4 times I was a not so great mom

So things are about to get real yall. I mean pure honestly, we've become best friends after 3 glasses of wine real. First off I think I should start by saying I'm not perfect. I've gotten mad, I've begged my daughter to do things with the promise of a cookie after and I've caved. But here's the thing no one really talks about it. I mean sure you hear everyone's victories but how often do we hear about our failures or "not so great" parenting moments. So I'm here to drop some serious honestly in your laps and tell you you're not alone. 

#1 I've let the peanut watch a few too many episodes of doc mcstuffins. Yup. I did it. We've had good days and bad. We've had days where the tv is never on and days where I let her watch it more then once....or twice. But I'm human. And I needed that 20 mins to, I don't know make her dinner.  We try to limit her and use Disney jr. in the morning to "wake up" ourselves. But on occasion I use that mouse to have a moments peace. And hey that's ok. She's not watching cops or law and order, she's relaxing her little body for 24 minutes and I'm getting stuff done. 

#2 I don't run a restaurant in my house but I have taken special orders. Our little peanut is not a picky eater...yet. But she's testing her limits when it comes to dinner time. Oh boy it's not easy. We sit at the table as a family and we talk about our days, but we sit and sit and sit and sometimes she won't EAT!!! She's little, if you didn't already catch that by me always calling her peanut so when she doesn't eat I freak. Like she'll starve or something. I know she won't, but I hate when she doesn't have a solid dinner. So very rarely we cave and give her the cereal or chicken strips she's asking for. 

#3 I've raised my voice. Maybe with the exception of teenagers, no one tests your patience better then toddlers. I try so very very hard not to get mad or frustrated but sometimes I just "need you to leave the bathroom so mommy can pee in peace please." I try to always always apologize to her for this I never her want her to think its ok to talk to someone like that. But it happens and I'm human. Making sure you say you're sorry is key here.  

#4 I sometimes need some time off. I love my daughter and I'm so blessed I get to stay home with her. But I gotta tell you some days I want to take a personal day, maybe get my nails done or sit in bed all day and watch Netflix. I know it doesn't mean I love her any less, but I really want to be alone maybe with a good book uninterrupted. Being "on" 24/7 is exhausting, I firmly believe this is why "girls weekends" or "spa days" were truly invented, it was for moms who needed to get away form their kids. 

#5 Didn't expect a bouns one now did ya. Now heres where I really turn the tables on you. All of these things make me a good mom. Why? Because I recognize them and I do my best to correct them.  Too much t.v = more outdoor and reading time. Demanding toddler food, try googling new toddler friendly recipes or make dinner time fun, but focus on the fact that food is getting in the belly and we are having a family meal every night. I raised my voice, I said sorry. She needs to understand mommy will make mistakes too and as long as I am recognizing when I do that, I am only setting her up for success in the future to know that when she makes a mistake it's ok to admit you were wrong and apologize. Need a mommy vacation, take a little more me time, remember in my mommy guilt post I mentioned taking care of yourself, when I notice my patience wearing thin I know it's probably time I do something for me. 

Moral of my story is you are not alone. We are all going though these same things regardless of what your not so great mommy moments are. No parent is perfect! As long as you are trying your hardest, and you are good enough with that being enough, we will raise happy healthily kids. Steve and I are taking a toddler parenting class, (which I plan to discuss more about soon) and we learned last week that in order to raise a successful child a parent only needs to give 30-40%. Crazy right! But it's true, trying your best IS enough and your kiddos know it. So whenever we are having our "not so great" parenting days and I feel like the worlds worst mom, Steve goes "30% babe 30%." So stop hiding behind the victories and discuss your "not so great" moments I'm sure there are plenty of moms and dads out there who are right there with you. 

Just my 2 cents 

XOXO

Happy 18 months to our peanut

Today is our sweet sweet baby girls 18 month birthday! I cannot believe we have been parents for a year and a half. Watching her grow up has given me more joy then I ever thought possible, she has a beautiful ability to turn our frowns upside down. I cherish each and every moment with her from her very first "hey-low mommy" first thing in the morning to  "byeeee mommy" at night. It's bitter sweet to watch her grow up.

This mornings snuggles 

Right now we are having a tea party and hanging in her tee-pee. She has become such a little person these past six months and is really no longer a baby. She talks a TON and is a little copy cat, so mommy and daddy have gotten real good at spelling while we speak. We can almost put her hair up in a pony and she loves all things girly. Minnie, Mickey, Doc and Sophia are her favorites and she can still sign like a pro. We have begun the potty training adventure and she peed on me last night. So I will take all the advice you would like to give. Her favorite foods are blueberries and eggs, she won't drink milk. She can swim like a fish and is moving up in swim lessons this week hopefully, she jumps off the side into my arms, floats on her back with my help and goes under water. I love that she's a fish. Her favorite things to do are walk our dog or "doe doe" as she calls him, go to the park and go "weeee",which means go down the slide, swim in the pool, sing and dance. She a handful and a ball of energy and we LOVE it! 

So in honor of her year and a half of life I thought I would share a post I did a long time ago on my old blog.  I wrote this when the peanut was itsy bitzy and thought it would be a fun share. So here we go.

Five things I have learned about being a new mom

1) Always bring a change of clothes for the peanut and MYSELF 

We ventured out on our own for the first time last monday to target of course and my sweet little baby had a huge blowout. When I picked her up she got poop all over me, then proceeded to puke on my shoulder, I then noticed I was leaking. She got all cleaned up and cozy and momma was stuck in a gross shirt! Lesson learned I now need a change of clothes wherever we go.

2) My boss is very tiny and very demanding, but she's totally adorable.
New mom job description below 

I can never be out of sight

I am on call 24/7

I go in early 

I stay late 

I have messy clothes 

My house will never be as clean as it used to be, but god knows I try

Starbucks is my best friend even if it's decaf
Don't blink because she will grow super fast

I get paid in hugs and kisses
and I wouldn't have it any other way

3) I have the BEST mother in the world 

What I thought I knew before, compared to what I know now. I knew NOTHING! My mother is amazing. I now sees how hard it truly is and I give my mom, and all moms out there so much credit. Love you mom. 

4)Never underestimate the power of a swaddle.  

The first 2 weeks of the peanuts life we were idiots. We could barely swaddle and she was startled very easily because of it. I was also too nervous to use her woombie. Once we started using that things got a lot better. Now they are bliss compared to the first two weeks home. She slept 7 hours straight last night.  That's the most sleep I have gotten since before I was pregnant. Hallelujah.  Needless to say the next kid will be in a woombie from the start. 

5) It's so true what they say, I love her more then anything.
It's a different kind of love one I never really knew existed. She's become our world! 

It's so cool how she can go from losing her mind to totally calm just because I picked her up. It's so amazing being a mommy. She challenges me for sure, but I love her to pieces. It's not the easiest job, but so rewarding. I feel so blessed to call her mine and I'm so lucky to be her momma. 

My husband is an amazing father and the most amazing husband in the world, even when we are both stressed out beyond belief. He ROCKS!

I have learned so much more since this post, for one that whole sleep thing I was bragging about, yeah it didn't last long AT ALL. She sleeps now but that was an up hill battle that requires it's own post.  For the most part all these things are still so true. My job description hasn't changed and my mom and husband still ROCK. I am a way more confident mom now, I try not to let other people, friends, or family get to me. I know no matter what I am doing what's best for us. Any who it's neat to take a look back.
We take 18 month photos tomorrow and I am so excited.

XOXO

a peek inside the playroom

Our playroom has quickly become one of the most used rooms in our house. We have a small loft upstairs which was basically used as furniture storage up until a few months ago. It had our old couch coffee table and still has my desk and computer in there. I wanted the peanut to have a space she can get messy and if we don't clean it right away it wasn't the first room you saw. So we converted it from room with no purpose to playroom. I love it! It's still a work in progress, we Santa will also be adding a kitchen sometime in December. Although I think I am way more excited about that. 

I want to change a few things up too, like hang her t.v on the wall and maybe turn that big wall into a alphabet wall with all different kinds of sizes and colors of letters. 

Tee-pee | Table before putting it together we stained it

Chair | Cube Storage | Baskets 

Coloring table | This was also an ikea hack we added curtain brackets, a wooden dowel and a roll of coloring paper. Then placed plastic strap over the table for easy tearing. 

Three drawer dresser | One more hack, we painted it white added different hardware and corner brackets

Desk | Build by my husband and we adjusted the size to fit our space | Chair and desk decor all from homegoods Similar here 

Frames all ikea

It's crazy to look back at the past year and think about how much she now uses this space. They grow up crazy quick, I wish she could stay little forever. Although I am looking forward to "eating" her cooking and having tea parties. 

XOXO

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Favorites

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Ok I know it's not the holiday season, but it might as well be. It's Nordstrom's Anniversary sale, so that's cause to sing christmas songs in July right? I went on monday and took a look around I only got a few things I had been eyeing. Heres What I got along with things I love! 

 This Kate Spade Necklace is adorable and I already have the earring to match. I've been on the hunt for a long necklace to pair with my shorter ones or wear alone and this totally fit the bill. I'm in love! 

This gorjana ring is so different and fun! I wanted another ring I can wear on my right hand in yellow gold. I loved this simple and trendy design. I did go up a size, since with this design it fit a little snug, but I was able to bend it a bit to fit around my finger. 

These Tory sandals are a Nordstrom exclusive. I love them! I wasn't able to get them online but when I went to the store they said they had them in my size so I ordered them. Hopefully it wasn't a fluke and I actually get these beauties in the mail in a few days.

A few things I also loved were

This adorable tory hobo, the pink is a great color for both summer and fall in my opinion and its a fantastic size. I will be keeping this in the back of my mind for the future. 

I adore this pleione top in burgundy for fall. As you know I challenged myself not to buy any clothes for 6 months that don't come with my stitch fix. But I may break my challenge for this one. 

Lastly the amazing pagie denim jeans. I am obsessed with paige denim and have been for a long time. These book cut jeans are awesome, but they didn't have my size :-( I think it was a sign I need to stick to my challenge and not buy any clothes.

Happy Shopping 

XOXO

Weekend Recap

Happy Monday everyone! Can you still say happy when it's Monday? 

We had a delightful weekend over here, and because I know you're anxiously awaiting my post telling you what we did, lets just dive right in shall we?

Friday I was that mom and snapped a picture of her sleeping. So precious. Please stay little forever!

Saturday was raining here. Which NEVER happens. We are under a horrible drought here in California and when it rains it's cause for celebration. The peanut never ever gets to see this wet stuff so she was flipping out saying and signing rain like a pro. It was hilarious. We then headed over to daddies office to drop off these beauties. 

Chairs 

He's slowing starting to let me decorate his office and it makes me very happy to do so. Then we grabbed some sushi, and this kid gobbled up miso soup, a California roll, chicken teriyaki, vegetable  tempura and so much rice. She's totally our daughter.

Sunday started out with a copious amount of coffee as it always does. 

Mug

If you've ever been to Maui and had the pleasure of going to Lava Java then I'm sure you've seen these bright red bags.

Best Coffee Ever! 

 We went last September but didn't leave the resort since the peanut was so little. Lucky for us our dear friends went not too long after us and after a tip from her sister they brought us home some. Now why and I telling you this? Because it's by far my absolute favorite coffee ever! And you can buy it online. So do yourself a favor and order a bag or 12 you will not be disappointed.

Sunday morning cartoons 

Sunday was beautiful in the morning so we did something we've never done with her before and took her too the splash pad. She was hesitant at first but after a little she became obsessed and I was greatful we were able to tear her away with minimal tantrums. I didn't snap any photos with my phone because I too was soaked and thought it would be best to leave it in the car. I did however manage to snap a few on our old waterproof disposable camera we've had for almost a year. It's going to be super fun when we get that printed.

I also snapped this pic of my mom-do which I know you're all so jealous by....not. I need to up my hair game. This is where I slack the most. Any tips? Tricks? I'm all ears! Leave them in the comments below.

I hope you all had a beautiful and fun weekend

Xoxo

learning to love my postpartum body...

well this should be fun. I have been struggling with this for oh about 17 months now.  Let me first start off by saying having a baby is a wonderful thing.  I truly do cherish every stretch mark and every pound I gained for my daughter. No really I do.

Photo credit Amanda from April Smith Photography 

As much as I try though I, like most moms beat myself up over my body and how it much it's changed since I had her. Things just aren't in the same spot they used to be prior, I didn't lose the weight as quickly as I thought I would, gravity has taken a hold of many areas of my body, and I don't know if I'll ever fully be able to make it through a barre class again.
All of this is OK
It's a super hard thing to except. I wasn't prepared for the amount of time is way going to take to "bounce back."  I have to constantly remind myself "You housed and grew a human inside of you for 9 months Nicole!! Give yourself some credit!"  It's not always easy thing to do when my jeans still don't fit from before, some tops still don't look right and I hate to admit it but I'm still wearing nursing bras because let's face it they're the most comfortable thing to tame the girls. My wardrobe isn't just about looking cute. For over a year it's all about comfortably, practicality and functionality.
With all that being said, learning to love your postpartum body takes time and acceptance. We as women are way to hard on ourselves. It has taken me months to be proud of the progress I have made so far. I try not to judge my body vs my friends bodies. We are all different and all move along at our own pace so as hard as it might be, try not too.
I also beat myself over the fact that I couldn't just jump right back into working out, and then of course when I was able to It's so hard to find the time. Ease into it, go slowly and celebrate the time you can get out for a class or a walk (even if it is just to grab Starbucks).
This is a big one, DON'T focus on the number! The one on the scale, the one on your jeans, or the one around your waist. Focus on feeling healthy and wearing things that make you feel good and boost your confidence no matter what the size.
At the end of the day just remember how awesome you are! Go have your glass of wine and be proud of your body.

XOXO 

Stitch Fix Review

I recently decided to join stitch fix to see if I can give this mom look a much needed makeover. I thought it might be fun to challenge myself for 6 months and only buy clothes I get from my boxes. I am trying to eliminate the crap I buy and focus on more staple pieces for my wardrobe, without the hassle and headaches that come from trying on clothes in a fitting room. I thought how awesome and easy would it be to have everything delivered to my door. You fill out your style profile answer questions about look, size and what you are comfortable in. Then they select clothes based on what you filled out. You can even link a pintrest board to items you like or would like to try and they do their best to fit that. It fabulous for someone like me since shopping is quite the ordeal. Then you get 5 styled pieces shipped to you monthly, you try them on,  keep what you want and send the rest back. 

So here are my poorly lit iPhone photos of what I received. Unfortunately I am not keeping anything with this box and I'll explain why with each picture. 

Ignore the top that's mine form a deal site from I don't even know how long ago. 

The skirt was sent in the box. It's super cute and I loved the color the fit was great and the length was perfect. I decided not to keep it because I have so many maxis skirts. I am looking for more staple pieces for my wardrobe, so while I did love the skirt it wasn't worth it. 

Loveappella Leanne Maxi Skirt | $44

This top is adorable, just not my taste it was a little to short for my torso and I felt it came down a little low in the arms and cleavage area. I Loved this jeans though, I don't own any distressed denim. I wanted to keep these so bad but they were just too snug in the waist and thighs, so I decide to send them back. 

Pixley Hillway Double Strap Tank | $48 

Mavi Hattie Distressed Skinny Jean | $118 

Although this top is fun and trendy, it's just not my style. The colors are too bright for me and the shirt itself fit way to short on my torso. I also felt the mixed material with the bright color was a little too trendy for me. I think I can to do one or the other just not both together. That's just my opinion. I really didn't care for this one at all. 

Sweet Rain Shava Mixed Material Knit Tank | $44 

Now this denim jacket I LOVED!!!!!! It fit so perfectly and was so comfortable. Seriously like a glove. Stretchy jean material and the perfect length. Heres the things though, I already have 2 denim jackets so I couldn't justify a third. When the times come though and I am in the market for a new one I will hunt this down! 

Mavi Kalie Distressed Denim Jacket | $98 

So the service is $20 a month and that includes the shipping back to them. If you choose to keep anything they take that $20 off what you are keeping, so thats awesome. All and all I would say I was pretty happy with my first box. With some notes to my stylist, and a few more pins I am really looking forward to receiving my next one! 

XOXO

Weekend Recap

Better late then never right? Because I know you haven't been able to sleep without knowing what we did for the 4th, or reading the hilarious banter I call my blog. 

Only kidding of course...

Isn' t this how everyone wears their hats? 

We had a really productive weekend. Did I jet say that? But seriously we did. Steve and I sat down and organized our life while the peanut slept and Mr. Selfridge was on in the background. Friday we all had colds so Steve stayed home lounged, and we made that awesome stop motion video. By the way of anyone has any ides for more stop motion videos you would like me to attempt, please leave them in the comments. I'd love to do more! 

Loves to walk the dog, then they stop for kisses 

Then saturday we had some hight hopes for the 4th, little lady did not make it too fireworks, sad day. She doesn't know what she missed though so next year its happening! We went over to our friends house and barbecued, while we watched peanut interact with the baby. Our sweet friends had a little girl and few months ago and by golly our daughter was smitten. She did however try to hang out in the infant bouncer and be the baby, but you choose your battles right? My guess is when the time come for her to be a big sister (no I'm not announcing anything) she'll do great, but may have an issue or two in the sharing department. 

Then sunday we headed to the farmers market and had lunch. While the peanut slept we organized our life. What I mean by that is we made set days for laundry, who does the dishwasher, meal planning and so on. It's only been a few days of the new system and I think it's going great. I'll update you at the end of the month and show you the super cute planner I bought for the occasion. 

Then yesterday Steve got to fly a plane! I got him this awesome thrill ride from SkyThrills for fathers day and he went yesterday. So cool! If you're in the LA / orange county area you have to check them out, what an amazing experience! 

XOXO

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th everyone! Just wanted to wish you a safe and happy holiday! I hope you eat lots of yummy food and get to watch the fireworks. 

 Dress on sale! | Shoes I got them on Zulily they are hide and squeak | Hair Clip 

 My Dress (old) similar here | Shoes (old) similar here | Top forever 21 (old) similar here 

Have a wonderful holiday! 

XOXO

Simple 4th of July Dessert

Happy July 3rd everyone! 

We are super exited for all the festivities tomorrow. We are heading over to a friends house after nap having an early dinner and keeping our fingers crossed we make it to fireworks! 

I wanted to bring over something special, so with the help of this pintrest inspiration, I got to work. 

I used boxed ingredients for the cake mix and thanks to pintrest again adjusted a few things to make the cupcakes taste more homemade. I used butter instead of oil and doubled it, milk instead of water and added one more egg then what the box called for. Normally I would whip up some frosting myself but decided on a mom friendly version this time. 

Then arranged all the cupcakes in the shape of old glory and added fruit. Voila! A simple and delicious dessert that will leave your guest or hosts plenty impressed.

I will admit for product tasting purposes we did nibble on one or three today, and boy oh boy were they yummy! 

Have a happy and safe 4th everyone! 

XOXO

July 4th Style preview

4th of July is one of my favorite holidays, it was and is a big deal in my hometown. There are a ton of fireworks, yummy food and parties that last all day long. The best part was the fireworks were literally right in front of my house. So needless to say it holds a special place in my heart. 

This year we will be home for it so i'm determined to make it as fun as possible. One of those ways to do that, dress for the occasion! 

Here's a little style preview 

Honest Diaper | OshKosh Outfit (no longer available but patriotic here)  | Miss America Tee | Joes 
Jeans Shorts | Bows

Happy Early 4th!

XOXO