Made To Mommy

Documenting my millennial mom life

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REVIEWS

Planning Jadyn’s First Birthday: Part One

I can’t believe it. My little girl is 11 months old today and I’m already in full-swing first birthday planning mode. Looking back at the last 11 months, I can truly say that this has been one heck of a ride and I can’t wait for more. 

Even though I know Jadyn won’t remember her first birthday, I want it to be memorable for our family and close friends. Keeping it simple for myself in terms of decor, I’m sticking with the same theme as my baby shower: blush pink and gold. And let me tell you Etsy has been my BFF so far in this planning and purchasing part.

For part one of this birthday party series, I’ll share what I’ve purchased so far (sans outfit, because that’s a surprise!!).

The Invite. Let’s be real: I kept it suuuuuper simple and easy by going with good old evite.com for my invitation. They have super cute first birthday invitations and  I was glad I found one in my theme colors. Also, the whole “ONEderful” thing is spot on to some of my decor.

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The Outfit. Ha! I won’t show a picture of it yet, but I’ll tell you that I ordered it from Etsy.

The Decor. Well, this will likely be a category in Part Two of this post once I have more, but the one thing I’m really excited about is the time capsule at her party. Everyone that attends needs to leave a message for her to be opened on her 18th birthday. I got this custom made for me by EllenPrintable on Etsy (woo!). Also, I purchased a “My First Year” frame at Macy’s Backstage (think Nordstrom Rack or HomeGoods) where I’ll be putting her monthly photos in and will have it by the time capsule table.

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The Smash Cake. I haven’t decided if I’m going to buy her smash cake or have my friend help me make it, but regardless, it needs a topper. Bought this one on Etsy from FancifulChaos.

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photo courtesy of Fanciful Chaos

The Favors. I’ve decided to make treat bags and I wanted the toppers to be custom made with the ONEderful and blush pink and gold theme. Enter Dreaming Mind Cards on Etsy. She was able to take my theme and make this beautiful treat topper.

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I can’t wait to share with you everything that I have pulled together for this birthday. This is just the beginning!

What did you do to celebrate your little one’s 1st birthday? Share in the comments below! 

 

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How Amazon’s Subscribe & Save Helps Me Save Hundreds

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Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

I wish I would have done this sooner. And by “this” I mean signing up for Amazon’s Subscribe & Save. I wish I would have done that while I was still pregnant so I could have a stockpile of necessities.

As a new mom–and now 8 months into this whole “mom” thing–Amazon’s Subscribe & Save has been a lifesaver for me. What is Amazon Subscribe & Save? Well, it’s a subscription service and the more you subscribe to, the bigger the discount. As long as you have 5 items arriving to your house every month, you’ll receive up to 15% off your products. If I’d go to Safeway or Target to get these things, guaranteed they’d be more expensive. Doing this has allowed me to save hundreds of dollars.

Here’s what I subscribe to:

Now, I don’t get all of these every month. Every three months I’ll save 15%-20% per product, but every month is usually 5% per product. Still a killer deal! The main benefit is not having to remember to order these essentials and saving tons of money by just clicking a button.

Having them magically appear on my doorstep is also wonderful.

Do you use Amazon’s Subscribe & Save? I’d love to know what you order! Leave a comment below.

 

 

A Letter to Working Moms

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Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

From one working mom to another: you got this.

I don’t know how we do it. We spend nights caring for our sick babies and kids and then wake up early enough to get ourselves ready before we dive into our work email inboxes.

We take the time–during the workday–to sit on the floor with our little ones to play a game or complete a puzzle. We make sure that our kids eat their meals, often forgetting to feed ourselves until our stomachs growl so loudly. We make sure that our relationship with our partner or spouse is still strong, even though there are days when you just want to tear each other apart.

“You have the luxury of being at home with your little one while you work.” Yes, and us work-from-home moms love this, but it doesn’t mean it’s easy. Mom guilt comes into play: wanting to devote 100 to work and 100 to your kiddo is tough. To moms like me; I salute you.

To the moms who drop their little ones at daycare then head off to work and countdown the hours and minutes until you get to pick your little nugget up; I salute you. I don’t know how you do it.

To the moms who work a full eight-hour day, come home to their children, cook, clean and spend quality time with everyone, I salute you.

To the creative moms who can only find time to work on their projects while their little one’s asleep; I salute you.

To the first-time moms and new-again moms, I just want to remind you that you got this.

To the moms who just need a minute to cry it out, remember that you got this.

 

 

DockATot Grand: The Vacation Lifesaver

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I have finally been able to take the time to sit down and write about our wonderful trip up north to South Lake Tahoe. Tahoe is so beautiful this time of year. You can spend time at the Lake, go check out the fabulous shops and have wonderful meals at Heavenly Village or just relax in your hotel room. I enjoyed all three. It was also exciting to take Jadyn on her first road trip (she is a champ in the car) and also share the Lake with her and dip her feet in for the first time.

The one thing I was worried about was the sleeping situation in the hotel. I’ve heard horror stories of vacations ruined because of a baby who couldn’t sleep or nap comfortably.

When I made the reservations, I made sure to get two queen beds because I figured I’d just co-sleep with Jadyn, but I needed a safe way to do that. Enter the DockATot Grand.

DockATot was kind enough to send me the Grand in the La Vie En Rose print (check out my Instagram highlights for the unboxing!), as well as the traveling case for it. I received the Grand a couple days before we left and I thought it was the perfect opportunity to see how Jadyn would react to it; she never had the deluxe as a newborn. Safe to say, I was worried for nothing. She took her two naps in the DockATot Grand the day we got it (after washing the cover, of course) and slept so soundly.

Now, while Jadyn is only six-months-old, the DockATot Deluxe is actually too small for her; she’s off-the-charts tall (28″!!), so the Grand definitely fit her a lot better. She not only napped well after exciting days up in Tahoe, but she slept soundly, too. Hotel beds aren’t necessarily the best so I was glad Jadyn had something familiar and comfortable to sleep in for two nights. Jadyn and I did co-sleep in one of the queen beds, and as a new mom, I barely slept checking on her every hour or so to make sure she was comfortable. She was. Check out her interesting sleeping position below.

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Here are a few reasons why I absolutely love the DockATot, whether a Deluxe or Grand:

  • DockATot is a multi-functional lounger, co-sleeper and playtime lounger. During downtime in our hotel room, Jadyn was able to play with her toys while relaxing in her Grand.
  • It comes in two sizes: Deluxe for 0-8 months and Grand for 9-36 months. I put Jadyn in the Grand even though she’s six months, because she’s so long (28″!!) and won’t fit in the Deluxe anymore.
  • It’s handmade in Europe; designed in Sweden.
  • The DockATot Deluxe and Grand are all natural, 100% cotton and OEKO-TEX certified.
  • It’s an ideal micro-climate for babies and tots. This rang true for us in Tahoe. No fuss whatsoever from Jadyn when it came to sleeping and dozing in her Grand.
  • For when Jadyn is in the toddler bed transition stage, the Grand will be a perfect helper.

I felt good about having Jadyn fall asleep and wake up in something so high quality and safe for her. Here’s Jadyn just lounging about in her Grand.

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DockATot offers a variety of covers to choose from, as well. The La Vie En Rose is my favorite, but there’s a cover to suit your style and your baby’s.

Thanks again, DockATot, for sending me the Grand to make my vacation sleeping situation a little easier.

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Do you have a DockATot Deluxe or Grand? Let me know what you love about it in the comments below!

 

Prime Book Box for Kids

There is absolutely nothing I love more than sitting down with Jadyn and reading her a book–or four. Reading calms Jadyn down, so nowadays I find myself reading to her more often since she’s teething (poor thing!); it’s a great distraction for her. However, reading the classics over and over again gets tiring for baby and mama, so when my boss at Red Tricycle shared a link to Prime Book Box for Kids, I had to sign up to hopefully be invited!

Fast forward a week or two and BAM! I’m invited to sign up. 🙂

Prime Book Box for Kids is a book subscription service (you can choose your delivery frequency) where Amazon editors curate top picks for different age groups. Jadyn is in the baby-2 age range, so she receives four board books every box, but 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12 receive two hardcover books. I love that I can go in and select the books, too. For example, with this first box, Amazon editors picked Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss for me, but we already have it so I was able to exchange for a different one. Did I mention that it’s 35% off retail? Even better. For roughly $25 per box, I get four books. Not too shabby. Here are the books we received in Jadyn’s first box:

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Gossie and Gertie by Olivier Dunrea

The I LOVE YOU Book by Todd Parr

Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree by Eileen Christelow

Backyard Bugs by Jill McDonald

I have read all of these to Jadyn at this point and I think she truly enjoys them. The bright colors really stand out and her interest peaks when she sees things she doesn’t recognize.

If you haven’t checked out Prime Book Box for Kids, I highly recommend you do and sign up for an invitation (only Prime members are eligible).

Did you sign up and receive your Prime Book Box for Kids? I’d love to know what you got in yours! Leave a comment below.

Five Pieces of Advice I Should Have Taken

Now that I’ve got this whole parenting thing kind of down–five months in–I can reflect on advice I received pre-baby and how right everyone was. Here are five pieces of advice I should have taken (accompanied by gifs!).

1. They grow really fast. You won’t even use your newborn-sized clothes for long. This rang true for us. Jadyn outgrew her newborn clothes in about two weeks.

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2. Sleep when your baby sleeps. It’s a lot harder to do than you think.

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3. Gone are the days of makeup and dressing nicely. This is partially true. Now that Jadyn is five months old, I’ve again started taking care of myself while devoting every waking moment to my child. Let me tell you–it feels GOOD to wear makeup again.

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4. Shedding those last five pounds is the hardest. SO true. I’m 20 pounds down since having Jadyn, however, these last few pounds are taking forever to lose. And then I want to keep losing, so it’s a lose-lose situation for me right now (no pun intended).

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5. Take it all in sans technology. As hard as it is to do, it’s worth trying. Now that we can record videos on our iPhones (remember the days of camcorders?!), recording every moment is just habit. Taking it all in and witnessing it through your own eyes rather than through a lens is special. Don’t forget it as your little one will change and grow way too fast.

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What pieces of advice did you hear over and over again but never took? I’d love to know so leave a comment below!

Starting Solids

I can’t believe I have a five month old. Jadyn is not only talking up a storm and can almost roll from back-to-tummy, but she’s now on solids a few times a day.

At her four month well-check, Jadyn’s pediatrician said we could start introducing solids. I always thought I had to wait till 6 months, but by the time Jadyn is 6 months, two of her meals during the day should just be solids. At four months, I thought she was still a little young to truly start, so if I was eating a banana or watermelon or cantaloupe, I’d let her try some. But once Jadyn hit four and a half months, I really thought about it and started thinking of different things to purée. Here are my go to combinations right now:

  • Sweet potato + apple
  • Sweet potato + carrot
  • Mashed bananas
  • Zucchini + apple (completely tastes like apple sauce)
  • Broccoli + apple

What I plan on trying next:

  • Peas
  • Pears + spinach + kale
  • Spinach + apple + sweet potato
  • Apple + spinach
  • Chicken + sweet potato
  • Cantaloupe
  • Watermelon (she already loves sucking the juices from melon!!)

With fruits, you don’t need to steam them (obviously)–puréeing is just fine. However, in order to keep the nutrients in the veggies, steaming is better than boiling. And one of the best gifts I received from my baby shower was the Béaba Babycook. It’s a one-stop-shop to steam and purée vegetables for your little one. I use it three times a week to make Jadyn’s concoctions. You can find the Babycook on Amazon. And for more recipe inspiration, I’ve been browsing ThinkBaby.org’s recipes page. They have some great combinations I need to try and also some tips and tricks for when Jadyn is in the toddler years.

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courtesy of Amazon.com

Obviously starting solids was a slight learning curve for Jadyn since she didn’t really know what to do with a spoon, but since I have the Béaba silicone spoons, I let her play with them for a few days and every day when we eat, she’s learning that a spoon helps get food in her mouth. It’s so cute!

I also have to give a shout out to Inspired Start. They sent me a couple samples of their apples and wheat pouches to try out. What I love about Inspired Start is that each pouch contains a couple teaspoons of a common allergen like wheat, tree nut, peanut, seafood or soy, and masks it in a sweeter fruit. We’ve used the apple and wheat pouch a few times and can easily say that Jadyn does not have a wheat allergy! You can find Inspired Start only on Amazon. IMG_0644 2.JPG

I’m so excited to learn what Jadyn is going to enjoy next! It’s always an adventure with her.

What food combinations did you try with your little one when you introduced solids? Leave a comment below!

 

Cooking Made Easier

I cannot believe I have an almost five month old. Like, she’ll be five months on Saturday.😳 But still, we’re quickly approaching the six-month-old mark. Now that I’m back at work full-time and caring for Jadyn full-time, I’m so exhausted by the end of the day that thinking about making dinner makes me even more tired.

Enter HelloFresh.

I have been obsessed with my meals ever since I claimed my first offer. I’ve had four meals delivered and I have to say they’ve been 4/4, meaning I’ve also kept the recipe cards for reference later on! Here are the meals I’ve tried:

Week 1: Quick Beef Ragú Spaghetti & Creamy Dill Chicken

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Week 2: Cheddar Smash Burgers & Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry

Week 3 (this week!): Hoisin-Glazed Meatballs & Cauliflower Mac ‘N’ Cheese

What I love about HelloFresh is that it’s a one-stop-shop in the sense that all you have to do is cook. The ingredients to each meal come prepackaged and you just need to prepare it according to the instructions. Each meal is based on servings, so I have purchased the family plan which includes four servings. We always have leftovers, so either the hubby takes it to work the next day for lunch, or I have it for lunch. HelloFresh is a bit on the pricier side, but I think that if I were to spend time thinking of recipes, then buying the ingredients and cooking the meals, it’d cost the same. Also, I can skip a week whenever I want without being penalized, so that’s great.

I’ve got a special offer just for my Made To Mommy readers! Use this referral link to score $40 off your first order!

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Have you tried HelloFresh or a subscription meal service like it? Leave a comment below!

 

The Perfect Spring & Summer Accessory

With spring finally here (I mean, we’ll still probably get rain, but oh well…) I’m excited to start dressing Jadyn in more outfits that are bright and colorful. She has so many outfits that I’m eager to put her in, accessorize and–of course–snap a photo.

One of my favorite Etsy shops to purchase hair accessories for my daughter is Lucy Belly Designs. Owned by my friend Nina, her shop features the most luxurious leather bows, clips and hair ties for little ladies, cuffs for tweens and moms and since she opened shop last year, Nina now offers bow ties for little (and grown!) gentlemen. Nina’s shop is truly amazing.

My latest purchase just arrived yesterday! One of my favorite pieces is the Oversized Jade Bow Mommy + Me set I bought a couple months ago. I purchased it in the color Sky and I can’t wait to match with my little nugget. I also had a custom order made featuring what I like to call a “lady bug” bow. She can make anything custom–all you have to do is message her on Etsy and she’ll work with you to make a one of a kind item.

Here’s my latest trio of Lucy Belly Designs bows:

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This is the Jade bow (named after my daughter Jadyn!) in orchid, the Aurora bow in quartz and the Sienna bow in tangerine. All classic sizes and I’m obsessed with these colors!

Listen, I’m not getting free bows for writing this review for Lucy Belly Designs. I have purchased almost every single one of Jadyn’s LBD bows (except for my baby shower gift set) and Nina’s bows are worth my money. I mean, can you see that I’m obsessed with these?

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She has a special offer going on right now, just in time for Mother’s Day. Use code LBDMOM15 now through May 5th and receive 15% off and ensure on-time delivery for Mother’s Day!

Have you purchased any Lucy Belly Designs bows? Snap a photo and share in the comments!

Review: Imperfect Produce

Before baby I actually enjoyed going to the grocery store. I’d bring my list and browse the aisles, you know, adding unnecessary things to my cart. But the one area of the grocery store I absolutely hated going through was the produce section. Not because I don’t like fruits and vegetables. I mean, c’mon, who do you think I am? I just hated looking at the insanely ridiculous prices.

Enter Imperfect Produce. This is the best discovery I’ve made since having a baby. Good looking fruits and veggies has never been a preference for me. Just give me the goods. Imperfect Produce takes the produce that grocery stores won’t purchase because it’s not pretty enough, and sells it at significantly lower prices. Here’s how it works:

  • You pick what size box you want based on your family size. They let you know how many a box can feed when you go through the process.
  • You can choose between regular produce, organic produce or a mix of both. I chose to do a mix of both in order to have the most options.
  • You can choose delivery frequency. I get mine every other week, but you have the options for weekly deliveries.
  • You can customize your box. Every week is different so while some are staples, you may see some new items. You’ll get an email notifying when it’s time to customize your box.
  • They always deliver when it’s cool out, so for me, it’s between 6 p.m. Thursday and 6 a.m. Friday.

Even though they’re imperfect to put out at grocery stores, the produce is still fresh and tastes great. I was skeptical to sign up at first, but have yet to be disappointed (I mean, who doesn’t love purple cauliflower, right?!).

Currently, Imperfect Produce delivers to the entire Bay Area here in California, as well as Los Angeles, Orange County, Portland, Seattle and Chicago.

If you’re interested in trying Imperfect Produce, you can get a $10 credit when you sign up via this link.

Happy shopping!