Budget Friendly Finds- Top Edition

Spending this naptime in search of some pretty budget friendly tops!

Into my cart- this perfect for everything chambray, button down top! Perfect for nursing. 
This pretty embroidered top goes from summer to fall seamlessly. 
Obsessed with this button down, off the shoulder top.  It's under $10!
Such a perfect dressed up tee. 
Ummm, this is the perfect striped top for.... um, everyday!
This tie front tee is so cute and comes in three colors!
What a cute colorblock long sleeve, baseball tee. 

Packing for the Beach with a Baby

I've been getting ready for our Seaside, FL trip and heading to the beach with little ones comes with a lot more accoutrement then beach trips of the past.  Here are some of my recommendations!

1.  Pop Up Beach Tent — I spent a lot of time looking at these  on Amazon, and this one seemed to receive the best reviews.  

2. Long sleeve swimsuit for the boys and the girls

3. Flap Happy Beach Hat — people rave about these UPF 50 sunhats! 

4. Swim diapers

5.  Sunscreen- I shared more of our favorite kinds here.  

6.  The BEST beach towels.

7.  We love our Native shoes- perfect for water and sand.  They come in a sandal form too!

 I'm also thinking about getting an outdoor blanket like this one.  And some sand toys are obviously a must too! 

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Baby Picks

Refresher: The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is brand new fall stuff at reduced prices for a limited time.  Today it opens to the public! There are some amazing baby/kid picks to be found- including Patagonia and North Face stuff that never goes on sale! I am picking up this (so cute!) for Ralphie and these for Ophelia.

Also, here are my first round of picks for us grown ups!

1.  This awesome infant car seat.
2. The Dockatot!  A mom favorite.
3.  The City Select- this is our double stroller! Such a good discount.
4.  The Crane Humidifier is widely beloved.
5.  Such a cute bunting!
6.  Adorable llama teether.
7.  Obsessed with this Patagonia fleece!

On Potty Training

You guys.  Here I am to tell you a magical method of potty training.  You've probably combed over tons of Pinterest articles about how to easily train your toddler in 3 days.  Or you've read this book that pretty much everyone recommends. [As a side note, I hated that book.  I don't understand how it gets recommended by people who practice a similar parenting style to me! And everyone I know who used it has had to redo the process multiple times.]  You've debated rewards versus no rewards.  Stickers or M&Ms.  Pull ups or commando.  Baby potty or big toilet.  Stocked up on wine and toilet paper.

I did all of that.  Twice-ish?  Maybe three attempts?  But I'd rather deal with changing a diaper than poop all over the ground, and maybe my smart, intuitive girl could sense that.  Or maybe...

I just had to wait until she was ready.

That's my advice.  Wait. Wait until they want to do it themselves.  [Maybe Janet Lansbury was right about the parenting magic word!] . It occurred to me one day that just like I believe in child led weaning from the boob... why would I try to cajole her into something she clearly wasn't feeling?  She had all the classic signs of "readiness" but it had become a control issue/ battle and asserting my dominance over a toddler just isn't something I'm into.

All of a sudden she just decided she wanted to do it, and now she does it.  No probing, begging, or maintenance needed. She still wears a diaper at nap and bedtime at my behest, but other then that, she goes in the toilet.  This potty watch was a big game changer in inviting her to take initiative in the process itself, but other than that I have no recommendations besides WAIT.

Amazon Prime Day

Okay, I already admitted I'm an Amazon addict.  Today it's Prime Day, and the deals are GOOD.
I'm going to keep adding them as they come in!

Mama/ Baby Favorites
- Lillebaby baby carriers. One of my favorites.
- This awesome classic block toy.
- Uppababy Mesa car seat.
- Honest Company diapers- our favorites.
- The City Select stroller!
- Tons of toy deals.
- $5 off $20 books with code PRIMEBOOKS18 - including kids favorites like this one!
- Cutest baby activity gym.

Home Finds
- Um this gorgeous rug is only $98!
- Anthro look alike throw pillow. 

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale- First Picks

White sweater- I'm in love! // Cozy cardigan, and plaid top // Stripe tee- such a good basic

all worn with my regular jean shorts because I refuse to wear jeans in the summer.  

Happy Anniversary Sale! It's that amazing time of the year when Nordstrom puts brand new, fall clothes on sale before they've ever been seen before!  It opens to cardholders (apply here- you can get a debit card that hooks up to your regular bank account, it doesn't have to be a credit card) today, and everyone else next week.  It kind of feels like Christmas in July- brand new things we will use all winter, at prices we won't see after the sale ends.  Here are some of my first picks!  If you're not a cardholder, check back next week and get the scoop then. 

A couple things to note: the Dockatot is included in this sale!  If you're considering it, now would be the time to try!  Also, these leggings are a fall/winter staple, and this wrap sweater is perfect for nursing moms.  

click the pictures to shop my finds!

Screen Free- Our Favorite Toddler Activities

Motherhood is amazing.  No one is going to deny that but.. sometimes you feel just SO tired and over it.   The great babysitter  known as the TV begins to seem more and more tempting.  I'm still not a big screen time fan- Ophelia watches Daniel Tiger and has seen Frozen in two separate installments while she was sick, but I'm sticking with limiting it for her, and not letting Ralph watch anything until he is two.  So I decided to compile some of my favorite activities we do that are easy for me and fun for her!

1.  Water table- We have this one, and I love the simple wood look of this one.   Dumping water, filling up buckets, pouring it out, it's all good.  To switch it up sometimes I'll add bubbles, or dye the water a different color.  Giving her Barbies/dolls a bath in the water, or washing toys can seriously buy me an hour.

2. Sensory bins- I talked about these in this post, but fill up a container with... anything!  Rice, beans, sand, kinetic sand, shaving cream, or water beads are some of our favorites. Hide puzzle pieces (we love this one!) or toys for an extra little something.

3.  Paper/stickers- She has recently gotten super into folding paper, and seriously sat there folding and refolding some junk mail the other day to make "letters", so I tried giving her some paper and envelopes and it was a BIG hit.  Sticker books (we also love this one and this one) are also always huge hits.

4.  Doctor- I always feel like a major genius when I do this.  When I am the most tired at the end of the day and do not want to do anything but lay there I get out the doctor kit, and I am the sick guy.  I get to lay down with a pillow and a blanket, and she examines me.  Then she examines her dolls, then Ralph, and I get to chill out.  Ophelia's doctoring technique always includes a "haircut" so she plays with my hair and it is AWESOME.

5.  Forts- Building a fort always saves a cranky mood.  They're our go to in the winter, but we started making them outside this summer and they're pretty awesome there too.  Something about having your own secret space is so awesome for kids.  I'll add some books or paper & crayons in there and she's good to go.

Budget Friendly Finds: Summer Sandals

I found a whooole bunch of pretty sandals, and they're all under $40!

Love the colors on these sandals.
These are my favorite bow slides- I now have them in multiple colors.  In denim here, and on sale here!
These espadrilles keep selling out- such a good steal!
These look so comfy, and get amazing reviews.

click the pictures to shop the rest of my picks!