I thought I would share a few of 2015 favorites over the next couple of days! Adelyn’s favorites of 2015 are perfect for any toddler- aged child! Currently she is obsessed with her kitty and the goldfish bath toy. It lights up with different colors when you submerge it in water! I want to get at least 10 more so she can pretend to swim with the “fishys”. Stay tuned for tomorrow as I will be sharing our baby and mama favorites of 2015!
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I am so excited to share with you some of my favorite shops that are perfect to shop from this Holiday season. These shops that have something for everyone on your list – children, his/her, or even friends! Starting tomorrow, December 1st, I will be featuring one shop a day on my Instagram and giving away an item or shop credit from each shop. Make sure to follow me @hellotinylove on Instagram for your chance to win something from every company. Here are the shops have been fabulous to shop from not only this Christmas season, but anytime of the year!
Hope you are all having a nice Sunday! We had our family photos taken today for Christmas cards and it was a bit of a train wreak with a toddler. I think we managed to get one photo by the end with the bribery of a sucker. I was thankful that this year we choose to do them in the comfort of our home. There is nothing worse than a toddler public meltdown during photos. Despite the toddler meltdowns and tantrums, I felt like doing photos in our living room made everyone feel more “at home” and comfortable during the shoot.
I thought it would be fun to put together some wish lists for her, him, baby, and toddler and share within the next couple of weeks. First up, a wish list for her! I actually own a few of these items and for the others I don’t, they are on my Christmas list this year!
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Diaper Bag // Teething Necklace // Baby Wrap // Hand Sanitizer // Bird Rattle // Granola Bar // Donut Teether // Tree Swaddle // Salve // Diapers & Wipes
I’m always curious what other moms carry in their diaper bag, so I thought I would share with you what we pack in our bag and where you can find each item. Also, if you want to win something from every shop mentioned in this post, enter to win on my Instagram!
My designer diaper bag comes from a company called Coco and Kiwi which sells diaper bags, training pants, and leak proof seat liners. Their motto is, “Messy baby, happy mom”! Each designer bag is made with a unique zip-out messy bag, 7 pockets, and a wipeable liner. I love the size of this bag and the color of it goes with everything.
(Photo taken by Liz Osban Photography)
Noble Carriage – Toys, Teethers, and a extra change of clothes
Noble Carriage carries a variety of brands that sell organic apparel and items. As a mom, I want to make sure the items I use with my daughters are safe. Noble Carriage has done research on all brands that are sold to make sure everything is truly organic and meet the sustainability standards. In my diaper bag I always make sure to carry a toy and teether , as well as an extra change of clothes for both girls. Noble Carriage carries all of this, plus more! Check out all the incredible brands they carry! Mamas! They also offer baby gift bundles already packaged or you can put together a gift bundle yourself!
Modern Burlap – Blanket
I love to carry a light blanket in my diaper bag. I use it as sun/weather shield if we are out and about, if Emery needs a blanket in her car seat, or for a spur of the moment playtime rug. These Modern Burlap swaddles come in sleek black and white designs, are certified organic cotton muslin, are made out of soft/breathable material. We also own one of Modern Burlap’s large knit blankets that has become a favorite around here for playtime, naptime, or to use as a cute background for a photo! (See above)
(Photo taken by Liz Osban Photography)
Solly Baby – Baby Wrap
I always carry a Solly Baby wrap in my diaper bag. If you know me, you know I am a huge advocate of baby wearing. I have experienced an endless amount of benefits from baby wearing for Emery and myself. A few benefits include: promoting bonding with your baby, can help reduce postpartum depression, allows you to be hands free while keeping your baby close, and is proven to calm fussy babies. I like to keep my wrap handy at all times as I usually wrap Emery everywhere we go. I love the Solly Baby wrap too because it is so lightweight and easy to tuck away in my diaper bag.
The Jones Market – Teething Necklace
I found the The Jones Market as I was on the hunt to find jewelry that resembled pieces I have always worn and fit my style, but with the added benefit of being a teether for Emery. The Jones Market sells some of the most unique and beautiful pieces of jewelry I have ever seen. They are all made with non-toxic materials for your baby to chew on and are “tuggable” for the little ones that like to play and pull on your jewelry. I carry a Jones Market necklace in my diaper bag for a few reasons – 1. Perfect statement piece to dress up any outfit, 2. A great teether and toy to keep Emery entertained, and 3. For Emery to tug/play with while I feed her (instead of my hair!)
The Honest Company – Diapers, Wipes, and Hand Sanitizer
I’ve tried many diaper brands out there, but Honest has been our favorite. They are truly ultra-absorbent, come in fun designs, safe for the environment, and gentle on my girls sensitive skin. Their wipes are thick, safe to use on all skin types, and don’t have any risky chemicals in them. Last, in our diaper bag we always make sure to care hand sanitizer. The Honest Company’s hand sanitizer is safe for kids, kills 99.9% of germs and bacteria, and doesn’t dry out your hands but instead leaves them moisturized.
Moms Stuff Salve – Superfood for the Skin
I like to carry a little travel size bottle of lotion in my diaper bag as my girls and I have dry skin because of the climate we live in. I recently heard of Moms Stuff Salve and had to give it a try. This stuff is incredible and has taken the place of all our lotions in our household. It is the perfect thing to pack in your diaper bag as it has so many added benefits other than helping dry skin., such as using it as a diaper rash ointment. This salve is only made with ingredients you can pronounce and can be used for just about anything.
Oat Mama – Snack for the Whole Family
Every diaper bag must carry a snack. Even better if it is a snack that can be not only for your littles, but for yourself. I carry a Oat Mama bar with me wherever I go because as I am currently breastfeeding, and this snack bar helps keep my supply up. Even better is that these Oat Mama bars taste good (Chocolate Almond Coconut is our favorite). I love that I can pack these in the diaper bag knowing that it is a nutritious snack that I can also share with Adelyn. Just look at these ingredients! Oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, brewer’s yeast, ground flax, honey, organic brown rice syrup, cashew butter (cashews, sunflower oil) organic coconut oil, organic toasted coconut, semi-sweet chocolate chips, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt. I’m like, “Yes, I’ll take two please”!
I hope you were able to find a few helpful items that we use in our diaper bag to use in your own! What are some of your diaper bag “must-haves”?
Happy Sunday! It’s another gorgeous fall day over here reaching almost 70! This weather inspired me to put together a few of our favorite pieces I have bought this fall for the girls and myself. The women’s chambray dress is currently on sale!! It has been a staple dress this fall and I highly recommend the splurge! Emery has been living in that little floral onesie, (which is also on sale), and I snagged it in the light pink too!
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It’s no secret. I love taking photos of my girls together. I love an individual photo of them as well, but taking sibling photos is so fun to watch them interact with each other. Each photo I take of them together is a treasured moment that I know I will love looking back at in the future. However, as much as my photos may look like they both just cooperate and I get a perfect photo, this is not always the case. Getting Adelyn to lay with Emery for a photo can be a full workout – she knows how to make mama work for a single photo… Once I get Adelyn to sit or lay next to Emery, Emery then grabs Adelyn’s hair, which makes Adelyn get up and cry – and I’m back to square one. These photos are not an easy task – but goodness do I love capturing these girls together!
This month, I thought it would be fun to share our favorite products that I love for both girls and sharing some tips of how to get a sibling shot!
Picking a Background
Finding a background is the first thing I look for when deciding to take their photo. I have a fluffy white rug that can be seen in most of my photos but it is also fun to get a little color in the background as well. Let’s Playground makes fun colored/patterned mats that are perfect for a photo background but also double as a mat to get messy on. I love using our mat for painting, play-doh, and sensory bin activities. Our favorite thing to do on it is have an indoor picnic. Pillows, finger foods, and animal friends are all you need in addition to the Let’s Playground mat.
Adding Accessories
Getting a sibling shot with accessories that coordinate but are not “matchy matchy” is so fun! For the girls, I call these the “B” accessories – bracelets, bibs, bows, and bonnets. Here are a few of our current favorites!
Billy Bibs makes the most beautiful handmade bibs that can be for eating, drooling, or just to add a pop of color to an outfit. They are also reversible so that you basically get two bibs in one.
Briar Handmade makes the most exquisite bonnets for babies, toddlers, and children. Floral, stripes, solids – the line of fabrics used are beautiful and every bonnet is so well made. I have loved putting a bonnet on Emery since she was born, and I love the look of both girls matching in their bonnets as well.
We have been buying Free Babes bows for a couple years now as Adelyn has been wearing them since she was a little girl. I love accessorizing the girl’s outfits with solid color and floral bows. Free Babes bows are always made with the most gorgeous fabrics. I also love getting two of same color in the petite schoolgirl bows for Adelyn’s buns/pig tails.
Another fun accessory for siblings is to have matching jewelry. I know that I can get Adelyn to wear her bracelets (or any accessory really), if Emery is also wearing them well. (Anything baby sister has, she has to have too) Poppy Lane & Co is such a sweet shop full of different colored bracelets for the whole family to wear. They have a well-made clasp to secure each bracelet and all the beads to choose from are just stunning. And I also think that it doesn’t get any cuter than little beads wrapped around Emery’s chunky wrist.
Making Photos Fun!
Making photos fun invites children to play and interact with one another, which makes for a great photo. This can be items such as toys, stuffed animals, and books!
A Good Start makes affordable, handmade, stuffed animals that can be played with or used a decorative item in a children’s room. These animals are such fun and unique photo props. Adelyn loves them because she can undress and redress each animal, while Emery just loves to chew on the arms…
Books are also another fun way to get children to interact with one another in a photo. Adelyn loves to read to Emery now that she is sitting up on her own. Our favorite books right now are the “All Aboard” books by Haily & Kevin Meyers. These books are sold in Haily’s shop, Lucy Darling. The photos are so bright, fun, and lovely. I love the content of each book going a different place around the world while teaching the girl’s key vocabulary words of each destination. These books photograph well and are interesting for the girls to look at and read.
Bathtime!
The girl’s favorite time of the day is bath time! With Emery being a bit older, I have started to give them both a bath together while Emery’s bath can also be used in a larger bathtub. Having both girls in a contained area, such as the bathtub, can sometimes be the only way to get a photo of the both of them. Tubby Todd is our favorite brand because with it’s 100% natural ingredients, I can use the same shampoo and lotion on both of the girls.
We love each of these shops so much, and think you will too! We want to give you the chance to win something from every shop over on our Instagram page! Head on over to see how to enter!
Last month, we had our family photos taken by Griffith Imaging. Jen Griffith is always such a dream to work with and captures our family so well. I can tell her exactly the type of photos I am looking for and she always makes it happen. If you live in Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming areas, she is the one to call. These photos were the first professional set of photos we had taken as a family which makes them so special. I am thankful to have gotten a few as a family because photos with a toddler can be a real mystery of how it is going to go. Adelyn thankfully showed us her little sweet side and then decided she was done after the 5th photo… We all pulled together our resources of bribes, saying there was a kitty in the camera, and a toss in the air to help bring a successful family photo together.
Happy Saturday! I love sharing awesome finds so today I am sharing a fun monthly subscription box called, Mom ‘n Tot Box. This box comes monthly to your door and is fully supports small businesses by sending you the very best handmade products from them. If you know me, I am a huge advocate for supporting small and receiving surprises! Honestly a box that shows up once a month that has such unique and fun products for both baby and mama, all from small business is really my love language. Want a peak at what I received in my September box? It was so fun to find products that Emery could use, Adelyn loved to play with, and something special for me too!
In this month’s box I received the cutest Little Bow and Arrow donut headband, You Guys Are So Awesome number wallet cards, a Little Wooden Wonders organic wood duck, Farm Fresh Felt egg carton and eggs, and peppermint rosemary chapstick and sugar scrub from Cherish Artistry.
We absolutely loved everything received in our Mom ‘n Tot Box! We all found something to use from the box which was so fun!
I have to share with you a favorite from the box. Adelyn is absolutely obsessed with plastic eggs and opening them. We will actually put things inside of them as a game for her to break them open and find a surprise. So when I gave her the egg carton full of white plastic eggs that had the cutest felt egg white/yolk inside – she hasn’t stopped playing with them since. However, now she thinks she can break open all eggs, as she reached for one this morning off the counter and was about to “break” it open. I felt like I was in slow motion trying to get to her before she broke it open. Oh, Addie girl.
We love Mom ‘n Tot Box and know you will too. Hurry and sign up for October’s box! Orders close on Tuesday, September 15th!
The line-up of shop features and combined giveaway this month is so, so fun. I’ve teamed up with some of my absolute favorite companies to share with you a few “mama must-haves.” I’m endorsing each shop and their products because they sell something that I use and truly love. I think you will feel the same about each shop. Make sure to visit my Instagram because starting today; I am hosting a giveaway this week that includes a prize from each shop – totaling over $600! Woo!
A skin care line that is all natural, vegan, gluten-free, and biodegradable. These products have absolutely no toxic chemicals. They contain only the purest ingredients, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids that are proven to restore skin to its highest level of health and appearance.
Why OSEA Malibu is a “Mama Must-Have”: Honestly, every time I wash my face and use these products, I feel like I am at a spa. That is truly the quality of these products. My skin hasn’t felt or looked this good in years. Having two babies has made my skin so sensitive and I have been through product, after product, trying to find something that worked with my post-baby skin. My dryness, occasional blemishes, splotchy skin is gone – OSEA is 100% effective and wonderful.
My favorites: ocean cleansing milk, atmosphere protection cream, sea vitamin boost, and the essential hydrating oil.
A designer diaper bag made from superior leather and durable inner liners. Each bag comes with a washable changing pad and a “baby bag”. (A removable and washable organizer.)
Why Lily Jade is a “Mama Must-Have:
What immediately caught my attention about this bag were a few things. It was made from beautiful brown leather that would go with everything I wore, it looked like a designer purse, not a diaper bag, and the most unique feature about this bag, the “baby bag”. It can be easily snapped in or out of the bag to be washed and to organize the contents of your bag with the 16 pockets it contains. I also own the “Madeline” Lily Jade bag, which can go from being a handbag, to a backpack by attaching the extra strap to the back. This makes it excellent for having your hands free – definitely a plus when having kids!
My Favorite: The Madeline in brandy
What it is: A linen sling to wear your baby. The linen fabric never loses its shape and is made from flax, which allows the fabric to be cooling in the summer and warming in the winter.
Why Wild Bird is a “Mama Must-Have”:
I love to baby wear. Especially more than ever now becoming a mama to two. I like being able to have my hands free to play with Adelyn, get dinner started, or go for a walk, all while having Emery close. A Wild Bird sling is a very easy to thread through the ring around you, and wrap your baby in. The tail end of the sling allows you to tighten the fabric around your baby, or loosen it to help remove your baby. Last, I love the gorgeous line of different linen fabric wraps to wrap and keep your little “bird” close.
My favorite: The Sparrow
Eco-friendly, safe, and natural cleaning products. Mixed and crafted by hand.
Why Mrs. Jones Soapbox is a “Mama Must-Have”:
I don’t like to clean, but I enjoy it more when using this brand. I love the sent of every product and knowing that each product is safe for my girls to be around. Adelyn has started breaking out in little rashes – I believe to be from our laundry detergent. After washing her clothes just a couple times with Mrs. Jones Soapbox All-in-one Laundry Soap and Fabric Softener, her rashes have started to disappear. I love using these products because even though they contain all natural ingredients, they are they are tough on stains, dirt, and germs.
My favorite: All-Purpose Disinfecting Spray
Candles that are eco-friendly, hand poured, and soy based. Each candle is made with natural soy, blended with essential oils – no additives at all.
Why Candelles is a “Mama Must-have”:
If you love any scent of fall, then you need to stock up on these. I mean, pumpkin roll, pumpkin walnut biscotti, and pumpkin frosting? I’ll take one of each please! I absolutely love the fun, modern labels on each candle, every unique scent, and the option to buy in the sizes of 4 oz, 10 oz, or 16 oz. I am pretty picky when it comes to burning candles and finding ones that burn all the way through, not just the middle. These burn SO nice and even, while releasing an amazing scent throughout the whole house.
My favorites: pumpkin roll, marmalade spice, and vanilla maple.
Mason Jar Tumblers
Why Mason Bar Company is a “Mama Must-Have”:
I have been a faithful user of Mason Bar Company for a couple years now and I have nothing but good things to say about them. I love the look of mason jar tumblers which is why I was immediately drawn to trying these. They come in sizes that your littles can use in an 8 oz. all the way up to a 32 oz. tumbler. You can also customize each tumbler with different colors of lids and straws. Mason Bar Company sells products that are durable, artistic, and an everyday necessity.
My Favorite: 24 oz. tumbler with a bamboo lid and glass straw.
Jewelry made from the highest quality of metals, stones, and gems.
Why Gage Huntley is a “Mama Must-Have”:
Gage Huntley makes personalized cuffs in metals including silver, gold, and rose gold. I absolutely love having my girl’s names on a piece of jewelry that I wear daily. These cuffs can fit any wrist size and can even be made small to fit your child’s wrist. The cuffs are a perfect classy but eclectic jewelry piece to own with the sentiment of your child’s name on them.
My favorite: Personalized silver cuff
Vegan and toxic-free nail polish
What Lillian Eve is a “Mama Must-Have”:
I love using Lillian Eve knowing that it doesn’t contain the Big 5 toxins commonly found in polish: formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, camphor, and dibutyl phthalate (DBP). I feel safe using it on my girls and myself because it doesn’t contain these toxins. The color goes on easily with just a couple coats and lasts through doing dishes numerous times a day…definitely a mama must-have.
My favorite: Nothing but Nude
Remember to hop on over to my Instagram for your chance to win something from every shop!
Happy weekend! I had a friend ask this week what things I used the most for myself after having Emery, so it got me to thinking, “what were my postpartum must-haves?” I’ve rounded up eight items that I absolutely love and would highly recommended to any mama, even if you haven’t just had a baby.
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1. When I had Adelyn, I never found a nice nursing bra, so with Emery, I set out to find one that was a. comfortable, b. good support, and c. comfortable. This one fits the bill and honestly I see myself wearing long after I am finished nursing. It’s that good.
2. Being able to find time to get good nutrients or even eat, after having two, was a struggle. Oat Mama came to the rescue with their all natural, nutrient packed but yummy bars. These bars have also been such a help when my milk supply is down and I need a boost – no pun intended. They have amazing ingredients such as, flax seed, brewers yeast, nuts, seeds, honey, and of course oats! Make sure to check my Instagram as I am giving away $20 shop credit to Oat Mama this weekend!
3. I love this dress. I loved it so much that I bought it in a few other colors. Not only is it flattering, and so comfortable, but it is by far the best dress I own to nurse in. It is light, stretchy and is so easy to throw on when I don’t have much time to get ready in the mornings.
4. I packed these in my hospital bag and now I use them all the time. Honestly these days, anything that saves me time, and still allows me to feel clean and refreshed, is a total win.
5. Speaking of saving time, dry shampoo is a complete life-saver on days I don’t have time to wash my hair. This brand is by far the best dry shampoo I have used so far.
6. Another great dress that is easy to throw on but will be great to wear in the coming fall/winter months with a few layers. I love the look of a simple t-shirt dress and this one is at an amazing price and super cute.
7. I am always on the hunt to find a great foundation that isn’t too heavy or too light. I think this summer I found it with this one. It is great because it has SPF too! This foundation can be easily applied with your fingers to save time or for a more finished look, apply it with a brush!
8. These leggings are amazing. I wore them while I was pregnant and now after having Emery, I love wearing them even more. (My poor husband is so tired of seeing these leggings, but sorry honey, these babies aren’t going anywhere). They are slimming, comfortable, and can be dressed up or down. I love them for working out, lounging around the house, under a dress with some boots, or even as pjs! Best. Leggings. Ever.
Now, I’m dying to know. What are some of your after baby must-haves?