What's On My Baby 2 Wish List

The nesting period is upon us, I've been making lists and checking them off and racking my brain about what we need and don't need for #2's arrival. Luckily, we have a ton of great stuff from Eleanor that we can use for our next little one (and any little ones after that!). A few weeks ago we went through the garage to kind of gather stuff up and all of it is still in pristine condition, even all of her newborn and 0-3 clothes. I didn't check the older sizing of clothes yet, but Ellie didn't really start playing hard and staining stuff until recently now that she's older and on the run. I've been trying to put together a list of items we would need for the second baby and have asked some of my mama friends what they needed and here's the list I have so far.

Take Home Outfit- Every baby needs a take home outfit that you put away for years and years to give them when they have their own children. I have all of Ellie's items, including her hospital bracelets, in a vaccuumed ziplock for her and will do the same for this little girl. I absolutely love this outfit, I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. I found it half off last week and scooped it up in a hot second.

Blankets- I obviously had to buy the matching blanket set for the outfit too. It was a given.

Stuffed Animal- One of the first things I bought for Ellie was a soft, adorable bunny and I wanted to get Little 2 one as well. We used the stuffed animal for maternity pictures, and for monthly updates to show how fast Ellie had grown in comparison. She loves her bunny and we keep it in her room and I know it will be something we have forever. Matt has a couple of stuffed animals his mother kept and I think it's so precious to have something that was so important to you as a child. I just bought this one last week and I can't wait for it to come in!

Book- I love and collect so many books for the girls. When I had Ellie I brought a BabyLit Alice in Wonderland book as a guest book for our visitors to sign and it's one of my favorite mementos. I plan to do it again and always tell expectant mothers to bring something for guests to sign and write notes. I'm gonna stick with the BabyLit books and love this Secret Garden for our little girl.

Headbands and Bows- Baby girls needs a ton of headbands and bows, duh. You can never have too many! We have a ton of sets from Ellie, but I can't resist this adorable Grow With Me Set from Willow Crowns. Ellie and I already have the bottom lace one and now we can all be triplets when we wear them together!

Muslin Blankets- These are the best blankets ever, just muslin blankets in general, we used several brands with Ellie. They're perfect all year and now Ellie uses hers all the time for herself or her dolls. I love the colors and prints in this set, still feminine, but not pink. We have so much pink stuff, and I love it, but I want to incorporate some more color for both my girls. I've seen this set at BRU, but they don't have it online. Even though I had Ellie just two years ago, so many new prints and sets have come out!

Diaper Genie- In theory, I would love to have Ellie potty trained before the baby comes, but I'm not sure if we will. Plus, her diaper pail is broken and we would need a new one anyways. We have one by Munchkin and want to pick this one up instead, it seems to be a better one than ours after using it at a friend's home.

Sound Machine- Ellie still uses hers, mostly for a nightlight now, but if we have people over we put the white noise on to help block out sounds and keep a constant noise for her to sleep better. I like that this one has a timer so it's not on all night, which is a nice feature and it also has images it can project onto the ceiling which could be cool.

Double Stroller- This has been one thing that I haven't looked too much into because I'm dreading it. Two of my mama friends said to get a jogger because it's more lightweight and easier to push/use and I believe them! I used one for a walk we did in April and it was like pushing air on a dirt path. Matt and I are going to look for one soon. I linked to this one because it fits the carseat we have so I wouldn't have to wake the baby transitioning her from car to stroller and such.

Tote Bag- We have a monogrammed bag we use all.the.time for Ellie and I want to get another one for this little babe. I love that this tote comes in different sizes and strap lengths and I'm really digging the lavender shade. I also love anything that can be monogrammed of course. My favorite part is that it zips! Woohoo!

Those are my top ten items for baby 2, I'm sure I'm missing something so please help! Let me know what you guys used/needed with your second babies and what strollers you like best.What has been the biggest life saver when your additional children arrived? Thanks for any tips, tricks, and ideas!

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 28

27 Weeks 4 Days

Hello third trimester! I can't believe it's already here, I feel like this pregnancy is just flying by. The other night before bed it dawned on me how soon our little girl will be here. I kept telling Matt (repeatedly) how we're going to have 2 girls in 2.5 months! Then I hurried and made a list of everything we still need to do to prepare the nursery- paint, curtains, and whatever else I find for decoration. 

I have a vague idea of what I want for our nursery and we've bought three things so far, but this weekend I finally found a great paint sample we're gonna test out and then paint the room if it works. I'm really excited about it and I'm crossing my fingers it looks just as good once it's on the walls. If it does, we'll probably paint our own bedroom the same color. This time around, I don't feel the same sense of urgency to decorate and finish the nursery as I did with Ellie, especially since I've realized how little you use the room the first few months.

Top from Pink Cherry Trees (bought last year through Jane) 

Jeans 

Sandals (Old Navy years ago, similar)

- This week I've been craving watermelon like crazy. It's been on my mind the last week or two and I finally found a great one at Costco and I think I ate half of it while cutting it up. 

- In terms of my energy, I'm feeling really great, but have noticed that I can tire easily and need to sit and relax for a few minutes and then feel back to normal. I've been sleeping a lot better and I think that has been the biggest help to keep my energy going. 

- Our little girl has been moving and stretching so much, I was able to get a great video of her moving around. There have been some days where my stomach/skin actually feel sore from all of the stretching. I love feeling her move inside and wonder what moves she's making and if she's comfortable or what she's doing.

- I had my first dream about her, I dreamt that I had woken up in a home that's not our own and had been put to sleep for the delivery. She was so beautiful, she looked just like Eleanor, but had really dark hair and a ton of it! Ellie was born with just some fuzz, but this little one in my dreams had a full head of hair and it was long on top. For some reason, I've always felt that she would have dark hair, but we'll see soon enough!

- This past weekend, on top of getting a paint sample, I bought our going home outfit and matching blankets for her. I also ordered a stuffed lamb for her to have and for comparison in monthly pictures of her growth. I bought a bunny for Eleanor and went with a lamb for our little number two, I considered buying the same one for number two, but decided they should each have their own (also, if they turn out to look like twins it will be easier to know who is who when I'm old and senile).

 

Now vs with Ellie at 27 Weeks 2 Days

When I look back on pictures, I feel as though I still look mostly the same as being pregnant with Eleanor. Sometimes I think I have more belly than before, but not much different elsewhere. My sister said my face is slimmer than before so that's always a win! My chubby Anderson cheeks are always a giveaway of weight gain for me. 

Hope you're having a fantastic week, thank you for following along on my pregnancy journey! I love all of the comments and emails from everyone, it really means so much to have created a bond with other women.

Product Review: Michael Kors Jet Set + What's in my bag

 

Michael Kors Large Jet Set Crossbody in Peanut

For the past few months, I've been wanting a good crossbody, but have hemmed and hawed over which one I wanted to get. I've gone back and forth about what shape I wanted and then what color- a fun bright color or a classic neutral? When I saw this bag online, I had to have it. I included it in my Lust List and used some reward points I earned from work to buy it.

I'm really happy with all of it, the size it perfect! It's just big enough to fit what you need, but still small and easy to wear. Inside, there's two smaller pockets and one large pocket that goes across the side. The peanut color is a fantastic neutral, it matches with everything and the gold details are gorgeous. I love the gold chain details on each side of the strap. If I had to come up with a drawback, I would say I wish the straps could turn a full circle, but I think that would only mess up the chain and that's why MK chose not to have that feature.

 

One question I get a lot is how much can I keep in it/how much does it hold? So here is what i typically keep in it when I use it: a long wallet, glosses (MAC Creme Cup Lipstick and Underage Gloss, NYX Creme Brulee Gloss), and some candy. There's still some extra room available for my  phone, keys, and sunglasses (I don't keep them in there permanently, just when I don't want to wear them- I'm afraid of breaking them) without any problem.

I'm very pleased with my purchase and I'm happy that I didn't buy one of the other purses I was looking at.  One of them was the Kate Spade Cobble Hill Mini Carson, I still love that purse and my sister has it- it's a great shape. I just didn't care much for the neutral colors and love the soft pink one, but didn't think I'd get to use it as much. The other one I was contemplating was the Michael Kors Cindy Large Dome Crossbody, but decided to pass based on the shape. I thought I wouldn't get as much room with the dome shape as I would with the Jet Set rectangle. I also prefer the classic look and lines of the Jet Set crossbody. I think the Cindy Dome would be better larger as a handbag.

I would give this crossbody a 10 out of 10 and would definitely recommend it anyone who is looking for a decent sized, still small crossbody. It's well made, I don't think it will lose its shape, and it a great staple for any wardrobe. It's perfect for errands and weekend trips, fits the necessities and is easy to get in and out of.

Baby 2 Bumpdate: Week 27

26 Weeks 4 Days

-On Sunday we celebrated Mother’s Day and it was an amazing day! We woke up early, got ready, made homemade donuts, and headed out for brunch at Matt’s sister’s home. The weather was perfect, brunch was delicious, and we spent the whole day outside together. Matt and Ellie gave me the cutest pj set that will be perfect for the hospital and breastfeeding after our little one arrives. Matt also framed a picture of Ellie, my Grandpa and myself from our last visit and the last time I saw him in a sweet frame. I choked up a bit because it was so thoughtful and I really miss my grandparents, there’s been so many times where I went to call him and realized I couldn’t. I still have several voicemails from him that I’ve saved so I can hear his voice whenever I want. Altogether, it was a very special day and I’m so thankful for our family.

-I’m still a bit emotional, I haven’t cried in a while, but I choke up so easily! For example, typing the above paragraph brought tears to my eyes.

-I haven’t really had any cravings this week, my appetite is healthy and I feel normal, nothing out of the ordinary.

-This past week, I haven’t really enjoyed getting dressed. I’ve been really picky about what I wear or how it makes me feel/look. I typically wear the same items to work (skinny slacks, blouse, or tank with cardigan) and I feel fine about my work wardrobe, but it’s the weekends that stump me. I’m going to have to start getting creative and change my perspective a bit so I can enjoy dressing this cute little bump.

Top // Jeans // Scarf (Target last year, similar) // Necklace

-I’ve started to think more about what items we need to be ready for our little girl. Thankfully, we have a lot of items in great condition from Ellie, but I’m wracking my brain to make sure that we’re prepared. I’ve picked out a few new outfits for our little girl, but I haven’t bought any of them yet. I’m not sure what I’m waiting for (besides maybe a sale), I guess I’m just more selective now that I’ve been through the first time parent rodeo before?

What are some of your must haves for your additional children? What did you find that you needed that you didn’t have with the first our needed a double of? Please share below!

Hope you’re all having a great week, thank you for reading and following along with my pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or recently pregnant and would like to share your story please leave your email below and I will contact you about being featured! I’d love to share different perspectives and experiences about pregnancies, births, the adjustment to motherhood, etc whether it was your first or fourth pregnancy.

Product Review: Fromm Beauty Square Thermal Brushes

1907 by Fromm Square Thermal Brushes

Fromm is a leading marketer of beauty essentials in the professional beauty community, products available only to beauty professional. Now, consumers are able to access the tools of the pros through 1907 by Fromm. The 1907 by Fromm line combines high-quality materials, authentic designs, and master craftsmanship to produce beautiful and contemporary hair products.

This month, the brand introduces the most revolutionary shape in brushes since the square paddle: the 1907 by Fromm Square Thermal Brushes. Available at Ulta stores and Ulta.com (all under $20!), this bronze brush series comes in three different sizes: small, medium and large. The Square Thermal brushes feature an innovative square shape that offers all-in-one blow-dry techniques – simply alter the position of the brush to straighten, create loose waves, or form tight curls. The flexibility of the barrel shape creates an all-inclusive tool, a necessity in the quest for the perfect blow-out.

When these came in the mail I couldn't wait to try them out! I am by no means a pro at giving myself a great blow out, but these inspired me to get to it. Since I'm somewhat lazy when it comes to doing my hair and live off 3rd and 4th day hair, I know that the importance of getting extra days out of your hair starts with a good blow out.

So I put product in my hair, busted out some tunes, and went to town with these brushes. My blow out wasn't perfect (mostly because of my lack of skills and upper body strength) but holy volume Batman! My hair was super sleek too. Usually the front of my hair gets a bit frizzy after blow drying it with a regular or paddle brush due to my cowlicks, but they were so smooth! Plus, it didn't take as much time as I expected it to because the rippled bristles increase contact with hair and cut the drying time down. Also, the bristles are not all prickly and hard like other round brushes I've used.

I am so excited about the brushes and happy I was able to give them a try. If you're a blow out queen or want to start, I would definitely recommend this product! It helps to give my hair extra volume that I wasn't getting before just by blow drying my hair upside down or with a paddle brush. I'm hoping to master the blow out with these brushes!

Thank you Fromm Beauty for sponsoring this post! The brushes were provided to me for consideration, all opinions are my own.