Category: baby

Wet brush: favorite de-tangler

~ jen ~ Leave a comment

One of my favorite things about Tessa is her curly hair! Right after she was born, one of the nurses exclaimed, ‘She has so much hair!’ Guess the old wives’ tale about heartburn and the amount of hair a newborn has is true, ha, ha! We’ve never cut her hair because I love it so much and it’s grown out pretty evenly. People always think I curl and style it which is nice since it just dries in nice ringlets! I can’t remember where I first saw an ad for the Wet Brush but as Tessa’s naturally curly hair is getting longer and less easy to untangle, I decided to try it.

We found a 2 pack on Amazon so I actually use one on my own hair too. This is by far the best product we use for Tessa’s hair. Before we were using a wide tooth comb and a de-tangle spray. The Wet Brush is easy to use and does a fantastic job! I always start brushing at the ends and with Tessa then in sections. It’s much easier to use than our previous method. wet brush wet brushwet brush

 

What’s in my bag?

~ jen ~ 8 Comments

What I carry outside the house has change significantly since having kids. When the kids were newborns, I felt like I carried a ton of stuff (so many diapers, bottles, blankets, snacks, toys, etc). Now that the kids are more kids/toddlers versus babies, I carry less items but still love a backpack style bag to have 2 available hands. I used to use a Petunia Pickle Bottom bag I got from their outlet and currently use this Freebird Collection backpack.

What's in my bag toddlers

Here’s what I currently carry:

  • First aid kit (similar to this)
  • Snacks!
  • Diapers and wipes
  • Hand Sanitizer (travel size)
  • Advil (travel size)
  • Lip product (usually a Clinique chubby lip crayon)
  • Tissues
  • Wallet (with coins for parking meters!)
  • Hair ties
  • Flashlight (mini size)
  • Feminine products
  • Hydro Flask water bottle

With toddlers I’ve learned never to be without snacks! With newborns and babies, we always needed diapers, formula, burp cloths and extra onesies. Now, if the kids are tired or getting impatient, a snack is what they need! They like fruit snacks, mostly because they don’t get to eat them at home so it’s more of a special ‘treat’. I received this applesauce pouch sample and Tessa loved it. It’s a great on the go snack that isn’t messy and is easy to eat.

motts applesauce pouch review

motts applesauce pouch review

Fiesta Friday: links I love and things to celebrate

~ jen ~ Leave a comment

things to celebrate happy weekend links

Does anyone have a robotic vacuum?! Our home in Texas and our current home in CA have all wood floors. I love the look and glad we didn’t inherit grungy carpet. I’m intrigued with the idea of a robot vacuum, it would make it much easier to clean crumbs and dog hair that I’m constantly sweeping up 🙂

I recently tried this fired grilled steak bowl for lunch and loved it! I usually don’t eat frozen food but received this one complimentary to review. It was quick and easy to make and tasted similar to the veggie burrito bowl I like from Chipotle. I loved that it had 20 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber! I can’t remember the exact cost but it was around $3-$4. The only con was that I was still hungry afterwards (although maybe this is a reflection of me and my eating habits rather than the meal ha!) I would definitely buy it again!

Agree with many of these 6 things I didn’t realize about having a baby

 

A Day at the Park

~ jen ~ 4 Comments

A Day at the Park

Usually I take our BOB double jogging and run with my kids to the park BUT it’s currently in storage along with 90% of our stuff until we close on our new home here in Austin.

And let’s be honest, my hair usually never looks this nice but we took these pics after church ha, ha!

What I pack:

-sunscreen

–zip  up picnic blanket

-snacks and water bottles (I NEVER go anywhere without snacks for my kids!)

-park toys (buckets, shovels)

What I’m wearing:

-relaxed fit, breathable top because Texas 😉 this one is from Forever 21 but it’s out of stock- I also love loose tees from H&M, Old Navy – I’d love any recommendations forother casual tees that don’t require a second layer!

–Zella live in leggings which I highly recommend, they hold and stretch in the right places, quality material, hold color and shape after wearing and washing. They’re perfect for chasing kids around the park.

–Birkenstocks

–Nena & Co day bagDSC_1430

Linking up with these awesome bloggers today!

Kiana at Glitter & Donuts

Madeline at CaseyLand

Monica at It’s All About

Kelsi at Lovestrong

Samantha at The Samantha Show

Jessica at Mason Jars and Lemon Bars

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Fiesta Friday

~ jen ~ 2 Comments

things to celebrate happy weekend links

When we lived in Virginia, our street name was Cotswolds Hill Lane – having not known what the Cotswolds were then, they’ve since been added to my list of places to travel – check them out here with Julia’s travel post, so gorgeous!

This is literally my favorite facial product right now! I’ve definitely seen the claimed results of refined pores and a clean, detoxified feeling on your skin.

I recently discovered an awesome travel blog from the beautiful Emi, who documented these amazing pregnancy photos on her trips!

Have a great weekend! XO

 

Top 10…Ab and Core Exercises

~ jen ~ Leave a comment

I studied Exercise Science at BYU and absolutely loved my major! While I’m not currently working in my field, it’s so applicable to everyday life. Having a strong core is beneficial to one’s overall health and wellness, something I probably took for granted before having kids! My kids are almost 2 years apart and my body was definitely changed through the pregnancies and 2 C-sections (side note: it’s totally worth it, being a mom is the most amazing thing!)

I’m still working on the process of rebuilding my core and abdominal strength. One of the most common misconceptions is that doing thousands of sit ups will give you a 6 pack. Your core is not only the abdominal muscles but your entire core, including your back.

Here my top 10 effective exercises that will build your core (including your back!):

1) Plank

you can also try variations such as plank jacks, plank step outs, or plank leg lifts

 

ab1

2) Walking planks – shown on Bosu ball to add more of a challenge because of the unstable surface

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3) Side plank

ab2

4) Split leg sit ups – I usually do these on the Bosu ball

ab4

5) Knee tuck on ball

ab6

6) Bird dogs – these are so great for your entire core! They can also be done on a Bosu ball for an added challenge

ab7

7) Spiderman plank

ab8

8) glute bridge – the variation is shown here using a single leg instead of 2

ab9

9) pelvic tilt – especially great for those small abdominal muscles in your core. This is also an excellent one for women recovering from pregnancy/diastasis recti 

ab10

10) side plank hip drop

ab11


Top 10 effective

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Diaper Bag Essentials

~ jen ~ 5 Comments

My diaper bag has changed a lot from when I had newborns, but here’s what I currently carry for my kids (ages 4 and 2):

WELCOME TOBag from Nena and Co – I’ve also used bags from Petunia Pickle Bottom, Urban Outfitters and Humble Hilo

Snacks – my favorite carriers are the Clinique gift with purchase bags ha, ha!

Wipes, diapers, changing pad (I use the ones that came with the PPB bag)

Hand Sanitizer, advil, extra hair ties for me

As my kids get older, I carry less stuff – less toys, changes of clothes, blankets, bottles, formula, etc. When they were newborns, I love my Petunia Pickle Bottom bag which could be worn on the shoulder or as a backpack which is awesome when you need both hands! They are expensive but you can usually find great sales on their outlet site.

Linking up today with these amazing moms who are also sharing their diaper bag essentials:

Madeline at Casey Land

Kahana at A Beautiful Life

Monica it It’s All About

Chelsea at Tessa Marie

Lauren at The Andrew Life

Adriana at Nanys2pesos

Sweet dreams, baby

~ jen ~ 2 Comments

When I had my first baby, who is now 4, I was pretty clueless about how to teach a baby to nap. This can be frustrating for most new parents since napping and sleeping well through the night are usually related and all new parents need sleep!

I would highly recommend the book “Happy Baby Healthy Sleep Habits” AND I came across this post from Chelsea of Life With My Littles and it’s spot on about napping babies! Her tips are awesome and a white noise machine made my list of top baby items.

book

F86A4048

 

 

Top 10…realistic baby purchases

~ jen ~ Leave a comment

Top 10

Thought I’d share a few baby products I loved with my two kids. Like most new parents, we registered for a lot of items that we didn’t end up using much – oops!

  1. Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag – I went through a few diaper bags before finally spending the money to buy this bag! It has a full zip and an awesome amount of pockets (perfect for bottles, keys, changing pad, and I always like an exterior pocket for trash). They occasionally have outlet sales too! Another thing I loved is that it can be worn on the shoulder OR as a backpack – especially awesome when you have two little kids and need both hands!

petunia2. Boppy nursing pillow – perfect size, removable cover for easy washing

boppy3. car seat clip in stroller – allows you to easily put a sleeping baby in the stroller without unbuckling the straps. The particular one we got was super easy to fold the frame to put in the trunk.

frame

4. Halo swaddle – a lot of people like the Aden and Anais brand swaddle, which we also liked, but like that these swaddles could be a little more snug

5. Halo sleep sack – after ‘graduating’ from the swaddle, we used this sleep sack which is basically a wearable blanket.

6. BOB double jogging stroller – This stroller is really awesome – super durable, easy to use, easy to fold and store up. Both kids are really comfortable and secure in 3 point belts and the covers fold down half way to shield from rain or sun.

stroller

7. White noise machine – we have loved these to help our babies nap well during the day and sleep well, especially with outside noises, lawn mowers, our dog, etc.

8. pack and play with bassinet and changing table – this one was the perfect size to fit in our room with newborns.

pack

9. Dr. Brown’s bottles – these have a filter which are supposed to help babies eliminate extra air swallowed (which can cause gas).

10. Baby Bjorn – great for carrying a newborn facing you and then forward facing when they’re a little bigger

bjorn

Any must-have baby items you’d add?

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