Top // Bottom // Bag // Sunglasses

Hello and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I do realize it's already February :) Last month flew by and I didn't quite make my goal of picking up my blog again this year starting in January. Things happen so here we are, beginning a month later, but doing it nonetheless. 

We have been home for the past two days due to the ice storm that  took over most of Texas,  and let me tell you, I am SO ready to get out of the house. We will be taking the kids out of the house this afternoon to burn some energy. 

While the ice storm was a bit much, I do enjoy the cold winter weather. It is a nice change from the usual warm fall and hot summers we experience in Austin. With winter weather comes warm dressing and super cozy outfits like this cashmere blend set. I randomly decided to try Summersalt for the first time and I have to say I am impressed. 

The set is super soft and high quality and keeps me warm without being overly hot. Ice storm aside, I have been wearing this on weekends and have not had a need for any additional jacket or vest. We also did a couple trips in January and wore it both times to the airport. Comfiest outfit ever. I did find the pants run a bit small, they have a thick elastic and the XS felt too constricting. Sized up on the pants and problem was solved. 

Summersalt is known for their bathing suits. I am so tempted to get one for summer. I'll probalbly give it a try once I check their new styles. 

Feels good to be back on the blog again, hope to be more consistent this year with my content. Having children was an adjustment but I do feel like now that I got the hang of it I can pick up this project back up. Cannot wait to continue to share my favorite things with you. 

Until next time!

N. 

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Tips for Traveling With Babies and Toddlers

We recently took our first European vacation with both kids. Traveling with a baby and toddler is not for the faint of heart,  but it is most definitely doable. This topic was probably the most talked about during my travels; for every IG story that I uploaded I had a few moms reach out and ask for ideas for traveling with littles. Europe was our first 8+ hour flight, but we have traveled extensively with them (as soon as their vaccines allowed us). We got our routine and packing list down. It all comes down to planning ahead, packing smart and being patient. You’ll arrive to your destination before you know it. 

All products are linked and available to shop at the bottom of this post. 

Prep & Planning

• If you are traveling with a toddler who’s over two years old (they’ll need their own ticket and seat) make sure you secure seat numbers by paying ahead, you don’t want to end up getting separate seats from your children. If you are able to book a window seat for a toddler you’ll be ahead on the entertaining-while-flying game. 
•  If it’s a long flight and you are traveling with a baby under 12 months-old, I recommend you request a bassinet. They are free but there’s usually only a couple available per flight. They attach to the front wall/partition of the plane so you do have to book those seats first, then call and book the bassinet.
• Because my husband travels so much, and we stick to a single airline, we often get upgraded. Such upgrades often come with bedding and blankets, but I still always pack their Little Giraffe blankets. Eloise has the pink one and Nico has the blue one. They are the warmest most perfect stroller/travel blanket. 
• Bring all of the snacks. Pack a lot of variety and small portions. We usually swap activities and snacks to keep them busy. We usually have: yogurt (frozen sticks), cheerios, crackers, popcorn, cuties/oranges, bananas and M&M’s as a last resource (it’s the iPad of snacks HA!). I love these reusable containers. 

The Carry-On & Stroller 

• Bring a travel stroller. Prior to taking our first flight with Eloise we did extensive research on bringing our existing stroller or buying a travel one. Long story short, airlines often break strollers and they are not responsible for the damage or cost to replace. For this reason we decided to invest in a Silver Cross travel stroller that folds into a carry on. This is our most loved travel baby item, it deserves it’s own post (coming up soon!). It is on the pricier side but there are other good options like this one and this one. 
• Pack a lot of small activities. I have one of these Pehr bags for each of my kids and will typically fill it up with toys when we travel. Some of my favorites include:
• Small play-dough jars
• Stickers
• Gel Clings (Target dollar bin often has seasonal ones for $2 dollars)
• Coloring pad and markers
• Polly Pocket
• Jewelry making set
• Current favorite toy (it’s small Disney princesses for Eloise right now)
• For Nico is usually whatever baby toy he’s into, plus his grapple. This magical device that prevents his toys from falling to the floor.
• We typically use a backpack as a diaper bag when we travel (this Tory Burch has been my go-to since I got it, very roomy and easy to clean). I’ll pack one full extra outfit for each kid for every four hours of flight. So for Europe I had two outfits for each kid plus pajamas. 
• Because I packed more than usual for Europe, I used this carry-on bag. It was great because I could access all of my things easily. 
• For long flights I will pack slippers for my toddler. She usually likes to take her shoes off and slippers are much easier to slide in and out (particularly for bathroom breaks). 
• For Nico I will pack a diaper for every two hours I’ll be out. Never actually go through all of them but I like having enough. 
• Bring the iPad. It is out last resource for entertaining. We will use up all of out other activities before we bring it out. But it does always work. The Peppa Pig app is great and has features that work even if there is no WIFI available. 
• Bring hand sanitizer and wipes. Airplanes are yucky and it’s best to sanitize your space as much as you can before your littles take over the space. We bring Clorox wipes and my favorite sanitizer from Trader Joe’s. 

Packing

• We do one large luggage for both kids and separate their clothes in color coded packing cubes. This helps us find stuff quick as I have a cube for outfits, one for pajamas and one for socks and undies. 
• I pack an outfit per day, plus an extra outfit for every 3 days (which I typically have in my diaper bag). One pajama set per night plus two extra per kid. 
• Both kids have their own monogrammed toiletry bag. That’s where I put Eloise’s bows and accessories as well.
• I pack this drying rack plus my own small detergent. Makes bottle washing at a hotel so much easier.  
• This bottle warmer works like a charm. 
• We travel with our Hatch. Both kids are used to it and we use it to signal it’s time for bed. 
• We always travel with our baby first-aid kit, this bag makes it super easy to spot what we need right away. We typically have:
• Band Aids (Peppa Pig of course)
• Neosporin
• Arnica
• Baby Tylenol
• Baby Motrin
• Fever Patches
• Thermomether
• Nose Frida
• Medi-Frida Pacifier
• Elastic Bandage Wrap
• Dramamine
• Lollipops (works wonders when they are on tears)
• Use a travel wallet to keep track of all your passports and tickets. I have this Smythson one and love all the room and tabs to keep all my things organized. Amazon has this one and this one available at a lower price point too. 

Hope my tips are helpful to you. Traveling with children is different, but seeing your kids enjoying the destination makes it all worth it. 

Until next time, 

Nicole 

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Eloise's Big Sister Gift Basket

Doll Crib // Bunny // Sweatshirt // Chocolate

Solly Wrap // Doll Bedding 

Today marks three weeks since little Nicholas was born on a sunny November day. We are feeling a little tired at times, but the newborn cuddles are totally worth it. I still can't believe our little family is finally complete and we have TWO kids! My heart is so full :)

Before Nico joined us we did a lot of brainstorming on how we could make this transition easier for Eloise and decided to start off with a gift exchange. We got Eloise a bunny to gift to her little brother when she visited the hospital and Nico "got her" a gift basket as a big sister gift. We included a few things that would allow her to take care of her dolls the way we care for the baby:

• Ratan Doll Crib 
• Bunny
• Personalized Sweatshirt
• Chocolate
• Solly Doll Wrap
• Doll Bedding
• Playdoh

Out of all of the things in the crib the Playdoh was her favorite thing. It kept her entertained the two days she visited us at the hospital. Overall I'd say the gift was a big success in getting her excited about the new baby. She has been slowly warming up to him and she's quick to let us know if Nicholas is crying or upset. She's a great big sister and I know it will only get better as they get older. 

Hope your holiday prep is going smoothly!

xx, Nicole 

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Nine Months

We made it! To say this pregnancy flew by it's an understatement. I can't believe how quickly time goes by when you are excited about an arrival.  I am both grateful to my body and relieved to soon give birth and not experience the aches that have taken over these last few weeks. We cannot wait to welcome our darling boy who's coming to complete our family. 

Hope to share the happy news with you soon. Until then, stay safe and have a wonderful end to your week. 

xx, Nicole 

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