Treat Yo Self: Baby Edition (Plus a peek at the nursery!)

One of the funnest things about having baby #2 is that you get to buy a few more of the items that you want versus just the items that you need.  When we had June I felt up to my neck in just the bare essentials- crib, stroller, car seat, clothes, high chair, swing, diapers, etc.  Preparing to have baby Hugh was a totally different experience because I already had all of those essentials and could spend the baby budget on a few of the things that I really wanted.

If you've been around the internet or instagram at all then you know there are a million small businesses that sell everything imaginable for baby.  It's really exciting!  And can also be very overwhelming!  I LOVE internet shopping just like the next person, but a lot of times I want to see the selection in personal before committing.

Enter Baby Cubby.

Baby Cubby is the cutest online and in person shop that sells all the top baby stuff for your little one.  If you live in Utah, I highly highly recommend visiting their store in person.  It's located in Lindon, has a cute little play area for kids, and has all the gorgeous things you've seen online but are maybe slow to pull the trigger on.  I LOVE that I can buy in person (and return if necessary!) rather than hoping I will like it when it comes and then dealing with the hassle of mail- in returns.

This post has been a long time coming- I originally planned to post it the beginning of January.  I went to Baby Cubby three times not being able to decide on just a few things.  I could buy up that entire store in an instant and never look back, Corinne style.  (Bachelor anyone?)  There are so many adorable things for your baby.  Also, not knowing the gender of our baby threw a huge kink into things.  I went before Hugh was born and after Hugh was born... once I knew his gender I could pick out exactly what I wanted much easier. (Although everything I got is still pretty gender neutral... I'm a hot mess.)

Crib Sheets and a peek into the nursery!  We're still not quite finished with the nursery but I'll do a full reveal once we are.  I'm still adding just a few little details...

Deer picture- similar here

Rags to Riches romper (similar here) Kickee pants footie pajamas, Little Unicorn swaddle blanket.

I really really loved that I could find and see all of these brands in one place.  They also have Freshly Picked moccasins, Fawn Design bags, Baby Bling Bows, and a myriad of other products from popular shops.  I love supporting small business and I love that at Baby Cubby I can support many small businesses at once and see everything before I bought it.

All of the items that I got at Baby Cubby were a bit of a treat yo self.  Or treat my baby I guess.  They are the higher quality, super special things that I wanted to buy.  The swaddle blanket is beyond soft, as are the Kickee Pants pjs.  (If you've never had pjs from Kickee Pants, I highly highly recommend.  They are so so soft and have a little bit of a stretch to them.  They are also extremely durable.  June wore her pair for close to six months and we washed them like crazy and they are still in great condition (AND they were a hand-me-down from my sister in law.)

Something else I love about Baby Cubby is that it really isn't "just another baby store."  They strive to be not just a store to sell "stuff", but a resource for parents to use through parenthood.  You see that evident in their website at babycubby.com, the retail store, or through social media or their Cubby Community Blog.   (Probably one of the best blogs run by a business I have ever seen) 

A few other things to know about Baby Cubby:

• Baby Cubby price matches anything from Amazon.  Any of your big ticket items- wraps, strollers, etc. you can price match.  A perfect combination of being able to check out the item in person and getting the best possible deal
• Baby Cubby carries out only the best and safest gear so you can shop confidently (they spend hundreds of hours researching so you don't have to)
• If you aren't located in Utah or just prefer online shopping, you will get free shipping on any purchase over $49 at babycubby.com

This blog post is sponsored by BabyCubby but the love for their products is all my own.

Welcome Baby Hugh!

Hugh Dennis Larsen

Born January 24, 2017

4:55 pm

6 lbs 11 ounces

Tomorrow marks three weeks since Hugh joined our family.  Three weeks!  Already!  Time is such a thief.  The last month of pregnancy drags and drags and then when you are finally holding that newborn a month goes by in the blink of an eye.  NOT FAIR.

My goal for next week is to write and post Hugh's birth story.  Today I have neither the energy nor the mental focus required to write it.  But next week!  It was overall a pretty great experience and I felt really lucky to go into labor naturally and to get to do a successful vbac.  Hooray!  

I did have a friend come and take pictures that day but I haven't gotten those back yet, so for now you just get the few shots I captured on my camera.  Here are a few pictures of the day I delivered Hugh.

 6 am, pre epidural, contractions every 2 1/2 minutes.

I'm not nearly as happy as I look in this picture!

 

He is total perfection and we are absolutely gaga over him.  There is nothing in the world like having a newborn baby.

I mentioned on my instagram (@thelifeofbon) last week that while we have been so thrilled by Hugh's birth, that it has been a difficult few weeks.  The day after Hugh's birth we learned that Greg's brother and only sibling has stage 4 colon cancer.  It has been hard to focus much on this new birth when we have that diagnosis on our minds.  It isn't my story to tell and I always struggle with how much to let the online world know on things like this so I probably won't give too many more details  It suffices to say that it has rocked us and Greg's family and has made for a very hard few weeks.

During this time we have had lots of help from family and friends, of which I am so grateful.  Greg has gone up several times to be with his family and I have been floored by the amount of people who have stepped in to help us with kids, projects, cleaning, etc.  Neighbors and friends have brought meals and June has had a busy little calendar of play dates.  I am so grateful as I don't feel like I'm quite functioning on full capacity.  (Or even half capacity.)  Physically I am still healing and emotionally I am a total mess.  Postpartum emotions are crazy.

 Times like these are so tough, but I love that it is a chance for me to realize how great people are.  I've been reading a lot of Brene Brown the past couple of months and at one point she talks about receiving help and how important it is.  She emphasizes that not only should we teach our children to help others, but to learn to graciously ask for and receive that help when they need it.  I'm glad I read that before all of this happened as usually my pride gets in the way of allowing myself to receive too much help.  I don't want to appear weak.  But I have found a lot of peace in allowing myself to be completely vulnerable.  (Like when my brother came by my messy house to drop off June after taking her to play.  I burst into tears at how overwhelmed I felt by it all and instead of trying to hold it back in front of him, I just let myself cry.)  I've said yes to every single person who has offered to help.  There's an honesty in vulnerability is such a relief to me.  I don't have to pretend to have it all together or even close to all together.

Thanks for all the love and good juju that you guys have sent this way since Hugh's birth.  He has absolutely been the joy these past few weeks.  He came bursting into this world nine days early... I can't help but think that it wasn't a coincidence.  He knew we were going to need him.

AROUND THE WEB:
+ Greg often enjoys the benefits of my little blogging gig, but he has assured me that this is the coolest thing that has ever come from me having a blog.  Can't say I disagree!
+ These audition tapes of The Office made me cry tears of nostalgia the other night during a 2 am feeding.
+ I loved this 6 Steps to Mindfully Dealing with Difficult Emotions and found it to be particularly relevant to me at this time.
+ I was nodding in my head in agreement the whole time I read this Dumb Ass Stuff We Need to Stop Saying to Dads.  Greg gets so many of these types of comments and it drives us both crazy.

How cool is your pad?

This post is sponsored by Coolpad, but my love for their products is entirely my own.

Hello friends!

Last time I wrote on this blog I was hours shy of going into labor.  Little did I know that as I gave you an update on ACT prep classes and nursery preparations that my body was getting ready for such a big feat.  I have a lot to say about giving birth to our little angel, Hugh, and I can't wait to share with you some of those details.  That will be Wednesday, though, so hold tight just a couple of extra days.  All you need to know right now is that he is absolute perfection.  He smells like new baby and milk and I can not get enough of his cuddles.  Right now he is snuggled up sleeping against my shoulder as I work on this post and there is nothing in the world better than newborn snuggles.

Before Hugh came bursting into our lives I committed to a few really fun campaigns and I am excited to get to share one of those with you today.  Greg has really been struggling with his phone lately.  We are still several months away from that two year mark where he can get a free (or almost free) phone by renewing his contract, but it''s been long enough that the phone feels pretty much trashed.  The camera is blurry and cracked, the gps never works right, and the battery charge lasts hardly a few hours.  We definitely didn't want to pay $500 for a new phone, but it really felt like he couldn't go on like this!  (First world problems, am I right?)

Enter Coolpad conjr.  This is the most top of the line, least expensive phone I have ever come across.  It retails for only $179.99 on Amazon, which is such a steal for a brand new smart phone.  At one point in my life I had "insurance" on my phone- I paid a monthly fee for the insurance and then when and if the phone broke I got a new one for $150.  What a joke when you get this phone for almost the same price and NOT have to pay a monthly insurance fee.

Some amazing features of the phone:

+ 8.0 MP Front Camera with LED Flash
+ 13.0 MP Rear Facing Camera
+ Metal body with 2.5D touch screen
+ 5.0"IPS HD Screen
+ Fingerprint Sensor

(The camera alone is reason to get this phone... With the 13MP rear facing and 8MP front facing cameras you can capture the best looking images. Cutting edge image processing and noise reduction ensures that every image you capture is sharp and crisp.)

So sleek!  I seriously love how thin and compact the phone is.

I really can't speak highly enough of this phone.  You will not find better quality for the price. I have a lot of friends and family who are very brand specific when it comes to technology, and I get that to a point, but this is one time when I think it really pays to venture out and try a new product. The Coolpad:

+ when you break or lose your phone in between contracts and you don't want to fork over the $500 that phone networks ask for a new phone

+ for kids or teenagers who may be first time phone users- get them introduced to using a smart phone without breaking the bank
+ for someone who wants a higher quality camera with their phone.

If you want more info, make sure to check out Coolpad's Instagram and Facebook page.

Thank you so much for supporting the brands that support my family.  It means everything to me!