Friday Favorites | mama edition

It has been awhile since I have done one of these so I figured, now that I have done the 2 kids thing for a couple months (MONTHS?!), I might as well share some new kiddo related favorites.

1. The Binxy Baby cart hammock is a total game changer this time around. I took Natalie and Everett to Target BY MYSELF when Everett was just five days new. This thing made it totally possible. Bonus: Natalie was so obsessed with being able to see Everett, she happily rode on the cart through the entire store. It was the easiest trip to Target with a child to date. I have rocked this thing at Target, Home Goods, Safeway, Costco. It makes me feel like I have my shit together which is really nice with a newborn haha

If you're interested in getting one, you can use my referral link for 10% off!

2. I really loved my diaper bag when I was first going out solo with both kiddos. It can be carried as a purse, a cross body or a back pack (which, to my surprise, is how I use it most often).  It is spacious, sturdy and super easy to organize. Natalie loved that she had her very own pocket in the bag to hold her snacks and lip gloss. I think it's a really great option for first time moms, too. Bonus: this will make a really great carry-on when traveling with two kiddos to see my parents and when I travel solo.

3. Now that I feel more comfortable taking my little duo out, I feel like I need so much less. Enter in my newest obsession: B's Graco diaper back pack. It is spacious, the layout makes sense, the pockets are deep. It holds everything I need for Everett and I can still throw in some snacks and coloring pages for Nat.

4. The Baby Brezza formula pro. Y'all, this thing is amazing. It's definitely one of those things that I couldn't bring to buy for myself but happily received as a gift.  You put the formula powder in the top, water in the reserve and then you simple push a little button and dunzo. Less than a minute later you have a perfect temperature bottle. LOVE. Everett goes from peaceful to starving in .2 seconds so this thing is a total God send.

5. Starbucks new Pumpkin Spice Chai... which, of course, I order as a dirty chai. You may not think this is mama related, but hello, it's caffeine and caffeine is a requirement to function these days.

So there it is. My first Friday favorites in for.ev.er. 
What are y'all loving lately?

Mama's Amazon Wish List

My love affair with Amazon wish list is no secret; however, it wasn't until recently that I decided to make a list for myself. Not only does it direct Brandon to the things that I want when it comes to anniversaries, birthdays and Christmas, but it also allows me to make a list of things I have my eye on and keep them in one place for price watching.  I spend so much of my money on Natalie - both things she needs and things I want her to have - that I rarely shop for myself. This is a reminder to myself of things I want to and that it's ok to do something for me every now and then.

one // two // three

four // five  // six

seven // eight

I really want a pair of Hunter boots. They are totally overpriced but I love them and I work hard so (I have decided that) I deserve something nice :) I know I am totally late to the "I love MK" game, and I admit that, but I really love this watch. I have had my eye on it for awhile and never once thought to put it on a wishlist.  There are so many MK watches out there that poor Brandon wouldn't know where to start when it comes to picking the right one.  Now he knows and perhaps this will help Santa put it under the tree this year :)  My love of monograms is nothing new so it should be no surprise to anyone that I have a bunch of monogrammed goods on the list.  I have recently developed a love of Alex and Ani bangles so I have a couple of them on there too.  And what wishlist is complete without something Alabama? I am a sucker for houndstooth and throws - perfect combo!

Do any other mamas keep an Amazon wishlist? What do you have on there?

a case of the sniffles

Did you know, on average, tiny humans get NINE colds before their first birthday and six to ten colds every winter after that until like middle school?  I am sure that is the last thing my poor friend Jordan wants to hear right now.  I feel like every other week either Natalie has the sniffles or Zac has the sniffles.  Oh, the joys of daycare!  On the upside, those kids will have one hell of an immune system :)  With the first day of winter coming up on the 21st, I wanted to share some of our cold season must haves!

1. Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier with Vapopad inserts.  Natalie sleeps with her humidifier on every night during the winter.  It keeps her room extra moist and a little bit more snug which allows her to sleep better.  If she has a cold, we will use the Vapopads that accompany the humidifier.  They are wonderful.  I recently discovered that they make rosemary and lavender ones as well which I like to use at the end of her colds to help her sleep better.  I know some people prefer a cool mist over the warm mist, but we have found the warm mist to be super comforting.

2. Boogie wipes.  While I completely believe that these are glorified tissues, I have come to accept them as a necessity. As an adult, blowing your nose 1000 times a day hurts so for a child, I am sure it's 10 times worse.  Natalie will only let us blow her nose if we use these.  In fact, she has started to take them to try to blow her nose herself. Adorable.  To all those mamas out there who get to use the nosefrida - I envy you.  Natalie does not let me go near her with a nasal aspirator, so trying to use that would be pure torture!

3. Baby Vicks.  A co-worker of mine told me about putting the vicks on the bottom of Natalie's feet and it works like a charm.  I am not comfortable lathering it on her chest just yet, but a little on the bottom of her feet and she sleeps really well.  We do have a lavendar rub that we will put on her chest from time to time if she is having a lot of trouble sleeping, but that's rare because we are extremely lucky.

4. Hand sanitizer.  There is one in just about every room in our house, in my car and hanging from her diaper bag.  I know there has been a lot of back and forth about the pros and cons of hand sanitizer, but they provide me with some comfort.  If we sneeze, it's nice to have a little hand-sani in the living room for a quick germ kill.  When we are on the go, it's nice to have something to wipe down trays with or do a quick clean if a bathroom has no soap.  Better to be prepared.

5. Saline drops.  Sometimes you need a little help to get that mucus and since Natalie won't let me use a nasal aspirator, this is the next best thing.  A quick sneak attack and I have a little help to break up the congestion. It also helps when her nose gets dry and crusty. 

6. Footie pjs. When the little miss is sick, these are a must - especially if we are putting vicks on the bottom of her feet.  I will not put the vicks on her feet unless they are covered for two reasons (1) I don't want her to rub her foot on something and then it somehow get in her eye and (2) I don't want the vicks to get everywhere making more cleaning work for myself.  I am a total sucker for footie pjs, so the miss gets a new pair with almost every cold.  I especially love seasonal ones!

What are your cold season must haves?  Do you have any family remedies that have been passed down from mama to mama?