Minimalist Christmas With Kids

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Our first Christmas with Edith we didn’t do a ton with gifts because she wasn’t even six months old. We chose a book for her, we put together a stocking and then we each picked a gift for her. When our second Christmas as a little family came along we knew we wanted to keep things minimal and focus on the experience instead of the gifts.

While we have made small adjustments over the past four years the method has always been the same. Some years we have a strict budget, others we commit to keeping our purchases local or small biz centric and this year we have one more change because we have added another person into the mix.

Gift Categories:

  • Something To Wear
  • Something They Want
  • Something To Read
  • Something To Create
  • Kids To Each Other
  • Plus Stocking

Since Alder joined our family we have always had the kids do something for each other however this year it will be a little different because we now have Ingrid as well. Instead of Alder getting something for Edith and vice versa it the gift will be from Alder and Ingrid to Edith and so on. While Ingrid isn’t a very active participant she will be eventually so we are starting the tradition now.

One big change that we have this year is that Neil and I will only be doing stockings for each other and likely a communal gift from the kids because I have a feeling Edith will insist on it. We both feel like we have enough.

One question that may pop-up: what about Santa? Simply put we don’t do Santa. Santa does not deliver gifts to our home. Santa is simply a character in Christmas stories and movies and while we share these fun stories with our kids we do not partake in telling them that this character comes into our home while we are sleeping and delivers gifts.

Over the next few weeks I’ll share gift guides for each category above for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Also I love to support small shops so share your favorites in the comments below

Christmas List Planning 2014

The Baby Cubby | Early Bird Gift Guide + Promo Code

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Toys
This post is NOT sponsored I am simply sharing some of our favorite toys with you. You will find affiliate links in this post and I thank you for your support if you choose to use them.

Who else has already started making their holiday wish lists? I know I have and I’ve already started crossing things of our five gift lists for our littles. Since we only do five gifts and a stocking for our littles I am very strategic about what we buy and I choose quality over quantity. I also prefer to support small businesses when possible during the holiday season or really any time of the year.

Today I received an email from The Cubby Baby, who I loved for our baby registry, with a promo code for 20% off all toys! Of course I popped on over to see what they had and I thought I would share a few of my favorites with you!

1. Circular Playmat 2. Beetroot Clapper 3. Calmies Baby Calming and Teething Toy 4. Vibrant Village Peek and Play Activity Book 5.  Tree Top Friends 6.  Pipsquigz 7. Vintage Dalmatian 8. Classic Rattle
1. Petit Puzzles 2. Kid-O A to Z 3. Star Magnifier 4. SpinAgain 5. Tegu 8 6. Jaq Jaq Bird Chalk Book 7. Hazel Village Doll 8. Maileg Mouse

psst….The Baby Cubby Price matches everyday, even amazon

Family Date Night to KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities

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Full disclosure we were provided tickets to KURIOS in exchange for a review of the show – spoiler- we LOVED it!  

After a few long weeks of busy days and sleepless nights we decided that a family date was in order. So Friday afternoon we gathered ourselves up and headed to the big top to see Cirque du Soleil’s KURIOS.

KURIOS – Step into the curio cabinet of an ambitious inventor who defies the laws of time, space and dimension in order to reinvent everything around him. Suddenly, the visible becomes invisible, perspectives are transformed, and the world is literally turned upside down.

We arrived and the first thing you see are these big blue and yellow circus tents and the kids were instantly excited to go in them but not before getting the popcorn we had promised. After we purchased our popcorn and waters we headed inside to our seats where we found the fun had already started. They had all kinds of characters out on the center stage and in the audience just playing around while everyone settled into their seats. Then it was finally time for the show to start.

The show starts with a “train” traveling around the crowd and eventually into the center ring. From there you have acrobats, contortionist, dare devils who climb mountains of chairs and balance on top of a stack of cylinders and planks. There is also my favorite act that involves all the well known circus acts from lions jumping through rings of fire, someone diving into small barrels of water and a man riding a unicycle on a tight rope ….the twist? They are all invisible. This show is one of laughs, white knuckles and amazement. We all left with huge smiles on our faces.

We ended up only making it about 2 acts into the second half but for us that was a success (and a slight disappointment because I would have loved to stay for the entire show). Prior to the show I made it a goal for us to make it through to intermission. The show is 2 hours and 10 minutes including a 25 minute intermission so if a 5-year-old, 3-year-old and almost 3 month old could make it through the first part I would call it a success.

One little disclaimer this show is dark at time and very loud. Alder declared it was too loud. I have to agree with him it was on the loud side for little ears, especially those who are more sensitive than others ie. our sweet Alder. So he took the baby ear protection until Ingrid woke up (she slept through most of the show) which was perfect timing because that was when Alder declared he didn’t need them anymore.

Since we saw the show on Friday Alder has asked to return at least twice per day and we have been listening to the soundtrack daily. I would say we enjoyed ourselves! Neil and I are hoping that one day it will come back through Portland again so we can see it without any littles in tow.

While Neil and I wish we were heading back to KURIOS before their last show on October 8th we aren’t but that doesn’t mean you can’t! Lucky for you I am giving away family 4-pack – enter below – winner must be able to attend KURIOS in Portland between now and the last show on October 8th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

American Girl Pop’s Up In PDX!

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This post was written in collaboration with American Girl. As always all opinions are my own. 

I recently was able to surprise Edith with a mama-daughter date to the American Girl Pop-Up Shop at the Washington Square Mall here in Portland. Having grown-up being a lover of American Girl myself it was exciting to take her to see the new dolls and do something that was just for us.

I have to say that the 4,000 square-foot store was a bit overwhelming for both of us but we enjoyed looking at all the displays and different American Girl dolls, outfits and accessories. Edith ran from display to display just pointing in awe of everything. Little did she know she would soon be heading home with her very own American Girl, Nanea, who is a young Hawaiian Girl from the 1940’s. I can’t wait to read her story with Edith.

We also picked up an gymnastics outfit for Molly – one of my 20+ year old American Girl Dolls and we also picked up a carrying case because after the love Molly has seen over the past 2 years it was a no-brainer that Nanea would need a little extra protection.

We had so much fun and I’m glad the shop is open until January 28, 2018 so I can stop back in and pick up the blue glasses that Edith requested for Molly and maybe a few other things for her stocking this holiday.

Who else is a lover of American Girl Dolls?  Did any moms out there have one growing up and/or do your little girls and/or boys have one? I was lucky enough to have Molly, Samantha, Addy, Felicity and Kirsten – many of which are now retired. I am excited to be able to pass these on to my littles now.

Color, Snap, App!

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This post is NOT sponsored. We were gifted this book from Candlewick Press and since we loved it so much we decided to share it with you. 

Creating art is a constant activity at our home. From drawings to paintings to collages, our little artist just can’t get enough. We recently received the book Color, Snap, App! and our little artist also became filmmakers with this coloring book. How, might you ask?

First by coloring the pictures.

Second download the free Blink Book app.

Third take photos of the pictures using the app.

Lastly, watch as these pictures get turned into an animated films.

The kids (and Neil who joined in the fun) were able to produce sixteen animated episodes to create an eight minute video. They were beyond thrilled to create a video made with all the pictures that they colored and drew.

This book provided hours of fun for all of us and instead of adding to the mountain of drawings we have sitting around the house we are able to have this little video to look back on and share with others.

 

Soother, Pacifier, Dummy – To Use One or Not To Use One

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I will be the first to admit that using a soother, pacifier, dummy – call it what you like – makes me feel a bit insecure. I never thought I would use one with my babies.

Before having Edith I said we would never use one [those famous last words] and then I met motherhood and a fussy baby who wanted to be at the boob ALL.THE.TIME. and I secretly purchased a soother just to try so that I could get a break because the constant nursing was just mentally wearing on me. Edith however flat out rejected a soother.

With Alder I can’t remember if we even tired one with him. He was our relatively relaxed baby and he rarely cried and was easily soothed with the boob but without having to be latched 24/7.

Then there is Ingrid. She is a champ at nursing but unless she is being fed she really doesn’t have a desire [right now] to nurse purely for comfort. This left us trying to figure out other ways to comfort her and to sooth her to sleep.

At around three weeks I decided that I wanted to try a soother. I didn’t know if she would take it but I also knew that with three kids that I wasn’t always going to have the time to bounce and shush for hours and if a soother would help to calm her then so be it. I sheepishly went into our local baby store and spent far too long looking at the two 0-6 month soother options eventually asking the owner which one she would recommend. She responded that neither of her children took one so she didn’t have any personal opinion but that the Ecopiggy rounded style was the most popular among customers for the 0-6 month age range – and so that is what I went with.

So what did Ingrid think?

She likes it. We have decided to only give it to her when we have exhausted all other options (ie. boob, swaddle, shush, bounce, diaper change) and it is working well for us. Generally she nurses and is awake a bit before she starts to get fussy and wants to sleep and this is when we usually present the soother. She usually easily calms and is a sleep within minutes. We are happy that we have found something that helps comforts her and helps her calm to sleep.

…as for my insecurity…

I am still feeling a little insecure about using a soother but it’s working for us. And I should add that I really don’t care if other parents do – not one bit! We all are doing what we need to do to survive these early months of parenthood. I simply am my worst judge and critic.

So tell me did you baby take a soother? 

July Baby Favorites: Nuroo Swaddler, DockATot, and Boody Baby

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I know that every parent says it and I know I will continue to say it but I really can’t believe that Ingrid has been with us for an entire month now. She is perfect and while the month has had it’s moments of transition overall it feels like she has always been with us. She has completed our family and we are all so in love with her.

I have to admit one of my favorite things about a new baby is trying out all new baby products. I have been making a wishlist for items that I want or have simply spiked my curiosity and while some were duds there have been a few standouts during this first month.

These are all items that we use on the daily and I really don’t know what I would do without them at this point.

Nuroo Swaddler.  My love for swaddles and blankets is no secret. I recently shared some of my favorite styles and prints and the standout has been this Swaddler from Nuroo. This swaddle is super easy to use and grows with your baby from itty bitty newborn to toddler (with arms unswaddled).  The thing that I love most about this swaddle though is how it is super soft and it is light weight and breathable so Ingrid doesn’t overheat even on these hot summer nights. I love how I can wrap Ingrid up in it each night and she calms instantly and is shortly to sleep. Also the fit is snug enough that this little Houdini stays contained all night.

DockATot. For those who are unfamiliar with the DockATot it is a multi-functional lounger, co-sleeper and playtime lounger. We have the deluxe size for Ingrid right now which should last her through 8 months. We actually didn’t buy a crib at all of her and this has become her main spot to sleep. While we co-slept with both Edith and Alder I always had a bit of anxiety about it but the DockATot has really eased an anxious feelings and it makes co-sleeping so much more restful. I know this popular baby item is getting a ton of hype and in my opinion it lives up to it and is worth the investment (thank you to my mom and dad for investing in it for us).  If you are thinking about getting one here is $10 off with my affiliate link! 

Boody For Baby. I should really have labeled this the softest baby clothes that you will ever find. Boody makes their baby clothes from bamboo which makes for ultra soft baby clothes and blankets. Ingrid has been living in her long sleeve onsie, sleeveless body suit and tank and this past month and she seems pretty comfortable. I love when I come across brands that are making really great quality and affordable eco-friendly clothes. This is one brand that I will be going back to buy all of the sizes from because I am just in love. I will note that the sizes seem to run on the smaller side. Ingrid is in 0-3 month and is about 2-3 weeks from sizing out of her body suit.

What are some of your favorites this month -share in the comments below! 

Weekend Links & Big News!

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Happy Friday! Who is ready for the weekend? To be honest I only know it’s Friday because we have our first date night since baby arrived. Oh and yes if you haven’t heard the news already via our Instagram and/or Facebook we had a baby! Ingrid Rose joined our family earth side on June 26th in the comfort of our living room with big sister and brother, our beloved babysitter (so thankful she could be there to help with the E&A) and our amazing midwife team.

Beyond date night tonight this weekend is about catching up on the mountain of laundry and dirty dishes we have accumulated and spending some time together as a family. We have been doing our separate thing for the most part since I’ve been focused on healing but now that I am feeling up to it we are getting a bit back to normal.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and enjoy these little things I have found this week while spending hours nursing.

Weekend Links

Since we have spent the last 2+ weeks either healing in bed or chasing a 5 and 2 year old we still don’t have a lot of the baby things on our list so I’m hoping that I’ll win this amazing giveaway.

Anyone else feel like they are constantly having power struggles with their kids? We are working on reducing them and this post has really helped us re-think how we interact.

Speaking of parenting I hear the Danish have it down to an art so I purchased this book to read – I’ll report back once I’ve read it.

We have our first little family getaway planned at the end of the summer and I’m thinking that this cot would be perfect for Alder.

Local to the Portland area? This story time is worth the trip.

Share a link in the comments to something that caught your eye this week!

*affiliate links included in this post. thanks for your support*

Why You Should Celebrate & Register For Baby #3

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When I was pregnant with Alder  I felt like wanting to celebrate that pregnancy with a party was selfish and not something you were supposed to do. I felt guilty for creating a registry even though we didn’t share it and only used it for ourselves. It now just seems a little crazy to me because I whole heartily feel that every pregnancy should be celebrated and would love to celebrate all of my girlfriends pregnancies regardless of whether it’s is there first or their eighth.

For me the overall tone around having a baby shower or sprinkle after the first  seems a bit taboo. After baby #1 it felt like I should just be quiet about having another child and that no one is supposed to care; add on more than two children and the general feeling is you’re crazy.

However the truth is every pregnancy is a special time and it should be celebrated.  Just because you already have a child doesn’t mean that you should feel like you can’t celebrate subsequent pregnancies.  It’s important to honor each individual pregnancy because they are all different, all special and by celebrating motherhood and baby it really helps to have a positive pregnancy and postpartum experience.

When it comes to registering or gifting for a new baby after the first consider this:

  • Friends or family members may want celebrate a new babe with a gift whether an item that you’ll need for the babe or may less conventional gifts such as a meal or service. A registry helps to make sure that they are able to give something you need/want rather than random items.
  • You may not have children close in age or the ability to store and keep baby items from past kids so there maybe a direct need for things.
  • When it comes to baby #3 those things you used with #1 and #2 most likely need to be replaced due to general use.

Our personal experience has been that we are unable to store very many things that we aren’t currently using. In that case we have consigned most of the kids things that they grow out of so that we can turn around and use that credit to purchase them new (to them) clothes, shoes and other items.

Also when it comes to a registry we have no expectations that anyone will purchase items off from a wishlist/registry – but if they so desire to I think it’s nice for them to have a clear idea of what we need.

Lastly, for us creating a registry helped us to keep track of items that we felt that we could use this time around. We also took advantage of the completion discount on our Amazon registry which provided us with 10% off certain items on our wishlist. For that reason alone it was worth creating a registry even though we didn’t share that one publicly.

Share your comments and personal stories in the comments below. 

New Baby Products We Are Trying

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Baby #3 is due any day now (or at least sometime in the next 2 weeks at the latest) and I have to say I’m pretty excited to try out some new/new-to-us products since it’s been years since we have had bitty baby. We already have a few favorites that we will be returning to but I’d thought I would share a few that we will be testing out this time around.

Boppy Luxe Jumbo Dots Shopping Cart and High Chair Cover

When it comes to shopping cart covers I honestly never remember to actually bring it inside with us so I rarely use one but I love the idea of this as a high chair cover. We really enjoy going out to eat as a family and those standard wooden high chairs are so dirty plus babes tend to slide out them so easily. This cover looks like it will give babe a comfortable place to sit and we can also attach some of their favorite toys which is great while we wait for food or when they are sitting up but not really partaking in the eating. Attaching the toys also means that I won’t have to lean over and pick them up over and over again. You can find this on Amazon.com*

Boppy Tummy Time To Go Whale Spout Pad

This one item that I know we are going to use a ton. We are on the go all the time so having a portable tummy time pad is going to be perfect for us. It simply folds in half, zips up and is ready to go. It also has a water resistant bottom which will be great for outdoor playtime. We’ll use it at home as well because our space is small and one of those giant play mats just doesn’t fit our space so this on top of our big baby quilt is the perfect solution. You can find this on Amazon.com*

NuRoo Pocket

I plan on spending the first few weeks of this postpartum period snuggled up with our new babe and I think this shirt will be perfect. They can snuggle in with me leaving my hands free but still allowing us to bond and have skin to skin contact. While this will likely be a short lived item for us I plan to take full advantage of it and to then pass it on to another mama so she can take advantage of all the benefits of this shirt as well. You can find this on Amazon.com*

DockATot Deluxe

We have co-slept with both of our older children so it’s no surprise that we plan to co-sleep with baby #3 as well. That being said DockATot has been on my radar since I found out we were expecting and I can’t wait to use it with our babe. The DockATot is not only a co-sleeper but a playtime lounger and safe place for me to set baby down without worry. It is made in Europe, designed in Sweden of a 100% natural fabric and it is breathable which makes it the perfect micro-climate for babies and tots. You can save $10 on your DockATot via this link*. 

What items are on your must have list or what have you been dying to try out?

*These items were gifted to us to try. All statements and opinions are my own. Affiliate links are included in this post.