I suppose I should say Happy Valentine’s Day. It’s kind of an odd holiday, but I can get behind celebrating LOVE! Love is the best. I hope you give it freely, I hope you feel it fully, and I for one am aiming to love and care for myself in this season as well.
In the above photo is the pink tile I am using on my faux mantle place project (in my back living room). More to come on the blog soon (once the project is actually done). Ha.
Speaking of Valentine’s Day, I shared this with my book club group and people were INTERESTED, so now I’m sharing it with you. A recent self-love purchase. I give it five stars ;).
Since becoming pregnant, I’ve noticed I have developed these little red veins on a few spots on my face and one on my collarbone. I googled and apparently it may be hormone/pregnancy related (I think?). I can try a laser treatment for them, but not until after I give birth and finish breastfeeding. So until then, I am using this full coverage concealer when I am sick of looking at them. Although I am self conscious of these little red spots, it’s a small price to pay for getting to be pregnant. But I’m signing up for the laser treatment once I’m able!
I am still obsessed with my Always Pan. Probably what I make the most is steamed broccoli (lame, I know, just being honest), but I feel like it’s casually showing up in about 50% of my food blog posts now too. Best non-stick pan, plus it’s cute.
This is very random but I recently bought a bunch of cheap nail stickers that you put over polish, but under a top coat. It’s very middle school of me, I know. But it’s sparking a lot of joy lately to do something extra with my nails, so why not?
I’m starting to think about baby gear and making a registry. It’s overwhelming (in a good way)! If you have children, what were the most used or favorite things you received? I am currently eyeing this stroller and dreaming of walks in my neighborhood with a tiny baby in it. Dreams come true!
Lately, so many people have said I have that “pregnancy glow,” which is SO nice and makes me feel like a million dollars. But, I sort of feel guilty that the secret is probably just my favorite moisturizer. 🙂
This month, I’ve been getting the mini split units repaired in the upstairs of my house (that has been a trip! #oldhouseproblems) and I’m dreaming of moving my office upstairs soon, since you know how I feel about an office with a door. Ha. I am daydreaming hard about swapping out the plain ceiling fan for this light fixture. I am digging the black and kind of thinking of making the space feel a little more dramatic than other spaces in the house, but I don’t know. Then I start second guessing myself on that …
In case you missed it, I finally shared my favorite sugar cookie and royal frosting recipe. These aren’t just for Christmas, if you ask me!
Winter isn’t over just yet, but so far the MVP of my closet this year has been this pink cardigan. I wear it TOO much. I just love the length and it’s warm (but not overly warm) for days that go from chilly to decent.
Take care of yourself, friends! Sending love. Emma
I rarely comment, but have to throw my baby must-have on your list… I get every new mother I know a bottle of Infants Mylicon gas relief drops. They are life saving!! It can be SO hard to figure out what you are eating that is giving your little gas (while breast-feeding). Even when you’re not sure if baby is crying from gas or something else, it’s always a process of elimination and these drops help so much when it is gas and don’t hurt at all if it isn’t. I sound like I’m sponsored LOL, I just really found this to be one of those word-of-mouth things that I try and pass along.
I love that you’ve recently (re) discovered cheap nail stickers lol! As soon as I read that, I thought, ‘ooooh this sounds like a must-try’ lol! I’ve been doing my own gel nails for the past year and I quite like the idea of using the stickers underneath the top coat. I wonder if it will work with the UV lamp? I’ll have to investigate further!
Best wishes,
Suzy
I noticed the glow too, for months I’ve been thinking you’ve gotten more beautiful. So happy for you and can’t wait to virtually meet the little boy!
I love the self-love purchase! Thanks for sharing ?
Omg everyone talking baby gear but I’m loving the vibrator recommendation!!! Love it Emma.
The red spots will likely go away after pregnancy and what I most recommend for a baby is The Baby Whisperer book. Just do what the Baby Whisperer recommends for the first year and she/he will be babbling “mama” in no time.
PS – you definitely need the print version to see the schedules and tables
Congratulations!! So excited for you to welcome your sweet baby boy. My favorite baby items are the Solly baby wrap, the baby Bjorn bouncer, and the Doona car seat and stroller!
The link for the pink tile doesn’t seem to be working. Thanks for sharing.
Should be fixed now. Thanks!
Congratulations, Emma! What an exciting time for you 🙂
I highly recommend that Uppababy Vista Stroller! Our kids preferred the stroller bassinet more than their actual bassinet to sleep in and it was great for walks all over town. Ours worked great for our family for over 7 years. When a part broke on it after 5 years, we called Uppababy and they fixed it right away for free and paid for the shipping both ways too! When we had outgrown it we still were able to pass down to another family. Totally worth it!
Lots of simple flannel receiving blankets (I handmade mine with an overcast stitch on the edges) will work as burp cloths, extra warmth in their carrier and for playtime, and a Boppy is so incredibly helpful too.
Hands down the best thing I got was a Mountain Buggy pram – it started as a bassinet attachment , that could be detached and then you attach the rear facing (i.e. facing you when you’re walking) part, then that is detached and you attach the forward facing part. My boy is 2 and a half and I still put him in it when we go to the mall. Its slim and can go through doors so I could drive him straight in from the street into his room if he fell asleep on a walk. AND it packs down flat to go in the boot of the car!
Love all of this! My only advice (because there is a lot of good stuff already) is to get a stroller with actual rubber tire wheels. The plastic ones do not work well outside. Solly baby wraps are also great! My daughter is 15 months, and I still wear her all the time.
Congrats on your pregnancy- such an exciting time for you! I would echo what others have said- you don’t really NEED that much stuff. The uppa baby vista was well worth it for us. I would definitely try a few different baby wearing options as it’s hugely helpful to carry your little one while they sleep if they have a hard time napping those first few months. I really feel like there’s no ‘perfect carrier’s and it’s all preference but we use our sakura bloom carriers religiously. Also from a practical point the nose Frida will save you one day (trust me on this one, I’m a pediatrician!)
Lastly I will say if you’re interested in going low waste, there are some great options before buying or registering for loads of brand new items. I would join local Mom and buy nothing groups where you can either buy second hand or just receive things others are no longer using. We also took the plunge and went for cloth diapers and while I was hesitant with all the work it looks like I am SO glad we did. I wrote a blog post on low waste parenting if you or others are interested. Huge congrats.:)
Congrats again Emma! I have three kids (7, 5, 10 months) and strongly recommend that Uppababy stroller…if you’re going to splurge on something, the stroller is it. I wish I had done so instead of wasting money on a few mid range strollers that didn’t fit my needs, and then dropping all the money on an Uppababy. For jogging, the BabyJogger Summit jogger is superior to Bob. BabyJogger City Mini is a good normal stroller, but get the upgraded version not the base one. That being said, Uppa has the best storage and is very easy to get around with….and you can add a glider board AND second seat if you decide to have more children.
And for car seats, get the lightest one you can afford!
Hi Emma,
I have a 8 month old baby and here is my essentials for the first 6 months. Sorry if it’s long!
Must haves (for me):
-Large pilates ball (the best thing to use for a fuzzy baby, we still use it daily)
-Babybjorn Bouncer (folds flat, looks good, works like MAGIC)
-Soft carrier (we used an ergo embrace, but you can also do a soft wrap)
-Structured carrier (for longer walks when more support is needed. brand will depend on what is comfy for you, try multiple)
-Safe place to sleep (we loved our moses basket)
-kimono style onsies and zipper sleepers
-Diapers & wipes (we use cloth diapers and wipes and love it, and we are not very crunchy people)
-white noise machine
-video monitor
Nice to have:
-Electric nail file
-Baby bum brush
-Stroller clips (we use these to attach blankets/sunshade)
-Activity mat with hanging items.
For you:
-Squattypotty and fiber gummies (trust me)
-Softest yoga pants (i lived in my lululemon aligns all pregnancy and postpartum)
-Soft sportsbra/bralette (i preferred this to nursing bras)
-All the snacks
-Breast pump and pumping bra (if you are hoping to bf. my baby took a long time to nurse well and needed top ups with bottles. to make sure supply got established i needed to pump multiple times per day. after 2 months we decreased the bottles and he is now EBF).
What stroller is best will very much depend on your life style. I know many people love the uppababy, but for me I needed something that works on trails because I walk the dog on trails everyday.
A baby will need WAY LESS than you think and you can wait with buying most things until you feel a need for them.
You will be a great mom!
Feel free to send an email if you have any questions 🙂
The veins may definitely go away after birth. I had all sorts of odd skin stuff during pregnancy that luckily went away after birth (like skin tags and back-ne, fun times!) Happy Valentines!
That second suggestion is ? Emma! As a long time follower I have to say how much I’ve been loving the more personal subjects you guys have been approaching here and on the podcast lately. Every Monday feels like a chat with friends and it’s been great getting to connect with y’all on a deeper level! Much love to you guys!
I got those red vein things when I was a teenager and just want to say, the laser treatment works wonders! And no returning spots 🙂 good luck!
Unless you will only be on super smooth pavement I’d get a jogging stroller—makes for a very smooth ride. We love the Thule Urban Glide. Other top things we’ve used—play mat/gym, kitchen helper when they’re older, and soft carrier for when they’re newborn. Also a yoga ball! Bouncing on one really soothes so many fussy newborns!
Emma, so many fun things in this post! I’m so happy for this new phase of life for you! It’s a crrraaazzzyyyy ride with kiddos. ?
The best gift I ever got was from a friend who had 5 kids…she used a really soft towel she folded in half with batting in the middle and basically quilted it. It was the perfect thing to lay a baby on after a bath. Super soft and absorbent and easy to wash. Easy diy! I made one for my sister-in-law and it was a huge hit!
I have to echo others on noticing your glow!
Something I haven’t seen mentioned is the Ollie swaddle. Found it MUCH easier than others and STRONG for little houdinis! We only had 1 (didn’t have the issue of it getting dirty over night like another person mentioned, babies are so different!) but I will likely get another for our impending #3 coming this summer. I’m also debating the SNOO for #3 because mama’s gonna need sleep with baby + 2 toddlers!