I'm baaaack! It's been a month since our little miss graced this world with her presence, and now that I have a little bit more time between feedings, I wanted to sit down and write about my top favorite baby products thus far. You guys all saw my registry and read about the various reasons we chose one product over another, etc, but now that we've had a bit of time to legit test out products, I figured I should follow up and provide some legit reviews! So let's just dive right in!

Hey Hey Hey Friends!!! It's been a few weeks since I've blogged and quite frankly I have zero excuse other than I've been nesting like a crazy person LOL!

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned hosting a "diaper bash" as a way to help make sure you get the most out of your baby registry, (if you missed that blog post, for sure check it out ASAP!) and I promised to elaborate on this topic a bit more, so here we are!

So just what the heck IS a "diaper bash" anyways, right?? Basically it's a way for your hubby to feel a bit more included in the excitement of the shower, without having to be at the shower (let's face it, those are for girls LOL).... a "manly shower" if you will. Diaper bashes are typically put on by YOU, the expecting couple, but expenses are minimal and the return is far worth the time and effort. Not to mention I'm betting that big burly husband of yours will be giddy on the inside knowing there's an event just for him celebrating him becoming a dad. The fun part is that you can theme this event based on your husband's interests! I've seen fishing diaper bashes, bbq and beer diaper bashes, clay pigeon shoots, you name it!! All you have to do is pick a theme and location, send out invitations, and then provide the food and entertainment! Guests come and get to have a fun "guys night" out, and all that's required is they bring a pack of diapers for your husband. Genius right?!

So want to know how we did ours? My husband is an avid outdoorsman so we opted to host a clay pigeon shoot and called it a "Poop and Shoot" HAHA!!!



We were lucky in that his parents let us use their farm for the event, so no need to rent a location. We created a Facebook event and sent out all the invitations on there, then simply asked for the guys to RSVP so we would know how much we needed to prepare with regards to food, beverages, and clay pigeons. We provided all the clay pigeons (aka entertainment), a variety of beverages (water, soda, gatorade, beer), and then did a soup bar (it was January and cold outside LOL). I made big crockpots of chili and a delicious baked potato soup, and of course provided all the extra toppings and such to accompany the soups.

IF you're like us and will have friends / family members coming from out of town, then I'd recommend hosting the diaper bash at the same time as the lady's baby shower. We have so many friends and family members that were planning to travel several hours for the baby shower, so it only made sense to host the diaper bash for the guys at the exact same time, that way couples / families could travel together and just make one day out of it.

We ended up getting too many boxes of diapers to even count ( <--- THIS Right here is why you won't need to register for diapers), but more importantly, my husband had an absolutely wonderful time with his close friends and our family members. Something I'm sure he'll look back on fondly for years to come. It's so easy for people to focus on the "woman" when a couple is expecting, and don't get me wrong, I understand why LOL, but I think it's sad that the husband's often get forgotten and don't get celebrated as much. Sure, they aren't carrying the baby, but they're carrying the emotional support for the wife and THAT deserves a dang big round of applause.

Hey hey hey, Friends!! I've had several questions about what I registered for and why, so I decided it was time for a TELL ALL! 💓



If you've read my previous posts regarding all things pregnancy related then you know I'm just a FTM trying to figure it all out, so my hope is that this post helps another FTM, or at least provides some insight if you're working on your own baby registry. 😊

As a first time parent, it can be insanely overwhelming when you dive into the world of baby products. So many retailers (and people) will tell you what they think you need, or what you should register for; so hands down please know it's okay to register for what YOU want for you and your baby. Don't ever feel pressured to use something just because your sister's best friend used it and she looved it. What works for some people, may not work for you and vice versa.

In our case, we decided we wanted to take a somewhat minimalist approach to our registry because A) we live in a smaller home, and B) if you aren't careful you can easily register for waaaaay too much and won't end up getting the true essentials. That being said, our registry still had several items on it - 96 now to be exact!! <-- a lot of those were requested duplicates so we could stock up on various items (example: 5 tubs of baby lotion, 3 jars of nipple cream, 3 packs of breastmilk storage bags, etc).

So you're probably reading this going okay okay, just give us the goods already!! I've categorized the items and linked to the products, so without further ado, let's jump in!!

If you're currently pregnant or even if you're just trying to conceive, you're probably already starting to wonder about the BABY REGISTRY and all things related to it!

"Which registry should we use? Should we register with multiple retailers? What items should I put on the registry? ...Oh man...now I'm feeling overwhelmed thinking about researching said items. When should I start my registry? When do I share my registry?"

The list goes on and on LOL! I had so many questions and learned a lot from my own research, polling mommy friends, and just general trial and error. That being said, here are my top tips to get the MOST out of your registry.



1. Only register with one site (i.e. Amazon, Target, Walmart, Buy Buy Baby, etc.) I preferred Amazon for many reasons (free shipping, 15% completion discount, free welcome box, $100 in free diapers and rewards, large selection of items, and universal registry), but if you want all the deets on that, please see my previous post here about WHY we chose Amazon for our Baby Registry.

Why register with just one site? Two important reasons; ONE, it helps YOU stay organized knowing everything is all together on one site and avoids duplicates or confusion. TWO, it honestly makes it easier for gift givers to have just one place to go look instead of looking at two or three different registries. Plus in my opinion, if a gift giver has just one registry to look at then they are more apt to purchase something from the registry, where as when there are multiple registries, they often end up just buying a similar item to what they saw on one of the registries instead of the exact item you registered for.

2. Do your homework and start your registry early. If you're anything like me, you'll want to do your own research on the various products, decide what you want to use for YOUR baby, and then start curating your registry. If you wait to do this until a few weeks before your shower, you'll find yourself overwhelmed and scrambling to throw a registry together. Not my idea of fun! Instead, start your registry (and research) early on! Just because you've opened your registry doesn't mean you have to tell anyone it exists just yet. I started mine before my first trimester was even over and spent several weeks researching various items and products. Added Bonus - starting it early allows you time to change your mind. Add a floor based high chair, but decided you'd rather have a space saver high chair? No big deal, simply add and delete, and no one will know.

3. Register for the big ticket items and keep clothes, diapers, and wipes off the registry entirely. Say what?! I know, when most people start thinking about their registry they immediately want to register for diapers, wipes, and all the adorable baby clothes. Trust me, I get it. BUT, also trust me when I say I've thrown my fare share of baby showers so I feel pretty seasoned regarding this area. So WHY do this? You're going to get a ton of diapers, wipes, and clothes at your baby shower and for gifts in general regardless, even if they aren't on your registry. So if your registry focuses on bigger ticket items that you really need, then that gives gift givers the hint to strongly consider another item (i.e. your swing, your carrier, etc). Watch for my next post which will be a tell all on what all we registered for and why!

4. Following up on that notion, ask for the following phrase to be included on your baby shower invitation, "Baby is well clothed, please see the registry for much NEEDED items." This simple phrase makes a world of difference in whether you receive just a few items from your registry and then a bunch of useless junk you didn't register for, or a whole slew of items from your registry. Let's face it, no one wants to be the pregnant lady forced to haul in loads of returns because they didn't get what they requested on their registry.

**Another tip: for any shower I've ever thrown, and for the shower my besties threw me, we added a small extra slip of paper in with the invitation that read as follows: "One small request, that won't be too hard, please bring a book in place of a card. Whether Cat in the Hat or Winnie the Pooh, you can sign the inside with a note from you. Your book will be cherished whether old or brand new, but please don't feel obliged, we'll leave it up to you."  <-- this is equally as HUGE! First and foremost, books are cheaper than Hallmark cards these days, and second, why not use the event to start your nursery library!

5. Be vocal! Once you feel pretty solid with your registry selections, start being somewhat vocal about it! Not in a pushy, greedy, or annoying way, but when the opportunity presents itself, don't be afraid to voice your opinion. I can't tell you how many times someone asked us what we "really" needed with reference to gifts, and it was so much easier for us to just say, "whatever is left on the registry! We carefully selected items we truly need." You'll also encounter your fare share of opinions. Everyone has one and as soon as they find out you're pregnant, they'll be dying to tell you all about their opinion and why they're getting you the such and such product because they loved it so much and YOU MUST have it too. Kindly respond and just let them know it's so generous of them to think of you, but you and your husband have done your own research and have registered specifically for xyz because it best suits your lifestyle, your parenting style, and your needs. For example, we live in a pretty small house with very small rooms so we registered for dual purpose or compact items and tried to be as minimalist as possible. When someone complained about our "space saver high chair" and said they were going to buy us the large floor based one anyways, we simply said, "look, we registered for the space saver because it attaches to a chair that's already in our home, we literally do not have room for a floor based high chair."


**Along the lines of being vocal - when it IS time for your shower, I would encourage you to ask your hostess to create a "save the date" Facebook event so you can invite everyone a few months before the shower. Why? Obviously, A) so they get a heads up and can save the date since invitations typically only go out 4-6 weeks in advance, and B) it's a great place to note your registry so folks can start shopping it early, or save up if they wish to purchase one of your bigger items.

Whew! In a nutshell, create just ONE registry, start early and do your own research, don't register for clothes or diapers, and when approached about your registry or items, be vocal! Following these tips we received 86 of the 96 items on our registry (high number of items on registry due to requesting several duplicates - i.e. 3 packs of nursing pads or 5 tubs of baby lotion), have only had to make a few high ticket purchases ourselves, and also still have more than enough clothes, diapers, and wipes. Win win!

I really hope this was helpful for some of you, and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out! I'm already working on my next post which will be highlighting my registry must-haves and registry no-nos.

You've peed on what seems like 20,000 sticks and suddenly you're shocked when you see those two pink lines! OMG I'm PREGNANT!! It's finally happening!! Wait....now what do I do???!

Who do I call first? Hubby or the doctor? Wait, do I *need* to call the doctor yet? Maybe I should pee on another stick... Oh man, this would make my due date...**calculates in head**...

LOL guys, I've been there! In a mere matter of seconds I had about a bazillion questions run through my head! If you're anything like me you want to know ALL the facts, ALL the info, what to expect, what to do, how to prepare, etc, and you want to know it all RIGHT NOW haha!! I've only been down this road once so far, but as a Type A personality, I can tell you what helped me navigate the unknown and ease my anxiety.



1. First up, I took a few extra tests, you know, just to make sure, LOL!! And in my opinion, the next step is to tell your husband so he can relish in that excitement with you! We had been trying so it wasn't a complete shock to us, BUT it was still so exciting that I ran straight from the bathroom back to my husband (who was sleeping in as it was the weekend) and whispered.."I'm Pregnant!!" I'll never forget that moment! Some people like to wait and tell their husbands with a cute outfit or a special card, or even capture the moment on camera, and if that's your thing, then girl, GO for it! I however, was too excited to hold it in, and I think sharing that raw fresh excitement with my husband just made it all the more magical.

2. Call your OB/GYN and schedule an appointment. Let them know you took an at home pregnancy test and it came back positive, and be ready to answer when they ask for the date of your last period (they'll specifically want to know the first day of your last period). Unless you're a high risk case, your OB will typically schedule you to come in around the 8 week mark. This first appointment is the longest. At this appointment you'll get a transvaginal ultrasound to confirm fetal heartbeat, you'll likely have some routine bloodwork done, your OB will ask for family medical histories from both you and your husband, and then of course they'll also document your weight, blood pressure, and have you pee in a cup. That's all pretty standard. In the meantime, the days and weeks between that first phone call and your first appointment seem like an ETERNITY!!

3. If you aren't already on a prenatal vitamin, get your hiney to the store like pronto and pick up a bottle. If you were trying to conceive, then odds are you're likely already taking a prenatal. However, if your pregnancy is a surprise then please know that starting a prenatal vitamin ASAP is one of the most important things you can do for both you AND your baby. If you have questions about which one to pick up, check with your OB.

4. Download a pregnancy app to your phone like yesterday, girlfriend! There's several out there, but my top two favorites are What To Expect (WTE) and Ovia. Each has it's pros and cons, and honestly I kept both LOL! Any app will ask for your last period as well so that it can calculate your due date for you.

**Just so you know, the magic formula is as follows: start on the first day of your last period, count backwards three months, then add 7 days. Voila! For Example: My last period was June 22, so counting back three months is March 22, add 7 days and my due date is March 29th!

The apps are helpful for sooo many reasons! First and foremost is the instant community of other women due the same month as you. You get information delivered to you based on your gestational age, which is super helpful. There's the fun "baby is the size of a ____" comparisons to look forward to each week. And of course helpful reminders to take your prenatal vitamin. Be sure to take full advantage of the message boards and forums in your app to help answer questions, concerns, etc. :)

5. Get to reading! As soon as we found out we were expecting, I immediately picked up a few books for us to read and man was that helpful! Hands down, my top recommendation is What To Expect When You're Expecting as it goes through every single detail. I still refer to it often! I also picked up The Natural Mama as I wanted some more natural remedies for various pregnancy related issues. For the hubby, I ordered Dude, You're Gonna Be A Dad and it's helped him relate to the pregnancy and various changes quite well. Plus it's fun to lay in bed together and read / learn all about some of the upcoming changes!

6. Decide when you're going to tell your parents (or close relatives) the exciting news, and when you'll announce publicly. Everyone is different and when you prefer to announce is entirely up to you. We initially decided we were going to wait until after our 8 week appt to tell our parents so we could make sure all was well, and then wait until 12 weeks to announce publicly. Only part of that worked out for us HAHA!! My brother and his fiance announced their pregnancy about two weeks before we planned to announce and in all the excitement I blurted out our news as well. Aside from that, we waited until 8 weeks to tell my husbands parents, and of course until 12 weeks to tell the rest of the world. Once you decide WHEN you want to make your announcements then you can get creative and have fun brainstorming ideas with your husband on HOW you want to break the news. Seriously, sharing that secret together is the coolest thing in the world and so hard, but so stinking amazing as well!

7. Reach out to a friend who has blazed the path before you! Preferably someone you can trust to keep your secret if you haven't gone public yet. I reached out to my three best friends (who've all coincidentally had children already) so I could have at least SOMEONE to talk to about everything and of course get all my million questions answered from a trusted source.

8. Join a due-date-specific Facebook group!! Thanks to the WTE app, I found a phenomenal Facebook group! Now, there are over 100k members in the app forum all expecting the same month as me, and countless private Facebook groups created by various members. I lucked out and joined one that happens to be smaller than most (around 170ish of us) and intimate. I've already made so many wonderful new mom friends, and have enjoyed going through this journey with each of them! It's been a true haven for me. It's a place you feel safe, understood, can vent, etc and hopefully, if you find the right group, then it's marked as a "secret" group meaning only those within the group can find it and see what goes on inside.

Whew! That's it! If my best friend hadn't already blazed this path for me, and she came to me for tips, this is exactly what I'd tell her to do as she starts out her journey into motherhood. Like I mentioned earlier, this may not be what calms your soul, but it certainly helped me! If you've read this far, thanks for hanging around! AND if you're reading this and you're expecting, then CONGRATULATIONS!!

XOXO!

Hey Guys!! It's been awhile since I've blogged, and basically it's because I got caught up in all the excitement of our wedding and then getting pregnant the month after LOL!!! AH!! So sorry for the lapse, BUT I have so so much to share with you all! First off, today's topic, BABY REGISTRIES!!!