DIY :: Baby's First Year Memory Box

The next big project on my to-do list is the little Man's album.  I've been "working" on it for the past year, and all I've managed to finish are 4 pages.  Partially because his stuff is everywhere.  His doctor notes and milestones are in a file somewhere, his pictures are scattered in a couple locations and most of them have yet to be printed, his artwork from school is in his nursery, and his baby stuff from the hospital is somewhere in our den.  Basically, I'm pretty unorganized when it comes to his stuff, which has made making his album all that more challenging.  So when my cousin was due I thought a memory box would be the perfect addition to her shower gift.  Even if she wasn't planning on turning all those keepsakes into an album, all of her little one's stuff would be in one lovely place. 

What you'll need:  a photo storage box with index cards, embellishments, ribbon, and you can find the month circles and milestone printout on our Etsy store.

For the box: I attached grey ribbon on the lid of the box, and added a diaper safety pin which I bejeweled with yellow crystals.  A chalkboard sticker with their soon to be bundle of joy's name was added to complete the look.

For the monthly index cards:  I printed out the milestone tracker and the monthly circles and attached them to each index card.  Then I got creative with the embellishments I had.  I used grey and yellow as it was the colors of their 'You Are My Sunshine' baby shower, and it's perfectly gender neutral.  The embellishments I added included: washi tape, ribbon, scrapbook paper, stickers, buttons, mini clothespins, yellow crystal stickers, and a few sun paperclips.



The Wise Baby :: Gender Reveal Party Ideas

We are over at The Wise Baby today with our favorite concepts & themes for a gender reveal.  I love the idea of having your loved ones surround you when you find out if you're expecting a little Man or a little Miss.  The Mister and I both agreed that we wanted to know if we were having a boy or a girl so we threw a gender reveal party.  It was a March Madness theme, complete with a baby due date bracket and a basketball banner and onesie for the reveal.  You can check out our gender reveal here.

Safari Adventures Birthday Inspiration

The little Man is turning one in three weeks!  Where has this year gone?  I’m a little sad that he’s growing up so fast, but so excited for what this next year will bring.  We decided on a Jungle Book & Safari themed party for the little Man’s first birthday.  The little Man is currently rocking some long hair, and with an orange diaper cover he’ll be a replica of Mogli, which is why the Jungle Book/Safari theme is perfect for him.  I’ll be sharing his party on The Wise Baby and hosting some fabulous Etsy giveaways, so stay tuned.  In the meantime, here’s the inspiration behind his Jungle Book/Safari themed party.



{Photos via: Postcard, Safari Notebooks, Jungle Book print, Gramophone, Leopard, Suitcases, Gold Safari Animals, Cake, Banner} 



Soiree :: Sunshine Baby Shower

Today we're sharing the details behind the 'you are my sunshine' themed baby shower.  I love the combination of yellow and grey, it's the perfect contrast to drab and dreary December.  Fortunately the weather cooperated with us and there was plenty of sunshine to go around.  Here's a look back at the inspiration behind the party.  All in all, it was the perfect way to shower the parents-to-be and Baby G with lots of love.

 We had a little of something for everyone to enjoy.  Beverages included a mimosa bar, a prego-tini punch, and beer.  As this was a couples shower we decided to add the concept of a diaper party.  The guys provide diapers and in exchange we provided the beer.  To make sure they didn't end up with a million newborn diapers we indicated sizes on each invite.  And to make things a little more interesting, we had guests leave the parents-to-be fun love notes for their late night diaper changes.  Turns out their guests are pretty hilarious and some of the messages will make for entertaining diaper changes.

The welcome table housed the favors, little boxes filled with yellow candy and treats, and the guestbook.  Each guest signed a yellow sticker, which was then laid out into a bouquet of balloons and framed for the nursery. 

The parents-to-be sat front and center while guest played games and opened gifts.  Love the way the 36" balloon looks above the chairs, like their very own sun.  The fringe tassel was an easy DIY project, you can craft one yourself, here's the tutorial.  The dessert table featured cupcakes, cookies, cheesecake bites, rock candy, and oreo pops, yum!

 The soon to be parents with two of my favorite DIY elements from the party.  The ray of sunshine photowall, which was accomplished using tissue balls and streamers as sun rays.  And the personalized beer mug, that was etched 'Dad est. 2014'; wine glass which was blinged out and featured a charm that read 'momma knows best'.

You are my Sunshine Baby Shower

My cousin welcomed her little Man into the world earlier this week.  And in like fashion this week I'll be sharing the details behind her baby shower.  We threw her a 'you are my sunshine' themed baby shower this past December.  I love the theme as it's perfectly gender neutral.  And it's the perfect warm and cheery contrast to chilly December weather.  I'll be sharing the details behind the shower next week.  In the meantime here's the inspiration behind the soiree! 



{Photo Credits:  1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7}



Monday, Monday

It's been an exhausting weekend from a baby shower, to a wedding, to a funeral, and a Halloween & Chili Cook-Off party.  The Mister and I sat on the couch last night after the little Man was asleep and all the dishes put away and just savored a few quiet moments with our feet up and not having anything to do, that was until the dog needed to be walked.  Sunday was particularly rough as we stood by a friend as he said goodbye to his dad.  Words can't express how difficult a situation that must be, but he spoke at his father's funeral and promised his mom that she would never be as sad as she is today ever again.  Needless to say, I went home and hugged my little Man.

 

Our weekend started off with a surprise baby shower for a co-worker at  Vosges Haut Chocolat in Lincoln Park.  It was such a fun way to spoil the mommy-to-be, and indulge in delicious truffles paired with champagne.  Our Halloween and chili cook-off party last night was a success, and I'll be sharing that with you soon.  In the meantime, you can check out the inspiration for the party here.  As for our Halloween costumes, we went as a family of Mad Scientists.  Happy Monday!

Soiree :: Fashion Show Themed Baby Shower, Part 2

When we were brainstorming for this fashion show/brand launch themed shower we knew there were certain elements we wanted to capture, so that guests felt as though they were at an exclusive event.  We transformed our friend's loft into a pink boutique oasis.  Complete with a backdrop and runway featuring the "brand" logo, goodie bags lining each side of the runway, and a designer chair for the guest of honor.  We transformed the fireplace into a baby boutique with pink, black, and white clothes hung with glittered clothes pins.  And framed "Vogue" magazine covers featuring our gorgeous mommy-to-be and the "brand" to create a feature wall.  We had guests take polaroids with the guest of honor that they then added to the guest book/ brand look book and left a message for the mommy-to-be.   The look book was completed with sketches of baby clothes, fabric and color swatches, and handwritten design ideas.  And as requested by the mommy-to-be the books that guest brought were featured on another table.  We also had stations where guests designed a page of a fashion themed alphabet book, so that the new babe could learn her fashion ABC's, as well as a design your own headband station.  In addition to the usual baby shower games, guests played the celebrity fashion version of  "The Price is Right", and the wining team took home pink nail polish.  And each guest went home with a reusable pink shopping tote, which fit the theme perfectly.  As a finishing touch we created event staff lanyards for all the ladies that were hosting the shower with an extra special one for the mommy-to-be, and encouraged guests to Instagram/Tweet using the hash tags we created.  It was such a fun afternoon, with everything coming together perfectly, all for a very special mommy-to-be!

Soiree :: Fashion Show Themed Baby Shower

Today we're sharing the foodie aspects of the fashion themed baby shower we threw our gorgeous friend.  With a pink, black, and white color palette and ombre accents this gorgeous shower came together perfectly, thanks to the hard work of several amazing ladies.    The food table featured a pink ombre balloon wall, which really popped off the exposed brick wall.  Mirroring the pink ombre balloon wall was the gorgeous cake, with ruffles, and the phrase "Little Toes, Meets High Fashion".   On the menu: mini cupcake push pops, cucumber tea sandwiches  yogurt parfaits, rosemary potato muffins, mini quiches, deviled eggs, a munchkin topiary, and the main event: a waffle bar.  The waffle bar featured fruits, nuts, honey, chocolate, maple syrup, caramel sauce, nutella, jams, and whip cream.   Hop over to rnlMusings to see the fashion week inspire invitations we created for the shower. 

Soiree :: Fashion Show Themed Baby Shower

I'll be sharing the baby shower we hosted for our adorable friend Payal tomorrow, but first, the fabulous invites.  As the fashionista in our group of friends, we decided to throw her a fashion/brand launch themed shower.  The brand, the nickname she gave her adorable bump.  Inspired by a Chanel invite for fashion week, we created these invites complete with VIP passes, social media hash tags, and a request for books in leiu of cards.  We created these invites using A7 half moon enclosures  and envelopes from Paper-Source.

Baby Week :: Preggo & New Parent's Gift Basket Ideas

I was on the receiving end of some incredibly sweet and thoughtful 'congrats your eggo is preggo' gifts this year.  So I couldn't wait to return the favor for our friends that happen to get pregnant this year as well.  Here are some of the pregnancy gift baskets I pulled together for the preggos in my life.

For the first time mom who has had her share of morning sickness:

~ Saltines & Sprite to help keep the nausea at bay

~ Preggo Magazine for some light reading

~ Tums because heartburn is every pregnant woman's friend

~ Palmer's Cocoa Butter for those dreaded stretch marks

 For the second time mom:
~ Something sweet & salty for those cravings
~ Flip flops for her swollen feet
~ Nail polish, at least her toes will look cute even if she can't see them
~ Earth Mama Angel Baby Happy Momma Body Wash & loofah, great for nausea and a boost of energy
~ Earth Mama Angel Baby Tea Sampler from nausea to heartburn and third trimester wellness

 For the mom that just gave birth:
~ Something cute for their new bundle of joy
~ Grooming: Face wipes & Hair ties because taking care of herself takes a backseat to the new arrival
~ For her lady parts: Witch Hazel medicated pads & Tucks cooling pads, for the party in the front and the back.
~ Keep Calm and Mother On sign now available on our Etsy store: rivernorthLove

For your neighbor & new parent:
~ Baby Shampoo & Lotion
~ Diaper Rash Cream
~ Baby Wipes
~ Saline Drops & Nasal Aspirator
~ Pacifier (not pictured)

Something cute for the mom and dad-to-be:

Other great ideas you could include:

~ Pregnancy Journal

~ Stretch Mark Oils: Bio-Oil, Noodle & Boo Elasticity Oil, Earth Mama Angel Baby Stretch Oil

~ Lotions: Mama Bee Belly Butter

~ Maternity clothing such as tanks (try Old Navy, Target, H&M, & Asos)

~ Pampering gifts: A prenatal massage, a mani & pedi, LUSH bath bombs, the Snoogle Body Pillow

~ Funny pregnancy books: Belly Laughs, Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay.  We annotated a copy of Belly Laughs for our newest mommy-to-be, it'll be something we can pass around and write notes to one another as the rest of us become mommies.  And it's nice to know someone else out there went through the same thing.

~ Pregnancy workout dvds: Tracy Anderson's The Pregnancy Project

~ And of course anything the momma-to-be is craving

Baby Week: Registry Guide

Anyone who's ever been to a baby store can tell you how overwhelming it is to figure out what to register for.  I remember going to a Babies R' Us during my first trimester and making it all of 10 feet in the store before beelining it for the exit.  It's true that there's a lot of stuff that your baby will need, but it's also true that you can get away with just the basics.  I searched high and low for a complete list of someones registry with no luck, for some reason I was desperate to know what other parents had registered for.  Thus, today I'm sharing with you the complete list of items we registered for (with the exception of clothing, you'll have your own preferences, but I listed the basics).  Also we registered at Amazon & Galt Baby, if I were to consider registering elsewhere I would have also registered at Target or a baby specialty store (Babies R' Us or Buy Buy Baby).  And I would have used MyRegistry.com, it's perfect for multiple registries located on one site, and you could registre for items such as custom bedding from Etsy.   

I found this checklist by Giggle to be hugely helpful as a guide that I later customized to our specific needs.  Also if you're looking for a good review of basic baby products look no further than Luci's List.  And as always your friends and family are great resources, for product recommendations and gently used items.  My last bit of advice, would be to check out major purchases (like your stroller, car seat, crib).  The sales staff at most baby specialty stores are incredibly knowledgeable and being able to actually test out the products will make you more confident when registering.  As a bonus, some stores have certified staff members to show you how to properly install your car seat, so you don't have to make an appointment to do so at your local fire department. 

BATHING: California Baby Everyday Lotion | Boon Naked Collapsible Tub | Organic Cotton Washcloths | Whale Bath Spout Cover | Aden & Anais Terry Hooded Towel | Noodle & Boo Care Kit

BEDDING: Hudson Baby Organic Receiving Blanket | Dwellstudio Stroller Blanket | Sweet Jojo Designs Fitted Crib Sheet | Aden & Anais Bamboo Swaddle Blanket | Cotton SwaddleMe Blanket | Miracle Blanket

AROUND TOWN: Baby Jogger City Mini GT Stroller | Chicco KeyFit 30 Car Seat | Car Seat Adapter | Diono Ultra Car Seat Mat | UV Shade |  Car Mirror | Cart Cover | Baby Bjorn Miracle Baby Carrier | Baby K'tan Baby Carrier

GEAR: Land of Nod Crib (gifted) |  Tiny Love 3 in 1 Rocker Napper | Graco Pack 'N Play Playard |Tiny Love Gymini Move and Play Activity Gym | Sophie the Giraffe

FEEDING:  Medela Freestyle Breast Pump |  Madella Quick Clean Wipes | My Breast Friend Nursing Pillow | Disposable Breast Pads | Organic Nursing Pads | Motherlove Nipple Cream | Pashmama Nursing Cover |  Playtex Fridge-to-Go Bottle Holder | Microwave Sterilizer | Sterilizer Bags | Milk Storage Organizer | Dishwasher Basket | Boon Grass Drying Rack | Bottle Brush & Nipple Cleaner | Born Free Bottles | Born Free Nipples | Breast Milk Alcohol Test Kit

APPAREL: Aden & Anais Burpy Bib | Kimono Shirts | Footed Pants | Socks | Long sleeved Onesies | Hats | Onesies

DIAPERING: Seventh Generation Baby Wipes | Boudreaux Butt Paste | Changing Pad | Skip Hop Versa Diaper Bag | Changing Pad & Cover | Diaper Genie

BABY CARE: Nasal Aspirator | Nail Clippers | Humidifier | Thermometer | Gripe Water | Pacifier