Ila's Back-To-School Faves

​Hi ladies!
Hope your summer is coming to a nice close; I still can't believe that we are back-to-school already. Not sure about you, but summer came and went for us! Much of that time was filled with getting to know the newest member of our fam, V, along with an adventurous family trip to California and Kauai. Summers with my babies are priceless, but I will say that I am looking forward to the school year starting and having a bit of a routine back in our lives. 
This year will mark Lincoln's first year of school, ah! He will be attending a "Mother's Day Out" program two days a week. While I weep inside that this day has finally come, I also look forward to having time to myself and one-on-one time with V.
Not going to lie, having two kids under the age of three and spaced so close in age has kept this mama busy, busy busy. The laundry is never done, my coffee is never hot and I'm lucky to get a moment to myself. With school starting, I'm confident that I will get my groove back! Yes, I felt a little guilty initially sending my first baby off to school at such a young age. I mean, he is so little and my mind was warped with all of these concerns... "Should I be letting him go to school this young?" "I don't want to miss any precious moments" "I can handle two kids without help." etc etc etc. Despite all of my concerns, I got to a point in which I had to let go of control. I knew that if I didn't seek help through school and/or via a nanny, I would burn out. Not only that, I found that I wasn't enjoying my kids as much as I could be. Dad became the fun one and mama became the burnt-out one, the chore doer and the errand runner - can anyone relate?
At the verge of a break (literally one night breaking down to my husband), we made the joint decision that I needed help and I needed it ASAP. What I ultimately decided on was two days at school for Lincoln and one morning of both kids with a nanny. The two days Lincoln was at school would be my easier days with V; then the one day both of the kids were with the nanny would be my personal couple of hours to work on my blog and whatever else MY heart desired. Sometimes a little time away is good for a mama's soul, providing solace and rejuvenation.
With all of this said, school is such an exciting new time for our family! The first day of school is a big "first" for all of us, and with that, we have not shorted on back-to-school preparation. Wow, there are so many cute items to capitalize on this school year. From backpacks to environmentally-friendly sandwich bags, below I detail some of my favorite back-to-school finds. Hope you enjoy BTS shopping and sending off your littles to become the future leaders of the world :) xoxox

​Favorite Backpacks

1. Herschel Supply Co  |  2. Babymel  |  3. Bixbee  |  4. LASSIG  |  5. Pottery Barn Kids  |  6. Skip hop

A few of my fave backpacks above. Nordstrom has the best all-around collection, while Pottery Barn Kids is an obvious, solid choice. Linc's "Mooma" (Grandma) got him the Mackenzie Navy Sport Camo Pottery Barn Kids Backpack. It is adorable and only $23!
Be sure to pay attention to the SIZE of the backpack. If you have a 2-3 year old toddler, you'll want to ensure that you order either a Pre-K or Small by double-checking the measurements. You'll also want to consider what your teacher/school recommends your child bring with them each day; this will likely dictate the size of the backpack. For instance, the Pre-K size may fit your little one perfectly, but you might not be able to fit his lunch, blanket, change of clothes, diapers, etc. in there.  
Last point, a lot of the brands offer personalization. While personalization is cute, I often worry about the safety of having my child's name on a product for outsiders to see. While the event is unlikely, I always air on the safe side and proceed with caution when choosing to imprint their name on a clearly visible product. If you are set on monogramming, I would opt for using their initials "RLR" rather than their full name. Paranoid mama over here.

Favorite Lunch Bags

1. SoYoung  |  2. Skip Hop  |  3. Herschel Supply Co  |  4. Ju-Ju-Be  | 5. Olive Kids  |  6. Wildkin 

Above are my favorite lunch bags from both Nordstrom and Amazon. Personally, I think you can find just as cute of bag on Amazon and for a fraction of the price. We ended up getting Lincoln the Skip Hop Zoo Lunch Bag from Nordstrom, courtesy of LeLe (my mom). For the quality and price, you can't beat it!
Another thing to consider: at Lincoln's school, the teachers encourage us to pack ice packs in their lunches to keep the food cold. Thus, you'll want to find a bag that is either insulated or that is able to get a little wet.
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Lunch Skins Bags

Lunchskins (pictured above) is a brand that I am super excited to share with our mama followers. While getting my MBA at Georgetown, I worked with lunchskins on a consulting project and fell in love with the product. What I love about the company is their mission: to replace everyday plastic with a sustainable solution. As such, lunchskins is a company that produces reusable and recyclable lunch bags. These are the perfect alternative to plastic ziplock bags, which are terrible for our environment. Not only are the bags environmentally-friendly, but they are also stylish with fun prints to make you child's lunch eating experience fun and enjoyable.

Shop Lunchskins

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Day Planner

About a month prior to Linc starting his Mom's Day Out Program, I was antsy to get organized. I needed a day-planner that would somehow start in the month of August and that could ship quickly. I went on Amazon.com and impulsively pulled the trigger, purchasing this Blue Sky Day Planner.  
In true Brooke fashion, if I had the time, I would have perused 500 day planner options until I find the PERFECT one, but in this case, I purchased hastily on Amazon. In this situation, it certainly worked out. This planner is everything that I could have wanted in a day planner. The dates are organized for the academic year, it is the perfect size, and also has a cute design. Lastly, you cannot beat the price. I was going to provide more options, but I believe this is the best day planner for the price and function.

Shop Blue Sky Day Planner

There you have it, mamas. My favorite back-to-school items. Hope you all enjoy sending off your kiddos to school with some fun, new things!

xx,
​ILA