PACKING YOUR HOSPITAL BAG

Hospital Baby Bag by elletdark featuring a dry shampoo

Well now that I'm counting down to almost three weeks before I'm due, I'm getting the hospital bag ready. We had Penelope at Kaiser and are having the new baby at Kaiser and I gotta say they were AMAZING at supplying tons of stuff for me and Penelope when she was born. Food constantly coming in, snacks all day long. They sent us home with packs of diapers and extra pads and tucks... I mean they were awesome!

Now that I know that, this bag will be a little different then the one I packed for Penelope. First and foremost, birthing recovery is not pretty my friends. So bring tons of pairs of comfortable, dark underwear. Because you bleed tons after and the pads they give you are like the size of China. Comfort is key here. They will supply you with gowns and I suggest you stick to those, but if you'd like something of your own a robe is great and easy boob access for breast feeding. I brought slippers and never used them, but this time around I'm bringing big comfy socks because they do keep the hospital pretty cold.

Make sure you bring a camera and a charger and memory card for the camera. Also your cell phone and a charger for your cell phone. Those first moments with your little are priceless and I promise you will want pictures. 

For sanitary purposes you'll want to bring the usual. Deodorant, face wash, toothbrush, toothpaste etc. I will be bringing a very simplified version of my makeup bag including a BB cream I can just swipe on real quick. Dry shampoo and some chapstick (bring multiples!) at the very basic level and tons of hair ties.

For feeling good sake, I would highly suggest treating yourself beforehand and getting your toes done in Shellac. You and tons of other people will be staring at your feet and it's always nice to have a shiny polished foot to look at. I say Shellac because it is really hard to anticipate exactly when baby will come and this method of polish lasts longer so your not stuck looking at chipped toenails for 18 hours. Bonus for it lasting the first couple weeks of your baby being here.

Lastly, for when you are leaving the hospital pack some leggings and an oversized top. I'm packing these Athleta pregnancy leggings because I still had quite a belly when we left and I want to be comfy. Oh and bring some sunglasses, because you will look like you went on a weeklong bender with no sleep lol. For baby, something easy and soft that won't irritate their belly button stump. If you can find something that zips, it will be so much easier for you. Bring your own swaddle blankets, the brand above is my fav, to snuggle your new little love up and bring them home! 

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TODDLER CENTERED MOMMA AND ME ACTIVITIES

Since I'm reaching the tail end of the pregnancy, (five weeks left!) it's getting very unpleasant to run around town with P. We've been having more inside days until the hubs gets home. I've put together a list of fun activities we like to do that get us both interacting and learning together.

I do want to say though, that something that is really important to me is making sure Penelope is independent. To really foster that independence I make sure I'm not spending my entire day entertaining her. It can really feel like that's your job when your staying at home with kids...that your supposed to entertain them all day. But I've learned to set aside sections of the day for me and Penelope time and REALLY be present. No phone checking, thinking of how much I'd rather/should be doing xyz etc. 

Another thing with all this play is I never tell her "how" to play. Like when she's painting and she decides to use the other end of the paint brush. Or when we are doing tea parties, I don't come up with what we're doing or eating. I follow her lead. I love watching how creative she can get and I really don't want to show her that there is a right or wrong way to play. It's just how creative she wants to get with her imagination and I'm there for the ride.

Cookie makin'

So here's a list of some really fun stuff that she loves:

PAINTING - Get washable paint!

LETTER TIME - To learn her letters I'll grab her foam bath letters (5 or 6 at a time) and bring them over to her chalkboard. We'll play find the letter I name, then I draw a big version of the letter and a little version. We'll go over what sound the letter makes and what words start with that letter.

COOKING TOGETHER - She likes to rinse the veggies and stir the pot. I always talk her through what I'm doing and what all the ingredients are. 

COLORING - Coloring books, chalkboard coloring

STORY TIME - I let her pick the books, many times I read the same one like 80 times at P's request 

DANCE PARTY - She literally is a dancing queen so I usually turn on a toddler radio station and try my best to pregnant waddle for a good while.

TEA PARTY - Her newest obsession. She brings out her dolls and we have a party full of cupcakes and oatmeal and chicken. Lol this is the food she is "making".

PUZZLES - We have a couple that we use, they are both educational but it really isn't about finishing it. I just sit with her and talk to her while she tries to figure out the process.

BATH TIME - I love taking baths with her but jeez our bathtub is so small, it doesn't happen as often as I'd like. But she LOVES it.

LEGO BUILDING - More like I build and Penelope crushes it. Or steals my building and tries to build...and crushes it.

PLAYING CATCH - She actually loves playing catch. So we can do this for a good while.

FORT HOUSE - Break out all the blankets and pillows and I play with her on the floor of her little fort.

HIDE AND SEEK - She still isn't understanding hiding from me...so I have to run and get away from her in time to hide. She absolutely loves it though.

I really don't believe in TV everyday for kids. I think we've gotten by for so many years before TV's were invented and children are better for it. She does watch it, but like 2-3 times a week at most. So the days we are inside we do fun activities together and the rest of the day she has to use her imagination.  The best and most creative things happen when she's bored!

PENELOPE TURNS 2!!

This past weekend we had a party with all of our friends for Penelope's 2nd birthday. It was at Small Talk Cafe this super cute place in Walnut Creek. She absolutely loves that place and the second we walked in she ran off to go play on her own. I must admit, it was so nice not to have to do any work and no clean up for the win! We got her a cute little Hello Kitty cake and when we all sang happy birthday to her she kept looking around amazed like "is this for me??". 

After cake we brought out her present from Mommy and Daddy, a hot pink balance bike and she just about died. If I remember correctly she was glued to that bike for the rest of the time there. Such a fun day and so easy and affordable!