With my new journey into blogging comes new topics I can write about! I'm really excited to blog about what is in my diaper bag! Now I know that I'm not carrying anything that is groundbreaking but since L is getting older, I've become more efficient at what I carry and how I carry it.

So, here is what's in my diaper bag!



HONORABLE MENTION: I had to start off with what kind of bag I have... I didn't splurge for much for myself...except for the bag. I knew I wanted this bag way before I became pregnant! You can't go wrong with Marc Jacobs.  Its a sturdy, super roomy bag and has a billion pockets. I also wasn't into colorful bags and this bag came in a variety of colors...including black.

1. Similac RTF Formula (Supplementation): In times that I can't breastfeed or if I've left the pumped milk at home, I keep a couple of spares of formula in the bag. They come in these 2 oz doses which are way convenient. Since she drinks more than that at a time, I just bring a bottle and will add multiple bottles into that.

2. Sweater: You never know when the weather will suddenly turn on you. Today it was awesomely sunny but in our part of town, we get what's called a "Delta Breeze," and it gets pretty windy and chilly so I make sure to keep a sweater in her bag just in case. This super cute sweater is from Target and I love the loose knit and the colors for Spring!

3. Supply Bags: These bags are GREAT for organizing! They have 7 different sizes and the biggest can fit all the diaper supplies and then some. They are also travel-friendly. Travelon Set of 7 Packing Envelopes, Clear with Black Trim, Assorted Sizes
4. Diapers: Well, this is a MUST to have as I'm sure you already know! I usually go between the BabyGanics and Seventh Generation Diapers when I'm out and about. When I'm home, I use cloth diapers.

5. Aveeno Diaper Rash Cream: Aveeno Baby Diaper Rash Cream, Fragrance Free, 3.7 Ounce I was using Boudreau's Butt Cream which has worked well when she has had a diaper rash BUT that particular product shouldn't be used with cloth diapers as we have recently found out. In high amounts, itt gives microfiber a fishy smell when they're dirty and that is NO BUENO. I've read that its the high amount of zinc oxide (and some creams use fish oil) that is the reason for the smell but the zinc is the reason the cream is so effective. The Aveeno Cream doesn't have as high of Zinc so it shouldn't give the diapers that smell and still help with diaper rash.

6. Arm & Hammer Diaper Bags: Munchkin Arm and Hammer Bag Refill I keep a roll of these in the bag to dispose of dirty diapers or keep cloth ones contained till we get home. They have a super pleasant smell to them and they come in bright colors so you can't miss them if you throw it in your bag.
7. Bebe Au Lait Cover: While I don't breastfeed in public, I do use my cover in the car (if I really do need to breastfeed). Its a light cotton and fits in the diaper bag in one of the pockets. I also use it to cover the stroller if extra shade is needed.
8. Happy Baby Organic Puffs: HAPPYBABY Organic Puffs Sampler  L is all about these snacks! These were a great snack to introduce practice with her pincer grip and they dissolve easily and quickly when she eats them. They don't taste sugary (the hubby and I have had a few ourselves lol) and 75 pieces equal 1 serving so a lot goes a long way.

9. Snacks for Mama: I think its very important to not forget about yourself when packing the diaper bag. I'm very much a snacker and if we're running errands, hitting up Starbucks for a coffee and snacks can add up quick. I like to take a piece of fruit or pack a sandwich and take a bottle of water for when we are on the go.

10. Mama Sunnies: Unfortunately L isn't with the sunnies trend yet so she wear a hat when we are outside BUT I'm pretty adamant about wearing sunglasses.

11. Phone: Ok, nowadays who doesn't have their phone with them?! Do you remember when cell phones (or the internet) didn't exist (I do!)? We do everything from taking pictures/video to searching the web for various things to making phone calls or texting. This is a MUST-HAVE! I do try not to use it a lot in front of her because I don't want to make an impression that people need to be on their phones all the time.

12. Mama Supplies: Lastly, I keep one small pouch for myself which includes
lipstick (Rimmel #08 from the Kate Moss Line is my go-to) , lip liner (Rimmel's Exaggerate in Epic), gum, and $20.


What's in your diaper bag?

Hope you're all having a fabulous weekend! Its been HOT the last couple of days and it definitely feels like Spring is quickly approaching. Time to break out the shorts, flip flops and sunnies!
Here was my week/weekend via my camera roll:

1. Our little Lily is quite the ham in front of the camera.  She loves wearing costume stuff and smiling her crinkle smile. We are absolutely loving this age (9 months) because she's so interactive and we can mostly be able to tell what she's thinking and wants to do (or not to do).

2. I wandered into our nearest Marshall's the other day and saw this kayak for sale. I almost bought it! At $169, it was a steal for an entry level kayak.  If I only had a way to get it home, it would have been mine!

3. I've never tried Evolution juices and when I went to the grocery store, I snagged one (I usually give myself a little treat everytime I hit the grocery store). While it was DELICIOUS, it was pricey ($3.79/bottle).

4. We have a Sunday tradition of going to the Farmer's Market and there is just so much yumminess on display. Since I am captain of the SS Stroller, its sort of difficult to get video the way I want so I've been taking shots the last couple of weeks in hopes of making a short video that i'll post soon!

5. We went for a walk around Midtown Sacramento and there are the coolest murals to take pictures near. I made the hubby be my model for the day so I could document all the neat areas. Fashion posts? Yes please!

6. I think this shot was taken while we were at the Farmer's Market and Lily was asleep. We like her to nap as long as possible so if we get to our destination and she's asleep, we will often sit and chit chat or if you're me, take selfies. :)

7. Today's weather warranted a trip to the driving range! I haven't touched my clubs in almost 2 years so it was good to get out and hit a few while catching up with a girlfriend and her friends.

8. After we hit some balls, we checked out Maggiano's nearby. The food was decent but I was more interested in the dessert! My girlfriend ordered this fabulous brownie with ice cream and fresh strawberries. uh-MAZING.

9. And on my way home from all this fun, the hubby (who was watching our little one) sent me this text message... YAY!!! I've been waiting for this time! She's on her way to becoming super mobile! It was a great end to my day!

How was your weekend?

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend! Here is a little of what went down in my world last week...

Baby Lily!



Well hello there world! I finally don't feel like a zombie anymore! Hooray!

Having a baby is INTENSE! I want to write Lily's birth story but haven't had the energy to do much more than feed her, feed myself and sleep. But come hell or high water, I WILL write it soon.

For now, I can only describe how in love we are with her through pictures. They say that having a baby really changes your life. They were so very right. Sure, there is sleep deprivation and the recovery process is another set of intensities, but seeing her sweet little face everyday has put a new perspective in mine and my hubby's life. We are so in love with our little lady.  I especially love hearing my husband sing to her, talk to her, take care of her... its a feeling I can't describe but it absolutely melts my heart watching him with her. About 5 years ago, I swore off having children or even getting married. I'm glad I took those decisions back... <3

Since I've started this crafting/thrifting streak, I have become addicted to spray painting anything I can get my hands on. My favorite color to paint, you ask? Why GOLD! Alas, this post isn't about gold spray paint.

With Lily's big baby shower on the way, I've been trying to get everything together, a little bit per day, to make this a big shindig. My theme has to do with horses because A) In the Chinese horoscope, it is the year of the horse (and I was also born under this sign), and B) you'll have to wait till after the shower to see the theme because I think its pretty EX.CIT.ING!

I've been on the hunt for anything horse-ish and have been dying to get out my trusty spray paint trigger and getting started. The weather was FABULOUS this weekend so I set out to paint this adorable carousel horse I found at a thrift store a few weeks ago. For $6, you can't beat it!

I love that the white gave the horse a modern, classic look and kept the pole its original gold. I'm going to use this and a few other DIY projects I have going on as decorations for the shower. Once that is done, I can use it in her nursery!

Oh, and that GORGEOUS tassel bracelet was made by Lakeitha Duncan of Wrist Soiree. She makes her bracelets to size and has some beautiful and reasonably priced pieces. Check her out!

I've been dying to use my sewing machine and silhouette cameo cutter for a while now. A few years ago, Chris bought me a sewing machine and I took a class on how to sew with a pattern and hadn't used it since! I could barely sew in a straight line much less try to follow a pattern. So, when I came across a youtube video on how to make a pillow, I thought this would be a perfect simple project to get back into the swing of things.

I have a stockpile of striped fabric from Ikea which is great for upholstery projects. I also found some iron-on vinyl online and used the my cutter to cut out the letters. Since it had been a little while since I'd sewed, it took a bit to get used to the feel of the machine again and re-learning how to thread the machine. I was also super paranoid about not sewing in a straight line but it turned out well! The vinyl was a little more frustrating of a task. The first piece of vinyl didn't cut so well on the vinyl setting so I had to adjust to a blade of 6. And even then, I had to scrape some of the curves because there were stubborn areas that wouldn't come off! I was really paranoid about melting the plastic to the pillow. In the directions, the vinyl is supposed to take on the texture of the fabric you're attaching it to and mine is still shiny BUT its definitely on there! I think I even melted the top of the second L slightly after following the 25 second rule.

And here is my finished product! Aaaaand... our baby name reveal! Can't wait to meet Baby Lily soon!

I was really pleased with the way it turned out and now have the itch to sew more pillows! Maybe someday, I'll work up the nerve to do clothes again!



Here are some of the resources I used to make this pillow:

Happy Saturday! This week we are officially in the third trimester! I've been running around like crazy trying to find a glider that is decently priced and that I can reupholster for her room. We finally found one a few days ago and for a whopping $65, we loaded it up and took that baby home! I plan on recovering it with a cool fabric with the help of my mom who is a rockstar at sewing. Stay tuned... :)


Here are my new stats! 

Week: 28

Gender: Its a Girl!

Cravings: Nothing crazy but when I want a cookie or a salad, I REALLY want it!

Sleep: Mostly well! I have the WEIRDEST dreams which can wake me up sometimes. The doctors think she is sitting on a nerve in the groin area. I haven't had much in terms of round ligament pain but this nerve business can put me out of commission for a few minutes!

Body Changes: Hellooooo boobs! They're definitely bigger! The bump is a'growin still too. My belly button has managed to stay in but there are days when it looks like it is screaming to come out. I've tried to relive the pressure on my stomach (and back) with a preggie weight belt and so far, that seems to do the trick!

Weight Gain: about 13 pounds. I've only gained 1lb in the last month. I started out small so I know it'll be a challenge for me to put on the weight (even with 5 meals a day).

Work Outs: My nerve issue has kept me from working out and walking long distances. I get my workouts in by dancing around the house. 

Things missed: I miss being able to do things full throttle like lift heavy furniture and walk faster. It was definitely difficult for me to realize that I have to get help for things like that.

Maternity Clothes: My only purchase were the H&M black skinny jeans.  I'm still living in fleece lined leggings too. A lot of my blouses sill fit because I like boxy shirts. I'll be stocking up on Target tank tops too!

New Experiences: Still kicking like a ninja! The kicks are much stronger now and its neat to watch my tummy move around!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Once again, I've been slacking BUT with good reason. We found out that we are expecting a baby in May and I've been trying to adjust to preglife. That's right! Baby H is due in May! I apologize for the lack of posts and promise to keep up!



So, I thought I'd use this post for my first preggo update!

Week: 26 (almost to the end of the second trimester YAYYYYYY!!!). I thought i'd be able to blog more but in the first trimester, I felt too sick to do anything! The second trimester has been a lot more forgiving so I've been away from the computer and out enjoying the sights and sounds. That's what happens when you are basically sleeping for 3 months! We took the bump to a listening party in SF, out to Lagunitas Brewing Co in Petaluma and are planning a few more small trips before she arrives.

Gender: Its a Girl!

Cravings: I haven't really had too many cravings, i'm into acidic stuff like salsa or citrus.

Sleep: Pretty well! I had more bladder calls in the first trimester than the second and am sleeping soundly through the night for the most part.

Body Changes: Bully Button isn't out yet but its way sensitive! No stretch marks yet (knock on wood) and am lathering up with coconut oil and aveeno lotion. My lower back has started hurting and I have a tendon near my rib that aches in the evening. The bump is in full effect and I have a little waddle when I walk.

Weight Gain: about 12 pounds. Funny enough, when I found out I was pregnant and had stopped drinking, I dropped 5 pounds! I was a little under weight but am definitely making up for it with my appetite back!

Work Outs: Daily walks and one of my good friends bought me a pregnancy fitness dvd so the hubby and I do it on occasion. I've been walking more than working out though.

Things missed: V. Sattui Rose Wine and sushi!

Maternity Clothes: I've caved and bought some preggo skinny jeans from H&M. I'm living in fleece lined leggings too. Since its winter, I've also purchased boxy sweaters and will invest in some really cute faux leather maternity leggings. Once spring hits, i'll definitely be in maxi dresses and skirts.

New Experiences: She is kicking like CRAZY and has her moments where she likes to stretch out to the point that I can see a bulge on one side of my tummy. Its really neat and sometimes weird. I do love when Chris says goodnight to her every night. She likes to kick back in response. :)

Cheers to new adventures!

-M