Category Archives: products

Top 5 Baby Must Haves

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As you may know, I recently gave birth to my fifth baby. I consider myself a seasoned mom, and when it comes to baby gear, I’ve pretty much bought it all, sold it all, and bought it all over again. Side note, if there is even the slightest chance you may have a second, third, or fourth baby in the future… DON’T SELL YOUR SH*T.

You see I’ve made this mistake more than once, and I can assure you that (happy) accidents can happen, even multiple times, so do yourself a favor and hang on to every last piece of baby gear you own until the baby factory is closed FOR👏 GOOD👏.

Moving on…

I’ve had some time to reflect on what products really are worth buying (over and over again), and I am here to impart my baby crap wisdom to the world. And the truth is…. You really don’t need that much in the beginning. Diapers, wipes, obnoxiously big bows for your baby girl… These things are actually necessary. Wipe warmers, baby mittens, a grass countertop drying rack? Not so much.

So now that I am six weeks into life with my fifth infant, I feel as if I have figured it all out (ha, ha). So, without further ado, I present to you my top 5 baby must haves (in no particular order):

  1. Ergobaby Embrace Cozy Newborn Carrier– I have tried A LOT of carriers throughout the years (the original Ergo carrier, Baby Bjorn, K’tan, Lalabu), and I haven’t been a huge fan of any of them. Neither have my babies. The Ergobaby Embrace is a game changer for me. It is soft like a wrap, but super simple to put on like a traditional carrier. Cora doesn’t fuss when I put her in, and she usually goes right to sleep. As a matter of fact, she is sleeping in it as I type at this very moment. If you are a first time parent, you may not know that newborns don’t like to be put down. They want to be held all of the time. Don’t get me wrong, I love the baby snuggles and when I had my first son Jack, I literally sat in a chair 24/7 rocking him, feeding him, and holding him while he slept. Now that I have FIVE kids (7, 6, 5, 2, and 6 weeks old), I don’t have that luxury anymore. And although I am remarkably good at doing things one-handed, it can be quite challenging at times. And bonus, carrying a baby in a carrier instead of putting them down to sleep can help prevent the dreaded flat head phenomenon. If you’re like me and slightly intimidated by baby-wearing, give this carrier a shot. You won’t be disappointed. I have pink (of course), but the carrier also comes in blue, gray, black, and cream.

2. Philips AVENT Ultra Air Pacifier– I was given this pacifier with baby number four by a kind mother who recognized a moment of desperation at a preschool event for my oldest son. The audience was supposed to be quiet throughout the gymnastics presentation I was attending, but my newborn baby didn’t get the memo. This fellow mom sprang into action, dashed to her car, and returned with a brand new pacifier that she had on hand for emergencies. #momgoals She said it was the only pacifier her son would take. My baby took it with ease, stopped screaming/disrupting the program, and I was sold. With over 1,200 five star Amazon ratings and 98% nipple acceptance, this pacifier is a winner. Shown in pink but also available in blue.

3. Philips Avent Natural Baby Bottle– These bottles are fantastic for several reasons, but above all else I love how simple and straight forward they are. Bottle, nipple, nipple ring. That’s all. Plus they come in several sizes, colors, and a range of nipple flows, too. In my experience, these bottles are quite durable, as well. If you are exclusively bottle feeding, I recommend stocking up!

4. Baby Brezza Instant Warmer– Let me just start by saying that I used the Baby Brezza Formula Pro with several of my littles ones, and it was freaking amazing, BUT, there are a few downfalls to this otherwise genius product. First of all, it is expensive. Also, you have to clean it a lot. Ain’t nobody got time for that (at least not in this house). And most importantly for me, I never trusted that my baby was getting the correct amount of formula powder. Any time they were fussy, I couldn’t help but wonder if they were being over/under fed by the contraption. Fast forward a few kids and boom! I found this water warmer on Amazon and bought it immediately. It is my current favorite baby product. Instead of using a traditional bottle warmer, which takes f-o-r-e-v-e-r and often leaves you with formula that is way too hot for your screaming LO to drink, this product heats the water to your liking (room temp, body temp, warmer than body temp) and dispenses it on demand 24-7. It maintains the water temperature all day and night, and I am here for it! It is about $50, and if you are a formula feeding mama, it is worth every dang penny.

5. aden + anais Essentials Swaddle Blankets– These are a long time favorite of mine. I still own a couple from my first son, and every child after that, too. I always buy a new pack or two when I have a baby. They are so versatile and soft, and the patterns are beautiful. Bring them to the hospital. Pack them in your diaper bag. Throw them in the stroller. You cannot go wrong with aden + anais swaddle (all purpose really) blankets.

And that’s a wrap, folks. All of my favorite baby things that I will finally be able to discard of/sell when Cora is a toddler, because I can now say with 100% confidence that the baby factory is closed FOR👏 GOOD👏.

-Lacey

Brand Spotlight: kendamil organic

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Introducing the new and improved Kendamil Organic, the most natural and scientifically advanced organic formula on the market. Behind the scenes at Kendamil HQ, our team of R&D scientists have developed the brand new Kendamil Organic recipe to be our closest ever match to breastmilk. Kendamil Organic is exclusively made with ingredients sourced across the UK and now, for the first time, will include key nutrients as identified in breastmilk, including HMOs, ARA, nucleotides, taurine and L-Carnitine. Uniquely British, our nutritional standards remain above the rest.
Human Milk Oligosaccharides, better known as HMO’s, are the third largest solid component in human breastmilk, following lactose and lipids. Research has shown that HMOs can help with promoting good bacteria in the gut, development of the intestine and reducing the risk of pathogenic infection and allergy, while supporting brain development and cognitive function in infants. The new Kendamil Organic baby formula will also include Nucleotides, linked with improved immune function; Taurine, an amino acid that helps infants absorb fat and ARA, linked with improved visual acuity and cognitive development. We take extra care to source all ingredients without the use of hexane solvents. 
Crafted with over 58 years’ expertise, Kendamil Organic remains the most natural, traceable and sustainable formula in the world, still lovingly made in the Lake District using full-cream milk from grass-fed British Jersey cows – uniquely providing babies with natural milk fats, proven to result in reduced crying and favorable stool consistency. We’re proud to use zero palm oils (linked with reduced calcium absorption in infants) and to use zero fish oils, replaced instead by sustainably-sourced plant-based Omega-3 DHA.

Shop entire Kendamil range at lworganics.com.

What I Wore 12-8

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19 weeks 4 days pregnant and off to teach 2nd grade.
  1. Maternity V-Neck Long-Sleeve Tee size M
  2. Maternity Full-Panel Leggings 2-Pack size M
  3. Quilted Vest (old) similar here, here, here and here. Ordering this today because mine is a tad too small, and this Tommy Bahama vest is perfect for pregnancy! I love how long, loose, and comfy it looks. Adding to cart now. ✔️
  4. Women’s Lainee Heeled Scrunch Fashion Boots – Universal Thread™

Ordering this ↓ ASAP

Tommy Bahama Plush Fleece Vest

Old Navy Small Haul

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I tend to get overwhelmed when shopping online. Like I have these grandiose plans of picking a cart load of perfectly coordinated outfits that fit in my budget and are available in my size and preferred choice of color. But in reality I end up with random pieces and a hodgepodge of mismatched stuff that I never really wanted anyway.

I usually close the computer, vow to try again tomorrow, and go about life in my sad, unfashionable wardrobe. The worst part is that I was once very fashionable, and I have a decent sense of style, so I am fully aware that I don’t look great. Ugh, it’s such a pitiful cycle.

But, as I mentioned in my previous post, I feel a sense of renewal and optimism as of late. I want to look good. I want to feel good. I want to add clothes to my cart and not shut the damn computer out of frustration. December goals= hit purchase with confidence. ✔️

I *think* I did pretty well last night shopping Old Navy’s big Cyber Sale. It was late and my growing belly (prego + a pinch of Thanksgiving gluttony) is desperate for properly fitting clothes, so I pretty much forced myself to hit the buy button before shutting down for the night. I also threw in a couple of pieces for my 4-year old daughter, because shopping for my kids is wayyyy less stressful than shopping for myself.

I purchased what I call a “small haul,” as I am trying to buy fewer items at a time and slowly build my wardrobe in an effort to avoid the “pitiful cycle” of adding to cart –>deleting cart –>perpetually styleless. 😉

How did I do???

Old Navy Maternity Front-Low Panel Boot-Cut Jeans
Old Navy Maternity Front Low-Panel Universal Straight Jeans
Old Navy Maternity Full-Panel Leggings 2-Pack
Old Navy Maternity V-Neck Long-Sleeve Tee

Old Navy Maternity Jersey-Knit Bodycon Dress in Green Floral
Old Navy Maternity Corduroy Western Tie-Belt Shirt Dress
Old Navy Fit & Flare Printed Jersey Dress 2-Pack for Toddler Girls
Old Navy Faux-Fur-Lined Boots for Toddler Girls

I later realized that I had an Old Navy and Loft gift card floating around my purse from my birthday back in August, so I did a little extra shopping to take advantage of the Cyber Monday deals. I will spotlight my purchases in my next post. ✌️

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