Treat Yo Self

So, a few weeks ago one of my Facebook friends contacted me about doing a mommy pampering post using Rodan and Fields products. Before C was born I had actually been dying to try their Unblemish line, as I had horrible horrible acne for 90% of my pregnancy. Now, acne was not something new to me. I've been battling it as long as I can remember and I HATE IT. I mean who doesn't right? Acne is one of those things that just drags your confidence level down to zero. Every time someone would look at me, all I could think was, "are they looking at my bumps"? So annoying and so embarrassing. I hated that the first thing I saw every morning when I woke up were these ugly red spots all over my face. It's hard enough feeling comfortable in your skin as a new mom too, between losing the baby weight, dealing with what feels like a head of hair thats going bald, and growing accustomed to those dark circles under your eyes from lack of sleep. The last thing you want to add on top of that is gross skin that makes you look like a pubescent teenager....

In steps Rodan and Fields. Simply put, this stuff is amazing. Really. Before and after C was born I felt like I literally tried every acne regime you can think of. I tried Proactive in the past, I had tried all the over the counter products from the store, and even tried what felt like every natural remedy there is. All that to say, this was my last ditch effort and I was pumped to try it out. The Unblemished line has worked wonders for me after being on it for one month. You start out slow with these products, only using them once a day for the first week and then slowly bumping it up until you are up to two times a day, morning and night. The best part is, is that if you notice something drying your skin out or irritating it you can back off and only use it once a day or every other day if need be. It's totally customizable which I love. I would highly recommend the Unblemish line to anyone and could not be happier with the results I've seen! Check it out y'all, it's awesome!

I also decided to take some before and after photos so you guys could see my personal results. Here's a glimpse of me totally barefaced....prepare yourself!

As you can see my forehead was atrocious
and I had this nasty bump above my lip that
was stubborn as all get out.

One week in and the bump above my
lip is almost totally gone and all the redness on
my forehead and deceased dramatically.

After week 3 the redness as almost totally gone
and my skin was super smooth!

One month in and my skin felt better than it had in years!
Love R&F products!

*If you have any questions please contact, Katie Grissom. She was the awesome representative that prompted me to do this post and she will gladly help you out with any questions you may have about any Rodan and Fields products!

Healthier Chicken Salad

These days it's all about fast, easy, and healthy when it comes to meals in our house and since I'm a southern girl you all know I love my chicken salad. This has been my go-to meal for lunch for the past two weeks and I'm loving it. It also makes a great afternoon snack. The best part is you can totally customize it based on what you like. Personally, I don't like celery in my chicken salad so I substituted some apple to give it that "crunch"! I also just picked up a rotisserie chicken which is way easier in my book than making my own chicken. But if that's more your style and you have the time, than go for it.  Enjoy!

{Healthier Chicken Salad}

{adapted from here}

Ingredients:

1 Rotisserie Chicken picked & shredded

½ Cup of Plain Greek Yogurt

1-2 Tbsp Mayo

Salt & Peper to taste

Grapes, sliced

1 Apple, chopped

A couple squirts of Lemon Juice

Directions:

Simply combine all ingredients until mixed well.

Serve on croissant, or lettuce for a healthier option!

Baby Faves {3-6 Months}

I'm back again with some of our favorite baby items, this time from 3-6 months! C has grown so much in the past three months, meaning the things she needs and enjoys have also changed. Here are some things that we've really enjoyed and felt were worth the money...

{1} Crinkle Toy
This toy is fantastic and fairly inexpensive. I personally love these in particular from Little Luvins on Etsy. She has some adorable prints and the fabric on the back is so incredibly soft! I would highly recommend her products! She shipped super fast and her packaging is perfect for re-gifting upon arrival. We all know I'm a sucker for cute packaging ;) I also purchased one as a baby shower gift and it seemed to be a big hit.

{Image}

{2} Jumper
Ok, some of these things can be pricey. However, if you are lucky enough to have a wonderful neighbor who lets you borrow theirs you are in luck like we were. This contraption was a lifesaver and C looooooves it. It can entertain her in the mornings while I snag breakfast and drink my coffee which is a great start to every morning...you know, as opposed to starving myself all day and feeling like a zombie because I missed that oh so important cup of Joe first thing in the morning. Moral of the story, this is worth the price you pay. Also check local baby thrift stores, people tend to like to make back some of their money on these and they are usually gently used as baby grows out of them quickly.

{3} Ergo

I know I already mentioned this one in the last "favorite baby items" post, but it's just that good. It's even better now that I don't have to use the infant insert and can just pop her in it. I use this almost daily and she loves it more than ever. C refuses to fall asleep in her stroller now, so if we are about to go in the store and I know she's sleepy, it's the only way we can shop enjoyably. She passes out and is as happy as can be snoozing away, while I have two hands to shop with. Happy baby, happy mamma ;) 

{4) Mesh Crib Bumpers

Such a lifesaver! C loves to stick her legs and arms out of the crib as she rolls around trying to get comfortable sleeping. After two weeks of her screaming out from getting stuck between the bars, I caved and spent the $30 on mesh crib bumpers. Great investment. 

{5} Drool Bandanas

They have the most adorable bandanas these days made for little tethers! For a few weeks there C was drooling allll the time. Her shirts were soaked in drool and I knew that must feel gross and cold against her sweet little skin. So instead of the standard bib, I found these cute bandanas. They have a wool liner on the back which make them very absorbent, and would actually be great for upcoming fall and winter by keeping their little neck warm. If you search on Etsy you can find some really cute ones, but cheap-o me didn't want to pay shipping so I ordered these off of Amazon and love them.

{6} Manual Breast Pump

I had one of these from the get-go but didn't really use it until now. It was great when the hubs and I had a date night and I needed to pump on the go while away from C to stay comfortable. It fit great in my purse and was way easier to cart around than my electric one. I really like the Lansinoh one. I was shocked to see that I actually got way more milk with this one than my electric one and in a shorter amount of time too! 

{7} Sofie The Giraffe

Not much explanation needed here. Everyone loves her, we love her. She's awesome.

{8} Hide & Peek Cover

Love, love, love this thing! I so wish that I had had it from the get-go. I hate the covers that go over your neck and have a neck opening. I always felt like I was hanging out all over the place. It would have helped me be much more confident about nursing in public had I had this cover to start with. I used to hate nursing in public, but now I actually looked forward to using this lovely cover ;) 

{Image}

{9} Better Life Bags Diaper Bag

Ok, so it's not technically labeled as a "diaper bag" but that's exactly what I use it for. Back before C was born I stumbled about their IG account and instantly fell in love.Their bags are super cute and even better, customizable! I bought mine as a ready to ship item, so I didn't get to pick out my fabric and leather combo, but that's definitely something you can do. Their bags are very well made and very sturdy in my opinion. Sometimes handmade items like this don't hold up, but I've been using mine almost daily for 6 months now and it still looks as great as the day I received it. The best part is, is that Better Life Bags employs women who have been victims of abuse and who are trying to provide for their families using new skills they have been taught to make these bags. Win, win in my book. *I own the "Nicole" 

{10} An A W E S O M E Husband & Father

This is an absolute baby mama essential, whether little one is 1 day old or 100! For real though, having a husband who is willing to watch your little one, even if it's for 30 minutes so you can take a shower is one of the best "things" you can have. They a life saver at the end of the day when they walk through the door and you need 5 minutes to use the bathroom, throw the finishing touches on dinner, or need some extra sleep on those lazy Saturday mornings when baby wants to be wide awake at 6am. Love my husband, love what an incredible father he is, and love that he loves spending time with our little girl ;)

{Probably my favorite photo to date of these two.
He loves her with his whole heart and soul.}

{5 Months}

Our precious little girl is 5 months old! Seriously, where is the time going? She has really grown in the last few weeks and her personality is really starting to shine through. Some of her favorite things include laughing, licking everything she can get her hands on, and reaching out for mom and dad. She has also started whining when she gets hungry, which is a welcome change from screaming and crying like she did when she was a newborn. She also really enjoys tummy time now, which is huge!  It's been so fun to watch her to continue to grow every day and learn new things. She will be crawling and walking before we know it!