Halloween Fever Favorites

Halloween...I've never been a huge Halloween person. I decorate for fall and I like carving pumpkins (and eating everything pumpkin flavored) but I've never been one for witches, bats and scary things around the house. This year however, I'm totally excited! Probably because baby boy will be born in October and with Kalli getting older, it is so fun to think about fun costumes. Kalli is going to be a black kitty and baby is going to be a mouse. I decided that I wanted them to match while they still let me be the one picking their costumes. Can't wait to dress them up and share pics with you! Since I've been shopping for Halloween stuff for a few weeks (ehm, months), I thought I'd share some favorites for both little boys & girls. Kalli is obsessed with Room on the Broom. I found the movie on Hulu+ and we watch it with the book and turn pages and she will carry that book all over the place. Too cute!

Batty for Mommy | Orange Stripe Pants | Mummy Loves Me Onesie | One, Two Boo! | Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin | Happy Halloween Stinky Face

Black Cat shirt | Black Cat Knit Beanie | Boo Orange Stripe Pajamas | Purple Skeleton Pajamas | Little Owls Night | Room on the Broom | Sequin Cat Pillow

Friday Favorites - Big Sister Edition

Not only will we be adding a new baby boy to our family in October, but Kalli is becoming a big sister. As excited as we are to meet this baby boy, I'm so excited to see her grow into her new roll too! She is already so good at being helpful and loves to take care of her baby doll. She wraps her in a blanket, pushes her in the stroller, feeds her with a bottle and will rock and sing to her. She is so sweet and knows that I have a baby in my tummy and will randomly give my belly kisses unprompted. *heart melt* I've been getting a big sister "present from baby" ready for her because I want her to have something special/exciting for just her from the baby. Here's a bunch of items that would be perfect for a little girl taking on the exciting new roll of big sister!

Big Sister shirt | Big Sister necklace | character socks | Play-Doh | stickers | My New Baby | 

Olivia - Guide to Being a Big Sister

I included some stuff that is "big sister" specific and some that is just fun stuff for Kalli. We've been reading the "My New Baby" book to Kalli for a while now and she seems to like seeing the different stuff that big girls do and babies do. When we ask her where Kalli is, she will point to the big girl. I got the play doh so she will have something fun to do at Grandma & Grandpa's that night and for the week when my mom will be here helping. The stickers are for when she's in the hospital visiting us and gets impatient or too crazy! She has also started having an obsession with her socks now that it's getting cool out. She will not let anyone take them off and when we do she throws a fit unless we let her carry them around with her. Makes for some stinky cute little toes!

We will be cuddling inside this weekend because it is seriously almost cold here! Bring on the football and soup! Have a great weekend!

Hospital Bag Packing

We're counting down weeks and I'm getting so anxious and excited! I've been making a list of things to pack just so I don't forget anything and just in case I go into labor before our c-section date. I'll be putting together my bag about a week or two ahead of time so I thought I'd share my list with you guys. I know that there are a TON of lists out there for what to pack to take to the hospital. I know because I searched and read a million of them when I was preparing for Kalli...and then I over packed. It's really not that complicated and I've learned a few things just from doing it once (the wrong way). Since this is a repeat C-section for me, my hospital bag may be different than most but take from it what you will. This may not be the same for everyone so do what suits you best.

For Mommy - Last time, I didn't take a shower the first day (we had her in the evening the day before), stayed in my hospital gown and for clothes I had brought some loose t-shirts & my husband's shorts. I have no idea why I did this because I looked terrible in pictures and I probably would have felt better if I'd looked better or had some cute clothes. This time, I'm just taking some of my maternity yoga pants, nursing tops & a zip up sweatshirt for if it's cold in the room. I'll take some slippers to walk around in and just wear some flats when I show up at the hospital and then wear those again when we leave.
Don't worry about taking a lot of personal bathroom items (ehm, lady items). They will give you everything you need and it's only for a couple days so it will be fine to just use theirs. I am taking my own travel size items like shampoo, toothpaste, facial wipes & deodorant. For hair & make-up, I'm just taking the basics - powder, mascara, bobby pin, hair tie and some mousse if I feel like fixing my hair a little after my shower.
Don't take a breast pump to the hospital. They should give you one and most insurances will actually now cover a breast pump for each pregnancy. I didn't use it while I was there anyways. I am taking breast pads though. If your milk comes in or if you're already leaking these could come in handy.
Do make sure you take your electronics (phone, camera, ipad/kindle) for a little entertainment & don't forget the chargers! Our hospital gave us a camera to use while we were there and then gave us a disc with all the pictures on it when we left. But, it's nice to have your own too and of course your phone so you can share the happy news with family & friends. I used an app to track feedings last time so I will definitely need my electronics this time around too.

For Baby - Take an outfit for coming home and maybe one other one if it's super important to you but the hospital will provide some sleep sacks while you're there and they will be the ones changing their clothes for the most part anyways. Do take some socks, mittens, a onesie & a hat for the little one. Again, the hospital will probably provide these things but it's nice to have your own, especially for going home. The hospital will have blankets too but I'm still going to take one of my own to cover myself with while nursing and a warm one for in the car seat when we leave. Don't bother taking anything else for baby. They will seriously have everything you could possibly need and will most likely send it all home with you.

I honestly can not wait to actually pack my hospital bag! I'm one of those crazy planner people and getting stuff like this done makes everything so much more exciting and real. I'm also busy getting a present ready for Kalli "from the baby" and I will be back to share all of my ideas on that soon too! Have a great weekend!

Sick Week + Football Favorites

Yeah, that's right...sick week. Kalli has been sick to be exact and not even really "sick". We thought it was just allergies & congestion but when it wouldn't go away I decided to take her in to the doctor. It was bronchiolitis, strep throat and a touch of pneumonia. YIKES! So we have spent the entire week at home doing nebulizer treatments and taking antibiotics. However, the mornings have been sooo nice that we try to get some outside time before the wind picks up all the stinkin' pollen and makes us feel like crap again. She's been a trooper and is doing much better. Back to daycare and work for mom next week as usual.

Those cool mornings have me wishing for fall though. I am so ready to jump into a sweater/hoodie, eat all things pumpkin and decorate like crazy! But yes, I would be crazy! It's only August....but, August at least means one thing good! FOOTBALL! So excited for Husker season to officially start and excited that this little babe will be a fall football baby. Luckily, we will be "interrupting" zero football games with his birth since the weekend after he's born is a by week. In the spirit of football season, we created some football burlap hangers at our final summer camp/food fest last weekend.

I've also been going crazy looking at all the cute football themed decor stuff out on Pinterest. How about this play chalkboard? 

And I will definitely be doing a game schedule chalkboard like this. I have the perfect chalkboard in mind. I think a cute washi tape banner would look great hanging on the chalkboard too. Like this one...only red.

This amazing wood pallet N is perfect but I seriously don't have time for that. So I'm thinking something a little more simple...like this HOME print. I could whip that up on the computer and frame it super quick. 

And finally, what is this baby boy going to wear while cheering on the Huskers?! I picked up a cute little knit football beanie from a local shop and I think it will look so cute with this Nebraska onesie and a pair of Husker socks.

Kalli and I both have new Husker t-shirts and I"m working on some fun hair bows for her. She doesn't leave them very long but oh well! I hope you're enjoying the last little hurrah of summer and also the cool mornings letting us know that fall is on the way. I'm off to sneak in some pumpkin flavored coffee...it's the least that I can do to get a little festive! :)

Friday Favorites

Okay, I'm going to start doing one of these posts. You know, the one where people share a bunch of stuff that they really like all in one post? I thought about doing it on a different day or something but Friday just works (and makes the post title sound better). I'm not some super woman person who has awesome taste or anything, I just like to gush about fun stuff that I like.

Found this blogger mom WTFellers when I was reading through my Feedly and she guest posted at Pregnant Chicken. It's all about the Do's & Dont's of Bringing Home Baby 2.0+. Warning, it is a LONG post, but SOOOO funny. I love honesty & sarcasm and she has loads of it. It's great when something makes you laugh because it's true and someone was brave enough to point it out.

This aden + anais cozy muslin swaddle blanket (in plum). Kalli has one that I bought through Citrus Lane and she has all of a sudden gotten super attached to it again. She's never had a blankie or binkie that she just had to have but now there are tears if this blanket is not in sight. It's so soft and comfy that I want an adult size and will be getting this gray one for baby boy.

Loving and laughing at how smart this little/big girl has gotten! She moo's at cows but has now started to say it as a question...moo? moo? She yells "D" at the TV when Wheel of Fortune is one and laughs or claps along with the audience of any show we are watching. Seriously, too funny!

Cake | Cake Banner

Confetti | Balloon & Tassel

Also, jumping ahead of myself because I'm so over the heat of summer...and bugs....and humidity. I've been looking at getting stuff ready for Kalli's second birthday party (so I don't have to do it after baby comes). Loving glitter and sparkles!!! Just a few ideas I found on Pinterest. I think we're going to do a sparkle & shine theme with lots of glitter and girly things.

Well Mother Nature must like me because it's going to be unusually cool here for the first weekend in August and we will be headed up to the family cabin. Have a great weekend all!