What's in My Diaper Bag

When I was pregnant for the first time, I went out and splurged on an expensive diaper bag that I just "had to have". I told myself, if I was going to be trucking along a diaper bag for the next few years or so, I wanted it to look pretty as well as be functional. That bag served it's purpose, but now that I have a few years of parenting experience under my belt and am the mom to a toddler and a newborn, I've learned a few things along the way when it comes to diaper bags and what to pack in them.

This time around, I've ditched the traditional style diaper bag as lugging around a heavy diaper bag on my shoulder isn't fun, no matter how pretty the bag is. And while it can seem daunting, especially for first time moms, to leave the house after baby is born, I've also learned that I don't need to bring the entire nursery along with me. Three years of parenthood under my belt and I like to think I have streamlined the process of packing a diaper bag! 

So here's a look at what I deem to be diaper bag essentials:

1. Back Pack: This time around, I ditched the shoulder style diaper bag for a backpack. This classic pack that Fjällräven sent me is the perfect size, is comfortable to carry around and saves my shoulders. I also love that it's multi-purpose (it would make a great over night bag or carry-on bag on the plane) and it's something my husband can use too without feeling silly. 

2. Reusable Snack Bags: Snacks for the toddler are one of the most important things I can pack in my bag.  I never dare leave the house without them. These ones from Bumkins are eco-friendly, waterproof, and machine/dishwasher safe. And snacks out of cute bags just makes even the most boring of snacks that much more fun. 

3. Water Bottle: I love my S'well water bottle because it keeps my water cold all day long (I can't stand warm water). And nothing annoys me more than having to purchase a bottle of water when out running errands.

4. Lip Chap: Given the climate I live in, lip chap is a must. This one from Burt's Bees is my current fav. Loaded with vitamin E and coconut oil, it keeps my lips soft and I love the cooling effect the peppermint extract provides. 

5. Granola Bars: I've been the victim of hanger one too many times so I know better than to not have snacks on hand for me. While I don't like to rely on protein or granola bars every time I go out, having one on hand is a much better option than hitting up the drive-thru. Knowing what a huge fan I am of chocolate mint, Ange gifted me a box of these Dark Chocolate Almond Mint KIND bars, and they are my absolute favourite now. 

6. Baby Wipes: Not just for babies! Sure, now that I have a baby requiring multiple diapers changes in a day, wipes are a must, but I think having wipes on hand is awesome even when you don't have children with you. I use them from everything from diaper changes, to cleaning off public tables, washing hands and faces, cleaning up spilt coffee, etc. I like to buy my wipes in bulk and then put some in one of these cute little portable wipes clutches from Huggies. 

7. Hand Cream: Again, dry climate demands hand cream even at the best of times. In the winter months, I'm especially prone to really dry, chapped hands, so I'm always on the lookout for a good, non-greasy one. I love this one from Skinfix, and while pricey, a little goes a long way. 

8. Swaddle Blankets: A large swaddle blanket is a must now that I have a newborn again. I consider it a multi-purpose item as I can use it as a blanket, a burp cloth, or a change pad. Rolled up tight, they take up very little room in my bag so I always have one or two with me. 

9. Shopping Cart Hammock: For these early months with a small baby, I love my hammock from Binxy Baby. It gives me more room in the cart and keeps my baby safe. While I don't like trucking around extra baby gear, this rolls up nice and tight so it fits in my back pack easily. 

10. Books: I always have a book or two on hand to entertain my toddler while waiting for appointments. We're both big fans of these mini Robert Munsch ones as you can bring along several without sacrificing space or adding additional weight in your diaper bag.

11. Car Seat/Nursing Cover: Every mom needs one of these multipurpose covers. It makes a stylish car seat cover while also providing shelter from all types of weather. And it's the easiest nursing cover I've ever used. It folds up into practically nothing, fitting easily into even the smallest of diaper bags. I love them so much, I own two! 

And it probably goes without saying, as I didn't include it in my list, but obviously a few diapers and an extra sleeper for baby make it into my bag as well. 

So, that's what's taking up real estate in my diaper bag!


What are some must have items in your diaper bag?

No diaper bag? Tell me something you have in your purse!

*This post was sponsored by Fjällräven Canada, but as always, all opinions and reviews expressed are my own. 

Thank you for supporting the companies that continue to make this hobby of mine possible! 

Affiliate links have not been used.

A Dinosaur Themed Birthday Party!

This past weekend, we celebrated Sully's third birthday. I asked him a few weeks ago if he wanted a trains party or a dinosaurs party and he shouted dinosaurs! So dino themed it was.

We had a packed house full of his little friends, our friends, and some of our family. My best friend from Edmonton even travelled down for the party with her three kids in tow! It was so great that almost everyone we invited was able to attend. I forgot, like usual, to take a lot of photos, but that always just means I was having too much fun!

*water bottle and treat bag labels here
*food labels here
*dino colouring sheets here


Thank you to all our friends and family for helping us celebrate Sully turning 3!

Shopping with Kids Made Easy

Sometimes, as a mom, I find myself torn on baby items. On the one hand, I'm a big believer in less is more and that you don't need every new and amazing baby gadget out there. Like the shopping cart cover, I mentioned in my 10 Most Useless Baby Items post. But on the other hand, there are some really cool baby gear items out there - items I don't necessarily need - but that do make life just a little bit easier. And now that I have a toddler and a newborn to take care of, I'll pretty much do whatever it takes to make doing things out the house easier for me.

As a parent of a newborn (or a baby who still travels in their bucket seat), I find shopping to be one of the most challenging things to do. The timing of it all has to be perfect in order to count on a successful outcome: nurse the baby, burp the baby, take toddler to toilet, get toddler's shoes and coat on, change baby's diaper, put baby in car seat, check that diaper bag is stocked, put my own shoes and coat on, run back to the pantry for extra snacks (god forbid you forget the beloved fruit snacks!), grab a water bottle, haul everyone out into the car, clip baby's car seat into the car, run around to other side and put toddler into his car seat, then finally, buckle myself in. Phew. And we haven't even made it to the store yet!

Then, once you get to the store, after you've bribed your toddler with aforementioned beloved fruit snacks to ride in the front seat of the cart, and after you've put your baby's bucket seat into the cart, you realize there's not a lot of room left to actually buy groceries. Which is the whole point of all this effort in the first place. Yes, sometimes I baby-wear and sometimes, I wait until the weekend so I don't have to lug around both kids, but more often than not, I don't have the energy nor the time to unbuckle my sleeping newborn to strap her onto me in order to go grocery shopping. It's also winter out in my area of the world, so if it's a particularly cold day out, I prefer to keep my baby nestled in her covered car seat.

Shopping with kids is tons of fun!!

Then I started seeing these shopping cart hammocks all over my social media. I'm not a fan of having to haul extra things around with me, but the more I saw pictures of cute babies hanging out in these hammocks, the more I was sold on how genius the idea was. These shopping cart hammocks from Binxy Baby are designed to be used in two different ways: 1) you can place your baby (from newborn  until they can sit up on their own) right into the hammock, or 2) you can strap your bucket seat (up to 50lbs) into it.

The premise behind it is to make space in your cart for whatever it is you're buying and to promote car seat safety while shopping. There are two things that I'm very passionate about when it comes to my kids: car seat safety and shopping cart safety. I know we've all done it, or have seen people do it, but you cannot balance your bucket car seat on top of the cart. If that cart were to tip over (which is easier to do than you think it is), your car seat will go flying. I can't even begin to imagine how horrifying that scenario would be. Luckily, you don't ever have to put yourself in that situation if you have a Binxy Baby.

The Binxy Baby is super easy to use - it just clips on to the sides of the cart and then secures with a strap and Velcro. If you're putting the bucket seat right into it, then there's a third strap that secures the seat into the hammock. If you're putting baby right into the hammock, then there's a seat harness to secure baby. The hammock also folds up and easily fits into your diaper bag.

I've tried the hammock both ways now, and you know where my favourite store to use it at is? Winners & Homesense (TJ Maxx for my American friends)! Their carts are ridiculously small and a bucket seat does not fit into the holding part of the cart well at all. Plus, even if you do manage to cram it into there, you literally have no room left over for your diaper bag or things you want to buy. And I'm pretty sure no one leaves Homesense empty handed!

If you're not a fan of baby-wearing, and your baby doesn't like to shop while in it's bucket seat, or maybe you just hate hauling that thing around anyway, then I think you'd love the Binxy Baby Shopping Hammock. You can even use my referral code to save 10% off the purchase of one (and I'll receive $5 in return). These would make a great baby shower gift!

*I received the Binxy Baby in exchange for this post,  but as always, all opinions and reviews expressed are my own. 

Thank you for supporting the companies that continue to make this hobby of mine possible! 

Would you use something like this?

Moms, what's your preferred method of shopping with a newborn? Baby-wear or keep baby in car seat?

This is 3

Sully, three years ago you were born on a very cold, cold winter day and my life was forever changed. Most days, it's hard to believe you aren't my little baby anymore (although you will always be my "baby"), and I can't believe we are celebrating your third birthday already. Getting to spend these last three years with you has been both a pleasure and an honour. Watching you grow from a tiny baby into the little boy you are never ceases to amaze me. I remember the days when your daddy and I half-jokingly thought you were never going to walk or talk and now we can't get you to slow down or stop talking!

Everyday with you is an adventure and every night I fall into bed completely exhausted. You make me laugh, sometimes you make me cry, you know how to push my buttons and you challenge me constantly. You are stubborn, sensitive, inquisitive, charming, hilarious and loving. You are the boy who has taught me patience and impatience, that it's possible to love someone so much it hurts, and that there is no greater gift in the world than getting to be your mother. I want to freeze time to keep you my little boy forever, while also looking forward to witnessing the young man you will become.

This is three: specific coloured bowls for specific foods, crying at the drop of a hat, but hugs so fierce I never want to let go. Stubbornness that mimics mine, choosing your own clothes, repeating every single thing I say, no false promises because you remember everything, making jokes, hide and seek in the dark, 100 piece puzzles, reading an endless number of books, lots of snacks (oh so many snacks!), taking showers on your own, being potty trained. Negotiations for treats, wanting to be independent with everything, mommy's little helper and a fantastic big brother. Cuddles on the couch, kisses to make boo-boo's better, telling me I'm your "best friend". Being bossy, not wanting to share your toys with friends, jumping on beds, jumping in puddles, walking with your hands in your pockets, asking endless questions. Lover of chocolate, Paw Patrol, crickets on your sound machine, ice in your water bottle, dogs, daddy's truck, motorbikes, ambulances and trains. Hater of socks, blankets, being told "no", car washes, and blueberries. Endless tears some days, but also endless laughter. It's life lived completely in the moment.

This is three.

Happy Birthday, Sully.

I love you to the moon and back,

xoxo Mommy

Good Night, Sleep Tight

I love my sleep. I might be a night owl, but I love to sleep. It's one of life's greatest joys! Okay, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but I really do love my sleep. And I really hate being tired. And I'm pretty grumpy in the mornings if I'm sleep deprived. So yes, sleep was on my mind a lot in those last few weeks leading up to Emmy's birth. My biggest fear about having a newborn again was how was I going to survive on broken sleep? Sully has been sleeping through the night for as long as I can remember (save for the occasional nightmare that wakes him up), so the thought of having to wake up every few hours to soothe or feed a sleeping baby was pretty scary.

Sully, who is almost three now, was a terrible sleeper for most of the first 18 months of his life. He basically only slept if someone was holding him. I never intended to co-sleep with Sully, but because I needed to do what I needed to do in order for both of us to get some sleep, we co-slept. For the first few months, I held Sully at night while he slept. The second I would put him down in a bassinet beside our bed, he would wake up, furious and crying. I attempted to lay him beside me in my bed, but he just seemed too little in those first few months and I feared covers or pillows would somehow end up smothering him.

Anyway, looking back, those were some long nights. Sure, we slept, but I wouldn't say it was ideal. I ended up loving co-sleeping once he was older and bigger so when I became pregnant with Emmy, I knew I wanted to co-sleep with her too. But, I did not want to have to hold her.

Sometime after Sully was sleeping in his crib to before Emmy was born, I discovered DockATot. Why I hadn't heard of them when Sully was an infant, I will never know, but I knew the DockATot was going to be the sleep game changer with Emmy. The DockATot is like a little nest for your babe to sleep in. It's portable, meaning you can easily move it from your bed to the floor or from room to room, or even take it with you when you travel. You can use it during the day for your babe to lounge in, or at night to safely co-sleep in your bed with you. The sides and bottom of it are breathable (and washable) and made of 100% cotton. In a nutshell, it's the perfect little bed for your baby.

We use the DockATot every single night. I place it in the middle of our bed up near the headboard, on top of the covers. Then I get under the covers, with my pillow a little further down the bed. This ensures that the covers never accidentally end up on top of Emmy.

At first, I just swaddled Emmy in a muslin blanket, but she's a little Houdini and I found she was spending too much time trying to get out of the swaddle! So then I introduced The Ollie Swaddle. I wasn't a big fan of swaddling with Sully because I found he either escaped too easily, or it was annoying at night to have to re-swaddle numerous times after diaper changes. The Ollie Swaddle is really soft on the inside and is made of moisture wicking material which reduces the risk of overheating. But most importantly (in my opinion), is that it's so easy to use! You just lay your baby in the middle of it and wrap one side over the other and it's secured with Velcro. The bottom you secure with an attached elastic band. This allows you to change baby's diaper without un-swaddling. Also, we've been using the Ollie Swaddle for weeks now and Emmy hasn't escaped from it once yet. And she can often be super fussy when it's time for bed and as soon as I swaddle her, she relaxes almost instantly.

Emmy is the complete opposite baby from her brother and she's been a pretty amazing sleeper since day one. She actually slept pretty well in a bassinet beside my bed for the first week she was home, but as soon as the DockATot arrived, I switched her to that. I love having her right in bed beside me, especially in those first few weeks when I was still recovering from my c-section. Sitting up and trying to lift her out of the bassinet was not the easiest thing to do. The DockATot made nighttime feeds so much more convenient and easier for me. Now that my mobility isn't an issue, I still find it so much easier to have her right there. Sometimes in the middle of the night I can hear her start to fuss a little and all I have to do is roll over and pop her soother back into her mouth. Or I gently jiggle the DockATot until she settles back to sleep. When you don't have to physically get out of bed to soothe or feed your baby, your sleep doesn't feel nearly as interrupted. And ever since I started swaddling with the Ollie Swaddle and using the DockATot together, Emmy has been sleeping for 4 - 5 hour chunks! I call that a huge win.

Needless to say, from here on out, if any parent asks me what baby items I think are a must, these two are at the top of the list. Emmy is currently sleeping in the smaller DockATot, the Deluxe, but I'm already planning on ordering her the Grand once she outgrows this one, that's how much I love it!

If you're wanting to purchase a DockATot for yourself or a gift, feel free to use my referral link to receive $10 off your purchase! (I'll receive $5 in return), or this referral link for The Ollie Swaddle to receive 10% off (I'll receive $5 in return). Happy sleeping!

*I received the DockATot and The Ollie Swaddle in exchange for this post,  but as always, all opinions and reviews expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the companies that continue to make this hobby of mine possible! 

Parents, do you co-sleep with your babies? Would you?

At what age did you start putting your baby into his/her crib in their own room? 

Books We're Loving For Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! After texting about books one evening, (like all the cool kids do), Becky and I thought it would be fun to put together a Valentine's Day inspired post sharing our favourite books about love! We read a lot of the same books and we've read a lot of really wonderful books with great love stories in them. After much consideration, we each picked our top three, but we both agree that these six books make up our top picks for best love stories out there. You can read about my choices below, and then head on over to Becky's blog to read about hers. 

One True Loves: This was one of my favourite reads from 2016, and a book that I recommend to everyone (even if they aren't asking me for book recommendations). This is the story of Emma, and how she must choose between the first love of her life, Jesse, her husband who she thought was dead, and the new love of her life, Sam. It's raw, real, heartbreaking and heartwarming. Your heart will feel torn in two while Emma grieves and tries to figure it all out, but you will feel put back together by the end of the book. The rollercoaster of emotions you will go on while reading this book is more than worth it. Be prepared to want to read this book in one sitting.

The Royal We: The fictional retelling of the love story of Prince William and Kate will have you turning pages long into the night and wishing for more once the last page is turned. It's messy, honest, entertaining and all around a delight to read. Even if you aren't a fan of the real Duke and Duchess, I can't imagine anyone not enjoying this book. And if you're like me and prefer to read the book before the movie, then hurry up, because there's talks of a movie adaptation being made!

Attachments: This is one of the neatest love stories I've ever read. It's charming and sweet without being over the top. Told mainly through email correspondence between Jennifer and Beth, with interspersing chapters from Lincoln, the IT security guy at their company, Lincoln finds himself in a position in which he's often reading Jennifer and Beth's red-flagged emails. It's 1999, and the internet is a relatively new phenomenon in the work place. After awhile, Lincoln finds himself falling in love with one of the women writing the emails. But how can you confront the woman you're falling for when you've never even met in person? Love before sight.

See Becky's picks here.


What's your favourite love story? 

Which book(s) would you add to this list? 

The Books I've Been Reading {#16}

January ended up being a pretty good reading month, considering I wasn't sure how reading was going to fit into my life with a newborn and a toddler. Of course, fitting in reading often means I'm staying up way too late to get in a few chapters, but some habits never die. Once a night owl, always a night owl!

I read four books in January and really enjoyed three of them. I probably should have DNF'd the one I didn't like (Girl Runner), but I just couldn't do it. While I'm not too happy I spent time slugging through it, I am glad I finished it since it's a book I've owned for a few years and had been wanting to read. Now I can happily donate it to my neighbourhood's Little Free Library!

Here's what I read:

1. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi: This was a hard book for me to put my thoughts about in writing. How do you judge a book written by a man while he was dying? A man who was intelligent beyond belief and who would have continued to make enormous contributions in the field of medicine had he not left this Earth too soon? I have nothing but tremendous respect for Kalanithi. And I can't even begin to pretend I know what he or his family went through during those last years of his life. That being said, while I found the first part of his book interesting from a clinical/medical viewpoint (having been a nurse myself), it wasn't until the epilogue that I was truly moved and brought to tears. A poignant read, it is really only the epilogue that has stuck with me since I finished this book. (4/5 stars)

2. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin: I adored this book! It's been sitting on my shelf for ages and I'm so glad I finally picked it up. It's one of those subtle, charming and lovely books that just hits you with all the feels when you least expect it. It's about loss and love and family and how when you least expect it, the right people (both young and old), will find their way into your life. It's also a book about books and bookstores and book lovers and it was truly a wonderful read. I can't imagine anyone (especially a fellow book lover) not loving this one! (5/5 stars)

3. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty: This is a story about secrets. One's we tell and one's we take to our grave. It's also a story about relationships: husband and wife, mother and daughter, mother and son, as well as other various relationships within one's own family. It was complex, but not confusing, although it did take me several chapters to really get into. At first, there's not a lot that seems to tie these different characters together, but as the book progresses, so does Morality's gift of storytelling. I love how her characters start to come together and how even the littlest of decisions effects their future. When John-Paul's wife, Cecelia, finds a letter written to her by her husband years ago, on the birth date of their first daughter, he asks her not to open it. When she realizes how distraught John-Paul is over the idea of her reading the letter, Cecelia knows she needs to read it. What possible secret could he be keeping from her? The contents of the letter changes everything.

This book made me think of the butterfly effect; how every little decision we make, both intentional or not, alters our future. We think we know our closest family and friends, but in truth, we all have secrets, big and small. My favourite part of this book was the epilogue. It really illustrated how if we knew the secrets our family kept, it would change everything. It was really powerful and it gave a unique way to wrap up loose ends, something that is rarely done in books (but that I appreciate when done right). This was my third Moriarty book, and while it was my least favourite of the three, I still really enjoyed it. (4/5 stars)

4. Girl Runner by Carrie Snyder: This is the book I should have DNF'd. It took me forever to get into as the story really jumps around and with no dates or anything to tie into the timeline, I found it so confusing trying to figure out where we were. I found none of the characters that interesting which is saying a lot since the main character, Aggie, is one of the first women to compete in the Olympics in running. I mean, this SHOULD be a fascinating story. What I thought was going to be a story about running, and Aggie's Olympic experience, I found that to be too small a part of the book. Overall, it was a sad story, but not a very compelling, sad story. I was so glad when I finally read the last page. (2/5 stars).

What have you been reading lately?

Are you a fan of Liane Moriarty's books? 

I'll be linking up tomorrow with Steph & Jana for Show Us Your Books! 

Capturing the Milestones

Before Sully was even born, I purchased a beautiful baby book for him, which I was so excited to fill for him. I haven't written one word in that baby book. In fact, I'm not even sure where it is at the moment. I tell myself that one day, when I have the time, I will go back and fill in all the details in his empty baby book, but between you and me, I'm pretty confident that will never happen.

His life has not gone undocumented though. Far from it! Besides the thousands of photos and hundreds of videos I've taken of him, I have monthly photos and monthly letter updates that I've done and have also shared on the blog. If anything, I can one day print it all off into a book for him.

Sometimes though, as I watch him grow up before my eyes, I wonder if I documented enough. Do I know when he got his first tooth? Pulled himself up and stood on his own? Slept through the night? While I documented a lot, I sometimes worry I forgot some of the milestones, or I sometimes worry that I will regret not using his baby book. Of course, I cannot go back in time, all I can do is be grateful for the photos and letters I have and continue to document the everyday moments with him going forward.

Our babies grow and change so drastically, especially in that first year. And sometimes in the moment, you don't even think to whip out your camera or make a note in a journal about something new your baby has done. Which is 100% okay, but looking back, there are things I wish I had made more notice of.

Luckily, I get a second chance to celebrate and remember these moments with Emmy. She is most definitely my last baby, and at six weeks already, I am reminded of just how fast time is passing us by. I don't want to forget anything about these early months and years, and since I cannot stop or slow down time, I can at least do my best at capturing not only the milestones, but the little everyday moments too.

Which is why I'm loving these Milestone™ cards. Not only do they make cute props for in my photos, but they serve as reminders of the memories I want to remember to capture. If I was using a baby book, they'd also be great for scrapbooking into it! The Baby Cards come with 30 cards that include milestones such as weekly and monthly photo ops, baby's first steps, and baby's first solid food. There's even a spot to write the date each milestone occurred on. I know for a fact that some of these cues I did not document with Sully, so I'm glad I'll get the chance to do so with Emmy this time. I will not allow her to be the undocumented second child!

*I received the Milestone Baby Cards in exchange for this post, but as always, all opinions and reviews expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the companies that continue to make this hobby of mine possible! 

Moms: Do you have baby books for your children? 

How do you like to document and keep track of your baby's/children's milestones?

A Very Bookish Baby Shower

This past weekend, my good friend Leigh threw me and Emmy a baby shower! The weather ended up being awful, making the roads and driving conditions less than ideal, so unfortunately, several ladies weren't able to make it. But, we still had a wonderful time anyway! It was nice to get out of the house (a rare occurrence these days), and chat and catch up with my aunt and friends. It's also a very rare occurrence that we get to do so without our toddlers running around beside us!

When I walked into Leigh's house, I was blown away by the effort and detail she put into the shower. I was just expecting an afternoon of some snacks and girl talk, but Leigh went above and beyond that. Knowing how much I love to read, she went with a bookish theme for the shower, which was both perfect and funny since Sully's baby shower was also a book theme! My friends know me too well :)

Even the food followed a book theme which I thought was so clever. We had:

• Meatballs- Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
• Quiche- Green Eggs and Ham
• Caramel corn- Hop on Pop
• Muffins- If You Give a Moose a Muffin
• Cookies- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
• Veggies- The Tale of Peter Rabbit
• Fruit skewers- The Hungry Caterpillar
• Goldfish and blue whales candy- One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

For decor, there were children's books all over, as well as pictures of Emmy in frames. There was also a contest for guessing how many chocolates were in a jar (Alison guessed the exact number!), and gummy worms ("bookworms") for treat bags.

Emmy was spoiled with a ton of new clothing and some new books, along with some artwork for her nursery. It was all so thoughtful and I feel so lucky to have all these ladies in my life. They are my village here and most days I don't know what I would do without their love, support and friendships!

Thank you so much, Leigh, and thank you again to everyone who braved the roads to spend the afternoon celebrating Emmy. 

xoxo