Now that my friends and I have reunited in Jacksonville, Fl and have made it to the Bahamas by now (I hope). I wanted to share the gift that I put together for them. It’s called a Hangover Care Kit.

At first I wanted to get them personalized slap koozies that we could wear on our wrist around the cruise. But I found that they wouldn’t get here in time. So then I thought about regular personalized Koozies but I found that you really can’t order just 4 and we really didn’t need 3 each. So, I continued to look around for something else. I finally came across these adorable insulated cups at Black Lion in Huntersville.

I had them put each of our initials on the cup. Then I hit up target and found all the hangover goodies.

• Eye mask
• Goodies headache medicine
• Advil
• Chapstick
• 5 hour Energy Drink

The cups are only so big so I really couldn’t fit a beer in there or a water bottle or a bloody Mary for that fact. But all the other necessities fit great. So what do you think? Anything you would have added? Taken out?

Have you made anyone a Hangover Care Package? If so, what did you put in it?

Well. Here goes nothing.

I’m off to meet up with 3 of my best girlfriends in Florida for a cruise. This is my first trip away from my baby. I couldn’t be more happy, sad, scared, nervous, anxious, thrilled, excited in my life! With so many emotions going through me right now I don’t even know what to do with myself. I just might have to be THAT girl on the morning flight slurping down a stiff one. I know once I’m there and see my friends it will be fine. But getting out of the house and not being able to hug my baby bye is going to kill me!

So Wish me luck! I need all the encouragement I can get right now!

PS: If you want to follow our trip and check out our photos, follow me on Instagram (reallifetravels) or just click on my Facebook Page and click on the Instagram icon and all the pictures will show up!)

Later Gators!!! (huh, how appropriate for Florida!)

PSS: I have a couple posts coming out while I’m gone, so don’t forget to check back! Tomorrows post is really cute and well needed for this trip!

I’m a part of a moms group on Facebook and I have to say I love those ladies. It’s so nice being able to chat with so many different women all over the US. I think we may have some moms outside the US as well. We all posts our thoughts, concerns, questions, stories all about our little ones and family life. It’s awesome, I have truly enjoyed being part of this group.

Just the other day I really needed advise from other first time moms. What did I do? I turned to them.

Here’s what I wrote:

Everyone made me feel so much better  and told me that I’m not alone having these terrible thoughts. I’ve never thought about my mortality until I had Caden. Now it’s what if this happens, what if that happens. I seriously plan out in my head sometimes before I fall asleep what I would do if there was a tornado or a fire. I literally have a plan of attack on everything.  Is this a good thing or am I becoming completely nuts? Sometimes I literally have to take a step back and get my thoughts under control. This has been happening a lot lately since I’m leaving Caden for the first time. Which is why I posted this in our moms group. I wanted / needed reassurance that 1.) I wasn’t crazy or alone with having these thoughts and 2.) That I wasn’t going to die.

Thankfully these ladies reassured me that I wasn’t alone, I wasn’t crazy AND I wasn’t going to die. After hearing some replies from them it made me feel so much better.  I told Nate after I posted it.

Me: Seriously like crazy stuff that would be out of my control, like what if we hit an ice berg on the cruise or the plane crashes or we get mugged or kidnapped in another country.

Nate: First off you won’t hit an iceberg, your going to Bahamas. But if this makes you feel any better you aren’t going that far. Florida and Bahamas aren’t very far from each other, it’s not like you’ll be in the middle of the ocean. If something were to happen, a rescue team could be there pretty fast.

Do you know how much this made me feel better? I’m not even kidding. This is why he is in my life, to calm all my crazy thoughts.

So I’ll leave you with this ….

First If your a first time mom or mom for that fact and you are having crazy thoughts about every bad scenario possible, your not alone and your not a lunatic. We ALL have them.

And Last, If your aren’t part of a moms group local or on the internet try and find one. It is awesome to have another group of ladies who aren’t judgmental, are there lending an ear and ready to give advise.

You got a crazy thought story? I’d love to hear!

Hope you all enjoyed your Mothers Day yesterday! I know I did!!

I Learned this Weekend that

• I love Mothers Day so much it might be my new favorite holiday. I loved spending time with Nate and Caden and have never felt more needed and loved in my life. It was awesome.

• Caden’s birthstone is a Pearl. Him and his daddy got me beautiful flowers and gorgeous earrings with his birthstone on them. Nate said this way anytime I’m out I can always remember him.   How sweet is that? I love that “they” put some thought into the gift, it means so much more then just receiving any pair of earrings.

• Caden might be afraid of heights. He has climbed up the stairs before and had no problems but now he will not climb up them. When I put him in the middle of the steps he starts breathing really heavy, looking backwards and then starts whining and crying. He looks terrified and clings on really tight to my fingers or shirt. It’s so weird because he’ll climb up the deck stairs outside or the front porch stairs but not the main ones. Nate isn’t a fan of heights so maybe he got it from his dad?!?!

What do you think, can a baby be afraid of heights?

Sung to Juvenile. Yes, I thought it was pretty appropriate for Mothers Day.

Everyday I see myself becoming more and more like my mom.

• I find myself reading books and singing silly songs to Caden just like my mom did.
• I find myself blasting the music while I clean just like my mom did.
• I find myself singing in the car with Caden in the back starring at me like I’m crazy just like my mom did.
• I find myself cleaning right before a trip so our family can come home to a clean house just like my mom did.
• I find myself worrying way too much about stuff that is out of my control just like my mom did.
• I find myself making crafts for Caden’s party so his birthday turns out perfect just like my mom did.
• I find myself having dance parties with Caden in our living room just like my mom did.
• I find myself doing everything and anything I can for my child just like my mom did.
• I find myself not finding the time for myself and focusing on my family just like my mom did.

This would scare some people but for me I’m proud to be like my mom. She raised 4 happy, healthy children and she did a damn good job. She was always driving us around, supporting us at our games, breaking up fights (I mean I have 3 brothers of course there was fighting), cooking for us, and keeping our house sane. If I’m half the mom she is I’d call that success I can’t thank her enough for not only being a fabulous mom to my 3 brothers and I and of course for putting up with me through my I-hate-my-mom teenage years. But most importantly for teaching me how to be a great mom too.  It’s the best thing that she could have ever taught me.

So Thanks Mom! And a huge Thank You to my Mother in Laws. I have one amazing husband and you know what they say …

and for that I’m forever grateful. I can only pray that Caden grows up to be just like his dad!

Happy Mothers Day to all the Mommies out there!

Have a great weekend with your babies (big or small)!

This Watch Me Grow is a little over due, I know. He’s technically 3 weeks away from being 1 but with Caden being sick last week he wasn’t looking very hot for pictures, poor thing. But now that we’re feeling better and have a new haircut; I mean what better time then now.

Here’s what CK has been up to.

• 21 lbs.
• Still in 12 month clothes, size 4 shoes and size 4 diapers. I feel like his weight and size has plateau a little bit.
• 4 Teeth two on bottom and two on top and his 5th one is still working it’s way through.
• Drinks out of sippy cups all the time. No more bottles. I packed the last 3 bottles away yesterday, do you know how good that felt!
• Had his first taste of cows milk. Last night we gave him a few ounces to try at dinner. I’m not sure if this surprised me or not but he really liked it. We’ll still give him formula until he’s 1 but will give cows milk every now and again to get him use to it.
• Starting to run. At night after dinner he’ll make laps around the kitchen and living room. As soon as he gets too fast he gets this serious look on his face like “oh shit” and will slow down. It’s hilarious!

• Dances. He even has his own remix.
• Shakes his head no, although I have a feeling he doesn’t do it for “no”. I think that’s how I dance. ;}
• Dancing + Shaking his head no + running = A train wreck. But that’s how he rolls … get down with yo’ bad self CK!
• Roars (like a tiger or lion). I’ve been teaching him how to roar and the other day the first thing he did when I went in to get him was roar at me.

• Says mama and dada and hey
• Climbs. On everything. I caught him climbing on top of his activity center. I mean with both knees on top of it. He climbs on the couch all by himself now. If he needs a little boost he’ll take a pillow off the couch and put it on the floor to step on. Smart kiddo.
• Waves Hi and is starting to move his hand a little rather then just putting his arm out.

• Feeds himself.
• Starting to understand the spoon a little bit more.
• Got his First haircut
• Chases Kala and then gets upset when he moves every time he comes near him.
• He loves getting and giving hugs and kisses. He’ll come up to Nate and I and put his head on us or come and give us kisses. There is nothing better in this world then a kiss from your baby.

I can go on and on but I’ll stop here. It’s just crazy how much he is picking up already. What can I say, he’s our little sponge! I can’t believe next Watch Me Grow he’ll be 1!

Have a great day!

Last week we had Erin tell us everything that she thought she was going to need for her diaper bag when her little one arrives, speaking of which I wonder if she’s had her baby yet? I might have to check up on her! This week we have Hallie opening up her bag for her OMG adorable (just look at the pics below) 6 month little lady, Molly.

Take it away Hallie ….

***********************

Hi all! My name is Hallie and I am a stay at home/work from home first time Mom. When I am working I am an Account Executive for a web development company and I work out of my home office here in Dallas, Texas. My husband, Chase, is a chiropractic student at Parker University. We had our first baby, a daughter named Molly, on November 10th of last year. She turns 6 months old tomorrow! Yikes…time is flying! I write a blog called ChasingHallie about our life and daily adventures.

The past 6 months have been crazy! Lots of ups and downs and some really emotional and stressful moments, but we are loving being parents and wouldn’t trade this adventure in for anything! So without further ado, “Whats in my diaper bag?” you ask…

We will start with the bag itself. I actually just got this bag a couple weeks ago after being unhappy with my first bag. I made the switch because I wanted something a little more purse like since its all I carry around these days. The bag is from Babymel and I purchased it from Amazon (we get a shipment from Amazon almost everyday! thank goodness for the Prime account, a good investment for any new mom). It has great inside pockets for all of Molly’s things and handy outside pockets for some of my stuff. It also has a handy insulated bottle carrier area on the side. One of my favorite things about this bag is the strap – you can shorten it and wear it on one shoulder or lengthen it and wear it cross body. And its actually comfortable!

As to what is inside? Well that is when it really gets good. These items have changed a bit since Molly was born and has grown but they all have their role. I never thought I would carry around a bag with so. much. stuff. but then you realize “what if X happens?” and you have to be prepared.

The Essentials

Nothing too glamorous here. These items are why diaper bags exist, to remove that dirty diaper and replace it with a clean one.

1. Wet bag- for the dirty diaper when we aren’t near a trash can or when we are but its not really a place where its okay to dump a super smelly poopy diaper in the trash so everyone else has to suffer.
2. Changing pad- this one came from the original diaper bag and I prefer it over the new one. Its simple, folds up easily and flat and does the trick.
3. Wipes- Huggies. Nothing special here.
4. Diapers- We always try to keep 4 or 5 in the bag. And believe me, we have left the house with only 1 on accident and we will never make that mistake again. They are Pampers size 2.

The Extras

These are the items I didn’t originally have from day one but have made their way into the bag and for good reason.

4. Extra onesie- this is key. Do not leave this out of your bag. We had to basically wrap Molly in a t-shirt because she had an epic blowout and we had no backup.
5. Sun hat- we live in Texas and its hot and sunny most of the time. I was chastised by my husband when I let Molly get a small sunburn on her head. That won’t happen again.
6. Sling- a simple sling that I can toss over my shoulder and sit Molly in if we are out and about and she is over her carseat. And by “over” I mean screaming like a mad woman!
7. Blanket- since its summer we don’t use this much, but it comes in handy to block the sun if she falls asleep in her car seat or to use as a pillow in those super hard plastic changing tables in the restrooms.

The Goods

A few small things to get me through the day.

8. Pen- always good to have one on hand.
9. Baby Sunscreen- the stick form is excellent and easy to apply on the go. Its the CVS brand version of Neutrogena Pure and Free Baby.
10. Lip Gloss- for when I decide to look a little more put together for the day.
11. Gum- fresh breath is always important.
12. Hand Sanitizer- do you know how difficult it is to change your baby’s diaper, in a bathroom, with one hand on the baby and one digging in the diaper bag? How the heck am I supposed to wash my hands!?
13. Kleenex- I actually have 3 packs of these in the bag. Good for excess drool, snotty noses, spills and my husbands insane allergies.

The Entertainers

An ever revolving handful of toys. I will switch these out almost every time we walk out the door depending on what we are doing, where we are going and what toy she has favorited that day. These keep her busy in the car, at restaurants and while cruising through the supermarket. We don’t leave home without them.

That is the diaper bag. Who knew you needed so much stuff for such a pint size little baby girl.

And for those of you wondering, my husband does rock this bag from time to time when we are out together but he has a daddy diaper bag as well. Its this classic messenger bag from Timbuk2 and it looks much more manly so he can keep his dignity.

*********************

Hallie you are doing a great job being prepared. Sun hats and blankets are my 2 things I forget the most when I’m packing his bag. I need to get a hat that stay permanently in the bag and then I wouldn’t have that problem.

What is your one diaper bag item that you ALWAYS tend to forget?

  Thanks so much Hallie for opening up your bag to us!

You can find Hallie over on her blog Chasing Hallie or connect with her on Twitter and Pinterest! Now go show her some love!