pool day (with oxo tot)

this summer we will be at a pool at least once a week. 

we are lucky enough to have cousins just outside of the city with a pool in their yard!

 doesn't love the sun in his eyes, but little man had a blast in the pool.

 linc is taking a break from the excitement and enjoying some water in his new transition sippy cup

 julius is figuring out how sippy cups work.

two cute cousins are enjoying their lunch by the pool.

 

 i cant get enough of this one, booty and cheeks.

thank you [oxo tot] for supplying us with:

[transitions soft spout sippy cup set]

[ transitions sippy cup (9 oz.)]

[roll-up bib]

not pictured: [cleaning set for straw and sippy cups] 

baby carrying & garfield park conservatory

snow day spent at our beautiful conservatory. i pretty much want the inside of my house to smell and feel like this place. warms your bones and gives you a lift.

i took my friend robin with me. he flew the whole time.

you may think i have one boob bigger than the other. but thats just sleepy baby julie's head. 

he loves being wrapped up tight.

this was the coolest fish i have ever seen. skeleton koi fish? 

his back even had black dots going down looking like a spine.

robin, showing off.

thanks to [wrapy] for keeping baby julie happy in his favorite cozy spot.

this fabric is stretchy and light. really easy to wrap, then rolls up to fit in my bag. 

if your looking for an affordable baby wrap, wrapy is your guy.

right now julius wants to live inside my body. this is second best.

[wrapy baby wrap]

waterfall glen forest preserve

we took these cuties to [waterfall glen forest preserve] last thursday for a morning adventure. this little getaway is only about 30 minutes outside of chicago. sometimes every now and then you need some nature lovin.

thea and lincoln met when they were about 5 months old, (they are born a week apart) and have been friends ever since.

thank you [whitney] for my mini maternity waterfall photoshoot :) 

you can find more of her amazing photography [here]

me being weird at 28 weeks. finally in the third trimester and super excited.

the bump actually makes a great seat for a toddler.

"staycation" beach trip with oxo tot

end of summer feels like it's flying by. we wanted to take advantage of this heat and decided to spend the weekend relaxing at the beach (lake michigan). 

prince and lincoln chased each other for hours.

happiest boys in the sand, water, and sun.

after running up and down the beach, we took a potty & snack break.

thanks to oxo tot, potty training at the beach, away from home, is a piece of cake. they sent us this [2-in-1 go potty] which can be used on a regular potty seat, or stand alone with a plastic bag. the legs of the potty fold up and out to make it multifunctional. lincoln loved going potty outside (naturally). no accidents on this beach trip. 

the [on-the-go wipes dispenser] clips onto your bag for easy access, in times of need. 

and of course snacks are always a plus. he loves the [flippy snack cup] to keep his snacks contained and its spill proof. this [roll up bib & spoon set] is easy to throw in your bag, for messier treats.

picnicking with [oxo tot] was a treat!

and i can relax, knowing i wont get peed on in the [hammock] :) 

lincoln's beach gear: sun shirt from [hanna andersson] & 

his swim trunks from [american apparel]

summer vacation part 2 (alaska)

we set sail on the [crown princess] saturday june 27th

with 20 family members (21 including linc) 

summer vacation part 1 (seattle)

we stayed at this beauitful and quaint [air bnb] in queen anne, seattle.

traveling with a toddler

a few tips on packing and traveling with a toddler.

pack light. as light as you can considering the littlest one usually requires the most stuff. the lighter and smaller the suitcase, the easier it will be with a car seat and stroller, etc.  

we are heading out on a giant family alaskan cruise and getting prepared early helps ease the stress of packing. sometimes when i wait until last minute, i end up packing too much or forgetting a bunch of things.  

summer in chicago - splash pads (humboldt park, logan square, wicker park neighborhoods)

a favortie thing to do in the city, on the hot summer days with little ones, is splash pading.
here is a little guide to the splash pads in humboldt park/ logan square / wicker park / west town neighborhoods

[Humboldt Park:]
1400 n. sacramento ave
a favorite of mine, mostly because its so close to us, but also because its right by the humboldt lagoon, which has duck families and nice scenery. this playground has swings, slides, bridges, tire swing, and a bonus.. a splash pad. giant blue ring of water. pretty sure this playground is getting a facelift, but until then, we like it just fine!

[Unity Park:]
2636 n kimball ave

unity park has a great playground, and a splash pad area. this water area is lifeguarded, and you have to have a swim diaper to enter. 

(i took these photos last summer, and finally getting around to organizing. lincoln is a tiny bald man.)

[Haas Park:]

2402 w washtenaw ave

no mulch here, this park is great for crawlers! there is a playground for little legs. kids and run under the water for a quick cool off and back to the slide. slip and slide.

[Holstein Park:]
2200 n oakley ave
playground, spray feature, mini baby pool and big pool. this park has it all!

[Pulaski Park:]

1419 w blackhawk st
this takes the cake for "splash pad." slide, tunnel, tire swing; all within a shallow pool area. right next to a regular sized pool.

[Wicker Park:]

1425 n damen ave

a small but fun bear squirting water feature, with a great playgound and you can grab a taco at [big star's] to- go window.