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  • September30th

    New Baby = Older Brother

    Posted in: Life

    My latest pondering is about little Davis, our three-year-old. He has a big adjustment coming with Miss Babe’s arrival. As any mother would be, I am worried about his mental state when she actually gets here. Naturally, I am doing what I do in any situation of pondering – madly searching for a book with words of wisdom. Have any suggestions? I found these cutie books for Davis:

    This pondering has led me to think of many other things that may ease the transition for him. Remember my post on what to bring to the hospital? Well, I left of a VITAL checklist item…a present for our older child from the baby. I am thinking of compiling several small gifts into a tote bag (activities for him while he is visiting in the hospital) as well as one big gift from Baby Girl. Here’s what I’ve found so far:

    Hard to read but it says, “Big Brother: Baby’s Idol, Dad’s Helper, Lover of Sports.”

    Amazing and genius. Davis and I were going to make these the other night and laminate! From Paper Source.

    Match the baby animals to their mommies…seems appropriate!

    Courtesy, Land of Nod.

    Davis is currently obsessed (not just a little bit) with puzzles. Perfect!

    And, last but not least, what little boy doesn’t need monster stickers???

    (Last two gifts also Land of Nod…obvie, they have a great gift section, no?)

    I am also planning on bringing several family photos to the hospital. Davis will love that I have a picture of him and all of us in there and, it will be a nice thing to focus on during labor, wouldn’t you say?

    Anyone have two children with stories to share on sibling adjustment?? Let us all know about it!

    Adrianne

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  • September29th

    Tory Burch = My Inspiration!

    Posted in: Life

    One of my dreams in life is to build a successful business in a big, big way. One woman that has done just that is Tory Burch. I have been very aware of Tory Burch for a while now, as are most of us. But, I didn’t realize she has grown her company in such a big and fast way. Did you know her first store opened in 2004…only SIX years ago? I was FLOORED and totally impressed, immediately “gaga.” Naturally, I started to research everything out there on Tory (short of calling her) because I want to know HOW she did it and what I can be doing to mimic her success.  And, I really may call her. I am not afraid!

    Of course, she was a guest on the Oprah show in 2005…we all know that if Oprah discovers you, you’ve hit the jackpot! (Oprah – please have Lambchop Designs on your show!!)

    After my research project, I, of course, began browsing on Tory’s website. I stumbled on some super cutie kids things while I was at it:

    I only hope to be this fashionable…

    This girl is after my own heart. I never met a cardigan I didn’t like!

    Yes, this is a girl’s size. Ahhh, wallet, you have it coming to you with this little girl on the way!

    All of these yummy girlie things naturally launched a search for mommy goodies to dream about.

    I love that this shoe is dubbed “Wanda.” I would wear these when I felt like kicking some you-know-what (and being effortlessly chic in the process)! You know, like a totally sophistie “Ta-Wanda”??

    As you should be…

    Um…UNCLE! I need this. Not want. NEED.

    Now all I need to find are baby tunics. I have seen them out there with the TB label…maybe this Spring?! As for the business side of things, I find myself ever in awe and just may have to make that phone call.

    Adrianne

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  • September28th

    Birch Tree Mural: An Evaluation, Part 1

    Posted in: DIY Projects

    If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you know that 1) I paint, 2) I am in the thick of decorating a nursery, 3) I ordered a DIY mural from Rosenberry Rooms for one of the nursery walls. I really thought I would hand paint a mural without a stencil, etc, and can the “paint by number” version but my time is limited now. I have five weeks until my due date and wanted an easy project for the wall. Oh, my fruit/veggie of the week? That would be a honey dew melon, thank you very much:

    I already feel like I am at pumpkin status…that’s in several weeks!

    Anyway, since my “melon” is big…I thought buying the mural kit was the easier way to go. Well, let me tell you that it certainly is not easier. In fact, it has proved to be downright cumbersome! First of all, when I received the mural kit in the mail, they had only sent me one of three panels with no instructions (although, it seemed relatively self-explanatory) and the carbon paper (yes, carbon paper to transfer the pattern on my freshly painted wall…um…can you say MESSY??) was all wrinkled up. I was not a happy camper. Rosenberry Rooms was professional about it, however, and sent me a brand spanking new kit at no cost. Here is what the finished version is supposed to look like:

    The walls of the nursery are very close to the background shown. And, I am painting the trees a gray-ish white.

    Ok. So, I mentioned the carbon transfer issue. I really don’t get why they didn’t send carbonless transfer paper. I mean, don’t you know carbon would get all over my wall! When I saw that, I tossed the instructions and, with a lot of help, cut out each tree and leaf. Then, my mom and I painstakingly taped the cut out trees to the wall with painters tape. THIS was the hardest part. Here’s what it looks like on the wall right now:

    Then, with a pencil and a light hand, we traced around every detail onto the wall. I then free-handed extra branches and leaves on the top and sides…it’s a big, big wall to cover and the six feet across pattern isn’t wide enough. Yesterday, I began painting it:

    It’s very light but can you see the pencil lines? This is one of the free-hand branches I drew.

    The painting is the best part! I can tell it will take a while, however. The instructions tell you to use acrylic paint…I vote “NO” on that one, too. Acrylic, unless sealed, will run if any liquid gets on it. Your call but I want something more permanent…especially after all this work.

    So, I don’t meant to complain about this project. I give it a BIG, FAT “A” on the worth-it-ness scale. Just consider this a heads-up if you order it. It’s not as easy, sneezy as it claims to be!

    I’m going to work on it more today so I’ll have updated pics to you soon!

    Adrianne

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  • September27th

    Light Success!!

    Posted in: General Decor, Kid's Rooms, Life

    Remember I was dying for this light for the nursery and didn’t know where to find it?

    Picture from Serena and Lily

    (See the white fluff on the left of the crib. Yes, that is a light!)

    Well, thanks to Jessie at The Gimlet Eye, I found it at Unica Home! And, it wasn’t totally “designer” unaffordable. Score! So, I ordered it….in July. Then, I found out it was back-ordered for five weeks. Five weeks passed and it was still back-ordered for an “indeterminable amount of time” per their customer service. That annoyed me, to be honest. So, another five weeks later…i.e. Friday…I decided to CAN the order. Bummer! But, then, on Saturday, a FedEx van showed up at my house. Low and behold it was my coveted light!! I went to work right away.

    Here is the beginning of the project…hanging the light fixture. Yes, I had to figure out how to run the wire along the ceiling and down the wall to the outlet. Ideally, it would be wired through the ceiling but I just am not motivated to have an electrician rip up the nursery ceiling a month before I’m due!

    Here is the one of the “fluff” panels. I ordered three. Consider yourself warned if you order this light: it is very small and needs at least three panels attached. I am glad I kept the ceiling fan and used this as an alternative light above the glider. I don’t think it would’ve been big enough for the main light fixture in the room.

    When you take this out of the packaging, it’s a little tricky because it’s metal and the small parts tend to grab each other. But, with a little patience and creativity, I got them wrapped around the light and hung!

    Here is the final result:

    Well, semi-final result! I have to take that painters tape off the cord! Anyway, I was THRILLED with it and, of course, deem it worth the wait. Now, I can focus on what’s left to do: wall decal, birch tree mural (in progress, stay tuned), put all the bedding together.

    More tomorrow!

    Adrianne

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  • September24th

    DIY Drawer Liners

    Posted in: Lambchop News

    Here’s a fun little project for you this weekend: DIY drawer liners! I have had a tough time finding drawer liners for Miss Babe’s changing table. See, rather than buying a changing table outright, I bought an ‘antique’ dresser and painted it. Here is the dresser:

    Before: (yes, the black thing with a mirror in the back)

    After: A fresh coat of white paint and green accents never hurt anyone…

    Well, this is what the inside of the drawers looked like (EEESH!):

    NO WAY I am putting my baby’s clothes on THAT.

    A little trip to Ben Franklin Crafts went a long way to fix my problem. Here are my supplies:

    1. Exacto Knife Set and Cutting Pad:

    2. A selection of my favorite scrapbooking paper (Remember my silhouette project? I used the same paper to match.)

    3. A level or ruler.

    4. Tacky Glue. I tried spray adhesive at first but it was simply a mess and didn’t adhere as well as I liked.

    HOW TO:

    1. Wipe the drawer clean and let it dry. This is very important – the glue will not adhere as well if you skip this step!

    2. Measure and cut your paper:

    I used a level but a regular ruler is just fine.

    Careful, there!

    3. Line the back of the paper with Tacky Glue making sure to get as close to the edge as possible. I also filled in the middle for extra adhesive support. Place paper on the drawer:

    Smooth the paper with your hands to flatten all bubbles or wrinkles that may have occurred.

    4. Voila! Beautiful drawers!

    You may also use cool wrapping paper. It is more ideal size-wise than scrapbook paper. But, I HAD to have the matching paper so I dealt with the 12×12 dimensions. I papered each drawer in a different but coordinating paper.

    Ahhh…isn’t that better? Look how cute Miss Babe’s pj’s look on that purple paper.

    SO much better than the nasty wood look.

    Have fun with this project! Let me know what you end up doing.

    Adrianne

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  • September23rd

    Recalls = OUT of Control

    Posted in: Life

    People: why does it seem like everything for our children is being recalled these days? Every time I turn around, it’s something else. Don’t you feel that way? Isn’t it no less than terrifying? It is especially for me since, for some reason, we tend to buy every toy or piece of furniture that ends up on the recall list…three years later…i.e. the drop-side crib deal:

    This is the Sleigh Crib from Pottery Barn Kids we bought for Davis in 2007. They now only sell it in a fixed gate style. Not familiar with this recall? Read about it HERE.

    So, the crib thing is a BIG deal, obviously. Well, how about the email I read this morning about FORMULA?!!! WHAT?! I know. Similac is recalling formula because they found insect part contamination. Let me say that again. INSECT PARTS in the formula. Thankfully, they shut down the production line immediately and issued the recall. Read the press release HERE. Still, it makes me nervous to put anything in my child’s mouth! Can you trust anyone to make anything quality anymore?

    As I write this, I know I will nurse my baby girl for a while but I also know that she will end up on formula at some point. I’m not trying to start a political debate on nursing vs formula, etc. I believe that whatever works best for the mother (and mother knows best, even a new mommy) is what works. I only say that because I am staring at a can of Enfamil that I bought a week ago in case I have severe trouble breast feeding. Are they next?? (Davis lost a pound in the hospital because I thought he was latching on but he wasn’t…another story for another day. I don’t want this to happen again.)

    I don’t know what else to say about this except that we always need to be aware and try to research where our food is coming from as much as possible. It’s a crazy world out there!

    Take care of yourselves!

    Adrianne

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  • September22nd

    Rikshaw Design

    Posted in: General Decor, Kid's Rooms

    No, I’m not talking about the design of a cart pulled by a human in India…

    I’m talking about some of THE most adorable baby bedding and clothing I have seen in a while: Rikshaw Designs! I wasn’t aware of this precious collection until the other day (Thank you Jessica). First of all, the collection is fab. Secondly, the company is woman-owned (always love that) and she has a really interesting story.  She makes me want to travel the world! The worldly influenced goodies I found are as follows:

    Bombay Crib Bedding. I LOVE the feel of these patterns together. So fresh!

    Super chic and cute!

    LOVING the seahorse design on this burb cloth and bib set.

    These lightweight kurtas are stylish and fun.

    A sassy camel pillow. I need one for Miss Babe!!

    Last but not least…are you kidding me? How cute is that tush?! I’ll take one of each pattern.

    Look at more of her cute things by visiting her site: Rikshaw Design.

    Happy shopping!

    Adrianne

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  • September21st

    Back from Black!

    Posted in: Lambchop News

    Hello again! I am back from my self imposed “black out” period when I refused to look at email, texts, or my laptop for a whole week. I enjoyed it so much that I added yesterday for extra credit. If you haven’t put down the Blackberry in a while, I HIGHLY recommend it. It was so refreshing and a nod to years past (i.e. no cell phone…or the one I did have was called a ‘car phone’) that I am going to impose hours within which I am allowed to touch these techie things and hours within which I am NOT allowed to touch them (look at them, have them in my presence).

    So, what did I do for a whole seven days?? BEACH, of course! (Did you really think we could go without another trip to Duck this year?) Wonder how it was? I think this picture of Davis sums it up quite nicely:

    Silly, silly boy in his dad’s hat. What caption should we put with this one?? I can think of a lot!

    Not to trouble you but there will be another “blackout” period in approximately six weeks. I am still working hard to compile guest posts for all the Choppers out there for at least the first month post-baby girl. By the way, HOW has time passed so quickly?? I have SIX weeks left. That means, naturally, that the baby girl is the size of your average cantalope:

    I feel at LEAST this big right now.

    Well, I missed you all and will have a treat on crib bedding and other sassy baby items for you tomorrow. Have a lovely Tuesday and why don’t you cut off the cell phone and computer by 6pm, eh?

    Adrianne

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  • September10th

    Going Dark

    Posted in: Lambchop News

    Are you sitting? I know this is shocking news…

    Starting tomorrow, I am GOING DARK for an entire week! What does this mean? It means that I will be shutting off my computer AND my cell phone.

    I know. It’s CRAZY! However, next week (the entire week) is dedicated to vacation time (not even house-project time…TRUE vacation time). I was going to try and have a slew of posts lined up for you but with Davis’ birthday tomorrow and everything else we have going on, well, it just didn’t happen. I know you can find it in your hearts to forgive me!

    If you have an order for Lambchop, please email me or leave a message. I will certainly call you back first thing Monday the following week.

    In the meantime, have a restful week yourselves. The weather is cooling off and it makes me oh, so happy!

    Adrianne

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  • September9th

    Surfboard Cut-Outs

    Posted in: DIY Projects

    Here’s a simple, handy DIY project for you this Thursday: surfboard cut-outs! Yesterday I made the big run to Target to grab everything else we needed for D’s birthday party this Saturday. We are doing a surfing themed party…yes, in September! (EEEEEEK out that summer!)

    I have several “activity tables” in mind for the kids including a “Make Your Own Surfboard” table. Needless to say, that required the purchase of lots of crayons and poster board. Last night I spend 2.2 cutting out the surfboards and making them look like, well, surfboards. It was super easy and I hope it will be a big hit on Saturday. The great thing about this simple project is that you can do it for any theme. I love getting kids to color and use their creativity. This makes for a slam dunk!

    SUPPLIES:

    Poster board

    Pencil

    Scissors

    Markers

    Crayons

    A little creativity!

    HOW TO:

    1. Draw your surfboard on a piece of poster board and cut it out:

    I was able to fit two surfboards per poster board.

    2. Decorate the cut-out in a simple way with markers. For older kids, you probably don’t even have to do that. Although, I do recommend showing a few samples for them. For three-year-olds, templates are the way to go. Then, all they need to do is color and draw on the overall design.

    3. Why not go all out and make a sign for the table indicating what’s going on with all these cut-outs??

    Why are cutting, pasting and coloring so therapeutic to me?? Let me know if you use this idea and what you do with it!

    Adrianne

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  • September8th

    Beautiful, Gorgeous Sleep!

    Posted in: General Decor, Kid's Rooms, Life

    I have been asked by more than a few of you how the new sleeping situation is going with Davis. It has gotten A LOT better. Remember my stress? (Read it HERE.) Remember my sticker chart post? Well, I do know my own child well, however, I forget the simplest motivations for him sometimes. Two words that always work for Davis: sticker chart. Yes! I made a sticker chart to reward him on staying in bed for nap time and bedtime. I’ve also lightened up by not expecting absolutes. In other words, I have ZERO expectations regarding sleep. I DO expect him to stay in his bed and play quietly. When he does that, he ends up falling asleep (JOY!).  At bedtime, he has to stay in bed and fall asleep, obviously. Insert sticker rewards = new child! HAPPY MOMMY.

    I also have to give credit to Good Night, Sleep Tight. I have mentioned this book before, I believe. I happened to pick it up a few days ago (for the millionth time since having a child) and read that she recommends three-year-olds get no more than 10 1/2 hours of sleep at night with a 1  1/2 hour nap during the day. Enter waking him up 30 minutes earlier in the morning and putting him down for nap time an hour later. So far, it’s working. I don’t want to jinx myself but we are on day five of no insane getting out of bed and running around. H.U.G.E.

    Thanks to everyone that gave me advice and input! It really did make a difference.

    On that sleep note…I have also had requests to see my newly painted headboard for the baby’s room. Remember these beauties my friend found on Craigslist?

    I was going to paint them green, remember? Couldn’t visualize? Well, see below!

    Granted, I have not put the bedding together yet (sham on the duvet). YET. We are keeping her name top secret and the duvet has her monogram. I won’t be showing that to you any time soon!! I know…the suspense…

    Here’s another shot pre-glider delivery this afternoon. Yes! The glider is here. It resides to the left of the bedside table.

    I could sleep in that thing…and will.

    (Ugh! Dark pic…hard to get the right light except for at night!)

    Anyway, I was super excited about the result. It matches the drapes perfectly and has the pop effect I wanted. It was an easy project, too!

    OK! Back to the birthday project tomorrow!

    Adrianne

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  • September7th

    Birthday Week!

    Posted in: Lambchop News

    I hope everyone had a relaxing, loooong weekend. I really needed the R&R. I am tired but feel like a new person overall. Plus, I am excited! I am 32 weeks along with this baby girl…I truly feel that I am in the home stretch! Here is my weekly veggie comparison:

    “Your baby now weighs as much as a jicama.”

    I am not familiar with this “jicama.” Are you?

    Anyway, I am also excited because our little boy turns THREE on Saturday! This week I have more than several things on my list to get ready for the big bash. He has requested a “blue surfboard” theme. Sure! Why not eek out as much summer as possible, right?

    In the spirit of toddler birthdays, I thought I’d re-post a blurb about his second birthday party to show you ideas for your own bash. Of course, throughout the week, I’ll be posting about the surfboard party goodies. Enjoy!

    CUPCAKE STAND STANDOFF!

    A friend of mine approached me last summer to help her make a stand for the cupcakes at her son’s 1st birthday party. She handed me a bunch of terra cotta pots and wondered if we could paint them in a fun way. I thought this was an amazing idea! So, for my “nefew,” Mac, I painted these:

    This picture isn’t as bright as I’d like but look closely, I painted light blue dots all over the white pots. How did we do it? Well, I turned the pots and trays upside down and painted them white. Then, I painted the light blue dots, Mac’s monogram, and date of birth. For fun, we added a Gerber Daisy through the top (upside-down bottom) of the smallest, top-most pot. Voila! Here are some other pictures of my first cupcake stand:

    The precious family!

    The Top Tier

    The Top Pot with Monogram

    I loved the idea so much, I made one for my son, Davis, for his “Big 2″ birthday party! We had a “water” theme going on for his party.  I painted a sailboat with a monogrammed sail on the biggest pot. I used the pot trays to paint “water and waves.” As you can see below, I decided to do a cake and cookies rather than cupcakes. (Side note: We have a fantastic gourmet bakery in the tiny town next to my tiny town called Carried Away Cuisine. DEE-lish and so professional and CUTE! Check it out!)

    Here is the desert table. I separated the main “cake” stand to accommodate different desserts and used the pot trays to display the cake and cookies.

    The Main Stand: complete with a collection of sassy Gerbers and Zinnias sprouting from the top!

    (I couldn’t just leave it plain, right?!)

    Davis’ custom cake from Carried Away Cuisine.

    I mean, this may have been the BEST cake I’ve ever had. I was dense and moist vanilla almond cake with raspberry filling…DIVINE! You can see how I used one of the “water” painted pot trays to display the cake. It fit PERFECTLY.

    I used a bigger pot tray to display the crab and “#2″ cookies we had made. They were also amazing!

    When I shopped for the terracotta pots that would ultimately become my stands, I found small pots I thought I could use for something. They ended up being great “moorings” for the main stand. (See pic above.) It was also a great way to display the extra cookies and bring in more of the light blue from the table cloth. Also note the Zinnias on the top…again, I just couldn’t leave it alone!

    It was really fun to have a custom stand for the party. It really helped pull our theme together and add a bit of detail that I always look for and love. Let me know if you have questions or want to have one made for your special party!

    Of course, I am going to incorporate his cupcake stand into the surf theme in some way. Stay tuned for more info later this week!
    Adrianne

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  • September3rd

    Hooter Hiders and Nursing Scarves

    Posted in: Lambchop News

    Raise your hand if you are or will be nursing a baby within the next year. Me! Raise your hand if you want something more fun than a restaurant napkin to hide the situation and make you more stylish. Me! If you did, I have just the thing for you: a nursing cover round up!

    When I nursed Davis, I used a “Hooter Hider.” It was great! And, who doesn’t love that name? Here are a few super cute ones from Embellished Mom.com:

    This is the Hooter Hider I used with Davis. I still have it! It still looks good. I will use it again.

    The Marmot Blue…even cuter at a $31.50 price!

    Isn’t this one so fun and summery?

    The Bebe Au Laits and Hooter Hiders are so easy to use, wash, and are compact. I suggest getting two! I also found these (featured yesterday in my What’s In Your Diaper Bag? post):

    I love this Maternal America nursing scarf! Wear it around your neck when not nursing:

    I ordered the orange/rust color above. I’ll have to get this sassy camel color as well.

    And, don’t think I won’t wear these post nursing days!

    I’d say all of these beat a restaurant napkin any day.

    Happy Friday! Have a safe Labor Day weekend. I’ll be back with you Tuesday (hopefully, without destruction from Earl to report.)

    Adrianne

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  • September2nd

    What’s In Your…Diaper Bag?

    Posted in: Gifts, Life

    Can you tell that I’m doing a “What’s In Your…” series this week? Yes! Today I want to tell you how I travel light with my diaper bag. You all know I don’t like to walk around with a bunch of extra stuff…especially when you have a toddler and/or baby in your arms. It’s too much work! Plus, it allows one of your magical eight mommy hands to be free when you are out and about.

    I also know you are wondering which diaper bag I finally chose (remember all of those Diaper Quest Posts? Quest 1, Quest 2). There are so many fashionable ones out there today. I ended up going with the Skip Hop bag in Champagne. The color is perfect for Fall (it will go with anything) and it’s reasonably priced ($89). Couple that with its easy-clean fabric…it’s a “GO” all around.

    Love?! Yes. I will probably get one more for good measure…

    Anyway, back to the topic at hand…what goes IN the diaper bag? It can hold a lot of stuff so watch out and keep it simple.

    1. Three diapers, max. One travel box of wipes.

    Three diapers will last you your entire outing if you have a newborn (let’s be honest, you can only be gone for about 90 minutes at a time anyway at first). Three diapers also works for an older baby. Again, you can only be out for so long because of nap schedules (at least for my kiddo). Three diapers even works for a young toddler on one nap a day. If you leave at 8am and don’t get home until 1pm, three usually will suffice. Please note that I always keep extra diapers and wipes in the car in case of emergency. You certainly never want to find yourself sans diapers. That would warrant a 911 call!

    Here is an adorable travel wipes case (so much cuter and more flexible than your standard issue plastic deal):

    Amy Coe

    2. Two bibs, two burp clothes. Try this set from Dwell Studio:

    3. An extra onesie (and one for the car):

    This would be my son’s preference from Baby Gap, of course!

    4. A bottle of water, an empty bottle, and a formula pack (no need for the formula pack if you are nursing, obvie).

    I love these clever formula packs from Enfamil:

    The water is for you and for mixing formula in the bottle on the go.

    I love these Born Free 5 oz bottles. Perfect size! You can even fit two in your bag if needed.

    5. A few snacks (for you and baby, if he/she is old enough). By “a few” I mean a 100 calorie pack of yogurt pretzels or a small box of raisins and a small bag of Cheerios.

    To be “green” about it all, I love using the Packin’ SMART by Innobaby. They detach from each other so you can use one or two at a time. Put anything you want in there: formula, snacks, extra passies, whatever! Talk about a space saver!

    6. An extra passy and your baby’s lovey. You absolutely cannot be without these! (At least, with my babe, I can’t.)

    Davis always preferred the Gerber Nuk passies.

    And, of course, SkipIt:

    7. Your “Hooter Hider” or nursing cover. Since our baby girl will be here in Winter time, I’m simply going to wear mine wherever I go. Cute accessory meets functional nursing cover!

    Maternal America

    Stylish, or what?!!

    8. Your personal items: wallet, lip gloss/whatever, a pen, cell phone, play date cards!

    That is all! I am even tempted to (and do on some days) grab my regular, smaller purse for a quick errand.(The purse below is a little bigger than my normal purse.)

    Throw in the wipes, one diaper, and a pre-mixed bottle in this bottle case.

    (Or, even better, if you are nursing, throw on that scarf and forget the bottle!)

    Yes, it matches the bib and burb cloth set above from Dwell Studio. Genius!

    For the tiny babes, I always keep my Snap ‘n Go in the trunk to pop on that car seat or my Baby Bjorn for total hands free errands!

    For older babies, I recommend a simple umbrella stroller. You can pop it out with one hand and fold it up…like an umbrella. Saves space (I am also a firm believer you do NOT need an SUV to have a kid) and is totally simple.

    Loving the sassy green, by the way!

    Happy Thursday!

    Adrianne

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  • September1st

    What’s NOT in Your Hospital Bag

    Posted in: Life

    I have a minimalist philosophy when it comes to being a parent. I don’t subscribe to what I call the huge travel system stroller ideal (complete with diaper bag on shoulder, purse on shoulder, baby in hand while shopping), I don’t pack everything in the house in my diaper bag, and I absolutely do not think you need toys wherever you go with your kids. Some don’t agree. For you, this post will not be your favorite. For all of you that like to travel light, however, this is THE post for you.

    Yesterday I talked about what to bring to the hospital with you when you deliver your baby. It may have seemed like a lot but it’s really not once it is all neatly packed in your overnight bag and diaper bag. Yes, that’s it. Two small bags. If you missed the post, read it here!

    Today I’m going to talk about what you DON’T need in the hospital. I consider the following superfluous items that will simply stay in your bag during your stay…just adds extra weight. Who needs that?

    DO NOT BRING:

    1) Jeans or more than one outfit.

    You need the pajamas and cute robe and you need a comfy going home outfit. That’s all. Jeans (or tight, restrictive pants) will either not fit right or be uncomfortable (cut into your C-Section stitches or be terrible…for reasons that are pretty obvious, I think…after a vaginal delivery). Save them for a few weeks out. Any other outfit you bring you won’t wear because you just want to be comfortable after the delivery marathon. Trust me.

    2. Diapers and Wipes = bulk, bulk, bulk. Plus, they give you all of this in the hospital.

    3. Heels. Do I really need to explain this one? NO.

    These DO rock, however. I DO want them, STAT. Cole Haan

    4. Snacks and drinks.

    The hospital most always provides you with  a snack station and plenty of fluids (if you are allowed to have them) for during labor and in recovery. Like I said yesterday, bring the cash for the pizza post-delivery. That’s all.

    5. More than one book or magazine.

    Listen: I had the longest delivery ever. EVER. If you want details, email me. I never touched my mags and books. I was either sleeping or concentrating on the labor thing. That’s the funny thing about labor…it’s a little distracting! Then, post delivery, let’s be honest. You will be taking care of that baby and resting.

    6. Any legal paperwork other than your registration materials and insurance information.*

    Be safe so you don’t lose it. If it becomes an issue, you will likely have your husband or a family member run off to get it for you. The likelihood is that you don’t need it so don’t risk it.

    *Make sure to ask your hospital/doctor to make sure.

    7. A WHITE or similarly solid colored pillow.

    DO bring your own pillow. DO put it in a crazy pillow case. If you don’t, it will be easily whooshed away with the standard issue hospital linens. Oops!! That would stink.

    A super fun and bright option from PBTeen

    8. Expensive jewelry or other seriously valuable items. You will be tired. It’s hard to keep track of everything. This is another “just in case” scenario!

    I’ll settle for this ring as a baby present from my hubs…hint hint, honey!!

    There are a myriad of other silly things to not bring with you. I am assuming we all have common sense, however. If you have any questions or thoughts about what to bring/not to bring, let me know!

    Adrianne

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