Thank you to Bebe Desjardins for partnering with me for this post. All opinions are 100% honest and my own. You may or may not have caught on by now, but I love wooden toys. I am constantly adding to Bee's collection of wooden toys because I know that they will grow with her and that they can be handed down to her future siblings, or even her own children someday. But besides being durable, natural, wooden toys have so many benefits. So, why choose natural and wooden toys? … [Read more...]
15 Little Things I Love About Being a Mom
Thank you to Mint and Birch for partnering with me for this post. All opinions are 100% honest and my own. On July 22, 2013 I became a mother, and my life forever changed. My daughter was born earlier than anticipated, and not at all in the way I had planned or imagined, but she was healthy and perfect, and I was officially a mama. Our Bee turns 3 this summer, and while parenting is not all sunshine and roses and I have to practice extreme patience sometimes, it is the most incredible journey … [Read more...]
Making Mom Friends With Kindred
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kindred. All opinions expressed are 100% honest and my own. Throughout my life I always struggled with friendships. I can be sarcastic, emotional, awkward, and brutally honest, and I don't put up with any bull. Because of that, and my increasing social anxieties over the years, and the fact that people are ever changing, I have lost many friends. And I feel like after I had my daughter it got even worse. It's SO difficult to meet … [Read more...]
Monday Mom Confessions
Sometimes there are things we do that other human beings may not understand. Life is different when you don't have kids, that's just the long and short of it. And sometimes confessing our struggles, silly moments, or complete FAILS can help bring us together with other mamas who feel the exact. same. way. And we feel less alone! That is why I created a weekly Instagram chat loop called Top Knot Talk (visit our instagram page to or the hashtag #topknottalk to find out more), and that is why I … [Read more...]
5 Easy Ways to Make Learning ABCs a SNAP!
I get a lot of comments and questions about B and how well she knows her ABCs (which she calls ABCDs, which is adorable). To be honest, I don't really pay much attention to the milestones lists. You know, the ones that say 'your child must be doing this, this, and this' at a certain age. Our pediatrician verifies them with us when we have our check-ups, but other than that I just focus on teaching B anything and everything I can. She picked up her ABCs really quick, and honestly, I can't take … [Read more...]
Newborn Essentials – Everything You Need and Nothing You Don’t
There's not much in life that is more intimidating than preparing for your very first child to arrive. What do you NEED? What is not necessary? What should you have ready for when baby comes home, and what can wait? Personally, I asked friends and in baby groups. I read lists on baby websites. But I still chose some things that I don't feel were necessary, and I chose some things that never ended up being used! I'm hoping I can help you pick the right items to bring baby home. Here are … [Read more...]
Sometimes I Don’t Have The Patience For Parenthood
There are toys all over the living room floor. Blankets strewn about. An unruly toddler climbing everything she isn't supposed to be climbing. All I can hear is whining. While this unfolds around me I am doing deep breathing exercises to try and contain my frustration... and I have to tell you, it really isn't working. I feel a strong need to scream or punch an inanimate object rising from within me. In this moment I will admit it, because I am not ashamed - Sometimes I don't have the patience … [Read more...]
A Day in Our Life
Lately I find myself struggling to accept the fact that no matter how hard I try, the perfect family, home, and body is so far from attainable it isn't even funny. I follow some incredible, inspiring, and talented women, and it is so hard sometimes to NOT feel like I must be doing something wrong since my life looks nothing like theirs. But this is just not the case. I have even had people say to me "your pictures are so perfect" and I giggle to myself because I have just learned to … [Read more...]
How to Make a Sick Toddler Feel Better
B has now been sick twice this winter, and because of this I have learned a few things that I thought I'd share with you guys. Maybe these simple tricks can help you, too. They may seem obvious, but sometimes in the moment it's hard to figure out what to do to help your poor little one feel better, I totally understand that. … [Read more...]
The Best Sun Protection For Baby
I subscribe to the Lucie's List newsletter and love her blog. Yesterday (just in time for the sunshine this weekend) she posted a great entry on the best sun protection for babies for this year. I thought it was really well written and super informative and I wanted to share it with all of you! Also, you should subscribe to her newsletter, which is tailored for your baby's age and development - just visit lucieslist.com. Best Baby & Kid's Sunscreens of 2014 ~ Just to … [Read more...]
The Best Outdoor “Toy” For Each Age Group
With the grass getting greener and the days getting warmer, it's natural to feel antsy to clean up the backyard, do some gardening, light up the barbecue and spend the days relaxing in the beautiful sun. Obviously you're going to want to have the kiddos outdoors with you, so here are some of my recommendations for outdoor toys to keep your little ones (or even yourselves) busy and entertained. Bath Toys - Babies Bath toys are perfect as outdoor toys for babies! First of all, they're … [Read more...]
Guest Post | Roots of Empathy Experience
Hello all! My name is Krista! I wanted to take some time to express my thoughts on and feelings for a wonderful program: Roots of Empathy. Roots of Empathy (ROE) is a classroom based program that reduces aggression among children and gives them the ability to recognize and accept their emotions while increasing their ability to feel empathy for others. The mission for Roots of Empathy ‘is to build caring, peaceful, and civil societies through the development of empathy in children … [Read more...]