The Land of Little Beast

Envisioning Little Beast's nursery I knew I wanted it to be a black and white theme. A space looked and felt clean, was unisex and modern. 

Since our pregnancy was low-key and we really didn't have the money to buy things other than the essentials, I put my vision board to rest. But it's amazing what happens when God touches people's hearts and you allow yourself to receive a bit of help. 

6 months into my pregnancy my mom began accumulating things for his room. In the end she ended up gifting us nearly everything in this gorgeous nursery. She created a room better than I could've ever put together. Also, I have to give a special thank you to my sister for the crib and changing table. 

Blessed beyond belief, here's a peek inside the land of Little Beast.

[Foil balloon was from Target but here's a similar one on Etsy] 

[Zebra head] 

[Curtains: originally from Ikea but given to me by my little sister]

[Elephant basket: Marshalls]

[Black plastic trash bin: Yard Sale]

[Changing table: gifted by my sister] 

[Muslin Swaddle Blanket] 

[Crib: Gifted]

[Crib Sheet: Target]

[Mobile *The pom poms and black ribbon were my mom's special touch]

[Lounge chair + Cushions + Photo Frames: Yard Sale]

[Rug: Yard Sale}

Read More

CON LOS LOBOS

If you've read my California flight experience  post then you probably already know how my trip came to be. Our trip to Point Lobos was among the highlights of my time in Monterey, California. Here's a little about how our day went... 

EIFFEL COOKIE

A quaint little French pastry shop in Monterey, what more is there to say? 

POINT LOBOS 

After indulging on sweet french pastries we took the trip up to Point Lobos foundation. The day was perfect; it was chilly, overcast and foggy. Great for eerie photos! 

This hike does NOT disappoint with unforgettable views of cliffs, mountains, soft green moss and wheat colored fields at every turn! From sea lions to snakes to field mice (baby gophers?) we ran into quite a bit of wildlife. At the beach we picked some stones and seashells souvenirs for my rock loving Zombie. 

I will admit my sister put this on the itinerary I was a little concerned with some of the reviews out there. The biggest complaint are the crowds. Whether it was due to the weather or the fact that it was back to school time; we really didn't run into too much congestion. 

We took the local transit down the park (if you easily get motion sickness I would not recommend taking the bus). If you are going to drive down I would suggest getting there early as parking's a pain. Most people parked a quarter mile down and walked to the park entrance. Otherwise bring a light sweater, your favorite hiking shoes and a snack or two. This was one park I really had a hard time leaving- and you probably will too! 

Read More

Little Beast Takes On Shingle Creek

Our Labor Day started off with some much needed sleeping in, funfetti waffles and massive everything-in-your-fridge omelets. After which we headed to Shingle Creek for our first hike with Little Beast.

We prepared him with some Babyganics sunblock followed by deet-free insect repellent since his chunky thighs would be irresistible to mosquitoes! I have been itching to get back to the outdoors for some time now and bought a Baby Bjourn off OfferUp to get down and dirty with. Its comfort and sturdiness proved to be perfect for the sticky afternoon ahead of us.  

The trail was easy to follow with facts about the plants and the park's natural inhabitants along the way. Our favorite was the one on Poison Ivy, we spent the remainder of the trail searching out ivy plants and explaining to Zombie about the poison and its effects. 

Now, if you know anything about Florida weather then you know one minute its sunny and the next we're experiencing judgement day type storms. We managed to get out of there right as the heavy rain started to hit. Beware of the mud-if you're not careful you will slip and with a 2 month old in hand, that was just not an option. 

Here are some quick tips I would recommend for families when hitting the trails with babes. 

1. Use Insect Repellent (deet-free) 
2. Sunblock
3. Hydrate baby - I had a bottle of milk for Little Beast which worked just fine but next time I will definitely bring along  some water for him. 
4. Hat- another lesson learned. Besides looking so cute in those little boat hats its also best to have added protection from the sun. 
5. Change of clothes- wipe em down, change their diaper and put on a fresh pair of onesies and the drive home will be awfully quiet in the backseat of the car. 

I hope you all enjoyed your labor and can't wait to see how you spent the holiday! 

Read More

Confessions of a Breastfeeding Mom

“After this we’re getting pizza” read my pastel pink gym bag. 

I still couldn’t believe I had made it to the airport on time- much less managed to pack all of my things between a book bag and a carry on. We had booked my fight 3 hours prior, I almost felt guilty not having told my husband I had yet to book a return trip. 

          

I sat at the back of the gate beside the window and began sorting through my sofrita bowl. Then I felt a tinge coming down my breasts; it was new milk coming in. Little Beast was only a month and a half and I was still full-time breastfeeding. With so little time to pack and the rush of trying to make it to the airport I hadn’t thought about what I would do about my breast milk! I immediately regretted not having taken Hubs up on his offer to buy me a manual pump weeks prior. 

It was a 5 hour flight to Oregon, by the 3rd hour my breasts began to pulsate in pain and my shirt was wet to the touch. Half an hour prior to landing I decided I could no longer take it. I had never manually expressed before but there was no better time than the present to learn. I apologized to the elderly couple beside me and pulled my jacket close as I made my way to the lavatory. I pulled my shirt down and hunched over the airplane bathroom sink. I was massaging the hard lumps in an effort to relief myself of the excessive milk when my door flew open. The old man in seat B shielded his eyes, profusely apologizing as he slammed the door shut. I took a deep breath and  pushed the lock all the way; I was in far too much pain to care about what had just happened. After very little success, I decided to stuff my bra with tissue paper and make my way back to my seat. When the old man finally got back he mumbled something about getting his seatbelt back on. He avoided eye contact with me the rest of the flight. “Jeez!” I thought to myself, “You’d think he’d never seen a black titty before!”

Read More