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Showing posts with label Collaboration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Collaboration. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

4 Uses for the DockATot

4 Uses for the DockATot


This post was created in partnership with DockATot but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.

By this point, I am sure the whole world knows about my love for DockATot. It truly is an amazing product that has made the biggest impact in our parenting lives. We first received the DockATot Grand when Sophia was 9 months old (read that review here) and the Grand also helped make our hospital labor and delivery easier since we wanted Sophia as involved as possible during the whole process of welcoming baby Anthony into the world (read that experience here). 

Now I cannot stop singing the praises of the DockATot Deluxe. We never planned to be a co-sleeping family, Sophia forced it upon us and once we found out we were expecting baby Anthony, I couldn't imagine him not sleeping with us but I knew the only way I would feel safest is if we had the DockATot Deluxe. But what makes the Deluxe so amazing is the versatility and the different ways you can use it so I am sharing four ways we make use of our DockATot Deluxe.

Quick Disclosure: We do not leave baby Anthony unattended in the DockATot while on an elevated surface (such as the bed or couch), I was only away long enough to quickly snap these photos.

Co-sleeping

The most obvious way is as a co-sleeper. I love that we are able to have baby Anthony in our bed and I can easily place my hand on his chest to ensure he is breathing (when Sophia was born I barely slept because I was constantly leaning over the bassinet to check her breathing status before she forced us to co-sleep). The bumpers/sides of the DockATot help prevent Anthony or me from rolling on top of baby Anthony and they also help baby Anthony feel snug and secure like he is still in the womb. So basically we are all sleeping easier because of the DockATot.

Lounging

Another way we like to use the DockATot Deluxe is when we are around the house. Sophia loves playing with her toys all over the house and I love that I can easily carry the Deluxe to whichever room she wants to play in to have a place for baby Anthony to lounge in while we watch big sister play.

Tummy Time

During our play times with Sophia, we also use the DockATot for tummy time for baby Anthony so he can strengthen those neck muscles. We just put his arms and chest on the side of the bumpers and put toys in front of his line of vision. The bumpers help keep his chest up to prevent his head from hitting the ground or possibly smothering himself from not being able to lift his head.

Travel

Besides co-sleeping, this is my favorite use for the DockATot. My in-laws live about an hour away in the country and they do not drive to the city very often so we make almost weekly trips out there to visit them and stay for about 6 or more hours. Basically an entire day. Because the Deluxe is so compact (you could buy a heavy duty case here, we have one for Sophia's Grand and love it!), it travels very easily which makes nap-times at grandma and grandpa's successful 99% of the time. Baby Anthony gets to have the comfort and scent of his own bed wherever we go so he is guaranteed to always have a good sleep unless of course he is going through a growth spurt or teething but that's another story, haha.

 Do you have a DockATot? What are your favorite ways to use it?

Please feel free to share with your friends and family who would love the DockATot!



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stormieariel
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Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Holiday Gift Guide for Him featuring JORD Watches

Holiday Gift Guide for Him featuring JORD Watches


This post was created in partnership with JORD but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.

As I have mentioned in previous gift guides that I have done, Anthony is very low key when it comes to the type of gifts he likes. He is a big gamer and music lover but this year I wanted to do something a little different for him. 

A few years ago (when we were in our early 20s), I bought him this flashy watch. Think of a grill but for your wrist. Yeah I blame being a 19/20 year old, haha. Anyways, I figured it was time for an upgrade and a more sophisticated watch. I have been eyeing JORD wood watches for almost a year now and when they reached out to me to try out their new holiday collection, there was no hesitation on my part to get one for Anthony as a gift.


First, I love the look of wood tones. The grain in wood just does something for me. Secondly, JORD watches are the perfect combination of sophistication and causal. You can easily dress this watch up or down for everyday wear.

And as y'all I know, I'm not that good at keeping gifts from Anthony since I just get too excited so he helped me pick out the one  he liked the most which he chose the Frankie watch in Koa & Ash and I already gave it to him to start wearing. I told y'all I'm the worst but how amazing does this watch look on his wrist? I mean obviously he can make anything look good but I feel this JORD watch suits him perfectly and was the perfect gift.




Now for the good stuff for you guys! Every year JORD has amazing holiday deals but this year they are having their largest discounts ever just for ya'll! Each person who enters their information here will instantly be emailed with an exclusive holiday coupon code worth 25% off! Perfect timing for your holiday shopping so be sure to add JORD to your Black Friday shopping list. 




Watch Gift Ideas


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Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Nursing Bras Every Breastfeeding Mom Needs | Sleep Nursing Bras

Nursing Bras Every Breastfeeding Mom Needs | Sleep Nursing Bras


This post was created in partnership with Kindred Bravely but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.

Hey guys!! I was finally able to sneak in some time to share the next type of bra in my nursing bra series - to see my favorite everyday nursing bras check out this post

Today I wanted to share my favorite nursing sleep bra and this one isn't a bra per say. It is actually a nightgown with a light support built in bra that has clip down's which makes nursing extremely easy. There are a few reasons I am loving this nursing nightgown more so than an actual nursing sleep bra. 


The main reason is layers. I get hot really easily so previously I would only wear a nursing sleep bra to sleep and that was it and that can get cold but then if I were to wear a shirt or sleep dress over it I would have to lift up the shirt and pull down the bra and guys that is just too much when you are groggy in the middle of the night. So this Lucille Nursing Nightgown from Kindred Bravely is so lightweight and easy to work with. 


I also love that I was able to wear it during my pregnancy and it fit over my third trimester bump perfectly and now it helps hide my postpartum bump. It is completely flattering and definitely makes this mama feel feminine and sexy despite all the craziness that comes at the end of pregnancy and postpartum. 



Also, if we are being honest, you will often find me wearing this nightgown throughout the day as well because it is really that comfortable.

Do you have a favorite nursing sleep bra or nightgown?



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stormieariel
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Monday, November 6, 2017

Dressing the Bump | Postpartum Style

Dressing the Bump | Postpartum Style


This post was created in partnership with PinkBlush Maternity but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.

The last time I shared a dressing the bump post, I was in the second trimester with Sophia. Since then I have played around with my style as a stay at home mom and then I shared snippets of my outfits and growing bump with baby Anthony. Once I was in the third trimester with baby Anthony, I started to look for inspiration for my postpartum style and one of the styles that kept appealing to me was the peplum top.

I love how it has a flowy drape that could easily disguise your postpartum bump so when I saw this maternity peplum top at PinkBlush, I knew I had to try it out. 



Again, what I love about PinkBlush is that their items stretch across your closet no matter what season of life you are in. Even though this top is technically labeled as maternity, my normal size fits me perfectly postpartum. The only con, depending on the importance to you, is that it isn't nursing friendly but I honestly don't mind lifting up my shirt to nurse my little babe so it isn't really a con to me. I guess from breastfeeding for 15-16 months with Sophia and now baby Anthony being my second babe to breastfeed, I feel more confident and don't necessarily need my tops to be nursing friendly. My bras are a different story, haha.



What is your favorite style to wear postpartum?



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Monday, October 30, 2017

Hospital Labor and Delivery with a Toddler

Hospital Labor and Delivery with a Toddler


This post was created in partnership with DockATot but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.

As I mentioned in my hospital bag post, we planned on Sophia staying with us in the hospital and we knew DockATot would be the only way to make that successful since her "bed" would be with her. We made this decision because I personally wanted Sophia to be as involved as possible during labor, delivery and recovery. 

Quick disclosure, these photos are staged since I obviously wasn't up for taking photos during labor and delivery and I forgot to make sure to ask anyone else to.

We arrived to the hospital around 6:40am and as you can imagine Sophia was still groggy from being woken up out of her sleep. We were able to lay her DockATot Grand on the sofa seat inside the delivery room and have her lay there and relax. 



  
To our surprise, Sophia was so amazingly calm and relaxed the entire time I was in labor and delivery and I truly believe bringing the DockATot with us to the hospital helped transition her to be in a new environment where a lot was going on that she didn't understand. It gave her a sense of security and comfort while she played with her tablet and relax.



We did run into some minor complications after delivery which postponed us being moved into the recovery area and at this point it became too much for Sophia to stay with us so Anthony took her home and put her to bed while he waited for my sister to go stay the night with her. Having the DockATot Transport Bag was amazing for all this back and forth as it made it easier for Anthony to carry it on his shoulders while also carrying the diaper bag and Sophia. 


We already knew our love for the DockATot Grand but this experience really reconfirmed for us that it is the best baby product that has made the biggest impact for us in making our parenting lives easier. And the DockATot Transport Bag made the transportation more convenient during this whole experience.

Did you have your toddler or children involved in the labor and delivery process of their sibling?



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Friday, October 20, 2017

Nursing Bras Every Breastfeeding Mom Needs | Everyday Nursing Bra

Nursing Bras Every Breastfeeding Mom Needs | Everyday Nursing Bra


The post was created in partnership with Kindred Bravely but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.

In August, I shared my favorite breastfeeding essentials products that make breastfeeding easier on mom. Again, you don't actually need anything to breastfeed successfully besides milk making tissue in your breasts but those items I put together just make it easier during your breastfeeding journey. One of the items I touched on was, of course, a nursing bra but at that time I hadn't found the right everyday nursing bra. 

Therefore, I called to action on Instagram (be sure to follow me for day to day @stormieariel) for other nursing mommas to give me their suggestions and their favorite everyday nursing bra which landed me to Kindred Bravely. I was so excited when they agreed to work with me so I could review their nursing bras for you guys.

I was able to try out three of their products: the Simply Sublime Nursing Brathe Marvella Maternity & Nursing Underwire Free T-shirt Bra and the Lucille Nursing Nightgown & Maternity Lingerie. For this post, I am going to focus on the t-shirt bra and the sublime bra. I will go into more detail about the nursing nightgown when I discuss sleep bras.


Yupp, that's right. I am making a series about nursing bras because I really do think they make the most difference for breastfeeding moms compared to any other nursing product and I wish I would have had the resources to point me in the right direction of brands and styles of nursing bras I needed so I didn't waste money experimenting.

Simply Sublime Nursing Bra

I would highly suggest buying this bra as a maternity bra once your regular bras are no longer comfortable to wear (typically happens in the third trimester but every women's body is different). The sublime bra is made out of stretchy material so it does not dig into your rib cage but in fact expands with it allowing comfort. The cup area also expands as your boobs fluctuate especially those first few months after birth when your milk production is evening out. This bra truly is perfect for everyday wear for when you are just lounging around the house and it has enough support that you can wear it out and about as well and still remain comfortable.


Marvella Maternity & Nursing Underwire Free T-shirt Bra

This bra is described as a buttery-soft racerback and buttery-soft is spot on. I was shocked at how luxurious this bra felt in my hand but even more so when I actually put it on and wore it. I also really love the plunging neckline allowing you to wear this bra with all types of tops while still being able to nurse your little one easily. The Marvella truly is perfect to wear out and about as it offers plenty of support but it is still comfortable enough to wear all day around the house as well.


So I must admit guys, it was hard figuring out how best to share these amazing bras with you without feeling overexposed and remaining modest especially sharing my bare belly. I mentioned in my 37 week pregnancy update that I was trying to embrace all these new stretch marks that this second pregnancy has brought on and while some days I still struggle with the sight of them, I am so glad I was brave enough to embrace this beautiful bump of mine and captured it on camera so I can always remember the miracle of life that is growing inside of me. What makes you brave?



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Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Fall Transition Fashion Tips

Fall Transition Fashion Tips


This post was created in partnership with PinkBlush Maternity but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.

As many of you my know, I live in Texas and as I mentioned in my Surviving a Summer Pregnancy post, we do not have seasons really. We are stuck in summer year around with a few nice days in between therefore I thought I would share some tips on dressing for Fall without dying of a heat stroke.


Warm Tones

The easiest way is to showcase fall in your wardrobe is to pair warmer tones together such as olive, burgundy, cognac, black, grey, etc. In this look, I pulled together three of these warmer tones: black, olive and cognac.  


Lightweight Material

This PinkBlush dress has the perfect amount of thickness to it that it isn't sheer but it isn't too thick that you are sweating crazy especially since I paired it with a utility vest. Again, by wearing a vest instead of a utility jacket, I still get to have a layered fall look but I am keeping my layers lightweight.

Shoes

Wearing the right shoes can determine the look of your outfit and although I am wearing sandals which is traditionally a summer/spring staple, it works with this outfit since they are cognac. At least in my opinion they work; besides I am pregnant and they are what fits so whateves, haha. You could easily pair this outfit with open toe booties to make it more fall "appropriate."


By the way, I am absolutely in love with this maternity dress, I even plan to switch it out as my coming home dress in my hospital bag. It is extremely soft and so flattering and I am loving that it is nursing friendly so it will be transitioning with me postpartum. And because it is a neutral colored dress, it can transition with me to all seasons giving me even more bang for my buck.

Shop this Look:
Dress: c/o Pink Blush (exact - wearing Small)
Utility Vest: Charlotte Russe
Shoes: Old Navy

What are you fall fashion tips if you live in a warmer area?





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stormieariel
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Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Maternity Photoshoot | Baby Boy

Maternity Photoshoot | Baby Boy


This post was created in partnership with PinkBlush Maternity but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.

I decided to document our pregnancy as a way to get all my feelings and emotions out and to later look and remember this beautiful time in our lives while noticing the differences and similarities with our first pregnancy. I hope you enjoy if you decide to follow along on this life changing journey.

I am so happy to finally share our maternity pictures with you all. Hurricane Harvey first put a damper on the first date we were supposed to photograph these and then the next weekend, we were hit with rain again. Even the day we shot these, we were rained out of our shoot but we still managed enough time to get a few amazing photos in.





And can we talk about this PinkBlush Maternity dress for a second? I absolutely love how it is figure hugging as I really wanted a dress to show off this big ol' baby bump and the fact that it is nursing friendly is a double win since I will also be able to wear this dress postpartum (you know I am all about getting the most bang for my buck) and get to breastfeed my new little bundle of joy while looking nice either for church or any other formal event. 



As always, I can never think our friend and photographer Nick from LaPalomento Photography enough for always capturing these special moments in our lives.
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stormieariel
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Wednesday, September 13, 2017

5 Elements to Creating a Cozy Corner

5 Elements to Creating a Cozy Corner


This post was created in partnership with Lorena Canals Rugs but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.

With a new baby coming, it was extremely important for me to still have a dedicated place for Sophia to have one on one cuddle time with mommy or daddy. Therefore, we wanted to be sure to have a cozy corner in Sophia's room for story time, nap time and bedtime cuddles and whenever else she may need or want extra cuddles.


There were a few elements we needed to make this little corner in Sophia's room more cozier which included:


Seating 

Having a comfortable seating area is probably the most important aspect of creating a cozy corner whether it be floor seating or an actual chair. This particular rocking chair is the one we bought when Sophia was a newborn. We have debated on reusing it for the new baby but again I felt it was just as important for Sophia to have a comfy chair to curl into mommy's lap so it will remain in her room.




Blankets

Of course adding layers can make any space more cozier and I am a sucker for throw blankets plus we were fortunate enough to get a ton of handmade knit blankets for Sophia and this corner is the perfect place to display them and use them to warm up with.




Pillows

Again, the more layers you add, the cozier. We originally bought this pillow for our master bedroom but Sophia loved the black and white print as a newborn so I thought it was the perfect addition to her cozy corner.



Side Table

Because a lot of story times happen in this area, a table is a must have to place our books on that we are currently reading as well as to hold our cups or bottles.




Rug

A rug really helps ground this little area and not to mention this particular rug is extremely soft on our feet. I just love rubbing and digging my feet into this rug. Would you believe that it is machine washable? I also love the fact that it is made with all natural dyes, handmade, eco and contain no VOCs like most carpeting and rugs making it the perfect addition to any toddler room as it is truly family friendly. This design is my favorite for a child's room or play area because when we are playing on the floor, Sophia will point to the letters which gives us the opportunity to encourage her to learn the alphabet. Who knew a rug could be so much more than a rug? I highly recommend you check out Lorena Canals Rugs as they have rugs not just for children spaces but for sophisticated adult spaces as well.


c/o Rug 



Crib | c/o DockATot Grand | Crib Sheets | Kites | Rocking Chair | Pillow | c/o Rug 

This corner is one of my favorite spaces throughout our entire house especially as it allows that extra cuddle time with my sweet girl who is normally running all over the place exploring everything within sight and reach.


Crib | c/o DockATot Grand | Crib Sheets | Kites | Rocking Chair | Pillow | c/o Rug 


How do you create special one on one moments with your oldest?







For more nursery room details, check out these posts:
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