Friday Favorites: Halloween Kiddo Style!

 

Tomorrow is October 1st, so that means it's time to break out the Halloween decor! That is, unless you're like me, and have already had your decorations up for over a week. ;)

Along with decor, we love to dress the part around here, so I picked out some of my favorite festive outfits for your littles this Halloween! 

I always start with getting Baylee some Halloween jammies, because I can never get over how cute they are. These Carter's glow-in-the-dark skeleton pajamas for girls are sold out in the baby sizes, but they still have toddler sizes in stock. The boys skeleton PJs don't glow, but they're just as adorable (all sizes still available)! I also love these Good Witch pajamas from Old Navy, and they come with a second short sleeve shirt for warmer nights.

I had the hardest time finding Baylee a Halloween shirt, because I'm not crazy about the choices this year. (You just can't beat last years black and white striped "Boo!" shirt!) She has a thing for bats lately, though, so I did find this adorable bat stripe tee from Crazy 8, and she loves it! Pair it with some black leggings and you're good to go! For your little men, I love this "How to be a Vampire" tee paired with some adorable jeans. 

For a quick, cute little witch look, pair an onyx June & January swing dress with some onyx striped tights. And I am obsessed with the Halloween bow collection at Nell's Bow Co., especially this spider web bow which Baylee will for sure be wearing with all of her Halloween outfits this year! Put in the code BAYLEE25 at checkout for an awesome discount! :)

What are your favorite finds for Halloween outfits this year?

We may be living in these jams. ;)

 

Until next time! XoXoXo

 

Secondary Infertility: Reclaiming Fertility

I did one more cycle of Clomid in August and it about broke me. It was, by far, the most torturous cycle to date based on my physical symptoms, and the way it made me feel like the walls were closing in all the time. Once I found out the cycle was over and that it once again hadn't worked for the 5th time, I threw out the bottle with the last refill # on it. My body is so very done. 

So, I paid a visit to my OBGYN, who basically has now signed me off and wants me to pick a reproductive endocrinologist (a.k.a. fertility doc) to continue my care with. I held on to the list she gave me for days unsure of what to do. I really want another baby so bad, but I'm not sure if I want to go through more poking and prodding and drugs that my body hates me for taking. In the end, I decided to take a cycle off of everything and just see what my body did on its own.

And you know what? I had a 29 day cycle all on my own! I didn't get pregnant, but it was a sign to me that I got pregnant once naturally and I know I can do it again. I just need to get my shit together! So, I did a little research on reversing infertility holistically, and while some of it is a little over the top for me, a lot of it makes so much sense. One of the books I read made a great point that by taking fertility drugs, we are basically ignoring our own bodies. Infertility is always caused by something more than just a faulty reproductive system, and if all your systems aren't happy and healthy and ready to house and nourish a baby, then a pregnancy can't and won't happen. 

I really don't know why I never thought of it that way before, but for the first time in about 20 months, I am completely at peace with my decision. I am going to get healthy, heal my body, and do this on my own. I got this.

Step one, I am reclaiming my fertility. I am not going to accept that I am a secondary infertility sufferer any longer. I am fertile, I just need to ready my body for one great big job.

Step two is the hard part. I've got to get healthy, and I've got to stick to it. My weight has been yo-yo-ing ever since I was pregnant with Baylee, and I never really lost all the baby weight. I know they say the last 10 pounds are the hardest, but it's really no joke. I'm determined to lose that weight and keep it off. I'm alsot setting these goals for myself:

1. Eat clean & healthy as much as possible.

2. Exercise every single day.

3. Lay off the junk food, alcohol and caffeine. 

4. Start taking more vitamins & supplements.

I know it sounds so simple, but all those things are quite a challenge for me and my ice cream, coffee, junk food loving self. It probably won't go perfectly, but with all your help and support I know I can make it happen to the best of my abilities! And if you have any advice I would love to read it in the blog comments! You all have been the best support system I could ever ask for. :)

Also, if you want me to post a more in-depth description of my plans to reclaim my fertility and get healthy, let me know and I would be more than happy to get something up soon!

Until next time! XoXoXo 

Fall Bucket List!

Happy first day of Fall, a.k.a. the BEST season there is! I am so happy, because the desert here in California decided to be nice to me today, and it is a breezy 75 degrees. :) I know we have some more hot days ahead of us, but I don't care, because today I got to wear jeans and moccs! Woot!

I feel like every season goes by entirely too fast, and we never get to do all the things that I have pictured in my head. So, this year I'm challenging myself with a Fall bucket list. Let's see if we can conquer it! 

  

Fall Bucket List

1. Visit a pumpkin patch.

2. Make s'mores in a fire pit.

3. Go on a nature walk and find leaves, acorns, & pinecones.

4. Bake a pie. (Either pecan or pumpkin)

5. Make chili and cornbread.

6. Watch Hocus Pocus at least 10 times. :)

7. Drink a caramel apple cider from Starbucks.

8. Do a fall leaf craft.

9. Visit a farm.

10. Paint pumpkins & carve pumpkins.

11. Do a random act of kindness.

12. Make a "Thankful For" list. (or tree!)

13. Snuggle by the first fireplace fire of the season.

14. Bake pumpkin scones.

 15. Have a picnic on a flannel blanket.

I really hope we get to do everything on the list, but if not, I'm just happy to be spending my favorite season of all with my wonderful little family. :)

 What's on your Fall bucket list?
 

Until next time! XoXoXo 

Toddler Sleep Solutions

Anyone who knows me personally, knows that Baylee's sleep situation has been a roller coaster since day one. We would have days and weeks of "Yasss! Our kid is a great sleeper finally!", and then suddenly we would be back to night-waking and early rising; and they just don't make enough hazelnut coffee for that nonsense. 

Well, I'm proud to announce that, after begging all you mamas for advice, and reading every article and book I could find, we have finally found the perfect bed-time routine for Baylee! We are 3 months strong with sleeping all night long (no night waking at all) from 8:30pm until sometime between 7:00-8:30am, and it. is. wonderful! Don't worry, you know I'm not going to be greedy and keep the secrets to myself. ;) Here are the sleep tricks that we tried that actually worked for us...

1.  Consistent bedtime. We had to play around with bed  times a little because we were having a problem with Baylee getting up between 5:00-5:30am. That's way too damn early for this mama! At the time, she was going down around 9:00pm, sometimes later in our effort to help her sleep later (always back-fired). We had a suggestion from a friend to "reset" her by putting her to bed way earlier than normal. I was desperate to try anything so the next night we put her to bed at 7:00pm and she was up at 5:30am like normal, but way more rested and pleasant. So, we worked her up a half hour each night until finally we found the sweet spot of 8:30pm. She started sleeping around 11 hours per night again, and it made a total difference in her behavior! Now, we go to bed at exactly 8:30 every single night, and I really believe that the consistence has helped her internal clock immensely.

2. Darkness and white noise. I'm sure that it was no coincidence that Baylee's early rising began right when spring was ending and the sun was coming out earlier. We invested in some black-out curtains for her room, and the lack of light helped tons. We also used to run a fan in her room for noise, but it recently died, so we got this white noise machine for her and I will literally never use anything else again. You can control the volume of the noise and it completely drowns out any other sounds in our house. 

3. Later dinners. Baylee used to wake up hungry in the middle of the night and/or early in the morning, so we moved our dinner time from 5:00pm to 6:00-6:30pm on most nights. It has really helped keep her tummy full overnight when shes going to bed only about 2 hours after eating dinner.

4. Cozy blanket and pillow. Baylee used to sleep in a sleep sack, but I had a feeling that she was ready for a blanket and a toddler pillow. It really helped her, especially for the going to bed process, because she loves to cozy up with her big fluffy blanket. I got this twin-sized fuzzy blanket from Target that way it's always covering her and she doesn't get cold. 

5. Lavender oil. I saved the best for last, because using essential oils was a total game changer for us. I got some lavender oil, and added it to some coconut oil, and now we rub it on her feet and chest every single night. It helps her go to sleep and stay asleep. She even reminds me at night now that we have to "do my oil mama"...it's the sweetest thing!

Any other tips or tricks that worked for your toddler? Comment, and I will add them to the list!

Until next time! XoXoXo

Today With Bay!

8:00 My favorite coffee in my favorite mug.

 I finally caved in and bought myself a box of pumpkin spice K-cups as well as pumpkin spice creamer. Heaven.

8:30 Look who is finally awake!

 

8:45 Feed the doggies.

Baylee has her first daily chore now and that's to help feed all 3 of our dogs. She gathers their bowls, scoops the food, and puts them down for the dogs 75% by herself. It's absolutely adorable.

 

9:00 Breakfast time!

 

9:20 Dinner Prep

 

10:00 Ready for the day! 

 

  

10:30 Mama's shopping buddy!

  

11:30 Last stop...Target!

We went to four different stores today and Baylee trooped out, so she got "Mickey Chips" as a treat!

 

12:00 Turkey sandwiches for lunch

 

12:30 Room on the Broom

 

  

1:00 Nap time!

 

3:00 Baylee still sleeping...

Mommy still snacking.

3:15 Urge to bake!

Only to realize I'm out of flour. Sadness.

 

 

3:30 How are you still sleeping?!

 

3:45 Finally!

 

4:00 Snack time!

 

4:15 Daddy's home from school!

 

 4:30 Back at Target...with no kiddo!

No Mama should ever turn down the opportunity to stroll Target alone!

 

4:45 I seriously came for flour...

and then this happened...

 

5:00 Leave for a half hour, and come home to a filthy kid.

 

5:05 Bake and finish making dinner.

 

 

5:45 Bath time 

 

Before dinner tonight because she was covered in dirt from head to toe!

  

6:00 Din-din!

We had creamy chicken, green beans, and brown rice. Baylee gobbled down her dinner for the first time in weeks! Win! 

 

6:30 Time to try those muffins!

I tried out this pumpkin muffin/bread recipe and it was amazing! Even Brian, who is very picky about pumpkin stuff loved it and had two muffins.

 

6:45 Pumpkin candles and Corpse Bride.

 

8:00 Books and bedtime!

 

Until next time! XoXoXo

A Post About French Toast

Not many people know this, but my husband makes the best french toast in the whole world! After trying for many months, I finally convinced him to let me share the recipe for it on the blog! This may be a pretty conventional recipe, but I personally love the simplicity, and I think you all will enjoy it too!

This recipe is for 6 slices of toast, so you can add more or less of the ingredients depending on how much you want to make. Also, we like to use Orowheat Country Potato bread, but you can really use any kind! 

Ingredients:

6 slices of bread

3 eggs (1 egg for every 2 slices of bread)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp nutmeg

 1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup of milk

Butter...lots of butter ;)

Directions:

1. Heat up a frying pan on medium heat. (Griddles work great too!

2. Beat the eggs in a rectangle shaped container (just until yolks are fully broken up).

3. Add vanilla, spices, and milk. Stir until well combined.

4. Coat a slice of bread thoroughly on both sides.

5. Melt about a 1/2 tsp of butter on your hot pan

6. Fry each side of the bread in the pan until golden brown.

7. Repeat steps 4-6 for each slice

8. Top with yummy fruit and whipped cream or classic butter and syrup and enjoy!

I love to top mine with whipped cream and strawberries, but you could add blue berries, bananas...anything really! Also, if you add about 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree it makes the most amazing pumpkin french toast! Yum! 

If I wanted to gain 1,487 pounds, I would seriously have this for breakfast every day. ;)

 

Until next time! XoXoXo

 

Fun at the Fair!

Yesterday, we went on our annual trip to the L.A. County Fair, and I'm positive that this was our best yet! I explained what was at the fair to Baylee earlier in the day, and told her that we were going to see all kinds of farm animals. So, the whole drive there she went on about wanting to see a "big moo cow!". I knew she would be so stoked to not only see, but be able to pet all the animals, so I couldn't wait to show her. She rocked her little country girl outfit complete with boots "just like mommy"!

 

We were starving by the time we walked in, so we decided to start with a BBQ dinner of pork ribs, pulled pork, baked beans, mac'n'cheese, and corn bread. It was so tasty! 

 

After dinner we went straight to the barn to show Baylee all the animals. She went crazy for the baby cows and goats in the nursery section. It was so sweet to see her so excited! After we looked at animals for a bit, we went in to the petting zoo. Baylee couldn't have been happier. She kept hugging the goats around their necks and telling me, "Cheeeeeeese, Mommy!". There was a pregnant mama goat laying down by the fence, and Baylee took a liking to her for some reason. She pet her for a long time and kept giving her kisses. :)

 

We hit the pig races next, which is always adorable. They divvy the audience up by color so that you know who to cheer for, and tiny pigs in bandanas run around a small track for a treat at the end. They make it a lot of fun for the kids with songs and clapping, and the animals are just plain cute. They also have a duck race, and then the grand finale is a turkey race. It's pretty hysterical!

 

We went to the kids section next, where they get to learn all about "farm to table" produce. Baylee got to pick her produce and turn it in for "money" to take to the "grocery store" next door. They had mini shopping carts and everything! Baylee probably would have shopped there all day if I had let her.

 

We visited a few more baby animals in the barn; then, Baylee's wish came true. She finally got to see her "big moo cow"...an 1,800 lb moo cow to be exact!

 

One of the highlights of the fair this year is a 3-year-old giraffe named Stanley. He's from a ranch in Malibu and has been in a few movies. At the fair he's a wildlife conservation ambassador, and for a $10 donation you can feed him and take pictures with him. It was one of the neatest experiences I have ever had. He was so sweet and so gentle. Baylee giggled the entire time, and still has not stopped telling everyone that she "gave Stanley the giraffe cookies". If you get a chance to make it to the fair this year, he is a must see!

 

Once it started to get dark, we decided to play some games and grab some desserts. Brian won Baylee a stuffed froggy at the squirt gun game, and she won herself a tiny stuffed lizard at the balloon pop game. (I was so proud!) For dessert, we wanted to try a couple of new things so our first choice was a churro and gelato ice cream sandwich. It was incredible. The ice cream flavor we chose was dark chocolate hazelnut and it seriously tasted like frozen Nutella. Next, we needed a fried novelty, so after much debate we settled on the fried oreos. All I can say is that I love the fair. :) Fried oreos every day, please!

We ended the night with a visit to the Jurassic Planet section of the fair. They set up a bunch of life-sized animatronic dinosaurs that move and make sounds in the way scientists believe that they did when they existed. (Complete with the Jurassic Park soundtrack playing in the background.) Brian and I have always had a fascination with dinos since we were kids, and recently Baylee has sparked an interest as well, so it was a really cool display for all of us. I've never been to a museum with complete dinosaur fossils on display, so I was pretty taken aback by the the sheer size of these creatures that used to roam our earth. Baylee's favorite was the mama Triceratops with her babies, but I was pretty fond of the massive T-Rex.

 

Until next year, L.A. County Fair! Thanks for the memories!

 

XoXoXo