I wanted to share my favorite things from our trip, things that could have been better, and my best advice for planning our next getaway. These were my favorite places to visit in Yellowstone. First, the Grand Prismatic Spring at the Midway Geyser Basin. We arrived here shortly before sunset and the place just had a great atmosphere. It was cold outside, in the 40s, which helped create this steam everywhere that made the place beautiful. There was a wooden boardwalk that a

The Keekaroo Peanut Changer is expensive starting around $105! I wish it wasn't, but I would buy it again, and this is why. It's easy to clean. Just wipe it down, rinse it off, and dry it, and it's ready to go. There are no covers that need to be removed, washed, and put back on. The changing pad itself can be scrubbed in a sink or a tub if need be, and rinsed. Although, I have not had to resort to this yet, but I'm sure one colossal mess will happen at some point and I

The bath support by Angel Care is my go to for infants. The perforated seat is a soft, flexible material that is comfortable for little bodies and allows water and soap to wash through. The perimeter of the seat is hard plastic. The design reclines babies at an angle, so, it is easy to wash, rinse their heads, and not get soap in their eyes. The raised shape of the seat between baby's legs prevents them from sliding down which Woody demonstrates. If you are looking for a

Huggies OverNites prevents leaks overnight when little ones' regular diapers are not doing the job. These are more absorbent and save me from having a crying kid in the middle of the night, and from changing sheets in the middle of the night. So, if you are in the same spot with nightly leaks, give these a try and let me know what you think. You got this Momma! #overnites #huggies #huggiesovernites #overnight #night #nightdiaper #leakydiaper #momhelp #momadvice #help #advi

Naming a human is hard, but it should be. This is a name that our little ones will have for life, so, it is okay for it to be a challenge. This is what worked for us when we tried to figure out what to name our little guys. So, let me back up, we were a little different than most new parents. We decided not to share our little guys’ names until they were born. Here are some reasons why: First, usually when a name was shared with friends, family, or coworkers, they would off

My diaper changing essentials are Pampers Swaddlers, Pampers Aqua Pure Water Wipes, and Desitin Diaper Cream. I have not tried all of the different diaper brands, but of the few I have tried, these are my favorite. They fit well, do not leak unexpectedly (there will always be occasions where a diaper cannot contain the mess), don't have a weird smell (some diapers do), are soft and seem comfortable for baby. Tip: For new parents, diapers come in sizes N-7, N for newborn. I

I’m going to walk you through our bath routine and what works best for me, change as needed to make it work best for you and your bathroom setup. First, I gather all the supplies I need and get the bathroom ready, before getting my little one. So, he is happily and safely playing or being watched by Dada while I gather all the things. We have a space heater in our bathroom, so, I turn that on full blast to get the room toasty.  Then, I put the bath support in the tub, a fold

Baby gates, the number depends on the layout of your house, and if your kiddo can reach door handles yet, and if you can easily lock and unlock doors, but your little one can't. We originally used two baby gates. Now, we use just one to keep our little ones out of our bedroom area, because we cannot see them from the living room or kitchen if they go in there. I like this style of baby gate where you have to slide and hold the red lock out of the way, then lift the latch t

Eli Eli’s labor was hard (see post Expect the Unexpected).  My experience with Eli at the hospital was very different from my experience with Max due to several things, but I want to share the main ones in the hopes that it will help future expecting parents. After I had Eli, I got to see him briefly, and then he was accessed by a NICU team due to the presence of meconium, fancy word for baby poop, when my water was broken. Everything looked good, and then I got to do skin t

Things you will need for potty training: 1.) Patience, there are three things you can not force your kiddo to do: eat, sleep, or poop. I have to take a step back sometimes, and realize my little guy wants to please me most of the time, and understands I'm not happy if things aren't going so well with potty training. This transition will not last for ever. 2.) Long weekend with no bottoms, no diaper, no underwear. This helped get a jump start on progress. Keep in mind, the

After our son was born, my husband was home with me for the first week and a half. When he returned to work, that's when I needed help from some kind souls during the day. This is what worked best for me, but always do what works best for you. So, when my husband returned to work, my sister came during the day, and helped me out for a few days. She brought food over, folded laundry, cooked, and entertained my oldest, while Max and I tried to get some rest. When she had to

This is one of my must haves in the nursery. It's great to be able to shine a light on my little one, so I can easily see where I need to, and get him cleaned up quick, and in a fresh diaper. Most likely the changing station is going to be against a wall. When I'm standing in front of the changing area where my baby is resting, I am blocking the light from the overhead light, making it harder to see what I am doing. This is especially true in the wee hours of the morning,

All the things. You will accumulate a large amount of stuff for your little one. This is a comprehensive list of what you will need for your munchkin from birth through the toddler years. There are a few things I did not cover. For instance, toys, everybody has different preferences for what types of toys to introduce to little ones, and inevitably kiddos will be bombarded with toys for every birthday and Christmas. Have fun selecting toys to share with your new family m

With little ones, I started to accumulate electronics that need to be charged. Tablets or pads were charged on the kitchen counter so that little hands couldn't reach them, but they were often in my way when it came time to prepare food, and added more clutter to the counter. This charging station solves this, it keeps things organized, charges fast, and keeps cords out of reach. This organizer has room to charge two pads/tablets/small laptops, two phones, and a watch. No

My second boy is a lot bigger than my first. The slender pajamas my first son wore are too slim for my second son. First, I paired a long sleeve onesie with these swaddles, but soon he no longer fit the largest bodysuits they make. As a work around, I got these long sleeve shirts and pair them with a Love to Dream Swaddle without the wings so his arms are free. The long sleeve shirt fits easily over his head and over his arms, and the swaddle keeps his legs and toes cover

Before your little bundle of joy makes their appearance, there are a few things you may want to do in preparation, and that includes stocking your freezer and pantry. Having a baby is like preparing for a hurricane or tropical storm. You need to make sure you have plenty of food, water, toiletries, and other household necessities in case you are unable to make it to the grocery store or anywhere else for the next few weeks or months. To help make your return home from the

This is one of my favorite items, with a thermometer in my baby's room I can easily see the temperature when I put my baby down for a nap, and know if I need to adjust the thermostat up or down. My little one sleeps best when the temperature is 69 to 71 degrees. If it's warmer, I know I need to run the fan, and if it's 73 or warmer he's going to be sweating, and he may need a cooler outfit and no sleeping sack. If it's 67 or colder, he's going to be cold, and I need to bum

I’ve got an idea which may be the norm at other doctors’ offices, but not at the ones I visit. While I'm waiting, I get to take advantage of some complimentary services. Here are some of my ideas: a health consultation for what are the best things for my family to be eating, eh?  Or a photography session with their in house photographer who’s great at capturing everyday moments.  Or a fresh baked cookie to take the edge off the irritation bubbling below the surface after wai

Alright, something I did not expect when I had my first little one at the hospital was the number of people who were allowed to enter our hospital room that were not doctors or nurses, and did not work for the hospital. I want to give a heads up to any first time mommas, so hopefully, you can be on your guard, and communicate to the nurses, who you want coming into your room, when you are most vulnerable after having a baby. With our first son, we were naive (read more about

Ok, poor Eli and his momma for not knowing this before hand. When you put your baby to sleep, alternate which side of their head they rest on, and alternate which direction they are laying in the crib. This is to help prevent them from developing too much of a flat area or areas on their head. Eli's was bad, still slightly flat if you know what to look for. He preferred to lay on one side all the time, and I did not think anything of it, and he developed a flat head, as o