Mommy and Me Baby Yoga

Taylor and I attended out first Mommy and Me yoga class a few weeks ago and we LOVED it! It was so much fun to learn a new way I could play and bond with my babe! I learned from the class that using props and sounds was a great way to keep the babies engaged and entertained. During the class we sang baby songs and nursery rhymes while holding most poses and also incorporated scarves and a bell into some movements (Taylor particularly loved how the scarves blew in the wind!)

I decided to give Mommy and Me yoga a try at home, this time using my new Mala Prayer Necklace. I knew Taylor would LOVE the tassel on the end and I loved how chic it looked. My favorite is the Iona, it has striking shades of white, grays, and a little periwinkle stones and is supposed to calm your emotions. It gives the perfect yoga-chic look to my practice!

All Mala Prayer Bead Necklaces are sustainability handmade by artisans and 20% of their proceeds are donated to charity. I love wearing something with so much meaning while I'm practicing yoga with Taylor. Right now, all Mala Prayer Necklaces are 50% off! I already plan on gifting my mom the Candra Mala, for Mother's Day!

I shot a quick video of 5 of my favorite Mommy and Me Yoga poses. You can see how the tassel on my Mala necklace really helps keep little Taylor's attention and adds to her fascination of the practice!

Do you do Mommy and Me yoga with your little one? If so, what are your favorite poses?

An Easter Basket for Baby

Is it just my kiddos or does it seem like EVERYONE wants to give them a basket or have an egg hunt with them? Last year my oldest got Easter baskets from all 3 of his Grandmas and us (so that made FOUR) and participated in THREE different Easter Egg hunts. Holidays can be a bit excessive nowadays and that's why in  our family we like to give Easter baskets that are both FUN and FUNCTIONAL.

I wanted to start this series off with Easter Basket Ideas for Baby. Little Taylor is almost 6 month old so I wanted to think of some things that she would be doing and needing over the next few months and include them in her Easter Basket.

Since we are going on a vacation to the beach this summer (can't wait!) and swim suit season is just around the corner, I couldn't resist this adorable one piece suit from Sun Snap Swimwear. It has an adorable ruffle sleeve and cute pink polka dot pattern, but what really sold me are the GENIUS gusset snaps that make diaper changes a snap! No more wrestling with a tiny slippery wet baby that needs a diaper change. Love, love, love.

Bath time is going to be moving from the sink to the tub soon and I am SO EXCITED to introduce bath toys to Taylor. I loved these bath toys from Oli and Carol because they have NO HOLE in them, thus eliminating the concern for trapped water and yucky mold or bacteria growth! Each one is impressively hand painted with food safe colors, which is good because Taylor loves chewing on them already! I loved the classic Elvis the Duck in the super girly Pink color and since it's Easter I couldn't resist Bob the Bunny too! I think they will make great playtime pals in the bath!

I also wanted to include in this cute Animal Soap Sox. I can imagine making up a fun "Baby Gator" song (to the tune of Baby Shark - don't you love that song - so fun!) and washing down her little body during bath time! Hunter the Gator will surely ease any fears little Taylor may have about bathing in a big tub!

Taylor is obsessed with these light up wands that Target makes every holiday. She loves to grasp them and bang them on everything and watch them glow! One will surely be tucked sweetly into her basket this year.

Cute, huh? We also picked up this adorable boho basket from Target's dollar section! It was actually $5. (Anyone else feel a little duped now that the Target DOLLAR section has items up to $5?!)

I also love to always give a special holiday themed book each year too. Brayden was a huge fan of touchy-feely books when he was a baby and Taylor has just started to feel and everything so I know she will love them too! This "That's Not My Bunny" book looks like so much fun. Usborne always makes really high-quality books.

What special things do you like to include in your babies Easter Baskets? I have a Big Brother Easter Basket post scheduled next that will include some fun and practical non-candy solutions too!

Fresh Tastes for Baby

Starting baby on solid foods is such a fun and exciting time! Since I prefer to make as many of our meals at home, I wanted the same first foods for little Taylor.

I knew I wanted to make her baby food, just like I had with my first born, but I knew there had to be an easier way. Seven years ago, when her big brother was a baby, I would cut and steam his fruits and veggies on the stove or in the microwave, and then transfer them to a food processor or blender, and dirty a million dishes in the process. It took all day, but I thought that was the only way, so that's what I did.

Fast forward to 2017 and the BabyCook entered my life! This thing is amazing. You plug it in and fill the side with water, add fruits or veggies to the steam basket and press a button. In 15 minutes (or less) it perfectly steam cooks your produce. Then with a flick of the switch, you blend the food in the same container, adding water to thicken or smooth out the food to the perfect consistency for your babe. It's so easy and really the coolest thing.

Until recently, BabyCook was only for sale online. They are now available in Target stores and BabyCook is running a fun Instagram promo. For the month of March, if you take a picture in front of a BabyCook at Target, either with your baby or your bump, upload and tag it #BabyCookTarget you are entered to win a weekly contest where the prize is a $250 Target Gift Card. Easy peasy!

I usually meal prep about 4-5 different kinds of produce for Taylor a week. I'll portion out her pureed food into little silicone molds (they look like covered ice cube trays) and then when they are frozen, I'll put them in a freezer baggie with the name of the food on the front. She usually eats 2 cubes of food, 3 times a day. After she has eaten the same new food for a few days in a row and shown no signs of allergies or irritations, I'll introduce a new food. I'll usually mix the new food in with an old food, and often combine a veggie with a fruit, so her food is never too sweet or too "vegetably" either.

As easy as it is to meal prep baby food for little Taylor, there are still some times that I am not feeling up to it or am too busy and that is why I LOVE Mini Fresh! They are a local Phoenix company that makes all organic baby food sourced from local ingredients and then delivers it FRESH within 5 hours of it being ready. Incredible, right?

Here's a little bit about the company:

The owner is so sweet and she dropped off some off-the-hook delicious treats for both Taylor and I to try! So far she tried the Super Green and Grain, which is a mix of kale, broccoli, asparagus, and potatoes and also the Lentil Power which had lentils, potatoes, carrots, and rosemary. Not only did both of them SMELL amazing, but they also tasted so so good. Of course I had to try them both, I would't give my baby anything I wouldn't eat myself! I love that they each had a hint of fresh rosemary added. A little flavor complexity to baby food is a great thing!

The Power Bites they make are so incredible! I wish that I had a real life picture of them, but between myself ad my hubbie, we demolished them in 2 days (good food doesn't last too long in our house haha!) But seriously, these were loaded with super yummy, and filling, oatmeal, coconut oil, chia, flax, coconut, dates, and a tiny but of chocolate and were so so good. I had one for breakfast the morning that I did my recent 9 mile stroller run and it gave me so much sustainable energy! These are something I really would love to have on hand in my fridge at all times (I just need to find a good hiding place in there from my hubbie :))

Mini Fresh makes so many other cool things including these fun edible teething rings (Taylor loved the taste!) , lactation bites, and even healthy toddler food too (MUST remember this for when Taylor gets older. I feel like my first born LIVED off of goldfish crackers from ages 2-4)

Currently Mini Fresh only deceivers to the Phoenix Metro area but they are working out plans to deliver nationwide in the near future (yay!). If you're a local mama, I strongly suggest that you give their items a try. I noticed on their Instagram page that they are also at several local farmer's markets so that would be a great way to try them too.

Do you make or buy your babies food? What are some of their favorite flavor combos? Please share as I'd love to find and try some new ones!

On the Go with my Milk Snob Cover

With baby number one I got to stay home more. With baby number two, we are on the go and out and about all the time! This is why my Milk Snob cover is just so so useful. I use it every day and sometimes several times a day.

For me it makes a WORLD of difference and actually makes me feel comfortable to nurse Taylor in public (which I wasn't at all comfortable doing with my first born). The Milk Snob cover slips right over my head and has 360 degree coverage, so unexpected gusts of wind or swift baby kicks wont leave you exposed for the world to see! With this cover I've felt super comfortable to nurse Taylor at soccer practice, sporting events, cub scouts, and in restaurants.

I also LOVE how the Milk Snob doubles as a car seat cover! I use it every single time that I go for a run with my baby girl. I love that it fits snugly and securely cover her car seat and helps to protect her from the elements like wind, cold, or sun. It also visually cues her to know "okay, it's time for you to relax and go to sleep while mommy runs"

Some people have asked if I think she gets too hot underneath the Milk Snob cover while nursing or running and I don't think so at all. She nurses great underneath her cover (and I love that I can peek in on her too). When I put the cover over her in the car seat I place the opening over the car seat handle and about 10 inches above her face and that allows enough air circulation for her.

These are the two main ways that I use my beloved Milk Snob cover daily, but I also hear that it makes a great shopping cart and swing cover! We actually tried it out today on a swing at the park. It worked great and also gave her something to chew on (haha)!

You all know by now I'm a HUGE fan of mama-owned companies and Melanie from Milk Snob is just the sweetest! They were recently featured on Shark Tank! So cool, right?

Do you have a Milk Snob cover? How do you use yours?

Under the Sea Movie Night for Spring Break

My oldest is on Spring Break and I always like to plan fun things for him while he's off, but it's not always easy getting out when I also have my hands full with a 5 month old. Lucky for me, his FAVORITE thing ever is Movie Night!

I wanted to plan a special themed movie night to kick off Spring Break with a bang, so I thought and Under the Sea theme would be fun! I set up the kiddos Pacific Play Tent in the living room and spread out some soft blankets and their new mermaid Snooze Mat. How completely adorable is this mat? It's made by the same Shark Tank alum and brilliant mama owned company, Sleeping Baby (they also make Taylor's favorite sleeper - the Zipadee-Zip that I previously reviewed HERE.) It looks like a cute little backpack and even has straps, but then unrolls into the sweetest, softest travel bed! The mermaids head becomes the pillow and the blanket part is attached too. This made our movie night extra special.

I let me oldest choose between Finding Dory (On Netflix!) or The Little Mermaid. The later won out, I think because he watched Finding Dory twice already in the last month. I'm a sucker for any feel good movie, especially if it's Disney!

We always have popcorn at movie night and that night we also had goldfish crackers (to stay with the theme!) I was also excited to dress Taylor up in her cute fishy pajamas for the occasion! We ended up having the best time together and MOST of us stayed awake until the end!

Mental note: Another Spring Break activity we MUST do  - get his hair cut! :)

Want a Snoozie Mat of your own? I'm giving one away on my Instagram account this week! Can't wait? Use discount code SPRINGBREAK to save $5 off your own Snoozie Mat from SleepingBaby.com. 

What are some of your favorite Spring Break activities?

How I Get My Lululemon for Less

You all probably know I'm a HUGE lululemon fan! They are super cute and have the best fit of any athletic wear around. I almost always wear at least one thing by lulu on my daily runs and own approx 20 pairs of speed shorts. But, I rarely pay full price on my lulu! I wanted to spill the beans on some ways that I save money and still get my lululemon fix!

love lulu so much I actually wore a pair of their speed shorts as part of my Halloween costume this year! They were purchased off their WMTM section off their website.

1. We Made Too Much
Lululemon  has a page on their website called We Made Too Much. It is their version of the sale page. This page gets updated every Thursday morning. You can always find discounted prices here and some of the discounts are steep. I have scored $29 speed shorts and $19 tank tops on here - which is way more than half off. If you order from the WMTM section though, all sale are final so you really need to do your lulu research. I recommend knowing your size and reading the reviews so you know that you'll be happy with your purchase.

Got these speed shorts off WMTM for $29. I've since resold them but I think I sold them for more than that!

2. Ebay and Mercari apps
The cool thing about lulu is that is so highly coveted and such great quality that the resale value is HIGH. In fact, I have bought some great discounted lulu and been able to resale it actually for more than what I paid originally for it - crazy! I like to look on Ebay and Mercari for used lulu because you can find some great prices and some cool patterns and colors on some lululemon items from years past. I have gotten some great speed shorts (my fav!) on both of these sites for as low as $22.

I get compliments on these speed shorts all the time! Got them off Mercari for $34!

 I'm usually willing to pay up to $35-40 for used speed shorts as long as they are in great condition and a color that I've had my eye on. I have been able to get brand new with tags Align pants (another lulu fav of mine) on Mercari for abut 33% off. Mercari will sometimes give out codes to members of their apps where you can save 10-30% off so that helps bring the prices down too.I think that there are some Mercari sellers that must work at lulu stores and then purchase/resell with their employee discounts because some sellers have very well stocked online sellers pages! My best advice on these sites is to clearly know the return policy (if there is one) and to read the sellers reviews so you know that they are trust worthy.

Another great Mercari purchase.  I think these were $28 and they are one of my favorite pairs of lulu!

3. Facebook Lululemon Resale Sites
I belong to a few lulu resale sites on FB. My favorite two are Lululemon Speed Short Stash and Lululemon Exchange. These are both private groups of lulu lovers across the country and you have to request to join in. Once you're in (yay!) you can post your lulu to sell or buy others lulu. Each group has their own specific rules so for sure read these and make sure you understand them before diving in.

Another pattern I get compliments on all the time! I got these in a FB resell group for less than $40!

I have bought and resold on both these sites and have had nothing but great experiences! Actually when I was pregnant and looking to buy a couple of pairs of larger speed shorts I posted a request on one of these group pages and a member messaged me and offered to send me two pars of hers for FREE! It was literally the sweetest gesture ever!

These were the two pairs of speed shorts a member of the Speed Shorts group sent me. So incredibly generous.

 I think another thing I try to do is once or twice a year go through all of my workout clothes and sell any lulu that no longer excites me or gets passed over too often. By doing this, I earn some extra money and then can guilt-free use it towards refreshing my workout wardrobe a bit!

Totally scored on this lulu pacesetter skirt for $8! Sadly it was too big, but I resold it for a pretty big profit and used the money to purchase some lulu that fit me better. #winning

I hope this helps some of you stretch your lulu dollars a bit! Do you have any ways that you get your lulu at a discount? Please share if you do!

Powered by the Sun!

Living in the Valley of the Sun, it only seems fitting that we would get to test out a fun new toy from Educational Insights - The Solar Rover. It's a really cool buggy-shaped car that requires no chargers or batteries, it is COMPLETELY powered by the sun! Really, how cool is that?!

We day we got it we were super excited to try it out, as it comes completely ready to go, right out of the package. My 7 year old immediately got the hand of it, knowing that he had to maneuver his hands to block the panels to make the cars top and adjust them over the panels to make it go right or left. It's a little challenging - and that's what makes it fun (for both kids and adults!)

The Solar Rover also comes with small plastic traffic cones that you can use to built a stunts course and wither try to drive your solar rover around the obstacles or, in our case, we just tried to barrel right through the cones we set up!

What I love the most about this and other Educational Insights toys are that they are creative and so different, not what you'd see in every mass-merchandise store that you walk into. They also help to get my kiddo outside and in the backyard to play more often. We were just remarking, how in years past, my son would play in the backyard all day long but now that he's growing up, it's harder to find outdoor toys that engage him. We have a handful of Educational Insights toys now and they are all favorites and really help us to spend more time outdoors together, having fun! What are some of your families favorite ways to have fun outdoors together?

So Thankful for SoCozy

If you've been following my journey, you know that little Taylor has extremely sensitive skin and  severe eczema. Since I am still nursing, I changed my diet to eliminate eggs, dairy, and soy and that has helped to control her eczema somewhat but she is still extremely sensitive to different textures and scents. Poor thing is also a major scratcher and if her skin is irritated she will claw at it relentlessly. Seeing her scratch up her head and body makes my momma heart crumble.

I was so happy when SoCozy reached out, wanting me to try their new line of hush Sensitive Hair Care items that ate now conveniently found at Target. I'm a HUGE SoCozy fan, and was able to previously review their regular line of shampoos, body washes, and hair styling products last year.

Their Sensitive line (available at select Target stores) contains 4 items:
-A Sensitive Leave In Detangler
-A Sensitive 2in1 Soothing Shampoo and Conditioner
-A Sensitive Styling Foam
-A Sensitive Soothing Scalp Serum

All SoCozy hush products are allergy and dermatologist tested and contain no parabens, sulfates, phthalates, formaldehyde, synthetic color, propylene glycol, and are free of gluten, wheat, and nuts. They all contain a faint allergen-free fragrance and were designed to be beyond gentle. As a mom of a young baby with very sensitive skin, I appreciate this so much!

I first tried out their 2in1 shampoo and conditioner during Taylor's bath time. This product is the coolest, I would have bought it for the applicator alone! It comes in a squeeze tube with a soft bristle brush attached. To use, I squeezed the tube gently and then used the soft bristle brush to gently massage Taylor's scalp. She loved how it felt on her little head and I loved that it helped to gently massage away some of her lingering cradle cap.

According to the bottle, "the soft massaging brush helps to lift away dirt, flakes, and oil, plus supports the increase of micro-circulation and oxygen to the root, leaving scalp perfectly balanced and clear." I definitely have felt that her scalp is less itchy to her after several days of using our new hush shampoo.

I also tried the SoCozy hush Sensitive Scalp Serum, which is a balancing treatment designed to calm a babies irritated scalp. This is another product that I felt like was designed just for us! This is a non-greasy, leave-in formula that is designed to calm scalp, reduce the itch, and reduce flakes. I sprayed a couple of squirts of this product onto Taylor's head after her bath and massaged it into her scalp. It dried after a minute and you couldn't see te product, but what I could see what a clear and healthy scalp! Somehow this serum managed to soothe and eliminate all of her dry patches on her head. I literally couldn't believe it. I loved how sweet and fluffy it left her hair and how pretty her head looked without those dry scaly cradle cap patches.

I use the Sensitive Scalp Serum morning and night on Taylor's head and it works wonders to help soothe her itchy scalp and head.

I didn't get a chance to try out the two hush hair styling products: the foam and the detangler, because my peanut doesn't have nearly enough hair yet (someday!) but I know the detangler especially will come in very handy when brushing out her hair after bath time when she gets older (because despite what my mom used to tell me, it does'n't have to hurt to be beautiful!)

Want to try SoCozy hush products for yourself? You can find them at select Target stores HERE and they are on CartWheel right now for 25% off through March 18th!

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