In the Crib

We finally decided that a change had to be made.

Brooklyn hasn't had the best track record when it comes to sleeping. She despised her bassinet so we bought her a cradle swing which was a life saver. She has slept in that plush, musical, little swing since she was just shy of 2 months old. Well, our little girl needs more space to sprawl out and twist and turn so we had to change the scene. We tried the crib a few times but could only handle listening to her cry for about, oh, 3 seconds. Seriously, isn't it heartbreaking to hear your little baby crying?

We obviously are first time parents and just weren't ready to let her cry it out, so into our bed she went. Four or five weeks have passed and I swear that none of us have slept more than three broken hours a night in those weeks. "Fairly cranky" is a phrase that could be used to describe me when I'm sleep deprived and my poor husband has to work for a living! Most importantly, Little B needs her beauty rest.

We knew what we had to do.

On the fateful day of July 22, we had the resolve to lay her down in her crib. Cody and I prepared for it all day. We read passages from a book that was given to us, "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" and we reassured each other that we must try again and it is the very best thing for our baby. We went downstairs, watched "The Bachelorette" (Yay for Jef!) and listened off and on to her cry for about 25 minutes while we squeezed each others hands in solidarity. She woke up a few times during the next two nights but on the THIRD night, that little princess slept from 9 pm until 7:00 freaking AM!

                                                                   Happy Baby!


Parents, this stuff is hard and it puts you to the test. RIGHT?!

Brooklyn is 9 months old today and she was ready. We know it will help her in the long run and it's pretty great for Cody and me, too. I like to call this a WIN WIN WIN!

XOXO

Wendy

Summer Favorites!

I'm back from my girls trip and finally recovered...I think. It was incredible! Now that things are back to normal, I thought I'd share some of my summer must haves. Take them or leave them--they're just what I'm really into at the moment. Enjoy!

1. "Rock Your Hair" Hairspray (Marshall's-$9.99)-I LOVE this can of hairspray. Mostly, I love the look of the can! It works well and is light, but honestly, it's more about the packaging. Just being honest.

2. L'Oreal Sublime Bronze *Gelee* (Walgreens $10ish)-My very favorite self-tanning product. It looks so natural and is easy to apply. While I was pregnant, I used it a TON to help my self esteem :) I often use it after I've done my airbrush tan at home to blend in my streaks. I have lots of practice to do with my little at-home airbrusher, but that topic is for another day!

3. Old Navy Water Bottle ($8)-It is super cute and the lid pops up and reveals a rubber straw that just folds over once the lid is closed. I carry it with me everywhere. I like how stylish it is and that I don't have to keep buying individual water bottles. Look at how environmentally aware I've become!

4. Shea Moisture, Raw Shea Butter Lotion (Target-$10)-It smells delish and is really softening. It brings such a different smell that lasts. I also snagged the body wash.

5. Sally Hansen "Complete Care" Base and Top Coat ($5 or so)-This product has been in my little nail polish bag for years. I have tried a variety of others and this is the little nugget that seems to work the best. The true test is happening now-I just used some cheap nailpolish (NYK-$1.73 at Target) with this base and top coat. I'll let you know how long it lasts.

6. Leather Wrap Bracelet-Nordstrom's sells these little cats for around $12. Bracelets are my top accessory of the moment and they need to be sturdy so B can't break them but can mess around with them. I am rarely caught without this guy.

7. "W" Necklace-This is straight from Billings, MT. You NEVER see a "W" on necklaces. I guess it is a weird letter? I saw this while shopping with my MIL and picked it up and put it down about 41 times before I decided it was a must have. (I'm trying not to spend as much...) No regrets about this sweet purchase. I've worn it just about every day.

8. Weleda Rosemary Hair Oil (Target $14)-Truth be told, I've only tried this once and it was yesterday. It was nestled in by the Shea Butter lotion I spoke of above and looked intriguing. It smells so fresh and reminds me of the Aveda products. It softened my ends with only a few drops. You can also use it as a deep conditioner when you have the time. That will be my next experiment.

9. Garnier BB Cream (Walmart $10)-BB cream is taking over the skincare market. If you haven't heard of it yet, you will. This one is inexpensive but excellent. It has SPF 15 and moisturizes and evens your skin tone with the non-dense color (I can't think of a better way to describe this. Ha!). I love it for the summer because most of the time I am not interested in doing full make up. Try this!

Let me know what you think of this list and of any faves YOU have! I'd love to hear your comments!

XOXO

Wendy