summer maternity essentials

1. [zara tunic] long, sheer, breezy and comfortable.

2. [fresh sugar lip care] spf 15 lips need protection from the sun too!

3. [madewell straw tote] all your summer gear can go in this awesome bag.

4. [h&m tank] basic tank to hold everything in place.

5. [honest organic belly balm] keeping the belly lubed up can help with stretch marks down the road.

6. [lush dream cream] the lavender oil will keep you calm and relaxed.

7. [h&m shorts] wont feel like your already rocking mom jeans, these fit great.

8. [essie - baby's breath] nude colors, a must for summer, but also the name kinda gives it away.

9. [asos maternity swimsuit] the little black dress of swimwear. simple and hides all the goods.

10. [vans shoes] keep those feet comfy. your feet are the first to notice a little extra baby weight.

d e c e m b e r

1. [thief and bandit x roxy marj- limited edition woodland dress] two amazing designers in one dress! if only linc wore dresses, but they also have these available in leggings!

2. [shawnimals- zombie ninja] this company started out small in chicago and now is super successful with these ninjas. they make great ornaments for the christmas tree! i love the christmas zombie.

3. [wolfancub - eye on you leggings] a creative mama designer opened up an adorable children's shop this year. check out this awesome eye print.

4. [hanna andersson - green mittens] these mittens go inside the coat and stay there. no more missing mittens for little cold hands.

5. [heritage littles - bennett balance bike] a local bike shop in chicago opened up a mini bike shop/ cookie bar, just for kids! i love the design of this balance bike.

n o v e m b e r

1. [fine little day - apple print]

2. [mini rodini- bear sweatshirt brown]

3. [swankaroo - tomato red backpack]

4. [tattly tattoo - gold quail feather]

5. [luckyboysunday - misses white dances all night]

6. [gobble gobble tucker - by leslie mcgurik]

s e p t e m b e r

a small collection of favorite brands for sleepy little guys.

1. [j. crew- glow-in-the-dark constellation]

2. [hannah anderson - night night baby sleeper organic cotton]

3. [hatley - grey stripe sleepy romper]

4. [gap- camp map sleep set]

5. [zara - boys long underware]

6. [minnetonka moccasin - cassie slipper]

a u g u s t

1. [fjallraven kanken - mini backpack] after seeing all the posts with the adorable preschoolers and their new backpacks.. it got me really excited about backpacks. now that lincoln's walking / (running) everywhere.. he can carry some of the weight!

2. [rody - red horse] this is on our wish list for sure! possibly a fun christmas present for a special someone. i have a feeling this will be a favorite. 

3. [cowboy and octopus - by: jon scieszka & lane smith] a pretty silly book that has us cracking up lately. if your into amazing illustrations.. this book is perfect.

4. [hunter boots - kids first glass rain boots] i'm thinking this is a wish list item for mama and baby. maybe in red? maybe in black? we could both use an amazing pair of rain boots.. and wouldn't it be even cuter to match?

5. [mason & the tambourine - cacti leggings] i've been wanting to order from this adorable company for a while now. i just jumped on this cute pair of cacti leggings for my sweet guy. we are anxiously waiting for them to arrive in the mail :) 

side note: i am going through one of those 30 day challenges.. (not for diet - although that wouldn't hurt) but for spending. when you have a baby (girl or boy) you have an urge to buy EVERYTHING tiny and cute and awesome and clever and trendy. i love creative products. i love handmade products. i'm having that issue. whenever there is extra money, (hahaha... thats a joke) i haven't been saving.. as much as i love and support independent and mommy companies.. i've giving myself 30 days of no spending. i am starting to do a "wish" list instead, and when there is a need for something i will turn to my list! so for a little while, lincoln's "favs" will be things we are excited to save up for and buy when there is a special reason. 

j u l y

1. [swankaroo - backpack camo] this was a birthday gift to lincoln, from his lady friend. (she has a matching one.. ahhh) these backpacks are amazing. i'm so obsessed.. once lincoln is walking this will be a daily accessory filled with toys and snacks!

2. [grey boy - city transit tank] i can't get over how cute my little man is in a tank top. this is obviously his favorite tank, because it was made with love by his mama ;) 

3. [thief and bandit - mountain shorts] hand drawn screen printed fabric and handmade, this canadian company has such amazing style. these shorts look awesome on little chunky legs and are made really well. the sizing is great. i got them a size up and thinking they will fit for next summer too!

4. [yummy - ice cream sandwich plush] just a fun silly toy to have for the summer. can be used as a key chain or can hook to a stroller / car seat.

5. [my american summer - by jon burgerman] talented artist created this book. amazing illustrations for any age to enjoy. doesn't get more summer than this.

6. [freshly picked - camo moccasins] i wish his moccasins still looked as new. he's been wearing them all summer. camo is my favorite print (especially for shoes) because they match everything.

[see more of lincoln's favorites]

j u n e

1. [the very hungry caterpillar - by eric carle] this book is a staple, but great for lincoln's age now. he likes that the pages are different sizes, have holes, are colorful etc. also a great "summer read" since their are so many bugs around during the warmer months.

2. [oxo - twist top bottle] lincoln's big boy water bottle. he's really into straws right now, and this bottle is great for no leaks. twist it close and throw it in your bag.

3. [camp wolf - summer scout moccasins] i love this brand. they use pendleton fabrics in their handmade products. these moccasins are really comfy for lincoln, especially since he's crawling all over the parks.. working on his first steps. these make it easy on his first steps with a leather soul.

4. [radio flyer - walker wagon] not only is this a great tool for learning how to walk, its become lincoln's toy storage as well. he fills up the wagon and empties it on a daily basis, but clean up is easy and it doesn't look like a mess when you have a bunch of toys piled up in a cute wagon!

5. [pendleton - sante fe saxony spa towel] this very large towel has been our favorite all summer long. we use it for the beach, park, pool. it looks like a pendleton blanket, but since its a towel, its way easier to wash!

6. [ikea - dukig vegetables] i think these are such a great toy. colorful, soft, and veggie friendly!

[check out more of lincoln's favorites]

diaper bag

we are actually heading to brooklyn today, so it was nice for me to get a little organized and go through my bottomless pit of a diaper bag, clean out all the crumbs and get prepared to travel with my little guy. here's what we carry around on the daily:

1. [free people- love land tote] i have a long time love for free people. and this bag is simply amazing. it has three compartments. one is a zipper in the middle, which i carry diapers wipes and a change of clothes. mama has a side pocket for wallet, keys, phone, lotion, water.. and linc has a side pocket for toys, snacks, books etc.
2. [madewell - pom-pom key chain] i'm always digging for my keys.. so this pom pom pinecone is great for reaching in and grabbing my keys quickly.. also seconds as a great teether.
3. [tokomolk - no. 10 shea butter hand cream]  i found this lotion at [the paris market] when i lived in savannah, and have been using it since. its a beautiful smell that is really refreshing especially after being on the go all day and smelling like baby vom & poop. i'm not big on make-up, so this is my girly thing i like to bring around with me.
4. [oxo - flip top snack cup] great size and easy to open. we love filling this guy with cheddar bunnies and puffs.
5. [melissa & doug - wooden abc / 123 blocks] its such a simple toy, but comes in handy for entertainment. lincoln absolutely loves tapping blocks together, making music, and dancing. they are small enough and don't bulk up your bag. i bring 3 or 4 so we can stack them. old school and still around, for a good reason.
6. [ello syndicate - glass water bottle] although glass is a bit heavier than plastic... i love how water tastes out of a glass bottle. this one also has a big enough lip opening for lincoln to slurp down some water.
7. [hey! wake up! by: sandra boynton] i love having a board book in my bag for times we have to wait for a table, or at an office.. it keeps lincoln really engaged and quiet. he also tends to snuggle me when i read vs. crawling around and getting into things he's not suppose to. sandra boynton has such a great collection of board books. we love this funny one.
8. [seventh generation wipes & diapers]  as far as wipes go, these are our favorite. we have been super busy lately and have an on again, off again relationship with cloth diapers. lincoln's back up / current are these awesome non-bleached natural diapers from seventh generation.
9. [h&m - short-sleeved bodysuit] a cute very affordable onesie to keep in the diaper bag in case of anything involving liquids and spills. black and white stripes matches pretty much everything.
10. [paper source - red color block pouch] i was browsing around paper source and found this super rad pouch and instantly thought it would make a great diaper case. so my diapers are no longer floating around in diaper bag space. the pouches come in a bunch of fun colors.

bath time

1. [california baby - body wash & bubble bath] we switch up the scents and try the new ones. bubble bath comes with a bubble wand. a few drops in the tub and its bubble city. made for sensitive skin. lincoln loves to eat the bubbles and gives himself a bubble mustache. 

2. [boon - ray drain cover] our tub does not have any drain, so this was needed. but if you have a drain that sticks up (metal knob) this is a great butt protector. 

3. [green toy - tugboat] this bath toy is great because it has a water spout to scoop and pour water out of. its also manufactured from an amazing "green" company that uses recycled material to make their products. tugboat was a gift from lincoln's grandma for valentines day. she knows how much he loves his baths. 

4. [elegant baby - boat party squirties] these cute little boats come in a party package. lincoln loves being squirt in his belly with these. also make great teething bath toys.

5. [skip hop - moby bath spout cover] not much explanation here. safety and good design. two awesome qualities. adjustable whale belly, fits any tub spout. now and then lincoln will kiss his bath whale. "thanks for protecting my head"

6. [boon - creatures interchangeable bath toy cup] such a smart idea to make these interchangeable creatures into cups. there are different sized holes in the bottom of each one. adding an element of curiosity to water exploration. for now, lincoln thinks they are musical instruments (as he does everything else) and bangs them together.

check out more of lincoln's favorites [here]

m a y

1. [put me in the zoo - by: robert lopshire] this book has been in the family since i was a little girl. my mama loved reading it to me. its a pretty silly book.

2. [plan toys - my first camera] obviously this is a favorite. lincoln always sees mommy taking photos. the coolest part about this toy is the lens is actually a kaleidoscope.

3. [cherokee -  infant boys henley tank] we had been stocking up heavily on winter clothes, now that its finally warm we needed some easy tank tops for the little guy. this one looks so cute on him.

4. [california baby - sunscreen] obviously this is a necessity during the summer. but california baby is our favorite baby product brand. we also use the baby soap, bubble bath, and lotion.

5. [anamalz - wild zebra wooden toy] a great chew toy with different textures to explore. this zebra is always hanging in the car seat or diaper bag.

6. [magnetic alphabet & numbers] this might be my favorite toy right now because these magnets are on our refrigerator and i love having company in the kitchen when i'm cleaning and cooking. they keep lincoln very occupied, even though most of them end up in the dogs bowl.

7. [ikea - reso children's picnic table] i want to thank ikea for finally making an easy piece of furniture to put together. most of their furniture is "easy" i guess but it takes soo long once you get started. this table took me 10 minutes to put together. and its really sturdy. you cannot beat this price. staple piece for a summer outdoors. (or indoors)

8. [melissa and doug - wooden puzzle] lincoln cannot figure out this puzzle quite yet, but he does enjoy banging the wood pieces together. we are working on animal noises and as you can tell, we love the zoo. 

a p r i l

1. [kid o- cherry red go car] lincoln picked this car up at a doctors office and never let go. 

so i naturally had to get him his own.

2. [johnny boo and the happy apples - by: james kochalka] - 

this book integrates comics with children's literature. its such a fun read.

we have a great book store by us.. [quimby's bookstore, chicago] 

3.  [life is sweet black plush (limited edition) - artist/designer: buff monster] 

we picked this guy up at this years [C2E2] 

it was such a fun day seeing everyone dressed up as characters.  

4. [toms- red canvas tiny tom classics] i love these shoes because mama has a matching pair! 

with a little boy, its hard to find stuff where we can be cheesy and wear the same thing. 

5. [jellystone -scarlet red chew smartphone] - as you probably know, babies can't get enough iPhones. its apparently a great teething toy.. but now there is one that is made especially for babies! 

6. [babiators - black junior sunglasses] we bought these for our trip to visit grandparents in florida. this company will replace any broken or lost pair.. they need to make these in mama size. 

newborn

1. [american apparel - alphabet shirt] this was a gift from my awesome southern girlfriend. her initials are actually LL so it was quite fitting.

2. [trumpette- pop socks] lincoln's dad got him these. they come in an andy warhol soup can. you really can't have enough socks for a little baby. cold toes are the worst. 

3. [comotomo - teether] i know tiny babies don't teethe (well maybe some do). 

lincoln didn't start teething until he was 8 months.. 

but this toy was great for teaching him to hold things. 

its easy to grip and really light. 

4. [shawnimals - pocket wee ninja] this little ninja is actually very special to us. 

when lincoln was in the NICU for 2 weeks, we kept this ninja in his incubator to protect him. 

it was a very hard time for us and this ninja was a great protector. [our family story]

5. [born free - classic bottles] not only are these bottles BPA and PVC free, they are great transitioning from exclusively breastfed to daddy fed.

 lincoln will go back and forth from this bottle and the nipple without any issues. which has helped out a lot when mommy needs a break in the action. 

6. [aden & anais - moonlight bamboo swaddle blankets] of course any swaddle blanket will work for newborns, but this bamboo swaddle blanket could not be a softer blanket. it feels so good on already super soft skin. they are also really thin, so summer babies can be wrapped up without being too hot. 

7. [nike - baby fit id infant shoe] daddy surprised us with these in the hospital. 

they are so special and will definitely remind you of how tiny their feet are when they first arrive. 

8. [jelly cat - walter whale] such a cute gift from a lovely friend. it hangs on lincoln's car seat and he stares at it for hours. it keeps him very entertained.