Hi, fiends!! Today I'm partnering with my #1 place to shop, Nordstrom. You all know this already though, as I'm frequently sharing all of my amazing finds from there! I'm often asked how I'll know if something looks good in person, if the online photo doesn't do it much justice? My answer is easy, first of all, if you know your personal style, you'll get a nudge for the piece in question! Second, Nordstrom has free shipping and free returns. They make it easy to try whatever you want without the hassle of paying for the potential return if it doesn't work out!
I found these 3 dresses, and was so excited to share with you all. I'm sure you've seen my Instagram posts and stories all about them, but let this be the "official" post where you can always go back for sizing info, etc!
All three dresses run true to size. My first dress is $98, and comes in 4 different color options. The straps are removable so you can wear this strapless if you'd like!
Second dress is absolutely stunning in person and can be unbuttoned completely to be worn as an additional piece over your swimsuit! This is not a sheer dress, but I would recommend nude undergarments. I love pairing this dress with my lace bralettes ($39), and I'm wearing the "nude" color with this dress!
My third dress is a stunning option if you want to add a little color into your spring and summer wardrobe. I LOVE this red color, it's vibrant without being tacky and can be worn over and over each year. Also comes in two other color options that are more neutral! (Would also be super cute for Cinco De Mayo parties, and baby showers) This dress runs TTS for me, but I would size up one size if you are concerned for length, granted this dress is considered a "minidress" so keep that in mind. It's always good to have different dress length options in your closet. For me, I would wear this one for date night and any time I'm not chasing my toddlers. The previous two dresses work wonderfully for mothers, as the length is longer.
Thank you to Nordstrom for partnering on this post. My thoughts and opinions are ALWAYS my own.
Today is pretty exciting as I'm sharing a fun collaboration with Mud Pie that I was overjoyed to have been able to shoot with my Madelyn! You guys, she was SO excited to help mommy. My heart seriously exploded!
I have never had the chance to shop at Mud Pie, but when they reached out and I took a look at their styles and products offered I was truly blown away that I had never shopped here before. For example, my dress and tassel coverup will be a closet staple this summer. I already plan on packing both when we go on our beach trip.
Mud Pie not only has items for us women, but they also offer kids and baby, home decor, and gifts. Apologies in advance for the mass amount of items I'm going to link and recommend to y'all. I was impressed with the selection and fair pricing.
If you're a mama, I'm obsessed with all of the baby and kids clothing, accessories, and decor. I actually ordered Madelyn this fun dress and matching popsicle swimsuit (outside of this sponsored collaboration with my own money) once I saw it hit the new arrivals section. She will love it this summer! I'll be sure to share the big order I placed once it gets here, because the new arrivals really got me, LOL.
Hi, Friends! This post has all of the links, and information on the products I use when I want a full coverage, long-wearing makeup look. All of the color names for each product are included as well as my favorite brushes that I use for application.
2. Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion foundation - I use shade 2N2 Linen when I'm not wearing self tanner, and shade 3C1 Dune when I am. I use a beauty blender for application.
3. Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion concealer - I always use shade 1C because I like a bright under eye concealer that works for cool undertones for my dark blue circles!
10. My favorite go-to eye looks - Lightly buff your bronzer into your crease for an easy way to tie your eyes into the rest of your makeup look, or use the Laura Mercier eye shadow stick in my absolute favorite nude color "Au Naturel" This is such a great everyday lid color if you love neutrals!! Another great option if you love a neutral eye like I do, is the Nars Skin Deep palette.
Today I am so excited to be partnering with Nordstrom to share all of my favorite dress options for the upcoming Prom season! Ah, I remember shopping for my prom dresses like it was just yesterday. My FAVORITE time of the year when I was in high school! I remember my mom always being overwhelmed, so I basically shopped all over online by myself and found what I liked and then we would order a few options. Depending upon where you live, it can be really hard to find a store close to you that sells a good variety of prom dresses.
It's not a secret that I love Nordstrom for many reasons, but one of them being the fact that they have free shipping and returns. So, order whatever you want, try it all on in the comfort of your own home, then send back whatever didn't work!
Granted, I'm a pregnant mother of two, so I won't be attending prom myself LOL, but I'm hoping that this post can be helpful for any parents that may read my blog that have daughters attending this year, and anyone attending prom that stumbles upon this post. I've found a lot of gorgeous pieces from all price points!
PS: If you're pregnant, the dress I'm wearing in these photos is perfect for a stunning maternity session! I went up from an xs to a small. You can actually buy this dress for prom and then later wear it to a wedding, any formal function, a party, baby shower.. the possibilities are endless! Plus, it's only $84!!
Hi, friends! I wanted to create an updated post with my personal favorites for new parents during that first year of life! This post can work for you if this is your first baby, second, or third, and so on, doesn't really matter. This is baby #3 for us :)
Carseats -
Uppababy Mesa infant car seat - We love this car seat. It worked for Kai up until his first birthday, and he's always been a big boy! It's really convenient if you have an Uppababy stroller. We have the Vista and loved having the ability to click the carseat right in.
For convertible car seats when your little one is ready to be transitioned, I can't say enough about our Nuna Rava carseats. The absolute best we have ever tried! Extra leg support has saved Madelyn with her longer legs. The seat itself is extremely sturdy and crazy easy to install within seconds. This has made it super easy when transferring seats to other vehicles. Built in cupholders that fold down and easy to clean material. The seats themselves are super comfortable while being very safe!
Stollers -
Our current stroller system that we have and really love is the Uppababy Vista, which works great with our Mesa car seat. We also have the rumble seats that Maddy and Kai loved riding in together, so it easily converts to a double stroller if you need it.
My favorite stroller we ever had was the Stokke Xplory. It was SO easy to maneuver out in public places, shopping etc. You'll just need a car seat adapter for your car seat, but most strollers require adapters anyways! Unfortunately, we donated ours a long time ago before we moved to Florida from SC. Such great stroller option though and wish we still had it around this time for baby #3!
Clothing, Blankets, Swaddles -
For those first weeks, and even months, cozy onesies and sleepers are your best friend. I remember buying all the cute outfits for Madelyn in newborn and 0-3 month sizes and she literally never wore one ha ha! Unless you want a few for photos, the only clothing your tiny babe will need is something simple, comfortable, soft, and easy access for diaper changes.
I recently started picking up things for baby boy, and ordered this zipper footie from Kickee Pants, omg the softest ever! You'll also love having a zipper instead of buttons when they are so young and need diaper changes more frequently!
Copper Pearl is another amazing brand for little ones. I am obsessed with the quality of their swaddles, burp cloths and quilts. Insanely soft and feel like they will stretch perfectly to create the perfect snug swaddle.
The Ollie Swaddle is hands down totally necessary for keeping your newborn nice and tight, we loved ours so much I had one for both babes and I'm getting another one for the new baby!
Diaper Bags -
My two favorite diaper bags are my Petunia Pickle Bottom backpack, and my Fawn Design backpack. Both of these are great options, it just depends on your style, budget, and specific needs. I used my PPB diaper bag until the kids were toddlers and then I was introduced to Fawn Design and have used that one ever since for just running around, weekender bag, overnight bag, really anything and everything because the design doesn't scream *diaper bag*.
Currently have my eye on this leopard print one from TwelveLittle. The leopard print is what drew me in, but I saw the functionality of the backpack and tote version. It looks like a fantastic option!
Feeding -
For feeding, I loved my Boppy! You can use whatever you want, but the Boppy made nursing and even bottle feeding much easier, plus baby can use it to lay on, sit, etc. I packed mine in my hospital bag. Stay tuned for my hospital bag essentials post!
I loved using the Comotomo bottles. Bonus points for being really easy to wash and sanitize without all the extra parts!
Another great item for feeding is the Baby Brezza formula dispenser. If you are using formula this will SAVE YOUR LIFE. I went ahead and bit the bullet on this, and it was a game changer. Kai was a hungry boy, so I stopped nursing around six months with him. I was loosing too much weight trying to keep up with him, so we switched to formula and I had a friend recommend this machine. WOW. All I'm saying is yes, you need this.
You won't need a high chair right away. It will be quite a while before your babe starts solids. However, if you are interested in adding this item to your registry, we loved our Boon Flair. The only downside is that it's base is quite large and a bit heavy, but it's super easy to move around and crazy easy to clean!
Another great suggestion is the 4moms highchair. I've read amazing reviews on this one!
Sleep -
Before you transition your babe into their crib, you'll need a bassinet, and we enjoyed the Halo. The only small downside to this bassinet that we found was the base. It was quite heavy to move. You'll need to find a place and keep it there. Other than that, we enjoyed it a lot . This is the only one I've ever used and can speak about from experience.
There is a new one on the market that a lot of people have been raving about and recommending to me, called the Snoo. I've read great reviews and have been interested in trying it out! I think it would also work well in our small space so I'll have to review if we ever get a chance to try it out!
Both of our kiddos also loved being in a Rock n Play for naps, or just hanging out when I needed to put them down while I did something.
A lot of moms rave about the Mamaroo, however it only worked for a very short while before my kids needed something with a bit more power if you know what I mean. They LOVED this Fisher Price swing! It's huge and ugly but worked amazing so we didn't really care much about aesthetics at that point. Save your sanity, mama.
If you are breastfeeding, a good nursing bra is necessary. This one from Motherhood Maternity is great, and there are other styles available too.
As I mentioned above in the feeding category, I loved my boppy pillow. It's great for nursing! You'll also want a good nipple cream. Please, don't forget the nipple cream! lol!
Staying hydrated is key, so a Yeti tumbler or something similar is great to keep a big thing of water around for you to drink. I also loved Oat mama lactation cookies for a healthy snack that would boost my supply when I'm nursing.
For a breast pump, I used this one from Medela. It was really easy to use for when I needed to pump and save, needed a bottle, etc.
Newborns won't need toys, but in the next few months you'll want to introduce as many colorful, and stimulating toys for development as you can. From a play gym, to a colorful play mat, rattle, mirror, soft mat for your babe to practice tummy time and rolling. My kids specifically loved their water mat for tummy time! Linking our favorites below!
Being a mother has been my greatest blessing in life, as well as my greatest challenge. There are days I lose my patience, and go to bed feeling guilty. Then, there are days we spend together having fun and really enjoying our time together. There are always lessons to be learned, shoes to be tied, bellies to be fed, mouths to be wiped.
I hug them sometimes knowing I needed that hug more than they did.
Looking back on photos and videos of Madelyn and Kai growing up has shown me that babies don't keep and time stops for no-one. It's heartbreaking and exciting. I'm excited for everything we have yet to do, and I yearn for the days that have passed.
Our family is growing with the approaching arrival of our son in September, and I'm feeling emotional and extremely grateful.
While we are very excited, and I enjoy sharing about my pregnancy, I pray for those who have lost, and those still trying. I wish I knew what to say to comfort you. Please know that you are in our prayers, and I thank you for following along with me on my journey through life here on the blog and social media.
Having a baby is a joy, a miracle, and a privilege. Thank you for allowing me to share my highs and lows, exciting moments, motherhood, style, beauty favorites, and life with all of you. I will always appreciate you all.
