WARDROBE WEDNESDAY: THE KIMONO

Let's just be honest...after having two kids, these days I find myself loving leggings and flats over skinny jeans and heels...basically anything comfy!  Same thing goes with size and length of things...larger and longer equals I'll most likely buy it and add it to my closet.  That is why when I saw this kimono at Target I brought it home with me.  I couldn't find it online, but it's in store, by the brand xhilaration, and it costs $22.99 (I linked a similar item below).  I love how it's over sized and covers my tush, plus, I think the print is fun and I love the crochet trim.

Kimono: Target (found in store, but similar here)

Top: Loehmann's (old, similar here)

Jeans: LOFT

Boots: Vince Camuto

Bag: Hello Fab

Bracelets: Stella & Dot 1, 2

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Sunnies: Chanel

#INSTAGRAM

Hey guys! We are on our first real vacation as a family-of-four this week...we jet setted to sunny California to see family and friends and do fun stuff with the kids!  We are exploring great new towns, trying awesome restaurants, and discovering lots of amazing things that I can't wait to tell you all about when we get back.  In the meantime, I'll probably be sort of MIA this week, but if you want to follow us along on our trip...check out my daily posts on Instagram!  Hope you're all having a great week! :-)

FASHION FRIDAY: "ANTRHO-ESQUE"

One of my absolute favorite stores to shop for clothes is Anthropologie.  I think their styles are timeless, and of great quality.  That being said, unless you shop their sale section, their stuff is expensive.  So when I saw this top at Target recently, I grabbed it and threw it in my cart right away, because it is very "Anthro-esque," and it was only $22.99.  I mean, just look how similar this top below is from Anthropologie to the one I'm wearing, and it's $118!!!  Yay for Target!  #targetstyledoesitagain  Happy Friday Jet Setters!

Top: Target

Tank: Old Navy

Jeans: GAP

Booties: Sperry Top Siders

Bag: Juicy Couture (old, but available on ebay)

Earrings: Stella & Dot

Sunnies: Fendi (old, but similar here)

BIRTHDAY PARTY REVEL STYLE!

It's hard to believe that my little baby boys are now 3 and 1!  So as a fun little birthday trip (before our upcoming big birthday trip), we decided to take an impromptu trip to the Revel Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  This is now our third time there (read more about our first trip there here) because we just love it!  It's an absolutely gorgeous resort, located right on the beach and boardwalk in Atlantic City, with great restaurants, a beautiful indoor/outdoor pool and one of the nicest spas I've ever seen!  In addition, to help get people down to the Jersey Shore again (post Sandy), especially during the cold winter months/off-season, you can always jet set smart because the deals are so amazing!  We went for one night, and our room only cost $69!!!  I mean, that's pretty sweet, don't you think?  Anyway, we had fun splashing around in the pool with the boys, sleeping in our big comfy cozy bed, and we had an incredible tapas dinner at Amada (our first time to this one- we've eaten at the one in Philly before), and an awesome lunch of burgers and fries at Village Whiskey.  Here are some pictures from our trip.  We had the best time, and definitely look forward to going back there again soon!  If you can visit the Revel Resort, I highly recommend it!

WARDROBE WEDNESDAY: WINTER FLORALS

Hey everyone!  Sorry I've been MIA, I was helping friends and family with a couple of things lately and couldn't get onto the computer.  Anyway, I picked up this dress at Anthropologie recently for a little impromptu trip to Revel Resort in Atlantic City (more on our stay coming up tomorrow on the blog).  I think this dress is so pretty and I just love how versatile it will be in my wardrobe- I'm picturing it with leggings and sandals in the spring and with just flip-flops in the summertime.  You can't see it in these pictures, but the dress has 3/4 length sleeves which I just love because I feel like this dress can work for every season!

Dress: Anthropologie

Jacket: Nuage (purchased at Lifestyles Boutique in Saratoga Springs)

Tights: Hue

Boots: Target (found in clearance section at local store, similar here)

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Earrings: Stella & Dot

Bracelets: Stella & Dot 1, 2

Ring: Stella & Dot

Bag: Louis Vuitton

Sunnies: Fendi (old similar here)

FASHION FRIDAY: MILITARY JACKET

I had been looking around for a military jacket as a transition piece into spring.  So when I saw this at J. Crew I knew I wanted it, and I was absolutely psyched to get it during their 40% sale!  This jacket is great to layer, and will be the perfect jacket to take with me on our upcoming trip to California!

Jacket: J Crew

Sweatshirt: H&M

Shirt: GAP

Jeans: LOFT

Shoes: Nine West

Bag: Hello Fab

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Earrings: Stella & Dot

Ring: Stella & Dot

Bracelets: Stella & Dot 1, 2

MOM MUST HAVES FOR THE FIRST YEAR

Now that my boys are almost 3 years old and 1 years old, I am finally able to compile my list of  Mom Must Haves for the First Year!  Many of you have asked me to share the products I love, but I really wanted to wait until I went through the products two times to really know that they are my favorites.  So without any further ado...here they are:

1. WATERWIPES  These wipes are made with 99.9% water and 0.1% fruit extract...you pretty much can't get any purer than that in a wipe!  They are thick and soft and I just love them and wouldn't go back to using any other baby wipes on my children's skin and bottoms.  My boys have never had a diaper rash and I firmly believe it's thanks to these wipes. 
   
2. BOUDREUX'S BUTT PASTE  This stuff smells great and is not only great at treating diaper rash, but even better at preventing it.  Just rub a little bit on each time you change a diaper, and your baby should always have a clear bottom.  
   
3. MUSTELA BABY PRODUCTS  I love each and every single thing from the Mustela line.    It's hypo allergenic and made for babies, but smells so good I often find myself using it too!  My top two favorites from the line that I always have on hand are the dermo cleansing bath soap and the body lotion.  
   
   
   
4. SKIP HOP PRONTO! CHANGING STATION  This is your best friend!  It can carry diapers and wipes and opens up to an instant changing pad.  It also has a zipper pocket (to hold things like a tube of boudreaux's butt paste, q-tips, lip gloss for mommy, etc.)  Even though most diaper bags come with compartments for diapers and many come with changing pads, there's nothing as good as the pronto- you just grab it out of your bag so you don't have to lug a huge diaper bag to the bathroom...it's awesome!  
   
5. SOUND MACHINE  The one that I have and love is the HoMedics Sound Spa Lullaby Sound Machine- it has a few different options for sounds (ocean, rain, twinkle twinkle, heartbeat) and also has a light option that plays a scene on the ceiling of cows jumping over moons!  It's too cute, drowns out noises once you get baby to sleep and is really soothing for them.  I even take it with us when we travel because it's that great and easily portable!  
   
6. ORBIT BABY STROLLER SYSTEM AND CAR SEAT  I will never forget being in Buy Buy Baby with Rich looking at strollers before Richie was born and the guy at the store kept showing it to him.  I finally walked over and said "no, I don't care if celebrities have it, it's ugly and it looks like a spaceship."  Rich then told me all the reasons he was sold on it, like the fact that the car seat rotates 180* in the stroller frame and in the car, making it easy to take baby in and out of car, and making it easy to turn baby away from the sun or wind.  He also really sold me when he told me that Orbit and Britax are the only car seats that are approved for front and rear end crashes.  I didn't know, but in the U.S., car seats only have to pass front end crashes to meet standards...crazy!  The toddler seat and car seat do the same 180* thing too!  Yes, the system is very expensive, but worth every penny!!!  
   
7. TOMMEE TIPPEE BIBS When your baby starts solids, this is the best bib to have around.  It has a convenient, crumb-catching bottom, wipes clean so it can be used again and again, and it rolls up which makes it easy to travel with!  
   
8. ERGO BABY CARRIER or any baby carrier that works for you!  I have the Ergo and love it, but really my point is that you should have something that you can use to wear the baby.  Whenever the baby is cranky, just put the baby in a carrier and walk around and do chores or whatever you need to do, and before you know it, baby will be fast asleep!  
   
9. ADEN AND ANAIS BLANKETS These blankets are big, soft, light-weight and can be used for many things from swaddling, to laying on, to covering your little ones from the sun or for extra warmth...you name it!  Plus, they come in a variety of absolutely adorable prints!  
   
10. BOPPY PILLOW This is AMAZING!  I used it to help me nurse when my babies were first born- it made it so much easier to hold them while they were feeding.  It's also great to lay the baby on propped up after a feeding or when the baby gets bigger to use it during supervised tummy time.  I had two boppy pillows and highly recommend them to any mom!  
    
11. WOOMBIE I was never good at swaddling!  My swaddles were never tight enough and babies want to be snug because it reminds them of being in the womb.  The solution?  A woombie!  It's basically a spandex swaddle blanket that zippers up the front so the baby is swaddled, but can still move the same way it did in the womb...hence the name woombie.  You cannot find the woombie in an baby store, only on their website.  So worth getting it I tell you if you want to get some rest!  
    
12. PUJ TUB This tub can fit in your sink and is easy to travel with.  Most baby tubs are so big and take up so much room in your bathroom- not the Puj!  It's also the perfect size to bath your little baby in the beginning.  I think I used it up to around 4-6 months when baby can sit up, turn or just gets too big for it.   
    
13. HYLAND'S TEETHING TABLETS  When your baby starts teething, have this on hand and I'm telling you, you baby will instantly be less cranky.  You can either put a couple tablets right into your baby's mouth, or you can dissolve a couple pellets in ware and then rub that on your baby's gums- either way- this stuff works!  I have heard too many not so good things about oragel and its ingredients, but the teething pellets are all natural.