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The past 9 months have been a flash! Every day since giving birth to my little one has been a day of firsts. From learning how to put on a diaper to feeding, the first few weeks are filled with setting a routine and getting acquainted with baby. But after that…then what? How do I fill her day with enjoyment? Entertain her? Help her learn and hit her milestones? What can I do for my child’s early development and education? With social media at my fingertips, there are endless opinions and good hearted advice but, what is right for me and MY baby? Thankfully we have Before the Bell Oklahoma, where I can find early learning resources that are geared towards families, and preparing my little one for success before the age of 5. With that said, I want to share a few ways we incorporate learning into our routine that are easy to do, fun and will make all the difference in babies development!
Did you know
The first 2000 days of a child’s life shape their future? Yes, that means even as a baby, each day holds so much meaning, and value into shaping who your child will become, and what they will be able to achieve later in life. All of the actions we perform each day from laughing, drinking water, walking and smiling are all new to baby along with the world around them. It is up to us to show them, engage with them and help them to learn.
One of my favorite resources from Before the Bell would have to be the guide to track milestones. Not only is this a checker, but it provides me with tools to support my daughter’s development, even links to find free pediatricians. A huge takeaway from Before the Bell is that early education preparation does not have to be expensive. Many resources and activities are free! Now let’s get started as I guide you through a few ways I have incorporated education into my daughters every day experiences to show you just how effortless it can be!
Reading
At just a few days old, I began reading to my daughter. Not only was this enjoyable to me, but believe it or not, my daughter enjoyed it as well. From looking at the pictures to studying my expressive features and the tone of my voice, each exposure was new and interesting to her! As she has gotten older, she now holds on to the book herself and can point at specific items and words on a page. She also prefers when I guide my finger along with each word that is read, which helps her to learn letters! As each day and week passes her interest and engagement level increases which is such a rewarding and fulfilling moment as a mother and caregiver! Taking those few moments a day to slow down and read a book together makes such an impact.
Music and Singing
For me, this began when my daughter was still in the womb. I played music for her, starting around 4 months pregnant, and continued through pregnancy onward. Mainly exposing her to classical composers and a mix of traditional lullabies, along with some of my favorites. I noticed right away that the songs she was familiar with soothed to her when trying to nap her or put her to bed! Yes, she remembered them of felt connected to the music somehow. I also began singing 2 rhythmic tunes when she was fussy, and those songs always relax her to sleep. Music has always held a special place in my heart, and to know that my daughter is also sensitive to music is so touching. Before the Bell features provides own Spotify channel, which includes educational songs, along with parenting podcasts! Both of which can be wonderful assets, so if you are looking for something to play in the car or while you are preparing lunch, this is an excellent option!
Nature Walk
Outdoor time is something we love to do as a family. The exposure to new things is limitless, even in your own backyard! My daughter loves exploring colorful flowers, touching leaves of different textures, looking up at tall trees, hearing birds chirping, and feeling the rain. These activities might seem simple to you and me, but to a new little human they are vast and exciting experiences! Taking the time to share nature with my daughter has been beautiful. Not only is it educational for her, but I appreciate so many things now that I would have normally taken for granted because of the wonder I see in her eyes when she learns about it.
Sensory Stations
A simple and fun activity I put together for my daughter was a few sensory bottles. Just by filling a few water bottles with food coloring, dish soap, glitter, and baby oil, new toys were created! Offering crinkle, sparkle, sloshing liquid, and color these bottles help with coordination, and many other skills!
Language Love
To layer on top of reading, and speaking my husband and I are teaching our daughter daily in both English and Spanish. The majority of her books are bilingual, and many of her toys are in both languages as well. From singing lullabies, to everyday conversation, we expose her to a variety of words in both languages so that she can be fluent in them as she grows! My daughter is just 9 months old at the completion of this post and has said the following words. “Mama, Dada, Good, Mmm, and the sound Bah” She has not spoken a word in Spanish yet, but I am excited for the day she does, as there are many she already understands, such as actions like “dame cinco” and animals like “osa”.
I cannot wait to continue learning with my little one. She never ceases to amaze me with her abilities, and knowing that I am empowered with the tools to provide her the best start in life possible is a comfort and blessing. For more information about Before The Bell, visit www.beforethebellok.org.
Of all travel the recommendations, this is by far my number one. Traveling light doesn’t necessarily mean you have to compromise on what you pack, it just means you have to pack “smarter”. I have been traveling to other countries since 2016 with just a carry-on for all of my belongings, and keep in mind – that was as a fashion blogger! If I can make it work, I swear anyone can. If you are looking to travel with less baggage, insure your belongings make it to your destination, spend less time waiting at the airport, and want to save on luggage fees keep reading.
save that space
First thing you are going to want to do is pop over to Amazon and order space saver bags. Get the ones that you can push the air out of and don’t require a vacuum. These bags are clear so you can easily see what is inside and come in various sizes. I like to separate based on what days I will be wearing what so that I don’t need to dig through, or open everything at once.
On weekends when I’m not traveling, you can find me at the park, shopping, and running general errands – which means lots of time in the car, and lots of time on my feet. Because of this, athleisure is the go-to and Avia does it best.
All about style
For today’s look, I styled one of their yoga sets. Available in monochromatic neutral tones this soft, comfortable set leaves me looking put together – no matter where the day takes me. For shoes, lightweight is always a weekend must, so I popped on my Avi-Coast 2.0 in grape leaf. This comfortable pair of sneakers hugs my foot in all of the right places without adding bulk or weight. My feet are not left feeling tired at the end of the day thanks to the amazing pressure point relieving memory foam insoles, providing a customized fit! I also love that they do not have a lot of deep bottom traction grips, so they are great for muddier days as they are easy to wipe clean.
Comfort is key
If you have sensitive ankles I also recommend the Avi-Coast 2.0 as I have issues with other brands rubbing my ankle bone and irritating it, or my heels. The Avi-Coast 2.0 features an anatomical cradle that helps with motion control and shock absorption, and the material and height of the shoe are both comfortable and supportive in all of the right places. I love to feel empowered in my shoes and not limited to where I can go without losing comfort and security. Empowered is the best word to describe how I feel in the Avi-Coast 2.0. The versatile grape leaf green shade and lightweight design add so much appeal to this walking sneaker, I find myself reaching for them often.
If you are looking for a fashionable lightweight, memory foam, lower tread, comfortable walking sneaker for park outings and around town errands this is for sure the pair to get!
So I recently traveled to St. Lucia to attend one of my best friend’s bachelorette parties, and as a solo group of 4 girls traveling the country without a guide, I want to give you my thoughts on our experience and share what to expect if you are thinking of planning a trip to St. Lucia.
I am going to give an itinerary of what we did, as well as, what I think is worth it and what’s not. I will also share at the end all takeaways and what I would recommend. 🙂
What You Need To Get There
Getting to St. Lucia isn’t exactly a cakewalk. There are 3 forms you must complete before entering the country, one of which must be completed 48 hours before travel to receive approval. I will add the link to the website for this paperwork, and the most current requirements.
As of our trip in February of 2022, you must:
- Be fully vaccinated and have proof of vaccination on hand
- Have a valid passport
- Have a negative PCR test result not older than 5 days
- Complete the Travel Registration form, and receive approval
- Ministry of Health & Wellness Screening Health Questionnare
- Immigration form (provided to you on the airplane)
- Any potential documentation your airline requires
For the past few years, Chicwish has been my go-to online source for events and everyday looks so I decided why not dedicate a post to sharing my thoughts on the brand with you all! DisCLAIMER: Chicwish does send me items to style but this is in no way sponsored, and all opinions are my own.
Why Chicwish?
I have loved the brand since the first time I spotted one of my favorite Houston Influencers in one of their tulle skirts. I quickly fell in love with Chicwishs‘ style, aesthetic, and product line. These chic styles and timeless silhouettes have since been so easy to identify and have become an all-time favorite of mine. With quality-made pieces in fun fabrics and prints designed with the most flattering cuts with you in mind, here I break down a bit of the Chicwish shopping experience.
Pricepoint
Chicwish falls in between H&M and Zara. It’s better quality than H&M and a bit less in price than Zara but quite similar quality. I get the impression some might think Chicwish is another Shein, and then are shocked at the prices, but Chicwish should not be confused for Shein. The quality in stitching and material are substantially better, the fit is more precise and the clothing selection is more of a curated collection rather than fast fashion. For what you get, I feel the pricing is fair, plus they usually have a coupon running so there is the chance for a discount as well, which is always nice!
Selection
Chicwish offers a curated collection of pieces. I feel they have a certain aesthetic to their assortment, which I love. This is what draws in their customer and keeps them coming back. Their products are very identifiable for their tulle, vintage-style skirts, beautiful flowing dresses, and quality chunky sweaters. The colors offered are rich jewel tones to pastels and neutrals, everything gives off an expensive air but is affordable, which is my favorite type of style! Now with saying all of this, the brand doesn’t just offer frills, there are a few rompers, shorts, fitted dresses, and workout pieces for those who aren’t into tulle and bows.
day 1
Look 1:
Since this was my very first Miami Swim Week to attend I was beyond excited to start the week of asap! Event one was at the SLS, a pool party and pop-up shopping experience. I met with the Oh Polly! brand, as checked out their line and sipped drinks by the pool in the comfiest pair of relaxed fit dress shorts with a high waist and belt along with a multi-pastel striped button-down I DIY styled with a tied twist, along with braided blue heels and matching scrunched bag.
Look 2:
In the evening I had two shows to attend, so I went girly and floral with a lace inset orange floral print beauty from Chicwish with braided white heeled sandals, and a matching white chain mini bag.
day 2
For my first Miami Swim Week, there was so much to take in from the pace of the shows, to the models, messages, and fashion trends on the runway. Here’s a brief breakdown of my takeaways from the week.
color trends & prints
The color palettes ranged from one side of the spectrum to the other. With lots of metallics, greens, reds, blues, to neutral tones, and lots of white. The most notable prints were tribal, geometric, and palm. I loved to see the breadth of color on the runway with lots of bright hues and matching everything was also a trend.
most popular silhouettes
With barely-there bottoms as well as modest high rise, adorable strappy crisscross styles for bikinis, and so many impressive and beautiful things done with one-piece suits including cutouts, deep plunges, belts, lace-ups, and even statement sleeves.
Since we have been at home so much and eating all of our meals here, I decided it would be really nice if we had an actual area designated to, well… eat! Our apartment has an open layout so the kitchen is open to the living room and everything is just one big space. We have a high table with bar stools but never use it to eat and it has ended up just a catch-all table over the years. I wanted to make a change and refresh the space because every meal was getting consumed in front of our tv on the couch – which normally wasn’t a big deal because we would only eat at home a few days out of the week but now… it’s not flying with me! So I hopped on Amazon and got to shopping for the perfect small space dining arrangement to tie our apartment together and create an enjoyable eating space.
Retro Table
This was the hardest for me to find in an affordable form. I really wanted a white top table with a golden metal base, but all of the golden ones were ridiculously expensive. That’s when I felt the crafty DIY itch and decided to order an all-white option, which is much more affordable I might add – and paint the base myself. This was super easy to do as the table arrived in a box deconstructed so I was able to paint the base and stand before putting the table together. Honestly, I was very impressed with the finished result. It looks so updated and much more high-end than the plain white version and was only 6$ to paint and update!
Hi friends! I wanted to put this post together to share what protocols I noticed Walt Disney World parks have put into place to keep everyone safe while enjoying the happiest place on Earth. Now I know, most people are probably still pretty apprehensive to visit theme parks or largely populated places so hopefully, this post can put some of your worries at ease!
Back in my college days, I worked at Walk Disney World, so I know what time of year is the “best” in the sense of least foot traffic. Personally, January February is best as you can ride pretty much anything your heart desires without too long of lines. That’s why my husband and I thought if we wanted to get a trip to Disney in this year, this would be the time to give it a go. Below I will list out all of the steps Disney has put into place to keep all of their guests and cast members happy, safe, and able to enjoy the magic.
First things first – the parks not only require tickets but also specific park reservations
This way Disney can control, and limit the number of guests visiting each day. If you purchase a park hopper pass then you have to reserve your first park and cannot “hop” to the second until after 2 pm. – Which is also dependant on park capacity for that day and availability.
Like most, I got swept up in the romantic Netflix series known as Bridgerton. But as a girl who loves fashion, I felt it was necessary to translate the elegant and intricate designs of the day to wearable looks in 2021. I am actually debating on making this a series based on price point with an affordable, quality, and high-end range but am starting now with my initial search-and-score sites, ASOS and BOOHOO. I found so many great Bridgerton inspo pieces from these two websites that it was well worth getting their own dedicated post. So without further ado let’s waltz into the looks.
Tip: Square necklines, tulle, organza, bead embellishments, statement sleeves, empire waists, and babydoll dresses are all things to be on the lookout for when shopping all things Bridgerton.
Choose your colors lightly
Most dresses worn on the show were pastels; such as greys, blues, greens, pinks, etc. so I incorporated those shades and steered away from darker and brighter fabrics even though many similar silhouettes are offered in these shades.
Let It Flow
Lots of lace and beautiful tulle are key to completing any modern-day Bridgerton look. Oh, and you must not forget beadwork and embroidery, your dress needs to look like it was made by Madame Delacroix after all!
High Necklines & Bows
Daphne’s sister Eloise wears many high neck tops with bows under her dresses which inspired these styles.
Empire Waists & Square Necklines
The silhouette of the day was the empire, and although there aren’t many dresses in this style out and about today for everyday wear – let’s face it, there aren’t galas every evening for us to attend, but you can easily find a babydoll version to rock any day of the week. When paired with a square neckline you have an excellent Bridgerton vibing combination.