Runs on Coffee and Cream

Fall is upon us! Pumpkin everything is everywhere and Halloween decorations are popping up. I recently received an email from Davids Tea about their new collection and I'm in LOVE. 

Having my first child has been eye-opening. I've learnt so much and made so many mistakes. It becomes a guessing game of what your child needs at times. You want to be 'perfect' but the reality is we're all just winging it and doing the best we can. Sometimes that means spending hours on Google, texting every 'mom' friend you have, or on hold with poison control because your baby licked eczema cream off your finger when you were putting it on her cheeks (or trying to).

With Christmas around the corner, I thought I'd share the top baby items that have saved us over and over again. They would be perfect gift ideas for new parents-to-be or stocking stuffers for infants.

1. Swaddle blankets - even if your child doesn't like to be swaddled these blankets are amazing. They're extra large and made from a breathable cotton. They were perfect for the spring and summer to bring with us on walks. If there was a cool breeze, too much sun, or Emma was upset, having a muslin cotton swaddle on hand helped in all those situations.

She's grown very attached to her swaddles. We've been using them in her car seat since spring and she's become snuggly with them.

2. Oball - this is an expensive and little toy. It's absolutely perfect for little baby hands! It was the first toy Emma could hold and she was obsessed with it and actually she still is. It was the perfect toy to entertain her from a young age.

Look how little she was!! Anyways, look at that grip on the Oball!

3. Bamboo wipes - these have been great to clean Emma's face. I still use basic Huggies or Pampers wipes for diaper changes. However, since birth Emma has had sensitive skin. She's had some dry spots on her cheeks and her nose gets a little dry after wiping her face after feedings. I quickly switched to natural bamboo wipes for face wipe ups (usually when we're on the go or in a rush) to help with Emma's skin. I noticed right away that her skin didn't look so pink or irritated when using the bamboo wipes.

I've used both this brand and Aleva bamboo wipes.

4. Toy with hook(s) - there are about a million baby toys out there with a hook attached to the top of them. If you find the right one and add on extra hooks (they sell link loops separately) they are ideal to keep on the infant car seat handle. We found a frog that had hanging legs with rattles, tags, and teething rings on it and it's saved us so many times! Baby freaking out in the store? Distract her with the rattle. Baby getting annoyed during a walk? Give her the teether.

You can see the chain of loops we have to hook her frog to the car seat handle. It keeps him from getting lost!

5. Pacifier clip - if you will be using a pacifier, definitely get a strap for it! The first couple of months of Emma's life was her throwing the pacifier onto the floor. She had a hard time keeping it in her mouth and it always landed on the floor. We finally picked up pacifier straps when we took her to the doctor's and she dropped the pacifier on the floor. We were officially grossed out and made a point of searching out a strap for it. It's been helpful when we're out and about. Worse case scenario, the pacifier ends up in her armpit but at least it's clean and not lost in some store. Also, there are times when the pacifier isn't what she wants and she ends up content just playing with the colourful strap hooked onto her shirt.

Made by The Peanut Shell

Every baby is different and they won't all want the same things. The items on this list definitely made life easier for us though and, after 8 months, we've bought multiples of the above items too.

What items made life easier for you when you first had your baby?

xo Jen

Spring has finally shown up. The days are warm and the sun is shining. I've been going for multiple walks each week with Emma. Having a routine for my walks has been key to going out more. I load up the stroller with Emma, a water bottle, and my cell phone. Then we head out to walk around the neighbourhood. We have a certain route we take and we always hit up the mailbox half way through our walk. It's been great to soak in the sunshine and feel the fresh air on my skin. After a long winter being very pregnant, and then 6 weeks of being stuck in the house during my c-section recovery, these walks are very therapeutic. I need to move and feel warm, fresh air. It's a bright spot in my day.

I'm excited for summer. I have so many plans for us... hangouts in the yard, walks, picnics at the park, afternoons at the beach. I'm excited for these family days and moments with Emma.

There's a few things I'd love to pick up to get ready for summer.


Clockwise from top right:
Iced Tea Pitcher - I have the personal iced tea press and I love it! I want the pitcher for when we have company over.
Ice Cream Notebook - I love this print and I think this notebook would be great to carry in my bag to write down random thoughts, to-dos, and shopping lists. Mommy brain is real!
Summer Dress - How comfy does this dress look!? And it's super cute. It's so needed for hot days.
S'ip Bottle - I've been trying to drink more water and a stainless steel bottle would be great to keep my water cold during hot days.

What's on your summer wish list?
xo Jen

Valentine's Day has never been a big event for me and Adam. Sometimes we exchange a small gift and sometimes we just go out for a meal together. Now, in no way am I hinting this post towards Adam (I swear!), but I wanted to share some of my top picks that I'd be happy to get for Valentine's Day.

It's no secret how much I love winter clothing and I'm on the hunt for some dresses and clothes that can be worn to family functions over the holidays. I recently stocked up on tights at Target over in the U.S. and I bought new boots from Payless. I need just a few more things and I'm ready for the winter holiday season!

Winter Wishlist:








What's on your wishlist for the winter season?

xo Jen

I normally spend some time on Sunday going through Etsy and then create a treasury with the great items I have found, but yesturday was a family-filled day for me. So instead, I spent some time this evening going through my favourite items and shops because this treasury is my wishlist for my birthday. It's a little under a month away and I'm starting to get excited for it.



I hope everyone had a great weekend!

xo Jen

The weather in Southern Ontario over the past week has been beautiful. It feels like Spring! Most days I've been able to go without a sweater and today I was happy to wear a dress without tights.

Even though I believe we could easily get another snowfall before Winter is up, this weather has me thinking of Spring clothes. I've been eyeing up new clothes online and in store for the Spring and Summer season.

To be honest, I can't make a wishlist of new clothes from a site like Modcloth. The reality is, it's just not in my budget. I can only treat myself to a dress from that site a couple times a year. I need to be looking at clothes that will fit into my budget, especially since some stores at my local mall normally have great sales and have discount codes for online or in-store shopping. This is why most of the clothes I'm wanting right now are from stores like Old Navy and H&M.



I love her hair as well!



I'm so in love with this print!



I also have to get myself some denim capris for Spring. Last year I was working in an office so I wore dresses and skirts everyday. Now, working in a toy store, I live in jeans at work. But I definitely would like to get something else to wear once it gets warm outside.

Next week, me and Adam are heading across the border for a day to do some shopping in the U.S. I'm so excited to hit up Target! I'm sure I'll be picking up a few geeky shirts between Target and Hot Topic. My fingers are crossed that I can find a Hunger Games and Avengers t-shirt.

I hope everyone had a great weekend! It's back to work tomorrow for me. But, it's officially countdown time until I get to see The Hunger Games!

xo Jen