Category: baby

Happy Mother’s Day! {Free Printable}

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Happy Mother’s Day to all of you mamas out there! I hope you feel blessed and loved today. I am thankful today and every day for my precious babies and am grateful for the gift they are in my life. I do not take the challenge and responsibility of motherhood lightly. The role of mother to these darling babes has been the greatest challenge and reward of my life.  Being at home with them full time is not something I ever thought I would want, but I can’t imagine life any other way. I’m thankful for and content in this place of joy, messes, frustration, and play, where the Lord has me right now. To each of you who are mothering a child through birth, adoption, foster care, or circumstance, thank you for the important role you play. I cannot imagine what my life would’ve been like without the love and care of my precious mother, my grandmothers, and the many women who stepped in to mentor me when I needed it.

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Evenflo Symphony DLX Platinum Convertible Car Seat Review ~ The Only Car Seat You’ll Ever Need #EvenfloPlatinum

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Our little Pearl Girl just turned one and we have been on the look out for a new car seat. Her infant seat has been great, but she is getting to the point where she wants to sit up a little higher and see more of the world around her. We knew we wanted to upgrade to a convertible seat because we want to keep her rear facing as long as possible. When I had the opportunity to try Evenflo’s new Symphony DLX Platinum Convertible Car Seat, I thought it looked like the perfect fit for us. The seat is designed to fit children from 5-110 pounds, so it is seriously the only one you’ll ever need. We wear our kids rather than tote them around in infant seats, so a convertible car seat is just right for our family. Read on for our convertible car seat review to find out what we loved  and didn’t love about the seat and our recommendations.

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A Shared Birthday

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One year ago today, labor pains started around 2 in the morning. Around 6 am I woke Jed up and told him he wouldn’t be going to work today because we were having a baby. It was his 32nd birthday. Our Eleanor Pearl was born that afternoon, and now two of my loves forever share a birthday. You can read her full birth story here.  I am so thankful for their lives and their love. In Jed I have a partner who loves me unconditionally and is more to me than I could ever imagine or deserve. We will celebrate 6 years of marriage next Saturday. Our Ellie Pearl is truly a blessing, a gift, and a reward. She brings us pure joy every day and we are so thankful to be her parents.

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Eleanor Pearl at Ten Months

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Our gorgeous girl is ten months old and full of sass. She has one tooth and a personality all her own. I am once again super late with this update, but determined to get it done anyway. This month Eleanor continued to bring pure joy in to our lives with her sweet giggle and determined nature. She is curious and sweet, but lets you know loudly when she doesn’t get her way. She is truly a blessing, gift, and reward from the Lord.

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Two Minute Tiny Turban Headbands for Baby and Toddler Girls {with Tutorial}

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Today I’m showing you how to make a super cute tiny turban headband for the little cutie in your life, made from old onesies or t-shirts. These are so simple and quick to make, but I love the way they look and that my daughter’s stained and outgrown clothing can find new life in darling accessories. These require no sewing and can be made in about two minutes, seriously.

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Here’s all you need to make these cute headbands:
scissors (sharp for cutting fabric)
old baby t-shirt or onesie with at least a 2 inch stain free strip in the middle
Patterns and stripes are especially cute if they are a similar shade on both sides of the fabric.

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Cut a strip out of the middle of the t-shirt or onesie. Knit fabrics are ideal because they are less likely to fray. I like to cut a 2-3 inch strip for each headband, but you can test different widths and see what you like the best.

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This is the perfect use for all of those outgrown onesies with stains around the collar, and is so quick and easy. After you cut out your strip, stretch it out using your hands. Then twist it over once, then once more to form the turban style twist shown below. You’re done.  See what I mean about super quick and easy? Find a cute baby to wear it and whip out 20 more while you catch up on Downton Abbey.

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Isn’t it the cutest on my Pearl Girl?!  Another bonus is the headbands are super comfy because they are made from soft, worn in fabric. Here’s another fun idea: make one in your size to match your little one. You can also cut the strip and tie a knot to create another style of headband.

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What is your favorite way to upcycle old clothes?

Eleanor Pearl at Nine Months

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Our girl’s first year is flying by, and here I am late again with another baby update.  Eleanor continues to surprise us with her mobility and curiosity.  She and the Bear have been completely different in almost every one of their milestones.  I think she is just trying to keep up with her big brother.  At nine months she is pulling up and cruising across the furniture.  She is beginning to use a walker to make her way across the floor.

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Eleanor Pearl at Eight Months

We have officially reached the age of impossible photo shoots.  My big girl won’t stay still for more than 3 seconds unless she is asleep.  She is crawling and pulling up on everything in sight.  I can’t believe it.  She has the sweetest disposition with just the right amount of sass.  She loves to watch her brother and giggle with him over nothing.  She sits up like a champ and loves to crawl anywhere she shouldn’t be.
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Eleanor Pearl at Seven Months

Our Pearl girl is seven months old and pretty much unstoppable.
She is loud, fun, and fiesty.
She can crawl anywhere and is working on sitting up.
She is pure joy and delight.

She still doesn’t have any teeth, but chews on anything and everything.
She is loving baby puffs and pureed fruit, squash, green beans, and sweet potatoes.
She nurses 5 times a day and loves to snuggle up with mama.
Watching her big brother is her favorite activity, and the two of them just giggle at each other all day.

Her hair is strawberry blonde and her eyes are the most beautiful clear blue.

My favorite Ellie move is the fast crawl to lounging pose.
She’ll lean back on her elbow and survey the area.
So cute.
I forgot to add her stats in her six month update, and told a friend the other day that she weighed 14 pounds.  Not so much.  I checked her little binder from our pediatrician’s office and I was waaaay off.
Stats at Six Months:
She weighed 16 pounds 10 ounces.
She was 26 inches long.
We are so thankful for this happy, giggly, healthy girl.

Eleanor Pearl at Six Months

Our little girl is getting so big.

I’m a bit behind on her monthly updates
but I’m determined not to skip one.
My bright eyed and beautiful baby is such a joy.
She smiles and giggles constantly 
and is so curious about the world around her.

At six months, our girl started solid foods and was not a fan at first.
She refused to be fed unless she could use the spoon herself.
She eventually let me feed her, and likes everything but bananas.
Her first foods were avocado, banana, and sweet potato.

Our girl started scooting herself along this month.
Her crawling style resembles a dancer doing the worm.
She is getting faster by the day and gets wherever she wants to go.
She will scoot along and the roll on her side and look around.

One of Ellie’s favorite things is to be serenaded.
She loves songs, and it calms her down like nothing else.

I cannot believe our girl is already half way to being 1.
Her infancy is going by way too fast.
I want to soak up every minute.

Make a Twenty Minute Tutu for Your Favorite Little Girl {For Less Than $10}

I was a dancer growing up, taking lessons in ballet, tap, and jazz from age 2 til college.  Because of this influence, I have an affinity for tutus in my blood.  I’ve made them before but finally figured out a super fast way to make an adjustable waist tutu for under $10 in about twenty minutes.  Seriously.  This is not a Rachel Ray twenty minutes either, with some assistant cutting strips during the commercial.  You can make one, even if you aren’t crafty.  These tutus can grow with your favorite little girl and make a great Christmas or birthday gift.  You can see we styled it for Christmas with our red and green necklace onesie from Unique Annick.   
Materials Needed:
35-50 yards of tulle (depending on the size of your child)
I use the rolls found in the notions section of the fabric store because they are already cut to the perfect width.  You can find them for $3-4.99 (depending on color) for 25 yards, and use a coupon to get them 40% off.
scissors
1 1/2 yards of grosgrain ribbon in a coordinating color 
(at least one inch thick)
piece of scrap cardboard to use as a guide and mat
Instructions:
1. Measure your child’s waist or estimate it.  Cut the ribbon to have about twenty extra inches for a bow.  
2. Find the middle of your ribbon and measure for the waist from that point, tying a knot at each end of the waist portion.  
3. Cut your cardboard in to a rectangle to create a guide mat.  For children 0-12 months you’ll want an 8 inch skirt, so make your cardboard 9 inches across to accommodate the knots.  Make a toddler skirt 9-10 inches long, and a child’s skirt 12-14 inches long.  Just add an extra inch to the cardboard for whatever size skirt you need.
4. Wrap your tulle around the cardboard guide until it is almost too thick to cut.  Cut across one side creating 17 inch strips (using the 0-12 month size as an example).

5. Tie your ribbon around the cardboard to make your life easier.  
6. Take three pieces of tulle at a time and loop over the ribbon, then bring the ends through the loop as shown below.  Repeat until your skirt reaches its desired fullness.  Be sure to pull the knots tights and then push them together tightly. 
7. Remove your finished skirt from the guide and fluff it up.  You’re done! 
Hopefully you can knock this out while watching a 30 Rock rerun and have a fabulous tutu gift for under $10.  

If you use this tutorial to make a Twenty Minute Tutu, please share your finished product on my Facebook page.  I’d love to see it.  
I’m always trying to find ways to create in the short amount of free time I have.
What’s your best craft shortcut?