Okay so my plan is to share a little bit about Walker and his monthly happenings each month this year, but since the first month of a babies life is pretty well consumed with eating, pooping, and sleeping at the worst times possible, this month will be a bit of his birth story too!

So for starters…incase you haven’t caught on with my Instagram suddenly being pure baby spam, and my love of baby gear getting to creep back into my life – we welcome Walker John on June 22, at a whopping 8.8 lbs.  Now, Jack and Avé were nice small babies (6 lbs & 5 bs), so having a beefy baby was quite the shock for me.  I had been measuring small, and we were under the understanding Walker would follow in his siblings footsteps and exit the womb nice and tiny, thus giving my arm a break for a couple of months.  WRONG.  But we love his chunk.  And his hair.  People, I have had 2 fairly bald babies, so his hair made up for his size — kinda.

Labor and delivery was easy, and just like with my other two, an amazing, calm experience.  If you know me very well, you probably wouldn’t be surprised to know that Sam and I were cracking jokes with the nurses and doctors the whole time (and Sam was talking about hair cuts with my doctor WHILE I was pushing – he will pay for that one later).  I have loved having such calm experiences having all my babies, especially because calm isn’t really how I naturally am.

Overall Walker is a dream baby.  He sleeps a lot, loves his mommy, and truly rarely cries for more than a few seconds.  He wakes up once a night, and for that he will get a really nice car on his 16th birthday.  Plus he doesn’t seem to hate how often I change his outfit, so really he’s pretty great!

[ Total side note, but Sam thought that since we have a girl that I constantly shop for, having a boy would mean less shopping and less money.  Isn’t it so cute how you can be married to someone for so long and they still hardly know you?  Boy clothing and accessories just keep getting cuter.  The leather paci clip and all the Mocs keep showing up at my door and I have no idea how?!]

Walker meeting Jack and Avé was the best thing ever.  I knew Avé would be smitten but I never want to forget Jacks reaction.  When we had Avé he was too young to really get it.  This time, he was so excited.  He would not get off the bed, and HAD TO hold him non stop.  When it was time for them to leave he was so upset telling me that he needed to take him home so he could take care of him.  HEART MELT PEOPLE.  I am so happy that God blessed these littles with each other, and pray with all my heart that their friendship and love for each other lasts.

Now at one month old

 

Walker is 9.14 lbs with long chicken legs, and most of his body weight in his cheeks

He loves the paci, but doesn’t need it to sleep – basically the perfect baby right? haha

LOVES bath time, and has literally loved it from the first time he got in the water. — I blame the millions of baths I take when I’m pregnant.

Is the gassiest baby I have ever had.  If that doesnt end by his teen years he will get the room in the basement for all our safety.

and really people…thats about all I can come up with…because he’s a newborn.  And the best thing about newborns is how little they do.

 

and a few more pictures from the hospital

I loved this gorgeous robe from Pink Blush while I was in the hospital.  It was both cute and functional, and I love that I looked put together with visitors!

 

Walker is 1 month old (seriously..HOW??), and we decided it was time to set up a monitor in his room so he could start napping for more than 3 minutes at a time thanks to his noisy big siblings.  We have the other two on a split screen monitor, but knew we didn’t want to have all 3 kids on one before Walker even arrived.  The other two are getting close to the age where they don’t need monitors at all, especially Jack, so we like that we can turn the monitor off of him at night when needed now and leave our door open to hear him — this wouldn’t be an option with 3…its a 1 or all type of thing. Our decision was to try the IBaby Monitor, so I Decided after using it for a little while I would give you guys a full IBaby monitor review.

iBaby Monitor Review

The iBaby monitor has met and exceeded all of our expectations.  It runs on wifi to an app on our phone, so I am not carrying around an extra item which I LOVE, but we can also set it up on an iPad for our babysitter when the time comes.   It allows you to record video – so if he is half as funny as Avé is in bed I wont be taking ghetto videos like I am now.  It can also play music which is amazing, and it has a super sleek design – which if you read my blog often you know that is BIG for me.

Also I feel like I need to give them a shoutout because the mounts are all magnetic..and this is just everything.  I love when companies come up with smart, simple ways to make baby items more functional.  I was able to put it on Walker’s ladder storage system and love how easily that worked.

What do you look for when you’re getting baby gear?  Do you look for price/ function/ aesthetic appeal? Would love to hear your thoughts!!

XO Arin

 

I received free product in exchange for my review, but all opinions and thoughts are my own.  Read more here.

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Alright so I’m always interested into what other people are loving at the moment, so I decided to start a series where you can come here and check out my current favorites.  To start it off this week I wanted to do something totally applicable to my life, so am doing my nursing mom favorites.

Favorites

Okay so if you know me well you probably know that breast feeding hasn’t been a part of my motherhood journey that has come easy or gone well any of the three times.  This time has been no different, however I feel like I just try to embrace it for a time, and then thank God that my babies are healthy and we live in a time where formula is a healthy and available option for them.  That said, I have a few items that have made nursing this time around so much easier, so for the first week of my Friday Favorites I’m sharing those!

Nursing Mom Favorites

1. Boob Food Cookies – these are AMAZING and really did help my supply,  and were an easy way to fill my sweet tooth and fill my belly when I was too busy to remember to eat!!
2. Covered Goods Nursing Cover – I love this!! and Love even more that it works as a carseat cover that doesn’t blow in the wind!!
3. My YETI – I love cold water, and this encourages me to keep drinking water throughout the day.
4. Captain Silly Pants Boppy Cover –  I LOVE this cover.  Walker is obviously a summer baby so having a muslin cover on the Boppy made it way less hot and this print is SO cute!!  Sarah, from Captain Silly Pants has offered my readers a 20% off with the code ‘walker20’.
5. Lily Breast Pads – they are silicone and reusable and just amazing…if you nurse or plan to nurse, just do yourself a favor and get them!

XO ARIN

 

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If you’ve been following my blog for long you probably know that I am a stay at home mama to 3 kiddos. You probably also know that I go to Target WAY more than I should…so figuring out how I was going to fill my cart with all the things I ‘need’ while hauling three kids was an actual problem to work through with three kiddos.  I mean they have the bus sized carts that I adore, but once the carseat was in the the cart where was I going to put all the home decor, clothes and shoes I don’t need?  I am here to give you a Binxy Baby Review.

I happened upon Binxy Baby and was instantly in love with the idea for Walker as he got a bit older, but didn’t know orginally that it would also safely hold his carseat in these early months: SOLD. I now can go to Target and get my Starbucks with all three kiddos.  I love that it will hold his carseat up to 50 lbs, and by the time that has passed he will be safe to ride in it on its own!  Most babies can easily use the Binxy Baby on its own from 6-8 months old until they can sit well in the cart on their own.  It fits most carts, and so far I have tried it several places with success, and as with anything with baby gear I obviously looked into its great safety testing.

We have Tried it out a couple of times, and its honestly such great product that will be living in my car for all our outings.  I was a bit worried it would be a pain to put on thus making me use it less, but honestly it takes 3 seconds and really does make the cart so much more user friendly!! This will be added to my list of great baby gifts when my friends have kiddos.

I hope this Binxy Baby Review was helpful! Are you an out an about mama with your kiddos?  If you have tried out Binxy Baby I would love to hear your comments and review in the comments!!

 

XO ARIN

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Walker is 2 weeks old (seriously…I could cry typing that) and we have been using the DockATot since the first day we got home from the hospital and let me tell you: GAME CHANGER. I wanted to write you guys a quick DockAtot review so you could see that I truly do love it!

I should preface this by saying that I didn’t want to love the DockATot.  I have had great sleepers for babies and didn’t see much point in adding in a piece of baby gear that would eventually mean teaching him not to be reliant on it.  But people… I love sleep.  Lack of sleep is the one part of having a baby that I struggle with, so I also will do about anything to get some shut eye.

Walker has been sleeping in the DockATot since the first night home and we have been getting 3-6 hour stretches already, and its truly the only place he will nap.  I love that it is so portable so I move it from our room to the living room multiple times a day for him to have a safe place to sleep.  He is using the deluxe size for 0-8 month olds.  I love that its all natural and 100% cotton, and I can wash the cover when needed. Its tested for breathability (and retested by my husband – yep really is breathable ha!), handmade in Europe, and OEKO-TEX certified.

Use this link, and receive $10 off your DockATot purchase

XO  ARIN

***Product was received in exchange for review, but all thoughts and opinions are my own***

 

 

 

I have always been a bit obsessed with baby gear….so here I am having our third baby (and possibly last), and still buying all the new stuff that I ‘had’ to try!  I compiled a list of my newborn must haves that we will be using for the baby on the way!

1. DockATot:  We have all seen it, and heard of it.  It’s supposed to be the best thing to make baby sleep…and I LOVE SLEEP. I also love that its a portable place to lay baby in several rooms. The DockATot is multi-functional and can work as a co-sleeper, lounger, and playtime lounger.  It’s 100% cotton, all natural, tested for breathability and OEKO-TEX certified.  I love the thought and safety that has gone into this, allowing us to have a safe place for the baby to sleep and lounge all over the house! **the link above will give you $10 off your DockATot purchase.
2. Muslin Quilts: We are obsessed with Little Unicorn quilts, and this time around also got a darling Aden Anais quilt.  I can’t get over how great the muslin quilts are for my hot blooded babies!
3. Binxy Baby: I am a mover.  I get out and about with my kids constantly, but now that we hit the magical #3 and I wasn’t sure where baby would go, until I found the Binxy Baby.  I love that I will have a place to put the baby safely and still have room for our actual groceries….or you know – Target dollar spot items haha.  The Binxy Baby can hold a carseat up to 50 lbs, and safely holds babies before they can sit up in the cart on their own (roughly 6-8 months).  Its safety tested and fits most carts, so you should be covered most places you go! **the link above will give you a 10% off.
4. Covered Goods Nursing Cover: I don’t think I can take a carry on suitcase with me everywhere I go, so anything thats dual function with this baby will be my friend with 3 kiddos and one diaper bag.  I love the Covered Goods nursing covers and the fact that they double as a carseat cover – thus giving it a home when its not on me – so a total win in my book!
5. LullaVibe:  I was at Nordstrom Rack a couple months ago and saw a mom using what turned out to be the LullaVibe.  I don’t know about you, but my kids have LOVED the vibrate sensation, and the fact that this makes it portable and able to be used in bed, their carseat, the swing, and so on is amazing to me!
6. Sophie the Giraffe:  Because it just really is the best!
7. Solly Baby Wraps and Swaddles:  I had a Solly Baby wrap with Avé and it was worth all the hype…so when I found out I was pregnant I knew I also needed to grab the swaddles to have more of that amazing fabric in my house!
8. Leather Paci Clips:  They are all over right now – I purchased some from Ryan & Rose and Loved by Sophia Claire to name a couple.
9. Wubbanub: If you plan to use a paci, I stand behind this being something you should have on hand for the first month.  Jack had a weak suck and the fact that this could sort of be propped up saved me SO much headache!
10. Guava Lotus Travel Crib:  We have a good size SUV, but still travel with three kids is going to mean a full car.  I wanted a small, easy to use pack n play option this time around, so through all of my research decided on the Guava Lotus.  I loved that it had a conversion kit to be a basinet and not so bulky in our room those first few months, while serving its purpose as a travel crib for the coming years!
11. Gathre Mat:  I got this to use as a play mat, a place to lay the baby when we’re outside, and as a long term investment.  I am obsessed with the fact that it can just be wiped down, is easy on the eyes, and functional! Total mom win.

I would love to hear your Newborn must haves.  I will be sure to update this list as Walker gets older on my thoughts on these products, as some of them are new to us with him!

Check out this printable baby item list for more of my must have items!

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