Is it just me or did Mother’s Day really creep up this year? It may have something to do with the fact that it has been freezing here and hasn’t felt like spring at all. Whatever the case, I once again find myself scrambling at the last minute to figure out Mother’s Day gifts! If you’re in the same boat and don’t have time to hit the stores, there are fortunately some great gifts still available via Amazon Prime that can be delivered before Sunday (thank you, Amazon). I wanted to share just a few items that I think would make nice Mother’s Day gifts – things that I have either already purchased and love, or have on my wish list to purchase in the future.
Almost three months ago, David and I were gearing up for Jackson’s first day of preschool. Now that we have all had time to get used to the new normal, I wanted to share an update about how things have been going. Truthfully, the start was rough. I knew Jackson was going to be resistant after the whole summer at home with me, but I didn’t expect him to be quite as resistant as he was. Given that he had been in two different daycares (both full and part-time) since he was six months old and transitioned relatively easily there, I figured this would be a similar situation, but it wound up being much harder than I had anticipated and caused a lot of anxiety for both of us.
As I mentioned in my last post, Jackson is starting preschool this year, and it’s a big milestone! Although he has been in daycare in the past (full-time when I was working and part-time since I’ve been at home), preschool feels much different. It’s the step before starting legit school and it just makes Jackson seem so much more grown up! Not gonna lie, I’m freaking out a little bit. I know it’s going to be so great for both of us though. We just have to get through the transition!
Almost a month ago (on June 24th), Jackson turned three years old. The night before his birthday, I went down the rabbit hole of looking at old pictures and videos (anyone else do that?), which of course brought on all sorts of emotions. It’s amazing to me and also kind of scary how quickly you forget the earlier phases. All I can say is thank God for cameras!
I’m not sure about you but, since becoming a mom, I find it hard to stay on top of holidays, birthdays, etc., let alone plan for them in advance. I’ve become that person running out to the store the day of a birthday party to buy a gift bag, tissue paper, and a card. All I can say is thank God for Amazon Prime! It has saved me countless times when I couldn’t make it out to a mall or specific store to buy an in-person gift.
With Mother’s Day right around the corner on May 12, I thought I’d round up some gift ideas for the moms in your life that can all be purchased via Prime. Doing something with your mom in person on Mother’s Day is always the best gift of all, but that’s not always in the cards. Even if it is, it’s always nice to give her a little something special! Since returning things on Amazon can be a pain, I only included things that have been heavily reviewed, with ratings of 4.5 or 5, and that don’t need to be tried on. If you’re stumped on a gift this year (or just really short on time), I hope this offers some inspiration!
1. A silk pillowcase: Sleeping on a silk pillowcase is supposed to do wonders for your hair and skin. Is that true? Who knows. If nothing else though, it feels super luxurious and fancy! I’ve been meaning to snag one for myself and this one has excellent reviews and Good Housekeeping’s seal of approval.
2. Throw blanket: No matter the season, a nice throw blanket can provide a little comfort when you’re trying to relax. They can also add a decorative touch to a room. I have quite a few throughout the house and I use them daily. I know my mom does too. If leopard print isn’t appealing, this blanket comes in lots of different colors.
3. Mom Tote: This bag is basic but practical and I think it’s adorable. I love the idea of filling it with things your mom loves, like specific books or magazines, wine, speciality food items, beauty products, etc. That would make for a personalized and thoughtful gift I think any mom would appreciate!
4. Diffuser & Essential oils: I recently started diffusing essential oils at bedtime. It elevates my whole nighttime routine and kind of makes me feel like I’m at a spa! If your mom is into candles and doesn’t have a diffuser, I think a diffuser with a sampling of essential oils would make a nice gift. I really like the look of this diffuser because it isn’t massive and bulky like many others. It resembles a candle and doesn’t stick out in a room like a sore thumb. When it comes to essential oils, you have to be careful about the quality, especially since it’s something that’s being released into the air you breathe. I would stick to top rated brands, like Young Living, which I linked here.
5. Ceramic ring dish: Every time your mom drops her rings (or other jewelry) on this dish, she’ll get a little reminder of you and how much you appreciate her. How sweet is that?
6. Best Mom Ever Mug: I hesitated about featuring a mug here but I think this one is worthy of inclusion. I love the design and I like that it comes with a lid and a spoon.
Do you shop on Amazon for gifts? Have you found any gems?
Did you know that today is World Read Aloud Day? I did not (thank you SJP!) but, to honor such an important topic, I thought I’d share some of my favorite books to read aloud to babies. Studies have shown that reading to kids, especially young kids, is key for their development, and it’s something we do a lot of in our house. Both of my parents are librarians and I’m lucky that they instilled a love of reading in us at an early age. I hope that I can do the same for my kids! I’ve had a half-written post drafted for months now about my favorite baby books and once I saw that today is World Read Aloud Day, I figured I may as well get it up! I’m all for any effort to raise awareness of and encourage reading to kids. The books I’m mentioning here are ones I read with Jackson on repeat when he was a baby, and I’m now using them with Emmy too. Continue reading “My Favorite Baby Books”→
I mentioned in my last post that Emmy’s sleep has improved a ton, but it wasn’t by chance. I decided after Thanksgiving that the best gift I could give myself (and Emmy, too) for Christmas was the gift of sleep, so in early December, right after Emmy turned six months old, I decided to sleep train her. This wasn’t my first time at the rodeo since I wound up eventually sleep training Jackson as well (you can read about that here), but it didn’t make it any easier emotionally. Listening to your baby cry sucks, plain and simple. There’s no sugar coating it. That said, I would do it again in a heartbeat because it has done wonders for Emmy’s quality of sleep, and my sanity. I know sleep training is a very polarizing topic and many people are firmly against it. I never thought I would resort to it myself before I had Jackson, to be honest. Having gone through it twice now though, I’ve seen firsthand how it can be beneficial to both babies and parents (assuming a baby is ready). I’m certainly no expert on this, but I wanted to share my experience in case it helps someone else struggling with infant sleep issues.Continue reading “Sleep Training The Second Time Around”→
Well, I survived the first few months as a mother of two! As of last week Emmy is officially three months old. In some ways it feels like the time has flown by, but in others, it feels like an eternity. I haven’t posted anything in ages because, in all honesty, I could hardly keep my head above water, but things are finally getting a little more manageable and I wanted to recap how the past three months have been.
I’ve been attempting to get this post up for the past few weeks but between the gazillion interruptions and constant exhaustion, it just hasn’t happened. Better late than never I guess! I’m still very much in the trenches of life with a newborn, a.k.a. survival mode, so items that help me get by day-to-day (and night!) are top of mind. I’ve seen quite a few gift guides for moms, but they often focus on the baby. Baby stuff is important too, of course, but I wanted to share some ideas for gifts that moms can actually use or enjoy themselves. As any moms out there know, once little ones come along, moms’ needs fall majorly by the wayside. Just showering becomes a luxury in the early days (for me at least!).
Exactly one week from today we’ll be meeting our little girl. That is, unless she decides to make her debut early! I have a c-section scheduled for next Wednesday, at which point I’ll be 39 and a half weeks, so there’s a chance I could go into labor beforehand. Since I’ve been so on the fence about whether to schedule another c-section or try for a regular birth, I decided to schedule the surgery a little late (they usually do them at the 39 week mark) to give my body the opportunity to possibly go into labor on its own. If it does, I’ll try to let nature take its course and deliver naturally. As of right now though, I have no signs of early labor, so my guess is that won’t happen. I’m just going to go with the flow and see what happens. Either way, I’ll be holding a baby in my arms very soon and I couldn’t be more excited! Continue reading “The Final Countdown”→
Wholesome Homebody 