Things are going well over here. Ryder seems to be slowly transitioning out of the sleepy newborn baby stage and into the more awake/needy infant stage so this past week was filled with tons of cuddling, soothing and feeding. I remember feeling like Chase “woke up” when he turned three weeks old and the same thing is proving true for Ryder.
On Wednesday my Aunt Laurie was passing through Charlotte en route to Boone, North Carolina (she lives in Raleigh) and stopped by our house to meet Ryder. She ended up staying for four hours which was so, so nice!
We affectionately call my Aunt Laurie the baby whisperer in our family because she’s absolutely incredible with babies. She regularly volunteers in her church nursery and somehow knows exactly what to do to soothe babies when they’re fussy. It’s a talent for sure and seeing her interact with Ryder and Chase was so wonderful.
As for this upcoming weekend, we have a doctor’s appointment for Ryder on the agenda and not much else. Since Ryder “woke up” this week and isn’t settling quite as quickly after his middle-of-the-night feedings, I’ve found myself feeling more exhausted at the end of the day so I’m hoping to enjoy a quiet weekend at home much like last weekend. I hope you all have a great weekend and enjoy the next few days!
Now onto the usual Things I’m Loving Friday shenanigans…
Things I’m Loving Friday
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Third Birthday Party Planning
For Chase’s birthday party this year, I wanted to keep things small and casual but since he’s now reached the age where he understands birthdays and thinks birthday cake, candles and celebrating just about anything is the coolest, I didn’t want to simply gloss over his third birthday. When my friend Lauren approached me with the idea of a combination birthday party for our little ones (they’re best friends and only four days apart), it sounded perfect!
We’re in the middle of planning a small pool party birthday for Chase and Claire and I’m getting so excited for their special day! I’m far from a fancy party planner but I absolutely love brainstorming party ideas and browsing Pinterest for party inspiration even if our parties never look anything like the Pinterest-perfect parties out there. For Chase and Claire’s third birthday party we’re doing a Dragons and Unicorns theme (Chase is 100 percent obsessed with dragons and Claire is a big-time fan of unicorns) and I hope our little ones love it. We’re having a lot of fun planning right now (we just ordered big unicorn and dragon pool floats to have bobbing around in the pool — not that our 3-year-olds will actually ride them!) and I can’t wait!
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Moonlight Pajamas (Short Version + Long Version)
I’ve received a few questions about the pajamas I wore in the hospital after Ryder’s birth and I figured they deserved a shout out here! I ended up packing both the short and long versions of these incredibly soft Moonlight Pajamas and have been living in them ever since Ryder arrived. They’re nursing friendly (I think they’d make such a thoughtful postpartum or baby shower gift for a new mom) and the fabric is so soft and perfect for year-round wear. They’re available in a variety of colors but I love the black since it hides milk stains. (Bonus: They’re currently $20 off as part of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale!)
Now that I’m back to drinking coffee almost every morning (I gave it up during pregnancy for my own peace of mind/anxiety) I’ve loooved making myself fancy-but-not-really-fancy cups of coffee. Chase is actually really into helping me because he loves playing with both our coffee maker and our blender, so we’ve had fun making everything from cashew coffee (oh my gosh SO GOOD) to The Whole Smiths’ Whole30 latte made with coconut oil, almond milk and cinnamon. It was actually this latte that led me to The Whole Smiths’ blog and then their amazing cookbook!
While we do not follow a Paleo or Whole30 diet in our house, I frequently look for Paleo and Whole30 recipes online because they’re made with real food and clean ingredients. Sometimes the recipes are a little too involved for my liking but that’s where The Whole Smiths cookbook comes in! I have been LOVING this cookbook SO much because it’s SIMPLE. The recipes are nutritious and flavorful but they’re not overly complicated. I’ve made no less than six recipes from this cookbook since I ordered it and have loved everything from the sweet potato hash to the buffalo chicken sweet potato bites and more.
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Northwest Cherries
I received the most delicious delivery of the juiciest cherries from the Northwest Cherry Growers earlier this week. I could not get enough of them!! I truly think these cherries from the northwest United States were the best cherries I’ve ever had in my life. The outside of the cherries were crisp and fresh but the minute I bit into a cherry, it burst with juicy sweetness and I’ve basically been inhaling them all week long. If you have any must-make recipes involving fresh cherries out there, please let me know!
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Early Access Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks
The Nordstrom sale officially kicked off yesterday for Nordstrom card holders! I take advantage of this sale every year and love shopping early because the good stuff always sells out FAST. The sale opens to the public in a week but if you’re shopping the Early Access Sale like me, here are a few of the standout deals that caught my eye organized by category:
FITNESS
Adidas Edge Lux Sneakers (I’ve been eyeing these for months and just bought the gray pair! Love the feminine look and the light pink color, too.)
Zella Live In High Waist Legging (I own these in black and the quality is fantastic. They hold everything in and smooth over lumps and bumps. The maternity version is also on sale!)
Adidas Muscle Tank (Another one of my personal favorites. Great gym tank!)
Nike Essential Logo Tank (Lightweight and breathable — Perfect for sweaty workouts!)
WOMEN’S FASHION
Moonlight Pajamas (The pajamas I mentioned above!)
Free People So Easy Tee (Love this feminine take on a basic tee. I ordered the moss color for myself!)
Ruffle Mini Dress (So cute for the transition from summer to fall.)
Barefoot Dreams Cozy Chic Cardigan (The most comfortable and cozy cardigan! My sister and I are obsessed with this one.)
AG Boyfriend Jeans (I splurged and ordered these after reading the reviews. Crossing my fingers for a comfy, relaxed pair of jeans to pair with tees and tanks.)
Cocoon Cardigan (Perfect cozy cardigan to throw over a breezy tank or knotted tee this fall or winter.)
ACCESSORIES
Spinner Luggage (On my wish list! Love the blush color.)
Longchamp Le Pliage Tote (I’ve had mine for years and it’s a fantastic travel bag.)
KIDS / BABY
DockATot (We borrowed this from a friend after Ryder’s birth and he is loving it!!!)
The Honest Company Baby Arrival Gift Set (A great collection of some of our favorite baby products.)
Belly Bandit Labor & Delivery Kit (I received this kit as a gift at my baby sprinkle and loved it. The bag is so cute and filled with tons of postpartum essentials.)
Aden + Anais Swaddling Blankets (A baby staple!)
Nike Flex Sneakers (Boys / Girls – I always take advantage of this sale to order Chase’s sneakers!)
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Friday Flashbacks
Vegan Protein Overnight Oats (With a newborn in the mix, prep-ahead breakfasts like these deliciously high-protein overnight oats are saving me!)
Quiet Workout (A great go-to workout to keep on hand when you want to work out but don’t want to make a lot of noise. Perfect for a hotel room or apartment workout!)
Question of the Day
What is one thing that is making you smile this week?
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Good morning and happy Friday! Glad your week has been going so well and that you got to spend time with your baby-whispering Aunt!
Love the idea of a unicorn/dragon birthday party, and love seeing Chase and Claire together so many times over the last few years. It’s adorbs. And it reminds me of my first friend ever in life – he was the boy who lived next door and we were thick as thieves! When we were tweens his family moved to another country – bahhhh! – but we’re still friends to this very day! <3
Hope you have a GREAT weekend and that you're healing well! Happy baby and toddler cuddles to you!
xoxoxo
Aw thank you! I cannot believe they’re almost THREE!! And that’s so wonderful that you and your childhood friend/neighbor are still friends. That’s absolutely my hope for Claire and Chase, too. Enjoy your weekend, Kim!!
I forgot to mention above that I met my childhood friend at the same time Chase met Claire! So it can definitely happen! ESPECIALLY in this day and age with all the ways to connect. (We lost touch for a small while but the internet brought us right back together!) Have a great weekend! xoxo
Do you think those pajamas would be long enough on someone tall? I’m 5’10” and always struggle with tops and pants being too short. Thanks!!
YES!!! Definitely. I’m 5’8” and the length is plenty long for me! I definitely struggle to find pj pants that are long enough and these are perfect!
Follow-up on the PJs: did you order your usual size to wear at the hospital, or did you have to size up? Trying to figure out sizing while you’re pregnant is always a challenge.
I sized up! I do think the pajamas run a bit big to begin with but I still sized up just because I wanted something that wasn’t at ALL restrictive postpartum!
Target sells nearly identical PJ’s for $20: https://www.target.com/p/women-s-pajama-set-total-comfort-gilligan-o-malley-153/-/A-15026135?preselect=16407753#lnk=sametab.
I own them and they are super soft and comfy!
Oh awesome!!! I also love that brand from Target — they make some of my favorite nursing tanks!
Ha!! Samantha ~ you beat me to it. I have the same jammies from Target (short version) and they are very comfy. 🙂
This time around I got nursing tanks from Amazon-the brand is Suiek, and I looove them. Much more than the target ones. They are so supportive and come in pretty colors 🙂 I have to start planning a small party for my 3 year old as well…she wants a pink party. Like Chase, she totally gets parties now and knows her bday is coming up!! Enjoy your weekend. I hope you get lots of relaxation and baby snuggles!!
I’m looking at those pajamas and have early access but they are $35.90 🙁 Where did you find the $20 ones?
They’re actually $20 off the original price (not $20) so they’re $35.90 but if you look at one of the above comments, someone found a similar pair at Target for $20 that might interest you!!
I love the idea of a dragons and unicorns party! It sounds… dare I say… magical!
We’re doing a dragon-themed book for a book fair (I work for a library) and I have had my eyes on these:
http://a.co/4BwC16f
(Thanks for all that you do.)
Hi Julie! Just wanted to take a minute to say that now that I’m pregnant, I admire all you mamas out there who are kicking ass, especially with multiple kids. This is my first pregnancy and I’ve been experiencing sleeplessness and anxiety, and am learning that pregnancy is NO JOKE. I keep telling myself that my hormones are completely out of whack and once I have my body back in 4 months I will feel more like myself. Some days are easier than others but I just keep thinking about my sweet little girl kicking around in there. How long did it take after your pregnancies to feel like yourself again? Any tips on finding balance emotionally? I hope there are other moms out there who can relate!
My baby turns 3 weeks old today and it’s definitely true for him to be more wakeful as well! (And unfortunately cluster feeding again.. tired mama!)
YES to the cluster feeding. Phew!!! I’m right there with ya!!
Did you size up in the PJs? I’m pregnant & want to wear these at the hospital/postpartum, but not sure if I need to size up or not. Thanks! 🙂
I did! They do run big already though!
I love cherries! They’re one of my favorite fruits and I always look forward to summer, when they are in season. Can we look forward to a cherry recipe on the blog soon?!
If I have any successes, yes! But right now the cherry crumble I attempted was pretty sorry looking (even though it tasted great) so I’m not sure!! Haha!
Check the patagonia fleece on sale for Chase! So cute, I ordered one for my son who is the same age as Chase.
ooh thank you!!! love patagonia!
I would suggest a cherry clafoutis. Look for mimithorisson.com her blog is called Manger. Her recipe is incredible.
I just want those short pajamas and to eat a bowl of vegan protein overnight oats now 🙂
You probably already have it, but if not, Chase would probably like a book called Dragons Love Tacos. It’s my son’s favorite!
This book popped up as I was looking for dragon party inspiration — I definitely need to check it out with him!! I’m sure he’d love it!
thank youfor sharing this topic got some tips in mind ..great one!
I’ve been eyeing the Zella leggings for awhile now and decided to buy some during the Anniversary sale. I am not sure between a small and medium though. What size do you order? Thanks!
I order a small in the Zella leggings but I feel like I’m more of a medium in most bottoms so I’d say to size down!
Perfect! Thank you so much 🙂
I’d like to start adding collagen to my diet, but I’m a vegetarian. Are there any vegetarian alternatives you’d recommend?