these are a few items that we've been loving as our little j turned one and beyond.

first of feeding:

this ikea high chair is the bomb.com. it's simple to put together, easy to clean and the clean, crisp white is not an eye sore in the kitchen. it comes with a soft bumper but we never used our since our j is a chunk! best part: only !24.99!

we love tommee tippee over here. first off: the sippy cups never leak and the controlled flow is just right for beginning stages of sippy use. the handles are a bonus for tiny hands.
second: these explora bibs are the BEST for eating. the rubber material keeps the flap always open and ready to catch every drip and crumb. we don't eat with out it. sometimes it looks like a salad in there from all the things that fall in there after a meal. the neck has adjustable snaps for little and chubby necks :)

now onto toys:

vtech walker: we've had this walker (in pink) since j was 10 months. it was love at first sight for her. there are lots of activities in the front, it sings and helped her get steady on her feet when she wasn't quite walking.

ikea toys: we try to buy toys that help with brain development and motor skills. these are awesome. and cheap.

mega bloks: I scored these on amazon for $11. she likes to take them in and out of the bag as much as she likes scattering them. fine with me :)

avent pacifiers: these have worked the best for us from day one. even though j is 15 months now we still use these for naps and bedtime. next up: weaning! wish us luck!

life update: 24 weeks & gender reveal!

How far along: 24 weeks (size of a corn on the cob)

Gender: baby girl! I'm so excited to give my little j a sister to play with. I imagine tea parties and glitter everyday :)

Weight gain: about 12-15 pounds

Maternity clothes: not really, just dresses as shirts and lots of leggings! did buy some white capri pants from liz lange maternity at target and they're versatile enough to wear everyday...not that I do that...ha

Stretch marks: from previous pregnancy.

Belly button in or out: in

Sleep: still pretty normal though I feel the belly more. lately I've been a really good sleeper. I fall asleep in seconds and don't wake up for anything lol

Best moment of the week: actually seeing the kicks coming from inside my belly! baby girl is getting strong! what a blessing.  

Movement: lots of flutters through out the day. I love it! it's like our own little secret that just my baby and me share. she sends me butterflies in my belly everyday to say hello.

Cravings: still mainly sweets thought it toned down. eating lots of fruits and banana bread. but I love those things any time of the year :)

Looking forward to: every change this new baby will be bringing into our lives. we'll be moving soon into a place with more space in a few months, getting her nursery ready, and mostly seeing my two babies interact with each other :)

Nervous about: nursing. a baby and a toddler that desires more and more attention? that'll be a toughie. also, too much weight gain. last time I gained 50 (!) pounds. as with most women it got harder and harder to be active and my eating was out of control. I was constantly hungry and could out eat a 240 pound man (that would be my husband) easily. I'm already starting to feel no energy for activities other than housework so that makes me nervous.

blue will do.

 

bright but reminds me of gloomy weather (ahem today) all at the same time. in sweater form blue is ready for rain, in earring form it's ready for a night by the ocean, dancing to salsa music, in chambray it's ready for work-behind a computer or on a farm. oh, versatile blue. we love you.

images: tumblr

life: parenting

 

its currently 2:37 in the morning and I can't sleep because I'm thinking about parenting, becoming a mom x2 in September and also cookies (because staying up makes me hungry). I also had a cup of coffee way too late in the evening. caffeine induced insomnia work your magic.

 

parenting is a wonderful, stressful and magical adventure that a lot of people go on. there are days when you couldn't imagine your life without your little miracles and half an hour later find yourself asking when is it time for those miracles to take a nap so you can relax for 3.5. minutes. but honestly I have never felt so complete, satisfied and content with my life until this past year when I became a (stay at home) mom for the first time. my baby j has taught me more about life than I could've read in a million books. nothing has ever motivated me to become a better version of myself than the day I realized this little girl watches everything I do, absorbs it like a sponge and mimics it. we sat down for lunch with a bowl of steamed carrots and she refused them until she saw I was eating them too. she finished the whole bowl and in turn lit that light bulb in my head. since than I have become a cleaning, healthy eating, productive machine. I finally feel like I'm filling the role God has designed for me.

 

I now spend a lot of time thinking about how all this will change once baby #2 comes in our little world. will I pick up the routine that little j and I have currently settled into (once the sleepless night phase is over)? how will j react to the new squishy little creature that will no doubt be in mama's arms all the time? how will I spread my time equally so each child gets the attention they deserve?

 

there are a million things that can cause insomnia (besides coffee) but I have to remind myself that you can't cross a bridge that you're not even close to reaching yet. if anything, those incoming changes teach us to enjoy the moments we have NOW even more because we know they are fleeting.

 

 I believe there are always good things at hand and good things yet to come.

 

image pinterest

life update: i'm expecting!

How far along: 20 weeks-halfway!

Gender: will find out Thursday!

---> I think it's a boy because I feel so different with this pregnancy than with my daughter. I was even less nauseous during the 1st trimester which I heard is common with boys. I would love for my daughter to have a sister to play with but as long as the baby is healthy I don't care what it is! every child is a miracle from God & a boy would be a new adventure and a dream come true for hubby.

Weight gain: about 10 pounds

Maternity clothes: not really, just dresses as shirts and lots of leggings!

Stretch marks: from previous pregnancy.

Belly button in or out: in

Sleep: still pretty normal though I feel the belly more. I was even sleeping on my stomach up until a few weeks ago. now I'm my side.

Best moment of the week: today I had my first doctors appointment! (I know, crazy. but lots of reasons had prevented me from even being able to make one) today I went by myself and only had a visit with a nurse, no ultrasound. the best moment was hearing my beautiful baby's heartbeat for the first time! it brought tears of joy and relief to my eyes. I've been so anxious up until now worrying if everything is ok, if the baby is growing because my belly is still relatively small compared to 1. my last pregnancy and 2. other girls I know who are 20 weeks and even less.

Movement: another reason I was anxious about the baby was because I thought I wasn't feeling much movement. little pings here and there but nothing significant enough to call it a strong baby kick. but today since my appointment, I have felt the baby move around a lot! especially when I lie on my back.

Cravings: I didn't stop myself from grabbing a small bag of peanut butter m&m's and 3 caramel chews when I ran into Walgreen's today. also ice cream is a daily craving. can't tell if it's baby induced or me being me ;)

Looking forward to: obviously finding out the gender on Thursday, telling my anticipating friends and family the news and this is far from now but can't wait to hold a tiny newborn in my arms again and know that it's all mine to hold and love and snuggle :)

baby girl summer style

baby girl summer style by glitterandtea on Polyvore

I love me some old navy & baby gap clothing for the little miss in my life. I stopped by old navy today and noticed they have so much ready for summer baby girl outfits that I can't wait to get little J in once the weather allows! here's a sample of every trend & style...eyelet, maxi, gingham, floral, polka, stripes and on and on :)

baby girl gear (etsy)

1. baby's ultrasound heartbeat (hearing my baby's at my appointment always brought a tear to my eye & quickly induced a prayer of thankfulness!)
2. adorable felt mobile
3. organic cotton headbands

there is way too much cuteness for babies available! only solution is to keep having kids ;) (just kidding...sort of)