What's in My Hospital Bag?

Before having Marlowe, I searched the internet trying to figure out what I needed to bring to the hospital when I had her.  This time around with Briar, I knew what I needed and what was completely unnecessary! I had a C-Section with both girls, so my hospital stay was 4 days long, therefore my hospital bag was a bit larger.  Regardless, you'll find something on this list that you need with either type of delivery!

For You

1. Dwell and Slumber Dress
My favorite piece of clothing during pregnancy AND postpartum.  This dress is the perfect outfit to wear home!  They are made to be forgiving of your postpartum body, they have buttons for nursing, they have pockets, and you can sleep in them OR wear them out.  They are a little pricy but honestly I have 5 pairs that are literally just on rotation currently.  I like to wear a hat with mine when I go out, or tie up the bottom.  I wore my pink Dwell and Slumber home from the hospital!

2. Long Robe
They like to make you walk around the hospital post C-Section so a long robe is nice and cozy to wear while you are there and covers everything up!

3. Depends
Instead of wearing those wonderful pads and panties the hospital provides, just buy a pack of Depends (aka adult diapers lol).  If you've had a baby before then you know how much stuff comes out of you post delivery (you bleed for 4-6 weeks after a C-Section!) and wearing a pad is pretty annoying.  They have a slim fit version that are actually really comfortable!

4. Shower Flip Flops
Because hospital showers are gross, buy a cheapo pair of Old Navy flip flops.

5. Nursing Nightgown
You don't need to search for a nightgown that is labeled "nursing" because the second you do that, the price doubles.  I love this nightgown linked because it's easy to pull down and it has pockets. 

6. Nursing Bra
These are my favorite nursing bras (and I've tried a ton!).  I like them because the pads DON'T come out, unlike every other nursing bra out there.  Or, just bring some comfortable sports bras (but buy them bigger because nursing boobs are WAY bigger than your pregnant boobs, trust me!).

7. iPad
The hospital TVs are usually pretty crappy, so bring your iPad so you can watch Netflix easily while you're up all night nursing the baby!

8.  Heating Pad
If you're having a C-Section, your whole body is basically in pain afterwards.  I loved having my heating pad on my back and my stomach when the pain meds started wearing off.  This was a must for me!

9.  Polaroid Camera
If you have one of those Instax polaroid cameras at home, bring it! They are super fun to have immediate little pictures printed out that you can pop right into your little one's baby book! And obviously if you have a digital camera, bring that too!

For Baby

10.  Baby Nail File
I am sooo glad I brought this for Briar.  Since you aren't supposed to cut a newborn's nails till they are about 3-4 weeks old because the skin is still stuck to the nail, you CAN file them so they won't scratch their face!  I was told by my pediatrician to never cover my babies hands with those little mittens because a newborn learns through touch.  Therefore, it's better to just file those nails instead!

11. Pretty Swaddle
Bring a cute swaddle for a few hospital pictures instead of the ones the hospital provides.  This of course is just for picture purposes and the car ride home!

12. Name/Special Onsie
We bought one of these Cheerily onsies for Briar and I love it.  It was fun to have in the hospital for a few pictures.  Alternatively you could bring a letterboard to announce their name, or something else personalized!

13. Boppy Pillow
If you are new to nursing, this pillow is super helpful to get the proper position.  However, in the hospital this time it was great to have for all the visitors to sit down and hold the baby comfortably.  It was also so great for Marlowe to be able to hold her baby sister too!

14. Baby Coming Home Outfit
When planning their coming home outfit you want something comfortable that doesn't bother their umbilical cord.  I love H&M basics for this!

15. Baby Balm
Ok I know I talk about this stuff all the time, but I'm so glad I had it with me this time in the hospital!  Not only was I constantly rubbing it on my nursing nipples (and let me tell you they didn't get all dried out this time!) but I kept putting it on Briar's dry skin.  Babies always come out with this flaky skin and I felt completely comfortable putting this on her because of all the natural, safe ingredients. 

Big Girl Bed and Potty Training!

I've been getting soooo many requests for this blog post, but to be honest I felt uncomfortable writing it because I am NO expert.  I only have one child for crying out loud.  However, at the end of the day I feel like it's useful for some mamas to just read about others experiences in order to find a method that will work best for THEIR own child. So I'll share what we did, some pointers that worked for us, give you links to things I read, but know that every kid is SO different and what might have worked with Marlowe might not work for your toddler.  Here goes!

Potty Training:

We potty trained Marlowe at 21 Months.  This is considered "early" and honestly we got a lot of judgement for starting before she was 2.  BUT, Marlowe had literally been asking to use the potty for a long time, she would sit on it and pretend, when I'd use a public bathroom she would take a paper towel and pretend to wipe herself, and she would scream at us the second she peed or pooped in her diaper because she didn't want it in there.  So I read a couple books, and said what the heck let's try it.  

I used the book called Potty Training in 3 Days, and it was free to read on the Kindle, otherwise it's $10 bucks.  It took me an hour to read it during nap time one day.  I liked it because it had a checklist of how to know when your child was ready, and also ways to approach potty training based on your kid's personality.  There's a TON of stuff out there to read on this "method" (aka The 3 Day Method-look it up!) but basically the theory is that you can give your kid the basics of potty training in 3 days.  Some takeaways-it requires you to not leave the house at all for 3 days, have your kid wear just underwear, reward them with a special treat every time they potty, and most important of all NO PULL UPS (with the exception of nighttime pull-ups).  When you change them, don't put them on the changing table, start changing them upright in the bathroom. Also, you fuel them up on liquids of all kinds.  The more liquid they have in them the more chances they have to practice using the potty!

So I went out and bought all the panties I could find at Target (I let her pick the characters she wanted), a floor potty, and a potty that attaches to the regular potty with a step, nighttime pull-ups, a sticker chart, and all the treats I could think up.  I had been reading a couple "potty" books to her for a few months that also helped her to prepare and understand what we were doing!  I also rolled up all the rugs in the house that I didn't want to have to clean pee off of since hardwood was underneath.  I'll link everything I bought below!  

My overall goal was to push for her to use the potty that attaches to the toilet rather than the floor potty because it doesn't make sense to me to teach a kid to use the potty twice (once on the floor and then teach them to transition to the big potty. Plus dumping out urine into the big potty seemed gross to me).  She used the floor potty a few times, but much preferred the big potty.  However, I'm well aware that some kids are super afraid of the big potty! Do what works for you! Also, I think it's important to have your child wear panties/underwear rather than be naked.  There isn't a right or wrong, however I think they need to know what feeling "wet" is like.  So yes, you'll need to do a lot of laundry but it's worth it!  You can also use the trick where you ask them to feel and check if they are wet or dry.  You can say things like, "Did you keep Elmo/Moana/Spiderman (whatever character is on their panties) dry?  You don't want them to get wet!" This was a motivator for Marlowe.  One more thing, your kid will either fall into two categories when it comes to poop. They will either go and squat on the floor somewhere, or become super constipated.  I'd push prunes from Day 1 if I could go back and do it again (make a smoothie or use a prune pouch).  Marlowe held it for sooo long that I ended up having to take her to the doctor because I was worried.  She was fine and went eventually, but it was a process for sure!

Now for what happened when we started!

On day 1 Marlowe was excited about the potty, she wore her big girl panties, loved sitting on the potty, and peed in the potty a few times but also peed on the floor SEVERAL times.  Day 2 and 3 were basically the same.  I started to see a pattern of when she had to pee because she would go to the same spots in the house (behind the couch).  I used M&M's as her reward and honestly she could have cared less about them.  The sticker chart was useless for us as well because she has boat loads of stickers that she plays with all the time.  She started telling us when she had to go but then outsmarted us and thought it was funny to cry "potty" like crying "wolf" so that we would drop everything and RUN to the potty.  She would then laugh at us.  Like haha mom and dad I tricked you again.  Well this made me frustrated and stressed out because none of the books told me that this was a possibility.  She sensed our frustration, and we definitely messed up and put too much pressure on her and I got mad a few times when she peed on the floor.  This was my BIGGEST mistake, because Marlowe started to get stressed out and DID NOT want to use the potty anymore.  She would cry and cry when she sat on it.  By Day 5, I gave up (even though the book says you are supposed to stick it out for 10 days). So, I told Marlowe, "Ok you can wear diapers like a baby again and when you are ready to use the potty again tell mommy".  I completely backed off and let her do her thing. 

Fast forward to 3 weeks later, Marlowe came to me with a pair of panties and said "I want to go potty".  This time I approached it differently.  I bought Skittles, a pack of bracelets, and a pack of Lipsmackers chapstick for a reward.  She could pick out of a prize bin what she wanted.  And here's the real kicker, we wore pull-ups people.  If she had to go she would tell me and get a huge reward of two skittles and alllll the praise we could think up. If she pooped she would get to hold a Lipsmacker for a little while and put it all over her face.  If she had an accident then I made no big deal and didn't say ANYTHING.  It took about a week before we were really able to wear panties.  She would wear panties in the house at home, and then I'd put a pull-up on her if we were going to a public place.  I would show her the bathroom right when we walked into any store and tell her that if she needed to go then she could tell me.  The weird part is she never had an accident in public and would always ask to use the potty wherever we were.  Another couple weeks went by and I started letting her wear panties out once I knew she would tell me if she had to go.  It was alllll a process.  The thing I learned was, my strong-willed child had to WANT to do it on her own.   I could not force her.  It had to be her decision.  Overall it was a good month long process (NOT 3 days) but by her 2nd birthday she was wearing panties all day! 

As for sleep training, I kept her in a pull-up during naps only and nighttime.  The second she would wake up from a nap I would take the pull-up off and put on her panties.  Once we moved into the new house when she was 25 months, and she was sleeping in her big girl bed right away, I took the pull-ups away during naps because at this point she was always waking up dry.  She had ONE accident and hasn't had one during naps since (she's now 2.5 years old). Once I knew she had nap-time down, I took away the pull-up at night.  She woke up with a dry pull-up 95% of the time so I knew she would be fine.  Fast forward to 2.5 and she still hasn't wet the bed once.  No, I don't take away fluids before bed as she always has a cup on her nightstand.  I read that kids have to make the brain to bladder connection during sleeping and that it is developmental.  Some kids can't do this till they are 5 even! If she has to pee in the middle of the night, she just wakes up and yells "I have to go potty!" and one of us runs in there, takes her potty, and then she goes back to sleep. 

Some pointers:

-Your kid has to WANT to potty train.

-Prepare them weeks before you potty train with books. 

-Find the reward the works for your child.  M&M's didn't do a thing for Marlowe, but Lipsmackers and Skittles did. 

-You know your kid best, adjust your technique as necessary! Just because the book says it has to be this way, doesn't mean you have to follow it.
-Don't get frustrated! This is so hard.  I tell all my friends that potty training was one of the hardest things I've had to do as a parent.
-There is no age limit for potty training.  Some kids can do it at 1.5, some don't potty train till 3.  Don't feel pressured from anyone but your own child. We only chose to do it when we did because she wanted to.
-Pampers/Huggies Pull-ups majorly irritated Marlowe (I don't know why, we used their regular diapers just fine).  We ended up using the Target brand Goodnights and Up and Up with no issues!

Transitioning to a Big Girl Bed!

I wish I could give you a ton of pointers here, but honestly transitioning for us was way easier than I thought it would be.  We were moving a month after Marlowe's 2nd birthday so I knew I would transition her all at once when we moved so that the crib could go in the nursery.  I wanted her to be excited about her "new room" and new bed so I decided to give Marlowe a full size bed rather than a toddler bed.  A bigger bed made more sense to me because I knew I would be laying in it with her reading books before bed.  I bought an Ikea bed frame, an ikea mattress, and slats rather than a box spring so that the bed would stay low to the ground.  Also make sure you get a WATERPROOF mattress protector in case of accidents.  Also, I used rails on the bed so she wouldn't fall off the first night and then decided I hated how they looked, so I ended up putting a pool noodle on either side of the mattress under the fitted sheet instead.  It was much better, and those stayed on for maybe a month until I took them out because she doesn't really move when she sleeps.  I swear the bigger bed has made all the difference! We talked up the bed for weeks, and once it was time to sleep in it she did amazing! I had to lay with her till she fell asleep for about a week.  But after that, she was totally fine being in there by herself!  We explained that the video monitor was still on and that we could still see and hear her if she needed us.  One night I moved the camera to try it in a different spot, and she didn't see me move it.  That night she wouldn't stop crying when we left the room. Turns out, she didn't know where the camera was and that was a comfort for her.  She thought I couldn't see her-so the camera went back in it's original spot haha!

Since then, Marlowe never gets out of bed on her own.  If she needs something, she yells.  When she wakes up in the morning, she waits and we get her out of bed.  The only time she ever sleeps with us is when she is sick!  It's the weirdest thing and not at all what I expected.  I wish I could say we did something to make her this way, but we honestly didn't. She just really likes her room.  I think having a big bed that's not on the floor makes her feel like a "big girl".

Overall I'd suggest:

-Considering a bigger bed!
-Make the room fun with things for them to look at on the walls!  Around Christmas I added some star lights on her railing and she loves them so much they have stayed on!
-Lay in there as long as needed until they are comfortable.
-Keep the bedtime routine the same every night!
-Use pool noodles instead of a rail UNLESS your child is a wild sleeper.

Good luck!

Links

Potty that attaches to toilet

Potty Seat for Public Restrooms

Potty Training Sticker Chart

Favorite Panties (Target ones are scratchy!)

Everyone Poops Children's Book

Big Girl Panties Children's Book

How to Potty Train in 3 Days Book

Ikea Bedframe

Waterproof Mattress Pad

Pink Gingham Bedding

Rainbow Pillow

1st & 2nd Trimester Pregnancy Must-Haves!

I can't believe I'm already half-way through this pregnancy with baby number two! Kyle snapped this picture at the beach last weekend at 20 weeks. I'm finally feeling great, and I'm so thankful I'm way past that awful first trimester.  I thought I'd share my pregnancy must-haves with any other expecting mamas out there!  I'll write a third trimester list once I get there.  Everything is linked below!

1st Trimester

Sea Bands
For most women, pregnancy nausea is hard to avoid! With both my pregnancies I was as barfy as one could imagine.  Sea Bands are one of the few things that would help take the edge off.  They are actually made to be worn for motion sickness, but have been proven to help pregnant women as well.  They are tight, fabric bracelets that you wear on each wrist that push down a specific pressure point to help with nausea.  The only problem with these is that they are a dead giveaway that you a pregnant!

Sneak Peek Test
This is an at-home blood test that can tell you the gender of your baby as early as 9 weeks.  You simply prick your finger, mail it in, and you have the results within a week (or 3 days if you buy the expedited version).  Some OB offices offer this service and it is covered by insurance if you are over a certain age so check with your doctor first!  I didn't qualify, so I bought this test! The test is 99% accurate and is well worth it if you are one of those impatient people like me!  We found out the gender of baby #2 at 10 weeks!

Trash Can/Barf Bag
This might sound ridiculous, but a barf bag is an absolute necessity wherever you go.  I always stashed a plastic bag in my purse, car, or diaper bag and it came in handy often.  Nausea happens quickly and suddenly when you are pregnant and you want to be prepared when it hits especially since a lot of the time you can't make it to the bathroom.

Comfortable Bras
Any pregnant mommy knows how quickly your breasts grow during your 1st trimester and how sore they are ALL THE TIME.  All your bras won't fit before you know it, and bras with an underwire are a big no no.  I've found that wearing a sports bra, or bralette style are the most comfortable and will last you throughout your pregnancy and well into nursing (they pull up or down easily).  The ones I linked are only a 5 bucks and are literally all I wear!

Jolly Ranchers/Sour Candy
When the nausea is especially bad, I found that sucking on some sort of hard candy or sour candy helped me the most!  You can spend the money on Preggie Pops, or just buy a bag of Jolly Ranchers for the same effect in my opinion.  This is the only food I'm listing on here because everyone has different cravings and different things that will curb that sick feeling.

Bellaband
This little stretchy waistband goes around your pants and jeans and allows you to still wear your normal clothes for a bit longer!  You can keep your jeans unbuttoned or unzipped and just slip this elastic band on.

2nd Trimester

Primally Pure Body Butter
This is literally the only thing I rub on my belly and my body!  This stuff is super thick, and works wonders on your stretching skin.  It's all natural and smells amazing!  I love the citrus and mint smell the most, but the Lavender and Eucalyptus scent is wonderful before bed. Use code EMNOBLE at checkout and you'll get 10% off your first purchase.

Under the Belly Panties
Life-changing I'm telling you.  These panties go under your growing belly and make wearing underwear while pregnant so much more comfortable.  I didn't buy these with Marlowe and I'm regretting it now.

Over the Belly Leggings
You honestly only need 2 pairs of leggings, and one pair of maternity jeans in the cold months when pregnant.  I linked the over-the belly leggings I wear often! They make getting dressed so much easier, and go great under a dress too when it's cold!

Pregnancy Pillow
I busted out my pregnancy pillow the second I started feeling uncomfortable while sleeping.  I definitely recommend investing in one of these, and if anything at least a body pillow.  Kyle and I joke that my pillow is my "second husband" because it takes up the entire bed.

T-Shirt Dresses
Instead of buying maternity clothes, I'd rather invest in something I'll wear postpartum as well! I'm literally living in t-shirt dresses because they are comfortable and grow with my belly (plus it's still hot here!).  Buy the t-shirt dresses that have a v-neck or have stretchy fabric so that you will be able to nurse in them when the baby comes!

Tips and Tricks for Photographing your Kids!

It is no secret that I love taking pictures.  It's also no secret that I love taking photos of my daughter, Marlowe!  If you've seen my Instagram, it's 90% something of her (not ashamed!).  It is a goal of mine to document her growing self, and our life as a family.  I am often asked for tips and tricks, what camera is best, what editing program do I use, and if I walk around with a camera strapped to my face.  I know that every parent wants to take great photos of their babies, so I put together a basic list of the things I'd recommend to any parent who wants to capture their kids!  Please feel free to message me if you have any other questions or want me to explain something further!

1.  Invest in a DSLR
One of the questions I get asked most is which camera do I use.  I shoot with a Nikon D3200.  It is nothing special, it is OLD, and is considered a "beginner's camera".  But that's just the thing, you don't need to spend a fortune on the newest camera because in the end it's all about what settings you used and how you edited the photo.  However, a DSLR camera is going to give you a clearer image, and let you shoot pictures you wouldn't be able to on an iPhone.  If you want to take your photography up a notch, then you'll invest in a better lens than what the camera came with.  Again, I shoot with a very simple lens.  I shoot with a 35 mm, f/1.8 Nikon lens.  It doesn't zoom, and forces me to get in the position I want to be in to get the right picture, and gives me a great "bokeh" background (that blurriness behind the subject).

Shot on my iPhone. A decent picture but not as clear as the picture below!

Used my DSLR for the same setting as above.  Notice the clarity, and how it was able to blur out the background, and pick out the blue in her eyes. 

2. Shoot in Manual
If you are going to purchase a DSLR, then you HAVE TO learn how to use it!  This means, DO NOT shoot in Auto mode.  Make sure you put your setting on Manual (or the little M on the notch).  Then, read online and watch youtube videos on how to get the right setting for different types of lighting.  There are tons of resources out there with just a simple google search but here is a great resource!  I NEVER took a photography class, but I did spend an entire weekend learning how to use my camera using my dog as the subject.  And then from there, practice makes perfect!  When you are learning, sometimes it's good to take one picture in Auto to see what settings the camera automatically puts the ISO or aperture on, and then change it to Manual and try to replicate those settings yourself.

3. Shoot in Portrait Mode on iPhone
Sometimes the reality is that you don't have the finances to buy a DSLR, or you don't always carry your DSLR with you.  That's totally fine!  When I don't have my camera, I feel confident that my iPhone can take a decent picture using Portrait Mode.  Portrait mode focuses on your subject, and gives you a blurred out background (bokeh).  I can't tell you how many people don't even know this setting exists when I talk to them!  These images below were all taken using portrait mode.

One of my favorite pictures of my mom and Marlowe!

4.  Editing Your Photos

Whether you use Lightroom, Photoshop, or an iPhone app like VSCO, be consistent with your editing style.  Do you want your photos to be light and bright, rich colors with a high contrast, orange or blue toned, or completely natural? (Just naming a few editing styles!) I love using Lightroom for editing because I can apply the same settings to a whole set of pictures in just a click!  I almost always brighten up my photos, and then change the settings to a pre-made filter that I love.  Here's some filters that you can purchase that match my personal style.  However, if you just have an iPhone, the Instagram app is actually pretty great at giving you tools to edit your photos.  If I was just using the app I would first brighten up the photo, kick up the contrast a bit, and make sure the photo is straight by adjusting the angle.

Before Editing

After editing!  I brightened the photo a tad, cranked up the contrast, and played with the coloring. 

5.  Lighting is Everything
Lighting is key!  I consider myself a natural light photographer, meaning I don't EVER use the flash.  I don't like the orange tone and glare the flash often gives a picture.  When I take pictures of Marlowe, I almost always try to put her by a window.  I open up the blinds completely to let as much light in as possible.  Any pictures where I put Marlowe on a blanket when she was a baby, I would lay the blanket right next to the window.  If you are shooting outside, it's always best to take pictures during the "golden hour".  These means either shooting within the first hour the sun rises, or the last hour before the sun sets.  It's also so much easier to take pictures any time of day on a gray, cloudy day!

I sat her on the guest bed next to the window and I love how the light is coming in and lighting up her face!

The sun was about to go down, and my bedroom was really dark but there was some beautiful glow coming in from the window here with my mom!

I completely opened up the blinds for this shot, and I love how bright and white this picture is!

We went out front during the "golden hour".  If we would have gone out earlier, the sun would have been too strong and Marlowe would have been squinting!

6.  Capture the Candid

Some of my favorite pictures in the whole wide world are candid moments.  Your child doesn't always need to be smiling at the camera and posed perfectly.  That isn't natural for them!  Try to give your little one something to do in the photo, something to laugh at, or just take pictures of them in the moment.  If you see your baby laughing with grandma, grab your camera and start taking pictures! Don't stop them to make them look and you and smile.  Here's some of my favorite candids. 

When she was about 11 months old, she LOVED getting into nightstands when she thought we weren't paying attention.

The crawling stage, always getting stuck behind things!

She loves sneaking away to her bathroom to wash her hands and make a mess with the water.  Had to capture that!

My dad and Marlowe playing on the couch! I love how she is looking at him!

When I let her play with lipstick. I had NO idea what to expect. The more candid, the better!

She went through a "shower" stage.  So one night I grabbed my camera and started taking pictures!

7.  Natural Positioning 

This might be personal preference, but I absolutely hate photos where the parents put their baby in unnatural positions.  I'm imagining those sleeping newborn baby pictures where they wrap the baby in something and then hang them in a swing or prop them up on their hands.  It's just weird.  For example, if your baby isn't sitting up yet, don't try propping them up awkwardly for a photo.  Instead, take a picture of them laying down.

At 10 months, Marlowe did NOT want to lay down for her monthly pictures.  It just wasn't her, so instead of forcing a pose, I just let her be and sit up!

I originally had her on her back here, but she didn't want to lay that way.  She was just learning how to push up and so I just let her do what she wanted and I'm so glad I did!

8. Keep the Background Simple
Pay attention to the background in your pictures! I like clean, simple backdrops.  When I'm out and about I look for solid walls that I can position Marlowe in front of.  I try to keep as much clutter out of the picture as possible, so that I can really focus on her!  Obviously, in places like Disneyland it can be hard to keep others out of your picture, so in this case I just make sure she's the center of the picture so that my eye is drawn to her, rather than the people in the background!

This is just the side of our house in our backyard.  It makes a great simple backdrop!

I pulled down the plaid comforter we have on this bed to expose the white sheets instead.  I didn't want all that pattern behind her!

I'm always on the hunt for fun walls!  Walls with foliage make a great simple backdrop!

Garage door pictures are a thing too!  If you have a garage, stand in front of it for your pictures!

Putting Marlowe in the center and in the foreground here, helps distract from the crowd of people behind her at Disneyland.

9.  Consider the Angle
One of the biggest mistakes parents make when taking pictures of their kids is not getting on their level.  It helps to bend down so you are their height!  Also, when photographing babies do NOT take pictures up their nose, it is unflattering! This is such a huge pet peeve of mine.  Instead, stand directly above them, or angle from above their head like the examples below!

Bending down at her level!

Standing directly above her!

Again, standing above her.  Use a step ladder or stand on the bed/couch with the blanket below you!

Angled just above my shoulder instead of straight on.

10. Get in the Picture
Think about what type of pictures your kids are going to want to see when they are older and look back at old photos.  They are going to want to see their mom and dad in the picture with them too!  Don't forget to sometimes jump into the picture when you can.  Often times, I just set the camera on the right setting so that all my husband has to do is press the button.  When I look back on photos, I will also want to see what I looked like as a young mom, holding my babies in my arms.

I was a total bum here and didn't want to get in the picture when she was playing in the bathroom, but I'm so glad I jumped in!

11.  Don't Forget the Details
Think about wedding photography.  Typically a good photographer will take photos of all the little details and decorations from the day.  They take pictures of the bride's shoes, of the rings, or the centerpieces etc.  Think about photographing your baby the same way!  Kids change SO MUCH in such a short amount of time, and it's easy to forget those special things that make them so unique.  Take the time to capture their little hands, their feet, their eyes, their changing smile with the addition of new teeth.  You won't regret it in the future!

Focused on her eyes here!

Can't forget those sweet hands.

Those little teeth!

I'll never forget this fuzzy blonde hair.

Her button nose, those tiny lashes. 

Her bangs.  I love them. 

12.  Take Lifestyle Photos
Take pictures of you and your kids in your home!  Again, not every photo needs to be sitting on the couch smiling at the camera.  When I grew up, we ALWAYS stood in front of the fireplace to take pictures and I so wish I could go back in time and do it differently.  Instead, take what are called "lifestyle" photos.  This means, take photos of your daily life in your home with your kids.  Have your spouse take a picture of you rocking your baby to sleep, or of them hanging on your leg as you cook.  Hire a lifestyle photographer for newborn photos of you in your babies nursery, changing them, nursing them, and holding them.  Take pictures of the mess, the beautiful mess that you will one day miss.

Marlowe's first bath.

Our nightly routine.  Never want to forget this. 

Grandma feeding Marlowe a bottle.  Totally walked in on this. 

Kyle reading a 4 month old Marlowe Rainbow Fish. 

Came home to these two napping.  Be still my heart.