the essentials: a look inside my diaper bag

I know, I know. You've long awaited the day when this post would arrive. Well, here it is. Ladies, and the one gentleman reading this (Husband, out of obligation) -- a quick look into the organized chaos that is my diaper bag/purse:

Naturally, the essentials are there. First, one or two Huggies Snug and Dry diapers and wipes (because if we are out of the house, Vivi is guaranteed to poop. She's kind of known for it). On that note, I always bring a spare pair of leggings for both girls, on the off chance there is an accident. You only have to make that mistake once to never leave home without a spare, believe me.

My girls and their snacking... those children would eat all day if I let them. The little gals are big fans of Mum Mums (which we call Num Nums, just to make things confusing), and I never leave home without them.

I hold additional snacks in an Itzy Ritzy reusable bag to keep them separate and fresh. Love these designs!

Next up, having moved out of the Rookie Mom department, I now carry Band Aids with me at all times. These are especially necessary now that the weather is warming up and little arms and legs will be less protected.

Lastly... sunscreen. Late last summer I finally discovered a sun block lotion that I am very happy with it.  With SPF 30 and a zinc oxide to help it go on smoothly, Blue Lizard will be easy to grab when I need it this summer.

I'm neglecting to mention all the fun things like used tissues, sticky wrappers, banana peels, sticky things that I'm not sure what they are... trust me, you're lucky. :)

What's in your diaper bag?

***

The ultimate test for Huggies® diapers & wipes is in real life – from messy first birthday parties to playground play dates. Put the new and improved products, including Huggies® Snug & Dry Diapers with NEW SureFit Design and Huggies Natural Care® Wipes with Triple Clean Layers, to the test in and out of the nursery. Become an Official Huggies® Tester at Huggies.com/Tester.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Huggies® via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Huggies®.”

mom + social + mother's day

Happy Mother's Day! I hope each of you mamas out there had a special day with your family (or perhaps at a spa by yourself!)

This week, I attended Mom+Social, a day-long event focused on the intersection of motherhood and social media, technology and philanthropy. Sponsored by The UN Foundation, Johnson and Johnson, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Baby Center and The Huffington Post, the gathering concluded Global Mom Relay, a 60-day online conversation connecting online moms and experts to share their personal experiences and causes they are passionate about.



To say I was moved by the day's panels is an understatement, and I wanted to share a few of the highlights with you:

Christy Turlington Burns spoke about Every Mother Counts, the campaign she founded to end preventable deaths caused by pregnancy and childbirth around the world. As an advocate for global maternal health, Christy also made a documentary film called "No Woman, No Cry," which captures what is a profound issue for women around the world, even right here in the United States (Every Mother Counts has just given a grant to a midwife in Florida). I actually stepped out of the conference midday so I could attend a conference call with Christy and Culture Mom Media, where she was kind enough to speak to a group of bloggers about her work with Every Mother Counts.

I was inspired by the stories of Fortunata Kasege, an HIV positive mother who told her story on behalf of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and Ines Renique, of Girl Up, a campaign which "unites girls to change the world." I can't wait to hear more from non-profits like Games for Change (a Facebook game for charity) and Charity Miles, an app which makes raising money as easy as using your own two feet. Jennifer Lopez (THAT Jennifer Lopez), and her sister, Lynda, spoke about the work of the Lopez Family Foundation, which provides telemedicine services in developing countries.

Lastly, the words of Robbie Parker, who lost his daughter, Emilie, in the Newtown, CT school shooting brought us all to our knees. Amidst unspeakable tragedy, he made a plea for all of us to be continually inspired by our children and to live in the moment. You can find out more about supporting the arts from the fund they began in her honor, the Emilie Parker Art Connection.

I urge you to check out the list of speakers from Mom+Social (too many amazing ones to recount!) and if a particular cause speaks to you, get involved! Blogging provides a unique forum for spreading awareness, and I am so honored to be able to share my insights with you here.  

as a mother, where do function & fashion intersect?

I have to admit that there have been times, since having children, that I have dropped the ball. I'm talking about the picking-pants-off-floor-and-wearing-them-again ball. The "Did I put deodorant on? I can't remember" ball. I didn't say I was proud of this, mind you... I'm just in full confession mode over here.

Now, I try not to let this happen very often. I do the required upkeep so that I can maintain a sense of self beyond the world of Mommy, and thankfully, I've figured out a few tips and tricks along the way. First things first; when you're a mom, fashion must be functional. Everything must have more than one purpose to be worth my time, quite frankly.

Here's my first suggestion: Do you know about Chewbeads? This line of jewelry is chic, colorful and oh yeah, great for your teething baby. A mom-owned business, Chewbeads are made from non-toxic 100% silicone, and as is the theme of this post, I love that the line embodies fashion that has a function (helping soothe your baby!). And yes, it officially falls within the "Why didn't I think of that?" category.

I love the new designer tubs from Huggies. We all know wipes have many uses, and it's not just for wiping your child's bum (I love to use wipes as a makeup remover!). With the new designer tubs, you can pick out a fun design that will coordinate with your living room or nursery or bathroom, instead of the snore-worthy box that it's been up to this point. Here's just a little, simple thing you can do to take things up a notch.

My 7AM Barcelona bag is one of my favorites possessions, if we're still in first world confession-mode. I love the non-diaper bag diaper bag-ness of it all, and as a result, this item is truly fashionable while keeping you organized at the same time. In addition to tons of pockets and compartments for storing miscellaneous baby items, the material is easy to clean (believe me, I've tested this out) and just looks good (AKA, not like a diaper bag). It also comes with a handy changing pad and matching zippered freezer bag for good measure.

Here's to keeping the ball in the air, eh?

The ultimate test for Huggies® diapers & wipes is in real life – from messy first birthday parties to playground play dates. Put the new and improved products, including Huggies® Snug & Dry Diapers with NEW SureFit Design and Huggies Natural Care® Wipes with Triple Clean Layers, to the test in and out of the nursery. Become an Official Huggies® Tester at Huggies.com/Tester.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Huggies® via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Huggies®.”

homemade with love

I fully expect to see beautiful photos of food when I open a cookbook. I prepare to be inspired by new recipes that will have me running to the grocery store for ingredients. I do not, however, expect to be moved. It's a pleasure to spread the word about Homemade with Love, the new cookbook by Jennifer Perillo, which encompasses all of these elements.

Perillo, who lives in Brooklyn with her two daughters, has long written about the positives of cooking from scratch, buying local and eating at home with family on her blog, In Jennie's Kitchen. And while the term "from scratch" is enough to scare the spatula right out of my hand, I certainly love the idea of it. Thankfully, Homemade with Love provides shortcuts (like two homemade all-purpose baking mixes) to make eating well simpler and less time-consuming. From one busy mama to another, thank you, Jennifer!

I've tried several recipes from Homemade with Love so far, including the chicken pot pie topped with her fluffy drop biscuits... delicious! I also will never buy pasta sauce out of a jar again thanks to Jennifer's easy peasy recipe using fresh basil, garlic and whole peeled tomatoes. Yummy flavor without the added sugar of jarred sauce, and super easy (and fast) to create. We also tried and loved the Smoky Corn and Bean "Chili"... once again, EASY and tasty (you may see a trend here... I like easy recipes).

It is the story behind Jennifer's motivation to pursue her love of cooking and creating recipes that really brings Homemade with Love together, though. Jennifer's husband, Mikey, was a driving force in her life, a partner who never failed to believe in his wife's potential and talent. When he passed away suddenly in 2011, Jennie writes that "the thread that helped me keep it all together was cooking." Homemade with Love is more than a cookbook filled to the brim with amazing recipes that celebrate the art of scratch cooking, it's a lesson on love and commitment, moving forward after tragedy and recognizing the simple joys of every day life.

splish splash

To put it simply, my girls looooooove bath time. I only have to utter the word "bath," and Vivian will shoot out of the room, attempting to get naked as fast as she can (this is funny to witness, believe me). A few bubbles, a couple duckies and some warm water, and the girls are good to go.

While Viv is now old enough to share the bathtub real estate with her big sister, I used to swear by the Flexibath. As soon as both girls were old enough to sit up on their own, I popped them into this sturdy miniature tub. The best thing about it, however, was the fact that it collapses for easy storage. Living in a small apartment in NYC, well, anything that takes up a significant amount of space slowly starts to grate on your nerves. Not the foldable-storable-lovable Flexibath! I'll be passing it along to another neighborhood friend now that we no longer need it anymore.

Since having children, I've become an avid label-reader... especially when it comes to what we put on their skin. I'm a big fan of the Burt's Bees product line, especially their fragrance-free shampoo and wash for baby. Made with aloe and oat flour, this product is gentle enough to use every day, and most importantly, it's sulfate, phthalate, petrochemical and paraben-free.

After Vivian's bath, I like to wipe down her nooks and crannies one extra time with Huggies Triple Clean Layers wipes. Anyone who's changed a diaper at least once in their life knows how important it is for a wipe to be durable, and Huggies doesn't disappoint. With 3 layers of extra thickness, you will not be haphazardly pulling out wipes in an effort to get that little bum clean. As a family who uses wipes for many things, from taking off eye makeup to cleaning out the inside of the diaper bag, I like the fact that with one wipe I can take care of what I need to do. And so does my wallet.

My little gals love to make a mess, but fortunately, they love to get cleaned up, too! Thank goodness. 

The ultimate test for Huggies® diapers & wipes is in real life – from messy first birthday parties to playground play dates. Put the new and improved products, including Huggies® Snug & Dry Diapers with NEW SureFit Design and Huggies Natural Care® Wipes with Triple Clean Layers, to the test in and out of the nursery. Become an Official Huggies® Tester at Huggies.com/Tester.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Huggies® via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Huggies®.”

spring baby shower inspiration

I helped host a baby shower for a good friend this past weekend, and I wanted to share a few photos with you, along with some of my resources for making the party happen without a hitch. While my official event planning days may be behind me, I do enjoy planning events from time to time, especially for something as special as a new baby on the way.

A paper invitation is a must, and I absolutely love the new Vera Bradley line available at Tiny Prints. Here's the one I chose for our spring/afternoon tea-themed shower. So pretty!

We held the shower in the community room of my building, and sufficed to say, the space needed a little jazzing up. Decorating with pom poms are so much fun, and I love the ones I found on Etsy:

About halfway through the planning process, I started to worry that I was going a bit overboard with "blush and bashful," to quote Shelby from Steel Magnolias. However, can there really be too much pink when a little gal is about to enter the world? I don't think so. I just love this gorgeous pink scroll runner from Hen House Linens:

Thanks to Pinterest, I'd seen the onesie laundry line decorating idea already, and thought it was super cute. I think ours turned out pretty nice as well!

Now, is it possible to set one foot in a Michael's and not envision yourself as the next Martha Stewart? I have to admit I'm not much of a DIY-er (though maybe if I had more free time on my hands??), but I am kind of proud of the sign I made to brighten up one of the walls:

We sent guests home with adorable onesie cookies from Mama's Custom Cookies. I just love how these turned out, and it was so nice to send guests home with a little favor from the afternoon. Mama's ships priority mail and they arrived in cellophane bags ready to be handed out.

We left a journal out so that guests could leave a special note for the Mama-to-be, whether it was advice, words of encouragement or helpful tips as she begins this new adventure known as motherhood.

The menu consisted of 2 types of sandwiches (cucumber and chicken salad), banana bread, red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and lemon meringue pie. We had tea, coffee and punch (rasberry sherbert & 7 Up... easy!) on hand, too, and not surprisingly, we didn't come back with many leftovers!

The best part of the afternoon, however, was seeing the smiling face of the Mama-to-Be. Congratulations, Audrey!

april 28: the mets host "moms & families day" at citi field

Take us out to the ball game

Little known fact (unless you actually know me): I'm not really a sports fan. In fact, it is the ultimate irony that I married someone who LOVES all things professional sports and can quote statistics with the same ease of reciting his social security number. I would like to point out that though he is from Wisconsin, and therefore bleeds green and gold, he does not wear cheese on his head during football games. THANK GOD.

Now, though I have pledged no allegiance to any kind of team, ever, I will say there is something about baseball. Maybe it's Field of Dreams, maybe it's the all-American, peanuts and Cracker Jacks-of it all, maybe it's the cotton candy, but I do not mind watching this particular sport. Needless to say, I was pretty excited when New York's own Mets team invited us to watch a match game a few weeks ago. Husband was VERY excited about taking his girls to their first national league game, and I was excited about taking it all in, and, er, sampling the food options.

Ladies and gents, the Mets did not disappoint -- I love the old-fashioned look of their stadium in Queens (easily accessible by subway), FanFest (which offers batting cages, base running, a live dj, etc), the food (when at a sporting event, just go for the chili cheese dog, you know you want to...) and the family atmosphere. I must also give a shout out to the staff... literally everyone we met, from the guy at the stroller checking to the security officers who gave us directions, were unbelievably kind. It was a perfect family afternoon, despite the chillier weather, which drove us inside about midway through the game. Oh, and they pulled out a win late in the last quarter inning!

Jackie Robinson's famous #

Happy Daddy, despite one sourpuss daughter 

Hanging out in the VIP dining area

This Sunday, April 28th, the Mets are having a special "Moms and Families Day" as they play the Phillies in a home game in Queens at 1:10pm. With a package price of $29, you can score the following:

Private meet & greet with Mr. Met from Noon-12:30pm in the Mets Cafe (including an exclusive photo opportunity)
1 field level ticket
1 hot dog, 1 soft drink, popcorn and peanuts
Mets lanyard with ticket holder

Enter the Mets Cafe btwn Section 104-105 beginning at 11:45am. Purchase tickets here: www.mets.com/bloggerpicnic

Play ball!



Disclaimer: The Mets provided us with complimentary tickets to a game earlier this month. All opinions expressed herein are my own.