Thursday, May 26, 2016

Summer Adventures



I don't know about other peoples kids, but my little one is capable of using fresh air to energize himself the way mama needs a dirty chai to get through the day.  One good inhale of that waterfront air and suddenly he's back on screech and I'm following behind like some desperate personal assistant.  I have been trying to take him down there as much as possible since the weather has been nice.  


I feel like even when we are only going to be out for an hour tops I have to pack for the unpredictable meltdowns.  My bare necessities are juice and a snack.  I wouldn't even dream of leaving without those two things.  I am obsessed with sippy cups mostly because they are essential to life around here.  Nuby has just come out with this cup called the Busy Sipper which describes my kid to a T.  As you can see he pretty much goes about his business while sipping on whatever juice and water concoction I have put in there.  This cup is different because it comes with the silicone spout that is spill free like mama wants, but also comes with a pop-up top like you would see on a water bottle for older kiddos.  My husband laughed at me that there is a belt clip on this cup and at first I thought that it was a little gimmicky.  Then he took off,  had a fit and I ended up carrying him and stashing that thing hooked to my pants.  Another thing I love is that it holds 12 oz so I don't need to stop to refill him as often.  It also has no internal parts so washing is super easy.  You can grab one at your local Walmart or on Amazon.  I linked the two pack because you want two trust me.  


I am also loving this new snack keeper that will be available mid June at Babies R' Us and Amazon.com.  The designer series is for sure my favorite.  I love that the colors catch my little ones eye, but the patterns are more for Mom.  Simple and adorable.  Leavitt loves to hold his own snacks, and can't be bothered to wait for me to help him.  He likes a snack on hand in the stroller and in the car, but lately the car is looking like a goldfish plant exploded in the the back seat because I haven't had a container handy he can use and not make a mess.  When I got these in the mail I can't even tell you how excited it made me.  Stylish baby gear that saves me on clean up... this folks is a no brainer. Leavitt was also a fan, because he can get his fingers into it without a problem.  Some snack keepers are a little stiff and can pinch fingers, this one is a super soft silicone.  

I am loving this weather and being able to be on the go more with my little one.  I hope we get to spend most of the summer adventuring and making memories just us.  This fall will bring some big changes for my man and I just want to keep him little as long as possible.  He will start school part time, get a little brother, be leaving the daycare he loves so much and hopefully he will be able to take it all in stride.  Hopefully we can keep our baby gear game on point and skip as much of the drama as possible while making memories.  OK mama friends what baby gear do I need to get me through the summer? Or for two babes?  Send me a message!

Brining up Leavitt is a Nuby Parent Blogger and was given products in exchange for reviews.  All opinions are and always will be my own.


Saturday, May 21, 2016

Retail Therapy

As many in my real life know my Dad passed away on May 13th.  The day after was my birthday, and we found out the end was near on Mother's Day.  In my couple weeks away from this little space of mine I have hardly been sitting around feeling sorry for myself, although that happened too.  I spent three days of those two weeks serving jury duty.  Two feeling utterly sorry for myself because part of me loves birthdays so much it was hard to even celebrate with the people who wanted to.  The rest of the time has been spent soaking up the love from friends and family who have made me so happy to have this life of mine.  Four years ago I was starting over, my Dad and half sisters were the only ones I trusted, I had Nick and a couple of new friends.  At the time I was bitter having to give up my family and friends.  Now I realize God was positioning me to endure these hard but fabulous years with the people I would need.  They have been glorious years don't get me wrong but they have had challenges.  There has not been one day since Mother's day where a friend hasn't called to check on me.  After my Dad passed someone showed up with flowers, gifts, cards, food and hugs every day since then.  I got constant reminders that people were lifting us up in prayer.  I kept thinking how lucky I am to have so much support from people who have never even met my Dad.  So much thoughtfulness has flooded my life and once again given me a little more hope that everything is going to be ok. 

Now to lighten things up I have had the chance to get in a little retail therapy lately, and while you can't really shop away the pain you can find things you love to brighten your day.  If you are rolling with us on instagram you may have seen a couple things, if you aren't following on the IG you basically are missing out on mediocre iPhone photos of all the things I am obsessed with.  I am mixing in the new with old and as promised sharing my bump style with you all.  However so far I am still rocking my non maternity stuff for all of you not currently expanding at the waist.



I bought the most comfortable sleep shirt from Ralph Lauren at my local Marshall's, it happened to be on sale for $10 and the original tag said $54 like the one I linked.  I don't need to remind you that I am dressing for two these days so this shirt although not maternity is so soft it easily accommodates my bump in my pre-pregnancy size... yes please.  The cup is from Portobello by Inspire.  I love a happy coffee cup.  I think everything tastes better from bone china and this cup just makes me smile. I snagged it in the check out line at Homegoods for $5 and have been using it every single time it is clean since then.  Unfortunately both of these pink beauties are not for sale online.  The cups are on Ebay but I don't even know how to shop eBay so I am not going to bother linking that for you.  My suggestion would be to peruse your local Tj Maxx, Homegoods & Marshall's and find similar items you love for a much better deal... because saving money is half the fun.  



For Mother's day we went to Bar Harbor and the husband snagged me this clutch that I am obsessed with and you may have spotted on my mother's day shopping guide.  The dress is from Tj Maxx... sorry, but I linked the same brand in a tank ombre version and not going to lie I like the linked one much more.  Sandals are a couple years old and were a gift from Nick to spruce up the mom wardrobe when Leavitt was first born.  The dress while I love it in person looks like a sack in the picture, its also not maternity so I'm to blame for the ill-fitting lady lumps cover... I care but I don't.  This outfit I actually wore to lunch with my gal pals, because a clutch is only an option sans kiddos.


|| Similar Sneaker || Bracelet ||  Cuff || Tote ||

By now you know I like things made in Maine, or Maine inspired.  My roots could not be more Maine rooted.  My Grandfather on my Dad's side had a potato farm and my Great Grandfather on my Mom's side was a fisherman.  I love that so many small shops are popping up left and right that are stylish and are full of Maine pride.  The Sneakers are from Tj Maxx I snagged them for $29 recently and have been rocking them on the regular.  The Ropes bracelet Nick got for me with my clutch for mothers day.  The lobster cuff one of my besties gifted me on my wedding day.  The cuff is actually a lobster gauge that fishermen use to determine if they can keep the lobsters they catch.  The L.L. Bean tote my in laws gave me for Christmas.  The bag is one of my favorite things I have been gifted, I love that it has a masculine vibe being that I am going to be using it a lot with two boys.  I consider camo a  neutral so it will get plenty of use with my everyday basics.  It wipes clean unlike the Louis Vuitton never full my husband gave me that is stained inside now from baby wear. 


|| Similar Shirt ||

As you can see the bracelet, cuff and sneakers are on repeat.  The button down is older and from TJ Maxx.... Girlfriend loves a deal I can't help it.  It is the same brand as the chambray dress and I am obsessed with their fabrics.  Everything is super soft, washes and wears well, and is low maintenance.  Can I get an AMEN?! I decided to link a short sleeve version that is still nautical in color but lighter for summer.  This is a fall version but I am dying to get the one I linked.  Save yourself the drama of  trying to find the long sleeve version and go straight for that one.  I have layered this top with vests, worn it alone, and now wearing unbuttoned while pregnant.  I will be wearing it distressed when it starts to finally fall apart on me.  

So there you have it all the things making me a little happier these days, the reason I have been MIA, and how I am attempting to style my bump without going full on mumu because even Princess Diana looked frumpy in a mumu.









Saturday, May 7, 2016

Happy Mother's Day!



Happy Mother's Day to the woman who I text first thing in the morning while sipping my cold coffee to vent to about the night before.  The woman who texts me back something funny, because she knows more than anything I need a good laugh.  She offers to meet for coffee or lunch as soon as we are both available with or without kids in tow because no one understands broken interrupted conversations more than her.  She doesn't care if we get caught mid tantrum in public by someone she knows, its all par for the course.  Her confidence and effortless execution of this thing called motherhood makes me a little jealous.  She also makes me more confident that my kids won't end up in therapy if I lose my shit every now and then.  Let's be honest, a perfectly acting toddler in public is a toddler who has the fear of his mama's wrath at home.  Well done mom, well done.  

By now you may realize I am not talking about my own mom.  Yes, she is a great mom who I will celebrate this weekend.  But the mom in the thick of life with me are my mom friends. While my mom gets it, she never stayed home.  Which is amazing and I have no idea how she accomplished all she did... seriously she's a rock star, who I am convinced was gifted extra hours in the day.  She can't relate to being a stay at home mom, and she certainly can't relate to me thinking the tiny blonde haired, blue eyed boy of mine could ever be a monster.  Because what grandma thinks their grandchild is capable of such wickedness. 

You see mom friends, or at least mine they just get it.  When they tell me their struggles it actually benefits me to hear whats working and what is not.  I need to hear that not everyone has it together, and that their husbands make them crazy from time to time.  I don't want someone to tell me its all going to be ok, I want someone to pour me a glass of wine and tell me I am not alone.  What I never realized when we decided I would stay home is that I would be isolated.  No one feels sorry for the mom who doesn't have a "job".  Not even my husband gets it.  When I started meeting other moms I began to feel apart of something bigger.  I no longer felt like my days would be endless as I worked tirelessly towards every milestone while everyone else got to work on themselves.  There were times I wasn't sure I fit into this new role.  Maybe a life of service to my family wasn't a life well served if I didn't have my own accomplishments.  It was my mom friends who made me realize my family's accomplishments will always be mine too.  I might only be raising my family, but together we are raising part of the community. That was enough.  I am enough.

My mom friends uplift me when it isn't my husband or tiny taskmaster getting me down.  When I can't navigate my emotions, trying to be there as a child of a dying parent and be the parent to a little one and one on the way.  When I can't put into words why I struggle to call my Dad more because death is scary and I am afraid of what that means.  That I can't celebrate the life I have growing inside me while dealing with the dying process my Dad has been going through.  When I feel like I need to take care of myself they meet me at the gym, or take the time to have a heart to heart.  When my heart needs the encouragement to be better for my family they keep me in their prayers.  They celebrate the wins and cheer me on after a setback.  

Mom friends everywhere, I hope you are loved, celebrated & encouraged this weekend! Thanks for your selfless love and your great appreciation for all things caffeine and wine.... I promise to be a better coffee and vino date in a few months!