Hi lovlies!
Today I would like to promote one of my favorite nursing cover brands, Covered Goods. As a breastfeeding mama to both of my boys, Lincoln (2) and Denton (7 weeks), I have set out to look for the most optimal nursing cover. To me, a good nursing cover requires several necessary features and functions, such as breathable and soft fabric, a cover that is easily transportable (i.e. it doesn't take up a lot of space in a diaper bag), can be multi-functional, and most importantly, provides a safe, comfortable and private atmosphere for nursing. Covered Goods is all of that and more.

The Covered Goods nursing cover is a multi-functional nursing scarf that gives you and your baby what is necessary for a happy and safe nursing environment. The cover can be used to nurse baby, as a car seat cover, as a blanket or a swaddle and even as a trendy scarf for mama. One of my favorite things about this nursing cover is that the fabric is SOOOO soft; certainly soft enough for baby's vulnerable skin and soft enough for mama's comfort. Not only is the fabric soft, but the cover itself provides the perfect amount of room to nurse your baby; neither too much nor to little fabric. And did I mention how cute the prints are? I decided to go with the Navy Floral print and couldn't be happier with the aesthetic of the print. If you click here, you can shop all of the Covered Goods prints (so hard to decide!).
I know that nursing your babes in public can be a challenge. So, trust me when I say you won't regret purchasing a Covered Goods nursing cover!

That's all for now :)

xx,
ILA

I would also like to touch upon the notion of having not one but now TWO kids. When I got pregnant with baby number two, I was so excited but also was a little nervous given how much I was enjoying having one kiddo. Along with that, I started getting a lot of advice from passersby about the life change that two kids would be. People gave me the usual comments, yet surprisingly negative - "enjoy your life with one kid" or "go out as much as you can before your second child comes" or "life is about to get crazy" etc. etc. .. pretty much the same comments I got when I was pregnant with my first about how my life would soon become drastically different (cough over cough) when bringing a baby into the world. What I am hear to tell you is that bringing our second angel into the world has been nothing but amazing. Serious.
I will admit that going from 0 to 1 baby was a dramatic life change for me, but once I got acclimated, it was everything I could have ever hoped for and more. I hadn't felt that a career had fulfilled me and after having my first baby, I realized that this is what I was made to do - to be a mama - and a stay-at-home mama, at that! What I'm trying to say is that once I got my groove with baby number one, I felt like I was in my element -- although the first couple of weeks, even months, was a dramatic change now having to care for a child. Now that we have gone from 1 to 2 babies and that I have the wisdom and experience from baby number one and have already gone through the HUGE life adjustment, having TWO kids isn't all that much crazier. In fact, I love it. Sure, there are a few more logistics you need to work in, like getting two kids dressed, having two nap schedules, getting two kids out the door, feeding two kids, giving two kids equal attention... but honestly, these things are minor and haven't come close to negatively impacting our lives the way people made it seem. Sure, it may get harder as they both become older, but we will deal with it! 

So a lot of you have commented about his name -- we refer to him on our site as "V" or by his middle name "Denton." Sorry if I seem to be switching between the two! A little bit about my sweet baby... he is totally a second child -- super laid back, sweet, patient, calm, content, not needy, chill, go-with-the-flow... you name it! Not that my first was needy or hyper or intense, but Lincoln (our first) was and is first-born material. V, on the other hand, is along for the ride and happy to be where he is at. 
At birth, he was a big boy, 9 lbs and 3 oz and 20.5 inches long, but not far from what Lincoln was. Lincoln was 8lbs 11oz and 20.25 inches long. Like V, Lincoln was at the top of the charts initially, then slowly became average height and weight, and now maintains that. Similarly, V is at the top of the charts for both height and weight (95th and 98th percentile, respectively), but different from Lincoln, I think he may stay at the top of the charts (mother's instinct). Not only that, but his fingers and toes are super long! Further, he is a champion eater and is gaining weight at a rapid pace; so much so that the pediatrician was alarmed at how much weight he had packed on since birth (in a good way).
Aside from eating, he is a great sleeper. I hope that we are getting close to him sleeping through the night, although I'm not sure. I read something that other day that encouraged mothers not to rush or worry about getting their babies to sleep through the night, and suggested that every baby hits this milestone at their own pace, when they are ready. To put pressure on them to sleep through the night faster than they might naturally do so, would be wrong! That gave me some peace of mind to be happy with where he is at and comforted that he may not be sleeping through the night yet. Different from my first, I do let V fall asleep earlier in the night - around 7pm or so because this is when his body naturally goes down. Alternatively, with Lincoln I had him up at night later and he thus slept through the night soon - around 8 weeks or so. With V, I am allowing him to go to bed earlier at night because I realize (now that I witnessed my first baby do this) that their bedtime will move up to 7pm or so anyways around 3 months... so I figure, why push his bedtime up now if I'm not struggling through a nighttime feeding session - which I'm not. Plus it gives Ryan and I some downtime together at night with both babies asleep at the same time. Not only that, but with Lincoln, I learned that sleep begets sleeps, and sometimes the more a baby naturally sleeps during the day, the more they will sleep at night. ​

We are still dealing with his kidney dilation, but after seeing the pediatric urologist it seems that surgery is unlikely.. hooray! One kidney is only mildly dilated and the other kidney is moderately dilated. The urologist said that he was doubtful that surgery would be necessary and thought this was a case in which it would correct itself. However, V still needs to be on a very low dose of antibiotics, which I am not crazy about, but after exposing my discern, the doctor assured me that the risk of him getting in infection was by far worse than the impact of him being on antibiotics. He will have to be on antibiotics until 4 to 6 months of age, but this will rid him of any risk of infection - phew.
Other than that, we are so in love with this little guy. At 5 weeks he cracked his first smile (already!), which really made having a second child very real for me. Not that it wasn't real when I had him and brought him home from the hospital, but it became more real when he started interacting! Looking into his eyes, I can see his kind and soft soul, whereas looking in Lincoln's eyes, I can see his sweetness but also his audacity and zeal towards life and willingness to learn and be the best... again, whereas with V, he has a softness and quiet confidence about him. I love him (them) so much and can't wait to see how he grows.

So now that I am nearly six weeks postpartum, I have my mind set on getting back into shape. And not just any old shape, but the best shape of my life, even better than pre-pregnancy shape! As most of you know, who have followed our blog for some time, maintaining my weight during my second pregnancy was something I took very seriously. I ate very healthy and worked out throughout my pregnancy and managed to still gain 30 pounds, but a very healthy 30 pounds. I had hoped to stay around 25 pounds, but man, in that last trimester, the scale sky rocketed. My body did what it had to do and I birthed a healthy 9lbs 3oz baby boy (BIG boy!). Now that I am where I am at, happy with my two boys, and getting back into my groove, I feel I am ready to start shedding that baby weight and would love for you all to follow on this journey with me! So let's get back to my stats...

Current Weight: 146 lbs ahhhh. I mean seriously? I gained 30 lbs during my pregnancy getting up to 160lbs (I was 130 lbs when I got pregnant). I birthed a 9lbs 3oz baby and have been breastfeeding around the clock, yet the scale says that I have only lost 14 pounds since giving birth.. BOO. Oh well. I WILL lose it and I need to have faith in that :)

Exercise: Since having a baby, I haven't exercised at all due to the 6 week mark that my OBGYN put on exercising. I will say that this postpartum recovery was A LOT easier than with my first. My body completely knew what to do and I recovered much quicker. Still, it is not easy to do my normal workout routines like running. I actually tried to go on a run the other day (around 4 weeks postpartum) and it just didn't feel quite right. First off, my boobs are huge from breastfeeding so I feel a little top heavy. Not only that, but I also feel a little bottom heavy from the extra weight I'm carrying;  as a result, my balance is all out of wack. With running, I like to enjoy it, not be in pain or uncomfortable the entire time I am doing so. Thus, I have given up my runs for the time being. What I hope to shoot for next week (and after my OB's approval) is getting back to the YMCA and rejoining my step class and other classes like spinning. I will shoot for getting a workout in at least 4 times a week and will keep you all updated!

Diet: Right after bringing Denton home and once I really started feeding him around the clock, I noticed that my appetite increased like crazy. I felt like I could eat so so so much food and not get full. After a few days of chowing down, I started to worry that I had the curse of breastfeeding -- you know the curse where you are in the minority of women who actually DON'T lose weight breastfeeding. Although I was worried and eating a lot in the beginning, my diet has since regulated and now I am back to eating my usual way. I am hoping that keeping my diet consistent (not restrictive or eating extra extra calories) will still help me shed the pounds. 


That is all for now ladies! I will have a weight, diet and nutrition update for you next week! 

xx,
​ILA

Hi hello!

It is currently 9:45pm California time. I am very sleepy and would love to just turn over and fall right asleep. However, I wanted to give you all a quick little update on my pregnancy at 26 weeks.

Not a lot has changed in the last week or so. But I have noticed I've been more thirsty in the middle of the night. I am drinking a ton of water throughout the day but for some reason it's not enough or my body is just needing more at this stage. I keep a glass of cold water by my bed just in case. I'm pretty much waking up in the middle of the night to pee once, sometimes twice, a night. Meh... I even make an effort to not drink a ton of water right before bed, but as I said, my body craves it. And honestly, I'd rather drink water even if it means getting up more to pee. Oh well!

Also, during my workouts, I'm noticing slight cramping sometimes, so I just take it easy until the next movement/exercise OR I simply modify. I do a significant amount of cat cows and include deep breathing, which makes me feel great. Today I was in my closet and baby felt really low, as if he was sitting on my pubic bone- not comfortable- so I did some cat cows and it seemed to put him in a different position or relieve some pressure. I didn't experience this with Kai in my first pregnancy until about 8 months pregnant. My OBGYN did tell me that with each pregnancy, the baby will feel and actually be lower. Some women even feel like the baby is going to slide right out. She assures them that's not really the case even though there is much more added pressure than their previous pregnancy. I can attest to this!

Because I have a pretty large bump already, it is MUCH easier for my husband Duke to feel like this whole thing is actually real. haha! When I first REALLY popped, he said to me, "Wow! You're pregnant. It's starting to feel real now." I'm sure a lot your men can relate to this, and I think it is so cute. I almost feel bad for the dads because for a lot of them it is hard to know how to bond with the baby inside the womb and even when they are born all the way until they are a few months old. It's different for every guy, so I'm anxious to see how Duke bonds with Baby B and when that special time will come...when it all settles in. : ) For now, he prays out loud for the baby, talks to him, and tells him he loves him. Kai does the same. Bonding is already forming.

​For me, I talk more to the baby and rub and pat my belly. I tell him he is amazing and that he is going to do incredible things. I speak life over him and tell him he's going to be an easy baby, a wonderful sleeper, and that the bond between him and his big brother Kai will be unlike any other. This all might sound weird, but I believe in the power of words. Try it- it might surprise you! The more you talk to him or pray for him out loud, the less weird or awkward you might feel.

Now that it's almost May, it's becoming more real to me that in just about three months our home will be different. There's a bitter sweet to that for me only because I love our family of three and love the relationship we have with Kai and the quality time we get to spend with him. I don't want life to get more hectic. I want to feel at peace and a sense of calm. I want our home to be a place of joy and that peace I'm talking about. The reality is yes it can be at times, and other times  I know it will feel a little chaotic, but at the end of the day, we will be a blended family of four (so crazy) that will grow together in love. If you didn't know, we are in fact a blended family. My amazing husband Duke became, as we like to call it, "insta-dad" when he met me and then married me in a short 11 months. Kai was 2.5-years-old at the time Duke walked into our lives and what a gift he was! Duke is daddy because Kai doesn't see his biological dad, nor does he talk about him. Duke and Kai have the most special, precious relationship, and I could not be more grateful.

On the other hand, I do think about when Baby B comes that the bond could be different. This thought doesn't cross my mind very much but it has come up. It worries me a little and makes me sad for some reason because, even though Duke loves Kai as his own son, and you would never know he wasn't his biological daddy, I just want Kai and his baby brother to have an incredible relationship and for Kai to know HOW MUCH he is loved and will always be loved. This is straight from my heart and real concerns as a mom who had a son out of wedlock. I know the amount of love Duke has for Kai and vice versa and am excited to see the brotherly love that will form and how this baby will be similar AND different than Kai. Overall, I'm focusing on how God redeemed my life and my situation and brought a wonderful man into my life to be the man I need and the dad Kai needs. Woah, God is faithful!

On a lighter note, I am also starting to really think about a list of to do's before the baby arrives.
1. Tour the hospital- Since Duke has never been to the maternity ward, we will most likely go there so he can know where we are going when I'm in labor (oh my gosh this is going to be so funny to see his reaction- hahahah!)
2. Meet with our doula- My amazing friend Ashley will be our doula. I had another doula when I had Kai who helped me immensely, so having a doula is a MUST in my book! And now my dear friend, who was in our wedding, gets to be our birth coach- yay!
3. Preregister at the hospital- DONE! I did this easily online and provided my personal info and my insurance. Easy peasy!
4. Choose a pediatrician- I had one for Kai, but he is pretty far in Irvine, and I just found it difficult to get a call back at times or even make an appointment. He was great, but we will be looking for another doctor. I also might be interested in driving all the way down to San Clemente to see Dr. Sears. We'll see!
5. Sign up for a baby/birthing class- Duke is super easy going and very supportive of my approach to pregnancy/labor. I did the Bradley Method. We will most likely go thru my book here and there and have our doula, Ashley, explain his role and the process of labor, etc. He might want to sign up for a class at Hoag Hospital but we shall see! I will labor at home and then go to the hospital just about when I can't have conversations without pausing. I'm hoping this labor is as quick, if not quicker, than my first!
6. Sign up for a breast feeding class- FOR FIRST TIME MAMAS... or not. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND finding a breast feeding class BEFORE baby comes. It was helpful for me. I attended a class at Milkalicious in Laguna Niguel- for those of you in the Orange County area. It was great!  PS- I had ZERO complications nursing Kai and breast fed him until he was two. Not sure I can go that long this time, but my goal is 18 months!
8. Start thinking about your birth plan- If you have no idea what this means or looks like, I'm happy to share mine with you. I will be sharing my birth plan I created when I had Kai. I will review it again and most likely keep it the same for this baby. If you would like to see I do so, please comment below, and I'd be happy to send to you. Keep in mind, I had a natural birth with no epidural or drugs. Even if you are choosing to have one, and by all means, you can use mine as an outline or use Ila's as a reference!
7. Nursery planning- I have come up with ideas in my head and created a Pinterest board, but haven't bought anything yet.. in my spare time! 
8. Start a registry- I signed up for Babylist.com and have added a couple items. I will continue to add and have fun with it! One word of advice, I recommend not registering for items on Amazon. Personally, it was a pain for me when I had Kai to deal with returns if I got double items, etc. I love Babylist because you can add any item you want from anywhere! This too may get challenging if you need to do returns- so be sure you register for necessities and your favorite things. 
9. Nest/Fix things around the house- I'm slightly a perfectionist and like to organize and WANT things to be in order. However, this is pretty much not the case 85% of the time. I have a couple things in mind that I'd like to do/fix before baby arrives. One- I'd like to have our couch and downstairs rug organically cleaned (meaning with no chemicals). Yup, I'm THAT mom. I'd also like to redesign Kai's room and make it look better since I didn't get around to doing that when we moved in. OH, and I'd love to get an actual headboard/bed frame for our cal king bed. Mattresses on the floor don't look that great! 
10. Decide on a NAME- We have definitely talked about it and I'm pretty sure we've narrowed it down to a couple names, but who knows with Duke! : ) We will choose a couple, pray about it and ask God to give us a name, and then wait until he is born to choose one. At least that's what we're thinking! It's funny because I chose Kai's name pretty early on and it stayed that way for months. We're mixing things up a bit now! OH, and of course there is the middle name! How fun is THIS!

In the meantime, I have cut out gluten and wheat and am eating less artificial sugar. I am focusing more on a paleo diet, with some exceptions, because of how much it helped me when I had Kai. I'm working on deep breathing so I don't get anxious or overwhelmed as easily. Also, key word- kegels. Yes, kegels, is another part of my daily routine. Don't forget to work your pelvic floor, mamas!

That's a wrap!

Keep treckin' away and enjoy your bump while you have it! Do your best not to stress over all the lists and details and TO DOs. Your pregnancy journey will be MUCH more enjoyable and peaceful if you are able to take one day at a time and not put pressure on yourself to know everything and do ALL the things you want to before baby. : )

Blessings!

CATE

Happy Good Friday everyone! I hope you all are having a wonderful day thus far and are getting excited for this Easter weekend. : )

For those of you who are a bit confused about who we are, I'M CATE (THE "CATE" in Cate and ILa.) My amazing business partner is ILA (pronounced eye-luh). She is also my best friend. We've been besties since our moms were pregnant together! How crazy is that!? She was born just 2 weeks before me and we've been friends ever since! She and her husband Ryan and two littles, Lincoln and Denton, just recently moved to Nashville. My husband and our son Kai, and baby boy #2 coming in July, reside in Orange County California. I know there has been some major confusion with some of you thinking we are just one person. Now you know there are in fact TWO of us mamas. : )

On another note, here's a little update on my pregnancy for the last 4 weeks (22 weeks-CURRENT 25 weeks). Also, I go thru a little bit of my journey with my first pregnancy and all that I learned. I hope you enjoy!

PREGNANCY #1 AND #2 WEIGHT GAIN:

*TOTAL PREGNANCY #1 WEIGHT GAIN: 17 pounds

*25 WEEKS PREGNANCY #2 WEIGHT GAIN: Current- 19.6 pounds
-8 WEEK 5 DAYS- 124.6 LBS
-12 WEEKS- 129 LBS
-16 WEEKS- 129 LBS
-20 WEEKS-136.4 LBS (baby's size- 14 oz)
-23 WEEKS 6 DAYS- 144.2

Since conception, I have gained 19.6. I started at a weight of 124.6 pounds, and when I stepped on the scale 1.5 weeks ago at my 24 week appointment I laughed. haha! I don't even own a scale- never have. I will say, I was a bit shocked that I have already surpassed my entire pregnancy weight gain from my first pregnancy and I'm just 25 weeks. But that's ok! With Kai I only gained 17 pounds! Yes, that sounds crazy to most people, but that is just what my body did. I ate healthy but had some sweets every now and then but wasn't crazy strict. My goal was to be somewhere between 15 and 30 pounds. I maintained a healthy lifestyle by exercising and avoiding foods that weren't good for baby. At 7 months pregnant I went to A Natural Healing Center. I honestly don't remember how I stumbled upon them. There I was tested and received the following:

• Applied Kinesiology / Nutritional Response Testing (NRT) – using your muscles to immediately understand how all parts of your body are functioning
• Food Allergy & Compatibility Testing
• pH Testing – your Acidic / Alkaline balance tells much about your body
• Nutritional Evaluation
• One-on-One Food Coaching

I learned, through Nutritional Response Testing, that my body was intolerant (sensitive) to the following foods:
-casein
-gluten
-corn
-soy
-coffee
-chocolate
-egg yolk

After that, and of course my own research of the legitimacy of NRT, I cut out those foods, for the most part, for the last 3 months of my pregnancy and thereafter for about a year or more (or so). My holistic health practitioner told me my chances of having a baby with colic were pretty high, based off my body's response to those foods, and so I took action!

​I cannot even begin to tell you what a difference it made in my overall health and HOW I felt. Some of the above weren't a big shock to me because I was already a little educated on gluten and dairy (casein) and the effects of it on our bodies. But once I cut out those foods, especially the gluten and dairy, I felt more clear headed, alert, and energetic. Prior to that I often felt lethargic after certain meals and got "brain fog" after consuming healthy meals that I thought would give me energy. It was frustrating and annoying! ALSO, I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 20 and had read a book about a proper diet for an ADHD brain, which of course DID NOT include eating gluten. Why? KEY WORD- inflammation. 

THIS WAS ME!!!-
Gluten sensitivity occurs in individuals (particularly first degree family members of those with celiac disease) who have circulating antibodies characteristic of celiac disease, but could be asymptomatic or have fewer symptoms of celiac disease. Gluten sensitivity is a less extreme reaction to gluten, but can occur at any age and has a wide range of connections to different health-issues. Many people have trouble digesting wheat. Gluten damages the tissue that lines the digestive tract, affecting nutrition absorption.
Do you find yourself getting brain fog? (ME- YES!) In gluten sensitive individuals, gluten can actually shut down blood flow in to the frontal and prefrontal cortex, the part responsible for focus, managing emotional states, planning, organizing, consequences of actions, and our short term memory. This process is called “hypoperfusion” and is strongly associated with ADHD, depression and anxiety. 
swansonhealthcenter.com/health-issues/celiac/Swanson Health Center


MOVING ON...
That was a bit of a tangent, but I felt this was important to share my journey and compare my first pregnancy to this pregnancy. FOOD, yes food, plays such a MAJOR role in our pregnancies AND in the lives of our baby/babies. It's hard for me to see moms make pregnancy an excuse to eat whatever they want. If anything, pregnancy and nursing should be the time where we, as women, are most conscious and careful of what we put into our bodies. I believe in moderation and have definitely had my share of unhealthy food this pregnancy and last, but for the most part I've made an effort to eat well.

For more on Gluten see the links below:
swansonhealthcenter.com/health-issues/celiac/
authoritynutrition.com/6-shocking-reasons-why-gluten-is-bad/

FITNESS:
This pregnancy, I feel strong and am building more muscle than with my first pregnancy. My workout with my first consisted of mainly reformer pilates once a week. I did little cardio, besides walking and walking a handful of times. I also did Zumba and other various group female pilates mat classes, as well as total body fit classes. I tried a bit of everything. It was difficult to find prenatal classes and instructors that knew what to tell me to do or to avoid, so I felt a little bit in the dark for a while. THEN I met Erica Ziel and her business Knocked Up Fitness and it CHANGED EVERYTHING!
Her pilates reformer classes helped change my body and prepare me for the whole birthing process, as well as my recovery postpartum. Check her out, mamas!

My weekly workout consists cardio boxing/kickboxing on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. I usually attend the Saturday morning HIIT class as well and in between the other days I sometimes will do some variation of a booty exercise- usually squats or lunges and maybe I'll throw in some push ups. If I don't make it to Saturday morning, I'll do a mini workout session in our backyard and break a good sweat. If you struggle. like I did with my first pregnancy in the beginning, to know what you can and CAN'T do, you can follow along my fitness journey with #fitwithcateandila. Also, as I mentioned, Knocked Up Fitness is an incredible resource!! Check out Erica's Prenatal Sculpt Workouts HERE!

PHYSICAL/SLEEPING:
Overall, I feel amazingly energetic, strong, and balanced. The only thing that has been a little difficult is my sleeping. I told you all in my earlier updates that I have been getting up to go pee in the middle of the night since the very beginning at 5 weeks pregnant. What the heck! This goes along with a second pregnancy, or at least can, because uterus knows what to do and now there is more pressure on my bladder than with my first.  I also feel Baby B move LIKE CRAZY. This week I kicked or punched me semi-softly in the nether region. It made me a little nervous because Kai did that to me when I was about 8 months pregnant. I was lying in bed, peacefully, and all of a sudden he thought he'd get my attention, and he sure did! The pain and shock actually brought me to tears. Hoping I don't experience that with this one!

I have been using my amazing bamboo body pillow- not those crazy looped ones. : ) This is magic for me and does wonders for my hips when I sleep. I was actually more achey my first pregnancy, with my expanding hips and all. Now when I sleep I can no longer lay on my back because I feel short of breath (TOTALLY NORMAL). This happens because it basically cuts off circulation and air flow by putting extra pressure on the blood vessel- vena cava. This only just happened three weeks ago when I was 22 weeks pregnant. Up until then, it was still comfortable for me to sleep on my back with my legs slightly propped up (or with the help from a pillow).
*IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BODY PILLOW, GET ONE! I sleep with about 3 pillows and it's divine, and I even manage to spoon with my husband. 

ANEMIA:
Unfortunately, based on my recent blood test, I'm still on the spectrum of being anemic. Boo!
The good news is it is not getting worse, but I still have to be extremely proactive in eating iron-rich foods on top of my iron supplement. It's a bit of a pain, but I'm grateful for the overall health of my body. I am still recommended to eat beef or chicken liver once a week. Did I tell you I almost threw up in my mouth the last time I tried it!? oh my gosh... Anyone have any good recipes for a pate? I'm dying over here! haha!

EMOTIONAL/SPIRITUAL:
I'm feeling wonderful. Sometimes I do notice I might be a little more agitated at times, but that usually has to do with low blood sugar. 

DIET/LIFESTYLE:
I have been eating more sugar and bread than I'd like to admit. From here on out, I'm making an effort to reduce my gluten and sugar intake- not just for me but for the baby. I drink TONS of water, eat a ton of organic pasture-raised eggs. I cook them in the morning or for lunch and also keep a bowl of hard boiled eggs in the fridge for on the go or when I'm short on time. Kai also loves them! We add a little Himalayan sea salt and yum! My food journal consists of a protein smoothie with avocado toast on sourdough (with sourdough starter), eggs and nitrite free bacon, overnight oats or chia pudding, etc. I eat a lot of organic lentil soup, avocado, berries, pears, apples and organic (no sugar added) peanut butter or almond butter. (I love cashew butter, but it's so dang expensive!) We'll eat grass-fed ground beef with grilled onions and a veggie. Usually I throw in a salad and do my best to eat spinach every day or 2x a day (in my smoothie or with my eggs). This is just a quick overview of what my diet looks like. I will be doing a more in depth food journal for you in the next few weeks. : ) This will include a grocery list of all my favorite brands and things to buy. Also, if you have any questions regarding what constitutes "healthy eating" during pregnancy, please message us, and we'll be glad to help give you some recommendations to the best of our knowledge and experience. 

That's all for now! I'm taking the day off work to spend some time with my hubs and Kai. Thank you for reading and following along with me on my journey to maintaining a healthy pregnancy. : )

All My Love,

Cate

Bringing a new baby home with a toddler is no joke. You are constantly juggling how to carry or set down your newborn while entertaining your toddler. Whether it is making food or playing with your two-year old, you need to get creative on how to handle your new baby, simultaneously. This means baby carrying and newborn loungers become a necessity. When I'm not using my Ergo Baby to carry Denton, I am setting him down in a lounger. Enter DockATot.

DockATot is a multi-purpose newborn lounger that does more than just allow a mama to get a moment. Multifunctional and multitasking, the Dockatot™ Deluxe+ offers a safe and comfy spot that lets baby rest, lounge, play, cuddle, do tummy time and get diaper changes! Deluxe docks are lightweight and portable, allowing for easy travel. Not only that - additional covers are available for purchase to match your mood, room and style!

Designed with love in Sweden and made in Europe. All materials used are breathable, washable and hypoallergenic. DockATot™ offers excellent air-permeability. All filling materials are sourced from world-leading suppliers with hygienic and non-toxic properties.

Check out all of the different functions of the DockATot below:

Denton LOVES his DockATot, whether we are using it to allow him to sleep, for diaper changes or for tummy-time excellence! Not only is it functional, but it also looks super cute in our home! I specifically went with the Mod Pod design, so that it wouldn't throw my interior design game off. As such, I cannot recommend this product enough. At around $165, you are FOR SURE getting your money's (and sanity's) worth. 

Happy shopping mamas!

xx,
ILA

Everyone loves a good Easter snack! Not only are they fun to make, but they are deliciously tasty! Enjoy making these alone or have fun with your kiddos by allowing them to partake. We've separated the snacks into healthy and not-so- healthy snacks :)

Enjoy + Happy Easter all!

Click here for full recipe or follow below:

INGREDIENTS 
(Be sure to get organic fruit!)

• Easter Bunny Peeps
• Strawberries
• Cantaloupe
• Pineapple
• Green and Red Grapes
• Blueberries
• Wooden Skewers

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash and cut fruit
2. Add to skewer in any way desired and top with a Peep!

​

Click here for full recipe or follow below:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 ½ cups rolled oats
• 3 tbsps. pb2 (or any powdered peanut butter)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 5 tbsps. almond milk
• 1 tbsp. peanut butter
• ¼ cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
• Sprinkles for decoration
• Plastic eggs

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium bowl mix dry ingredients and set aside.
   
2. In a large bowl add maple syrup, vanilla, milk and peanut butter. Stir until mixture has been combined, add the dry ingredient to the large bowl and mix with hands. 
   
3. Once combined add chocolate chips and sprinkles.
   
4. Place in plastic eggs and let set in the fridge for 1 hour.
   
5. Once done, gently open them from the plastic eggs and decorate with sprinkles.

Click here for full recipe or follow below:

INGREDIENTS

• 9 cups Rice Chex
• 1¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 12/3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• 1 cup Cadbury mini eggs
• ½ cup Easter M&M's

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside. Measure cereal into a large bowl; set aside.
2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and peanut butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool.
4. Sprinkle the mini marshmallows, Cabury mini eggs and Easter M&M's throughout the mixture.
5. Serve in a bowl. Optional, add a peep on top!
6. Enjoy!
7. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator.

​

Click here for full recipe or follow below:

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups Rice Krispies or any crisp rice cereal
• 1 10-oz bag of your favorite brand of mini marshmallows
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pastel M & M's or other candies for decoration

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pan, melt the butter and mini marshmallows together over low heat. Stir frequently, or you can have some little helpers do this for you.
   
2. When marshmallows are melted, stir in the vanilla extract, and remove from heat.
3. Add the cereal, one cup at a time, and stir after each cup is added.
4. When the cereal is fully mixed with the marshmallows, spoon into a buttered 13x9-inch baking pan.
5. When the mixture is slightly cool, press in the candies over the top of the cereal.
6. Refrigerate until firm, and enjoy!

Hey all!
Now that I've given birth to our sweet baby boy, I've got a few months before I'll be fitting into my pre-pregnancy clothes. Not being able to express myself through my wardrobe can be tough, BUT I've found a way to fix this: through accessorizing. And not just with any accessories...
Today, on the blog, I am talking women's watches - oh yes.  Feast your eyes on a C+I top pick, JORD watches, a unique watch brand that carries luxury all-natural and handcrafted wood watches. Everything about this brand is spot on, not to mention their watches are literally a work of art.

As a Rolex owner, it has been difficult to find a watch that comes close to the timeless and classic piece that a Rolex is – let’s be honest. However, after coming across JORD watches, I have found a new go-to wrist accessory that yes, even replaces my Rolex as of late.

After teaming up with JORD to select a watch, it was nearly impossible to choose from their collection, but after serious consideration I chose the Frankie 35 Series - Dark Sandalwood & Mint, which is pictured below. Let me tell you, this watch did not disappoint! The contrast of the colors are stunning and the craftsmanship of the watch itself is masterful. This watch is not only functional and classic, but it also ties together an outfit and makes a serious statement. To label it as a "cool watch" would be an understatement.

ENTER HERE

​Because we love this brand so much, Cate + I are holding an EXCLUSIVE giveaway to JORD watches! One lucky winner will be selected to receive a $100 gift card, but it doesn’t stop there, all entries will receive a $25 credit to JORD once the contest ends. Simply enter your name and info HERE. 
 
*The giveaway will close May 7, 2017 at 11:59pm. Both the $100 and the $25 codes will expire on June 30, 2017.

Stay tuned!
 
xx,
ILA

​SPONSORED by JORD Watches

Hey ya'll! Today I'm talking about nursing pajamas. Now that I have a newborn at home and nurse AT LEAST ten times a day, which means a few times during the night, having comfy and functional nursing pajamas is a necessity. Luckily, You! Lingerie has been able to fulfill this need. They have a combination of bras, tanks, sleepwear and panties on their site - all great for pregnant and new mamas.

I decided to go with the Trusty Super Mom Super Tired Maternity + Nursing Pajamas Set. I love this set so much and literally sleep in the tank nightly. It is the perfect size, giving a little extra room in the belly (great after just having given birth). Check out more on their site - again, I highly recommend the nursing pajamas!

CALMING AFFECTS DURING PREGNANCY:
I find drinking a mixture of roobios tea or plain roobios really helps me have mental clarity and brings me a sense of calm. I also love the anti-inflammatory properties in the tea.

Whelp, that's my tea spiel! Now, go make yourself a hot (or cold) cup of tea, sit down, and enjoy. : )

Pinkies Up!

<3,

Cate