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3 DIY Activities for Babies

April 16, 2020 by firstcomesfamily Leave a Comment

If you follow me on Instagram, then you know I’ve been posting the DIY activities I’ve been doing with our 11 month old girl. With the influx of lockdowns in states across the country, we are home with our babies A LOT more. Now is the time to do all of those activities with your babies that you pinned months ago. Here are my 3 activities that we gave a go in the past week! These activities get their neurons firing and senses overloaded.

Keep in mind, the attention span is 3 to 5 minutes per year of age. So don’t be surprised if your little one only finds joy in these for a minute or so.

Mess Free Painting

You will need:

-Paper

-Gallon Baggies

-Paint (preferably washable)

-Packing tape (a strong tape)

Take a sheet of a paper and put dabs of paint all over it. Carefully place in a gallon bag and zip. Tape bag down flat on a high chair, table or the floor. Then let your babe “finger paint”, moving the colors around, feeling the texture and explaining each color. When finished, take out the paper of the bag and let dry!

Sensory Spagetti

Things you’ll need:

-1/2 box Spaghetti or any pasta

-Pot (for boiling spaghetti)

-Strainer

-Food Coloring

-Baggies

-Oil (vegetable/olive)

Okay, this has been our favorite. Cook spaghetti as you normally would but leave it a little more al dente so that it doesn’t mush. Strain pasta and let dry a little. Separate the pasta into baggies (as many colors as you’d like) and place 10-20 drops of food coloring with a 1/2 tbsp of oil into each bag and shake up! Once coloring is even on pasta, rinse and strain so theres no excess coloring on it. Lay on a pan with paper towels to dry and soak additional colorings. Then place in a tub/container and play! It’s fun to point out colors and let them feel the textures. Warning: they will probably eat it!!

Colored Bag Hanging

Things You’ll Need:

-Gallon Baggies

-Water

-Food Coloring

-Strong Tape (I used packing tape)

Fill each bag with about 3 cups of water. Place 5-10 drops of food coloring in each bag (as many colors as you’d like). Zip bags up and tape to a glass door or even the stove window! Babies will love squeezing and seeing the colors shine. Our girl loved this and we kept it up for a few days!

Sensory activities are a great way to introduce new things to your child. They help stimulate the brain and create nueron pathways to improve sensory processing. It may take a bit for time to gather these activities but I’m sure they’ll be a hit to keep our crazy kiddos busy!

Productive Things to Do While Staying Home

March 25, 2020 by firstcomesfamily Leave a Comment

I’ve been a stay at home mom for almost one year and the thing I’ve struggled with most is how to be productive. It has taken me this long to actually get a routine and structure to get things done. Having an idea of what your day will look like helps have a mental to-do list opposed to sitting in jammies while your toddler runs around. Now I’m no expert on being productive but here are a few tips you can implement to get going!

Meal Plan for the Week

This takes about 20-30 minutes a week to actually write down meal ideas for the week. Nothing takes the stress out of your kid’s “What’s for dinner?” than having it laid out in front of you. I have been meal planning since I started home and it helps me feel less scattered throughout the week. I love this meal planner from Rifle Paper Co.

Choose One Chore a Day

The easiest way to keep up the never ending cycle of a messy home is to chose one chore a day. For example, Mondays are dusting, Tuesdays are the floors, Wednesdays are bathroom sinks, Thursdays are kids rooms, Fridays are the kitchen. You could even pick a room a day to clean instead!

Laundry Each Day

Depending on the size of your family, aim for a load of laundry each day! If it’s just you, then pick 2 days a week to do it. The key is to not let it sit in the basket for days after they’ve been dried. We all know it takes 7-10 business days to fold and put away laundry. So a load a day will help keep it manageable and easy to fold especially while watching a new episode of the Bachelor.

Change out of your PJs

Okay this one is hard for me! BUT, I feel most productive if I immediately get dressed for the day when I wake up. I’m more apt to do more things throughout the day if I get out of my comfy pants and oversized tee. It also helps me feel put together and not so drab.

Turn off the TV

I’m guilty of leaving the tv on with Friends or The New Girl on in the background while I scurry around the house. Then I catch myself glued to an episode for longer than anticipated and before I know it, my little one is up from her nap. Try blocking times out where you turn the TV off and turn on music instead.

Exercise in the Morning

This is the hardest to do because we all want to stay in our comfy pants and drink coffee on the couch in the morning. Gear up and hit the gym in the morning! It’s a fact that you have more energy to last the whole day when you move your body in the AM.

What is your favorite way to stay productive?! How do you get things done? Share with me below!

5 Things I wish DIDN’T put on my Baby Registry

March 23, 2020 by firstcomesfamily Leave a Comment

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission should you choose to make a purchase using my link. It’s okay – I love all of these companies anyways, and you will too!

The first thing you want to do after you find out you’re pregnant is shop. You create a baby registry on every site you know of: Target, Walmart, Babylist, and of course Amazon. They usually give a list of recommended items to register for, but do you really need them?! To be honest, there are a few things that I wish I didn’t register for just because people recommended it. I’m going to share the 5 items that I wish I didn’t put on my registry below!

Milestone Blanket

I registered for this gorgeous custom milestone blanket after seeing photos all over Instagram. After time went on, I actually ended up using this felt letter board that I used for my weekly pregnancy photos. It is also super trendy and instagrammable.

Binxy Baby Shopping Cart Hammock

These looked like such a fun concept for grocery carts since car seats these days don’t go in child seat in carts anymore (they used to in 90s). I used this thing like once and it was SO much work to set up, take her out of the car, put her in, etc. I did end up keeping it because I do think it’ll be beneficial for when we have another baby.

Car Seat Cover

Another trendy item that I added from influence from Instagram. The downfall is that we live in Florida and it gets to almost 100 degrees here in the summer! It is even warmer when these covers are used on car seats. I can see how this is helpful for nursing moms and perhaps strolling around grocery stores or cool weather.

Boppy Floral Stripe Nursing Pillow and Positioner - Pink - image 1 of 15 — Credit: Target

Boppy Pillow

Some people swear by these!! I however did not. It was way more uncomfortable using this. I ended up doing football hold for breastfeeding most times. We did use this as she was starting to sit up and would set it on the bed to hang out.

Power Nail File

I saw a mom using this on her little baby and it looked so easy! It was so nerve wracking at the thought of cutting my baby’s nails. This is honestly was way scary to use on her!! I ended up using the NailFrida and swear by it.

Now some of these items may be super helpful to you but I just didn’t see the need for them! I think when adding these, it was more of a want than a need. What items do you wish you didn’t put on your registry? Share with me below!

XOXO,

Shie

Old Navy Baby Boy Spring Haul

March 20, 2020 by firstcomesfamily Leave a Comment

I can’t help but browse through Old Navy’s new spring finds for little boys. Old Navy has great quality and the trendiest baby clothes. I’ve rounded the cutest items for baby boys in the photo below. All you have to do is click on the item you like in the photo and it will take you directly to the item!

Happy Shopping!

Old Navy Baby Girl Spring Haul

March 20, 2020 by firstcomesfamily Leave a Comment

Spring is here like it or not! I’ve gathered my favorite spring picks from Old Navy for baby girls! I love shopping at Old Navy because their products are affordable and great quality. Most of my girl’s wardrobe is from Old Navy, not gonna lie. LOL

Just click the item you want to see and it’ll take you directly to Old Navy’s page for it! Thanks for shopping!

5 Things to Do while Social Distancing with Babies

March 18, 2020 by firstcomesfamily Leave a Comment

We all practice it at time, but now it’s for real.. social distancing with babies. Whether you have a newborn or a 11 month old, it can be tough to stay home every single day. It is extremely important that we limit our interactions with germs that could possibly spread COVID19. If you’re like me, not a day goes by without a trip to Target, the park or coffee shop. I bet you’re wondering, “What on earth can we do at home for 2 weeks straight?”. Let me show you some of the activities I plan to do with my 10 month old!

Puzzles

This is our first time introducing a puzzle to Vivian but I figured it could spark some new skills in her. We got some of the Melissa and Doug Sound Puzzles that you can find HERE. I thought it would be fun to teach her animal sounds while seeing animals.

Painting

Since babies literally put everything in there mouths, I put a piece of paper with a few drops of paint inside of a gallon size ziplock bag. Then I taped it to the highchair tray. This way she could feel the texture and “paint” a picture! Not too messy! We used this paint: Crayola Paint Pots Washable.

Light Up Bath

I’ve been seen these light up bath toys circulating on social media for kiddos. Give them a midday bath, turn the lights off, turn these toys on, and let them have some fun! They may like the different colors and playing in the water.

Lovevery Play Gym

The Lovevery Play Gym is perfect from Newborn – 2 years old. It offers Montessori themed education for the littlest babies. The Play Gym turns into a tent for older babies to who are on the move. You can get Free Shipping on a purchase over $75 HERE.

Jello Sensory Bin

Okay, gonna warn you it’s a little messy. Gather some plastic toys like these. Place them in a bin or pan (9×13 will do) then prepare a box of jello as you would normally. Mix jello and toys together and let sit. Once it is firm, babies will have a blast grabbing and feeling

Let’s be real, these activities don’t keep a baby occupied for hours on end but at least a few minutes will give you sanity. I’d love to hear of the activities you’re doing with your kiddos in these isolating times. Share in the comments of tag me on Instagram, @firstcomesfamily.mama!

A Mom’s Real Review of Dyper Bamboo Diapers

March 10, 2020 by firstcomesfamily Leave a Comment

Disclaimer: This product was received for free in return of my honest review. This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission should you choose to make a purchase using my link. It’s okay – I love all of these companies anyways, and you will too!

Did you know that babies go through around 2,000 diapers in their first year of life? That’s A LOT of diapers! Have you ever thought about where they go after you toss them? Well, they go to the landfills where they take anywhere from 250-500 years to breakdown! INSANE. Finally, Dyper has released a line of compostable diapers that is an easy subscription based service.

Sizing

We chose the Mediums for Vivian as she is 19 pounds and 29 inches! These run a little slimmer than big brand diapers. Sizing goes by weight and uses traditional sizing as below:

Newborn (<10 lbs/4 kg) Diapers (260/Delivery)
Small (6-16 lbs/3-8 kg) Diapers (220/Delivery)
Medium (13-22 lbs/6-10 kg) Diapers (180/Delivery)
Large (20-31 lbs/9-14 kg) Diapers (140/Delivery)
Extra Large (28+ lbs/12+ kg) Diapers (100/Delivery)

What I loved:

Softness– Since they’re made from bamboo, they’re SO soft to the touch. Think organic bamboo onesies that are so silky, like that but a diaper!

Absorbency– It passed the overnight test for us! We had no leaks whatsoever, especially overnight. There wasn’t even a residue on the diaper which others like Hello Bello have. I was even expecting the pee smell like most eco-friendly diapers, but not these!

Wetness Indicator– For my husbands sake, we love when it shows the diaper is wet. Most green diaper companies don’t have a wetness indicator so this was surprising to see!

Free of Chemicals– They use biodegradable Chlorine-Free Wood pulp for the absorbent core. No latex, chlorine, PVC, TBT, antioxidants, perfumes, lotions, or phthalates. (most big-name diapers contain these)

What I Didn’t Love:

Size– These run a bit more narrow that a traditional Pampers as shown below.

Literally the only thing I didn’t care for but I could’ve easily sized up!

Wipes

Made from only 4 ingredients!!

Viscose From 100% Bamboo
Reverse Osmosis Purified Water
Glycerin
Aloe Extract

These are even better than the leading all natural wipe on the market. Being made from Viscose from 100% Bamboo makes them extremely soft, resembling their diapers. They do run smaller than a traditional wipe but the pure ingredients surely make up for it.

Dyper Wipes – Soft & Absorbent wipes with just 5 ingredients! Order Now and experience the ultimate baby wipes with no scents and harsh chemicals from GetDyper.com!

Subscription: How It Works

Dyper is a subscription based diaper service that you order directly from their website or app. For $68 a month, you get 4 weeks worth of diapers with free shipping! Don’t worry, they do the math to make sure you don’t run out. Even if you do, they have a SOS service that will deliver them in as little as 2 hours! WOW, even better than Amazon right?!

Add Ons: You can add 3 packs of 80 wipes for only $15 more! Which with those ingredients, it’s hard to pass that up. They also have a service where they take care of the composting which requires you to mail back your used diapers monthly for only $39!

Bottom Line

Order these right NOW! They cost similarly to the leading eco-friendly subscription diaper services PLUS they are actually good for the environment! Also, their SOS service is unlike anything else because who actually wants to pack up a baby and go to Target when you run out of diapers mid day?!

GetDyper.com Subscribe Now – Diapers for $68 per month. Never run out, never too many, Save the Bum and Save the earth. Subscribe NOW with GetDyper.com and never worry about diapers again.

Why I’m afraid to wean from Breastfeeding

February 26, 2020 by firstcomesfamily Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: Kimberley Asante Photography

We’ve made it 10 long months of breastfeeding with only 2 months left until our goal of 1 year. I should be proud of my progress, but all I can think about is how afraid I am to wean from breastfeeding. It’s as if there is a clock ticking time down until we’re finished. Everyday feels numbered until she magically stops latching.

The bond I have with her through breastfeeding is so incredible. I feel so close to her, after all I am literally her life source. We’ve been blessed with a rather easy journey. She latched immediately after birth and we’ve haven’t had many hurdles to overcome. It’s was easy for us. Her and I are meant to be on this journey together.

Naturally, any baby will depend on their mother regardless of how their fed. We’ve only breastfed so this is the only connection that I know. She is so completely attached to me since day 1 and it only continues to get stronger. I worry that if and when we wean that I’m robbing her of comfort, love, and nutrition. My heart breaks into pieces when she cries as is, but I can’t imagine what it will feel like when the tears are caused by refusing her the only thing she knows of.

The selfish part of me thinks “What if she just wakes up one day and doesn’t want to feed?”. How do I prepare for the moment my baby girl doesn’t want me? Not being able to have some sort of closure or last moment together is what I fear. We’ve spent roughly 5 hours a day breastfeeding for the last 10 months. This comes out to be around 1,500 hours breastfeeding. That is 1,500 hours of just her and I, in our own little world. How do we go on not doing what spent nearly 50% of our days doing?

This journey has been the most amazing experience of my life. Breastfeeding my first baby, my little girl. I’ve given her some of the absolute most important days of breastfeeding that she could have. According to the AAP, breastmilk has already reduced her chances of ear infections, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, lymphoma, leukemia, and Hodgkins disease, childhood overweight and obesity.

In the big picture, I don’t know why I’m worrying so much about our days being over. She will love me no matter what and I will still look at her with such admiration as I have since her first minutes in this world. But I do know that I am not the only mother fearing the end of her breastfeeding journey.

Diaper Bag Essentials

February 17, 2020 by firstcomesfamily Leave a Comment

The diaper bag is every parents magical bag of everything. Literally I even have a spare shirt in there for me. My husband thinks it’s entirely too full of useless items, but guess who isn’t laughing when there is 3 back up outfits for baby after 2 blow outs. Mhm, that’s what I thought. So if you’re a new mama or even a veteran mama, let’s take a look inside my diaper bag right now!

Diapers are obviously important! I keep 3-5 in the bag at all times. Good rule of thumb is 1 diaper per hour gone.

Wipes! I like to buy the travel size packs of wipes to keep in the bag because normal packs are just too bulky.

Swaddle blanket. Perfect is there is a little chill in the air, if you have to nurse, or if you need to lay it down for a diaper change in a gross place.

2 back up outfits for baby. Always 2!! One time, our baby girl had 2 blowouts back to back when we were out. Thank goodness I had 2 outfits for her! Phew!

Hand Sanitizer! No brainer especially because there are germs lurking every where. No hands are safe!

Bibs! I love to keep a drool bib and a silicone bib in the bag in case of teething or meal times.

Snacks! Most important thing for babies who are eating solids! We always keep Cheerios, pouches, and a sippy cup in the bag.

Poop Bags. Yup, like doggy poop bags. These are perfect for dirty clothes and diapers when you’re out and about.

Sound Machine! We use this when traveling or on the go. I attach it to the carseat and she passes right out when we need her to nap.

Teething Toy. I feel like babies start teething at 3 months (at least mine did ). Always keep one at all times to put out in case of teething nightmares!

Tide to Go. This is more for you, mama. Nothing worse than being in public and getting spit up on your only cute top that fits you. Funny story, one time my baby had a blowout on me while I was holding her…. while getting coffee at Starbucks! I was mortified.

Mama kit, that’s what I call it. I keep granola bars, perfume, tissues, hair ties, chapstick and pens. Ya never know when you’ll need any of those! I use my diaper bag as my purse, so I have to keep essentials in it.

Below are my go to items for my diaper bag!

I have put together a FREE printable Diaper Bag Checklist! All you have to do is click and download Mama!

You’re exhausted, mama. I am too.

February 10, 2020 by firstcomesfamily Leave a Comment

Dear mama,

It’s okay to not want to change another diaper. Its okay to not want to pick up all of the toys day after day. It’s okay to want someone else to feed the kids while you take a shower. It’s okay to want to go grocery shopping alone. It’s okay to not want to do another load of laundry, even if theres a mountain of it in the laundry room. It’s okay to sit in the bathroom for 10 minutes while your kids an husband go haywire. It’s okay.

You’re exhausted, mama. I am too. Some days you just want to be the irresponsible twenty something year old who would take tequila shots and sleep in until 11 on the weekends. You thought hangovers were exhausting? Now you don’t even think of drinking too much because there’s no one else to turn on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for the kids while they run around at 6 am.

But sometimes, it would be nice to just let go and not worry. Go shopping, lose track of time, get a pedicure, stay in a hotel overnight, and not wake up to a crying baby. Those days will come. They’re actually closer than we think. I know it doesn’t seem like it now but doesn’t it feel like just yesterday you gave birth to your first born? Exactly.

I’m trying to say, it’s okay to be exhausted and just want to do nothing. You’re not alone in this. We all feel defeated after a day of chasing kids, changing diapers, cooking meals, and errand running. Being a mom is hard. Hang in there mama, we’re going to miss these crazy exhausting days. For now, take a bubble bath and pretend you’re in the islands.

XOXO