nursing bras, organic nursing pads, nipple butter, overnight {super absorbent} maxi-pads, feminine cloths, facial towelettes, bamboo belly bandit, toiletries, nursing cover {for privacy when we have company}, socks, my own ultra soft pillowcases, travel make up kit {need to be camera and company ready}, breastfeeding book, towel & washcloths. {not pictured} :: mama bottom spray {seriously saved me last time}, iPad, phone & camera chargers, boppy nursing pillow and my own pillow and blanket. 

i realize the hospital has a lot of these supplies and they give you lots of goodies but some things like the disposable underwear and pads which are a universal size are SO big that i'd much rather use my own. all the other mom goodies are specially nice to have like the peri bottle, sitz bath and pain spray. also nothing compares to your own pillow and blankets {the hospital's are usually so starched that they're beyond rough and uncomfortable}.

{baby bag}

in dylan's bag :: a few outfits + her going home outfit, couple of extra diapers {can never have enough of these}, non chlorine wipes {hospital provides these but i'd rather bring our own}, bamboo swaddle blankets, burp cloth, lovie from her big sister, newborn socks, newborn knit hats, 2 binkies and 2 little headbands i made for her first hospital photoshoot. {not pictured} :: car seat, baby book to stamp newborn foot print & "present"from dylan to brooke.

{also not pictured} tim's bag & light bag for dirty clothes.

and that's it! anything you think I forgot? i mean besides the rest of the house and nursery? :)

project bedroom & nursery corner

after 2 plus years of living in our little house and with another baby on the way, i'm finally paying our long neglected bedroom some much needed attention. other than these 2 Ikea Brimnes dressers, bedding and ikea fast dresser which is the middle of diy makeover for dylan, we haven’t really bought much. our wonderful friend angelica was beyond amazing and made us our awesome handmade linen headboard which we absolutely LOVE. i thought I’d snap some photos to document the start of the project and preliminary plans.

for the room overall, i'm going for a mix of bohemian/bazaar style and some modern design. i'm hoping to combine color with a fun eclectic vibe, using the stuff we already own as well as with elements i've found on my own flea marketing/vintage sprees. i'll just pretend i scoured the globe for local treasures in reality rather than dream. 

{right: brooke's room across the hall}

since dylan will be in our bedroom for a while, the “nursery corner” will also be incorporated into the general color palette and theme, but still have its own baby flair.

{aden & anais swaddle blanket, mobile ready to be made, etsy pretty prints & letter "d" from anthro}

{hospital bag almost ready to go, every baby book ever written & tons of newborn goodies}

{my lovely ivory ganesha}

sooo, you can be nice and say i'm somewhat making progress. tomorrow i'm tackling the ikea rast dresser. wish me luck!

bazaar/bohemian nursery corner brainstorming

{inspiration board i made for dylan's little nursery corner}

when thinking about the nursery corner (since we will be sharing our room with dylan for a while to not disrupt brooke's space and general schedule), i not only wanted it to fit our bedroom style (which sadly doesn't have much at the moment), but also still have a personality of its own so it can translate seamlessly into a separate room once we get a bigger space and decide brooke and dylan might have separate rooms.            

we already have a few of the pieces such as the little merry fellows organic moses basket, patterned elephants art print, the indian gauze canopy, elephant dresser knobs, and a fabric elephant hanger (which i plan on turning into a mobile) from World Market. i also recently purchased an ikea rast dresser to make my very own DIY project to put all of dylan's newborn essentials in.

all the other pretties are elements i'd like to incorporate into the room like the moroccan style side table, banana fiber rocking chair, lanterns, block print/global style pillows and rickshaw design style bedding.

it's still in the very early planning stages so i hesitate to even share but i realize the clock is tickin'!

anyway, below are a few of my inspiration images & nursery crushes which inspired the boho style. 

i'll post pictures of our bedroom soon to see what we're working with. so much to do in these few short weeks before our little pea makes her debut! ahhhh!!

hiatus

via.

as is probably evident I have been on a blogging hiatus. we've had so much going on in the last few weeks that i needed a breather plus it really has hit me i need to start planning for dylan's arrival which is a short 4 weeks away! i've been in the middle of a couple projects which i'd like to finish in the next few days so i can share them with you soon!

in the meantime, head over to my dear friend sonya's blog to read about the baby celebration party we threw for dylan last weekend. we wanted a small little party to celebrate our new sweet pea but we didn't want it to be a baby shower since we have everything she needs thanks to her big sister brooke. my mind was in a million different places that day so i totally  spaced out and didn't take any pictures. luckily i had my right hand biff do the job. enjoy her blog! 

a picture worth a thousand words

dyrk burcie was just 3 years old when his parents felt a mass on his abdomen. he was diagnosed with pediatric liver cancer and later found out that the cancer had spread to both his lungs. the toddler underwent nine rounds of chemo and a liver transplant but to no avail. in april his family decided to stop intensive treatment and make the most of the precious time he had left.

dyrk's dad is a lieutenant with the dallas fire department and his fellow firefighters decided that while they couldn't help heal his son physically, they wanted to to lift the burcie family's spirits. firefighters began taking photographs of themselves to support dyrk - decorating their truck and engines, holding up posters with words of encouragement and spelling out dyrk's name in creative ways. other departments have caught on and the photos have multiplied on his facebook support page. 

the support has spread across the country with firefighters, military, sports teams, hospital staff and families all sending in their pictures. it is such a small act in the grand scheme of things but the message of love and support is transcending. my heart breaks for the burcie family but swells with pride for the firefighters and all who have reached out. 

the above picture is of my husband and his fellow firefighters showing dyrk what a brave little guy they know he is. tim is second from the left. 

things i love {friday}

one / two / three / four / five / six / seven / eight / nine / ten

my idea of of the perfect summer day includes a warm sunny day, sand in my toes, breeze in my hair, sparkly drink in hand and my two loves by my side. a striped boatneck and comfy espadrilles would only make it that much better! enjoy my list of summer favorites & happy friday!

stroller wars

buying a stroller can be a huge investment. since we are an expanding family, the time has come to expand our baby wheels. i know everyone's criteria for a double stroller is going to be different according to their lifestyle and where they live.  

up until now, we've had the quinny buzz which we absolutely love aside from the small storage space and the lack of expansion options. we've definitely had a tough time deciding whether to go with a more compact and flexible stroller or a side by side double. i was hesitant to choose a double wide simply because of the width and i was afraid of the less than wonderful maneuverability.  we ultimately narrowed it down between the uppababy vista with the rumble seat and the baby jogger city select double stroller.  

{my stroller wish list}

lots of storage

easy fold and expansion

compatible with our carseat {we have the maxi cosi mico}

fits easily in our truck

removable seats

durability and longevity {lots of walks, park & zoo visits, etc.}

snack tray option

piggyback/buggy board attachment 

{my list of pros and cons}

uppababy vista $699 : 

pros: looks nicer aesthetically speaking, wide range of color choices, 2012 model comes in a black carbon frame, includes bassinet, bumper bar, rain and mosquito nets, easy one step fold, remains standing while folded, front seat can face forward or back, large storage basket and weighs 25 lbs. 

cons: rumble seat only faces one direction and doesn't fully recline, also sits low to ground and 2nd child's feet could take up some of the storage basket space. also pricier than the city select.

city select $659 : 

pros: 16 different configurations, can be used from birth with optional bassinet or car seat adapter, 2nd seat reclines, both seats are the same size, big storage basket, stadium seating with both toddler seats and lower price point than the vista.

cons: very heavy at 34 lbs, very long at 53 inches long, less color choices, steering is a little more work, bassinet, bumper bar and rain cover are sold separately. 

oh decisions, decisions. any input or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! 

things i love {friday}

one / two / three / four / five / six

i dream of owning a pair of ray bans in every color but at the moment i'm specially coveting a turquoise pair. i'll settle (for now) at looking and swooning at all these lovelies in aqua and coral hues that make me smile. enjoy the pretties and happy friday!

sparklers & barbecues

we enjoyed a wonderful 4th of july celebration along with our dear friends and their kids. brooke thoroughly enjoyed herself in the company of other children more than willing to hold her hand and chase after her. there was no shortage of yummy food, good company and lots and lots of fireworks!

i made a few treats for the kids that were a hit and super easy to make. seriously. all you need for the festive fruit wands are watermelon, blueberries, a star shaped cookie cutter (i used a fondant cutter only because they had smaller shapes), skewers and paper straws. and voila! 

it was a lovely sparkly day!

and just for fun some pictures of last year's fourth.

happy fourth!

wishing you all a very fun and safe holiday today! 

i'm leaving you with a few pictures of the little fourth of july shoot we did yesterday in our front yard. although 99.9% of the time brooke appears to have ants in her pants, she cooperated for a whole 5 minutes so i could get a few shots in. five minutes is an eternity is toddler land. trust me. brooke is also 17 months old today! feels like i blinked and now it's summer, she needs new jammies and says mama about a billion times a day. she needs to get my memo and stop growing for a bit. go it brooke? a mama can dream. 

things i love {friday}

one / two / three / four / five

damn you anthropologie and your constant ability to make me swoon. why must you sell so many things i neeeeeeed? (ok, want.. same thing in my book) enjoy the pretties & happy friday!

under the sea :: mermaid nursery

oh, the joy of decorating a nursery! there’s the excitement of expecting a little one, mirrored in the festivity of channeling this happiness into an amazing design project. there is also nothing like a nesting instinct to get a room decorated asap! while I was pregnant with brooke, i had lots of ideas and visions on how I wanted to decorate her nursery.  from the beginning, I knew I wanted to go with a mermaid/under the sea design theme. my goal was to create a colorful space that wasn't too girly, pink or "too baby". i wanted a room that i would have loved as a little girl and that brooke could grow into. as always, i kept my eye out for a deal and almost everything (with the exception of the glider) in her room was picked through a sale, flea market, thrift store, ikea and a few of my own childhood pieces.

i was inspired by the adorable, creative and unexpected nursery style boards over at laybabylay which are truly amazing. i love that all of her ideas can be easily transferred into home decor. i can't get enough! i decided to create a few mermaid room inspiration boards of my own since i'm planning on revamping our nursery of one to soon to be two. i realize some of the pieces are insanely expensive but that just makes the steal vs splurge finds that much more exciting and enjoyable. 

one / two / three / four / five / six / seven / eight / nine / ten / eleven / twelve / thirteen

one / two / three / four / five / six / seven / eight / nine / ten / eleven / twelve / thirteen / fourteen 

head over to project nursery for their franklin & ben's crib giveaway where you can design your own nursery on pinterest for a chance to win it. here is my inspiration board if you want to check it out! 

i will update with pictures of brooke's room once i get around to photographing it... which i hope is soon!

waiting for baby

how sweet are these pictures of my little bean testing out her little sister's bassinet? melts my heart! it's still quite hard for me to imagine brooke as a big sister. she's my baby!! she's been alone with our complete attention and devotion and the thought of her sharing the spotlight of our love makes me a little sad for her. as excited as i am to welcome dylan into our lives, i wonder how it'll be when she realizes her mommy is also someone else's. she's not quite competent in the sharing department quite yet. 

although she still has no clue as to what is going on (she is almost 17 months), i'm trying to find ways of slowly easing her into it as best as i can. i rub my tummy and tell her there is a baby inside mommy but more often than not she just looks at me as if i'm speaking martian. i'm thinking of getting her a few books to maybe help with the transition. books are not only incredibly fun but they'll also give her a colorful visual of what's to come. and if not (at least i tried), and i'm sure she'll understand pretty quick once dylan gets here. our little brooke will become an experienced big sister sooner or later! 

here's a few of the "get-ready-for-baby" books i found :

1. i'm a big sister by joanna cole

2. waiting for baby by harriet zeifert

3. the new baby by mercer mayer

4. new baby by stan & jan berenstein 

under the sea :: home edition

in my imagination i fashion myself a seafarer. what better way to show my sea legs than with some whale inspired goods. i'm sure if real whales could talk they'd agree their slightly abstracted counterparts in the world of home decor are all as cute as a button. 

1. whale tissue holder

2. natural wood whale ring rattle

3. white whale wall sculpture

4. wooden whale box

5. a whale-y good time top

6. sing and spout bath mat

7. jonathan adler bookends

8. wood office organizer

9. whale tape dispenser

ahoy!

let's talk coconut

seriously. can. not. get enough. everyone that knows me also knows i go a little bit crazy for anything coconut. both my pregnancies have involved lots of coconut cravings, which tim more than well knows since he's out getting them for me half the time.  i can still remember the fresh young coconuts my grandpa used to bring down from palm trees and open for me when i was a little girl visiting them in mazatlan. drinking coconut water immediately transports me to a tropical place where tons of happy memories lie, thus the lifelong love affair. 

to my delight, a few years back i discovered coconut water was being marketed in the US by several different companies, meaning i didn't have to wait till the next tropical vacation to indulge in my obsession and i chose O.N.E as my new fave.  however just recently i ran across a new coconut water that has rocked my world and just had to share my latest discovery. 


enter harmless harvest coconut water. the taste is amazing. this is the closest you can get to tasting a fresh coconut from a tree. this 100% organic coconut water is refreshing, rehydrating, and the perfect serving size for all you coconut lovers out there. even if you don't like coconuts, i encourage you to give this a shot. unlike other coconut water brands, harmless harvest raw coconut water doesn't come from concentrate and isn't heated or warmed before processing. rather it uses thousands of pounds of pressure to short-circuit the ability for harmful microbes and bacteria to develop, leaving you with a coconut water that makes you feel like you're on an island. and i know we can all use a mini mental vacay every now and then!

what's in my diaper bag edition

i thought i’d share my essentials since i was inspired by onto baby's recent posts & i love seeing what other moms carry in their bags around the blogosphere.

until the magical fairy comes to potty train brooke and her soon to arrive little sister, i will be fashionably rocking a diaper bag. these days i can pack pretty light (or what i think is light looking back to the infant days when i seriously packed the entire nursery minus the furniture). luckily brooke is content without that many things these days which is nice on my shoulder/pregnant belly and brain since i can’t remember my own head most days.

ok on to the goodies :

1. the bag: felix rey toys & trinkets bag

2. plum organics super puffs

3. sophie giraffe natural rubber toy

4. fujifilm instax mini

5. green to grow seahorse sippy cup

6. california baby spf30 sunscreen

7. ray ban original wayfarers

8. green to grow snack stacker

9. sozo watermelon blanket

10. baby lit board books

11. plum organics mish mash fruit & veggie puree snacks

12. blabla knit mermaid doll

13. babyganics alcohol free hand sanitizer

14. biodegradable gWipes

15. korres lip butter

16. harmless harvest raw coconut water

17. boon dispensing spoon

not pictured: a change of clothes, wet bag from etsy, non chlorine diapers, wallet & phone.  

      

and there you have it. i know it looks like a lot but it all fits!

tips for camping with a toddler

camping with an inquisitive toddler or baby? you think we're crazy? not completely, but bear with me.

as i mentioned before, tim and i have been camping for years and we were determined to keep up this tradition when brooke was born. so determined, in fact, that her first camping trip was at 5 months of age - which was actually the easiest age to take her away since she couldn't move around. to be honest the hardest time to camp is from toddlerhood on because their independence has set in and it can be quite difficult while a child is crawling or walking unsteadily, and too young to understand a lot of instruction - although it is doable and can still be enjoyable. 

plus toddlers love the outdoors and what better way to get them exploring than to take them to the big wild forest. 
i've compiled some tips to help you make camping with a toddler a safe and enjoyable experience ::

1. pack appropriately. think comfort and things you don't care about if they're torn or stained. no beautiful dresses and expensive sandals. more is better, specially pants and socks. extra shoes are a must since they will get wet or muddy at some point. a hat that will help keep their head warm and another for the sun. and when you think you've packed enough, pack a little more. i learned quickly that it's nearly impossible to keep a child clean or dry while camping.
2. put together a first-aid kit. include things for a variety of possibilities: bug bites, cuts, stings, temperatures, and so on, and make sure there are things for both adults and children. don't forget the sunscreen and brings tons of wipes.
3. know the dangers. it's a fact of camping that there are dangers around for kids - campfires, a lake, stream, river or the ocean, cooking facilities, cars, wild animals - and you need to know what they are and how to either avoid them or reduce the risk.
4. make specific boundaries. make a clear boundary that your child is not to cross. this takes away any room for doubt, and makes things safer and easier to monitor.
5. always make sure your child is supervised. especially if you're in a group, it can be easy to assume that 'someone' is watching out for your child. but don't assume. if you're doing something else or leaving the campsite, specifically ask one person to watch your child.
6. forget the dirt. it's inevitable that your child will get dirty when camping. give them a wash at the end of the day, before bed, but until then just ignore it. it'll make your life easier, and your days more relaxing. last time we took a little portable tub to bathe her in at the end of the day but found it much easier this time around to just shower with her at the campsite showers.
7. don't underestimate a child's ability to entertain themselves. take a few small toys and books as a backup or for some quiet play in the mornings and evenings, but for the most part let your child explore. it's amazing how much fun a child can have with dirt, sticks, water and space to run. 
8. stick to some routine. using the same bedtime routine (for example bath, teeth, story, bed) will help make your toddler feel more comfortable about their new surroundings. if your toddler still naps during the day, factor this time into your plans. brooke usually naps twice a day still but we found it easier to just give her one long nap in the middle of the day so evening she was spent and ready for bed.
9. bring enough helpful gear. if your toddler is toilet trained, or being toilet trained, you might like to consider taking either a potty or a special toilet seat for them. a backpack is great for walks and beats lugging around your stroller. a booster or portable chair is great for keeping them immobile while they're eating. and lastly a carrier such as an ergo is great for long hikes/walks and your little one starts getting tired or fussy.
10. use it as a fun way of learning. camping is an opportunity to see new things, whether it's wildlife, a different environment or new experiences, and toddlers will be amazed by them all. point things out, talk about them and watch those little faces light up in awe.

have fun, relax and enjoy the great memory making experience!