tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17219753202427997312024-03-06T00:32:39.312-05:00Balancing On My ToesMy corner of the internet where I share my daily life, home diy, travel, and my favorite things. Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.comBlogger1283125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-71491223878494490022022-04-13T12:32:00.001-04:002022-04-13T12:32:38.083-04:0010 Tips For Returning To Work After Maternity Leave<p>Leaving your new baby is never easy. I just went through it and it is so true what they say about it feeling like you've left a piece of your heart behind. I was lucky enough to have enough sick, vacation and personal time saved up to take almost 14 weeks but I know many woman are not as lucky and go back to work much sooner. </p><p>I thought I would compile a list of tips that have made it slightly easier for me to get out of the house each day since being back to work. Let's get started!</p><p>1. Know your daycare plan well in advance so you have time to be comfortable with it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAei5LMWJnzIj3p3dwB8YWUhgFOPI7Qo6iyLr_6NWqZJLI9tH06WLJm_7QybjQ-RVj7eWiz-1YF-PlIWm12xvKhnhAI8lK-rSdqAwAEfJb0gwH71wBSuz7cEQjQsbWIfJtXCmM-2IkmTxmKl3XzcfbZDYaBi1vFInx4-wep55NtLHkSp7hQ4m33oG-TQ=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAei5LMWJnzIj3p3dwB8YWUhgFOPI7Qo6iyLr_6NWqZJLI9tH06WLJm_7QybjQ-RVj7eWiz-1YF-PlIWm12xvKhnhAI8lK-rSdqAwAEfJb0gwH71wBSuz7cEQjQsbWIfJtXCmM-2IkmTxmKl3XzcfbZDYaBi1vFInx4-wep55NtLHkSp7hQ4m33oG-TQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div>When I first announced I was pregnant I reached out to someone I have known forever who has a home daycare. I knew before Ellie was even born (before we even knew if she was a boy or girl) that I would be sending her to daycare twice a week to start and then three times a week starting in the spring. Knowing who would be taking care of her on those days made it easier for me to accept that I was going to have to leave her with someone else. The other days my mom is taking care of her and luckily since my mom is retired she was able to come and spend a ton of time with Ellie and I each week of my maternity leave and got to know her really well. I was completely comfortable with both my mom and our daycare provider and knew that Ellie would be in great hands. <div>**Side note** Some people prefer a corporate daycare setting which is totally fine! I would not have been comfortable with the possible changes in staffing, but some parents might love that their kid has a variety of caretakers! Also in corporate settings children are generally with other kids their own ages where at home daycare there are a variety of ages. This is completely a personal preference! Whatever you choose, you are making the best possible choices for you and your child!</div><div><br /></div><div>2. Buy a pump bag (if you are breastfeeding)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5HZ9UKQ1Jl7_hOID_iAiLgcVMuZydK_QxolWCU9kWnIcEVVDzGe8PxgI3TcvpTFU8B8csdpHotiq8sw9Gb_3fiyio11LzwnLnoa_m9MAyMx_uS4nIrRN70XmaGufKkM9I9GBaJlpB5EdvzPBrS-8A5nK7Xlm1bVEbpb6Nl2XZJTYNT3ZwpXONEmXSsw=s1800" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5HZ9UKQ1Jl7_hOID_iAiLgcVMuZydK_QxolWCU9kWnIcEVVDzGe8PxgI3TcvpTFU8B8csdpHotiq8sw9Gb_3fiyio11LzwnLnoa_m9MAyMx_uS4nIrRN70XmaGufKkM9I9GBaJlpB5EdvzPBrS-8A5nK7Xlm1bVEbpb6Nl2XZJTYNT3ZwpXONEmXSsw=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>For my birthday I asked for a Lands End bag to carry my pumping equipment around. It has come in so handy! I am able to keep all my extra parts in it due to the size as well as extra lanolin creams and each day I pack all the necessities I need for pumping at work into it as well. It is a huge bag and you certainly do not need something this large, but I know it will be used in the future when I'm done pumping as well. </div><div><br /></div><div>Also, make sure you ask ahead of time if you don't have a private office where you can pump. I am lucky to have an office where I can just close my door twice a day but a friend of mine had to pump in the bathroom at a previous job. Legally your work is required to provide you with a private space that is not a restroom where you can pump in peace. Ask where that location is and plan out your pumping times. It will make it easier if you already know your plan going back to work.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. Prepare Bottles The Night Before.<br /><div><p><br /></p><p>Every night I prepare all the bottles Ellie could possibly drink the next day. I have them lined up in the fridge so all I have to do in the morning is move the bottles to the cooler and add an ice pack. It saves me time from putting bottles together in the morning and we all know that time is precious in the morning!</p><p>4. Prep Your Diaper Bag on Sunday</p><p><br /></p><p>Not everything can be prepared on Sunday but you can make sure there are multiple spare outfits, diapers, and wipes in your bag as well as anything else your baby needs. Each night I double check her bag to make sure there are still plenty of diapers, wipes, burp cloths, etc but since I did my main restock on Sunday night there is no emergency to refill it. </p><p><br /></p><p>5. Treat Yourself.</p><p><br /></p><p>In the words of Donna and Tom, Treat Yourself! Before heading back to work I purchased a few new pairs of pants for work and a few tops. I also picked up a new lunch bag for myself and a new cooler for Ellie's bottles. Although all these items were necessary items for me, it felt like a treat because I hadn't bought any of these items in quite some time. You may need new clothes because your old work clothes don't fit you yet but the maternity clothes don't seem quite right either. Go ahead and treat yourself to a few new items so you feel better about returning to work. If you need any item to make your transition easier, purchase it. If you think some new jewelry would help, go ahead and buy it. Whatever makes you feel better about your re-entry to work is worth it.</p><p><br /></p><p>6. Print Photos and Frame Them for Your Desk.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2HAnapqnmr3O8s9slu44MN4XyK3lb4oupWbWTV6QQWFLvnunD-WcVAw-7DspbuuhlwrdkbaApJNl24sNyyYNaSiKVNqZrFh7uIdys577lkr1e2arrz4dNGiOpQY-lga-nbu0GwcmWxGfmayp4Gff9BswBUk5mt-eKr9ca1Du2RlBfXysaiqlklXhsw/s4032/IMG_1173.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2HAnapqnmr3O8s9slu44MN4XyK3lb4oupWbWTV6QQWFLvnunD-WcVAw-7DspbuuhlwrdkbaApJNl24sNyyYNaSiKVNqZrFh7uIdys577lkr1e2arrz4dNGiOpQY-lga-nbu0GwcmWxGfmayp4Gff9BswBUk5mt-eKr9ca1Du2RlBfXysaiqlklXhsw/w480-h640/IMG_1173.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I bought a set of frames on Amazon and printed a bunch of pictures through Shutterfly. Having pictures of Ellie on my desk and bookcase at work is wonderful. Although I'd rather be with her in person, having pictures of her is a great way to see her little face throughout the day and also a great way to show her off to my co-workers. I also printed pictures of the dogs so they wouldn't feel left out. Don't worry, there is also a picture or two of Tim in my office so he doesn't feel left out either. If you are short on desk space you can always use Shutterfly to make a personalized mouse pad. You can also pin up pictures on a pinboard instead of framing them. Make your work space work for you and even setting the background of your computer with pictures of your little one is better than not having any pictures!</p><p><br /></p><p>7. Don't Be Afraid To Ask For Help!</p><p><br /></p><p>I am lucky to have a supportive husband who will do anything I ask him to do. However...sometimes I feel like I'm nagging him. "Babe can you take out the trash?" "Tim can you empty the dishwasher?" "Can you take out the dogs?" "Have you emptied her diaper genie recently?" Nag, nag, nag is all I heard.</p><p>The day before I went back to work I sat down and wrote out everything that needs to be done each day and each week. We talked it over and split up the jobs. Now I know that Tim is responsible for cooking dinner and I am responsible for all clean up. We tag team the dishwasher and diaper genie but he is responsible for taking out all trash and recycling while I am responsible for all laundry. I truly like to clean and am very particular so while everything isn't completely even, I know I have help. Don't keep score of who is doing more work, just each do your jobs and tag team anything that you need to. If both partners are willing to help it makes it much easier for you to get back to work and not feel like you are still doing all the house work too.</p><p>In the morning we have a routine that is working out really well and since we both know our roles and what needs to be done we are able to get out of the house on time (most days) and with everything we need for the day (again, most days!). </p><p>If you are parenting solo, don't be afraid to ask for help in other ways. Asking a family member or friend to help out is 100% okay. If you need to order a meal service (we love Hello Fresh!) or hire someone to come in and clean your house, do it! Also, keep in mind that this is a tough season you are in. Having a small baby is difficult enough but going back to work and also being expected to maintain your home and keep up with daily tasks is a huge thing. Don't hesitate to ask for help.</p><p><br /></p><p>8. Talk To Someone.</p><p><br /></p><p>As I said above, this is a hard time. If you need to talk to someone, reach out. I feel most comfortable talking to family and friends, especially those who have gone through this before. You may feel most comfortable reaching out to a therapist that you can work through everything with. Postpartum anxiety and depression are a very real and scary thing. They are very stigmatized and it's unfair for moms to feel like they are failing because they have it. I know my anxiety levels are very high to begin with and went through the roof as soon as I had Ellie. It's okay to get help to manage these things. Do what is best for you and your baby!</p><p><br /></p><p>9. Future Plans</p><p><br /></p><p>Now you don't need to go crazy planning the rest of your life but I have found it help to think things out. If our daycare provider was sick we know my mom could jump in and take Ellie if needed most days. If my mom was sick there is room at daycare for her on those days. If Ellie was sick Tim and I luckily both have jobs where taking a sick day wouldn't penalize us or force us to lose income. </p><p>I know if Tim wasn't able to pick Ellie up from daycare I could alert my boss I had to leave early to get her and just go. If I needed to go to work early Tim could be late to work to drop her off. Since we know we have that bit of flexibility, it makes me feel more prepared.</p><p>I have gone as far to know that Ellie will probably do preschool on days when my mom watches her so she can pick her up from preschool and watch her in the afternoons. I know that when she goes to school full time she will probably get on and off the bus at daycare so we don't have to worry about leaving work early to meet her bus at home. </p><p>I know it sounds insane to think that far ahead, but it calms me to know there is a plan in place. Tim always tells me I worry about the most ridiculous things that aren't even an issue, but in my head it makes me feel better to know what is happening. However, if planning that far ahead stresses you out don't even worry about it at this point!</p><p><br /></p><p>10. Have Enough To Get You Through The Week</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOqdgHsp7yybFAaIhaUcexyhDxtRHEpgVKlvcCtX05xbrUd4j10qOFltrjiLuwP6dxh2Paw7ljBSpDDbVfZiSEl4jPGOSHhJDi8ALIAYYn-DJg0cqIaMXZB7xyVE5OLdf7EaoVws5LPTa4lqWUBeSRSOQoY-nCnoa5RXC6DsnRabCKltV2V7SMwEjHA/s1800/737064E5-CB8A-4CCE-A490-91DB48617ADD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOqdgHsp7yybFAaIhaUcexyhDxtRHEpgVKlvcCtX05xbrUd4j10qOFltrjiLuwP6dxh2Paw7ljBSpDDbVfZiSEl4jPGOSHhJDi8ALIAYYn-DJg0cqIaMXZB7xyVE5OLdf7EaoVws5LPTa4lqWUBeSRSOQoY-nCnoa5RXC6DsnRabCKltV2V7SMwEjHA/w512-h640/737064E5-CB8A-4CCE-A490-91DB48617ADD.jpeg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I am useless on weekdays now. In the morning I race around to get my lunch made, bags packed, double check everything, get ready while Tim gets ready and then gets Ellie dressed and starts feeding her. When he has to leave for work I finish feeding Ellie, burp her and then she's in the car seat and we are out the door! At night Tim makes dinner while I get all the bottles washed and ready for the next day, I check all her bags and unpack milk and whatever else needs to be done. Not to mention pumping and eating dinner, showering, etc.. I have no time to do a full load of laundry. I'm lucky if laundry gets done on the weekend. This leads me to my point. Have enough to get you through the week. Have enough pairs of work appropriate pants and tops to get you through the week without doing laundry. Have enough pairs of underwear and nursing bras to get you through the week without doing laundry. </p><p>We generally run our dishwasher every night but if you need to make sure you have multiple travel coffee mugs so you don't have to wash yours every day, do it! If you need more bottles, buy them. Make sure you have enough burp cloths clean to make it through the week without doing a load of laundry. Make sure you have enough diapers and wipes so you don't need to run out to the store.</p><p>Have enough on hand for lunches for the week so you aren't struggling to figure out what to take for lunch each day. Have all your meals planned out for the week so you know you have the ingredients necessary and don't need to make an emergency run to the grocery store on a week night. </p><p>Have enough toilet paper, paper towels, ziplock bags, etc... for the same reason! </p><p>This is why I suggest having a home stockpile so when you run out of something you can replenish from your stockpile as needed. Couponing has gone mostly digital as this point and is easy even for the laziest of couponers, help yourself out and get started! It will save you time and money.</p><p><br /></p><p>I hope these tips were helpful! Please let me know if you have any other tips for returning to work after maternity leave. It is a terribly difficult time but there are certainly a few things that can make it a little easier!</p></div></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-2118609927185098562022-04-13T12:29:00.003-04:002022-04-13T12:29:39.913-04:00Hello Again<p> Hi everyone,</p><p><br /></p><p>I did not intend to take a 4 month break from this blog. Returning to work full time, taking care of a baby, and taking care of the household has kept me super busy. On top of that I decided it would be a wonderful idea to pursue my Masters degree and am now working on that as well. I know, I'm completely insane.</p><p>For awhile I thought I would just let this blog go. I thought that things had changed enough in my life that I no longer needed this outlet and I would just simply never post again and thank it for the memories. I suffered from a lot of post-partum anxiety and depression and didn't feel like I deserved to have anything that was just for me and wasn't serving my family in some way. Now that those feelings of hopelessness have for the most part been handled I would love to jump back into posting. </p><p>I can't make any promises. I would love to be the person who posts 5 days a week and constantly has new content for you but I know that is a promise I can't keep. I am still working full time, taking care of a (now 7.5 month old!!) baby, managing my household- buying groceries, laundry, cleaning, etc, taking graduate classes, and also trying to spend time with family and friends, and of course my husband Tim who is the most supportive guy in the world.</p><p>So my plan is to ease back into blogging. I'm not entirely sure what that will look like but I have about 20 drafts that I would like to complete and a million more things to tell you. Plus I'm sure you would like to hear more about Ellie too. I will share little bit about her here but I am torn about how much I want to say here on the internet. I am going to think about that a little bit too as we go forward.</p><p>Thank you for being here, thank you for your patience with me and I am so happy to be writing again :)</p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-88658922280212333782021-12-08T09:31:00.002-05:002021-12-08T09:31:07.744-05:00Life Lately<p> Hi everyone.</p><p><br /></p><p>I am so, so sorry for the unexpected break. Life has been hectic and having a newborn takes up a great deal of time and energy. I am absolutely loving being a mom and seeing what new and exciting skills she has learned each day. Ellie is the absolute light of my life and I can't imagine how I ever lived without her. She is truly a sweet, easy baby and is making our transition as parents seem rather easy. I couldn't have asked for a better baby, I really am truly blessed. </p><p>Last I updated was early October so let's get you up to date on what has been going on since then.</p><p>Ellie turned 2 months old, and then 3 months old.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnq0m18fFhbvBvljS0OkjtP-U7dNGxfam_I8Ghoqo-jUYxA3I9RSKknDX2KD2lfhyqPKxJCZVCtH9SRTrzaBAnbqJyLKQCPmEWaKgG0R4Kq-KWBmud0PO_dtK7lnXkZeYQpVvKGirDzEqqrESQQcIKHwD1338XKNpwSqcyEI2TZBnc_PnMbYnWvjgPFg=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1651" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnq0m18fFhbvBvljS0OkjtP-U7dNGxfam_I8Ghoqo-jUYxA3I9RSKknDX2KD2lfhyqPKxJCZVCtH9SRTrzaBAnbqJyLKQCPmEWaKgG0R4Kq-KWBmud0PO_dtK7lnXkZeYQpVvKGirDzEqqrESQQcIKHwD1338XKNpwSqcyEI2TZBnc_PnMbYnWvjgPFg=w516-h640" width="516" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgD1xHdhNsQ0-iJswBxV3d3IKCV8xk0kl3sDvx0s_glP_zcdHLMZ78o059FCDZlIrgy9I3XGxlGJJ4RxEUZrsWeKrwjsV3PnuXnqpefLtDyxcti6dSVVdFkx-hxQ9HS8xcrF_f4EOF6qTBb4aCTOKwB8O5xTByIgbei5OyGRJe2EhCHjFaR-Z-us7slBw=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1964" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgD1xHdhNsQ0-iJswBxV3d3IKCV8xk0kl3sDvx0s_glP_zcdHLMZ78o059FCDZlIrgy9I3XGxlGJJ4RxEUZrsWeKrwjsV3PnuXnqpefLtDyxcti6dSVVdFkx-hxQ9HS8xcrF_f4EOF6qTBb4aCTOKwB8O5xTByIgbei5OyGRJe2EhCHjFaR-Z-us7slBw=w614-h640" width="614" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>She is growing far too quickly. She is working on grasping and holding items and now reaches out to try to grab things. She doesn't have full intention on what she is looking to grab yet, but I think that will be coming in the next month or so. She also is eating more at each feeding and sleeping 10+ hours through the night! Although until last night I was still getting up to do a middle of the night pump, not waking up a bunch of times throughout the night is amazing. I know not all parents are this lucky and I am grateful she is giving us the gift of sleep.</p><p>Ellie also has started daycare and I've gone back to work full time.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiau3EXJjiIMwZiHPf2uhhaEMOD1qc8pIjQl9eM8ggprpuUNZCXMAUwy37PNapEMswNVWYJ19CKnu_qCyvprDEVdGpS2w3_HSqH5ja27uN6gBkykdCIRpBWGyaQjI7sdUNgcdbM8uQTXmknha7ehTpwz4zEy2B-fgkYn_jO1s0bq78H1fVVvhUOb-IWnw=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiau3EXJjiIMwZiHPf2uhhaEMOD1qc8pIjQl9eM8ggprpuUNZCXMAUwy37PNapEMswNVWYJ19CKnu_qCyvprDEVdGpS2w3_HSqH5ja27uN6gBkykdCIRpBWGyaQjI7sdUNgcdbM8uQTXmknha7ehTpwz4zEy2B-fgkYn_jO1s0bq78H1fVVvhUOb-IWnw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Going back to work was extremely difficult and while I'm not 100% thrilled to be back full time and wish I could be a stay at home mom I can see how much Ellie thrives around other children. I know she will learn so much at daycare and will enjoy the one on one time she gets with my mom on the other days. I am continuing to work but also am open to other opportunities that will allow me to work from home or work less so I can be around for her more often. We will see what the future holds.</p><p>We celebrated Halloween.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMwamaWNDtVexnYb3ocABsUAvHlpjVM6PRzBaChqZom2_tHYTlTiQ38eDNhbLqCTj3Ryqzw98r2-LoQ-nes0Y-7Y8xFcFW2-MoSgQm3n26PZEP8SPriABLp4_e543nEamYPxdNNQ_xbuoKgUirmtuqU-Gj-Yychghad_hKYFbMxsM-SwUuzNuEp2fBhw=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMwamaWNDtVexnYb3ocABsUAvHlpjVM6PRzBaChqZom2_tHYTlTiQ38eDNhbLqCTj3Ryqzw98r2-LoQ-nes0Y-7Y8xFcFW2-MoSgQm3n26PZEP8SPriABLp4_e543nEamYPxdNNQ_xbuoKgUirmtuqU-Gj-Yychghad_hKYFbMxsM-SwUuzNuEp2fBhw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Ellie was a goldendoodle like her furry sisters for Halloween. I purchased her costume at Pottery Barn and it was just the cutest! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLZz_JCuJHgtqOlnrxw4kp1x8SqGhpGXYCF7pvsvidF1smUb-zbAAXpf7qIKUbwQBRSxdKYcixWqtwrLKpU7mKnopSS4RSb_-FHFXYWFJOEeHiTJBIpJzLQFV5ebiMNmjsTSYzshYOjAWTJOEW3QtsGvMdEhl5L05HE5UH_5soNL0sIT5xuJYRC1yK-w=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLZz_JCuJHgtqOlnrxw4kp1x8SqGhpGXYCF7pvsvidF1smUb-zbAAXpf7qIKUbwQBRSxdKYcixWqtwrLKpU7mKnopSS4RSb_-FHFXYWFJOEeHiTJBIpJzLQFV5ebiMNmjsTSYzshYOjAWTJOEW3QtsGvMdEhl5L05HE5UH_5soNL0sIT5xuJYRC1yK-w=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>We also dressed her in her Snow White costume that my moms friend purchased for her. She looked adorable as a little princess. </p><p>We celebrated Thanksgiving.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDuyeDhhar2o9uaSnMSha3ID7bo0H0ia2K1Mkmuy2rMZ5utw4Y4sQwe15aVb4Pd1QA0jmj99mQNurKXd7v5xRL1L3d2gjYP37UkKF9yci7NHnxrURgXEJ7ddMt6ViNxVHZ5daeLboRAychHJjyhbvQa8hs2wUS3l0o3HHFF-c21tyf5thZfVmIFPZIMw=s1100" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDuyeDhhar2o9uaSnMSha3ID7bo0H0ia2K1Mkmuy2rMZ5utw4Y4sQwe15aVb4Pd1QA0jmj99mQNurKXd7v5xRL1L3d2gjYP37UkKF9yci7NHnxrURgXEJ7ddMt6ViNxVHZ5daeLboRAychHJjyhbvQa8hs2wUS3l0o3HHFF-c21tyf5thZfVmIFPZIMw=w482-h640" width="482" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>We celebrated Ellie's first Thanksgiving and it's just so cool that she is celebrating all these holidays for the first time ever. </p><p>We've truly just been enjoying every single day with her! There are definitely more difficult days when she is feeling extra tired or needs some extra cuddles but for the most part she has been an extremely happy, easy baby.</p><p>Both dogs are doing great! I was very nervous to leave them for the full days when I went back to work full time but we are now a week in and they are doing great. They are so excited to see us when we get home but they are now adjusted to our new "normal"</p><p>Now we are looking forward to our first Christmas as parents, even if Ellie won't really "get" the excitement of Christmas this year it will still be fun to start some new traditions and include her in all the fun!</p><p>I have a ton of drafted blog posts that I want to get to and I am going to try to be better about posting, but it is truly a new phase of life and is difficult to commit to a schedule right now! I will try to be better!</p><p>Hope you all are doing well! :)</p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-19551024077541953242021-10-04T17:51:00.003-04:002021-10-04T17:51:57.649-04:00September Empties<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another month of empties coming at ya! Our first full month with a third human in our household and I'm including some of her empties as well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrsNJYaScKltwLta0PJCKfL2H_mpYXgk-TfNscpkjQ_tdS8VjMTX5wuasBPVY23rv_hsWlOUjJ41mxsOaA6_uYi74RXxhrdUfJ_JWlJQkqR3eVAk7C54A8EJNLrMdyQShuScieFKg3kgum/s2048/0E2F7B76-10E9-49B9-B18F-0CD0175D3A32.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrsNJYaScKltwLta0PJCKfL2H_mpYXgk-TfNscpkjQ_tdS8VjMTX5wuasBPVY23rv_hsWlOUjJ41mxsOaA6_uYi74RXxhrdUfJ_JWlJQkqR3eVAk7C54A8EJNLrMdyQShuScieFKg3kgum/w640-h480/0E2F7B76-10E9-49B9-B18F-0CD0175D3A32.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Pampers Swaddlers Newborn</b>: First up, a box of newborn diapers. Man do babies go through these fast. Ellie spend the first month of her life in newborn diapers even though we had several people tell us that she wouldn't fit in newborn diapers beyond a few days. Note to everyone, you have no idea what your baby will be like until they arrive! We really like Pampers and will continue to purchase them if we need to buy more. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswi9x1hxLwu39eL4vnLFamkMpdvEbpR9Dsms79i7OlLAhbjomQF6c_bKX7uTS1Jm5DVnuQcdTFFjWDLxt9DhX37vsU-WvNvhEXTnybVYU4qNn_nAkhyQMlCMms_tvB026FuWHh9Rc9yEJ/s2048/IMG_5544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswi9x1hxLwu39eL4vnLFamkMpdvEbpR9Dsms79i7OlLAhbjomQF6c_bKX7uTS1Jm5DVnuQcdTFFjWDLxt9DhX37vsU-WvNvhEXTnybVYU4qNn_nAkhyQMlCMms_tvB026FuWHh9Rc9yEJ/w640-h480/IMG_5544.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Pampers Diapers-</b> Two more packs of newborn diapers. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Lysol Wipes-</b> We use these up regularly and I really like this brand new day scent.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Pampers Wipes-</b> We went through multiple packs of these and they work great!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Carbona Color Run Remover-</b> I had to purchase this when one of Ellie's new outfits bled onto several other outfits. This worked great and we were able to get them back to new. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Tucks-</b> Postpartum necessity. Need I say more?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Lanolin Nipple Cream-</b> A necessity for breastfeeding/pumping! I would highly recommend getting multiple tubes of this. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Snuggle Scent Beads-</b> I actually am using these in a dresser drawer to keep clothes smelling fresh. They smell great and I would definitely purchase them in the future.</div></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzhYErK18M_qvg0q-sDsdRcSg58885TRRTeBsOqAZiluUdbRpnwL958pB1_De6ti8PnSe53Q_6E3RaNaAe3ysy2utAOyECSbb2AqF0g3rbs_xJkz6FCxdmRMfub05gHcnnl88p89zvo66/s2048/5BA41822-7CEE-448E-826B-CA93C1ABD604.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzhYErK18M_qvg0q-sDsdRcSg58885TRRTeBsOqAZiluUdbRpnwL958pB1_De6ti8PnSe53Q_6E3RaNaAe3ysy2utAOyECSbb2AqF0g3rbs_xJkz6FCxdmRMfub05gHcnnl88p89zvo66/w480-h640/5BA41822-7CEE-448E-826B-CA93C1ABD604.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Gain Dryer Sheets-</b> I like gain dryer sheets and they are my second choice after Bounce. I would definitely repurchase this in the future.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Pampers Wipes-</b> Again, we like these and definitely went through far more packages than I took pictures of.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Pampers Pure Diapers-</b> These were okay. I noticed Ellie had some redness after we used them so I am not sure I would purchase them for her in the future. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Mrs Meyers Acorn Spice Dish Soap-</b> My favorite! I always buy this in the fall from Grove Collaborative and will definitely repurchase this again and again. I have a few more stockpiled to hold me over.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Mrs Meyers Acorn Spice Candle- </b>I love this scent and it works great with the other products in the line. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Downy Scent Beads-</b> I really hated the smell of these. I used up what I had but I won't be purchasing them in the future. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Medela Hydrogel Pads-</b> I liked these for after pumping but they are pricey so I have switched to just plain reusable pads. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Cake Batter Chapstick-</b> Always a favorite!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Enfamil Vitamin D Drops-</b> These were a free sample from the pediatrician and they worked fine but we have switched brands since then. I would repurchase these again though.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Bath and Body Works Saltwater Breeze Shower Gel-</b> This was an okay shower gel, I probably wouldn't repurchase this in the future. The smell was okay, but not my favorite that I've tried.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Maybelline Eyeliner-</b> This worked just fine but I honestly wasn't able to use the whole thing before it dried out. I would repurchase this in the future if I needed an eyeliner like this.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKA3PvwiAdOMpjUTO694Hx02gd4A97TMxd7Y2dqc9v4v_96uSXlEM2StnA-g82uujyxkEOPRo7PEqNMpNyFcX54TTmzG02hq7oqT6FX5TsFNmxDC47pGwG3FiBhe1c_u-dzMosjuBJZ-K/s2048/124828F3-C054-4F9F-BB1A-97CD580DCD55.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1282" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKA3PvwiAdOMpjUTO694Hx02gd4A97TMxd7Y2dqc9v4v_96uSXlEM2StnA-g82uujyxkEOPRo7PEqNMpNyFcX54TTmzG02hq7oqT6FX5TsFNmxDC47pGwG3FiBhe1c_u-dzMosjuBJZ-K/w640-h400/124828F3-C054-4F9F-BB1A-97CD580DCD55.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Downy Unstoppable Scent Beads- </b>I love these and will continue to repurchase them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Bath and Body Works Leaves Candle-</b> My absolute favorite candle of all time! I will keep repurchasing this.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Lanolin Nipple Cream, Pampers Wipes, Pampers Diapers, Cake Batter Chapstick- </b>All repeats from previous pictures.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Grove Hand Soap- </b>This was nice but I probably wouldn't purchase it because I have other hand soaps I like better.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Bath and Body Works Fiji White Sands Handsoap- </b>This is a hand soap I would repurchase because the beach scent was great!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Bath and Body Works A Thousand Wishes Shower Gel-</b> I liked this shower gel a lot and would definitely buy it again. The scent was really sweet and I think it smelled great.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Lactation Cookies-</b> I went through several boxes of these and continue to repurchase them. I really think they make a difference!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Mrs Meyers Basil Dish Soap- </b> When the seasonal soaps aren't around, this is my dish soap of choice. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3B4BEyQ_0W1TmVBEUY17VWABLLr7ee-HiQ5Ca6K21LujH2l1IrMzutqOSjTKL99Prcou-f39T_Ek3uDu6c3vaY-1vJ0X-NHBRPHS6PBVLyUxjVmCeitkxoPfV2WFi18OuELvCmyP7ENL/s2048/A850CDA7-4324-496E-8D72-2A1179D90E8D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3B4BEyQ_0W1TmVBEUY17VWABLLr7ee-HiQ5Ca6K21LujH2l1IrMzutqOSjTKL99Prcou-f39T_Ek3uDu6c3vaY-1vJ0X-NHBRPHS6PBVLyUxjVmCeitkxoPfV2WFi18OuELvCmyP7ENL/w480-h640/A850CDA7-4324-496E-8D72-2A1179D90E8D.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <b>Huggies Newborn Diapers-</b> I really liked the Huggies diapers. They worked great for Ellie and I would repurchase them in the future.<p></p><div><br /></div><div>Those are all the empties we finished up this month, what did you finish at your house?</div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-63732722810498522222021-09-29T21:11:00.003-04:002021-09-29T21:11:33.058-04:00One Month Baby Must Haves<p>Well my baby Ellie turned one month old last Friday! I can't believe a month has already gone by it seems like it was just yesterday I was at the hospital with her but at the same time it feels like she has been a part of my life forever. Life completely revolves around Ellie at this point and I spend the majority of my day taking care of her. </p><p>During the first month of her life we had several items that stood out as favorites and I thought I would share them with you guys in case you are about to have your first baby or are looking for a baby shower gift. </p><p><b>Clothes</b></p><p><a href="https://magneticme.com/products/cake-my-day-modal-magnetic-footie?variant=39435293851761&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gclid=CjwKCAjwndCKBhAkEiwAgSDKQaK5nAH0uT3TtYMl6nRjz9WyaVXwJgZczCMypQhZ_YZ7_p-Iy_8WtxoC-DQQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">Magnetic Me Footie Pajamas</a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmjI0aqeTqJB5kCD3OCqMCPDsI4zJKk71uNGLFXYaFlXd-h5kmtnnGUKBugVlBilwaFEEYP7vbZRFXD3KxZxZm0FxlryvwkcQAonNyk6UFkw_QoYMIrwdpgehG_qVByJFaDrddoRXtas_/s1050/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.28.47+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="834" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmjI0aqeTqJB5kCD3OCqMCPDsI4zJKk71uNGLFXYaFlXd-h5kmtnnGUKBugVlBilwaFEEYP7vbZRFXD3KxZxZm0FxlryvwkcQAonNyk6UFkw_QoYMIrwdpgehG_qVByJFaDrddoRXtas_/w508-h640/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.28.47+PM.png" width="508" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>We received these Magnetic Me jammies as a gift and they were wonderful! Although they are rather pricey, the magnets make for easy changes and the fabric is so soft. We have another pair in a larger size and would definitely recommend them as a splurge baby item.</p><p>Carters 2 Way Zip Footed Onesies- This is another type of jammies I recommend because of the two way zipper. You can find these all over the place online and they come in a ton of patterns. We love these for nighttime since we are able to get them zipped up and diaper changed very quickly which is important when you have a hungry, angry baby in the middle of the night!</p><p><b>Pacifiers</b></p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/nanobébé-Pacifier-Breastfeeding-Newborn-2-Pack/dp/B07CZ12B3L/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwndCKBhAkEiwAgSDKQTGOP74sSk2L589XwfGdlowQor5MjiOrj-wpt9NuZ2E8_xthOu4IDhoCEQEQAvD_BwE&hvadid=282615054688&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1025440&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=11452551579872525692&hvtargid=kwd-638295261072&hydadcr=5945_9590778&keywords=nanobebe+pacifier&qid=1632962507&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A2U1SGXBJ41APT&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyRkpYUzdMWjBHUURNJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTk4NzUyMjNUVTNHUzEzN0NESyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTg4MTkxR0xHVThYUlhaMldNJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==" target="_blank">Nanobebe</a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjy4A30yVVBlrP3eFl_kGZiPuep3BXjuxihl-KC2fsZbMkwWNOiGMbLXuaRKEEf86cYqpQeqHSPK6oWFm_qAK-KJAk5_5BgE222pKCtD64RqBh84DuxtGnZ9P1ue9XHjeTEsHye3ZdD0hX/s1158/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.28.07+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="1158" height="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjy4A30yVVBlrP3eFl_kGZiPuep3BXjuxihl-KC2fsZbMkwWNOiGMbLXuaRKEEf86cYqpQeqHSPK6oWFm_qAK-KJAk5_5BgE222pKCtD64RqBh84DuxtGnZ9P1ue9XHjeTEsHye3ZdD0hX/w640-h624/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.28.07+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is the first pacifier that Ellie took and we really liked them! For about two weeks it was all she would take and we ordered more thinking they would be great for the future. Well, she has since found a different pacifier that she likes more, but I would still recommend these because they worked when she was super little. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F6ZM2ZM?ref=nb_sb_ss_w_as-ypp-rep_ypp_rep_k2_1_7&crid=388IYX5PBYC3N&sprefix=unicorn" target="_blank">Wubbanub</a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLB9aI3VzgFV_0TY8D3nlNsLIcp_zKEPa-YCjIkOsHZW0AXexz2JBsR-4gQyVFW2e9aDISk7k56kGlTrg7p_AsIZ1_yKC89eu_iXgpV8RMfOzu0IP86bL8CV-K050v7U02w7t8915MYZR/s1066/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.25.27+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1066" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLB9aI3VzgFV_0TY8D3nlNsLIcp_zKEPa-YCjIkOsHZW0AXexz2JBsR-4gQyVFW2e9aDISk7k56kGlTrg7p_AsIZ1_yKC89eu_iXgpV8RMfOzu0IP86bL8CV-K050v7U02w7t8915MYZR/w640-h534/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.25.27+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The magical wubbanub! Ellie loves her unicorn wubbanub and although we are holding off on purchasing other ones for the time being if she continues to love it I will definitely purchase another. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Sleep</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjtovLAvKXzAhVL5MgKHQFXDKUYABAAGgJxdQ&ae=2&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESQeD2e8MTd-K6UXzQ33CYcIId6w-IhUjjgQesiTlFZO-aRsbXTPR7dIOYdMHBfpVlGagvzPkIlLnkjte93VHN_g2z&sig=AOD64_2hfrDqT-HSSY5hXvyUNueGirIVjA&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwiToevAvKXzAhVrS98KHU-MDf0Q0Qx6BAgCEAE&dct=1" target="_blank">Snoo</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLRuGakXtYg67suJEqU0rLcYl0tQ_ZivLG_zE6HFnKfrZ-qHy63IQciyESJLE3NE67hZ3uwQMs4qV9Pj_-32x49O-6F6YaODxPEvuIZkRAB8kKhyp2WHkGb9BQRNNFW4mSwfG-rqZewsiA/s1004/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.27.36+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="1004" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLRuGakXtYg67suJEqU0rLcYl0tQ_ZivLG_zE6HFnKfrZ-qHy63IQciyESJLE3NE67hZ3uwQMs4qV9Pj_-32x49O-6F6YaODxPEvuIZkRAB8kKhyp2WHkGb9BQRNNFW4mSwfG-rqZewsiA/w640-h600/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.27.36+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So far, the Snoo is not the magical bassinet that we had heard about. We are getting 2 hours of sleep at a time right now. I do have hope that eventually we will have longer stretches as Ellie gets bigger and can hold more milk in her belly at once. Right now she only eats about two ounces at a time so every two hours she is hungry. I'm not sure if we would be getting any sleep at all if she wasn't in the Snoo since at the hospital she wouldn't sleep in the bassinet since it didn't move. Along with the Snoo we are using the sleep sacks and fitted sheets that come with it. I would recommend purchasing multiples in case you have any late night blow outs or spit up incidents. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Breast Feeding</b></div><p><br /></p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tommee-Tippee-Closer-Feeding-Bottles/dp/B00K5KVC7U/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1L82G8BMFMSOA&dchild=1&keywords=tommee+tippee+bottles&qid=1632961612&s=baby-products&sprefix=Tommie%2Cbaby-products%2C171&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEySzFFNE4yREZKSk9JJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTE5NjQ2MUs3WUUwM0ZHWFdXVCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTEwNTQ1MjVONlBNNjFTNEdKRSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=" target="_blank">Tommee Tippee Bottles</a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlHoTQ30Xz43AAMz4pEpZnP356uzUYhNOXm_qQUD-LRfHtCrFXw3OXB489hFLe44_rvf-x35wQpoEgI8c6f-dD8CG6D5QRv4n1A0BGGqaPnHk7GDWcuufiHDPPPhyphenhyphenArOGOiRWoSg1Pcdr/s1112/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.26.59+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1112" height="614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlHoTQ30Xz43AAMz4pEpZnP356uzUYhNOXm_qQUD-LRfHtCrFXw3OXB489hFLe44_rvf-x35wQpoEgI8c6f-dD8CG6D5QRv4n1A0BGGqaPnHk7GDWcuufiHDPPPhyphenhyphenArOGOiRWoSg1Pcdr/w640-h614/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.26.59+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am exclusively pumping so Ellie is exclusively using bottles at this point. Tommee Tippee bottles were recommended to me and they are the only ones we've used and they are working great. The size 1 nipples are working the best currently although we did briefly try the size 0 but Ellie quickly got frustrated and we switched back to the size 1. </div><p><br /></p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Viva-Naturals-Organic-Virgin-Coconut/dp/B00DS842HS/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=coconut+oil&qid=1632961568&s=hpc&sr=1-4" target="_blank">Coconut Oil</a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xz-PgCUYPRgjsENFhsJVRvuoF0KsMR06tC9fiWwDWdH6e9f5MC4vFsxbgrv_LE15mbBcwYv-Ta-SgFzXqKWIbgDjbVNKtLnnHnZDN6TZFxStAkqChkzZOBlsT_W2pJms-Ubx3Aod-pBX/s1312/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.26.26+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1312" data-original-width="1250" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xz-PgCUYPRgjsENFhsJVRvuoF0KsMR06tC9fiWwDWdH6e9f5MC4vFsxbgrv_LE15mbBcwYv-Ta-SgFzXqKWIbgDjbVNKtLnnHnZDN6TZFxStAkqChkzZOBlsT_W2pJms-Ubx3Aod-pBX/w610-h640/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.26.26+PM.png" width="610" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have been using coconut oil on my pump and it's been working to make it a little more comfortable for me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MI648C?ref=nb_sb_ss_w_as-ypp-rep_ypp_rep_k0_1_4&crid=1ZZAI4UVI2HV5&sprefix=lano" target="_blank">Lansinoh Nipple Cream</a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3SlhPx6jIGRJuGzwQBoRO4tMXzPRJD1glCV6OIpAGcmLwZOccB9z8sF10uaqtnj8LWs3pSY6KQR_wg-UluDKm1EYPJPDej-02YA7WBA3yyGPYmF9nqkQuMXTUBTSMsTN_pnjd5bBWMlcj/s1260/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.25.56+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="1260" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3SlhPx6jIGRJuGzwQBoRO4tMXzPRJD1glCV6OIpAGcmLwZOccB9z8sF10uaqtnj8LWs3pSY6KQR_wg-UluDKm1EYPJPDej-02YA7WBA3yyGPYmF9nqkQuMXTUBTSMsTN_pnjd5bBWMlcj/w640-h540/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.25.56+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have gone through so many tubes of this already! It definitely is helping something that is uncomfortable for me. </div><br /><a href="https://freemie.com/collections/freemie-cups-for-your-pump/products/freemie-closed-system-collection-cup-set" target="_blank">Freebie Standard Cups</a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj733iDXrRpO13_XiVgbbJIYZ9heZ3c2EDZlmLrc4ybV73lfpA1jabRAz0jUhC5y4yQUxC3t9fMDXAVP0OY0Ap0X3-Ce5fkXjWbcWkeNRCEaZ9LTGbH2R0FwC9xZmu09Umchhop0GoTklT9/s1030/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.24.58+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="1030" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj733iDXrRpO13_XiVgbbJIYZ9heZ3c2EDZlmLrc4ybV73lfpA1jabRAz0jUhC5y4yQUxC3t9fMDXAVP0OY0Ap0X3-Ce5fkXjWbcWkeNRCEaZ9LTGbH2R0FwC9xZmu09Umchhop0GoTklT9/w640-h490/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.24.58+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I ordered these Freebie cups so I could pump hands free and they have been working really well. I just ordered an insert so they will hopefully be a little more comfortable, but the convenience of pumping hands free is totally worth it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.target.com/p/spectra-s2-plus-hospital-strength-double-electric-breast-pump/-/A-75557633?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&DFA=71700000012735142&CPNG=PLA_Baby%2BShopping_Local%7CBaby_Ecomm_Baby&adgroup=SC_Baby_Low%2BMargin&LID=700000001170770pgs&LNM=PRODUCT_GROUP&network=g&device=c&location=1025440&targetid=aud-1281817010779:pla-925707968525&ds_rl=1242884&ds_rl=1246978&ds_rl=1248099&gclid=CjwKCAjwndCKBhAkEiwAgSDKQZVb-G_wkNfmR5EOrL3D-ayP33ihp2X34rzOZ4GIofp12jWJMyqJ4xoCX18QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds" target="_blank">Spectra S2</a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUmjBjKAs3WIvvyrtdCJfwqJ2u0NV1hXTLZ63koiTG-1S0PsO9sHcO5FOYtu5Hkn_s-FGzOgNUXNdgKHnKzVr_x7YTc7SDy4ksPg-SZ-BYrBS7eEcXTbNSXPLNwKDhePXmDMDgSuE-2Nh/s1186/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.24.27+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="1186" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUmjBjKAs3WIvvyrtdCJfwqJ2u0NV1hXTLZ63koiTG-1S0PsO9sHcO5FOYtu5Hkn_s-FGzOgNUXNdgKHnKzVr_x7YTc7SDy4ksPg-SZ-BYrBS7eEcXTbNSXPLNwKDhePXmDMDgSuE-2Nh/w640-h604/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+8.24.27+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So far I like the Spectra S2, it works really well for me and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a pump. I was happy to get one free through insurance and am glad I chose this one. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Play </b></div><br /><p></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Sweet-Snugapuppy-Dreams-Cradle/dp/B01MQM7W6M/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2KJSYH6J50WFT&dchild=1&keywords=snugapuppy+swing&qid=1632963943&sprefix=snugapu%2Caps%2C202&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Swing</a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftN7z6pkscMnK5kiGF8WzFatCHAr8HPudn_8t2nkwF9JlHVe69SPtHoEwOB2MYB6kG01dAuMg8SJ4CSS-8ACTTddELhwunbPWEu2bOGcPiya74ymHTUBzEQxRizr1AycEQF2XIanyLZMk/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="990" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftN7z6pkscMnK5kiGF8WzFatCHAr8HPudn_8t2nkwF9JlHVe69SPtHoEwOB2MYB6kG01dAuMg8SJ4CSS-8ACTTddELhwunbPWEu2bOGcPiya74ymHTUBzEQxRizr1AycEQF2XIanyLZMk/w547-h640/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+9.05.58+PM.png" width="547" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Ellie loves her swing! I can usually get her to relax in here at least once a day which gives me time to wash dishes, change laundry, make lunch, etc...<p></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Disney-Baby-Ocean-Lights-Activity/dp/B0036RKGHQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1TUNECMX8XIK2&dchild=1&keywords=finding+nemo+play+mat+baby&qid=1632964090&sprefix=finding+Nemo+%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Play Mat</a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPneYN5YbVFZyR9byyszLvKbnOpQdLLGIBJwYl5h7WFCTW7SwkkDnRhM4yXn2PrEicophUOAlO4jlZYgtVYp9TzK9iX1zdY5oeuLVxiZTkGPRu2rjoUrYbETBdx4ME2dt_bwOvSNWU__YM/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="1058" height="567" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPneYN5YbVFZyR9byyszLvKbnOpQdLLGIBJwYl5h7WFCTW7SwkkDnRhM4yXn2PrEicophUOAlO4jlZYgtVYp9TzK9iX1zdY5oeuLVxiZTkGPRu2rjoUrYbETBdx4ME2dt_bwOvSNWU__YM/w640-h567/Screen+Shot+2021-09-29+at+9.08.45+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>Ellie does her tummy time and also hangs out on this play mat at least once a day to get some exercise. It is so cute when she plays with the hanging sea creatures and kicks away on the mat!<p></p><p><br /></p><p>So those are our one month baby must haves, I would love to know what yours are if you have a young baby too!</p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-3194302644917784972021-09-20T01:00:00.001-04:002021-09-20T01:00:00.179-04:00The First Few Weeks<p> I can't believe tomorrow Ellie will be 4 weeks old and on Friday she will officially be one month old. In some ways it feels like her birth was ages ago and in other ways it feels like there is no possible way for her to be a month old already.</p><p>I am so lucky to be Ellie's mom and I am thankful every day that this little girl came into our lives. However I don't like to sugarcoat things and being a new mom is <b>hard.</b> Ellie is a very easy baby, she only cries when she is hungry or her tummy hurts after eating. She sleeps in two to three hour increments and when she's awake she's generally a happy baby. I am so lucky that she is such a great baby but that doesn't mean that there aren't things that are really hard about having a baby. Life has changed so much and our world revolves around this little girl. We are up at night several times feeding and changing her, I am pumping around the clock which is a challenge in itself. </p><p>I wanted to share some pictures from the last few weeks even though all we've basically been doing is taking care of Ellie and introducing her to family. I am planning on creating a post with our newborn necessities that have been vital throughout the first month. When creating our baby registry the items I thought we would need the most were not the ones that we actually got the most use out of so I thought it might be interesting to share.</p><p>For now, here are a bunch of pictures from our first 4 weeks with Ellie! (In no particular order since they uploaded out of order and who has the time to fix that?!)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08KhLc_6zhkunk0u8RPebymr-hJ6_uS7DgdUtp0HtkjZah6S58JmunVz9S5hlLzLaDEHxFt2kHSpTV8E7OsyfP5s8l6Xw2UkLgNMIK0LLs-DU9OyyjuTxhOW-3zYj9oZFkGgRUoLtA4J_/s2048/5Tb2kuj4TFejrNeWH5ib8Q.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08KhLc_6zhkunk0u8RPebymr-hJ6_uS7DgdUtp0HtkjZah6S58JmunVz9S5hlLzLaDEHxFt2kHSpTV8E7OsyfP5s8l6Xw2UkLgNMIK0LLs-DU9OyyjuTxhOW-3zYj9oZFkGgRUoLtA4J_/w480-h640/5Tb2kuj4TFejrNeWH5ib8Q.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ellie met her great uncle Dave and great aunt Liz.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8x1eKVgh1WdPPEkszg1Q5infNOSa_oISSSrBkgoJICqzMmSes5D61LVmFDcivnC2_5NUEo7lpi84e0b0dUJ1AJpFwRUjRU1AY8gUn61ltAepjjDqIRZ3EQSXhkUr6GbxWXT2xQ_QSilF/s2048/9j7If%252BtzQEOPpmt8QReh5A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8x1eKVgh1WdPPEkszg1Q5infNOSa_oISSSrBkgoJICqzMmSes5D61LVmFDcivnC2_5NUEo7lpi84e0b0dUJ1AJpFwRUjRU1AY8gUn61ltAepjjDqIRZ3EQSXhkUr6GbxWXT2xQ_QSilF/w480-h640/9j7If%252BtzQEOPpmt8QReh5A.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Checked out the Atlantic Ocean for the first time at the Naragansett Seawall.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7HWWx7rpFkMVBcIPp9CxKhSwcBAJRx6BvNnGdgid6djSrZyYv3CcoRY8hnUizcA-ouPSELvi3S2x8JzvFIqnLJkc8p_Pm8uxGDzjV-KKGt0BCDCGmHMJuw_2YIXgi8KO-rcsX88COWME/s2048/64UeFzBcTLy108w55iumDg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7HWWx7rpFkMVBcIPp9CxKhSwcBAJRx6BvNnGdgid6djSrZyYv3CcoRY8hnUizcA-ouPSELvi3S2x8JzvFIqnLJkc8p_Pm8uxGDzjV-KKGt0BCDCGmHMJuw_2YIXgi8KO-rcsX88COWME/w480-h640/64UeFzBcTLy108w55iumDg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Met Uncle Dan for the first time.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-z99zymvzRCiusghIi4MCvXPsEy9nuzLgLI7xjrlaDsS_dIy-CZDl32fTSUdJlgqsj4NIPXIdILZ5C9-6mdBvAc-ZPYGdh5hwhENadROcAi1Zob0KGllTqlYWdzo-bibKP1oYhw5ysaz5/s2048/b1kIRwYmTdK0BoDT4W6Hwg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-z99zymvzRCiusghIi4MCvXPsEy9nuzLgLI7xjrlaDsS_dIy-CZDl32fTSUdJlgqsj4NIPXIdILZ5C9-6mdBvAc-ZPYGdh5hwhENadROcAi1Zob0KGllTqlYWdzo-bibKP1oYhw5ysaz5/w480-h640/b1kIRwYmTdK0BoDT4W6Hwg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Met Auntie Marie for the first time, and went out to her first dinner for Uncle Dan's 30th birthday.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdgX2MknXZSK8ivd6XUxXoN5bov8e53ypGcyaqP9o-hQWBohLUalJMq5cKwdXTPnETshGLXod0OtfBwpy1tvopBi1vojKnUFEbjrAjt6qj29Ia89o7-yestlx0wAQeDzviJRQJTY3QWty/s2048/b8J3k4wFTWe3um9mqDl%252BRg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdgX2MknXZSK8ivd6XUxXoN5bov8e53ypGcyaqP9o-hQWBohLUalJMq5cKwdXTPnETshGLXod0OtfBwpy1tvopBi1vojKnUFEbjrAjt6qj29Ia89o7-yestlx0wAQeDzviJRQJTY3QWty/w480-h640/b8J3k4wFTWe3um9mqDl%252BRg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Met Uncle Derek and Auntie Ally.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin1VlS9fji4SFOU8AxYx1_JxyeaCkn-4Ip8AF37V396B6zKcdawvJNHoUpxyzpDDBgeTJCzkjk-zRjKDoTwphXut7feFmlCxn7RvDye9eGnh32Q0xfDy41Mz-KnYigXYatzLiIfUKyvvkp/s2048/BIcJUzjhSQqNHlTBXIzj%2525Q.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin1VlS9fji4SFOU8AxYx1_JxyeaCkn-4Ip8AF37V396B6zKcdawvJNHoUpxyzpDDBgeTJCzkjk-zRjKDoTwphXut7feFmlCxn7RvDye9eGnh32Q0xfDy41Mz-KnYigXYatzLiIfUKyvvkp/w480-h640/BIcJUzjhSQqNHlTBXIzj%2525Q.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wore her first tutu as her coming home outfit from the hospital...and judged mom for dressing her that way.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2ySBvvbbPGJmlkNjjGOEPrHHVwTKFv4nyXSrJCafaM4bwu7sDMP5TVnis71_Bxj80_BMiyKOS5kRWa-XjBiDsgnNUQisKAoFJevK5Ahk_qVWm8ZfXpXIPgYyPZPTofovntLU7XSni1RC/s2048/BVRbdJHZTuijbRZAr7gnvQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2ySBvvbbPGJmlkNjjGOEPrHHVwTKFv4nyXSrJCafaM4bwu7sDMP5TVnis71_Bxj80_BMiyKOS5kRWa-XjBiDsgnNUQisKAoFJevK5Ahk_qVWm8ZfXpXIPgYyPZPTofovntLU7XSni1RC/w640-h480/BVRbdJHZTuijbRZAr7gnvQ.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Took her first selfie with mom and dad. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbxwY37xtn2RRx_tgygpq3SatSu25br4h-mTWfHNKnbj4hWOWdhwUAEj0JQutpHECP6U0fNfCuIsVYhVoEkS3y4UnCttVNq89HAy4TThAwncVfWHllA2sUgI-1e4HRTk7RoMtEnlaV6k-/s2048/c9V%252BnORvRFGd8ZPLEhnnVw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbxwY37xtn2RRx_tgygpq3SatSu25br4h-mTWfHNKnbj4hWOWdhwUAEj0JQutpHECP6U0fNfCuIsVYhVoEkS3y4UnCttVNq89HAy4TThAwncVfWHllA2sUgI-1e4HRTk7RoMtEnlaV6k-/w480-h640/c9V%252BnORvRFGd8ZPLEhnnVw.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Decided she loves nanobebe pacifiers.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzee7gxm_eGwlToMeDJp3a2UM7a12fIoGHYTReJzQ1eLwZxaGoucOkDuREf-SzPanxtSMQwwNLSjoold_o8MRWC93MdbE_pBJLsavC1rFmIsQYM2tXjUXYOWq1AmHb-fxQNTeBQ7wOuvT/s2048/dsc_0201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzee7gxm_eGwlToMeDJp3a2UM7a12fIoGHYTReJzQ1eLwZxaGoucOkDuREf-SzPanxtSMQwwNLSjoold_o8MRWC93MdbE_pBJLsavC1rFmIsQYM2tXjUXYOWq1AmHb-fxQNTeBQ7wOuvT/w640-h426/dsc_0201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Took newborn photos with Bella Photography.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDR2Y6yWFdaw1CMFqYw5ijE37CwOMFhsZgADIScgn2NmihM1l5oM2fl3Jq_fDhxu0cg72E89oISMNJIk-HEeV0rRN3yaOfvuhRJx7iFc84eL_9k6j7fO18C4NXJJJDj5_4StaUsCfFM9FE/s2048/dsc_0256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDR2Y6yWFdaw1CMFqYw5ijE37CwOMFhsZgADIScgn2NmihM1l5oM2fl3Jq_fDhxu0cg72E89oISMNJIk-HEeV0rRN3yaOfvuhRJx7iFc84eL_9k6j7fO18C4NXJJJDj5_4StaUsCfFM9FE/w640-h426/dsc_0256.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Which came out adorable.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4kDmUOAIb66pIWtbXCOAcIkyXYB-HaRbTGrXar3QfCrvOPrhXWAtRh_j88mLrDToYXhv2nF-bHHDLX_XlFnImWRsaZysa3TcFkmsAIKVk-c7YBZXmRjdOLr3pns5n1u9nV64wF-VVBy_/s2048/dsc_0379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1480" data-original-width="2048" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4kDmUOAIb66pIWtbXCOAcIkyXYB-HaRbTGrXar3QfCrvOPrhXWAtRh_j88mLrDToYXhv2nF-bHHDLX_XlFnImWRsaZysa3TcFkmsAIKVk-c7YBZXmRjdOLr3pns5n1u9nV64wF-VVBy_/w640-h462/dsc_0379.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We also took family photos.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlReb1wOrJrW9yvlTiLySEduNN12uO4-cgqPsMpFClew1hh46wQvyJDt6dqoUgWe-BxvXCsfJjy_2c1vhzimygDMrcaGU9V8GBE4ajt_WOtH9fei9sxxuwue55hk1vaTuy-j-k8O2RWOY/s2048/dsc_0407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1467" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlReb1wOrJrW9yvlTiLySEduNN12uO4-cgqPsMpFClew1hh46wQvyJDt6dqoUgWe-BxvXCsfJjy_2c1vhzimygDMrcaGU9V8GBE4ajt_WOtH9fei9sxxuwue55hk1vaTuy-j-k8O2RWOY/w458-h640/dsc_0407.jpg" width="458" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And one with just the humans. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cT_TFPcxm863y5TKSJmKpQg_b2Ix2vJoYMk248awnLoLp5OwJf2n7KOEIVpq75ALicbmps1qYpaq_3RTU3MPIYowILAbHJCOWnXJ3CL7cHobDepvRo6JU6T4NAQbTyWof6BwkFx9b2yk/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4c7e.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cT_TFPcxm863y5TKSJmKpQg_b2Ix2vJoYMk248awnLoLp5OwJf2n7KOEIVpq75ALicbmps1qYpaq_3RTU3MPIYowILAbHJCOWnXJ3CL7cHobDepvRo6JU6T4NAQbTyWof6BwkFx9b2yk/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_4c7e.heic" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hung out with dad while he took a few days off of work.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoglUMZv8CoMjk2rhib6ynxlL-ahYfGOCWC3wqZiAS4vNnNx0HgyIIMd6Coh9WLVvrRGTa6y7AZYZGq5mrb5-kZgaIe_2JJMiYZW34KFMQjlzsJZ-Xs61JYnBQAhyCQV_TWe_lBl9vbpX/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4c72.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoglUMZv8CoMjk2rhib6ynxlL-ahYfGOCWC3wqZiAS4vNnNx0HgyIIMd6Coh9WLVvrRGTa6y7AZYZGq5mrb5-kZgaIe_2JJMiYZW34KFMQjlzsJZ-Xs61JYnBQAhyCQV_TWe_lBl9vbpX/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_4c72.heic" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Met Pops and got held by Nana.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9G4Xyne9tU8NuZ4XOlrdAZ5fnoFrFXxoO58lWGuadyAwco6YY5iBn1sStGbvIfkKOiRqPI85Nb-JzdB_w6XdN4Gq7vmYTIv7r3yCE6Qr6iuhoKUm6EfZ9eITiQqViLxleagQw45mvhTk5/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4f91.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9G4Xyne9tU8NuZ4XOlrdAZ5fnoFrFXxoO58lWGuadyAwco6YY5iBn1sStGbvIfkKOiRqPI85Nb-JzdB_w6XdN4Gq7vmYTIv7r3yCE6Qr6iuhoKUm6EfZ9eITiQqViLxleagQw45mvhTk5/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_4f91.heic" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hung out with my sister Rory.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvt0b-btowXgvmqSk-9yAKvMW1asyyHG1GCRFZB03Xa5QwZOQkIPfkhFX44NfV272CoY_Hhrlytwxk5JkZstUQH6J6YgS344wzhbFnPxSk2L-2WTv5s8-LlXD1OTBtkYZtyy1rS2je-wo/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4f97.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1077" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvt0b-btowXgvmqSk-9yAKvMW1asyyHG1GCRFZB03Xa5QwZOQkIPfkhFX44NfV272CoY_Hhrlytwxk5JkZstUQH6J6YgS344wzhbFnPxSk2L-2WTv5s8-LlXD1OTBtkYZtyy1rS2je-wo/w336-h640/fullsizeoutput_4f97.heic" width="336" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Slept a lot.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLZO1vnLtnNZx5mhAe9V258xtJQt1ACY8wUzXsFFnVSgz-hIu3W6YHNKZEbxwdiOdO2OlTWm4D_V8qXgstoTUHZmjSd2xakftAIUpXHuyZeyIugC9luRPIL8FM4enLMReWBWRDi1jVk2y/s2048/fullsizeoutput_50fd.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLZO1vnLtnNZx5mhAe9V258xtJQt1ACY8wUzXsFFnVSgz-hIu3W6YHNKZEbxwdiOdO2OlTWm4D_V8qXgstoTUHZmjSd2xakftAIUpXHuyZeyIugC9luRPIL8FM4enLMReWBWRDi1jVk2y/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_50fd.heic" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Got dressed up for Uncle Dan's birthday dinner.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4HYw34YydQukXLBrgEzdq0nZX5B3I3NXCEXJzagvOuLUowLDjJwkY39Atn81Okgzpr4W2DxqiUkIBfZs_iqJ4sl883gVU_1WscXrvnQ90TJbmWV-jCKj-hhJdmjmB42UwG8NmE4ZAxtb/s2048/fullsizeoutput_506f.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4HYw34YydQukXLBrgEzdq0nZX5B3I3NXCEXJzagvOuLUowLDjJwkY39Atn81Okgzpr4W2DxqiUkIBfZs_iqJ4sl883gVU_1WscXrvnQ90TJbmWV-jCKj-hhJdmjmB42UwG8NmE4ZAxtb/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_506f.heic" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tried out fancy pajamas from Magnetic Me.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUFiqofoArf8Ziz53LjU98gKc9XAaQFtNiaMZwJTmlPiDrUvc2yk4IKvpe4-zCfrJjfJyVQy5e0Gcx7C-KoopIrn9P0Fx4aQFP5ehnSeihdbAc8O1RBjF_1eOaNPyEe1qSzDZHeduJrqz/s2048/GXP7YK%252BhSFe0H89W8DwniA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUFiqofoArf8Ziz53LjU98gKc9XAaQFtNiaMZwJTmlPiDrUvc2yk4IKvpe4-zCfrJjfJyVQy5e0Gcx7C-KoopIrn9P0Fx4aQFP5ehnSeihdbAc8O1RBjF_1eOaNPyEe1qSzDZHeduJrqz/w480-h640/GXP7YK%252BhSFe0H89W8DwniA.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Met cousin Callan.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqHJLffx96Fz3r9TVQIbXvuvTaTQJBfg-_oDRX_ORDi9nFJ4VsMNkDPWp_KTPip6XjkK5Q9CFBx3fJM-WWsKsCUIMSBZNYPJWDitMHv4A5FtsZ2nd1DdITs1t1Qyrzb-OoNNUBGtPR83j/s2048/HpVWxzGyQ6qIgr6hMJL0cg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqHJLffx96Fz3r9TVQIbXvuvTaTQJBfg-_oDRX_ORDi9nFJ4VsMNkDPWp_KTPip6XjkK5Q9CFBx3fJM-WWsKsCUIMSBZNYPJWDitMHv4A5FtsZ2nd1DdITs1t1Qyrzb-OoNNUBGtPR83j/w480-h640/HpVWxzGyQ6qIgr6hMJL0cg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and Auntie Nicole, </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2C7YOf9hR_5VupacK8lkZ4-IiG8dmkcK21xmvbTDMD3rKr72M8RnWKIFlfurkdM23-J-jEwXnMrjhyh9ToiMY5bxvQTn307Rfk6vi4x0dTe9fstGNJxAAgS3d5yuBdLsbopkV9EuMqtP/s2048/iCv8EKYvS9KwFrAwDdSrTQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2C7YOf9hR_5VupacK8lkZ4-IiG8dmkcK21xmvbTDMD3rKr72M8RnWKIFlfurkdM23-J-jEwXnMrjhyh9ToiMY5bxvQTn307Rfk6vi4x0dTe9fstGNJxAAgS3d5yuBdLsbopkV9EuMqtP/w480-h640/iCv8EKYvS9KwFrAwDdSrTQ.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And Grammi,</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8f7Fh_M_hY5d3B7nxFmS-qM98g6w-exQ-5HP7F900UbpcqUf6N4hCIMTI4yO0OhbMxvDAoyCoTxo5wFfIymP0mde6yllZb6adB0LtvCHI9JcqPJ20zz5bWZ3Jig8oq8pPNF9iGDyVGf4I/s2048/iF052gXaSaKz13kvmj5Z5w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8f7Fh_M_hY5d3B7nxFmS-qM98g6w-exQ-5HP7F900UbpcqUf6N4hCIMTI4yO0OhbMxvDAoyCoTxo5wFfIymP0mde6yllZb6adB0LtvCHI9JcqPJ20zz5bWZ3Jig8oq8pPNF9iGDyVGf4I/w480-h640/iF052gXaSaKz13kvmj5Z5w.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and Uncle Ant and Auntie Rachel.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgyI82ZB8ZloE1aesOH6rqbVKmE-bi8YIq5qScmWr79pjVjfv-zP52vPEpvNlwczcSna30G-F3QgGUMLhPQIf1fUDT5OxuEWzIMIDALPxb1AWwrFE9FkYCgAfcoXWmjk5M5Zx83Yjn4Bx/s2048/IMG_0922.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgyI82ZB8ZloE1aesOH6rqbVKmE-bi8YIq5qScmWr79pjVjfv-zP52vPEpvNlwczcSna30G-F3QgGUMLhPQIf1fUDT5OxuEWzIMIDALPxb1AWwrFE9FkYCgAfcoXWmjk5M5Zx83Yjn4Bx/w480-h640/IMG_0922.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Visited Auntie Brittni and Uncle Stephen's house and met Cousins Emma and Parker.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1oFV72O7suLAq3c7k38bht9AwYk_CmJMZOcBCqPOim4-rWjtuJ8b-RNRxG_v5pq8bWwWTCLa3KN_vdyuffWItqvZeE8nnytVSzNGyBbZ1cHHBNfu48gb4DFaXj68yYzeToTNqKmqGguQ/s2048/IMG_0944.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1oFV72O7suLAq3c7k38bht9AwYk_CmJMZOcBCqPOim4-rWjtuJ8b-RNRxG_v5pq8bWwWTCLa3KN_vdyuffWItqvZeE8nnytVSzNGyBbZ1cHHBNfu48gb4DFaXj68yYzeToTNqKmqGguQ/w480-h640/IMG_0944.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cousin Parker held me for the first time.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY0fOsBDuZGSvfqgg0figOAUl9q2bbRo2nQX9tyqAUODagIcTTZUdvfEzI6WCrlipUGtOvRax4X_0YrEBfk3WQA1YqXDTRhmPmtA0A4UHXQAwx6RBOZoJ9WSPIZ_BlIcEPLQSeTnqKVd-/s2048/IMG_0947.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY0fOsBDuZGSvfqgg0figOAUl9q2bbRo2nQX9tyqAUODagIcTTZUdvfEzI6WCrlipUGtOvRax4X_0YrEBfk3WQA1YqXDTRhmPmtA0A4UHXQAwx6RBOZoJ9WSPIZ_BlIcEPLQSeTnqKVd-/w480-h640/IMG_0947.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And Cousin Emma did too!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGmsmc53_l5npP1Qx97sMR_Jbb38YGb0HncTlOWDGoykI4DvxyM7gevmePNTiDOS4wYF05xMF8bo_y1RnGQ3DP3Jw0Q-pWEocLiiat8TGofNB4UhamU2w6MzidDfdLhuUVK7Eci19LhBE/s2048/IMG_4654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGmsmc53_l5npP1Qx97sMR_Jbb38YGb0HncTlOWDGoykI4DvxyM7gevmePNTiDOS4wYF05xMF8bo_y1RnGQ3DP3Jw0Q-pWEocLiiat8TGofNB4UhamU2w6MzidDfdLhuUVK7Eci19LhBE/w480-h640/IMG_4654.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Took my first family picture in the hospital with mom and dad. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7ax0KUNXPD0J0X4fAc3uAY6nu8IBpI61QO9kHMa_xbeUL5ipW8_ikgRXga49sq5vyk84xRuCpmUwd2bdW4EtXO40wiP4vQy4LqLMr6O3HsaL1bw0A_5XPnTVdmeKeCwB_cOfc2LNlidC/s2048/IMG_5053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7ax0KUNXPD0J0X4fAc3uAY6nu8IBpI61QO9kHMa_xbeUL5ipW8_ikgRXga49sq5vyk84xRuCpmUwd2bdW4EtXO40wiP4vQy4LqLMr6O3HsaL1bw0A_5XPnTVdmeKeCwB_cOfc2LNlidC/w480-h640/IMG_5053.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Met my furry sisters and mom attempted to give all three of us attention.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxdEFASkHoaI0VDJWaHpPxGL6kKTGqf5M7DqKEBqs63bmsbTDkUfX5uvW7_KQzBgWB4i9i3nYYn3ObmreWCgwMbnOKbr_DTB5xiv37S41hC2AKbKQvWER3KLS8WsQEB7OknXlrd4FPRXW/s2048/L8OzS5IOR0ejn4jES1KMEQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxdEFASkHoaI0VDJWaHpPxGL6kKTGqf5M7DqKEBqs63bmsbTDkUfX5uvW7_KQzBgWB4i9i3nYYn3ObmreWCgwMbnOKbr_DTB5xiv37S41hC2AKbKQvWER3KLS8WsQEB7OknXlrd4FPRXW/w640-h480/L8OzS5IOR0ejn4jES1KMEQ.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sat with Dad and Sophie.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPRPrTZ0R_mgu4EqLajsSjeELjfayRFrhyphenhyphenPX-2bpfsH16yVIOO9dzMqnquQEtKwzxtxN9pPRaoo7fiuyJnegLL8ZxW38jnjn4qbjsg3UuKdKIqkDiPpGdDE_RE43di116Uf19UGhZQ5-u/s2048/LjhYq40%2525Re6EYqfndlbVMA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPRPrTZ0R_mgu4EqLajsSjeELjfayRFrhyphenhyphenPX-2bpfsH16yVIOO9dzMqnquQEtKwzxtxN9pPRaoo7fiuyJnegLL8ZxW38jnjn4qbjsg3UuKdKIqkDiPpGdDE_RE43di116Uf19UGhZQ5-u/w480-h640/LjhYq40%2525Re6EYqfndlbVMA.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Played in my new play gym.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUocODCGMzaWVjoqTGz-nDCv1qMfMkl4mT_CrL7LgPoE_Zx6LuAEzHEvrk25-dr05XSLcVDZmF5BKZoShaRNMLlEU2BxNkKOZjYPsTXwu2MVSUtXzXcFB2TYUKM0fzPpo3YYZQEfDtCi2v/s2048/m6yvAQbuRjK3hKMTpKmv%2525w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUocODCGMzaWVjoqTGz-nDCv1qMfMkl4mT_CrL7LgPoE_Zx6LuAEzHEvrk25-dr05XSLcVDZmF5BKZoShaRNMLlEU2BxNkKOZjYPsTXwu2MVSUtXzXcFB2TYUKM0fzPpo3YYZQEfDtCi2v/w480-h640/m6yvAQbuRjK3hKMTpKmv%2525w.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">More nanobebe pacifier love.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dX4XqVeXFY4RxAOhWBAtdgvNTQ8DLxqnMNTaNeNUf3mKM7Cj9TehAn_aYjezdOqkK_KMi0PRLwAboXPfJrpYttAYo-WRKFipFFCtQwSKQlvpNRmKbfyk7mkEwP0cH4Lc-NOp3mFzFbix/s2048/msRzU%252B7UQoeB%2525Ekh9QujCw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dX4XqVeXFY4RxAOhWBAtdgvNTQ8DLxqnMNTaNeNUf3mKM7Cj9TehAn_aYjezdOqkK_KMi0PRLwAboXPfJrpYttAYo-WRKFipFFCtQwSKQlvpNRmKbfyk7mkEwP0cH4Lc-NOp3mFzFbix/w640-h480/msRzU%252B7UQoeB%2525Ekh9QujCw.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Visited Nana's house and met Vivian and Great Papa. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9Zj13C7pyvMtbATiy94AdZMVmsxmi3HscZUgkc2MEvxILU1OU5rF2MhAajkW87FcYBzk9v6DD6OlVe_amodZJ1HaYuceOor5lczTcMVAgwFmq3VR9pgkgS2CnyE6ymAjsh-8y4JcZ19M/s2048/o%2525fgBgMqRqS1IhCjGu1M%2525w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9Zj13C7pyvMtbATiy94AdZMVmsxmi3HscZUgkc2MEvxILU1OU5rF2MhAajkW87FcYBzk9v6DD6OlVe_amodZJ1HaYuceOor5lczTcMVAgwFmq3VR9pgkgS2CnyE6ymAjsh-8y4JcZ19M/w480-h640/o%2525fgBgMqRqS1IhCjGu1M%2525w.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Met Uncle Freddy and Auntie Marissa.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRd79cX9t6bVVJUGEW6i5q7HKqzFrc4Rvh3SG5lrGDHvLjMNyRXLdeYk0IGeBfJyhP2vsywt7fJU18bhO5U_E4CVINndE_6Tu6Rf29AN4vu0mCGudMAsooyGeosKnSKrWv2FJhQXRaAVD_/s2048/oaF43vOaQqejlRu1YGq%252BMg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRd79cX9t6bVVJUGEW6i5q7HKqzFrc4Rvh3SG5lrGDHvLjMNyRXLdeYk0IGeBfJyhP2vsywt7fJU18bhO5U_E4CVINndE_6Tu6Rf29AN4vu0mCGudMAsooyGeosKnSKrWv2FJhQXRaAVD_/w480-h640/oaF43vOaQqejlRu1YGq%252BMg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Snuggled with Nana almost every day.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfiZa8RG1mYElyuJdoydjP5J4cgoTyS356ZvOowIb5_kKKVAgaU2sbmOfMKizQ7zd69Lhs3uxDvHanLSPAxPVp1MGtqAg4nbCLK8npge1VDRmU__2vw4lW1gBdOgugDdGs1HCdwW3ghVU/s2048/pE0ZaA%252B4S2mKrpp8qluemg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfiZa8RG1mYElyuJdoydjP5J4cgoTyS356ZvOowIb5_kKKVAgaU2sbmOfMKizQ7zd69Lhs3uxDvHanLSPAxPVp1MGtqAg4nbCLK8npge1VDRmU__2vw4lW1gBdOgugDdGs1HCdwW3ghVU/w640-h480/pE0ZaA%252B4S2mKrpp8qluemg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Picked out first pumpkin from Shickasheen Farm.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVF-iz7H-q3Qm7vjs5xfgs-lqGmH3iWcUBDVImIqAlyHRsclvmTh9FnQI-UVhPan5hHiXL-oahEVxgCk90-hLushbq3tYiiyrxdpzbcVputrLjzIk-YI7vcrakbAGT08n2320neANEKju/s2048/Q44dBstcTDu50VaFU3PiRQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVF-iz7H-q3Qm7vjs5xfgs-lqGmH3iWcUBDVImIqAlyHRsclvmTh9FnQI-UVhPan5hHiXL-oahEVxgCk90-hLushbq3tYiiyrxdpzbcVputrLjzIk-YI7vcrakbAGT08n2320neANEKju/w480-h640/Q44dBstcTDu50VaFU3PiRQ.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Met Poppi</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLzL-1lHQyLHefFUafYnJMA6kAh-DMYcAfXAhXcf81ViPEo1_fKMS_-AyCvMe8m0hpQwdpKU1oF8MqIdZ63_HrtfIsB1uAWNFsSPx_VTZ6GI3BztjHyCEPkLBPNh6leeh4FQOIHtIpl9d/s2048/qq7qXephT7yruq22nd%252Bgnw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLzL-1lHQyLHefFUafYnJMA6kAh-DMYcAfXAhXcf81ViPEo1_fKMS_-AyCvMe8m0hpQwdpKU1oF8MqIdZ63_HrtfIsB1uAWNFsSPx_VTZ6GI3BztjHyCEPkLBPNh6leeh4FQOIHtIpl9d/w480-h640/qq7qXephT7yruq22nd%252Bgnw.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Gave some really concerned faces...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmH-LUwpYB0r6vvNzGGCccIKzagW5DbqZ7ajuRyFZ4mvCev0yXjmWzuJTzRG2afOoIx-QzEsXgZLp086RGCMgzi0IB4rMnHoadagpKAyXqRJTYeEevJdumIYh4OLZYXjen1owhh6S7uA2x/s2048/QSLKYGFlR32GEjGe5d29yQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmH-LUwpYB0r6vvNzGGCccIKzagW5DbqZ7ajuRyFZ4mvCev0yXjmWzuJTzRG2afOoIx-QzEsXgZLp086RGCMgzi0IB4rMnHoadagpKAyXqRJTYeEevJdumIYh4OLZYXjen1owhh6S7uA2x/w480-h640/QSLKYGFlR32GEjGe5d29yQ.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rode in style when we left the hospital.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2f0Gavb0RsDyzovG03uuoxqnTmuHuKxzBhd8l9ij5FpaYQpGffrfVeveu7v5kRiBTOhciC0LT0s1Tcg0_DScw4zAck8CVnEXcfJEdxSxeGZf4XchpIb-IeUE8xGRDiRyltMSwb0NugUU5/s2048/sImbkcQCSGyZQoG708Bzxg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2f0Gavb0RsDyzovG03uuoxqnTmuHuKxzBhd8l9ij5FpaYQpGffrfVeveu7v5kRiBTOhciC0LT0s1Tcg0_DScw4zAck8CVnEXcfJEdxSxeGZf4XchpIb-IeUE8xGRDiRyltMSwb0NugUU5/w480-h640/sImbkcQCSGyZQoG708Bzxg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rode in the car seat (several times) and did great!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4SOjpYA0jGbxWUOzBcVTYs2gEFivbgJJtIwPxBwCbbnfktSdpI1C_w86oAwB4m76_ylJ-Ju4Ld3xUxIqAA3rmGVArrM1y4QTOvCQnTIsYvSaEBT6SgxcAAqfkpaceRk1PlALAviP68sk/s2048/VeCWxBU2RzekqltZc%252BDC6w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4SOjpYA0jGbxWUOzBcVTYs2gEFivbgJJtIwPxBwCbbnfktSdpI1C_w86oAwB4m76_ylJ-Ju4Ld3xUxIqAA3rmGVArrM1y4QTOvCQnTIsYvSaEBT6SgxcAAqfkpaceRk1PlALAviP68sk/w480-h640/VeCWxBU2RzekqltZc%252BDC6w.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Met Uncle Dan (yes there are two!)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOzW76ElsiDbbXXxqjmArifNEMoCxQE4wvdENL8QtZktDVycM6FA7TyhkqtMTa245zpYaRcNp4IZsbAqoi6reOUEs_Yx_DUyxKzlELGYv65wvXVKnhaj0pQg7TKp-PGtQs1sM8Pjz5UJ7T/s2048/vw47gvVqTFK09FoKdaqPpw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOzW76ElsiDbbXXxqjmArifNEMoCxQE4wvdENL8QtZktDVycM6FA7TyhkqtMTa245zpYaRcNp4IZsbAqoi6reOUEs_Yx_DUyxKzlELGYv65wvXVKnhaj0pQg7TKp-PGtQs1sM8Pjz5UJ7T/w480-h640/vw47gvVqTFK09FoKdaqPpw.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dined with my parents when they had their Stork Dinner at the hospital. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKU3oc4n40ulLOl5-Qr7AI9K_FGSmm3_jG6MT8W6jWK9ei5YVxmyM__ekJLLPuEbybfzz6gMaCp7SFNoPYyMuvoGYYz4lMQWDFIFXd0FX2y0CLJBACBjKfCQjzAmWU1UU609296QRtyZj/s2048/VxVwXs3%2525R1%252Biwd%2525%2525eVdqaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKU3oc4n40ulLOl5-Qr7AI9K_FGSmm3_jG6MT8W6jWK9ei5YVxmyM__ekJLLPuEbybfzz6gMaCp7SFNoPYyMuvoGYYz4lMQWDFIFXd0FX2y0CLJBACBjKfCQjzAmWU1UU609296QRtyZj/w640-h480/VxVwXs3%2525R1%252Biwd%2525%2525eVdqaw.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Uncle Dan's birthday dinner at The Haversham. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Zs8m9M5A6nDDsHIQ36ysAYojL59shjWSDUHb1guLKFhj2e4DxSktvAJzVAd1OQbvLtxTFezj4_PDMFQ_KzCOouH0EgdeYx0QayFGaYrNjZKdZCW_s1_YhiwjmDszNIfJf0Emma9McPyL/s2048/Wdj0x6biTguw2gFlGrCBqw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Zs8m9M5A6nDDsHIQ36ysAYojL59shjWSDUHb1guLKFhj2e4DxSktvAJzVAd1OQbvLtxTFezj4_PDMFQ_KzCOouH0EgdeYx0QayFGaYrNjZKdZCW_s1_YhiwjmDszNIfJf0Emma9McPyL/w480-h640/Wdj0x6biTguw2gFlGrCBqw.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Met Auntie Brittni and Cousin Max.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5WTUKmB6a1Y5nQk7Qkq9ajQPcrhx4BsDGTyulXxkLyMBDAgZ15r_sVFLLvBbrg8qLTTs6jDzTX5wglMMF364xKrSZ4cDxX_t3wlF_Q3z59IXVBpwvhW5d3ZYSDPlmXzRhTPIEdU9iTNK/s2048/wGjcI0LaRyWC5BPj0lXXGA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5WTUKmB6a1Y5nQk7Qkq9ajQPcrhx4BsDGTyulXxkLyMBDAgZ15r_sVFLLvBbrg8qLTTs6jDzTX5wglMMF364xKrSZ4cDxX_t3wlF_Q3z59IXVBpwvhW5d3ZYSDPlmXzRhTPIEdU9iTNK/w480-h640/wGjcI0LaRyWC5BPj0lXXGA.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Gave some really cute faces.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIIFMhrJJ4cHrVjoUxvLvpGpjZ4KHSl6NWs34ZwSxzvKmXcT8FKoxD-WDvH_7Q7pMaEACVWFxdxT75R-FAUKP4fjzAARGFukIJ5SAGqZ6CqkzB4fJ2zHCw5A_f15wNRHUKhCmUaeBiSbt9/s2048/wQU3XfeqRZy2nbud9fp9%252Bw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIIFMhrJJ4cHrVjoUxvLvpGpjZ4KHSl6NWs34ZwSxzvKmXcT8FKoxD-WDvH_7Q7pMaEACVWFxdxT75R-FAUKP4fjzAARGFukIJ5SAGqZ6CqkzB4fJ2zHCw5A_f15wNRHUKhCmUaeBiSbt9/w480-h640/wQU3XfeqRZy2nbud9fp9%252Bw.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Went on our first family walk. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76XOO-1-o6LQ0AdCVEW4fL7ofTITtuFcqqQLWQQwUG_zW_sGbWmZ_Ac93pn0qAYZtAKmIKL_KghbUtqLFaeeAGZRmsBnEGhFtLf8NbDEPBIrTleLy465lniGnqj1q64Ck2JMbmAsVojnS/s2048/XoF0LtaLQDeoVN%252BOFcN8Yg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76XOO-1-o6LQ0AdCVEW4fL7ofTITtuFcqqQLWQQwUG_zW_sGbWmZ_Ac93pn0qAYZtAKmIKL_KghbUtqLFaeeAGZRmsBnEGhFtLf8NbDEPBIrTleLy465lniGnqj1q64Ck2JMbmAsVojnS/w480-h640/XoF0LtaLQDeoVN%252BOFcN8Yg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Snuggled more with Dad.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIl1WKmbAnsWrwzehKXakEnd8-Dw99w2dnVWrvhNBm6hgTeSRIuHDuCYzk8jb-jZuFMLHklN_3antFy5w3D4_MVMAmFzoZSMb1npyZKo8VkxqO54IilcXuEk_5RnZOf1Fi-WsYULtWNU5H/s2048/yEeDqG0UTC2B1YEhFL%252BgYA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIl1WKmbAnsWrwzehKXakEnd8-Dw99w2dnVWrvhNBm6hgTeSRIuHDuCYzk8jb-jZuFMLHklN_3antFy5w3D4_MVMAmFzoZSMb1npyZKo8VkxqO54IilcXuEk_5RnZOf1Fi-WsYULtWNU5H/w640-h480/yEeDqG0UTC2B1YEhFL%252BgYA.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Slept a lot!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJkW9-kJsSR2FNZykmdL3Nzfv7-ZCLTd6b-h0AJ-5j-st91Il9FyujG3apKsryvdlAMm4OPKGE4UrsL5qLhvzgP5C5TVdGjELtwTogxoK4u_9cHpGWPFf7xmyEAUsLDon8eN2E7v-V2fT1/s2048/ZBJT2We8QwSXtUPYiE6l8w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJkW9-kJsSR2FNZykmdL3Nzfv7-ZCLTd6b-h0AJ-5j-st91Il9FyujG3apKsryvdlAMm4OPKGE4UrsL5qLhvzgP5C5TVdGjELtwTogxoK4u_9cHpGWPFf7xmyEAUsLDon8eN2E7v-V2fT1/w480-h640/ZBJT2We8QwSXtUPYiE6l8w.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Met Cousin Kason.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6WgAt3FJ7vzTPJPJP6k4ZQ0Y1_tt7tLcBjzooCv1i5bc2KfgWs6we0vAuNBbJqC1NFPxshYhW9F3-G-nxIP7MlR1uH2oAptJvInUWVWRA-CsXJr5d3VCIQT22IEu0v8hc4lsmtx2egDdQ/s2048/zHxdOq8ESA%252BGGXGadyP8MQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6WgAt3FJ7vzTPJPJP6k4ZQ0Y1_tt7tLcBjzooCv1i5bc2KfgWs6we0vAuNBbJqC1NFPxshYhW9F3-G-nxIP7MlR1uH2oAptJvInUWVWRA-CsXJr5d3VCIQT22IEu0v8hc4lsmtx2egDdQ/w480-h640/zHxdOq8ESA%252BGGXGadyP8MQ.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Had a very happy first four weeks of life! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hope you enjoyed these out of order pictures of Ellie's first few weeks of life. I will be sharing more when I have the chance. The days fly by around here lately!</div><br /><p><br /></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-57916115091387458942021-09-13T01:30:00.098-04:002021-09-13T01:30:00.205-04:00August Empties<p> I finished up so many empties in August! I've decided to add baby empties into the mix for now. We have been amazed by how many diapers and wipes we've gone through already. Let's get started!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EHsvy6IM7gIYR2DKPE3dJWTjavrnVvTOiYxa4hpjj5V9kxcioO6t-zKKQuKVo811V8f_W-e4DhidoPo_NyXY_1QZa38czgvzQ7Mazqzed_8RcXC1uwCNa8xZmspNkGuR3HZq9BmcW4NG/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4d89.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EHsvy6IM7gIYR2DKPE3dJWTjavrnVvTOiYxa4hpjj5V9kxcioO6t-zKKQuKVo811V8f_W-e4DhidoPo_NyXY_1QZa38czgvzQ7Mazqzed_8RcXC1uwCNa8xZmspNkGuR3HZq9BmcW4NG/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_4d89.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJgyCn15RYGE-BGzlA3biqE2ffHbcDd33m4mMD3wQN3155fm4HVAzovMuSJGeAT8F-CvsZSwxBQRx5PkStZPH4Lntkj7TosAOd2Q84hk3gWciYpraGVKU9LMLyoeE97o3pppFg9U35qEb/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4da8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJgyCn15RYGE-BGzlA3biqE2ffHbcDd33m4mMD3wQN3155fm4HVAzovMuSJGeAT8F-CvsZSwxBQRx5PkStZPH4Lntkj7TosAOd2Q84hk3gWciYpraGVKU9LMLyoeE97o3pppFg9U35qEb/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_4da8.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First up, scented things! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Febreze Fresh Spiced Apple Spray</b>- Last year after Christmas I found a ton of these on clearance at Walmart, so we have a stockpile of them. I do like the scent but I would like to grab some new scents to change up our spray every once in awhile. I would buy this again though, it does smell nice for a bathroom spray.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Glade Car Plugin-</b> This plugin worked great in my car. This is another clearance find and I'm honestly not too picky about what scents I use in my car as long as it covers up the dog smell :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Febreze with Gain Car Plug In-</b> Another car scent and this one works fine but it doesn't last long. It honestly only was in about a week before it was empty which seemed really quick. I wouldn't pay money for these in the future. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Young Living Lemon Essential Oil-</b> I love using lemon essential oil for all sorts of things around the house. I would repurchase this essential oil again in the future, I just don't love how expensive Young Living oils are.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Renuzit After The Rain- </b>We kept this in the bathroom and it worked great for a long time. I get these couponing and would chose this scent again in the future.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1e9DEuWbbXHlsEBfJ26bjGIlC7H-X6TopGAqTtHDh3nWH8Qjc0dkorJMEmBuO9w1enbT1xJLlMhOd-rta-nF0TQ-kAQYtZozo074f2WCRh-2JewlcWxhtUvhMpm-s3Ic-HW8Xfs8YVF-/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4d97.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1e9DEuWbbXHlsEBfJ26bjGIlC7H-X6TopGAqTtHDh3nWH8Qjc0dkorJMEmBuO9w1enbT1xJLlMhOd-rta-nF0TQ-kAQYtZozo074f2WCRh-2JewlcWxhtUvhMpm-s3Ic-HW8Xfs8YVF-/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_4d97.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;"><b>Bath and Body Works Sea Island Shore Hand Soap- </b>This soap was nice, I really love all the beachy scents from BBW and this was no exception. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Bath and Body Works Moonlight Path Lotion- </b>This was a mini lotion that I used at my office. I really liked the scent and would repurchase items from this scent line in the future.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Maybelline Mascara- </b>This was really nice mascara and I would definitely pick it up again! I like mascara that isn't super wet, so this worked perfectly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Sensodyne Pronamel- </b>The only brand of toothpaste that works for me. If you ever have issues with canker sores definitely start using sensodyne and you will notice a difference for sure.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Cake Batter Chapstick- </b>My favorite chapstick. I swear I finished more of them but this is the only one that made it into the empties bag. I still have a huge stockpile of these thanks to Tim!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Bath and Body Works Tis The Season Antibacterial-</b> Tis the Season is one of my favorite candle scents from BBW and I loved having this antibacterial gel. It was a little off season but I still enjoyed it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWnLSFeWTQ92-Gq7zdx1WRHTBRV9US9QM7s1xrsd2A5LTC6hmBSCNeRo_6GlQetzLjtIsZURAim6X2f5cBrHg6Q_oRnpqraiw9Gwe-yoar1zzagpb71uPlx_KHqpjBj87qIk1kr6LU8dQ/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4d83.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWnLSFeWTQ92-Gq7zdx1WRHTBRV9US9QM7s1xrsd2A5LTC6hmBSCNeRo_6GlQetzLjtIsZURAim6X2f5cBrHg6Q_oRnpqraiw9Gwe-yoar1zzagpb71uPlx_KHqpjBj87qIk1kr6LU8dQ/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_4d83.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Huggies Special Delivery Newborn Diapers-</b> I didn't get a ton of newborn diapers because everyone said Ellie wouldn't be in them for long...however we are almost 3 weeks in and she is still in newborn diapers and clothing. Honestly we change her diaper so often I haven't noticed a big difference in types of diapers yet. These Huggies ones were nice and were on clearance at Walmart, so we definitely got our moneys worth. I would purchase them again in the future for sure.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Pampers Sensitive Wipes- </b>These wipes have been great and I love that they are fragrance free and are sensitive for my tiny little newborn. We have been flying through wipes and Tim even asked me if I had coupons enough of them. While we do have a ton stocked up, I will keep purchasing them with every couponing deal I can find. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJAm18uWCHKVLrde-XTUd1kZBCWwWw0TrIr3fjplBS6ziSDMl3z7z9PvUe4FGFUWdlEH6VXorGZEPbndI7Gw-T1-eM1JKLiVc6qQvX29IKi2p9JlOkBm29gHgxCrRJCoIYryg8DB_LoEo/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4d9f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJAm18uWCHKVLrde-XTUd1kZBCWwWw0TrIr3fjplBS6ziSDMl3z7z9PvUe4FGFUWdlEH6VXorGZEPbndI7Gw-T1-eM1JKLiVc6qQvX29IKi2p9JlOkBm29gHgxCrRJCoIYryg8DB_LoEo/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_4d9f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner-</b> This is what I use to clean our washing machine. I like it and will keep repurchasing it in the future.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Caldrea Countertop Spray- </b>I like this spray but it is so much pricer than other types. I would repurchase this because the scent is wonderful but I prefer the Mrs. Meyers spray due to the price and I like it just as much.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Dawn Powerwash- </b>I didn't expect to like this dishsoap as much as I did. It is magic at cleaning dishes and I can't believe how powerful it really is. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpMSWVPAMHgatRlUhPCMEhPZ4SjDu2QUUwyeFFEc3o6JBMcuMA6pYIA_BCrKNi_GYIKqJrtS1OhC8Z3nunc6glNiM_DLuEraAATdCpseyHXhSleTWt_H8mRS6Jc365he7W6-Q7mxm-WNP/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4d7f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkpMSWVPAMHgatRlUhPCMEhPZ4SjDu2QUUwyeFFEc3o6JBMcuMA6pYIA_BCrKNi_GYIKqJrtS1OhC8Z3nunc6glNiM_DLuEraAATdCpseyHXhSleTWt_H8mRS6Jc365he7W6-Q7mxm-WNP/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_4d7f.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Aloe Vera Gel-</b> I used this to make padsicles which turned out to be magic after giving birth. I am luckily past that point but would definitely repurchase this in the future if I ever need aloe vera. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Iron Supplements-</b> I had some iron issues late in pregnancy and continue to need iron supplements now so I will continue to repurchase these.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Prenatal Vitamins- </b>I love these gummy vitamins and will continue to take them and buy them!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What have you finished up lately?</div><br /><p></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-72408958568010128332021-09-08T17:26:00.001-04:002021-09-08T17:26:23.474-04:00Welcome Ellie!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On August 24th at 12:51 PM we welcomed Ellie Olivia into the world. 6 pounds 6 ounces, 20 inches long she is absolutely perfect and we are so completely in love with her!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qykrvrX-4q3dnlQhQmlNYMH8wsCeP5Wyjp5OjM_8bG6OZRFWHqrgrR8N6gevN8BVFBqtTW3ZbiKaPnjKJEl4FN7rmXJRMB78TJCDxeZ1LrxBp5TzOIGI4FTDXZOSpxrAE9-TXV-ruW7v/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4cdc.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qykrvrX-4q3dnlQhQmlNYMH8wsCeP5Wyjp5OjM_8bG6OZRFWHqrgrR8N6gevN8BVFBqtTW3ZbiKaPnjKJEl4FN7rmXJRMB78TJCDxeZ1LrxBp5TzOIGI4FTDXZOSpxrAE9-TXV-ruW7v/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_4cdc.heic" width="640" /></a></div><p>I've been absent on the blog the last couple of weeks because a new baby is a TON of work. Ellie and I have been spending our days on the couch, but for some reason the day flies by. I often don't have free hands or arms and have been simply holding our little miracle all day long. </p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh79mSLZ00kd2gDPAmGqp2EJyi8Cy2QY-q_qbt4CN2dg-L6w5nw4s1toed3sKQvtMD12-FKDJL-4t6MIpk8T7cv5jJAx8DgoWCtHGBfooUYi7ucjhY7w7Gu1cX2jDoUADuGP-Z0MTyaJrNG/s1024/IMG_4632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh79mSLZ00kd2gDPAmGqp2EJyi8Cy2QY-q_qbt4CN2dg-L6w5nw4s1toed3sKQvtMD12-FKDJL-4t6MIpk8T7cv5jJAx8DgoWCtHGBfooUYi7ucjhY7w7Gu1cX2jDoUADuGP-Z0MTyaJrNG/w480-h640/IMG_4632.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p>Ellie is a very sweet baby who rarely ever cries. Only when she is hungry or when we change her in the middle of the night. </p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMM5mE5anzgi3acY5sEqvfxdjO_U6RKWNT8DTp1UBYRS_rooUBY_U7ASTt3x7rN-Vzyf8A8zVjREU4VI_aDlcd7jaZLuVldWSXkM8-Pxx7UZ4ZWGe4q9rOpDcEFkS6CoeOYrRmbld329n/s2048/IMG_4654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMM5mE5anzgi3acY5sEqvfxdjO_U6RKWNT8DTp1UBYRS_rooUBY_U7ASTt3x7rN-Vzyf8A8zVjREU4VI_aDlcd7jaZLuVldWSXkM8-Pxx7UZ4ZWGe4q9rOpDcEFkS6CoeOYrRmbld329n/w480-h640/IMG_4654.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have so much to share with you- her birth story, all of our favorites so far, and I promise it is all coming because I don't want to forget a second of it.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMpbuKcLZDR9GjhTcZaHzGgCRPBPyHtUXHffMJ53fR3yBHrJrRJQCVtCEBPRo9ZuPUXTJsUAEmhCSxYTsexGSVVm9mU9siCW6FwTQx29wRaqGXfrKcQnIK6V4xJpiqlR3LBPJnQa-fL-S/s2048/IMG_4656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMpbuKcLZDR9GjhTcZaHzGgCRPBPyHtUXHffMJ53fR3yBHrJrRJQCVtCEBPRo9ZuPUXTJsUAEmhCSxYTsexGSVVm9mU9siCW6FwTQx29wRaqGXfrKcQnIK6V4xJpiqlR3LBPJnQa-fL-S/w480-h640/IMG_4656.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p>But if I am not around as much, it's because I'm snuggling this tiny, perfect human. </p> <p></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-18968737702498155232021-08-17T19:59:00.003-04:002021-08-17T19:59:44.953-04:00Stocking Up Before Baby<p> You guys know by now that I am a couponer and love to stock up on items for super cheap. I have been spending the last few months trying to fill my stockpile and get items as cheap as possible before Ellie arrives. I always love to save money but I figured with a baby coming I wouldn't really feel like heading out to the store too often once she arrived so it was better to have all sorts of essentials already stocked. I watched a few youtube videos and found a few lists online that shared lists of what to stockpile before baby- not just baby items but household items as well so I thought I would compile my own list and share it here if anyone is interested! I'm also going to share a few photos of my current stockpile because I'm pretty excited with the amount I've accumulated lately.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><u><b>Stock Up Before Baby List</b></u></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u><b><br /></b></u></p><p style="text-align: left;"><u><b>Baby Items</b></u></p><p style="text-align: left;"><u></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EJ9Qz7FtWPhe1AyhHHaGUgxXKwYttAAf1_8paioL3Ge64je5FQc3zhjQ9F18TcwD4zQEHBpDrEXyeviWRQj5TRn0UVcaeDsod8rl9W3WWGMGQlEAfrosNjvKXjZcGitvire7h1Rz9VJl/s2048/ljznRkTYTLiwcWhDbE9JhA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EJ9Qz7FtWPhe1AyhHHaGUgxXKwYttAAf1_8paioL3Ge64je5FQc3zhjQ9F18TcwD4zQEHBpDrEXyeviWRQj5TRn0UVcaeDsod8rl9W3WWGMGQlEAfrosNjvKXjZcGitvire7h1Rz9VJl/w480-h640/ljznRkTYTLiwcWhDbE9JhA.jpg" width="480" /></a></u></div><u><br /><b><br /></b></u><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Diapers</b> (Obviously...) Every chart online says a different number but I looked up a few on Pinterest and just sort of guessed what we would need. I am completely stocked up for newborn through size 3, so I will be working on size 4 and holding off to see if I even need size 5 or 6. I wasn't afraid of buying too many because I made sure they were less than 20 cents a diaper and we plan on having at least one more kid in the future. Also, diapers make great gifts for baby showers!</li><li><b>Wipes</b>- Again, obvious but make sure they are one cent a wipe or cheaper!</li><li><b>Bottles-</b> Just a few free sample bottles to try out and find the kind you like. </li><li><b>Formula-</b> Free samples are available through Enfamil and Similac. Even if you plan on breastfeeding it doesn't hurt to get the samples just in case. You can always donate them!</li><li><b>Clothes-</b> Not a ton, but look for clearance clothing and stock up for the next year.</li><li><b>Baby Gear-</b> I will share more of the gear we received at our shower and what else we picked up in another post, but we ended up with a lot of stuff. Probably not all necessary, so talk to friends and family and do your research to see what you will actually use and love. I plan on updating once Ellie is here and we actually know what she will use.</li></ul><div><b><u>Household/Personal Items</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15GK645cz50_dtPiZqO_SmjzPZH1PxP6i083wKHpChaphuUuzvb4VLTvak1YwWs1zAVK4EYGugtCMcqsyrWARYly2e0ydrgKaiSlizHx1RK0uRTHWSuVOEz3st8WgtHzFfGlL40pVQi5_/s2048/iu0sfxa3QACtQPDjGiPHsQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15GK645cz50_dtPiZqO_SmjzPZH1PxP6i083wKHpChaphuUuzvb4VLTvak1YwWs1zAVK4EYGugtCMcqsyrWARYly2e0ydrgKaiSlizHx1RK0uRTHWSuVOEz3st8WgtHzFfGlL40pVQi5_/w480-h640/iu0sfxa3QACtQPDjGiPHsQ.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><u><br /></u></b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Paper Towels</b></li><li><b>Toilet Paper</b></li><li><b>Tissues</b></li><li><b>Qtips</b></li><li><b>Shampoo/Conditioner</b></li><li><b>Lotion</b></li><li><b>Shower Gel/Soap</b></li><li><b>Deodorant</b></li><li><b>Laundry Detergent</b></li><li><b>Dryer Sheets</b></li><li><b>Laundry Scent Boosters</b></li><li><b>Sponges</b></li><li><b>Dishwasher Tabs</b></li><li><b>Cleaning Sprays</b></li><li><b>Dish Soap</b></li><li><b>Aluminum Foil</b></li><li><b>Plastic Wrap</b></li><li><b>Ziploc Bags</b></li><li><b>Parchment Paper</b></li><li><b>Lysol Wipes/ Other Cleaners</b></li><li><b>Garbage Bags</b></li><li><b>Paper Plates</b></li><li><b>Toothpaste</b></li><li><b>Hand Soaps</b></li><li><b>Bathroom Sprays</b></li><li><b>Vitamins</b></li><li><b>Medications- Tylenol, Tums, etc..</b></li><li><b>Razors</b></li><li><b>Batteries</b></li></ul><div><b><u>Pet Items</u></b></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Pet Food</b></li><li><b>Pet Treats</b></li><li><b>Pet Medications</b></li></ul><div><b><u>Food/Drink Items</u></b></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Water Bottles</b></li><li><b>Soda/Juice/ Other Drinks</b></li><li><b>Snacks</b></li><li><b>Ingredients For Simple Meals</b></li><li><b>Ingredients to Make Freezer Meals</b></li></ul><div><b><u>Post Partum Supplies</u></b></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Pads</b></li><li><b>Tucks Wipes</b></li><li><b>Ingredients to Make Padsicles</b></li><li><b>Ice Packs</b></li></ul><div><b><br /></b></div><div>That's what I've come up with so far! Let me know if you think anything is missing from my list and I will add it! I've been working hard at stocking up for a few months now and would love to know what else I should be grabbing at the store!</div></div><p></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-66597594793888545762021-08-09T13:11:00.006-04:002021-08-09T13:11:45.676-04:00July Empties<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRg8LYvgthTtLwoJl6jmWiDE02tsVaNXGwrjVO_f-USgXZsimgTkqV71bGxl-nBdSjGB0-gik5Ne7H0GWm3n0Lf-eliUKIGTFCDoZXT1mS1zHd-vlDcmjdktsb8Jdw3UjAHFXDF0VCssdD/s2048/NeuLxwFiR4SS4Jym6j4aZg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRg8LYvgthTtLwoJl6jmWiDE02tsVaNXGwrjVO_f-USgXZsimgTkqV71bGxl-nBdSjGB0-gik5Ne7H0GWm3n0Lf-eliUKIGTFCDoZXT1mS1zHd-vlDcmjdktsb8Jdw3UjAHFXDF0VCssdD/w640-h480/NeuLxwFiR4SS4Jym6j4aZg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Today we are talking about July empties! Sorry for the lack of posts lately- it's been crazy around here. We are in week 36 of pregnancy and I am still working full time (currently in person) so I have been using my limited time to get ready for Ellie's arrival. Rory also got spayed last Thursday so we currently have a cone-head wandering around our house that we need to keep an eye on constantly. Basically life has been crazy as we look forward to our little girls arrival. I'm guessing things will be slow here on the blog for a bit but I am working on putting together posts about preparing for baby so hopefully those will be sprinkled over the next couple of months for you guys!<p></p><p><br /></p><p>Anyways, let's get into the empties!</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Downy Unstoppables Fresh Scent-</b> This isn't the first time I've shared these with you guys. They make your laundry smell amazing! I want to try out some of the other scents offered but these are so good I just keep on repurchasing them. </p><p><b>Lysol Wipes- </b>A staple in our house. I mostly use these in the bathroom because I prefer to make sure everything is super sanitized. Ibotta has had some amazing deals on these lately so I keep stocking up every time I go to the store.</p><p><b>Tide Pods- </b>This huge container of Tide Pods was picked up on a BJs trip and while I don't like purchasing detergent at such a high price point I really loved how big the container was and how long it took me to get through the whole thing. I will be stocking up with couponing deals going forward though because these are just too pricey for me!</p><p><b>Bath and Body Works Malibu Heat Shower Gel- </b>I really liked this shower gel and would definitely repurchase it in the future. I love these mini shower gels because I get to try different scents and don't get stuck using one scent for too long. It helps me not get bored! I would get this again and would even purchase it in a larger size.</p><p><b>Bath and Body Works Watermelon Lemonade Candle- </b>This candle smells so good! I love the watermelon lemonade scent, it's so sweet and this candle had great throw. I would definitely repurchase.</p><p><b>Sensodyne Gum Repair Toothpaste- </b>My gums have been a <i>mess</i> during this pregnancy and this toothpaste really did seem to help. I can only use sensodyne toothpastes since I get bad canker sores with other brands and was so glad to see they had this gum repair version. I will definitely repurchase this in the future to strengthen my gums back after pregnancy.</p><p><b>Dreft Laundry Detergent Sample- </b>So you would think I used this sample on baby clothes...but no. I used this on a load that smelt like dog poop, after we had an issue where Rory got sick and pooped all over her dog bed. After washing the dog bed, everything smelled fine...until I put the next load in and everything came out smelling like dog poop. After using vinegar, deep cleaning the washer and the dryer and using draft detergent, we finally have everything back to normal! </p><p><b>Bath and Body Works Cactus Blossom Hand Soap-</b> I really liked this hand soap. I've mentioned before that I'm a big fan of the BBW foaming hand soaps and I picked up quite a few summer scents this year. I've been working my way through them pretty quickly and this is definitely one I would repurchase in the future. </p><p><b>Bounce Dryer Sheets- </b> These are definitely my dryer sheet of choice and I repurchase them quite often. I like the scent of them and they work great!</p><p><b>Philosophy Snow Angel Scrub-</b> I've had this body scrub for a few years and finally finished it. I did like it, but I don't know that I would repurchase it in the future. I have been trying out a bunch of different scrubs and this one wasn't as abrasive as some of the others.</p><p><b>2 Cake Batter Chapsticks-</b> I still have a huge stock of these and am obsessed with them. Always a repurchase for me!</p><p><br /></p><p>What products have you used up lately? I feel like I didn't have a ton of empties this month but I always want to share what I've finished so you guys can hear my thoughts on everything. I also think it's a good view of what free samples I have bean able to snag and what products are available through couponing. I hope you enjoy empties posts as much as I like writing them!</p><p>Have a great day everyone!</p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-43950044677071003292021-08-03T19:54:00.001-04:002021-08-03T19:54:12.663-04:00Our Baby Shower<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I unintentionally took a break from the blog...sorry guys! It's hard to keep up now that I'm back to work in person full time. Adding in my commute time now, trying to get the nursery put together, and just keeping up with general chores around the house in my third trimester, I've been completely exhausted. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today I wanted to share our baby shower which was a few weeks back. We decided to do a drive-by shower so anyone who didn't want to stay. It was very low pressure and just in our front yard. My mom did an amazing job planning, she had cupcakes delivered and a Del's truck parked in the driveway. It was so nice to have so many people we love stop by and wish us well! I was completely exhausted by the end and my feet were super swollen. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Basically, I'm going to do a major photo dump of the shower so enjoy!!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjTiYUWXsZ9SCBKfZgbdS-cTNLlrakP82v2Qko2ZMuYjGBUmLK3__PmXSDI6vrlvHwPe-ZlJJiC4LIC9S1vJtB2QV_RM0-2IulGSgOy6HxmTtRgXiqAL_1qxvj__cEqcZ3WojARehSN75/s2048/fullsizeoutput_49a6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjTiYUWXsZ9SCBKfZgbdS-cTNLlrakP82v2Qko2ZMuYjGBUmLK3__PmXSDI6vrlvHwPe-ZlJJiC4LIC9S1vJtB2QV_RM0-2IulGSgOy6HxmTtRgXiqAL_1qxvj__cEqcZ3WojARehSN75/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_49a6.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Sophie and Rory attended the shower and did so great! It was a really hot day, but they were troopers and slept so well that night and the whole next day.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTp8jampIEE-CnJbKRMoLEiWjbDKQ214LHvklosIEBHm3_efH_6raiiQEqXUsGIdKJUD5UBOhwoYPSCX0pmtVnM9kM6VFQyb54aysEu8ZAHai85RBu4afz-glnnRlTWMEGSD1r9sQmm4JV/s2048/fullsizeoutput_49ab.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1745" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTp8jampIEE-CnJbKRMoLEiWjbDKQ214LHvklosIEBHm3_efH_6raiiQEqXUsGIdKJUD5UBOhwoYPSCX0pmtVnM9kM6VFQyb54aysEu8ZAHai85RBu4afz-glnnRlTWMEGSD1r9sQmm4JV/w546-h640/fullsizeoutput_49ab.jpeg" width="546" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our attempts at a family picture didn't go really well, but that's okay!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyYyV8dquCT3ncJOC5qNyYzMqcjZqj8x2_Mepp2VfqiZAvIq2OjypO5g8a3V9BFOKkea6WdrB-xY1Flgwv1IC8TjlkTvpF1yPDc-kBsxk8-BvRW79DImXRMOL28zWgtuM2E6qHX8fTkMU8/s2048/fullsizeoutput_49b1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyYyV8dquCT3ncJOC5qNyYzMqcjZqj8x2_Mepp2VfqiZAvIq2OjypO5g8a3V9BFOKkea6WdrB-xY1Flgwv1IC8TjlkTvpF1yPDc-kBsxk8-BvRW79DImXRMOL28zWgtuM2E6qHX8fTkMU8/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_49b1.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My mom did such an amazing job planning the shower and hosting! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAC42ki7ucmjuhDPKzlie3sqROAt6oKqgk2WJXtuomAb3M3tpvVt9K01cHMWbR4blcyENoqwmjyFDvhyphenhyphenjOZy7sdXrdCjeffuZgv8fG3Dc3DbR6oTMecAcvbhtK36uWoTxrbIjyMZ6rgfTD/s782/fullsizeoutput_498f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="583" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAC42ki7ucmjuhDPKzlie3sqROAt6oKqgk2WJXtuomAb3M3tpvVt9K01cHMWbR4blcyENoqwmjyFDvhyphenhyphenjOZy7sdXrdCjeffuZgv8fG3Dc3DbR6oTMecAcvbhtK36uWoTxrbIjyMZ6rgfTD/w478-h640/fullsizeoutput_498f.jpeg" width="478" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ally tagged this picture of us on instagram, I look so tired! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMXCswG3SU-FLIhH74lW1cOL3-qVkpZw3UQv-JEngfI-iHLsOB40IUuvcks5zUPcOiXlO14L0vahUAa5oRyeYuwUl8neieW61-eZxwmupkhxdi2h4EepKyAKk8NJI6Oiajrp5ZdNxt0WM_/s2048/fullsizeoutput_499e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMXCswG3SU-FLIhH74lW1cOL3-qVkpZw3UQv-JEngfI-iHLsOB40IUuvcks5zUPcOiXlO14L0vahUAa5oRyeYuwUl8neieW61-eZxwmupkhxdi2h4EepKyAKk8NJI6Oiajrp5ZdNxt0WM_/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_499e.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My dad even stopped by for awhile, I think he is excited for his first human grand baby!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssWV6vtX0ncXbfNn-XjBNSAkJGRo4AvoBCMaCc9NTHBLHNcZ1QflY_7AC2jDbMrdTitXMr_VblYEn0C3KVykDi5al3iOkZqngKBP4fCiOGpCv1QEejqLwHJdFLNBmgXt8guQ4PlzRUpyk/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4995.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1953" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssWV6vtX0ncXbfNn-XjBNSAkJGRo4AvoBCMaCc9NTHBLHNcZ1QflY_7AC2jDbMrdTitXMr_VblYEn0C3KVykDi5al3iOkZqngKBP4fCiOGpCv1QEejqLwHJdFLNBmgXt8guQ4PlzRUpyk/w610-h640/fullsizeoutput_4995.jpeg" width="610" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My in-laws also came and stayed awhile! It was so nice that they came by!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaubwvOUfQnCCWwIM34rGtBdX-4jXUkAcwpa8M7iC5tp0Roizost-IT4Zyruk8ChZ_JIMigmKBwCyVEpGsBq62FV6CYM0AYfTWFMfa5Sx9kDqp7NritEW32CuxnoB-iJATrqT53uSkOErn/s2048/IMG_3955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaubwvOUfQnCCWwIM34rGtBdX-4jXUkAcwpa8M7iC5tp0Roizost-IT4Zyruk8ChZ_JIMigmKBwCyVEpGsBq62FV6CYM0AYfTWFMfa5Sx9kDqp7NritEW32CuxnoB-iJATrqT53uSkOErn/w480-h640/IMG_3955.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My uncle, his girlfriend, and cousins came from Connecticut to celebrate Ellie.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTG4Zc5rjguTAZouME7CXHgO7gvKeqkSwI86R0QJvsVpX_Grhep7LBHy_f6wJxZwVqVbwBlLYmw0LUFRPi4tOAms97QXkqy5NGyZZyZqVQTtJjNzipF-Os67iXAC4nITCjPbYVYm9w1ur/s2048/IMG_3956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTG4Zc5rjguTAZouME7CXHgO7gvKeqkSwI86R0QJvsVpX_Grhep7LBHy_f6wJxZwVqVbwBlLYmw0LUFRPi4tOAms97QXkqy5NGyZZyZqVQTtJjNzipF-Os67iXAC4nITCjPbYVYm9w1ur/w640-h480/IMG_3956.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A picture of the set up along the road. We are lucky we have a big front yard. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3EAG8N30t0vurxgr33XN1ujRc7Gug6POVAGaKcd6pcQIdYlj4wDMc-CbvM9FwcTSyvYha6VwlD5DMI423RH9BePjaopM2ShpEYDYtagMDXOwtUh9baDREZ8uSO2lKwxoOl8OQm6Bxwe_/s2048/IMG_3958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3EAG8N30t0vurxgr33XN1ujRc7Gug6POVAGaKcd6pcQIdYlj4wDMc-CbvM9FwcTSyvYha6VwlD5DMI423RH9BePjaopM2ShpEYDYtagMDXOwtUh9baDREZ8uSO2lKwxoOl8OQm6Bxwe_/w480-h640/IMG_3958.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The cute sign my mom ordered and the table in the background. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnx04desnkJZBF-74iEbQt6HiW3DNa9fArdadDkbsaWcwofdOPZl3DKoIAbWh1TwBsS5NdJF2QigHw_X95b9rvAeHddLWh-78SQt_Os0tviaRDOYQhjPV01h9Z7iBeA599B6rAzCjE22GP/s2048/IMG_3959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnx04desnkJZBF-74iEbQt6HiW3DNa9fArdadDkbsaWcwofdOPZl3DKoIAbWh1TwBsS5NdJF2QigHw_X95b9rvAeHddLWh-78SQt_Os0tviaRDOYQhjPV01h9Z7iBeA599B6rAzCjE22GP/w480-h640/IMG_3959.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sitting with the dogs before guests started to arrive. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3BuxhBmvFml8z5MRE9iHTfCpV06zOWuPUJ6ldXItU4DWREnLA-Rr7u7K-AtZr2e_c9kjHT2UGLaIWtxYSuG1piPrPuwlqfdisIJBvUt6YSjfi2htsJJ_8R4AHzPE1Snlk6ha5Heor-yR/s2048/IMG_3962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3BuxhBmvFml8z5MRE9iHTfCpV06zOWuPUJ6ldXItU4DWREnLA-Rr7u7K-AtZr2e_c9kjHT2UGLaIWtxYSuG1piPrPuwlqfdisIJBvUt6YSjfi2htsJJ_8R4AHzPE1Snlk6ha5Heor-yR/w480-h640/IMG_3962.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another family photo attempt. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0QnXhKgs4Fvh4re7UpN8ocqBwsKGGndfgUTABjF5kvtdTedajna-LHugIu7IZK9drfGLH9kbeBYF4ekrMnHNx0oClW2Msk3u-CablBc3gMFLxjdHifB_CJZCwEaZE9dlILbIqkxDZ16P/s2048/IMG_3969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0QnXhKgs4Fvh4re7UpN8ocqBwsKGGndfgUTABjF5kvtdTedajna-LHugIu7IZK9drfGLH9kbeBYF4ekrMnHNx0oClW2Msk3u-CablBc3gMFLxjdHifB_CJZCwEaZE9dlILbIqkxDZ16P/w480-h640/IMG_3969.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's hard to believe that these three girls were the flower girls at our wedding, and Tyler wasn't even born yet! (Pictures from our ceremony can be found <a href="http://www.balancingonmytoes.com/2019/01/our-wedding-ceremony.html" target="_blank">here</a>) They all seem so big now! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQj1rSH0Sj1DKfbFqz8Mo8lZUZ-NkyLbG62WOiqv7gktqZuZHSHKy7XoYl00GJdXEjDeh2WmEj50BUlZrsB2BqGeAXc2EETVvi5MoOBso6qdqvFOHwOieT2OHaa1LWlIPVtd3haSK-hjW/s2048/IMG_3972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQj1rSH0Sj1DKfbFqz8Mo8lZUZ-NkyLbG62WOiqv7gktqZuZHSHKy7XoYl00GJdXEjDeh2WmEj50BUlZrsB2BqGeAXc2EETVvi5MoOBso6qdqvFOHwOieT2OHaa1LWlIPVtd3haSK-hjW/w480-h640/IMG_3972.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My mom bought beach balls for all the kids to play with and they had a great time chasing them around the yard. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvYiTcO5de53FrCVOQk9wnWEJYkBLYODt6Wpx2y6a2ck7SAGj4OSviPh53VgYVTV-4NyGdmvPSe6stnwkSl00sf_AcyFmW0ljSNPktkEIV3ltRVOSHnkaPx1RlBF3A8SFH9Kjd4bVdVDs/s2048/IMG_3989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvYiTcO5de53FrCVOQk9wnWEJYkBLYODt6Wpx2y6a2ck7SAGj4OSviPh53VgYVTV-4NyGdmvPSe6stnwkSl00sf_AcyFmW0ljSNPktkEIV3ltRVOSHnkaPx1RlBF3A8SFH9Kjd4bVdVDs/w480-h640/IMG_3989.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Some of the cupcakes my mom had delivered. I never even ate one....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGTEOW_i42HPInXehentYHwJuoMOsIJ2nuTVBUSAkWgT_o2dVNvVKiE1CQcl_WOzv4FdJPy_NBGAiprzU24xC3slhv9OXqaO1khpM7X_3tCa01dNQh7DnGFDeHGq4DuY4qMKSYnaaFxf5/s2048/IMG_3992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGTEOW_i42HPInXehentYHwJuoMOsIJ2nuTVBUSAkWgT_o2dVNvVKiE1CQcl_WOzv4FdJPy_NBGAiprzU24xC3slhv9OXqaO1khpM7X_3tCa01dNQh7DnGFDeHGq4DuY4qMKSYnaaFxf5/w480-h640/IMG_3992.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My mom truly went overboard. From the goody bags to the guessing game to the hand sanitizer favors, she had so much set up!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9IwBJJDA7u49Jwpu9UnOAOwLDL0sPkz5w-zPGbaimDFb6s-1vDpiL6WZqbeAiPA_nJv5F4dWGytZTFcLaFfXgQGoU8yv3fNZ05zT3RKzpL0xeOa28_nCAy9lrm3Kr_lyybidj9wN981D/s2048/IMG_3993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9IwBJJDA7u49Jwpu9UnOAOwLDL0sPkz5w-zPGbaimDFb6s-1vDpiL6WZqbeAiPA_nJv5F4dWGytZTFcLaFfXgQGoU8yv3fNZ05zT3RKzpL0xeOa28_nCAy9lrm3Kr_lyybidj9wN981D/w480-h640/IMG_3993.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you aren't sure what Dels is, it's a Rhode Island thing! It's frozen lemonade and delicious but guess what, I never even had one! Luckily our guests seemed to enjoy them!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cYdPC08UsSgbPNi98cw8Q-zV3ELTuPHtmzr2AQwPkC52mQh9rLPNK8HVYd9ffhAIJmrTJ6B1t4hLI23zE3Ll0U-UDX8HDY9Z8ZnLddSHeaTZAjfTgLfnVMTeWuXMODU5S5R6x_1mUzK0/s2048/IMG_3994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cYdPC08UsSgbPNi98cw8Q-zV3ELTuPHtmzr2AQwPkC52mQh9rLPNK8HVYd9ffhAIJmrTJ6B1t4hLI23zE3Ll0U-UDX8HDY9Z8ZnLddSHeaTZAjfTgLfnVMTeWuXMODU5S5R6x_1mUzK0/w480-h640/IMG_3994.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My mom took guesses on when Ellie would be born and sent me the document, it'll be interesting to see who wins! There were a lot of early September guesses but some major outliers as well. My cousin guessed September 25th.... 22 days late! I am already feeling rather uncomfortable so I can't imagine if I was forced to stay pregnant that long. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgU3spfPQIsoOQQBu-F6b1nLLLrUvhVrWMqyFDHlPtWNllLuiXLG-w9P6-6HXAkRUvVZZZED4Od3oorfv6oIULVK2zlHnc9R_i4Rj8sKIJVL3XFOy_M4szSfGlJ2derYhCEciJ7AK-hNjk/s2048/IMG_3995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgU3spfPQIsoOQQBu-F6b1nLLLrUvhVrWMqyFDHlPtWNllLuiXLG-w9P6-6HXAkRUvVZZZED4Od3oorfv6oIULVK2zlHnc9R_i4Rj8sKIJVL3XFOy_M4szSfGlJ2derYhCEciJ7AK-hNjk/w640-h480/IMG_3995.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm so glad that my uncles girlfriend Liz snapped all these pictures of my mom setting up and how the tables looked. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBFXj90laHHsYTDsyB-5x4SF0ZKiXl_yE1vqOUy1rUViMJdNqT7eGd9hvQwCMK5O2WNVQO0DnzmiEL6AwuLZZWIKQ5uCTmLOONUL3mm_a1dc62ATVG7I4NeVgOa6pXsuR6deO2dtZPmym/s2048/IMG_3996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBFXj90laHHsYTDsyB-5x4SF0ZKiXl_yE1vqOUy1rUViMJdNqT7eGd9hvQwCMK5O2WNVQO0DnzmiEL6AwuLZZWIKQ5uCTmLOONUL3mm_a1dc62ATVG7I4NeVgOa6pXsuR6deO2dtZPmym/w640-h480/IMG_3996.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYIpn71o6qLS5EaHAP6kD1Udz8_fkiZKXE3dvfgiHWLT6f514TvjNDVJcpo0EfMFAPkKSaeYk03AWeCCiE-WuYnWEAMOUmg8Bcoz3khhI1SQPbvki9-pRtDxHVwkT5jTe-9Q9JXrRGKMF/s2048/IMG_3997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYIpn71o6qLS5EaHAP6kD1Udz8_fkiZKXE3dvfgiHWLT6f514TvjNDVJcpo0EfMFAPkKSaeYk03AWeCCiE-WuYnWEAMOUmg8Bcoz3khhI1SQPbvki9-pRtDxHVwkT5jTe-9Q9JXrRGKMF/w640-h480/IMG_3997.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Alcohol in case anyone wanted to add it to their Dels. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VVND7bcwFNw5GukRWqWNa5PMS6Os55CAjkx7CPuHGChP2A5UGFxUIwtf76HFwLj-Gx5ohl4gdDm10ghw86O2h8axhMXbBHwpQ9uvm_6pKDMWAYZfk3hiScgrVo4How2FbfOxR6_CKLpN/s2048/IMG_3998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VVND7bcwFNw5GukRWqWNa5PMS6Os55CAjkx7CPuHGChP2A5UGFxUIwtf76HFwLj-Gx5ohl4gdDm10ghw86O2h8axhMXbBHwpQ9uvm_6pKDMWAYZfk3hiScgrVo4How2FbfOxR6_CKLpN/w640-h480/IMG_3998.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-uvKwyDip2IrmwEBFfp2BSKI4ZjXxbLK6-bW-7rH6X2rzbIzCPjyqWE1KRwG6SInVHg7SoxV0DLXuLOTe-OVOOLnK1shZtOwIAma6L4mMFkVk6dTlrJvYV0rZmXk9yCY8jwK-2vp85OlZ/s2048/IMG_4643.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1782" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-uvKwyDip2IrmwEBFfp2BSKI4ZjXxbLK6-bW-7rH6X2rzbIzCPjyqWE1KRwG6SInVHg7SoxV0DLXuLOTe-OVOOLnK1shZtOwIAma6L4mMFkVk6dTlrJvYV0rZmXk9yCY8jwK-2vp85OlZ/w556-h640/IMG_4643.jpeg" width="556" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rachel and Ant came and I always wish that we had more time to hang out with them!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbKJ3Ht0DvhU10t-nVVX6qx3NXUmRH9Kz7Drw3z_NLST5s2YHigqcMkFb9kehcV1_EJCzUERAv6CJWvcHqX0eq-tft4OLXJo86A1OpjSsFME2by4QDRW_Ba2OkTXmJ3AERjSRvl73lIVZ_/s2048/IMG_4644.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbKJ3Ht0DvhU10t-nVVX6qx3NXUmRH9Kz7Drw3z_NLST5s2YHigqcMkFb9kehcV1_EJCzUERAv6CJWvcHqX0eq-tft4OLXJo86A1OpjSsFME2by4QDRW_Ba2OkTXmJ3AERjSRvl73lIVZ_/w480-h640/IMG_4644.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpl4PuD4ZcD_SAnBxcdnoBBueLCd9LG5IK2RlOJbkhx-b50QvqGMN3Fk5AoZvdpGW-WSF7KPSuZjM_Nu5GZlfefBA9NfYyhomkAOjOlmETPNPlsZqLPSnez4nW6ymdMv2D43udrLtmBwuT/s2048/IMG_4645.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpl4PuD4ZcD_SAnBxcdnoBBueLCd9LG5IK2RlOJbkhx-b50QvqGMN3Fk5AoZvdpGW-WSF7KPSuZjM_Nu5GZlfefBA9NfYyhomkAOjOlmETPNPlsZqLPSnez4nW6ymdMv2D43udrLtmBwuT/w480-h640/IMG_4645.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My mom invited a bunch of her friends and it was so nice that they all stopped by!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrU1LOLx_n44EzaBGI6ECfSJfSw9IcsP_Zk_FD5XuYTjC_UI_gpg1iwTidXfHCCovMYWQVumvEhzShOaJ-JiEzKLPGSFcFMz_61F0rpAVTz8iAhzWCxPtHTOC-dw8weYYcVX1dJeBHmAg/s2048/IMG_4650.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1887" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrU1LOLx_n44EzaBGI6ECfSJfSw9IcsP_Zk_FD5XuYTjC_UI_gpg1iwTidXfHCCovMYWQVumvEhzShOaJ-JiEzKLPGSFcFMz_61F0rpAVTz8iAhzWCxPtHTOC-dw8weYYcVX1dJeBHmAg/w590-h640/IMG_4650.jpeg" width="590" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rachel and Brittni who have handed down so many items to us from their kids! It has been such a lifesaver.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtKEQQML0qapymSLaY6nProyIIRK8elQZxP-GainWt5RonZ7cewsnVKigNfaG1OZAMTD-ZnmErKIwxdYrPronaDzB_3XX4u-o6bCfl-GzClJwkhyphenhyphen_zwS9ZXhY3zHx__CYcFj2D7edMMcz/s2048/IMG_4651.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtKEQQML0qapymSLaY6nProyIIRK8elQZxP-GainWt5RonZ7cewsnVKigNfaG1OZAMTD-ZnmErKIwxdYrPronaDzB_3XX4u-o6bCfl-GzClJwkhyphenhyphen_zwS9ZXhY3zHx__CYcFj2D7edMMcz/w480-h640/IMG_4651.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWirxzvMikUUSzFWYOcSoF4LBKANL6z5aFjdkiahcD_Wx-Cq7pBOM159HRfZl81PXCi2vbPxV7vA25DpcbHttNVcH0qZpp53eObn0zPLP2SmHfNggU9ZaQOmurlZTkXmbPliUnorjHykZ/s2048/IMG_4652.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWirxzvMikUUSzFWYOcSoF4LBKANL6z5aFjdkiahcD_Wx-Cq7pBOM159HRfZl81PXCi2vbPxV7vA25DpcbHttNVcH0qZpp53eObn0zPLP2SmHfNggU9ZaQOmurlZTkXmbPliUnorjHykZ/w480-h640/IMG_4652.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were so lucky to have so many people stop by and hang out with us. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2p6pUPAn2e_hyphenhyphenE4Vv7W8OaSpenOX6GrZ5U4Qc02cfjHsmiPqDCJuulgBKMg3PdAE8MdxW7pIe78OFpKdgIrGLUkfs9s9l0sRokQQIjXPegWv9N7nkmThNCpeWdO7KCyzTZZqF7XM0R6Os/s2048/IMG_4653.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2p6pUPAn2e_hyphenhyphenE4Vv7W8OaSpenOX6GrZ5U4Qc02cfjHsmiPqDCJuulgBKMg3PdAE8MdxW7pIe78OFpKdgIrGLUkfs9s9l0sRokQQIjXPegWv9N7nkmThNCpeWdO7KCyzTZZqF7XM0R6Os/w480-h640/IMG_4653.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Derek and Ally are excited to be Uncle Derek and Auntie Ally!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_uS3gZZcXSxFR58yKqeTellxCQWi_pKLEfsGrV3NyOyDeFtejtGktQ_GVHsMuMJGicghl8d4YnHFpBd0w-IdQpLJrpu4_OWwYDJ4ifkmDSec_2y8BdOQPnxg0NRSCSO9PSKooFC1_Efxx/s2048/IMG_4655.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_uS3gZZcXSxFR58yKqeTellxCQWi_pKLEfsGrV3NyOyDeFtejtGktQ_GVHsMuMJGicghl8d4YnHFpBd0w-IdQpLJrpu4_OWwYDJ4ifkmDSec_2y8BdOQPnxg0NRSCSO9PSKooFC1_Efxx/w480-h640/IMG_4655.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tim's mom and brother Dan hanging out.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNw_BkorHTbXXHqBDsIB1QdghQNh6HUSBZ83wKsLCUfxlNlsogaHJfqqKZBtDlQrsDvgmldM-GxiEUyDONUFfDcJcW9fmWyiNRz8SnD8OcabfEF0CCdhWCmwvUh-SavLO-TWaibD3FGWP_/s2048/IMG_4656.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNw_BkorHTbXXHqBDsIB1QdghQNh6HUSBZ83wKsLCUfxlNlsogaHJfqqKZBtDlQrsDvgmldM-GxiEUyDONUFfDcJcW9fmWyiNRz8SnD8OcabfEF0CCdhWCmwvUh-SavLO-TWaibD3FGWP_/w480-h640/IMG_4656.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was so nice to see Marissa! We don't see Marissa and Fred that often so it was great to hang out with them!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZV5gU8bF26Dru2Q549jjPhuXAGCONxz5xvv22VGKNv74ERe7aJIcM0-5Z53iFM0ZBvfdXO2QzT4lYzMPJYwpA4RV8a_RJmt0NjUh3tNdPRtRxOXjIzO6aD-8i7jigVarZeVqN3kZFou2w/s2048/IMG_4657.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZV5gU8bF26Dru2Q549jjPhuXAGCONxz5xvv22VGKNv74ERe7aJIcM0-5Z53iFM0ZBvfdXO2QzT4lYzMPJYwpA4RV8a_RJmt0NjUh3tNdPRtRxOXjIzO6aD-8i7jigVarZeVqN3kZFou2w/w480-h640/IMG_4657.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tim's dad and Fred.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjXTDWpxR_F5Qk1AwXBuay_S1Fui1YQSqTqXqvTu1mYbq7Dva07gyzVN32VDWOHGgOS12mgl21GMsL3uwb5wJtiNSHs3qYezMcRAqYSAj-KuB2B9Cy9SIzDJOtG_g3WIbTfGi3noErQoK/s2048/IMG_4660.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjXTDWpxR_F5Qk1AwXBuay_S1Fui1YQSqTqXqvTu1mYbq7Dva07gyzVN32VDWOHGgOS12mgl21GMsL3uwb5wJtiNSHs3qYezMcRAqYSAj-KuB2B9Cy9SIzDJOtG_g3WIbTfGi3noErQoK/w480-h640/IMG_4660.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The baby daddy himself :)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1R0m-j4xXfhk-xiCdCtlByGW-byRzVO_itkc4UlD46HWXR8kS4WUzo0B9RNp7NRwr9Z824fT8LqTsEVHuovUONasKG8EquJWw10iv5Y4aYc8635z886bkV8aP1-73nUEBwgeWQ0TZIlQk/s2048/IMG_4664.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1R0m-j4xXfhk-xiCdCtlByGW-byRzVO_itkc4UlD46HWXR8kS4WUzo0B9RNp7NRwr9Z824fT8LqTsEVHuovUONasKG8EquJWw10iv5Y4aYc8635z886bkV8aP1-73nUEBwgeWQ0TZIlQk/w480-h640/IMG_4664.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Callan and Kason, the oldest of the cousins! They have been the only ones for so long, but already gained one cousin this year and soon Ellie will be here too!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0Enp74HuBGV-buV7EkVjL9tYsEm_fcMwB6NOYwWKO3JFPNMZVYcruJubodjRuJMqzPo3_DpbAsKBOANJRXbl9v__asMZ9bkgRIBakXG7APTwb04dtPJhahGku75jJ5e2oz2iFUJdb-mO/s2048/IMG_4686.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1619" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0Enp74HuBGV-buV7EkVjL9tYsEm_fcMwB6NOYwWKO3JFPNMZVYcruJubodjRuJMqzPo3_DpbAsKBOANJRXbl9v__asMZ9bkgRIBakXG7APTwb04dtPJhahGku75jJ5e2oz2iFUJdb-mO/w506-h640/IMG_4686.jpeg" width="506" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My uncle Dave and his fiancé Liz!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was such a nice shower, and there were a ton of people who dropped by that we didn't get pictures of. I think the only pictures that I took were of the dogs....all the rest were stolen from my mom :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I didn't take pictures of all the gifts we received but once the nursery is complete I will do a full nursery tour post and share what we received. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have a great day everyone!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-77240925053322653502021-07-13T18:52:00.005-04:002021-07-13T18:52:45.594-04:00Nursery Wall Prints<p> Thanks to my amazing husband we finally have wall prints in Ellie's room! I had three quotes that all dealt with night time that I wanted to hang in her room. They are quotes from Harry Potter, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Throne of Glass. Before we even got pregnant I knew I wanted a night sky theme in the nursery and wanted to feature one of my favorite quotes so I went ahead and found two others that I love as well. </p><p>At first I was attempting to make these with my Cricut, but it was frustrating and I kept ripping the paper. So I made some Photoshop prints and Tim printed them out for me at work which was so sweet.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9qmoDSKoziqRU7BN6EPNmeyye_GcTeq3Jf_988EySPl58oQNLETA-w9R-94vMEYPNAWn82RwCtbYrXE72_F2LUuRoJl4FzN3sQExE58b8LBPU9urWxfpOdSZ8C7fh8YNjB8J6q9WqBA1/s2048/hgry4%2525M%252BRDmSMXj4LOXrfQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9qmoDSKoziqRU7BN6EPNmeyye_GcTeq3Jf_988EySPl58oQNLETA-w9R-94vMEYPNAWn82RwCtbYrXE72_F2LUuRoJl4FzN3sQExE58b8LBPU9urWxfpOdSZ8C7fh8YNjB8J6q9WqBA1/w480-h640/hgry4%2525M%252BRDmSMXj4LOXrfQ.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First up is a Harry Potter quote which I placed along the back wall of the nursery.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQnxfc45fI1g8TIG7MH6GOsYzMxQmFONqDjaT_fzHPVbv7phdWyNEy4gL-2_sW1QmA4nT7-YzKG3ta62HoKvE5azdUSLEzMPLmPivzKwL1Of3J7Ryp1OukWdujQ6XQIjQTgQ_AMZTJNl6/s2048/fullsizeoutput_490a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQnxfc45fI1g8TIG7MH6GOsYzMxQmFONqDjaT_fzHPVbv7phdWyNEy4gL-2_sW1QmA4nT7-YzKG3ta62HoKvE5azdUSLEzMPLmPivzKwL1Of3J7Ryp1OukWdujQ6XQIjQTgQ_AMZTJNl6/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_490a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>This was the last quote I decided on and I think it's so sweet and perfect for a nursery.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiGJBmtxtplQtIYJy5UXwGx5EvdLapcCP4VUBR-m5_BEbLssTK1lwkkHGpEpsRfff4JN2c508roM1ZBgeUEGZRJ6GWIZrIlEZinUFkHQDjXkIomRLdlFtN4FdDVVzhpyJYaWZGTZoQ3GF/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4908.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiGJBmtxtplQtIYJy5UXwGx5EvdLapcCP4VUBR-m5_BEbLssTK1lwkkHGpEpsRfff4JN2c508roM1ZBgeUEGZRJ6GWIZrIlEZinUFkHQDjXkIomRLdlFtN4FdDVVzhpyJYaWZGTZoQ3GF/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_4908.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next up over the dresser I have my all-time favorite quote from A Court of Thorns and Roses.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZ7zP6YlmNf1Qizr-yROV09AIOcFfA_ieva2pQFkNhP81ARQB8_htwUrJjpUHMKw3UOnjUGNK2Yi_gLK1ZBTGLPyZ9mbQM1Q1TizuemTsm5XPoGK1d5fkwmWJgi1TRF6VS3glbiu8ZTzS/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4907.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZ7zP6YlmNf1Qizr-yROV09AIOcFfA_ieva2pQFkNhP81ARQB8_htwUrJjpUHMKw3UOnjUGNK2Yi_gLK1ZBTGLPyZ9mbQM1Q1TizuemTsm5XPoGK1d5fkwmWJgi1TRF6VS3glbiu8ZTzS/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_4907.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">How perfect is that? Side note: if you haven't read this series by Sarah J Maas get on it...it's incredible!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogbEbhiIbR9nGxRns4xutg-gQAztUTY6bRCNgPVahiKH2NLRI-xNFtm4fkxIRC2v9p6xwXCaFoTBoCgfAV1rb5MFHaRWmP3JxiN1gbWbFkI2EwpZdT-VdDrBE3oqX0gPfVGVXsjas6fzV/s2048/bvCVewdVRZO%2525Vu3a8ZAo3A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogbEbhiIbR9nGxRns4xutg-gQAztUTY6bRCNgPVahiKH2NLRI-xNFtm4fkxIRC2v9p6xwXCaFoTBoCgfAV1rb5MFHaRWmP3JxiN1gbWbFkI2EwpZdT-VdDrBE3oqX0gPfVGVXsjas6fzV/w640-h480/bvCVewdVRZO%2525Vu3a8ZAo3A.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The last quote is above the changing table and bookshelf and is from the Throne of Glass series. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1842UQxeq0UQDVhu_ytC7tVeZxK0zoSfKK208EbXl5oRkwcJRzYAYFV8vLgHwUxKAz02RsXgwLNzN8NC7cAuljWS1JDXL2ihHcyfqwZaU7J47NtY2FfVGUP32aoTqcxD1NhRsxb-jGcq/s2048/Ai5s1Oz5QJeQHTP1kqt5UA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1842UQxeq0UQDVhu_ytC7tVeZxK0zoSfKK208EbXl5oRkwcJRzYAYFV8vLgHwUxKAz02RsXgwLNzN8NC7cAuljWS1JDXL2ihHcyfqwZaU7J47NtY2FfVGUP32aoTqcxD1NhRsxb-jGcq/w480-h640/Ai5s1Oz5QJeQHTP1kqt5UA.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I just love having these up, they make me so happy! I hope my little girl loves to read as much as I do. I plan on reading to her from day one and hopefully I can pass along my love of reading to her!</div><br /><p></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-77973009676959927932021-07-07T02:00:00.002-04:002021-07-07T02:00:00.185-04:00Toy Clearance!I have a love of saving money, couponing, and clearance hunting! I share a lot more of that on my instagram but I thought I would share a quick tip about toy clearance here on the blog today.<div><br /></div><div>Every year in July Walmart and Target clearance out a <b>ton</b> of toys. They are looking to make room for the new toys that will be released for Christmas and they want them out of their store, ASAP! This is great news for clearance hunters because the prices drop fast. I have been to Walmart twice in the last week and from the first trip to the second the prices had dropped substantially. Many of the toys get up to 90% off, but if you see something you really want I suggest buying it at 50% or 75% since it could sell out.<br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4Upv-cHAGfOlJxdxk0BJN93RKkKnjJ8Ip3SoOdX3oT3oPDnUMN_3zPfdmxmHCtTWJySVCn-0yWIGreTL-kJSqraOOC7ppWLGi-dKn37jNcMvPEO_E0T0GSYxcchOcqIy7Uvrlx73U1Wm/s2048/%252BIWxlp5gRQSGjUpXoAWruQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4Upv-cHAGfOlJxdxk0BJN93RKkKnjJ8Ip3SoOdX3oT3oPDnUMN_3zPfdmxmHCtTWJySVCn-0yWIGreTL-kJSqraOOC7ppWLGi-dKn37jNcMvPEO_E0T0GSYxcchOcqIy7Uvrlx73U1Wm/w480-h640/%252BIWxlp5gRQSGjUpXoAWruQ.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>On Saturday I went and stocked up on a ton of toys. Now, I know I have no idea what my daughter will be into yet. She could not care for Frozen at all, however most of the toys I've been buying will be gifted to her before she turns two. I'm guessing that up until age 2 she will be excited for any toy (I'm also hoping for the same with clothing since I've been clearance hunting for clothes for quite some time too!)</div><div><br /></div><div>I always grab items for the other kids I buy for and do need to go back and get some more items for them as well. I love that by buying toys on clearance I can still spend the amount I want to spend on them but get them so much more for the money! (Also I buy for 4 kids who all have birthdays in December/ January so that's 8 gifts between birthdays and Christmas- clearance shopping is the way to go!)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-Rmy43yimYYg8bTluYG1NyUYwhe0jdx8HyO1L4WQgVJdz7LkJwkZLwoCmr14yOlaz694WBMQb-Aq5uq7me7Wi3ZLghr2sHkUxO3M1IVrRq2NEI4EmNVLaR1VrwsUg79ekKHxYWZ8AAsK/s2048/7c8KHHojScGPxKNi9xPuxw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-Rmy43yimYYg8bTluYG1NyUYwhe0jdx8HyO1L4WQgVJdz7LkJwkZLwoCmr14yOlaz694WBMQb-Aq5uq7me7Wi3ZLghr2sHkUxO3M1IVrRq2NEI4EmNVLaR1VrwsUg79ekKHxYWZ8AAsK/w640-h480/7c8KHHojScGPxKNi9xPuxw.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Here's everything I picked up during my second round of shopping. The first round I picked up some Frozen barbie dolls. (Again, if my daughter has no interest in Frozen they are something I can sell at a yard sale someday- brand new in package or I can pass them on to someone else who does like Frozen)</div><div><br /></div><div>Both of the bigger toys were over 50% off, which was great for larger toys. I love that I can give Ellie the little seahorse for Christmas this year and will save the other toys for future birthdays and Christmases. I actually picked up the puzzle because I know a ton of people who love to do puzzles and can use it as part of a gift and the LOL surprises are for some little girls who love LOL and opening surprises. </div><div><br /></div><div>I am planning on going back for another round because I desperately need to stock up on boy gifts for my friend Rachel's son and my new nephew Max. I find it much more exciting to buy for the girls, but there are great deals for the boys as well. </div><div><br /></div><div>I haven't been to look at the Target toy clearance yet, but generally the prices are higher than Walmart but you can get good deals there too. </div><div><br /></div><div>Do you stock up at the toy clearance sale? I know this will be great going forward when Ellie is invited to birthday parties and we need to purchase for more kids. It's not only a great way to save money, but an awesome way to be able to gift more. I love being able to give a ton of toys to my favorite kids!<br /><div><br /></div></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-91046467752960818522021-07-05T09:29:00.002-04:002021-07-05T09:29:15.822-04:00DIY Nursery Closet Details<p> Happy Monday everyone! Today is my official 4th of July holiday and it is always so nice to have a three day weekend. I personally think that having three day weekends every weekend would make for a much happier lifestyle, can we make this a reality? Today I wanted to share our DIY nursery closet which was finally completed this weekend. We have been working on this closet for quite some time and it finally ready to go! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsPZ7DggdpuXvk8BJhYAtwBL_-Mz8vxsuMzyuy1ZQx6WRXAmON1fVZ4u30pXN8CKmJDlFwTgMcpi0LrOA_zXLe5p57vwlDydO6h8eV0Ws3-UMTn4dLTSWelpOrWmKbYICNbGOygbOiUGs/s2048/fullsizeoutput_48b6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsPZ7DggdpuXvk8BJhYAtwBL_-Mz8vxsuMzyuy1ZQx6WRXAmON1fVZ4u30pXN8CKmJDlFwTgMcpi0LrOA_zXLe5p57vwlDydO6h8eV0Ws3-UMTn4dLTSWelpOrWmKbYICNbGOygbOiUGs/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_48b6.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Overall, creating the structure of it was not difficult and did not cost much at all. I ended up picking a design based off of <a href="https://thegreenspringhome.com/blog/build-custom-nursery-closet-100-dollars/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_smartloop&utm_content=smartloop&utm_term=52078636" target="_blank">The Greenspring Home blog</a> and although we are not great DIYers, I think the closet turned out great and wasn't necessarily super difficult if you are a beginner DIYer. </p><p><br /></p><p><u><b>Supplies Needed</b></u></p><p><a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Closetmaid-Vertical-Closet-Organizer-12-White/44805850?adid=22222222227032288396&selectedSellerId=0&wl0=&wl1=g&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=44805850&wl13=&wl2=c&wl3=62509656656&wl4=pla-109745827736&wl5=9007870&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&irgwc=1&sourceid=imp_yT-QVnQRLxyLTsUwUx0Mo37FUkB3oTWNo2pCRk0&veh=aff&wmlspartner=imp_116548&clickid=yT-QVnQRLxyLTsUwUx0Mo37FUkB3oTWNo2pCRk0&sharedid=&affiliates_ad_id=565706&campaign_id=9383" target="_blank">Closetmaid Vertical Organizer</a> </p><p><a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Closetmaid-Vertical-Closet-Organizer-12-White/44805850?adid=22222222227032288396&selectedSellerId=0&wl0=&wl1=g&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=44805850&wl13=&wl2=c&wl3=62509656656&wl4=pla-109745827736&wl5=9007870&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&irgwc=1&sourceid=imp_yT-QVnQRLxyLTsUwUx0Mo37FUkB3oTWNo2pCRk0&veh=aff&wmlspartner=imp_116548&clickid=yT-QVnQRLxyLTsUwUx0Mo37FUkB3oTWNo2pCRk0&sharedid=&affiliates_ad_id=565706&campaign_id=9383" target="_blank">2 Closetmaid White Laminate Mounted Shelves</a> </p><p><a href="https://www.homedepot.com/p/ClosetMaid-Selectives-14-in-White-Metal-Shelf-Bracket-Support-Kit-7040/100597838?AID=11210757&PID=4441350&SID=.MjcwMjc5LTA.d8f74763-3b7c-11e8-87d3-7b31149d8ec2&cj=true&cm_mmc=CJ-_-4441350-_-11210757&=&irgwc=1&cm_mmc=afl-ir-116548-456723-&clickid=Vxsw0ZQRLxyLTsUwUx0Mo37FUkB3oQxZo2pCRk0" target="_blank">Closetmaid White Metal Shelf Bracket Support Kit</a> (optional- we didn't end up using ours because we aren't going to be storing anything super heavy on these shelves)</p><p><a href="https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-6-ft-Oak-Closet-Pole-65429/300722709" target="_blank">Wood Closet Rod</a></p><p><a href="https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-31-in-Heavy-Duty-Wood-Closet-Rod-Pole-Sockets-2-Piece-EH-WSTHDUS-339/300262760?AID=11210757&PID=4441350&SID=.MjcwMjc5LTA.1370740d-3b7d-11e8-9001-7b31149d8ec2&cj=true&cm_mmc=CJ-_-4441350-_-11210757&=&irgwc=1&cm_mmc=afl-ir-116548-456723-&clickid=Vxsw0ZQRLxyLTsUwUx0Mo37FUkB3oQR1o2pCRk0" target="_blank">Wood Closet Rod Pole Sockets (2 Piece)</a></p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>Step by Step</u></b></p><p>First of all, disassemble any previous closet structure. We had a wire shelf with a single hanging rack installed in this closet- think builder grade materials. I actually really despise wire shelving, I think it looks super cheap and was not a fan of the single hanging rack because baby clothes are so tiny. There is so much wasted space underneath them when hanging. One afternoon I got my screwdriver out and used my muscles to pull the wire shelving out of the closet. It was anchored in and involved some serious tugging, but I only needed Tim to help me with one anchor that I just could not get out of the closet.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzLXQrKTmv01lo7WDxsgaHJ25iYnHto6Iu-hkfbINzOTBuZ9VEnzuqZ8IYCi6LA6ONKsAcD9X-qcd-sjlfytXAC2WAYCYoqdQVQBN8bYovoQaG06n-bU48HPKxigwjhQ7Zp4IKInrUy82/s2048/B8srTTtXSB69ZXMu3hL%252BOQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzLXQrKTmv01lo7WDxsgaHJ25iYnHto6Iu-hkfbINzOTBuZ9VEnzuqZ8IYCi6LA6ONKsAcD9X-qcd-sjlfytXAC2WAYCYoqdQVQBN8bYovoQaG06n-bU48HPKxigwjhQ7Zp4IKInrUy82/w480-h640/B8srTTtXSB69ZXMu3hL%252BOQ.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once your old closet system is out of the closet you will probably need to patch holes and paint. I patched all the holes myself, sanded everything down and then painted. I didn't do a super thorough job painting since we would be installing a new system and you wouldn't be able to really see the paint job behind it anyways.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaUDnpzkL1CiSAkhRjNLl6FQyLCe4A8rduDGscA3cM5LHVLZ75dIrcFsZp9ORVwaGISs5l7z7RkniZhYPaXOLGtwKy-KGS623K8xJp2PTUpb6AUzImJHiXLIioTTPL2tCV55LWfet42oK/s2048/KWdeqxmFRwm20z%252BYQS6Q5w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaUDnpzkL1CiSAkhRjNLl6FQyLCe4A8rduDGscA3cM5LHVLZ75dIrcFsZp9ORVwaGISs5l7z7RkniZhYPaXOLGtwKy-KGS623K8xJp2PTUpb6AUzImJHiXLIioTTPL2tCV55LWfet42oK/w480-h640/KWdeqxmFRwm20z%252BYQS6Q5w.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is the closet, patched and ready for the new system to be installed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After you've completed this, you want to build the vertical closet organizer. What I did was build the bottom three bottom squares and then built two more separately knowing that a shelf would separate them. This left one square unused because it wouldn't fit nicely in the closet with the two shelves I wanted. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoOhs8gxAQ2684CDpIgfxU96Lke3xv6kVqvw0egymgV3g4KdPQz8QLnJKnVmX2MUALRmuhG7BRkZ0yELi28tx2N5EYj5OawAJCk4yl7Q_LH8pEtjRoFhAH5pIefqq8dNe5y22QndOqTfUV/s2048/7NTVZIc9QD6BE8XzJx%252B7%252Bg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoOhs8gxAQ2684CDpIgfxU96Lke3xv6kVqvw0egymgV3g4KdPQz8QLnJKnVmX2MUALRmuhG7BRkZ0yELi28tx2N5EYj5OawAJCk4yl7Q_LH8pEtjRoFhAH5pIefqq8dNe5y22QndOqTfUV/w480-h640/7NTVZIc9QD6BE8XzJx%252B7%252Bg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now before actually installing anything we did some measurements. I wanted the vertical organizer to be centered in the doorframe which meant that it was not centered in the closet. We measured both sides to figure out how long we needed the wooden dowel to be cut since we wanted four hanging sections. We also had to cut the shelves since they were a little too long for our particular closet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0meCQYanNf2TPUF13CNheme3wP4K3Yfj3oJFCVQNYmcNiaQ6SnJRNre_kidFEnoBuQ49a2gyYwtC8KVsVYo7yFQdah_m7DsdRcLfkODkyR4z3HiMDPcFjva37czJO0tvn78dhA6O69ICG/s2048/8hC%25258sJRS8OZG6XSDAFfgQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0meCQYanNf2TPUF13CNheme3wP4K3Yfj3oJFCVQNYmcNiaQ6SnJRNre_kidFEnoBuQ49a2gyYwtC8KVsVYo7yFQdah_m7DsdRcLfkODkyR4z3HiMDPcFjva37czJO0tvn78dhA6O69ICG/w480-h640/8hC%25258sJRS8OZG6XSDAFfgQ.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is the closet laid out without the wooden racks installed yet. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7ahlVgxfS98i6veaOZbRRuCF6PnXX5-buIo6ZtPOG3lifcxgmynox2mxQLC_JWTPL6C3bd38FwqPGSg-sM1H6pJ522jsqcFNizn6HuoPAWecUlEf3NcFQkPNID_QwUeEWfKo1Ax2Lubi/s2048/0WlwH8u3T4iH7ts%25256hdAXA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7ahlVgxfS98i6veaOZbRRuCF6PnXX5-buIo6ZtPOG3lifcxgmynox2mxQLC_JWTPL6C3bd38FwqPGSg-sM1H6pJ522jsqcFNizn6HuoPAWecUlEf3NcFQkPNID_QwUeEWfKo1Ax2Lubi/w480-h640/0WlwH8u3T4iH7ts%25256hdAXA.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also purchased some <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076X71NQ8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">storage cube bins from Amazon</a>. I picked the pastel pink but there are a variety of colors depending on your preference. I really wanted to lean into the light pink for our little girls closet. I filled these and then pulled them back out so Tim could install the wooden clothing racks. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDFBChvepYkrZovxuvbygm5Emdek3e49uO2xbP_PavW5G2aopeIE2j4nUBRxW3bwrRF6ToVMIyG18Aie_ZgCrUPcUpMRZ64w2YV6rOcUQ37oSLdjyBpEwcrwGnfSzMt8p3LbiKMmCunuN/s2048/0HKRvu%25254THm%2525TBSAVzUZjQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDFBChvepYkrZovxuvbygm5Emdek3e49uO2xbP_PavW5G2aopeIE2j4nUBRxW3bwrRF6ToVMIyG18Aie_ZgCrUPcUpMRZ64w2YV6rOcUQ37oSLdjyBpEwcrwGnfSzMt8p3LbiKMmCunuN/w480-h640/0HKRvu%25254THm%2525TBSAVzUZjQ.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tim took the lead on installing the dowels and then wood glued them into place. Then the following morning it was time to fill the closet!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYCUa3ipHQjTMTxiHyVfjNWh0QKwPOmYzk5mrkXfnCAZr4nxfUe47oYHFnd1DBaosvBmmMG0RdkWPXGEUdwU15kuwRYi1SD3zcXlA55l_WVYsiUASzT8-TqCfBDJseTD4I-I3Aim5f6FL/s2048/fullsizeoutput_488f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYCUa3ipHQjTMTxiHyVfjNWh0QKwPOmYzk5mrkXfnCAZr4nxfUe47oYHFnd1DBaosvBmmMG0RdkWPXGEUdwU15kuwRYi1SD3zcXlA55l_WVYsiUASzT8-TqCfBDJseTD4I-I3Aim5f6FL/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_488f.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oHnVQIjNK4yiFiX6LXHAbrPh0icg-s4XaBsFlGEcmFhpevbT5N_zgrnWoY7takqm-4iO4Zo2PLkTYZqtkc2OcT-pvFc2oPkzasyKlW5s2Rg_VZ2QEbfX3rr-7MTi6ax58L8aETke_hFz/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4888.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oHnVQIjNK4yiFiX6LXHAbrPh0icg-s4XaBsFlGEcmFhpevbT5N_zgrnWoY7takqm-4iO4Zo2PLkTYZqtkc2OcT-pvFc2oPkzasyKlW5s2Rg_VZ2QEbfX3rr-7MTi6ax58L8aETke_hFz/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_4888.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I measured all the areas available and then headed to HomeGoods to pick up some bins for the top and bottom of the closet. I also grabbed some more hangers so I could get all of her non-pajama outfits on hangers.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNUvdY8TY_HQVXOoiHWSn0g_QQYNxsvb1KQD7HAquL27WcThp3kzk81LSfEYUg6v6MU6FRU3jtW6RG0ylu03OgCTQVNWKXCcaSpGk5n_2u-jpq3kOFf9eZD69LDF6enHtySPCFx6BUbEX/s2048/fullsizeoutput_48b6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNUvdY8TY_HQVXOoiHWSn0g_QQYNxsvb1KQD7HAquL27WcThp3kzk81LSfEYUg6v6MU6FRU3jtW6RG0ylu03OgCTQVNWKXCcaSpGk5n_2u-jpq3kOFf9eZD69LDF6enHtySPCFx6BUbEX/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_48b6.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All the baskets were purchased from HomeGoods so I unfortunately don't have links for them. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjXYIqlPyihROMNyJIH7BLR-U31xBFTc2bNm-HmkRRUvsmouGlyjF_83qLndpSW3tAZnkb1mIlcJvP30VB-ipnQZCF7nRlwmXXLsOvvB2SgDIIxIUhaT-Lfa6La3WixUj5XSsv7h8_-p2/s2048/fullsizeoutput_48b7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjXYIqlPyihROMNyJIH7BLR-U31xBFTc2bNm-HmkRRUvsmouGlyjF_83qLndpSW3tAZnkb1mIlcJvP30VB-ipnQZCF7nRlwmXXLsOvvB2SgDIIxIUhaT-Lfa6La3WixUj5XSsv7h8_-p2/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_48b7.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also got the adorable elephant piggy bank at HomeGoods. I thought it would be a sweet subtle decoration that will also come in handy to collect change.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WZDEUgLAtSIP5uY0ZS9ngXdrX6bA8vOJXaPlzYFfWUtDoBxXJlE3m4mbI05cdxIRYBjcDygVruHraAgbEOnCXXeMWpZbgJcANsFRXU9mN6C_DKKh2EjLPdck2w7DHdH9L9Dnzz0NFInR/s2048/fullsizeoutput_48b8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WZDEUgLAtSIP5uY0ZS9ngXdrX6bA8vOJXaPlzYFfWUtDoBxXJlE3m4mbI05cdxIRYBjcDygVruHraAgbEOnCXXeMWpZbgJcANsFRXU9mN6C_DKKh2EjLPdck2w7DHdH9L9Dnzz0NFInR/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_48b8.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I haven't finalized the organization of the closet yet, but I will share what I've done so far. The top left basket holds muslin swaddle blankets. The middle pink bin holds bottles and pacifiers that will need to be sanitized. The top right basket holds our infantino baby carrier.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The top left hanging section is for newborn and 0-3 month clothing. The top right hanging section is 3-6 month clothing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The top two pink bins hold clothing and shoes that have been handed down to us but are in much larger sizes. We won't be using 2T items for quite some time but I haven't established a system for clothes to grow into so for now they will live in these bins.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqOrsBzW-ztTMY_GKN9QaP4BMpMT6tgCjH54_G8yav8AX5QTq0gIyLk7tt-mouPI-Xe5ZXamgjq-YJedEwm15k1doVH-Ui2sKubhudcu8pde6d-1NSf6s45peJ5CJFNKaKlhY8apvFDAz/s2048/fullsizeoutput_48b9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqOrsBzW-ztTMY_GKN9QaP4BMpMT6tgCjH54_G8yav8AX5QTq0gIyLk7tt-mouPI-Xe5ZXamgjq-YJedEwm15k1doVH-Ui2sKubhudcu8pde6d-1NSf6s45peJ5CJFNKaKlhY8apvFDAz/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_48b9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The bottom left hanging section is 6-9 month clothing and the bottom right is 9-12 month clothing. I realize that it is a little silly to hang all of this in the closet, but I know our sweet Ellie will be growing out of clothes so fast I think it will be easiest to keep everything hung during the first year and rotate sections out as she grows. Once she is a size for more than just a few months I will section the closet off by clothing type instead of size and keep sizes that she will grow into elsewhere. <div><br /></div><div>The three pink bins hold burp cloths and bibs, wipes and size 1 diapers. These diapers are the backups to the changing station I have set up with newborn and size 1 diapers. Since we are unsure if she will wear newborn diapers from birth, I set up a section of them for her but also set up size 1 diapers in case she goes right into those. I also have several drawers in the nursery filled with extra diapers that are still in packaging, but these are diapers that were taken out of their packaging for a quick refill.</div><div><br /></div><div>The bottom of the closet bins hold feeding supplies on the left (boon drying rack, breast milk storage bags, nipple pads, etc) and extra hangers on the right.</div><div><br /></div><div>As I mentioned, I haven't exactly figured out my organization systems in here yet but this is a good start and I can certainly adjust as we go forward and see what we need.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here are two quick sneak peeks of the rest of the nursery....</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPg3JZ7L-DpVAw2aKWzGngcWmqwoVaw7Im6d2BA_nT9bVNWg2YVI_ZetZXEjDqU9JMMoQm99FHc_Boa3K9-9XOc-8jdBZ6Tj3tcrAIY-5DKgkrD2MTOWIuRjMBYcSnJDORic0eRuKmeS2/s2048/fullsizeoutput_48ba.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPg3JZ7L-DpVAw2aKWzGngcWmqwoVaw7Im6d2BA_nT9bVNWg2YVI_ZetZXEjDqU9JMMoQm99FHc_Boa3K9-9XOc-8jdBZ6Tj3tcrAIY-5DKgkrD2MTOWIuRjMBYcSnJDORic0eRuKmeS2/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_48ba.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NKq3sihNSpRuWziUjiU4-c00Cs_KUwcUdj9Wp4ycB8qwPPjHchnCf8DH1z3IrHzYeqK33GJvH-f6-fyoSWY4lBnSmV2gm1ScXvBY6r21t8mz8GpJcKZJTc6FZ61o0HfafTZq7nekRxsZ/s2048/fullsizeoutput_48bb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NKq3sihNSpRuWziUjiU4-c00Cs_KUwcUdj9Wp4ycB8qwPPjHchnCf8DH1z3IrHzYeqK33GJvH-f6-fyoSWY4lBnSmV2gm1ScXvBY6r21t8mz8GpJcKZJTc6FZ61o0HfafTZq7nekRxsZ/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_48bb.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There is still a lot to do, but I feel so much better about the status of the nursery! My mom is throwing us a baby shower in a couple of weeks and they are throwing me one at work the following week so I know we will have more items to organize in here, so I'm trying to not go too crazy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, one last look at the gorgeous closet...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn9SecyQhjR1crHunghC7sUPv9ztXyKBSY0YfgnsnOkF383NGP2AddLaTDP3KyeS9sJFIW_6FNJNilM7Uu272WZVPpkY3uUUZnpgWNBUEs8HfPIQfhtU4y7gAe7HDkDw-MN37ekvdBmn14/s2048/fullsizeoutput_48b7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn9SecyQhjR1crHunghC7sUPv9ztXyKBSY0YfgnsnOkF383NGP2AddLaTDP3KyeS9sJFIW_6FNJNilM7Uu272WZVPpkY3uUUZnpgWNBUEs8HfPIQfhtU4y7gAe7HDkDw-MN37ekvdBmn14/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_48b7.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ahh so pretty! Have a great day everyone!!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-48926634601341093832021-07-01T01:00:00.001-04:002021-07-01T01:00:00.180-04:00June Empties<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9k6FdXaorANPo0DGndhtiPTULxbEtg-SlxekOFLqu8j2PvayeIQDlPBZ8pSd1YhlzjqxhJFJ6c9ZZGfMCiv76yiDDb4UaQb5bNwbjYIFyRAmjH9DRqoAzwO9eYsPmJEDWX0l6yL75Vsc/s2048/lGZ9xUS7RDOvs5X39CSKnA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9k6FdXaorANPo0DGndhtiPTULxbEtg-SlxekOFLqu8j2PvayeIQDlPBZ8pSd1YhlzjqxhJFJ6c9ZZGfMCiv76yiDDb4UaQb5bNwbjYIFyRAmjH9DRqoAzwO9eYsPmJEDWX0l6yL75Vsc/w640-h480/lGZ9xUS7RDOvs5X39CSKnA.jpg" width="640" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Happy July!! I can't believe it's already July and summer is in full swing. Yesterday I pulled out all my empties (4 of which I actually finished up yesterday- gotta love that end of the month push!) and took a picture so I could get them out of the house for trash day today. So let's get started and I will share my thoughts on each product.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Bath and Body Works Tiki Mango Mai Tai Body Scrub-</b> I loved this body scrub! I thought the scent was really nice and I've been using scrub on my feet and it has been wonderful during this pregnancy.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Mrs Meyers Basil Dish Soap-</b> Another bottle of this down, if you haven't been here long then you might not know that basil is my all-time favorite Mrs. Meyers scent. I don't hand wash dishes usually but I tend to go through these very quickly. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Bath and Body Works Hello Beautiful Shower Gel</b>- This shower gel was okay. I am glad I only had a small size of it because it was used up fairly quickly. I love Bath and Body Works shower gel but this scent wasn't my favorite, it was very floral and I am not big on floral scents. I tend to go more for beachy scents.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Bath and Body Works Kitchen Lemon Hand Soap- </b>I am a big fan of Bath and Body Works Foaming Hand Soaps. This kitchen lemon scent was a great one to keep by our kitchen sink and I would definitely repurchase it in the future. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Downy Unstoppables Fresh Scent- </b>These are my new laundry obsession. I have been using these in my laundry for a few months now and I think it makes everything smell so much better. I do want to try the other scents that are available but I like this one so much I'm almost afraid to because I don't want to not use this scent. That's how you know you have a good laundry product!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Macadamia Shampoo-</b> Guys. My mom gave this to me at Christmas 2019. I have been working on it on and off since then but decided I wanted to push through and get this out of my stock. I finally finished this yesterday and I am happy to see it go. I like to switch up my hair products and this shampoo was just way too big. I would use the product again in the future but definitely get a smaller size.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Macadamia Deep Repair Mask</b>- One of my all-time favorites! I pick this up at TJMaxx and it's always a bargain because it is just the nicest hair mask that I use as a conditioner. I will continue to repurchase this from time to time because it just makes my hair feel so nice.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Cake Batter Chapsticks-</b> My all-time favorite chapstick! I use this religiously and still have a huge stockpile of it thanks to my amazing husband. I will keep using this for the foreseeable future.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Bath and Body Works Island Papaya Hand Soap-</b> I liked this hand soap which we used in our bathroom. I love beachy scents and this one was sweet and nice. I would definitely repurchase this particular scent in the future. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Vitafusion Prenatal Vitamins-</b> love these! I am not against taking vitamins in pill form, but it's far more fun to take them in a gummy form. I recently had to add an iron supplement in a gummy form as well because I have been labeled as severely anemic. I was told if I don't get my iron levels up by birth I may need a blood transfusion...so I will be religiously taking my vitamins each day!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Caldrea Pear Blossom Agave Room and Linen Spray-</b> I loved the smell of this room spray and my house always smelt to great after I sprayed it. I would 100% repurchase this in the future even if it is a little pricey. I have loved every Caldrea product that I've tried, so I feel comfortable in telling you that if you are on the fence you should definitely order one.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Dove Cucumber Deodorant- </b>I liked this deodorant, but I have switched to one that is aluminum free. I won't repurchase this in the future and only had bought it as a back-up deodorant. I decided to finish it up before buying a new one and was glad when I was finished and could go pick up a new one that is aluminum free. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Dollar Shave Club Razors-</b> I had purchased these razors on clearance after Christmas and I was excited to try them but I don't think they are that great. I prefer a razor that has shave gel attached or some of my other disposable razors to these ones. I do have another one in my stockpile, but I probably wouldn't purchase them again in the future.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now tell me what products you've finished up lately. I would love to know if you have any recommendations!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Have an amazing long weekend for 4th of July!!</div></div><br /> <p></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-24595457532572441792021-06-29T18:37:00.002-04:002021-06-29T18:37:30.683-04:00Pink Blush Maternity<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I found my favorite maternity shop- Pink Blush Maternity! I thought today I would share all the items I recently picked up from them for this last trimester of pregnancy. All of the items are SO soft and comfortable I cannot say enough good things about them. So without further ado, here we go...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Qb060XkzUhvppBcPQGOZqL1sKlDXfrjZ22Rrh5Qje3KN-HCHply0NRvJ0zS05UCzzub_1pDt4fC33SPO-joq4fCPdhA2Yk5GTb6TGL3ToYEeO0-XR7Gp5cgDGhX2VChPZdPJnR5tPMBf/s975/19534-1_650x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="650" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Qb060XkzUhvppBcPQGOZqL1sKlDXfrjZ22Rrh5Qje3KN-HCHply0NRvJ0zS05UCzzub_1pDt4fC33SPO-joq4fCPdhA2Yk5GTb6TGL3ToYEeO0-XR7Gp5cgDGhX2VChPZdPJnR5tPMBf/w426-h640/19534-1_650x.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I first wore <a href="https://www.pinkblushmaternity.com/collections/maternity-nursing-tops/products/pinkblush-royal-blue-draped-front-maternity-nursing-top" target="_blank">this shirt</a> Tim told me I looked like a cute pregnant lady, so I think it's a winner! I love this shirt, it's so comfy and will be great for nursing. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3r00xokbFpQ7RcMDOf_qeSqfXdLiFec2QfsQww6BdiqHuKOfIXJmac03Lvxpip5gnbLMlXdk4ghFpp9iyZ0XQLbrii8QgyIoLPfJYT8eHwzM70QOCfADJKJPCydPh4wZWsaH4tBrfTmh/s975/21152-10_c14bc387-72d4-4db4-8363-2390f9884d0d_650x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="650" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3r00xokbFpQ7RcMDOf_qeSqfXdLiFec2QfsQww6BdiqHuKOfIXJmac03Lvxpip5gnbLMlXdk4ghFpp9iyZ0XQLbrii8QgyIoLPfJYT8eHwzM70QOCfADJKJPCydPh4wZWsaH4tBrfTmh/w426-h640/21152-10_c14bc387-72d4-4db4-8363-2390f9884d0d_650x.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.pinkblushmaternity.com/products/pinkblush-black-solid-basic-v-neck-maternity-tank-top" target="_blank">This top</a> is so comfortable and works with everything. I know I'm in for a hot summer and tank tops already are a great option in the heat we've been having. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0_6OL6iG7dwmXNAv-nbw_FrL8QT1n7fkWXspHzjIhRjrJ5NUkYaR43G5sa5K2kPSy3WGw01LkcwDUOY_UNk4HyNPN48r7vOYt75r_XbgbupdvY4SVJwNtPq1SVqXlvQqEpWXNxzMZCZb/s975/22541-8_a9fb8b84-f52f-4d46-9dff-905481afdddd_650x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="650" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0_6OL6iG7dwmXNAv-nbw_FrL8QT1n7fkWXspHzjIhRjrJ5NUkYaR43G5sa5K2kPSy3WGw01LkcwDUOY_UNk4HyNPN48r7vOYt75r_XbgbupdvY4SVJwNtPq1SVqXlvQqEpWXNxzMZCZb/w426-h640/22541-8_a9fb8b84-f52f-4d46-9dff-905481afdddd_650x.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think I will plan to wear <a href="https://www.pinkblushmaternity.com/products/pinkblush-light-pink-floral-hi-low-midi-maternity-nursing-dress" target="_blank">this dress</a> if/when we do maternity pictures. I love the pink and floral and it's just so soft. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovHyoJi6zS6zXovVtNsftiUnxzvcK7QUlVyhMQ_H1XDZQO2HVvHEva3ALwdcqETD69dmjO2froveVNgasHQcGweywffGwv_maBvCP_MCa1rAzxO1xKn9gz9YdvgnreC64zrv3u5KlF0Si/s975/23633-1_6bd8c26f-537a-46ac-8541-c73a46ed06ae_650x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="650" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovHyoJi6zS6zXovVtNsftiUnxzvcK7QUlVyhMQ_H1XDZQO2HVvHEva3ALwdcqETD69dmjO2froveVNgasHQcGweywffGwv_maBvCP_MCa1rAzxO1xKn9gz9YdvgnreC64zrv3u5KlF0Si/w426-h640/23633-1_6bd8c26f-537a-46ac-8541-c73a46ed06ae_650x.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yes, this is the exact <a href="https://www.pinkblushmaternity.com/products/pinkblush-light-pink-draped-front-nursing-top" target="_blank">same top</a> I showed above in blue. This top is going to come in handy when nursing/pumping and the pink is just so pretty. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBHa4ZGJKtqOhYSMIZyrMjB0E8o_WFed0VkMNk_SY-iT8tnDUcnQN85xvyD0AEq7kwLt5X6tArCdIa15xS5UDGHfzcqcUE-XiuNdOCCWf4O2OYDz8Khh2TJCuM4-L2R-txCYOIPDf88cXU/s975/46832-2_650x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="650" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBHa4ZGJKtqOhYSMIZyrMjB0E8o_WFed0VkMNk_SY-iT8tnDUcnQN85xvyD0AEq7kwLt5X6tArCdIa15xS5UDGHfzcqcUE-XiuNdOCCWf4O2OYDz8Khh2TJCuM4-L2R-txCYOIPDf88cXU/w426-h640/46832-2_650x.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have only tried on <a href="https://www.pinkblushmaternity.com/products/pinkblush-light-pink-solid-hi-low-maternity-wrap-dress" target="_blank">this dress</a> and plan to wear it for my baby shower. I think it's so cute! I am loving wearing all the pink lately and think this will work great for the shower since it's fairly casual but still pretty. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRTZ2mBIfGcRMfpcyYPAFKIkmSUswSy_9Yz8Q5ROT7bvPSyqtVbfl7YuAEw-bSd8o_OX_i1Krd8L2zCWrPSCswkiN3irSbor_T8M1bvrdj3Tt-09A5fG2yAaLuowTymSS9_-CMSAEAdsJx/s975/50433-5_7d8d3be3-ff75-4b29-9bdc-601a682a8aa9_650x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="650" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRTZ2mBIfGcRMfpcyYPAFKIkmSUswSy_9Yz8Q5ROT7bvPSyqtVbfl7YuAEw-bSd8o_OX_i1Krd8L2zCWrPSCswkiN3irSbor_T8M1bvrdj3Tt-09A5fG2yAaLuowTymSS9_-CMSAEAdsJx/w426-h640/50433-5_7d8d3be3-ff75-4b29-9bdc-601a682a8aa9_650x.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a <a href="https://www.pinkblushmaternity.com/products/pinkblush-pink-sleeveless-knot-maternity-top" target="_blank">knotted tank top</a> and I love the look of it. It's so nice to have tank tops that actually fit my bump!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXJRP2b9u6yI_DqblCulPPuIa2fimaEErgYnY0L3g0ZIUZ51ZCGLDkeSotH9P0xTEQsGGCDc3iZIHh6jn19OrPjKLYwc7_oLw7Kn7AhPzs_nLvhQaeQ8-0H408KXCHSazVgxgGl2pLT1X/s975/66980-5_650x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="650" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXJRP2b9u6yI_DqblCulPPuIa2fimaEErgYnY0L3g0ZIUZ51ZCGLDkeSotH9P0xTEQsGGCDc3iZIHh6jn19OrPjKLYwc7_oLw7Kn7AhPzs_nLvhQaeQ8-0H408KXCHSazVgxgGl2pLT1X/w426-h640/66980-5_650x.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.pinkblushmaternity.com/products/mint-short-sleeve-knotted-hem-maternity-top" target="_blank">This shirt </a>is so comfy! I love the knotted look and it makes my bump not look huge which is always a bonus. Like all the other shirts shown, this one is so soft and comfortable which I absolutely love.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAf1fxkJSEyfXY00X0KdrQ7ityiwTjg7osT18V5tyFKowHNmmdwRQabtsmdFLfF4ZTUO0fsA0xwdfJ2j2vP-DlxtEtaR_qW36apQ9SuAi87DUieZ9qxf6ZWeng_Q7cJ9x9xfmXwd86G02J/s975/67733-1_e7ca85f3-aa17-44cb-aa71-61d4cd15e8ad_650x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="650" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAf1fxkJSEyfXY00X0KdrQ7ityiwTjg7osT18V5tyFKowHNmmdwRQabtsmdFLfF4ZTUO0fsA0xwdfJ2j2vP-DlxtEtaR_qW36apQ9SuAi87DUieZ9qxf6ZWeng_Q7cJ9x9xfmXwd86G02J/w426-h640/67733-1_e7ca85f3-aa17-44cb-aa71-61d4cd15e8ad_650x.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I threw <a href="https://www.pinkblushmaternity.com/products/grey-screen-print-mama-maternity-tee-1" target="_blank">this shirt</a> in to my order to reach the threshold for my gift card and normally it isn't something I would pick, but I'm so glad I did! It's really nice to have a plain t-shirt that is maternity. Also, it's my first mama shirt and that makes me happy!</div><br /> <p></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-35947742478038527002021-06-24T14:11:00.002-04:002021-06-24T14:11:21.064-04:00Life Lately<p> Well I totally missed both posts this week...so I'm popping in now to share a little bit of what we've been up to lately!</p><p>As of tomorrow I'm 30 weeks pregnant, so about 10 weeks to go! I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has gone by and am watching the weeks fly by and getting slightly nervous to become parents to a tiny human. </p><p>Last week I was able to see my college roommates; Megan and Laura! Megan's parents had a reopening party in their basement bar and it was so nice to see everyone- it had been almost TWO years since I last saw them!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_jpsZend_2RmPlbugkGWglslr9BEqJ7StJq872a_ngRWMvbOegAsvP90omlrV6DSuBjWMoJEnB1ywpJIP3EOZaC49RfWD2QkbKNfycPsl4RsHcBFdlwKDL3ri6Y6AZXRgQ7HnnALn5su/s2048/ilBXP78KTBWodjCLUu2TNg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_jpsZend_2RmPlbugkGWglslr9BEqJ7StJq872a_ngRWMvbOegAsvP90omlrV6DSuBjWMoJEnB1ywpJIP3EOZaC49RfWD2QkbKNfycPsl4RsHcBFdlwKDL3ri6Y6AZXRgQ7HnnALn5su/w640-h480/ilBXP78KTBWodjCLUu2TNg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>They gave me the sweetest gift..</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3_iZXWPlpgv5WbxJBoe5C29bZlWxNXc8QEMRkXTCmYNpoKOE43MpPYmcJrKMb3FUyRKVCok4TnWQH91KHIwUx45-3MHkZ6wenRgSLu6DzDiHGuBHIP-cGT5jXo0SUu0qbYYDMKeaKTu8/s2048/Kg49PFn9R3aCBgW2X%252Bz2UA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3_iZXWPlpgv5WbxJBoe5C29bZlWxNXc8QEMRkXTCmYNpoKOE43MpPYmcJrKMb3FUyRKVCok4TnWQH91KHIwUx45-3MHkZ6wenRgSLu6DzDiHGuBHIP-cGT5jXo0SUu0qbYYDMKeaKTu8/w480-h640/Kg49PFn9R3aCBgW2X%252Bz2UA.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p><br /></p>It was so cute and I can't wait to dress Ellie in it!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On Fathers Day I had breakfast with my dad and brother and then lunch with my papa and my extended family. Tim spent the day with his dad but I was able to snap pictures of him with his girls before he left.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPtTaLPWOd_kgneua1HL4kAKpBC2vCgO-aP5CG3XZ1erj41ynpsadqYEiP75fnobF0XYW8IXGMBpA5GDAeDFzzU3tI7nPto1EcOuQV1nXVgEXOXl8fyvt7rz2ycexvoha3mBkeeqtsuf6/s2048/fullsizeoutput_47f3.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPtTaLPWOd_kgneua1HL4kAKpBC2vCgO-aP5CG3XZ1erj41ynpsadqYEiP75fnobF0XYW8IXGMBpA5GDAeDFzzU3tI7nPto1EcOuQV1nXVgEXOXl8fyvt7rz2ycexvoha3mBkeeqtsuf6/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_47f3.heic" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-xVukwDilhSMYLO_NQsVye4ymrkYJ2uJCRjwxi_opL_T0xNHDV1r3r2AqJuzZgzIiEyFwmnPr0i0y-z4yNvRfAukVuWGaOATh5Nxbo2pJ8cr_qut9LaJs4qEAHXdAEPHayMpfhpV5spR/s2048/fullsizeoutput_47e9.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-xVukwDilhSMYLO_NQsVye4ymrkYJ2uJCRjwxi_opL_T0xNHDV1r3r2AqJuzZgzIiEyFwmnPr0i0y-z4yNvRfAukVuWGaOATh5Nxbo2pJ8cr_qut9LaJs4qEAHXdAEPHayMpfhpV5spR/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_47e9.heic" width="480" /></a></div><p>So sweet! I know he will make an amazing dad to our baby because he already is an amazing dad to these two pups :)</p><p><br /></p>Rory wanted to show off how dirty she was...and all of her toys! How many toys is too many toys??<p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFIhpvBfZGAou7FqZTIeJ66d1PNLCt4PmXGFiAJ5JQG9HDkgfB3FHsZlf7xXx7JPz-ArZ6nDnR1fmafNgBC2LzvaUaBaJYowuUge6YF0701GM4-vFtYOJQUyjjkOCZ1tig3Yr-1L54kUVS/s2048/fullsizeoutput_47d6.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFIhpvBfZGAou7FqZTIeJ66d1PNLCt4PmXGFiAJ5JQG9HDkgfB3FHsZlf7xXx7JPz-ArZ6nDnR1fmafNgBC2LzvaUaBaJYowuUge6YF0701GM4-vFtYOJQUyjjkOCZ1tig3Yr-1L54kUVS/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_47d6.heic" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Last night we were able to meet our newest nephew, Maxon. We took a picture of him next to his cousin Ellie too.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_iDSgWRw_DMRsqrOj49T4o3eQQPY218zdtCL-4pYsdmLZAAIx-yIIxv78EHxamIE8ZN5E7eJAen6c7uNiWq0hairr-oPxhjf3m1rHJGeEAa-PVaPxKkV1g2q5C5CmcHoSnqwpw000oac/s2048/z46wd9tKQ2C1kkucB59DCg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_iDSgWRw_DMRsqrOj49T4o3eQQPY218zdtCL-4pYsdmLZAAIx-yIIxv78EHxamIE8ZN5E7eJAen6c7uNiWq0hairr-oPxhjf3m1rHJGeEAa-PVaPxKkV1g2q5C5CmcHoSnqwpw000oac/w480-h640/z46wd9tKQ2C1kkucB59DCg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurh2kz8MA3036PgIxdG0PKmn1MiG7wSED_9X-r04JRT0S5c0z1mg6VwhiKGBtXFPuc-jy9uAadLAFgWIxu5vHqi4muUHnXy81hFn9J7DW1jVJ9gh5WTe9qnKnAtVKqU0k-xkrSt3TkjRe/s2048/fmf%252Br1oDTW%252B3GFfgkZ1%25252A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurh2kz8MA3036PgIxdG0PKmn1MiG7wSED_9X-r04JRT0S5c0z1mg6VwhiKGBtXFPuc-jy9uAadLAFgWIxu5vHqi4muUHnXy81hFn9J7DW1jVJ9gh5WTe9qnKnAtVKqU0k-xkrSt3TkjRe/w480-h640/fmf%252Br1oDTW%252B3GFfgkZ1%25252A.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>That's what we've been up to this week, what have you been up to?</div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-90237067373542393562021-06-14T01:30:00.001-04:002021-06-14T01:30:00.229-04:00Pregnancy Products- Must Haves and Passes<p> Another Monday! How did we get here again? </p><p>As of Friday I am 28 weeks pregnant and officially in my third trimester! Today I thought I would share the pregnancy products I have tried throughout my pregnancy and whether they are must haves or if I would have passed on them. </p><p><b>The Snoogle: Must Have!</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6dGmwDYLXLLD_c8peo4rdfuyW1V2uUOPMU9azh4jnsIMkDMmoDIzuzHiu1Mlu0LFuEDa-JbwAqNJe1bTvceEu3qZykhMCiF9EalBsKvLUX403C4i96Qmk3YV5e3_agdfAk3W1vhgq6TTN/s1110/Screen+Shot+2021-06-13+at+5.21.13+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="1110" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6dGmwDYLXLLD_c8peo4rdfuyW1V2uUOPMU9azh4jnsIMkDMmoDIzuzHiu1Mlu0LFuEDa-JbwAqNJe1bTvceEu3qZykhMCiF9EalBsKvLUX403C4i96Qmk3YV5e3_agdfAk3W1vhgq6TTN/w640-h636/Screen+Shot+2021-06-13+at+5.21.13+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Up until maybe four weeks ago I would have said this was a pass. I honestly did not find <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003D7E2XI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">the snoogle</a> comfortable and couldn't find a way that it would work for me. Well, my belly grew and now I cannot sleep without it. I would definitely recommend a snoogle if you are pregnant and having trouble sleeping. I don't use it as pictured but kind of lay wrapped around it. I will caution you that it is quite crowded in our queen size bed right now, and hopefully someday we will have a king size bed but for now with the snoogle it does get quite crowded!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Nursing Bras- Must Have! (But the right one!)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have bought four nursing bras so far and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LW1W1G6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">this pack of three from Amazon</a> are the ones I currently am using and loving! I do hate that they have the removable padding in the cup so I am constantly having to fix them after they come out of the dryer, but they fit nicely and are very comfortable. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I originally purchased <a href="https://www.target.com/p/women-s-nursing-wirefree-bra-auden-153/-/A-54083299?preselect=53929220#lnk=sametab" target="_blank">this bra from Target</a> and I absolutely hate it. It felt uncomfortable and too small even though I purchased what should have been the correct size. Maybe my sizing has changed too much during pregnancy and I should've purchased a larger size but I was not a fan. Also, the Amazon bras are much cheaper!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Burts Bees Mama Belly Butter- Okay To Pass</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcLT-YsrWCSJ00G7tUtmhOyEDcs77awXlN4hkYNswcgZsX7XZ_bPDILT0kL2PwCP3vpo6sUQmmi6qZd8Y_EJVlWvPOrjju3v4O_AJ3nXt3_w0sK6cDTY3G97qL_cnyYVS48wEBbRsswG-/s1296/Screen+Shot+2021-06-13+at+5.35.34+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1122" data-original-width="1296" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcLT-YsrWCSJ00G7tUtmhOyEDcs77awXlN4hkYNswcgZsX7XZ_bPDILT0kL2PwCP3vpo6sUQmmi6qZd8Y_EJVlWvPOrjju3v4O_AJ3nXt3_w0sK6cDTY3G97qL_cnyYVS48wEBbRsswG-/w640-h554/Screen+Shot+2021-06-13+at+5.35.34+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />So <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Burts-Bees-Butter-Butter-Vitamin/dp/B00DM14TYC/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=Burts+bees+mama+bee&qid=1623620105&sr=8-5" target="_blank">this belly butter</a> is nice enough, but I'm not sure it has made any difference. I prefer lotion that comes in better scents and this belly butter isn't anything special. I also read that stretch marks are genetic, so nothing can truly prevent them. I don't know that I would purchase this again in the future. I also have sample sizes of different belly butters but this tub is so large I'm not sure when I will get a chance to try them. If I do, I will let you know what I think.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Pregnancy Tops- It Depends!</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I originally purchased <a href="https://www.target.com/p/short-sleeve-v-neck-side-shirred-maternity-t-shirt-isabel-maternity-by-ingrid-isabel/-/A-79932878?preselect=80967701#lnk=sametab" target="_blank">these Isabel Maternity v-neck t-shirts</a> in three different colors and although one is now stained I still wear the other two regularly. I find them to not be long enough and would prefer something a little longer, but I do think they work for the awkward second trimester when you are growing but aren't too big yet. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rabbit-Graphic-Tshirt-Letters-Printed/dp/B07X3HGB8W/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=mama+bunny+tshirt&qid=1623620833&sr=8-6" target="_blank">this mama bunny t-shirt</a> as a gift and have been wearing it quite a bit. It's not made like other maternity t-shirts but is stretchy and has been comfortable so far. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have purchased a few tank tops but haven't gotten the chance to wear them yet. I do think having tank tops during a summer pregnancy is crucial and I will be getting more use out of these over the next three months. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Nausea Drops- Must Have!</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My favorite nausea drops were <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZSDBDMR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">these Munchkin ones</a> that I purchased twice off of Amazon. They helped me tremendously during the first trimester. I did not like <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PVZVGW1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">these ones by Pink Stork</a> and ended up donating them. If you like peppermint though you might really like them, I just couldn't stomach them with my nausea. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Stitch Fix- Must Have</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well maybe not a must have...but a nice to have! I love to order from <a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/invite/ym2r578qqw?sod=w&som=c" target="_blank">Stitch Fix</a> on a regular basis, but when I mentioned I was pregnant they sent me a ton of items that have been great! A cardigan, leggings, and a dress were my favorites but they have so many items I'm sure if I ordered another stitch I would get more great items. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That's all I can think of at the moment, what are your pregnancy must haves?!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-51958836964731637212021-06-09T01:00:00.002-04:002021-06-09T01:00:00.187-04:00Saving Money Preparing For Baby- Clearance Diapers & Wipes<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On Sunday I ran into Walmart just to do a quick shopping trip and grab a few things we needed. Anytime I'm in Walmart I run through the baby section and just take a look for any clearance- clothing, gear, whatever it is I know buying it on clearance is a smart decision. I had seen a ton of couponers and clearance hunters mention diaper and wipe clearance at Walmart, but couldn't find any when I went on previous trips. This time however I was so excited because I was lucky enough to stumble across not one but <b>two</b> displays of clearance diapers!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQtpZfBR6ymvd65PSy2wdcz0PsAVCzydZUEsu8BbBp1Fsh3RXgwoWe09hmAbrBrglXa0o0RjZXN9xV5FYW1pbwOOlerP-6psCpZCHgTg4EKRsNGXlYdygB0Wj0eVp4JfwGBfdnbrTIyIWn/s2048/UPycGB8nTLCbvCY%2525bYQuZQ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQtpZfBR6ymvd65PSy2wdcz0PsAVCzydZUEsu8BbBp1Fsh3RXgwoWe09hmAbrBrglXa0o0RjZXN9xV5FYW1pbwOOlerP-6psCpZCHgTg4EKRsNGXlYdygB0Wj0eVp4JfwGBfdnbrTIyIWn/w480-h640/UPycGB8nTLCbvCY%2525bYQuZQ.jpg" width="480" /></a></div> <br />This is the first display I saw which was mostly filled with pull-ups. I know at some point we will need pull-ups but currently I am most focused on diapers so I did leave those behind. I grabbed a few boxes of the newborn diapers because I am assuming that Ellie will be small enough for them for at least a short period of time. We also plan on having another child someday, so whatever we don't use up we will save for the next baby, or pass on to family and friends!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUci1HwqCK1SQCVh58jWgwinCgVySkFzItFw5ErI1xDFwW6wZc_X7_9Kp0npvhfoHPLzA0Fu8ZX8bXQhG-HMuuffBg17esxEa47YkOSFtjkcUprcYB0B8UlaioGb3lW_DQbaESG_ROWZM9/s2048/%252B9oM5HmVQlePSGZmN2AIRQ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUci1HwqCK1SQCVh58jWgwinCgVySkFzItFw5ErI1xDFwW6wZc_X7_9Kp0npvhfoHPLzA0Fu8ZX8bXQhG-HMuuffBg17esxEa47YkOSFtjkcUprcYB0B8UlaioGb3lW_DQbaESG_ROWZM9/w480-h640/%252B9oM5HmVQlePSGZmN2AIRQ.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The second display I found was even better! It was packed with Hello Bello diapers in size 2 and size 4. I grabbed the two size twos that I saw and a few boxes of the size 4. Each box was $15 and the smaller packs were $7. My per diaper cost was no more than 20 cents per diaper which is precisely the top amount I would like to pay for all diapers. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJyMIMVay3TW77qBMZqzwLGcuEB1vO_-YbPmEl15dgCRY9VixepbYqeETDhDFYyr_HJW1_tsLc_VNyetJdrC_lOJ1VNlLfpj5X1LFBIfzMaw__5vu-4UCkF2XLH-SWPPHuyShLKWEMw-d/s2048/eMv6vqCdQdGQwzynqDzmeQ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJyMIMVay3TW77qBMZqzwLGcuEB1vO_-YbPmEl15dgCRY9VixepbYqeETDhDFYyr_HJW1_tsLc_VNyetJdrC_lOJ1VNlLfpj5X1LFBIfzMaw__5vu-4UCkF2XLH-SWPPHuyShLKWEMw-d/w640-h480/eMv6vqCdQdGQwzynqDzmeQ.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My trunk was filled with diapers and I was so thrilled! I honestly thought I wouldn't be lucky enough to score this deal because my Walmart is notorious for being more expensive then others around the country and I don't see a lot of the clearance that other people report getting. I am interested see if in the coming weeks they clearance out any other items and will definitely keep my eyes peeled. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I mentioned, I am working on creating a diaper and wipe stockpile and I plan to spend no more than 20 cents per diaper and 2 cents per wipe. It's been a slow process but here is where my stockpile currently stands...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVCJG0fPl7NJML8NxUNLQlNjRSIXUlAWCp5l0k7i9kl34Y-KBoHcpDqzONXg6yh45-McptDIedal6UD0qfn9lehaQo4AfqEUjZBMq3GA0WQRFCizDTZKBB56JwdUbWbqGAxeNqO2GLYcG/s2048/Q05wob4LQHOFDvq3l2MtBw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVCJG0fPl7NJML8NxUNLQlNjRSIXUlAWCp5l0k7i9kl34Y-KBoHcpDqzONXg6yh45-McptDIedal6UD0qfn9lehaQo4AfqEUjZBMq3GA0WQRFCizDTZKBB56JwdUbWbqGAxeNqO2GLYcG/w480-h640/Q05wob4LQHOFDvq3l2MtBw.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am keeping bigger size diapers in the basement along with my overflow wipes. I don't want to put too many in her room so I have been putting them down here for the time being. You can see that I maintain a pretty big personal care stockpile as well. I am trying to keep this stocked so we don't need to run out when Ellie arrives. I would like to have everything we need in our personal "store" so I will keep couponing and looking for good deals!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCc0ZeKjmXu0jD5ppOnMP9c16eEDlINmk45BgfwAFo415QF8fbSKqiE8zuhVyfj5XOGcf3TS6RPekGhSdzE21tG3MEMPtU8YBnrhpad874oTlaTx8-Zm2vXbXmm-M46uTsUQy5b6rMOzS/s2048/wPlV628hR3iJH0b8LQL8Gw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCc0ZeKjmXu0jD5ppOnMP9c16eEDlINmk45BgfwAFo415QF8fbSKqiE8zuhVyfj5XOGcf3TS6RPekGhSdzE21tG3MEMPtU8YBnrhpad874oTlaTx8-Zm2vXbXmm-M46uTsUQy5b6rMOzS/w480-h640/wPlV628hR3iJH0b8LQL8Gw.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Not diaper related but on the other side of the basement I keep household goods. There are tons of bottles of laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, paper plates, napkins, dish soap, etc...I know it's not a huge stockpile but I buy in small quantities and am not an extreme coupon by any means. I love that I don't have to rush out to get items because we don't run out of these items. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwtGucwnqD8R9ODGBsaVM6kLLauyZd9Fmz3YzeywUzZajMu7BNp76reimAoRYwislWACZcY1L3Kq1IC6L_vEniOUKf9IqdPHxuFiYgbK8xIszo4NWV_6uGGRoKsqdubG0gUr0-Mc72nNR/s2048/i9omsKnnRBCMxqRBEUQvMg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwtGucwnqD8R9ODGBsaVM6kLLauyZd9Fmz3YzeywUzZajMu7BNp76reimAoRYwislWACZcY1L3Kq1IC6L_vEniOUKf9IqdPHxuFiYgbK8xIszo4NWV_6uGGRoKsqdubG0gUr0-Mc72nNR/w480-h640/i9omsKnnRBCMxqRBEUQvMg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the center I've started stacking boxes of diapers. I also try to keep a stock of toilet paper, paper towels, and gifts here. In the baskets there are razors, toothbrushes, etc... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQczIEsrispY5cmIG8AWLUN9GeqVXY5SBbbtg4wEUxHQsk9Hl4GGyIpkHl2jnkQLDASJBp9rnLU5uD2DJUE330H0HQXs49dH4DZoI5OaJZ1-455AhAvW8gMmKAD6uJDA8DgJTq3cfAHcD/s1440/96C0C8D0-29F7-4FB6-A64C-7EBDB184F27E.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQczIEsrispY5cmIG8AWLUN9GeqVXY5SBbbtg4wEUxHQsk9Hl4GGyIpkHl2jnkQLDASJBp9rnLU5uD2DJUE330H0HQXs49dH4DZoI5OaJZ1-455AhAvW8gMmKAD6uJDA8DgJTq3cfAHcD/w640-h480/96C0C8D0-29F7-4FB6-A64C-7EBDB184F27E.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We haven't gotten too far in Ellie's closet DIY yet. I did order the pieces we need to get started but I have only taken down the existing shelf and spackled the insane anchor holes someone decided to drill. I plan to have baskets inside of her closet and they will hold the back-up diapers and wipes that we will keep in her room.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The top drawer of her changing table will hold diapers and wipes (see below) but I will put extras in her closet for quick access. The ones I plan to put in her closet are in the picture above. All others will be kept in the basement. I'm hoping that my plan will allow me to "restock" items from the basement when I have the opportunity to but never run out of items in her nursery. I will keep you updated on that particular organization plan when it's in use!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3C9eIWQ-g-6QoAz3p4zc0jeqWKXWPyHavHOrfy0Ky65R2XlkBt4c5xhMoyGg98bEQtiU5B_nPhiXNzhSOmlwe8OwpE-UbPfeLrDXPp0-PFrYsmyAbmtknHLXBe57ErY9c-I8ng2CgzGD1/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4625.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="2048" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3C9eIWQ-g-6QoAz3p4zc0jeqWKXWPyHavHOrfy0Ky65R2XlkBt4c5xhMoyGg98bEQtiU5B_nPhiXNzhSOmlwe8OwpE-UbPfeLrDXPp0-PFrYsmyAbmtknHLXBe57ErY9c-I8ng2CgzGD1/w640-h366/fullsizeoutput_4625.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>My friend Brittni gave me a bunch of diapers that she had leftover from her girls and I happily brought them home! I love all the Honest diaper designs they are just so cute! <p></p><p>I would love to know if you stockpile anything in your house and if you built up a diaper stockpile before you had your kids?</p><p>Have a great day everyone!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-43936822959425083842021-06-07T01:00:00.001-04:002021-06-07T01:00:00.245-04:00Front Garden Update<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On Saturday my mom and I had a garden center day! We spent the morning visiting a few local garden centers and then had a lovely lunch. We had such a great time and both of us kept commenting on how nice it was. I love spending time with my mom and now that I have gardens of my own I actually enjoy going to garden centers, something that has long been one of her favorite activities. She managed to do a good job at passing down her love of gardening to both my brother and I because we both love to buy plants and see nice looking gardens!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I picked up five new plants on Saturday and a little garden friend! Since our front garden is in the sun 90% of the day I always try to pick plants that do well in full sun. The plants I picked up were; Russian sage, Iberis in pink ice, a pink azalea, a dwarf butterfly bush in pink micro chip, and a dwarf Alberta spruce. Tim and I had a gift card from his parents for a local nursery Clark Farms so I was able to pick up the azalea and butterfly bush there. I actually picked up the other three at the Walmart garden center and they were all on clearance! I have no problem buying clearance plants and trying to make them work in my garden.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now for a quick look at the garden...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdK_HFrO7W-TriTidmdzSjY73LIU0wmXUcWP7l9e20SWVvQHp55tefdqpMVuM1qTa2vynZiWaMezNCq1nWEmU88jvHMOuhoGEY8ZzRlodYElvpZAZ3P1YESvvWzVpdIqADFGL_7xHSqgF/s2048/2wh0GiEiRou1Fk2T7SGzuw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdK_HFrO7W-TriTidmdzSjY73LIU0wmXUcWP7l9e20SWVvQHp55tefdqpMVuM1qTa2vynZiWaMezNCq1nWEmU88jvHMOuhoGEY8ZzRlodYElvpZAZ3P1YESvvWzVpdIqADFGL_7xHSqgF/w480-h640/2wh0GiEiRou1Fk2T7SGzuw.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was on Saturday evening and you can see the Russian sage and iberis on this side of the garden. I needed to fill that middle area and am hoping that since they are perennials they will come back each year and fill this area nicely. I can foresee adding other plants in here in the future because a garden is never full, but for now I am really loving have a couple of plants to fill the void.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmeJYdLkjIqEQLCZCPZs6bk2FX9PJh4eOgNYO9Ir03NXKi7p4Ac8GYH2I_hceGRVEZLIYgGhAEg1awG2S_Y7rgBfR7j8a6Xz8exi_D5pkc4r6RtIAQnMuHNHjR_U9sI7eSBIBVF1z_KVs/s2048/AaDquJHfQjmt9BY%252B1LrThg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmeJYdLkjIqEQLCZCPZs6bk2FX9PJh4eOgNYO9Ir03NXKi7p4Ac8GYH2I_hceGRVEZLIYgGhAEg1awG2S_Y7rgBfR7j8a6Xz8exi_D5pkc4r6RtIAQnMuHNHjR_U9sI7eSBIBVF1z_KVs/w640-h480/AaDquJHfQjmt9BY%252B1LrThg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the left side of the garden you can see the dwarf alberta, the butterfly bush and the azalea lined up nicely here. My mom has the same spruce in her garden and it doesn't get very big at all but adds a bit of green in the wintertime which is exactly what I'm looking for. I love the colors of the butterfly bush and the azalea and know they will get larger in time and I am looking forward to seeing them take up more room in the garden. Also, you can see my little hedgehog friend who I picked up from HomeGoods for only $17! I was looking for a little garden friend and was thrilled when I found him because everything else was too large or too strange looking for me. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZUU-0AkpQlEkPiF7ZvXsLgZKgR23EGzuNuDNUYDFUVOx1IQWrqnPKzEnLxQVwNZpHKNpP332Nz0Ku6rlk2HWfBgrBgXikQrqv21LCjU8a2djIP0Bkn-k8mKvTg0UiEWErEyu87syTfNZF/s2048/DSP1JkAWTBSm4JXDJKMM2w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZUU-0AkpQlEkPiF7ZvXsLgZKgR23EGzuNuDNUYDFUVOx1IQWrqnPKzEnLxQVwNZpHKNpP332Nz0Ku6rlk2HWfBgrBgXikQrqv21LCjU8a2djIP0Bkn-k8mKvTg0UiEWErEyu87syTfNZF/w640-h480/DSP1JkAWTBSm4JXDJKMM2w.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUROKQPdqZttO9YxGx_INtNy9hZU_EnL2svKObMgzCc1scszHo-E1z_Rx6Z44xS5IHAfRDYHvE8ttWNvVcnfTqy3ZKtNkFWDvj97D8Pscyiq-H9YKCuitruApAw1Xoik_8_UayxePk_qC/s2048/wRBrPz7WTBqX9T4jXI%252BcJg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUROKQPdqZttO9YxGx_INtNy9hZU_EnL2svKObMgzCc1scszHo-E1z_Rx6Z44xS5IHAfRDYHvE8ttWNvVcnfTqy3ZKtNkFWDvj97D8Pscyiq-H9YKCuitruApAw1Xoik_8_UayxePk_qC/w640-h480/wRBrPz7WTBqX9T4jXI%252BcJg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Some closer looks at the new plants. That azalea has the most stunning pink color!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9LFCP-kmaZ1H3b0RlVYV7Qme0DI9d9UGSZEztYjCtN4tY1x-jiFrygsuZC7i9WcMmg3GbpWv_zFCnOgyf6th7jJRzzs2wDgjNV2xByeaIb7UbqeyqySh8zCsG69awf5ncbGleoo1Qfvv/s2048/Mg%252534pVoS8O1A1e70OHG2Q.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9LFCP-kmaZ1H3b0RlVYV7Qme0DI9d9UGSZEztYjCtN4tY1x-jiFrygsuZC7i9WcMmg3GbpWv_zFCnOgyf6th7jJRzzs2wDgjNV2xByeaIb7UbqeyqySh8zCsG69awf5ncbGleoo1Qfvv/w640-h480/Mg%252534pVoS8O1A1e70OHG2Q.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also checked on our little garden near the road and am happy to report that everything I planted last year came back and the evergreens are still in good condition. I think we might need to limb up the tree though so it looks less like a bush. I am hesitant to do it though because it's been so healthy and I really don't know much about taking care of trees!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWCH_oqsWecmpHZevJ1_6W24HNrVf-k8Zt0__Nr01O49etzsmi6Mnp2fB_JYd3EfCv1KLpeHH8uXGMYYjw2Gd1Vry9tYfWWkzXhSIUy8SYPZ_SSKmHFNB1ETfcB-n3X7qe9PgRdHEVketq/s2048/fullsizeoutput_46ab.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWCH_oqsWecmpHZevJ1_6W24HNrVf-k8Zt0__Nr01O49etzsmi6Mnp2fB_JYd3EfCv1KLpeHH8uXGMYYjw2Gd1Vry9tYfWWkzXhSIUy8SYPZ_SSKmHFNB1ETfcB-n3X7qe9PgRdHEVketq/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_46ab.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSO5SCmhYdAyZJOTUS3wENueevf6DKsbw-QXVysEsvBjAn4u4Kq7GH8q-2txuot8_CEWiNzS41_Orvy5aONqsEtfrpeHMUUHfVvhSz317P807LJFQeHJIDa8mjT6Qxice4wd2NQ3ij1Us/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4689.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSO5SCmhYdAyZJOTUS3wENueevf6DKsbw-QXVysEsvBjAn4u4Kq7GH8q-2txuot8_CEWiNzS41_Orvy5aONqsEtfrpeHMUUHfVvhSz317P807LJFQeHJIDa8mjT6Qxice4wd2NQ3ij1Us/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_4689.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Yesterday Tim helped me bring the bird bath around the front and it's now living next to the spruce. It looks a little tall for the area currently, but once the spruce grows a bit and we fill in more areas I think it will look so nice out there.</p><p>Next weekend we plan to mulch (it got up in the 90s this weekend and we just couldn't bear to be outside long enough to get it done) and then hopefully the front gardens will be complete for the season. </p><p>As for the backyard? Well, that's a work in process which we hopefully will complete soon too!</p><p>Have a great day everybody!</p> <p></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-53493766757549995912021-06-03T02:00:00.001-04:002021-06-03T02:00:00.215-04:00May Empties<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today I am sharing all my empty home and beauty products from the month of May. I managed to get through quite a few products.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrpOtnHf7qnXK0KXFxnh2S1Pa08cB7GSmWVzR1KraMB3KP5yr-vEVpPSrzc7G6KjpatikmdE3_hkvvE7K53jCnWtPGTJy5uaLJGGJKaNRcIpS37sH2avqR0EaPzAPT7dW1avThC6s_NDO/s2048/9WlZP4lrRqW1rCS6Cfz4Xw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrpOtnHf7qnXK0KXFxnh2S1Pa08cB7GSmWVzR1KraMB3KP5yr-vEVpPSrzc7G6KjpatikmdE3_hkvvE7K53jCnWtPGTJy5uaLJGGJKaNRcIpS37sH2avqR0EaPzAPT7dW1avThC6s_NDO/w640-h480/9WlZP4lrRqW1rCS6Cfz4Xw.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><b>Bath and Body Works Beach Bliss Handsoap-</b> I liked this hand soap. It was a great scent and the packaging was super cute. It's a super beachy but low-key scent, exactly how I like my hand soaps to be!<p></p><p><b>Folex Carpet Cleaner-</b> I love Folex! This stuff works miracles and we were constantly using it when we brought our newest baby into the house. I've already repurchased this on Amazon and I'm sure we will be buying more in the future.</p><p><b>Lysol Wipes-</b> My go-to for all bathroom cleaning. I keep this in my stockpile always!</p><p><b>Kaboom Bathroom Cleaner-</b> I love to use this in my shower and have already repurchased it. It works so well and I think it makes cleaning the shower/tub more fun when the product changes color. </p><p><b>Downy Unstoppables- </b>I can't do laundry without these anymore! Well, I can but I don't like to! It makes everything smell so nice and I've been purchasing these whenever I run out but I do already have several backups currently. </p><p><b>Bath and Body Works Twisted Peppermint Body Cream</b>- A little off season but I am working my way through my lotions slowly but surely. I liked this but I don't think I would repurchase this particular scent in the future. I liked it but there are definitely scents I prefer more. I do like the body cream instead of body lotion though! My skin is super dry and this definitely helped.</p><p><b>Fantastik Antibacterial Spray</b>- I was using this for my kitchen counters and thought it worked pretty well. I did not repurchase this though and instead bought the Honest antibacterial spray. </p><p><b>Mrs. Meyers Basil Multi-surface Cleaner-</b> My favorite multi-surface cleaner! I love the way this smells and will keep on repurchasing it. I always know that basil sounds like a weird scent but it smells so great.</p><p><b>Bath and Body Works Black Cherry Merlot Candle</b>- I always want to like this candle but it's never my favorite. It throws off a ton of scent so if you are big fan of the scent, then you will love it! I always like it, but because it's so strong I get sick of it so quickly. I am going to try to remember to not purchase this one in the future. </p><p><b>Bath and Body Works Tiki Beach Candle-</b> I liked this candle, but it was a typical beach scent. It is nice if that's what you're going for but I am definitely going to try out some different scents next time I go stock up at Bath and Body Works!</p><p><b>2 Cake Batter Chapsticks-</b> My favorite chapstick of all time! I have a huge back stock thanks to my husband :)</p><p><b>Bath and Body Works Endless Weekend Shower Gel-</b> I love, love, love this scent. I will keep repurchasing this both shower gel and lotion as well as the hand soap. It's always one of my favorites and if you are heading to BBW you should check it out!</p><p><br /></p><p>What products have you used up lately?!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-34413397794097857722021-06-01T02:00:00.001-04:002021-06-01T02:00:00.211-04:00Garden Updates- 1st Round <p> Hey everyone, happy Tuesday! I hope you all had a wonderful long weekend and took the time to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. It was a rainy weekend here in RI, but I still managed to get some things done around here. </p><p>I wanted to share some garden updates I made back in April since I am planning on doing some more gardening next weekend and can then share the completed look with you guys soon! Tim and I bought some mulch and are hoping that we can get everything planted and the mulch down maybe next weekend? Pregnancy has made my ambition to do project go wayyyy down but I really want our outdoor areas to look complete this summer.</p><p>So, anyways! Back in April Tim and I headed to Home Depot and picked up some plants.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBExZUb2PaM-ykeI_w4SgnlqoBNFUy75oRRR5TIrhr1GgswPeGpKzKNsqE2Jq9RpRU0YYddoXraXsjtJQP6JN2WFYQBtetfq8HH_FeI83iiGT36_ATLljeD7Sf228FCXQqryfl0zlc-KEd/s2048/ZS63AN7jSNadqGxKeyeLqg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBExZUb2PaM-ykeI_w4SgnlqoBNFUy75oRRR5TIrhr1GgswPeGpKzKNsqE2Jq9RpRU0YYddoXraXsjtJQP6JN2WFYQBtetfq8HH_FeI83iiGT36_ATLljeD7Sf228FCXQqryfl0zlc-KEd/w480-h640/ZS63AN7jSNadqGxKeyeLqg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RGyNZjkV1NucRrPf0iyOfCUmDxrXynxEgmzeSAkoOhd9skTzf5hVe8Pqb4ZJlmzBB1srIHuzvhrpfn7IFenY4zCGsM69-fDBh88Zq8iT1sgCow8m7CavtVqONaOCLJslN2GcKa8Co11j/s2048/zC2zXhT5T%2525yYlAvHscjIuw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RGyNZjkV1NucRrPf0iyOfCUmDxrXynxEgmzeSAkoOhd9skTzf5hVe8Pqb4ZJlmzBB1srIHuzvhrpfn7IFenY4zCGsM69-fDBh88Zq8iT1sgCow8m7CavtVqONaOCLJslN2GcKa8Co11j/w480-h640/zC2zXhT5T%2525yYlAvHscjIuw.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiau7iPImOhkEbIMuODpifpGjPTa-VcR5byATLoD7Z1tmrnA3K3eGXrHtvGX1IVq0CipFsTGYG8UcpEjVidZ5wysMjRTJMXtkXau60Uq1uCo16Kzko8OvzJq0_lIIC_1_6zPlw1BAzX2cT6/s2048/NoMPzeD3SPuPJqUdsaR5YQ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiau7iPImOhkEbIMuODpifpGjPTa-VcR5byATLoD7Z1tmrnA3K3eGXrHtvGX1IVq0CipFsTGYG8UcpEjVidZ5wysMjRTJMXtkXau60Uq1uCo16Kzko8OvzJq0_lIIC_1_6zPlw1BAzX2cT6/w480-h640/NoMPzeD3SPuPJqUdsaR5YQ.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4GqyZ4AXqDtvjQ4FA3MtW_viEPNDv1_MY8rtTlmwRE3VM1vUnZZJZXjnKbsXLpns_b323XX7jwz7CZhUfN0NPv5XeuA_dyxmaxfOz0akyAAWQwFIi3zEhpZooMSzK37Sj6sUqIzUTkTX/s2048/5TVJctnmRJyMuGoz%252BdIaRg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4GqyZ4AXqDtvjQ4FA3MtW_viEPNDv1_MY8rtTlmwRE3VM1vUnZZJZXjnKbsXLpns_b323XX7jwz7CZhUfN0NPv5XeuA_dyxmaxfOz0akyAAWQwFIi3zEhpZooMSzK37Sj6sUqIzUTkTX/w480-h640/5TVJctnmRJyMuGoz%252BdIaRg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6UxZD86j1vAKC871ZKDA4lVohqZusp3X_DMIKjuf8zwX8-TTIu-0bB1ZmciIBgWq37XjfxLNY1AtVHhSB2uVDpfJvwx-00fQrdiVvXhMlxDLsGJRFH1nFHTB4uScCUnaH4hENn-TTd2_/s2048/55MxDAToSsO%252BUseDc5e44g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6UxZD86j1vAKC871ZKDA4lVohqZusp3X_DMIKjuf8zwX8-TTIu-0bB1ZmciIBgWq37XjfxLNY1AtVHhSB2uVDpfJvwx-00fQrdiVvXhMlxDLsGJRFH1nFHTB4uScCUnaH4hENn-TTd2_/w480-h640/55MxDAToSsO%252BUseDc5e44g.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6R4BeRMQs5CpawyB-hZUstRqpsXxvmaflgOfamDg2UQh8ITkgYu6wB06Dy1dKmxBT8uQA_iLBJ05EYY9nY8_ZsDW1ZufzNNRMlrvsJajlLn2BKNV2cr9YDZ0VzCJ1O2iLeMsZwulIagR/s2048/DLdHqZ6pT5mYeXp7KK4t2A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6R4BeRMQs5CpawyB-hZUstRqpsXxvmaflgOfamDg2UQh8ITkgYu6wB06Dy1dKmxBT8uQA_iLBJ05EYY9nY8_ZsDW1ZufzNNRMlrvsJajlLn2BKNV2cr9YDZ0VzCJ1O2iLeMsZwulIagR/w480-h640/DLdHqZ6pT5mYeXp7KK4t2A.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I picked up some annuals and a few perennials. I wanted mostly perennials because that makes it so easy year after year keep the garden looking nice. I do love the color of annuals however and was happy to grab a few that could withstand the direct sun they would receive in our front garden. The previous owners of our house cut down every last tree so we have a very open front yard. Whatever we plant out there needs to be resilient!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAbkZwxD-LX26_1VodG4egMMj5a2d5eVxlsxTKuWZjPyAwp6v8dQP4BhgSu9_iwgdtTdm28DPqmTk4pwZ5Ft_iMdcHt7HtSC7QrzamLE4ePVv13MuNbQhahUe5bCdwmv_ZEOy7RDFfmqs/s2048/H6SO6KukQSuLuPFQImDZ9w.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAbkZwxD-LX26_1VodG4egMMj5a2d5eVxlsxTKuWZjPyAwp6v8dQP4BhgSu9_iwgdtTdm28DPqmTk4pwZ5Ft_iMdcHt7HtSC7QrzamLE4ePVv13MuNbQhahUe5bCdwmv_ZEOy7RDFfmqs/w640-h480/H6SO6KukQSuLuPFQImDZ9w.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I planted the salvia in the center of the garden, hoping it will bring a beautiful purple and also grow pretty big as the years go on. I then grouped three of the annuals together in the front of the garden to add some immediate color. I plan to get some more annuals to fill this in. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgklfLUbL2l3eZmsi1XUcglu97gFpYcK2ge5Db2bJ-_rpma7HTunFuLsZxbAfo7Hui9T7pMEndbvYmgF_OOGN1J58xHB1jKm5UXyCYuKIKS19AdcA-SvMAN3bxsKJcgS0UL3SmGBxwK3rrY/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4574.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgklfLUbL2l3eZmsi1XUcglu97gFpYcK2ge5Db2bJ-_rpma7HTunFuLsZxbAfo7Hui9T7pMEndbvYmgF_OOGN1J58xHB1jKm5UXyCYuKIKS19AdcA-SvMAN3bxsKJcgS0UL3SmGBxwK3rrY/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_4574.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The salvia closer up! I'm hoping this does well because I just love how pretty it is!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPg5o0MSBV8FgEdYsJR5gf_QjT6Aub3WYtgqPZRHJPQO3TGX5vQOmwWti29Ui_ZkTEpPOIcq-1Ufm-J4WoupdNN8P4VeRE5Y4HtjSA9hbhAdVozqzjWdL_vmG9lcV6NWELcyebF4AiYO6I/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4572.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPg5o0MSBV8FgEdYsJR5gf_QjT6Aub3WYtgqPZRHJPQO3TGX5vQOmwWti29Ui_ZkTEpPOIcq-1Ufm-J4WoupdNN8P4VeRE5Y4HtjSA9hbhAdVozqzjWdL_vmG9lcV6NWELcyebF4AiYO6I/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_4572.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the left side of the garden I put sedge because I think having some ornamental grass will be nice on the side of the garden. I also love that it is basically impossible to kill and super low maintenance. I also put the same few annuals grouped together in the back to tie in with the ones I planted in the front. This will also add some color. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Jrzb72IklJxwRT6kflPrhw8i98JlyVFEkCuVs0bqv5mtQq8driLaAUSwd7gaqPeCGb_Dnmv4mxOzwiuEfJjLFxYPWBdQsCGu_gVrJQbmdL69z16yJDaQ6HA-Ocks9qG-yKY2MnPwnzaN/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4559.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Jrzb72IklJxwRT6kflPrhw8i98JlyVFEkCuVs0bqv5mtQq8driLaAUSwd7gaqPeCGb_Dnmv4mxOzwiuEfJjLFxYPWBdQsCGu_gVrJQbmdL69z16yJDaQ6HA-Ocks9qG-yKY2MnPwnzaN/w480-h640/fullsizeoutput_4559.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also wanted to share the free tree I got this spring. The RI DEM was giving away free trees and I selected a London Planetree. We placed it in our front yard to add a little coverage. I love that this tree is expected to grow fairly quickly and even looking outside now it has added so many leaves since this picture. I can't wait to watch it grow and add some coverage in our front yard. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMQaZWAdCVOKzWug29GP2-ZzW5B2_jeLNtKxiiRvTvJNlYc_ZQL-Cklwo59MTe1piC_T32LPJxqaBcfshLgoqf6xfAss96R4Cd97wpFRqVILIHxuMudj_tj3UXqrCxhLl2-ggYbjEynQ-/s2048/fullsizeoutput_45a6.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMQaZWAdCVOKzWug29GP2-ZzW5B2_jeLNtKxiiRvTvJNlYc_ZQL-Cklwo59MTe1piC_T32LPJxqaBcfshLgoqf6xfAss96R4Cd97wpFRqVILIHxuMudj_tj3UXqrCxhLl2-ggYbjEynQ-/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_45a6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We have a garden up by the very front of our yard and in the fall I planted a bunch of tulip bulbs. I was shocked that every last one of them came up this year! I will be adding more bulbs this fall so we can really fill this garden in. The tulips are all dead now and I really need to get out there and clip them down. It was so nice to have that pop of color when spring had just begun and we needed to see some signs of life. I also am loving that we had some evergreens in this garden which stayed nice year round and the other perennials we planted last year came back this spring. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67RmjmDu84WEgAV3pUtFjld8kjfmTPAagR6GJryuX8VrwGxuT3XocIkyT4qa6cd8Oufj-AqUPDL2eLpB2rvqgCkjpr4xrLoQRIf307z1QPbpb6QERrC6s-7y8GMecOUti9u__YVBiCTBO/s2048/ufsqrladSiO%2525fMSiPY6fWQ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67RmjmDu84WEgAV3pUtFjld8kjfmTPAagR6GJryuX8VrwGxuT3XocIkyT4qa6cd8Oufj-AqUPDL2eLpB2rvqgCkjpr4xrLoQRIf307z1QPbpb6QERrC6s-7y8GMecOUti9u__YVBiCTBO/w480-h640/ufsqrladSiO%2525fMSiPY6fWQ.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's another view and you can see how this garden relates to the front garden. I am thinking about adding some pink annuals in the very front of the garden now that the tulips have gone by. We have a drive by baby shower planned for July and I would love to have something pink up here but I also am worried about having to lug a watering can out there every day in the summer...pregnancy problems :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have been busy sketching out my gardens and what our plan is going to be for the new gardens we are making in the backyard. I need to replace one boxwood that isn't doing really great and I would like to add evergreens to the left side of the garden. I also am planning on moving my bird bath from the backyard to the front garden if I can make it look nice with evergreens around it. I also would like to get a few small items to add into the garden. Little animals or something like that? I plan on purchasing a bunch of plants for the back yard and a few more for the front. Our side garden is where I planted the hostas but I will share that when that garden is extended along the fence because right now it's just three hostas along the side of the house. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know that my gardens are super young and need time to develop but I have a hard time not filling everything in immediately. I don't want it to look like it's overflowing but I do want it to look more full than it does now. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I said, my plan is to head out to buy plants this week at some point and then get everything mulched over the weekend. Hopefully I'll be able to share a garden update with you next week, but if we don't get everything done, don't be too shocked- I am pregnant after all! :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have a great day everyone!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-13167496676637515022021-05-26T03:00:00.016-04:002021-05-26T07:38:44.476-04:00Vanishing Twin<p> Todays post is extremely difficult for me to write. It might be the most difficult thing I've ever written in my life. </p><p>When I shared our announcement I briefly mentioned that we had been pregnant with twins and unfortunately lost our sweet baby B. Today I want to go into more detail about this pregnancy and the experience we've had. I have never felt as alone as I have while going through this. If I can write this and help someone else going through this someday and help them feel less alone, that's what I'll do.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Mr1plQnZxUg9oFkf5tkE0DfvsQJeykpCtBM9COjF_vGR2hsYEM58HJgiOx-uQdyBV7-UQI93AZtI3xJ1EQRMjWCn3ssi08OXIjcDZSgglT7WAwY64D7KUVUElMOWV0FqShIl5gNhmp_C/s2048/fullsizeoutput_4050.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Mr1plQnZxUg9oFkf5tkE0DfvsQJeykpCtBM9COjF_vGR2hsYEM58HJgiOx-uQdyBV7-UQI93AZtI3xJ1EQRMjWCn3ssi08OXIjcDZSgglT7WAwY64D7KUVUElMOWV0FqShIl5gNhmp_C/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_4050.heic" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The week of Christmas we found out we were pregnant. We had been struggling with infertility for 18 months at that point. We were skeptical at every positive pregnancy test. I remember telling Tim I was pretty sure I was pregnant and him telling me he wasn't going to get too excited just in case it wasn't true.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once I had taken what seemed like a million pregnancy tests and we were sure that I actually had managed to get pregnant we started to get excited and I scheduled my first appointments.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I should also mention that the month we got pregnant was my first month on Clomid. We knew that a possibility with Clomid was the increased likelihood of twins. My papa is a fraternal twin and I knew that in my family it was possible that I could end up with twins naturally. I have always been obsessed with the idea of being a twin (I blame the Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen era) and having twins seemed like a dream to me. Yes, a lot more work than just having one baby...but it was something I hoped for. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFi_4pnUGNt3Gxrk2MAt2QqgzDTNeF9rQXEeY83OdfF5_g5OLGAAHxJDB-TWTQzJk4bfPFrxMSSwPDrKKMsC94Gw7-b_AUwML3zLD-oRL3eahk0EOhbsplNH75a_5w8y0mQSjspjmgmmvi/s2048/PBvZygj8ROCaSqvKwN2qFw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFi_4pnUGNt3Gxrk2MAt2QqgzDTNeF9rQXEeY83OdfF5_g5OLGAAHxJDB-TWTQzJk4bfPFrxMSSwPDrKKMsC94Gw7-b_AUwML3zLD-oRL3eahk0EOhbsplNH75a_5w8y0mQSjspjmgmmvi/w480-h640/PBvZygj8ROCaSqvKwN2qFw.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Due to COVID, Tim wasn't allowed into my ultrasound. As I laid on the table I wished for a healthy baby, just one healthy baby but two would be great too. The ultrasound tech giggled and I knew in that instant that I had my twins. I blurted out "Is it twins?!!?" and she confirmed that yes there were two babies in there, each in their own sac. Baby A was measuring four days ahead of Baby B, but she assured me that was completely normal. She printed out the ultrasound pictures and I literally skipped out to the car where Tim was waiting for me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Afterwards, Tim said he could just see that I was happy and he thought it was just the relief that we had one healthy baby. When I handed him the pictures I said "Please don't kill me" and laughed. I explained that it was twins and all my obsessing much have worked and I manifested twins. I would often in the following weeks refer to it as manifested and now I regret that. I think Tim was in a slight state of shock but he quickly became excited as well. Two babies!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The date of our first ultrasound was January 22nd. Being 8 weeks pregnant, not everyone knew about the pregnancy but we had told our parents, siblings, and best friends that we were expecting. Of course everyone was anxious to hear about our ultrasound so we told everyone that we were expecting twins. Everyone was thrilled and we expressed our nervousness for having not just one but two babies. We talked about it at length. We discussed needing a bigger house, adding an addition, the extra cost-- basically all monetary concerns but we were so excited to welcome these two little babies into our family.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then I went to my 10 week appointment.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On Thursday February 4th I had my 10 week appointment with my OBGYN. She used the in-room doppler and could only find one heartbeat. I had the option of sitting around in the waiting room hoping for an ultrasound appointment to open up or going home and waiting for a call. I chose to go home and unfortunately was not given an appointment until the following Monday February 8th. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Those four days were absolute hell. I just held my stomach and cried. I prayed that both babies would be healthy. I begged and pleaded saying I would give anything to have two healthy babies. No amount of hoping, praying or wishing would matter.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhd102xmex-igvxUmtR6lOfnOil83dgMGZVI3M5WgO-TnfJ4RiQcQneQ7JlfH6Vr8NkhueJP8x0jUQQMWT5xe1nx0yQBIZMt0LPri-dMdJJ8DQD83-3n4mhTw83Ja513XKFpqzF6nwr7vm/s2048/UVRftQNxQXSbpA4Be5zpNw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhd102xmex-igvxUmtR6lOfnOil83dgMGZVI3M5WgO-TnfJ4RiQcQneQ7JlfH6Vr8NkhueJP8x0jUQQMWT5xe1nx0yQBIZMt0LPri-dMdJJ8DQD83-3n4mhTw83Ja513XKFpqzF6nwr7vm/w480-h640/UVRftQNxQXSbpA4Be5zpNw.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div>On Monday I laid on the table as not one, but two ultrasound techs looked at Baby B and couldn't find a heartbeat. Baby A was healthy and developing normally but Baby B had stopped growing a few days after my first ultrasound. If you've ever had a miscarriage I imagine this feeling is similar. You wonder how you didn't know that something was wrong. You feel like a failure as a mother for having no idea that your baby wasn't alive anymore. I tried to hold it in but I just laid on the table and sobbed and sobbed. I have never felt more pain in my life. <div><br /></div><div>Tim was thankfully outside in the car (they again wouldn't let him inside due to COVID). He knew the second he saw me and I just collapsed into him in tears. I couldn't have asked for a more amazing husband, best friend and partner in life. He just held me while I cried. </div><div><br /></div><div>The aftermath wasn't fun. I had to tell everyone we had told about the twins two weeks prior that now we were only having one baby. I cried as I told Baby A that I was so sorry I couldn't give them their sibling and I cried as I told Baby B how much I wished they had been okay. I blamed myself, I think everyone does. Most people were very supportive and just told me they were there for me whatever I needed. There were a few who made the "wrong" comments and said it was for the best and there must've been something wrong with Baby B. <b>If you EVER know someone who is miscarrying a baby please never never never make a comment like this. It does not help, it does not make the mother feel better, it only makes you seem like an asshole.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Now, I've never had a singleton miscarriage so I can't say for sure but I do believe they feel different. From everything I've read from people who have had both a singleton miscarriage and vanishing twin the difference is that when the miscarriage happens, the pregnancy is over. You are able to move on, getting pregnant again, or not. You can mourn the baby you lost. I was expected to feel thankful for the one baby I still had inside me and almost forget about Baby B. The pregnancy never ends, their is no closure and that has been the hardest part so far. Not one day goes by that I don't think about Baby B and how I wish they were still growing. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was angry and sad and devastated. It was hard for me to celebrate being pregnant for awhile. It was hard for me to make the announcement. It was hard to hear congratulations from people when I didn't want to be congratulated. It seemed like people were forgetting that it was supposed to be two babies, not just one. I was SO angry. I listened to a lot of Taylor Swift. t<i>his is me trying </i>and <i>evermore</i> were two songs I listened to on repeat. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFKBL3gHZzQ0ICkIWfpa6cSiKcb0YbhkGyq-aXL1PEn_PiztyH-235PEqpk2QcJU1GBlE_Gmn1upgW7ortBv7HEclyAGqEPT0nUvYNdKJj2T5DQR7aPhZYkOEXzUKOitpEp0BSeRJKrxO/s1136/IMG_2947.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="1136" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFKBL3gHZzQ0ICkIWfpa6cSiKcb0YbhkGyq-aXL1PEn_PiztyH-235PEqpk2QcJU1GBlE_Gmn1upgW7ortBv7HEclyAGqEPT0nUvYNdKJj2T5DQR7aPhZYkOEXzUKOitpEp0BSeRJKrxO/w640-h434/IMG_2947.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I still feel devastated about our loss. I often feel guilty and depressed. This pregnancy has been <b>hard.</b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you don't know what happens with vanishing twin it's not like a traditional miscarriage, at least not in the first trimester. The second baby ends up getting reabsorbed back into the mom or other baby. Baby B will always be a part of me and Ellie. We will always carry her with us. </div><div><br /></div>Now we don't know for sure, but since the blood work determined that Ellie was a girl there is a good chance that Baby B was a girl as well. Tim and I both feel that she was a girl. We had names picked out if we had twin girls, Ellie and Olivia. We chose to name our surviving baby Ellie Olivia, but also know that Olivia would have been the name of her sister. We did this to honor her and also acknowledge that she is a part of our family and always will be.</div><div><br /></div><div>Going forward I'm not sure what will happen. Will I feel like I'm missing a baby at the time of birth? Will I always feel that there is a presence missing in our family? Will I look at other twins and burst into tears because my girl should have a twin beside her as well? These are all things I read other vanishing twin moms experienced. I can't predict the future but I am an extremely sensitive person and know that this will always affect me. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have heard from other women who have experienced miscarriages saying that it will all make sense later when I have future kids I will see my family is the way it is supposed to be. I don't think this really works for vanishing twin though because she always would've been able to be here. It's not as if I lost a baby and then got pregnant with another one. They were able to coexist. Everyones experience is different, I'm not saying that one is more or less valid than the other, just that it's comparing apples to oranges. I don't think you can compare miscarriage to vanishing twin, they are just too different. </div><div><br /></div><div>If anyone out there is going through vanishing twin, please feel free to reach out to me. My email is on the right side of my homepage and you can also message me on Instagram @balancingonmytoes. I have felt horribly alone throughout this entire process and it's hard to talk to people who haven't experienced it or people who have gone through something different and feel it's the same. It's just not. Living with a pregnancy that causes you joy and pain simultaneously is extremely exhausting, j<b>ust know you are not alone.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Again, please reach out if you need me and I hope this helps someone, somewhere. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><p><u>Additional Resources on Vanishing Twin</u></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><u>https://www.babycenter.com/pregnancy/your-baby/strange-but-true-vanishing-twins_10364948</u></li><li><u>https://www.parents.com/pregnancy/complications/miscarriage/vanishing-twin-syndrome-is-more-common-than-you-thought/</u></li><li><u>https://www.yahoo.com/now/half-pregnancy-experience-vanishing-twin-105606611.html</u></li><li><u>https://www.scarymommy.com/vanishing-twin-miscarriage/</u></li><li><u>https://fargo.momcollective.com/why-isnt-a-healthy-baby-enough-coping-with-vanishing-twin-syndrome/</u></li><li><u>https://www.today.com/parents/when-joy-lives-alongside-grief-losing-twin-during-pregnancy-t13946</u></li></ul><div>Many of these articles helped me when I first found out. There weren't many people who wrote about this experience but knowing that there were a few people who felt the same things as me gave me hope and I hope it does the same for you.</div><p></p></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-85218966788548865472021-05-24T01:30:00.001-04:002021-05-24T01:30:00.211-04:0010 Recent Amazon Buys<p> Happy Monday friends! </p><p>Can you believe next weekend is Memorial Day Weekend? Yesterday was a scorcher here. (If you don't know what a scorcher is...it's how we say it's really hot in Rhode Island). So far we only have one A/C in our bedroom and haven't put in the other but the rest of the week it's not supposed to be quite as hot, so we decided to suffer through without our main area A/C for a little longer. </p><p>Today I thought I would share all my recent Amazon purchases because I love seeing other bloggers post about what they've picked up recently. I shop on Amazon quite a bit because of the free two day shipping (sometimes next day!) and since I'm still not fully vaccinated I'm still not shopping in person all that often. Hopefully that will change because I get my final shot on Friday!!</p><p>Let's get started!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeWICOcmuR58BDqNk3EeRUyh1JvZsctsv89jXu0Naj8y_21C-49C-GbBIZrHo-ES8iB7zI86UieQQJi7cMPEXUYUkm-8mVHgCW19L4AifK8ucp-WiikbCjnr2yGgyZ80Trg6ZVioS5OfEb/s1950/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.26.33+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="1950" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeWICOcmuR58BDqNk3EeRUyh1JvZsctsv89jXu0Naj8y_21C-49C-GbBIZrHo-ES8iB7zI86UieQQJi7cMPEXUYUkm-8mVHgCW19L4AifK8ucp-WiikbCjnr2yGgyZ80Trg6ZVioS5OfEb/w640-h216/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.26.33+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Okay I haven't received <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07R3K253H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">this splash pad</a> yet, but I totally bought it for my dogs! It should be coming in the mail today and I'm so excited for the girls to run through it. It has some wonderful reviews and a lot of people say they are surprised that it has held up so well with their dogs digging at it. I hope that works for us, but at least at $17 it really isn't an insane price so we will hopefully enjoy it for awhile. Also, next summer we will have an almost one year old and while she probably won't be running around, she might enjoy being carried through the sprinkler! <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJMzYh-Um0acJ7JteW7DQFabiGQwDGtppH52l4RXR7UFzsIWlMjD0ZtnvpmAgcBhZskZgQ54mWs5NGnj1ek77uuLfynvw_x1YXHCbImVzdMI3wnPxyDOHQVOZ6_CHz9RE-aBUOV1aRpFv/s1910/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.32.58+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="1910" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJMzYh-Um0acJ7JteW7DQFabiGQwDGtppH52l4RXR7UFzsIWlMjD0ZtnvpmAgcBhZskZgQ54mWs5NGnj1ek77uuLfynvw_x1YXHCbImVzdMI3wnPxyDOHQVOZ6_CHz9RE-aBUOV1aRpFv/w640-h392/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.32.58+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Keeping it real over here...none of my bras fit me anymore. Since bras are expensive and I never seem to do a great job at finding bras that fit well I thought I would chance it and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LW1W1G6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">try out these</a>. I quickly tried one on before throwing them in the wash, but it seemed to fit pretty well and I love that they are only $10 a piece. I will definitely be testing them out more and hopefully they'll work out great!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbuo8LU4Y8gbPWR9ncFeNriIr1fxoho5HJJy1tfjkA5QFD9FgCjDXEbP8DjV-iD_9XP81us0FvrQQ2QG1qYzEtuxFpe8jVwlZ9kUwbI4FH3ZQOtvkE4XUVXxUbNlCb4gqNWbAB8WILgw7n/s1996/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.36.53+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1996" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbuo8LU4Y8gbPWR9ncFeNriIr1fxoho5HJJy1tfjkA5QFD9FgCjDXEbP8DjV-iD_9XP81us0FvrQQ2QG1qYzEtuxFpe8jVwlZ9kUwbI4FH3ZQOtvkE4XUVXxUbNlCb4gqNWbAB8WILgw7n/w640-h384/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.36.53+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I actually purchased these <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08QV3D8NJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">baking cups</a> for the cup holders in my car. I want to try to keep my cup holders clean and these are easy to pop out and rinse off. They are a little small but seem to be working so far! I might use the other ones for making muffins since I have so many. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFLk4sFXJJbb_uuEWjpF9cj9FH0Fcrk_nsRexKv0JAeP4tYPOfPIci8midi3YVlNaJ8FqcXglSy1nLBTxv4AfuDmwn3nVdfpPKJaTwQNdcWSkiO8q0v1M0hi54ApvrFpwPGAvThdR6cOR/s1838/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.40.24+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="1838" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFLk4sFXJJbb_uuEWjpF9cj9FH0Fcrk_nsRexKv0JAeP4tYPOfPIci8midi3YVlNaJ8FqcXglSy1nLBTxv4AfuDmwn3nVdfpPKJaTwQNdcWSkiO8q0v1M0hi54ApvrFpwPGAvThdR6cOR/w640-h408/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.40.24+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>My Amazon account tells me that this is the third time I have purchased <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001B0V5GG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">Folex cleaner</a> which can only mean one thing....it's amazing! We had to purchase this quickly since we have a new little friend learning to potty train. Luckily this cleaner is great and removes stains like no other carpet cleaner I've ever seen.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TnUtdYZ_4-7Y2BaKDeZQt1Q607alGHEW8LUoh_XxsLM9j1uLPTQG0UGGGZnh4GdzKLVVP6QvsGXa8UtTbz2sDHS0is8lIBmaxZMV3RojfI0zuMq70CfsNcbPaxFWrYKkYRsjohoX5mqL/s1864/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.42.58+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1214" data-original-width="1864" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TnUtdYZ_4-7Y2BaKDeZQt1Q607alGHEW8LUoh_XxsLM9j1uLPTQG0UGGGZnh4GdzKLVVP6QvsGXa8UtTbz2sDHS0is8lIBmaxZMV3RojfI0zuMq70CfsNcbPaxFWrYKkYRsjohoX5mqL/w640-h416/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.42.58+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DRLWQ28/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">These baby swaddles</a> are so cute! I follow Coupon with Kayla on Instagram and TikTok and am also a part of her Telegram group and when she shared a deal on this set I had to order it. She has a lot of great deals so definitely check her page out if you love Amazon deals.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVoKQ3kbQsCXQZ8pYHgpZoIRg26Df4KaphbtusTsnseQ3gYNoCkL1FqvfBQU4K-TeMfoBtbS1NKF4LUoWTPT7-lt0ECbbezYY5g3qPXYQ2SGolTsd6HjN6fRUnDfCExMmSRw0wAlAWnUI/s2032/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.46.34+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1252" data-original-width="2032" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVoKQ3kbQsCXQZ8pYHgpZoIRg26Df4KaphbtusTsnseQ3gYNoCkL1FqvfBQU4K-TeMfoBtbS1NKF4LUoWTPT7-lt0ECbbezYY5g3qPXYQ2SGolTsd6HjN6fRUnDfCExMmSRw0wAlAWnUI/w640-h394/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.46.34+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>I have an Amazon registry for my planned drive by baby shower and put a couple of items on it that kept being sold out. I wanted to make sure I was able to get some of the items, so I picked <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082181WVY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">this muslin swaddle blanket</a>. I am obsessed with all things goldendoodle (obviously) and new that Ellie needed this blanket. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rfzCKR3pJ46n1MjxJmlTkAgHadsjJFyvBflg473Sv4XXMejJhxVOB7o1HPJAcHczzywhVtBc41rA2wfY-eYRHGLUn_KLEZ1V0RYJEd2vwKU6s3fjRE8kA0I-wSj6ICKv8X1a8xso7KUS/s1926/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.49.59+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="1926" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rfzCKR3pJ46n1MjxJmlTkAgHadsjJFyvBflg473Sv4XXMejJhxVOB7o1HPJAcHczzywhVtBc41rA2wfY-eYRHGLUn_KLEZ1V0RYJEd2vwKU6s3fjRE8kA0I-wSj6ICKv8X1a8xso7KUS/w640-h372/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.49.59+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Along the same lines...Ellie needed <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DD4RLFG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">this lovie.</a> I already know I'm going to be an "extra" mom, if you've seen the dog toy pile in my house you can imagine how I will be with my first human baby :)</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUeLzfXrTUTJSNTIzkqpbv4UxI-IuJIESI_BxOWQPNr1YSdVXB7Wqx_ONjRTOm3j13A2ikfuyxVWE9eHWpAYiO4lPz6RVaXcHBWoWVbuuMewsVPNQbMlgErcSnZWgp2dZiDn1Ar8dTnC5y/s1980/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.52.03+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1980" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUeLzfXrTUTJSNTIzkqpbv4UxI-IuJIESI_BxOWQPNr1YSdVXB7Wqx_ONjRTOm3j13A2ikfuyxVWE9eHWpAYiO4lPz6RVaXcHBWoWVbuuMewsVPNQbMlgErcSnZWgp2dZiDn1Ar8dTnC5y/w640-h376/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.52.03+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>So this <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N52Z30T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">dog paw washer</a> is the first product on this list that I didn't love. My dogs get super dirty and then getting them wet just created a huge mess in my house. I think if we had a mud room it wouldn't be so bad because I could stop the dogs in one room but since they enter directly into the kitchen they make such a mess!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Qx61CDZIMm_MHXVhflSirEv_BscVxYpdCYUbbeGv1L_4VUt0jeBE-JiuONg5709fqQN_k2CuRdNbpUZh1wVDwwioc58yIgqUmyfr1BjoqN2OKAzW34Z4O0C3zrKUb3R3D8ZADRSHKctl/s1960/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.58.18+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1960" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Qx61CDZIMm_MHXVhflSirEv_BscVxYpdCYUbbeGv1L_4VUt0jeBE-JiuONg5709fqQN_k2CuRdNbpUZh1wVDwwioc58yIgqUmyfr1BjoqN2OKAzW34Z4O0C3zrKUb3R3D8ZADRSHKctl/w640-h336/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+5.58.18+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0727YMRWP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">These sheets</a> are awesome! We own two sets of them- one white and the newest one is in this light blue. They are so soft and comfy. I would 100% purchase them again. There is usually a deal on them too which is great if you are looking for a great deal on great sheets. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4zDTBeoOR0Iq3VcM8D1yF_i20ydrrXPcOxaOQLLKaeFBd1gbkl3s5TzNzkkZS2GbgeaZuPlC2tFmTSmbqP72i62nmp8ebGxxxqmxUDETJ7q3wMGUo75V27bFh8aj_lao2T-QDk9Yrnpb/s2026/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+6.00.56+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1048" data-original-width="2026" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4zDTBeoOR0Iq3VcM8D1yF_i20ydrrXPcOxaOQLLKaeFBd1gbkl3s5TzNzkkZS2GbgeaZuPlC2tFmTSmbqP72i62nmp8ebGxxxqmxUDETJ7q3wMGUo75V27bFh8aj_lao2T-QDk9Yrnpb/w640-h332/Screen+Shot+2021-05-23+at+6.00.56+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I picked up <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BWZWEAK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">this bookcase</a> for Ellie's room and honestly it isn't great. It is made of really cheap material and I was very much hoping for a more solid bookcase. I might need to replace it a few years down the road, but for now it will hold her books and toys and it was super cheap. I mostly was just looking for something fairly inexpensive to hold us over. If that's what you're looking for too, it would certainly work but if you are looking for a long lasting piece of furniture, this is definitely not it!<br /><p>Those are my 10 most recent Amazon buys! What have you picked up from Amazon lately? Anything you recommend?</p><p>Have a great day!</p></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1721975320242799731.post-33478058878518911602021-05-19T01:30:00.036-04:002021-05-19T01:30:00.219-04:00New Rugs!<p>Hi everyone! Today I thought I would share two quick decor updates that have arrived the last few weeks. Both are rugs but I think they are making a world of difference. </p><p>We had a white and gray runner in our hallway from the My Texas House collection and I absolutely loved it. I really did think that it fit perfectly in the hallway and I am a huge fan of that collection...however with my two dogs the white was quickly turning darker and darker. If we had a second floor where the dogs wouldn't immediately run over the rug with their dirty feet. </p><p>I was slightly disappointed to have to pick out a darker rug, but I ended up finding a pretty blue rug on Wayfair. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-5QRitqNpoDMYY4pvnYZ4m-o1QXz30BECweKh7-0Dpl6EmwmJTr2u8JrDsvxGboMkd70ZDHJitDkISMUwTiQw-F1p2IspuaDXOlUsnpRqRBqjYRTHFIvmTqoElVLeHVucK_HA91h8Cpc/s2048/MLEviTHfRMycLtQnKlGizg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-5QRitqNpoDMYY4pvnYZ4m-o1QXz30BECweKh7-0Dpl6EmwmJTr2u8JrDsvxGboMkd70ZDHJitDkISMUwTiQw-F1p2IspuaDXOlUsnpRqRBqjYRTHFIvmTqoElVLeHVucK_HA91h8Cpc/w480-h640/MLEviTHfRMycLtQnKlGizg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For some reason it looks super small in this picture but it is the same size as the previous rug. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_oVGVsNCoWwF0pyZa0OElE5vGCcvtWbUMncEJ17zqJhj1AqMJjPVP4z6n1AeWpVI6d_RlNaAnzTf4XprTS3B_bhDo-LPxiL9at7BsYaL4-lBMYYGJeUL-uw25DI-OlGr7qWjXvCJnr3Wd/s2048/iobsSNCESAGs3btWnZzZrg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_oVGVsNCoWwF0pyZa0OElE5vGCcvtWbUMncEJ17zqJhj1AqMJjPVP4z6n1AeWpVI6d_RlNaAnzTf4XprTS3B_bhDo-LPxiL9at7BsYaL4-lBMYYGJeUL-uw25DI-OlGr7qWjXvCJnr3Wd/w480-h640/iobsSNCESAGs3btWnZzZrg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I like that it's darker and definitely hides dog foot prints and the blue is very pretty but I do kind of miss my white rug!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The second rug that came in is the rug for Ellie's nursery! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I really wanted a pink rug but nothing too intense. I think the light pink goes well with the starry sky wall paper and the neutral furniture. These pictures making the walls look darker than they actually are. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GeMXhfV8pU4dqLvnAZF19SQBAJMRSXtsRCGR67Z17KKCYguX8sg7xSmcCEgDecYfyMaLZJQ5Hqod1JqUv5W8Jv3W2mZg7sLXdsWX4fwzPF_ysvhf6DnDjIyfTeTlT-AJipQGLM1nMINy/s2048/fullsizeoutput_45f3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GeMXhfV8pU4dqLvnAZF19SQBAJMRSXtsRCGR67Z17KKCYguX8sg7xSmcCEgDecYfyMaLZJQ5Hqod1JqUv5W8Jv3W2mZg7sLXdsWX4fwzPF_ysvhf6DnDjIyfTeTlT-AJipQGLM1nMINy/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_45f3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have quite a bit to still do in this room but I can't wait to share all the projects as we complete them! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVUwnaguvl75KqMpOvMXOBSMvDVzkJ_96LG2NT5bSgqGEI2yk9GpgyPjvlegNZjIasmWOZDXxSf7ieZ5gW3r55XKVBFMt1FpMr7wq2fKDCU4GqcBEiUkQ7F4TC7_Ol0_YyDmEp2MXLYlJ/s2048/fullsizeoutput_45f4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVUwnaguvl75KqMpOvMXOBSMvDVzkJ_96LG2NT5bSgqGEI2yk9GpgyPjvlegNZjIasmWOZDXxSf7ieZ5gW3r55XKVBFMt1FpMr7wq2fKDCU4GqcBEiUkQ7F4TC7_Ol0_YyDmEp2MXLYlJ/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_45f4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The girls were so proud that they helped me pull the old rug out and put the new one down. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmejpLJW0HkQLPlr2tPxkp9bjMHPGHupYez79zoRZRP03jaeZm3pzgoGp4mPHbRNFACQteQJVQF14IpaRdKYFZoe7HVzbYeTK6WGVlKiAIDYVKhZUf67OVZSid18SubnZHrHcZkiwprjI/s2048/fullsizeoutput_45f5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmejpLJW0HkQLPlr2tPxkp9bjMHPGHupYez79zoRZRP03jaeZm3pzgoGp4mPHbRNFACQteQJVQF14IpaRdKYFZoe7HVzbYeTK6WGVlKiAIDYVKhZUf67OVZSid18SubnZHrHcZkiwprjI/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_45f5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love this picture of the girls! This shows how nice the rug looks with the white crib too. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you're looking for me I'll be over on Pinterest looking for more ideas for the nursery :)</div><br /><p></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06056269262691690041noreply@blogger.com0