Living in Color | A Life & Style Blog: baby

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New Mom Essentials | Items I Used Daily in the First Year

January 12, 2017

*Thanks to Citi Babies for sponsoring today's post. As always, all opinions are 100% authentic and my own!

I've had quite a few questions over the last eighteen months as to which products I felt were absolutely necessary for new moms. However, I'll start with this disclaimer: every mom is different. Some parents wear their babies, and others choose not to. Some moms bottle feed and don't breastfeed, and that's okay too. So before you get worried, know that parenting looks different for every family. I love and appreciate you for being a parent and this is a judgment-free zone where I simply share my experiences! Here are products I used every day as a co-sleeping, breastfeeding, babywearing, documenting-crazed, germaphobe.

A TULA BABY CARRIER

This is number one on my list, and if you've followed my blog for any given amount of time you'll know that I wear my baby/toddler daily. My baby carriers saved my life. Read more about how babywearing affects my experience with motherhood here.

A HIGH CHAIR COVER

For the germaphobes out there...(myself included) this one's for you. I cannot stand the filth and grime of high chairs. I refuse to use a high chair without some sort of barrier because food and slobber germs are the worst kind of germs. I used to wait tables... I know how often high chairs get wiped down (insert grossed-out face here). This Summer Infant one is pretty cute though, and it is super cushy!

A CARSEAT COVER

My carseat covers always served as a sunshade, but also a blanket, and a burp cloth! I even used mine as a playmat at a friend's house once when Grace was super tiny. These things have so many uses and are a must-have for the carseat. I love these Muslin ones from Summer Infant.

A FUNCTIONAL DIAPER BAG

Fawn Design has had my heart for quite sometime. I've gone through four different diaper bags in 20 months, and finally settled on this functional, simple, and super cute diaper bag. I love how it has several pockets, and you can carry it three different ways. I wear Grace often, so the back pack option is so valuable.

A CAR ORGANIZER
I'm an organization freak - well at least I used to be. Some of that has changed since becoming a mom and I have to let it go. It's okay to have a messy house sometimes and it's okay to pick up the same blocks three times in the same day, haha. Such is life. But anyway, the worst thing is when you have bows, diapers, snacks, shoes, blankets, and toys strewn about your car. This car organizer saved my sanity; therefore, it makes the list!

MULTI-USE COVER
This mom tool is literally the most versatile item and only takes up a tiny bit of room in your diaper bag. I love how this product serves as a carseat cover, a cart cover, a high chair cover, a nursing cover, and even a scarf! I've also used it as a burp cloth or to clean up spills in the car. It's so functional. Citi Babies has the most adorable and stylish prints too!

BABY BOOK
Lucy Darling Shop is my go-to place for baby books. I love how detailed her books are and they have so much character. I didn't feel like I needed to be super creative because the books are perfectly decorated and I was just able to add the information and photos in. With mom brain strong the first year, I needed all the help I could get :)

xo. L

August 18, 2016

Baby G is obsessed with the outdoors. I mean obsessed. She's constantly looking out our living room and bedroom windows wondering when the next time we'll play outside is! Since it's so ridiculously hot in the daytime, we do lots of evening walks. Our mail box is one of those community ones, so everyone in our neighborhood goes to the same spot to check their mail. Checking the mail in the evenings has kind of become our new favorite thing.

For us it means something simple, like checking our mail to see what's in there, but to Grace it's a whole adventure from the very second we grab the mail key! She knows exactly where the key is kept: by the garage door, and knows that she gets to hold it. We put on our shoes, and go out to the garage where her smarTrike sits. She immediately sees it and giggles with joy. It's literally the cutest thing to watch her recognize familiar things. We get her all set up, and start walking the neighborhood. I love that the smarTrike is easy to steer, and she thinks she is steering and pedaling by herself!

There are actually four stages, so, you start by pushing them, but then they gradually don't need your assistance, the older they get; eventually the child can use it as a trike to explore on their own! I do, however, like that it gives her the confidence she will need someday when her daddy teaches her how to ride it on her own!

During our walk to the mailbox, G sees all kinds of things! From the friendly neighborhood dogs, to the trees blowing in the wind, and other kids playing outside, she is exposed to so much in such a short amount of time. No wonder she looks forward to these walks each evening! I think she likes being low to the ground too, in her smarTrike because I'm usually carrying her everywhere, and it offers the world to her at a different perspective!

On our way back home from the mailbox, G either holds the mail or we store it in the bag on the smarTrike so we don't have to carry it, which is super convenient.

Every time someone asks what they should get their little one for their first birthday, I tell them to get a smarTrike! There are tons of colors and styles for each kid and they pretty much double as a stroller in the beginning! My good friend takes hers everywhere, from the mall to the museum, to the coffee shop - her little one prefers her trike. We use ours for small trips too, but our simple evening walks are such a highlight for our little family.

What's one thing you and your family like to do together each day?

xo. L

*Thanks to smarTrike for sponsoring today's post.

April 22, 2016

Hi beautiful friends! HAPPY EARTH DAY! I'm back again, sharing my tips for cloth diapering with Charlie Banana! I love this post that Charlie Banana shared on their Facebook page today. I stated this in my last post about cloth diapering, but one of the main reasons we decided to use cloth on Grace was to reduce our carbon footprint on the Earth. Every single one of us is responsible for doing our best to preserve the planet! Reduce, reuse, recycle, my friends! Mother Earth thanks you. <3

One of the things I had to really adjust after going green, and deciding to cloth diaper was how dressed Grace. Here are some things I changed...

HOW TO DRESS YOUR BABY FOR CLOTH

Tip #1 - buy pants that are 1-2 sizes bigger. The shorts above are 18 months, and Grace is only 11 months old, yet they fit her perfectly! I know that seems silly, but Grace's pants never fit after we started up with cloth, so we went shopping and purchased a few more pants/shorts for her in the sizes that actually fit with her diapers.

Tip #2 - Use the pockets as a swim cover! Charlie Banana makes some super cute swim covers, if your'e in the market, but I've also used the pockets without an insert as a swim cover, and it's been great for the Summer months!

Tip #3 - This one is for girls! You can use your diaper as a cute "under dress" cover rather than the silly bloomer things that come with the outfit you purchase. I love that Charlie Banana has super cute prints and colors so you can make sure that every diaper accents an outfit! Since you aren't going to be using disposables, there's no need to hide the ugly, white, papery diaper under a babe's dress! The bloomers are just another thing to get in the way during diaper changes!

CLOTH ON THE GO:

In my experience and conversations, there are A TON of people who are terrified of cloth diapering for one tiny reason... they don't want to use them out and about. My friends, allow me to introduce to you to this gamechanger.... THE WET BAG!

It's so simple. A wet bag is a small, lined, cloth bag that you use to store dirty diapers in until you get home and can either rinse them out, or put them in your larger wet bag at home! It can hold 3-4 diapers at a time, and is also great for storing wet clothes! If baby was at swim lessons, you can put their swimsuit in there as well. It holds in all moisture, odors, etc, and is pretty much the best invention ever! I have several wet bags in my car! I promise you, cloth diapering isn't as scary as it sounds when you are out enjoying the world.

Just always be sure to carry around extra diapers in your diaper bag (I have the inserts already put in for times like this!) so you aren't ever stuck without a diaper to put on your babe! (This could obviously happen with disposables too!)

Please leave any questions you have in the comments, and I will be sure answer them in my next post! Also, don't forget to follow Charlie Banana on Instagram, and on like them on Facebook to get some info on their latest, cute prints!

xoxo.

*This post contains Charlie Banana products sent to me free of charge to help with this post, however, as always, all opinions and content are my own!

April 15, 2016

Hi friends! In celebration of Earth day coming up later this month, I've partnered with Charlie Banana to share how I use cloth! Now, there is a TON of information out there about going green, and using cloth diapers, so please know that this is my experience and someone else may have a completely different experience based on their routine/products they use! Read on to learn more about my cloth!

Pictured above: Charlie Banana diaper | Lou Lou & Company blanket | Crazy 8 shoes

Why Cloth?

I decided to start using cloth when Grace turned four months old. I had been using disposable diapers for a while and wasn't happy with them for a number of reasons. I loved the idea of reducing my carbon footprint, and with a few diaper rashes, and the discomfort I saw from the rough, papery diapers, I decided it was time to make the switch. PLUS, the prints are absolutely darling!

Types of Cloth Diapers

I'm not going to get super into explaining this, only because there are several different types/brands of cloth. If you are interested in learning more about the types of cloth diapers, be sure to visit my cloth diapering bible, Fluff University! There are tons of helpful videos, and they explain, in depth, the types of cloth diapers. They also have an index of diaper brands! Super helpful stuff, but for all intensive purposes, I use Charlie Banana pocket diapers almost exclusively! I love how the brand holds up (I've been using them for 6+ months) and I really like the variety of prints. I can also use one or two inserts depending on the time of day and absorbent I need them to be!

Storing Cloth Diapers

I like to store my cloth diapers in one place so that I have a central location for diaper changes! My covers and microfiber inserts (and flour sack towels - more on those in a sec!) are in the same drawer of Grace's dresser. Some like to stuff their diapers before storing, but I personally like to tailor each cover/insert to the time of day/frequency of Grace using them. [I.E. in the morning, she will go through more diapers/inserts, and in the evenings, I can only use one insert!] I also use the flour sack towels at night with a diaper cover, since they are more absorbent!

I'll get more into the types of inserts you can use with pocket diapers later on - maybe in the next post? The white (pad looking) inserts are the microfiber ones and those go inside the covers, and the white and tan colored towels are flour sack towels, and pre-folds, both which I use with my Charlie Banana covers.

Dirty Diapers

When I have a dirty cloth diaper, I do one of two things! If it's just a wet one, I take out the inserts, and put both it and the pocket diaper covers into the wet bag/white basket you see pictured above! I have the Charlie Banana wet bag, and I love that it hides all of the smells! If the diaper is a #2 diaper, I simply take out the inserts and put them in the wet bag, then use the handy sprayer (that attaches to the toilet) to spray off any remnants! It's super quick/simple, and not as big of a deal as you may think ;)

How To Wash Cloth Diapers

How often - You generally want to have 20-25 diapers per baby, and this should give you a good 2-3 days between washes! I have about 35 diapers and usually wash every 4 days!

Pre-Wash - The pre-wash cycle gets the diapers ready to be cleaned. I usually do a hot wash, but that's because sometimes I use a plant-based detergent. I do the 6 minute cycle for my pre-wash with one cap full of detergent.

Main Wash - I wash my diapers on hot for this setting too. Every washer is different, so be sure to check out Fluff University and find your exact type of washer [HE or Non-HE, and the brand] and it will tell you what your prewash/wash settings should be! I use the 18 minute setting and use about a cap and a half full of detergent + a 1/4 cup of Borax. See below on Borax for hot/soft water!

NO Rinses - Don't do an extra rinse afterward! Some do, but I've been told that it wears the diapers out a lot quicker!

Drying - I hang dry my covers on hangers or a drying rack (make sure to hang them hot dog style so that you don't wear out the elastics!) You can also hang them on a clothesline! I dry my inserts and

Hard Water, Soft Water and Detergent

If you are a lucky duck and have soft water in your house, then all you need to do is find a good detergent to wash your diapers in! If you have hard water, then be sure to use Borax with your detergent (I put in 1/4 cup of Borax) in the main wash. I don't use any in the prewash! Be sure to check out the Fluff Love Detergent Index to verify that your detergent is safe for your cloth! I typically use the Charlie Banana detergent, or a Seventh Generation plant-based detergent.

Dirty Diapers
When I have a dirty cloth diaper, I do one of two things! If it's just a wet one, I take out the inserts, and put both it and the pocket diaper covers into the wet bag/white basket you see pictured above! I have the Charlie Banana wet bag, and I love that it hides all of the smells! If the diaper is a #2 diaper, I simply take out the inserts and put them in the wet bag, then use the handy sprayer (that attaches to the toilet) to spray off any remnants! It's super quick/simple, and not as big of a deal as you may think ;)

I hope that you guys have learned some new info about cloth diapering after reading this post! I was soooo terrified to start researching it since some think it's rather intense, but I honestly love not contributing to a landfill *rolls eyes* and reusing these gorgeous, cozy diapers each day on my babe's bum!

Please leave any questions you have in the comments, and I will be sure answer them in my next post or on my Snapchat Cloth Diaper Q&A coming up this weekend! (LivinginColorL). Also, don't forget to follow Charlie Banana on Instagram, and on like them on Facebook to get some info on their latest, cute prints!

*This post contains Charlie Banana products sent to me free of charge to help with this post, however, as always, all opinions and content are my own!

November 25, 2015

Five things I am thankful for...

God. I usually don't share a lot about my personal life on the blog, because this is my space for fashion and personal style, but I am. I'm so thankful for God's grace. He is so much more powerful that many of the challenging things I've been faced with and he never fails to take care of me through it all. I am so lucky to be a daughter of Christ. He impacts my life daily.

Motherhood. This year has changed me so much. Becoming a mom is the most amazing adventure and unlike anything I have ever experienced. From growing a baby in my belly, to giving birth to Grace. Watching her face light up each time she sees me will never, ever get old. I am so in love with who she was as a newborn, who she is now, and who she will be someday. Seeing her experience life for the first time is so rewarding, and I constantly find myself wanting to be better because I know she will look up to me for the rest of my life.

Unconditional love. Becoming a mother means that you are sharing your attention. My husband and I have been together for years, and this is the first year that he we are sharing our love and attention with a third person. Still, we love each other in a way that is much deeper than we did before. Becoming parents has strengthened our relationship and being forced to overcome obstacles has helped us develop a different kind of love. I love this kind of love more than the love we had before ;) if that makes sense. haha.

Family. I am thankful for those in my family who are still supportive, and present. I'm thankful for the ones that continuously show their love for me and my little family. I love all of my sisters and wish that we lived closer, but I am so thankful for the ones that keep in touch like they do.

Community. There are several types of community. I adore my mom group, which is new to me, but I love the comradery that moms have. I am also very thankful for my Instagram and blogging buddies, whom I love dearly! I have met so many amazing women through blogging and been rewarded with so many great opportunities.

I'd love to hear what you are thankful for this year (and every year, of course.)

Thank you for following along. So happy to have you part of my life.

Happy Thanksgiving.

September 25, 2015

HALO SleepSack Swaddle (exact one in first and second picture)

Happy Friday! This post is for all of my new mama followers! Maybe you have six kids, and a newborn, or you are a first time mom, but as a new mama who is always discovering awesome (and helpful) things I feel obligated to share ;) I'm not sure if you are into swaddling, or sleep-training, but my experience is that the swaddle really helped Grace start sleeping through the night at around one month old! I am so fortunate that she was a great sleeper from the start, but I worked really hard on keeping her awake throughout the day and keeping the windows open to show her daylight and starting a bedtime routine for her so she found her schedule very predictable.

The HALO SleepSack Swaddle saved our lives though! For the first few weeks I would swaddle Grace with muslin blankets, which I loved, but I'd wake up throughout the night desperate to check on her and make sure she hadn't wiggled out of her swaddle and pulled her blanket over her face. Everyone told me I would check on her a million times, but I didn't believe them! Ladies, the struggle is real. After we tried out the SleepSack Swaddle, (which has a velcro flap that stays tightly secure all night) I slept so much better. I didn't have to worry about her smothering herself. SIDS is a scary thing (Plus I always kept her sleeping on her back!) The SleepSack is wearable and you can swaddle arms-in or arms-out.

Fast forward three months later and we've got a baby who sleeps 8-10 hours a night and ADORES her swaddle, but now she rolls over! It was time to break her of her swaddling ways, so we starting putting her in her SleepSack with one arm out, and we had to do this for 3 weeks straight before she started sleeping okay with her arms out. Now that she doesn't need her arms swaddled, I figured I'd be okay and could have her sleep in her crib with just her footie pajamas on, but honestly I like how the SleepSack makes her feel snug, and since her arms out it poses no risk. The HALO SleepSack is actually safer because like I said above it's a wearable blanket so the baby can't use her little hands to pull it up throughout the night.

I know sooooo many mamas who use the SleepSack, and love it, so if you are having sleep troubles, or are expecting a baby, make sure to add this to your registry! If you want to hear more about my sleep-training method (a flexible version of Babywise and ideas from French parenting book Bringing up Bebe) go ahead and email me! I love talking all things baby ;) Have a great weekend!

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