Category: my babies

Essentials for Babies 6-12 Months Old

Post author By tiffany
Post date October 9, 2019

*This post is sponsored by Walmart. All opinions are my own.

Babies need a lot of gear and not only that you need specific items for the different ages/stages they are in. Now that Edie is almost one I am able to share the items that we’ve used a ton and have really helped Edie with things like teething, eating solids, crawling, standing/walking and even singing songs and dancing!

To see more of Edie’s nursery head here for our pink and gray floral baby girl nursery!

Essentials for babies 6-12 months old

For the month of October, Walmart will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of Parent’s Choice, their exclusive baby brand. The products from the Parent’s Choice brand are really great quality and available at a great price point. If you haven’t checked out this exclusive brand yet, you must! Some items from the brand have become essentials for Edie as well, so I wanted to share our top 5 picks from Parent’s Choice below:

1. Parent’s Choice Shea Butter Baby Wipes

These wipes are so soft and moisturizing. I love this Shea Butter version but they offer other varieties of wipes as well

2. Parent’s Choice Gentle Formula

This formula is NON GMO and really affordable

3. Parents Choice Plush Blanket

So soft and cozy and comes in multiple colors

4. Parent’s Choice Fitted Crib Sheet

You can always use an extra set of crib sheets and I love that this comes as a pack of two in multiple cute print options

5. Parent’s Choice Inflatable Safety Bathtub

This inflatable tub is a lifesaver and also so great for travel!

More Essentials for Babies 6-12 Months Old from Walmart:

essentials for babies 6-12 months old, must haves for babies

Essentials for Play:

#1 Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes

This is a great portable music player with a good variety of songs and it lights up

#2 Vtech Stroll Discover Activity Walker

A great toy that you kids can grow with and eventually learn to walk with!

#3 Vtech Musical Rhymes Book

This musical rhymes book brings classic nursery tales to life

Essentials for Feeding:

#1 Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder

This fresh food feeder is genius!! It has really helped with introducing foods to Edie. You can even put frozen fruit in this to help with teething too.

#2 Neat Solutions Eco Table Topper

This may be more of an essential for parents 😉 but these table toppers so convenient and great to use at home or out at restaurants, etc.

#3 Happy Baby Organics Food Pouch

Edie loves the apples, pumpkin and carrots flavor of these food pouches and they are great to throw in the diaper bag for on the go

#4 Munchkin Miracle 360 Trainer Cup

These cups are truly genius. They help kids to learn to drink from a real cup, they are easy to clean and they don’t spill!

#5 Munchkin Click Lock Weighted Straw Cup

Another great cup with a weighted straw and it doesn’t leak at all!

Essentials for Teething

#1 Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether

The cutest little teether toy!

#2 Nuby 3 Stage Teether Set

I love this set of 3 teether that you can put in the fridge or freezer to help soothe sore gums

#3 Silicone Teether Pacifier Clip Set

Not only are these pacifier clips so pretty, they are actually made of silicone balls that are amazing for teething and Edie just loves this!

What are your must-haves for babies? Anything I missed? Let me know in the comments.

For more of my top picks of baby essentials, don’t miss these posts:

Newborn Baby Feeding and Bath Time Essentials

Newborn Baby Sleeping and Lounging Essentials

baby baby-ish fashion Kids momlife must have my babies newborn

Must Have Newborn Baby Feeding and Bath Time Essentials

Post author By tiffany
Post date September 19, 2019

must have for newborn baby feeding and bath essentials

To continue on with my baby essentials list, I wanted to share my top picks for newborn baby feeding and bath time essentials. Whether you are breast feeding, pumping, bottle feeding or introducing solids, I am sharing the products that have really worked for us and that I recommend to all new moms!

I also wanted to share the best bathtub and bath products that we use for Edie. The best part is that all of these products are available at Walmart.com. It is currently Best of Baby Month so there are hundreds of savings happening on all of the baby essentials. Check out my top picks below and don’t miss out on these savings!

MUST HAVE NEWBORN BABY FEEDING AND BATH TIME ESSENTIALS

#1 Haakaa Manual Breast Pump

I had to start out with the Haakaa because it is my top must have for any breastfeeding mama! I exclusively breastfed for 7 months so I didn’t have to pump much but when I did, this was a lifesaver. You can pack it and take it anywhere. This is perfect for those moments when the baby starts going a bit longer between feedings and you are filing a bit full but don’t want to get out your pump. This is just so easy to use and helps so much!

#2 Enfamil Infant NeuroPro Baby Formula

Because we exclusively breastfed for 7 months and I was afraid that Edie would hate formula (she already hated bottles, but that’s a post for another day!) We tried several brands but Enfamil turned out to be the best for us. She transitioned well to this formula, it never upset her tummy and I love that this formula is based on brain building nutrition.

#3 Ameda Mya Hospital Strength Double Electric Breast Pump

If you are looking for a great pump for on the go, this is it! I love the small compact size so you can pump in the car, pump on the plane, pump anywhere you need without needing to find an outlet!

#4 Baby Brezza Natural Baby Bottle

It was comical the amount of bottles I bought. I read reviews on basically every bottle on the market and bought each one hoping “this will be the one!” she hated all of them until we came across the Baby Brezza bottle. You can’t even imagine how happy I was when she took the bottle!

#5 Boppy Nursing Pillow

A necessity for nursing of course. My back thanked me for having one of these in each room! But we also used this for tummy time, to prop her up while she learned how to sit.

#6 Baeba Babycook Baby Food Maker

When you are making baby food you realize how time consuming it is! This little machine made steaming/pureeing foods so easy!

#7 Munchkin Soft-Tip Infant Spoons

I’ve been a fan of these since having my oldest! Perfect for babies learning how to eat from a spoon and love the longer length so it’s easy to feed her.

#8 4 Moms High Chair

We started using this chair at around 4 months when she was learning to sit. She loved being a part of the dinner table this way even if she wasn’t eating. Now that she is eating while we eat, it’s great to have her right by us and being able to put the food on her tray. I love that the tray is magnetic, it makes it so easy to get her in and out of the chair.

#9 Angelcare Bath Support

We try to make bath time fun and easy and having the right tools is key. Love this seat that made it easy for us to bathe her.

#10 Johnson’s Head-To-Toe Gentle Baby Wash & Shampoo

One of our favorite baby shampoos and lotions.

#11 Baby Dove Baby Lotion

At night, I like to put lotion on Edie before I put on her pajamas. This night time lotion is the perfect lotion to use for that as it’s specifically created to moisturize her skin overnight. I love the warm milk and chamomile scent as I do think it helps her sleep!

#12 Summer Infant Nursery Care Kit

Babies are high maintenance! They need a lot of upkeep for every stage and every phase they go through. Love this grooming and health care kit that has everything you need. It’s a must have for any new parents!

Don’t miss out on all of these savings and more at walmart.com here! What are your must have feeding/bath time essentials for newborns?

baby baby-ish fashion Kids mom momlife must have my babies newborn

Must Have Newborn Baby Sleeping and Lounging Essentials

Post author By tiffany
Post date September 11, 2019

must have for newborn baby sleeping_lounging essentials

This post is sponsored by Walmart. All opinions are my own.

Having been through the newborn phase twice, but 5 years apart, I feel like I’ve had to relearn so many things, especially sleeping! I’ve been lucky that both my girls have been good sleepers. For the most part they both have been able to sleep through the night, not counting teething, growth spurts, sleep regressions (you know how it is, mamas!) but I’ve really felt through both of the newborn phases, having the right tools to help them sleep was crucial.

Today’s post is my must have newborn baby sleeping and lounging essentials, and the best part is all of these items are available at Walmart.com! It is currently Best of Baby Month on Walmart.com, so there are hundreds of savings happening on all of the baby essentials. Now is the time to snag them! Check out my top picks below!

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MUST HAVE NEWBORN BABY SLEEPING AND LOUNGING ESSENTIALS

#1 Dockatot Deluxe + Dock

We used this so much when Edie was a newborn and it’s nice that she can grow into it. I would have her nap in it next to me while I was on the couch working on my laptop. I loved how you could carry it room from room easily and always provided a safe and cozy spot for her to sleep. I also love how beautiful all the prints/covers are and that you can change them out.

#2 Delta Children Aster 3-in-1 Convertible Crib

If you are on the hunt for a crib, now is the time to buy it! This is on rollback at such a great price!

We have been so happy with this crib. I love the minimalistic design as it was the perfect piece to add to her nursery. It was easy to put together and now that Edie is older it was easy to lower the mattress. I love that it will also turn into a toddler bed!

#3 Little Love by Nojo Cloud Shaped Mobile

Just a simple and sweet mobile to add to your baby’s room. A mobile is not necessary but it helped us when we needed to help calm her down for naps. It plays lullabies too which is a nice added touch.

#4 HALO Safe Dreams Swaddle

I’m all about the swaddle and love how easy this one is to put her in. Edie was never a fan of swaddling her arms so I was happy that this gave you the option to do arms in or out but still able to really

#5 MamaRoo4 Infant Seat

This seat was wonderful once both my husband’s and my arms got tired of holding the baby! She loved being in this and the gentle swaying. As a newborn, it was solely just something to soothe her and keep her contained but as she grew older, she loved the balls/rattles and would reach for them or we would give one to her and she would play with it.

#6 Delta Children Paris Upholstered Glider

I wanted a comfortable and simple glider and this definitely fit the bill. You can see it above and in our nursery. The color was perfect to go with our pink room but I think it would work with really any color of your room! I also love this glider and it’s currently on rollback for a great price!

#7 HALO 3-in-1 DreamNest Playard with Rocking Bassinet

This is actually a new purchase but if I had this for her newborn days I know I would love it. It’s more than just a playard. You can use it as a rocking bassinet which is so great for newborns and then as they grow, it’s a playard and eventually we will turn it into a cot that we can use while traveling.

#8 HALO Bassinet Swivel Sleeper

This is a must have for newborns especially if you plan on keeping them in your room for a long time. I love that I could keep her next to me and that the swivel meant that she was just an arms reach away.

#9 Luvable Friends Fleece Blanket

We don’t use blankets in the crib of course but a warm cozy blanket is always needed in the stroller! I strongly believe in letting your children sleep in all kinds of environments not just their bedroom. We would often take her out during the day and pop her in the stroller and let her sleep while we walked around. This has been helpful now that she’s older as she is quite happy taking stroller naps!

#10 HALO Safe Dreams Wearable Blanket

Similar to the Swaddle but we used this after Edie decided she didn’t want to be swaddled anymore. Surprisingly it was pretty early on! Layla loved being swaddled but Edie just hated it. Every baby is different so go off of what your baby’s preference is and adjust to what works best for them.

Don’t miss out on all of these savings and more at walmart.com here! There are so many rollbacks going on right now and I love that Walmart is a one stop shop for all things baby! What are your must have sleeping/lounging essentials for newborns?

Chanel lookbook my babies Prada Uncategorized

Lookbook: Photo Bomb

What I’m Wearing
*Forever 21 Sweater – It’s only $12.50 but I’ll tell you, probably best to wash on delicate and line dry. I made the mistake of not doing that and it’s now completely shrunken and misshapen. A better alternative might be this cute textured knit from Anthrpologie. I’m also loving yellow striped sweaters like this one or this one with wider stripes from Gap.
*Madewell Rail Straight Jeans – a bit baggier than their legging jeans that I usually wear.
*Happy Scarf Polka Dot Scarf (gifted from Happy Scarf) – This scarf is super soft, I often just keep it on when I get home because I love how soft it is and how warm it keeps me.
*Vintage Chanel Bag – borrowed from my mom. She’s not the original owner as she bought it vintage about 10 years ago so we’re not sure exactly how old it is but it’s still in fantastic shape.
*Prada Booties – my favorite and they are from last year. I got super lucky last month and found them on the sale rack at Nordstrom in purple! Low cut booties definitely work better on my shorty legs so I love the Cole Haan booties or these Vince Camuto booties (on sale!) which are great alternatives to my Prada ones.
*t+j Designs bracelets – get FREE shipping on all orders!

Kimberlee from I have a degree on this did a post on “dog photo bombing” in fashion bloggers photos that I thought was so cute. And although mine is not a true photo bomb (mostly it’s a forcing my dog to be in my picture. lol) Macho’s been “photo bombing” mine lately, mostly out of necessity. The only time we brave it outdoors these days (it’s mainly too cold/windy/rainy) is when we walk the dogs so that’s also when we take outfit pics. I get so insanely jealous when I see the outfit photos of bloggers that live in Southern California because in every picture, they actually have sun. And they are wearing shorts. SHORTS! I can’t even imagine pulling out shorts right now. Sometimes, I get so cold that I have to wear leggings under my jeans! Nobody is jealous of that. Nobody. haha!

just me my babies Uncategorized

Merry Christmas!

my sister and I with our doggies at our parents house 🙂

Just a quick post to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I had a wonderful few days with my family and my husband’s family and now am resting up because I ate WAY too much food! haha!

I got some great presents but can’t resist doing a little
bit of after Christmas shopping 🙂 And speaking of shopping, if you’ve
been wanting some t+j Designs pieces, we’ve marked down some more styles in the sale section AND we’re offering an additional 40% off all sale items. Shop here! If your order is $50 or more, you’ll get free shipping and a $10 credit to
use in January! Jen and I wanted to thank everyone for being
such great supporters of our jewelry line so we wanted to give you guys
the best deal that we could before the year ends! For most of the
pieces, we won’t be getting any more inventory in so once it’s gone, it’s
gone forever!

Oh and my giveaways are still going on! The gorgeous sequin dress has ended and is going to ANITA B.! Anita – I sent you an email already so check your inbox! The Stila Palette/Lip Gloss set and the t+j Designs necklace and bracelet giveaway doesn’t end until 12/31 so enter here if you haven’t yet!

lookbook my babies rag and bone Uncategorized

Lookbook: New Booties

What I’m Wearing

*ASOS Classic Trench – for the price (under $100) it’s pretty nice quality. The fit in the shoulders are great but the sleeves are too long (as always) so I just roll them up.

*Madewell Sweater- Similar here, just the stripes on the sleeves is super cute too.

*Rag and Bone Capri in Crimson – currently, my favorite jeans. However note the “capri” length is just regular length on me 🙂 But that’s why I like them, no hemming needed! (I did fold them under to wear with the booties though.)

*Rag & Bone Lovell Booties – I tried these on at Nordstrom with no intention of liking them at all but I ended up loving them. I went home and thought about it and then bought them online the next day. I had to have them! They’ve been perfect for this rainy fall weather that we’ve been having. I made sure to spray them with leather and suede protector!

*t+j Designs Gold Large Braided Cuff – I love this cuff for days I want to be a bit more minimalist with my jewelry. Super lightweight and adjustable so it can fit lots of different wrist sizes. Oh and did I mention it’s only $16? 🙂

This is a few years old but still funny nonetheless 🙂

You can also find me over on the Smarter blog today, sharing my favorite fall accessories!

just me my babies photography Travel Uncategorized vacation

Welcome to my world…

I’ve been going like the energizer bunny, I just keep going and going and going. My crazy schedule is um crazy but at least it’s never boring. My one wish at the moment is that I get to stay home and not be on a plane for an entire month! (That won’t happen anytime soon.) On the plus side, I’m now a GOLD MVP on the airline I fly on (I feel special. Ha!) Awhile ago someone on formspring asked me what my daily schedule was like and I can’t remember what my answer was but I’m sure that it was much more different than what my schedule is like now. So anyway, I thought I’d just share a little bit of what my weeks are like these days. Here’s what’s been going on in my past 3 weeks.

The panaromic view from my sister and brother-in-law’s apartment in NYC (photo by my husband)

Week 1:

in New York to shoot an engagement session
Stay a few extra days to spend time with my sister and brother in law
Get home, fit in an appt for a lash refill & facial (my skin is horrible these days, stupid traveling side effect)
Have lunch with a fabulous blogger friend
Shoot a 10 year anniversary party/wedding on Sunday
Get home at 11pm and pack for my business trip

~iPhone pics from New York~

Week 2:

Wake up at 4AM to catch flight
Meetings all day, every day (meaning I get no work done during the day because I’m always in meetings)
Work, work and work…
Friday – (at home) Take pictures for the blog as that’s the only day I’m home and have time. (and had some fun taking pictures with our pups)
Also on Friday, an impromptu photo session with previous clients in which we get to come over and enjoy freshly made pizza from their authentic Neapolitan pizza oven (AMAZING!! Even the dough was flown in from Italy!)
Shoot a wedding on Saturday where we almost miss the ceremony because we had to get on a ferry that was super super late. YIKES! Talk about stressed out.
Do absolutely nothing on Sunday as I’m sick as a dog

Pictures with Macho & Savvy!

Week 3:

No Travel scheduled this week! Yay!
Schedule lunches/dinners with friends. Excited to finally have time to see my friends…
Go grocery shopping for the first time in weeks.
Take a trip to Glazers with the hubs and pick up a backdrop set to mainly take cute pictures of our dogs 🙂 Said dogs are not cooperative so no pics yet but shoes are always fun to take pictures of!
Wednesday night, while at dinner with my parents, I get a phone call from client, “We need you here tomorrow”
Cancel lunches & dinners that I had planned for Thursday and Friday (Sorry ladies, will make it up to you soon!)
Book flights Wednesday at 11PM
Wake up for my flight on Thursday at 4:30AM
Throw together a last minute presentation when I arrive at the office
Come home at 11PM on Friday
Collapse from sheer exhaustion, look forward to the weekend!

~The new backdrop~

I recieved an advanced copy of Nina Garcia’s newest book so will be reviewing that soon!

So there you go, its nearly impossible to plan my weeks these days as it changes on a whim! Although things have been hectic and I’ve had one (OK, maybe two) breakdowns, especially when it comes to last minute travel, it’s a wonderfully crazy life I live but I can’t imagine it any other way!

P.S. We were finally able to update the photography blog so check out our latest post of what we’ve been up to!