Copy of How To Maintain Curls + Curly Hair Wash Routine...

Happy Wednesday!

I ran a poll on my IG stories last week asking if you all would like a mini tutorial on how I manage London’s hair and since 94% of you voted HECK YES … here it is! :)

It has taken me 3+ years to get to a place where I feel like I have somewhat of a clue when it comes to curly hair! I have completely straight hair so it’s definitely been a learning curve! I’m not an expert AT ALL so I’ve asked lots of questions about products, researched products, a little trial and error to see what works and I finally think we have a concoction that’s working right now!

I will mention that I basically harass Allysha from @HouseofTurcotte because her hair is AMAZING and she recommended the Shea Moisture product that we use….which we LOVE and makes a huge difference! If you have curly hair or curly-haired kids you should check her out :)

Here are the products that we currently use on London’s hair:

1. Garnier Fructis Curl Nourish Shampoo

2. Garnier Fructis Curl Nourish Conditioner

3. Garnier Fructis Damage Repairing Treatment

4. Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie

5. Proclaim Olive Glossing Polish

Step 1: Wash / Condition

I typically wash London’s hair 2x a week. I found that if I washed it more it would dry it out, so twice seems to work well. I shampoo her hair once and condition it twice. I found that on the second pass of conditioner - if I use my wet brush while it’s wet and she’s still in the bath - I can brush the tangles out so much easier! The wet brush has been clutch - I love it. Sometimes I do the Leave-in mask for a few minutes after combing her hair and after the shampoo/conditioner, as the last step before I do a final rinse.

Step 2: Apply Smoothing Cream

I also took Allysha’s advice on this too and use one of Chris’s white t-shirts to wrap London’s hair in. I used to towel it off and it would make it really frizzy from the start - but the t-shirt works! Then I use the smoothing cream. I start at the root and usually work the cream in all the way to the ends. Lo’s ends can get frizzy so I make sure I add a bit more of the smoothing cream on those. I let that set for a few minutes and sometimes I’ll finish it off with a braid or just let it air dry.

Step 3: Apply Proclaim Glossing Polish

First off, this oil smells SO amazing. It has olive oil, for frizz and to make hair look super shiny. I put a nickle-size amount in my palms, rub them together and them work it all through London’s hair - typically from the bottom-half down to the ends.

I do typically braid her hair when she sleeps because it minimizes the tangles. In the morning, I’ll spritz it with a little water and add more of the Shea Moisture smoothie cream to bring her curls back to life! It seems like a lot of steps and sometimes it is - but we have it down to a little routine now and I feel like we’re getting the hang of it. If you have any more tips/tricks you’d like to share - please send them my way! I know a few people have recommended a silk pillowcase and I have one in my Amazon cart right now - I think that’ll help with tangles also.

Anyway - I hope you found this helpful in some way! Have a great week!

xx, Ashley

Getaway Style...

London and I leave for Charleston in just a few weeks!!! I’m so excited to have some one-on-one time with her and also to see Chris’s conference basketball tourney! Such a fun weekend!

We are also heading to Florida at the end of March so I’ve been shopping for swimsuits, cover ups, maxi dresses, and all of the fun “vacation wear!” I wanted to share a few things I’ve purchased and also some stuff that I have my eye on. Can it just be summer already?! Cravinggg warm weather….we’re always to Spring! Ahhh!

xx, Ashley

How '1-2-3 Magic' Worked For Us...

I got my eyebrows microbladed literally YESTERDAY sooo… don’t mind those ;)

Happy Week of Loveee :)

I am one of those people that really LOVE Valentine’s Day and all the hearts, all the pink, and all the red! What better week than this one to talk about our favorite thing ever: Toddler Discipline. HA! Kidding…Eww. I know. It’s not fun - but I’m writing this post in hopes that it can help other parents who may need a new strategy or who feel like they’re walking on egg shells around their “threenager” like we did! This isn’t sponsored by “1-2-3- Magic” … and I highly suggest you get the book to read it for yourself … but I just want to share WHY we started using the techniques discussed and how it has worked or rather TRANSFORMED our home.

The WHY

As parents we have always tried to be super consistent with every aspect of our children’s lives. We are consistent with their routines at bedtime, at nap time … we were consistent with potty training … we are consistent when it comes to the morning routine, etc., and it’s all good because it works for us. There was one area that we weren’t being consistent in and that was in our approach to discipline. (i.e. are we doing time-outs? are we ignoring? are we just talking calmly? are we distracting?) For awhile it wasn’t much of an issue because London always cooperated and listened fairly well. We used the “distraction” method as long as we could - but when London neared 3.5, I was feeling pretty helpless. I had tried different tactics but none of them seemed to be working. London was starting to do things like slamming doors and saying disrespectful things to both Chris and I. I know, she’s 3 and that comes with the territory (somewhat), but I really felt like if we didn’t nip it now, it would get worse later and MORE THAN THAT…I’m NOT okay with anyone slamming doors in my face. Even though our doctor said “just ignore it; it’s normal toddler behavior,” I didn’t really want to ignore it. It seemed like I was getting into these power struggles with this tiny human leading to more and more meltdowns.

I had read a few books before this one about staying calm, ignoring tantrums, avoiding time outs and taking “time-ins,” speaking directly etc., some of which worked for half of the day… but by the end of most days, after I was exhausted from lectures and repeating myself, I would often lose my patience. I was raising my voice more often than I wanted, which never made me or London feel good. I was essentially crying to Chris every night when he got home and felt like I was failing at my “job” which feels absolutely TERRIBLE especially when your job is being a stay at home mom. I knew that we needed to find a way to fix this or we would all go literally insane!

HELLO Magic!

A few weeks back, I went to my alumni basketball weekend at the University of Maine and had the best time with some of my former teammates. A lot of us are now raising kids that are around the same age - and we started talking about some of the challenges that I was facing with London and the constant power struggles. That’s when my friend recommended the “1-2-3 Magic” book. I’m not going to lie, I was skeptical because like I said, I had read other books already that led me to lots of dead ends. After I listened to how it had transformed her household, I pretty quickly ordered it. Thank GOD I did.

I LOVE that this book, unlike the others I have read, actually gives you a consistent plan when it comes to discipline. Any behavior that you want to stop such as whining, disrespectful talk, hitting, throwing etc. can be “counted” using the 1,2,3 counting method that the book discusses! The first thing we did was sit London down and tell her that we have new “house rules.” The book instructs you on how to do this and the reason in doing it. I think it’s an important step because it shows that you and your spouse/partner are a united front and are both on board. We also did a dress rehearsal to demonstrate what it would mean if we counted to ‘3’ and she had to take a “time out.” (London thought it was hysterical to send Chris to our room for 3 minutes. Ha!) Also, we do three minute time-outs because Lo is 3 years old. She spent the next two days after our little house rules chat testing us to see if we were going to follow through. We did :)

An important part to this whole thing being successful is NO TALKING on the part of the caregiver. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT and it was REALLY hard for me at first. I was so used to lecturing / explaining WHY we don’t do something or say something that isn’t kind etc. It is also my favorite part of the entire process because by eliminating the talking - my days instantly became a lot less exhausting.

Just to give you an example of how this works…one thing that London would do that always seemed to DRIVE ME CRAZY was that whenever she got frustrated she would say “I don’t like you” to anyone that was around; could be me, a friend, her grandparents, a stranger … literally anyone. I tried putting her in time out anytime she said it, didn’t work. I tried ignoring it completely, didn’t work. I tried explaining to her that this hurts feelings and isn’t kind, DEFINITELY didn’t work … but for whatever reason - THIS WORKS. She has only said this once since we began this entire process - which is a major win!

For the purpose of this blog post, here is an example of how an exchange might go (there are LOTS of examples given in the book which really help too!)

London: “Mommy, can I have a cookie?”

Me: “Not right now. It’s too close to dinner time.”

London: “I want one now!”

Me: “That’s 1.” (said calmly and holding up one finger)

London: “I don’t like you, Mommy!”

Me: “That’s not kind. That’s 2.”

London: (yelling) “No!!!”

Me: “That’s 3, take 3.”

At this point ideally Lo would go to her room but if she doesn’t go on her own, I would calmly pick her up and put her in her room WITHOUT SAYING A WORD and start the timer for 3 minutes. When the timer is done I would go into her room and say, “timer is up!" and that’s IT. I wouldn’t lecture or explain why she got a time out … we start FRESH and move on like nothing happened. London is usually smiling saying “let’s read, Mom!” or even “I’m sorry Mom!” … it’s pretty amazing.

Here is another example of the same situation as above, except this time ending in a MOMMY WIN…

London: “Mommy, can I have a cookie?”

Me: “Not right now. It’s too close to dinner time.”

London: “I want one now!”

Me: “That’s 1.” (said calmly and holding up one finger)

London: “Okay, maybe I can have one after dinner!” (exits room)

The first example looks a lot like how things would have gone 2+ weeks ago before implementing this strategy. The second example is absolutely what happens now. Let it be known, I have definitely used this outside of our home as well. I’ve counted at the doctor’s office, at Target, at London’s preschool pick-up and in front of friends/family. If you’re worried about feeling embarrassed when counting in front of other people - throw that out the window. It’s pretty freaking awesome to be able to just say “that’s 1” to get your child to stop doing whatever it is you don’t want them to do.

Our house is definitely a more relaxed place and just calmer overall. London was certainly craving consistency in the area of discipline and we were totally NOT fulfilling her needs. I think children really crave boundaries and the meltdowns that London was having were almost a cry for help. She was frustrated, I was frustrated … and now I feel like my girl is back and we are completely enjoying our time together.

I wanted to share this with other parents because maybe you’re feeling a bit helpless like I did. Don’t lose hope. Parenting is really freaking hard…like REALLY hard. We are all just doing our best. Please take a peek at this book and let me know what you think. I truly hope it meets you where you are! As always, please message me here or DM me on Instagram and I will respond to you if you have any questions! Love y’all! Keep being amazing!!

xx, Ashley

Target Try-On...

Since we live dangerously close to Target, I thought it would be fun to start doing “try-ons” for you guys! It’s like window shopping - since I actually can’t afford to buy all the cute clothes I want - I’ll just try them on and share them with you :) It’s a win-win! I am going to share another Target try on this weekend on my IG stories, and then I’ll post those here as well so you can shop! I did a poll on my IG and you guys voted that you wanted an Old Navy one too - so I am going to get on it :)

I have linked all of the items below each picture so you can click and shop - and I’ll put the prices as well because they’re super affordable!

Top: Wild Fable ($14) / Jeans: Wild Fable ($20) / Backless Loafers: A New Day ($23)

Cropped Hoodie: Wild Fable ($18) / Leggings: Joy Lab ($29.99)

Sports Bra: Joy Lab ($20) / Leggings: Same as above!

Sweatshirt: Xhilaration ($19.99) / Thermal Loungepants: Xhilaration: $16.99

Cropped sweatshirt (no hood): Wild Fable ($18) / Gray Leggings: Champion ($29.99)

Sweatshirt (This is AMAZING and oversized..which I love! I’m wearing a large! ($24.00)

xx, Ashley

Valentine's Day Outfit Inspo + 5 Date Night Ideas...

I personally LOVE Valentine’s Day - but Chris and I never do anything crazy or over the top. It’s an excuse for another date night, which we desperately need, so we’ll take it! We usually skip gifts and just grab dinner at our favorite restaurant. I thought it would be fun to come up with a few creative ideas for how to spend V-Day with your special someone this year!

Here are some ideas / ways you could celebrate!

1. Take a dance class. This is something I’ve been wanting to do with Chris because we’ve never done it and I think it would be a really romantic/fun wait to connect! It doesn’t have to be a weekly thing - but maybe just a “one-off” if there is a studio in your area offering one class or something! I’m sure around Valentine’s Day you’d be able to find something like this…maybe a little ballroom class or salsa?! I’d love to learn that with Chris!

2. Have a “date night” at home. Can’t get a sitter? Order take out, grab a bottle of wine and have a romantic dinner post-bedtime! Side note: If you live in the Belmont/Watertown area - we LOVE doing take-out from Cha Yen Thai Cookery! It’s our go-to spot and I highly HIGHLY recommend the Khao Soi Brisket with a nice bottle of red or a crisp white ;)

3. Go out for a dessert sampler date and champagne. Skip dinner, go to your favorite restaurant (or one with the best desserts) and order every single one off the menu! This is right up my alley since I loveeee dessert so much - and I think Chris would really enjoy this too.

4. Take a cooking class. I’ve been DYING to do this because I know there has to be amazing cooking classes in Boston! I think it would be super romantic to cook something together while drinking wine + then enjoy the masterpiece at the end. A private cooking class would be ideal - an for me, and Italian meal would be what I would go for :)

5. Throw a Galentine’s Day bash! This is my personal favorite and probably something I may do this year considering Chris will be on the road for work! Target has the absolute CUTEST decorations to throw the perfect party for your girls. It would be fun to have a hot cocoa bar and obviously champagne while watching the girliest chick-flick ever created. My vote would be “To All The Boys I Loved Before” on Netflix. If you haven’t seen it…it’s a must-see!

   I’m always curious to know if y’all celebrate this holiday - because I know some people who just skip it all together. What do you guys do?!

xx, Ashley

Malia's 6 Month Update...

It’s safe to say I’m kicking 2019 off with a bang and already forgetting to do a write-up on Malia’s 5th month! Second child problems! Honestly … there wasn’t much of a crazy change in her schedule in regards to sleeping/eating/playing etc. in her fifth month, so it kind of works out well that I’m skipping right to six :)

Malia actually turns 6 months today - so I’ll do a little update on where we are at now! She’s still a champion sleeper, is starting to engage so much with the world around her, sits up unassisted (which is a game changer), is eating solid foods and is just as cheerful as she’s ever been! We are so in love with her…honestly, SWEETEST BABY EVER. I’m sharing lots of info regarding her eating schedule now too, per request, so take a peek below :)

Sleeping

Malia is still napping relatively well and sleeping through the night. We had about a week of bad naps and poor night sleep when she was sick with a cold, so it really made me realized just how spoiled we are by her amazing sleep habits on a normal basis. She is definitely able to stay awake longer before needing a second nap. I would say her wake times are about two hours…maybe 2 hours and 15 minutes. She is taking 2-3 naps a day, but typically still three with the third nap being the shortest a majority of the time. Her morning nap continues to consistently be the longest of the day (typically 1.5-2 hours), her second nap is anywhere from 45 minutes - 1.5 hours and her third nap, like I said, is about 30-40 minutes. (What can I say, this girl loves her sleep and I’m not complaining!) I’m sure in the coming weeks, we will have her nap just twice a day, but for now this seems to be working. Her bedtime is between 6:15pm - 6:45pm.

We put her down awake at every nap and at bedtime and I’ve found she is much more aware now that she’s older. She fusses a little bit sometimes, but usually not more than 10 minutes before falling asleep. I highly recommend that if you do nothing else sleep wise, that you start putting your baby down awake around 2-3 months old. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be and the more problems you will have. We basically sailed through the 4-month sleep regression because Malia was already consistently putting herself to sleep. The issues were extremely minimal and I know it was due to that. Trust me on this one…teaching them this skill is MAJOR and will help you so much in the long run!

Eating

I consistently share what my girls eat for their meals on my Instagram and ALWAYS get questions about it - especially concerning Malia. I’m not an expert by any means but I’m just sharing what seems to be working for us! This section will be a little longer than the others, because I want to try to be as thorough as possible!

I started purees with Lia around 4.5-5 months. I didn’t put too much pressure on it or have any expectations, I just kind of wanted her to start trying foods, learning to push foods to the back of her mouth and swallow, etc. I know a lot of people like to wait until 6 months with the Baby Led Weaning approach - but this is what we did with London and it worked out well for us so we stuck with it. We are still just doing one meal per day and always at 5pm when London and I eat dinner as well. When we started with just purees Malia typically would eat 1/2-1 jar and 1 Tablespoon of rice cereal at a sitting. Like I said, we did this for about a month or so - letting her just explore different tastes of different foods. Some days she would eat more and others she would eat less … I just took her lead :)

Recently (like, in the past week) I have started to give her more solid foods to try. For example, this week she gnawed on some broccoli and I fed her little pieces of salmon and sweet potato. She loved it all! She actually ate quite a bit of salmon too! I typically put it all in a plate, but she hasn’t quite figured out that instead of smooshing the foods in her hand she can bring them to her mouth - so I help her with my fingers or a spoon. If I remember correctly, London started around 7-8 months using her fingers and feeding herself. I would say just experiment with it and have fun! Let them explore different textures and let them get messy! Try not to get too stressed (I know that’s easier said than done) but keep in mind it is SO good for them to just explore. I love making mealtime a production i.e. when it takes 20-30 minutes I’m thrilled! It’s an activity and it takes up time, so that’s a win! The brand that we love is BeechNut (this is not an ad) and we also do Earth’s Best. I usually get them at Target or the grocery store.

Here are the foods that Malia has tried thus far (not purees): sweet potato, asparagus, avocado, banana, salmon, and broccoli. She has seemed to like all of it which makes me happy! I want to steam some carrots and also try zucchini with her next. I really like following @Feedinglittles on Instagram as a great resource!

Playing

Lia has definitely been more interactive and expressive as of late. She is now in her stand-up activity saucer which keeps her entertained for a good 15 minutes at a time. She is starting to sit up unassisted which I’m so happy about. She seems to love books, especially ones with a “flap,” she loves to grab for toys/stuffies and of course she enjoys watching her big sister run around and play. She’s finding her voice and exploring all the ways she can make noises with her tongue and lips. It’s so cute to watch. I also just bought a bathtub seat for her which is seriously the best - and I’m so mad that I didn’t buy it sooner! I’ve been able to put the girls in the bath together this week and it’s made life so much easier! They both LOVE it. All baths have been 25-30 minutes long so that’s also a win.

If I remember from London’s first year, SO much happens between 7-9 months and I recall loving those ages. Crawling is next and then comes pulling up and eventually walking - and I’m just so excited for it all. At the same time, I want time to slow down because I can’t believe my baby is already half a year old! It doesn’t seem possible.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Let me know if you’d like me to work on any specific posts coming up - you can comment on my latest Instagram post and I’ll see it there :) Love you all!

xx, Ashley

Galentine's Day Gifts under $30...

I loveeee celebrating Valentine’s Day! I am a sucker for all the pink, red, hearts, and LOVE. I know a lot of people who feel differently about all the hype and don’t really celebrate it at all. To each their own! I do LOVE the idea of a fun Galentine’s Day party! What would be more fun than having a cute “girls night” in honor of the holiday to show your girlfriends some love! I think it would be soooo much fun! I’m sharing some gift ideas for the lovely ladies in your life and they’re all under $30! Enjoy! XO!

xx, Ashley

Cozy Winter...

xx, Ashley

A Letter To My Second Born...

My Malia Skye,

You are already almost half a year old. It has been 167 days of “getting to know you” my sweet girl…and it has been every bit as glorious as one could imagine. I am going to cry through writing this letter to you, my very first one, but I want to be able to express all of the love I have in my heart for you!

Before you were born it was just Daddy, your big sister and I. I was nervous about our dynamic changing and the big transition we would encounter when becoming a family of four. As soon as they placed you on my chest, every fear or feeling of anxiousness dissipated. It was like you had been with us all along. Every day from that moment forward you have continued to bless us with your sweet disposition and your contagious smile. You are truly the happiest baby and you make life EASY for me; for that I am eternally grateful. When we looked up the meaning of your name, “calm and gentle waters,” it could not be more fitting. You embody that in every way; you have a calming presence and an ease about you that is evident and always commented on by anyone that meets you.

I am so blessed to be your Mom.

I am sorry that far too often you get the short end of the stick when it comes to time and attention from me. The day gets bombarded with a never ending “to-do” list and your sister needs lots of love too. Thank you for being patient. So many times you’re watching me from the playroom while I’m running around the kitchen making dinner feeling like I should be reading to you or playing with you … and our eyes meet. You give me the sweetest side smile and time stands still. In that moment I feel like you really “see” me to my soul…and it’s almost like you’re saying “I’m ok, Mommy. I’m good.” Thank you for the unspoken understanding that you give to me. I live for your little smiles that melt my heart into a giant puddle.

I was already someone’s mommy when you came into the world, but you made me a better one. Just know, you were the missing piece that completed our little family.

Loving you is easy, Miss Malia. I will love you with every part of my heart forever…

Mommy xx

Skincare / Beauty Products I Love...

Clearly “skincare” is taking over thus far in 2019, but I’m a month away from ‘34’ and mama needs to make sure her skin is looking right! :)

I am sharing the skincare products that I use and below that - the makeup for each part of my face! I have been implementing a lot of the Honest Company’s beauty products into my everyday routine lately. I did a full review on their beauty line here if you want to check that out!

Skincare

I’ve been using the Neutrogena Rapid Repair line since I went to the Neutrogena U event in Boston this past fall. I’m obsessed with the entire line especially the moisturizing cream. It’s thick and I love putting it on after the oil - makes my skin incredibly smooth and soft. I am a fan of The Honest Company’s facial oil as well - LOVE the smell of this!

Face

For a natural everyday look when I plan to see just my kids all day (and maybe London’s preschool teachers), I’ll put on my Bare Minerals matte powder and under eye concealer. If I’m going out to on a date with my hubby then I’ll wear something with more coverage like concealer. I have shared my favorites below - but my all-time favorite’s are Make Up Forever and L’Oreal!

Bronzer / Blush

I have been using the Hourglass bronzer for a few months now and really love it. It’s golden / illuminating! I also use the cream blush by The Honest Company and love how it gives my cheeks naturally pink! I linked my bronzer brush that I use, which is literally $2.99 from Target and works just as well as the expensive ones from Sephora.

Eyes / Brows

For the eyes, I love the Mac liner, Naked palette from Sephora for every day and the palette from The Honest Company, which I shared below as well! For my brows, I swear by Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz to line the brow perfectly and I love the tinted brow gel to fill them in!

Lips

If you’ve been following me for any amount of time you know I’m a GIANT fan of the Sephora lip stains. There are SO many colors to choose from - but I love the Nude Blush and Always Red. Those are my faves. I am obsessed with the Honest Company lip crayons - both the matte and the sheer. They’re super moisturizing and really natural.

xx, Ashley

Baby Favorites...

Hey guys! I’m committing to blogging more in 2019! The past few months have been so hectic, I don’t feel like I’ve been delivering my best content or as much content as I would like!

Today’s post and yesterday’s post is more of the things you can expect … more motherhood + lifestyle since that’s just fitting my life these days and seems to make sense :) I always get questions about my favorite products for baby and even though I’ve done a similar post with “mommy must have’s” I feel like today’s post offers a little more detail about each product and WHY I love them so much. If you have any questions - please comment on my latest Instagram post! I’m more likely to see it there and I will get back to you!

xx, Ashley

Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale...

Hey all!

I’m sharing my favorites from the Nordstrom half-year sale! A lot of things are selling out fast…so make sure you grab whatever you like NOW! Happy shopping!

xx, Ashley

Honest Product Review...

Makeup: Wearing the cream blush, “Blossom” lip crayon and Mascara - by The Honest Company

I’ve gotten so many questions on my IG about how I like the The Honest Company beauty products! This blog post is totally not sponsored - I just wanted to share some clean, natural beauty products with you guys because you’ve been asking…and I want to make content that you actually care about :)

So…The Honest Company reached out to me (still pinching myself) and said they wanted to send me some products from their beauty line to which I said YES PLEASE! I already use their diapers, wipes, lotion, bubble bath, and shampoo (for Malia) anyway - so I thought it would be fun to try some stuff for myself! I’m really impressed with their skincare and makeup so below you’ll find a list of the products that I’ve tried and I’ll link them so you can shop!

1. Everyday Primer Matte: I’m not sure how I feel about this one. The consistency is a bit thick compared to what I’m used too. I typically use the Sephora brand primer and it’s pretty lightweight. I must say, I do think it preps your skin well and the smell is very “earthy” which I also like! Again, the verdict is still out - but I’ve used it twice under my tinted moisturizer and foundation and it seems to prep my face well without giving any extra oil!

2. Cream Blush: I’ve never used a cream blush before but I actually LOVE it. It’s a really soft pink (“rose pink”) and blends really well without leaving your skin feeling super oily! I’m wearing it in the above photo. ($12.99)

3. Organic Beauty Face Oil: Speaking of oil … OBSESSED. I never thought I would be one to jump on the “face oil” bandwagon but I’m sold. This stuff is actual GOLD. I love how it makes my skin feel when I apply it in the morning and evening before bed. Since it’s winter and everything is extra dry, I feel like my face just soaks it up immediately. I’ve noticed a total difference in how vibrant my skin looks since using this! HIGHLY recommend! ($27)

4. Mascara + Primer: I am the queen of cheap mascara’s because I feel like I’ve tried a lot of the expensive ones and they either don’t work or they make my eyes / lash line itchy! (Anyone else have that problem?!) Not only does this mascara/primer duo lengthen your lashes and make them look fab, but it’s also affordable so, YAY! ($14.99)

5. Lip Crayons: YES YES YES! So much yes. Again, because they sent these to me I had never tried a lip crayon and mainly used stains. I absolutely LOVE their lip crayons because you can apply them heavy or light, depending what look you’re going for. They make my lips feel moisturized too, which is an added bonus. The Demi-Matte lip crayons are great because they’re more pigmented for a night out (I love “Blossom”), but I use the Lush Sheer crayons for my natural / every day look. ($12)

6. Make Up Wipes: I’m not going to lie, I just used these for the first time last night but they did remove a full face of makeup! I’m a big fan of make up wipes in general, but sometimes the scent is too strong so I really like that these have a pretty muted smell! ($3.99)

7. Eyeshadow Palette: I was VERY excited about this palette - which I shared on Insta-stories. I can’t believe its under $20! The colors are so rich and beautiful and I’ve used it every day since I received it. Highly recommend you snag this up! ($19.99)

   *I also received the “Elevated Hydration Mist” which seems like it would be GREAT for cold, dry winter months. I haven’t used this yet, so I can’t really give a review!

xx, Ashley

New Year's Resolution...

I think resolutions are silly and they always seem to fade away shortly after making them … BUT, I am hopping on the bandwagon and making ONE resolution this year. Are you ready for it?! It’s a real shocker… my resolution is to…

WORK OUT CONSISTENTLY

I have found myself saying recently “I’m going to work out consistently in the new year…that’s my goal.” For whatever reason, every cookie I ate (and there were a lot of them) over Christmas was followed with this internal thought of “I’m going to work out in 2019.” I was getting back to my workouts for a bit, but after Malia got sick and I missed a solid week - I fell off the wagon again! It’s always easy to do anytime you have sick kiddos and honestly, I’m just not as motivated when I’m functioning on very little sleep.

My husband got me 10 & 15-lb weights and a stability ball as one of my Christmas presents and I was so happy because I’ve been needing them. I want to start a lifting program from home because it’s more realistic for me at this season of my life. I’d love to go to the gym and I know I’ll get back there, it’s just not going to happen consistently right now so I’d rather not spend the money on a membership! So…I’m vowing to work out consistently and maybe by posting this blog, I’ll be able to stick to that! The word “consistently” has a different meaning now than it did pre-kids. I used to workout 5-6 times a week but now, I’m happy with 3-4 times a week..I think that’s a realistic goal. I’m also vowing to get up early to work out. I was doing this for a bit and it was AMAZING. I would get up at 6AM and sneak a quick workout and shower in before the girls woke up! I loved it for two reasons: 1. my workout was done for the day and I didn’t have it looming over my head, and 2. I was super energized! After a little morning “me” time, I felt awake and ready to take on the day, so - I’m going to get back to that!

Anyway - I wish you all a happy and healthy NEW YEAR! It has been such a magical year for us as a family…so we will see if we can top it in 2019! Love to you all - and thank you for following along!

xx, Ashley

NYE Dresses...

It’s almost the new year! Snag some last minute dresses from Nordstrom (two-day shipping) and Express to ring in 2019! I’m sharing some of my favorites plus a few jumpsuits which are SO adorable. Enjoy!

xx, Ashley

Last Minute Stocking Stuffers...

This little stocking stuffer is not included on my “last minute” list … but seriously you guys, I couldn’t help myself! Also, the fact that she fits in her own stocking is proof that I ordered them WAY too big … how am I ever going to fill this thing?! Ha!

I do love that we all have these matching classic velvet stockings though - I just would recommend ordering a small or medium size. They’re from Pottery Barn and I ordered them when I was pregnant with London! We monogrammed them to say “Daddy, Mommy, London” .. now we just need to get Malia’s embroidered! I love them and they’re currently on sale, just FYI!

I cannot believe Christmas is 7 days away! AHHHH! I’m freaking out! I have so many last minute things to grab - so if you’re anything like me - I thought I’d share some ideas to help you. These are inexpensive and perfect to stuff the stocking with or just TREAT YOURSELF (my other favorite thing to do!)

Make sure you scroll ALL the way to the bottom because the last item is my FAVORITE. Hint: It has to do with WINE :) Happy shopping!

xx, Ashley

Gift Ideas For Your Preschooler...

I cannot believe Christmas is just two weeks away! Thank goodness I did a lot of my shopping over Black Friday / Cyber Monday weekend … because there is still things that I need to get! Mostly stocking stuffers - but STILL! Never ending!

I’ve been wanting to share some gift ideas with you for your toddler / preschooler! A lot of these toys London already has and LOVES or is getting this year. It’s a lot of “pretend/imaginative play” which she’s super into right now. A fellow mommy blogger on IG suggested buying toys that don’t need batteries … but that can be used over and over and imagined in different ways. That’s sort of the route I am taking this year and probably moving forward when it comes to gift giving!

I did the majority of my shopping on Amazon because they have “Holiday Lists” already made up by age group, which is super helpful. I also hit Target because well, it’s Target! I love to get all of my last-minutes there and stocking stuffers. For stockings, I definitely try to stock her up with new paint, paintbrushes, crayons, etc and then fun things like some candy and gum (which she’s obsessed with).

I hope you’re all enjoying the time leading up to Christmas. It’s so special to have these memories and I’m wishing you all happy shopping in the days to come ;)

xx, Ashley

Holiday Gift Guide: For Your Man...

Happy Friday! I’m slowing rolling out my Holiday Gift Guides … slower than normal this year because HELLO four-month old :) It’s a bit challenging to find time throughout the day! Anyway, today I’ve put together a Gift Guide for the special MAN in your life!

I always lean toward buying Chris clothes for Christmas because he honestly rarely buys anything for himself throughout the year! It’s fun to pick things out for him - even though it can sometimes be a challenge because he can be picky ;) Or maybe I just put pressure on myself to find things I know he’ll LOVE. He’s always had such a great sense of style…so I want to make sure I do right by him when I pick out clothes.

My go-to stores are Zara, H&M, and Nordstrom! I love Nordstrom because it’s free two-day shipping … so if you’re last minute, that can be super helpful! I went ahead and chose a few things to hopefully give you some ideas when shopping for your man! Have a great weekend!

xx, Ashley

Malia's Four Month Update...

It’s time for a little Malia update! I can’t believe she’s four months and one week! I’m so excited to share all of the new things she’s been doing!

I guess the major milestone of this month is that we started feeding her some solids! We have started with apples for now - and she seems to like them! Her pediatrician said we could start anytime between 4-6 months and because she has great head control, we decided to try it out with her. She ate about 2 tsp of apples and was basically over it :) We aren’t pushing it…really just sort of letting her experiment. London started out with rice cereal and pears at 5 months old. Literally, the first day she turned 5 months we started it and she ate her entire serving! Like I said, Malia is taking VERY small amounts right now, but I think in a few weeks she’ll get the hang of it!

She’s even more engaged with the world around her now. She grabs for toys and loves anything that plays music or lights up! Her absolute favorite person in the world is London. It melts my heart to watch their growing bond. Malia looks at Lo like she walks on water - and London loves to entertain her.

We had a bit of a scare this month when Malia spiked a fever and had difficulty breathing. She had been battling what we thought was bronchiolitis for 5-6 days with a lot of congestion and poor appetite. She was drinking maybe half of what she normally would and it was MAJORLY stressing me out. The day her temperature went up, we were told to take her to the ER. She ended up being diagnosed with pneumonia and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus). She is just now starting to feel better after battling this stuff for well over a week. Poor baby! It’s always so scary and difficult when our babies are sick…but Malia is SO little - so it was extra terrifying. Anyway, we are glad she’s on the mend and hoping we can all stay healthy over Christmas! Also, look at this picture of her in her little Johnny! I can’t handle it…she looks so nervous! Ugh! I love her so much.

Sleep wise, she’s been a champion napper and takes them in her crib now. That’s been a total game changer, not only for my back since she was taking every nap on me in the carrier, but also because when she naps I can have special time with London. She usually takes her longest nap of the day in the morning, which is two hours! She’ll take about an hour nap in the afternoon and usually a 30-40 minute catnap around 3:30/4PM. Bedtime has been 6:30pm for awhile now and she’s been sleeping until 6:30/6:45AM. Typically in the last third of the night, after 3AM, she may need some soothing. I think once she starts to eat solids, she’ll fully extend her night without needing us to rock her/soothe her to sleep at any point during the night. To be clear, we don’t rock her fully to sleep - we may pick her up and soothe her or go in and pat her back (since she’s a belly sleeper) … just something to sort of help her get back to sleep. If you want to read more about how we sleep trained - I just did a full blog post on it and you can click here.

I can’t wait to celebrate Malia’s first Christmas in just a few weeks! She turns 5 months on Christmas day…so that’s extra special :) Our first holiday as a family of four…I’ll make sure to share how it goes!

Have an amazing week!

Xx, Ashley

Sleep Training Tips...

I’m just going to start this off by saying I AM NOT A SLEEP EXPERT. I have done my fair share of research, read my fair share of books, and also worked with a few sleep experts from Baby Sleep Science - and used the same techniques on both of our girls, with much success. I posted a poll recently on my Instagram stories asking if a post like this would be helpful and 89% of you said YES, so I’m giving the people what they want ;) The other 11% can ignore this post, or just check back later when something interests you again!

The first thing you should RUN and do is buy the book “Twelve Hours of Sleep by Twelve Weeks.” Just trust me on this one - it’s a game changer. It’s a super easy read, is very straight-forward and gives you an ACTUAL plan of attack. If you’re anything like me, you’ll appreciate the detailed plan because it gives you sort of a baseline to work from. I didn’t do absolutely EVERYTHING the book says, but I will say, probably 90% of it I did and both of my girls are amazing sleepers. London slept through the night (7pm - 7am) at 5 months old, and Malia slept through the night at 13 weeks (6:30pm - 6/6:30am).

Here are a few things that I think are important when it comes to grooming your babe to be a good sleeper…

Establish a feeding schedule

Try to do this around 8 weeks. The book spells out exactly how to do this whether you are bottle feeding or breast feeding. The goal is to try and consolidate feedings so your baby isn’t just “snacking” all day but instead, eating at set times a day. For both girls, we decided on a 7am, 11am, 3pm, and 7pm feeding schedule (give or take 15-30mins).

Establish a consistent bedtime routine

London is 3.5 and we’ve had the same routine since she was 8 weeks old. It consists of a bath (yes, she gets one daily), lotion/massage/pajamas, brush teeth, read books, and prayers. She knows what comes next and bedtime is smooth as can be literally EVERY night because we have been super consistent. I’m a big fan of baths before bed - it’s a pretty clear signal for bedtime and also it calms them down. I also have the sound machine going and play the same lullaby song every time I put my babies down to sleep.

“Eat, Play, Sleep” Schedule

This is also important. If you try to keep this in mind - you’ll avoid the habit of feeding your baby to sleep. I get lots of messages from moms that say their kids will only go to sleep while drinking their bottle or nursing. Of course, that happens when they’re super little because they sleep SO much, but around the 8-10 week mark, if you work to establish this “eat, play, sleep” schedule you can avoid getting into that habit! For example, Malia wakes in the morning and we change her, feed her then let her play for an hour or so before her first nap. We rotate her between her Bjorn bouncer (pictured below), play mat and usually my lap :)

Put your baby down awake at bedtime

This is KEY. I’m not going to lie, I was SHOOK when it was time to do this with London, but by night three and at 12 weeks old, she was putting herself to sleep with just 1-2 minutes of fussing. We used the “limited crying” method that the book suggests. Essentially, you put your baby down, pour yourself a glass of wine (do NOT skip this step), and if he/she starts crying then you start a timer. After 3-5 minutes, you enter the room and “shush” him/her, give them a pacifier, pat their backs - whatever it takes to calm them without picking them up. When they calm down, you leave the room and repeat. If you buy the book, there are even more details to help you with this part - but I think this is the CORNERSTONE of helping your baby learn to good sleeping habits!

Nap Tips

Nap training is zero fun. I put it off until London was almost six months but started earlier with Malia. I would say the key here is to try and wait until your baby is consistently putting themselves to sleep at night. If you know they’ve mastered this skill, than you know that they will be able to put themselves to sleep at nap time. There may still be some crying…but you’ll get there. I would say doing a shortened version of your bedtime routine at nap time is a good place to start! Skip the bath of course, but if you change their diaper, put the sound machine/lullaby song on, read a book - those are all indicators that it’s time for sleep.

I think it’s typically the 5-6 month mark when babies can connect their sleep cycles, so don’t get discouraged if you get some short naps. You’ll get there. You can try letting them cry for 5-10 mins if they wake up after one cycle, to see if they’ll put themselves back to sleep. I did that with Lo and after just a few weeks she would put herself back to sleep after a short nap.

If you guys have any questions - let me know! Like I said, I’m not an expert, but I have done lots of research on this sleep stuff because mama is a BEAR if she doesn’t get her rest :) I hope this helps some of you!

xx,

Ashley