THE LOWDOWN ON PROBIOTICS

Since I started going to the gym pretty heavily and now that I take P with me most of the time, I knew she needed something to help her immune system work at max potential - THE NATURAL WAY  and also since I've been getting my butt kicked with allergies his year and I can't stand taking any medicine, I pretty much suffer through it because, well, I'm a Taurus and super hard-headed. #lifegoeson ... Anyways - I always take my vitamins but I wanted something more, so after some research and with the help of the lady at Whole Foods, I decided to go with these two probiotics for Penelope and me. Since these probis are refrigerated, the little organisms inside are actually alive thus guaranteeing a better outcome! 

The one I take comes in a pill form and it's easily swallowed, 3x's a day. 

For Penelope's, hers comes in a powder-form and all she needs is 1/4 tsp a day in her coconut milk - easy as pie. It's tasteless within the milk (and in general) so she can't even tell it's there.

 The best news of all? Her probiotic is for 0-5 years old! Literally from the moment they pop out, you can give them this! Serious score and I'm bummed I didn't look into this beforehand! But hey, it's never too late - I'm almost 24 soooo....!

Now, searching on Amazon, I've seen prices significantly lower than what I bought these for at Whole Foods so that's probably your best bet - unless you need it today... You'd probably need to get Amazon prime if you could wait 2 days, ya know. 

So here are the links for the two:

RAW Probiotics for WOMEN $35

Infant's Probiotic by Flora $16

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REAL SIMPLE

I absolutely love Real Simple magazine! I always love their all-natural approach and quick tips and tricks ;) So anyways, here's an article that I found in this months edition: What Important Life Lesson has Motherhood taught you? Here are some pictures of what was written - I can relate to these all too well - the joys of motherhood for ya! xo

Penelope has given me a run for my money on this one! She's such a doll with a huge, independent heart - Makes great character until she's determined to stick her finger in an electrical socket for the 100th time. (We have safety blocks on them but she still tries to pull them off) #thisismylife #monkeycoveringeyesemoji

This article really hit home because of an article in the Huffington Post that I read yesterday.. It was written by a mom that simply stated how she doesn't care about your parenting techniques - I completely agree.

 I see far too many women being judged by other moms (of all people) for their parenting style. I think it's important to remember that every ones story is so different. Kids grow and change by the day so just because you see my child crying hysterically one day, doesn't mean that's our daily life and you're warranted to tell me, or anyone for that matter, how we could "do better". If you've ever dealt with a child, you'd quickly figure out that sometimes, not a single thing but a nap is going to fix the crying or whining and sometimes you gotta get groceries... Feeding my family is super important, ya know.

Some of the other few that pretend their advice is absolutely perfection - get that negativity out of yo' life. Y'all, there is absolutely no room for "friends" like that on this bus.

  "Do not let someone who has never walked in your shoes make you feel like you're not up to par with a game they haven't even tried playing yet." -TBP

This blog is sort of rambling but I can't stand the division in what should be a sisterhood. Kids spill food and are extremely messy, no matter what kind of crib they're sleeping in or they brand of clothes they're wearing - There's absolutely no difference between my reality and yours. We're all doing what's best while working with a few hours of sleep at the same time. We're all amazing and bring so much to the table.. But don't get that confused with force feeding me what you're bringing tho. Not everyone likes cheesecake, ya feel me? Just come to the table to enjoy the company because while cheesecake may be sweet, it's not for everyone - remember that the next time you spew off some nice-hate to a fellow mama doing her best ;)

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Love all of the mamas I've met along the way and the lessons I've been taught through this amazingly fun journey - New mama friends, I welcome you too! Let's be friends and brag about our amazing kids together, because they really are the most perfect little things to walk the earth, right!? Please feel free to write me and give me ideas on blogs you'd love to see me write - I'm open to them all - even non-mama-related ones! You can anonymously fill out the box to the right, if you're on an iPad, tablet or desktop! OR if you're on your phone, just scroll to the bottom and click View Full Website to see the contact box!  

-til next time XO

One day 'til ONE!! | Late night moments

      I was on an adrenaline rush... I would lay awake for hours just watching Penelope sleep so peacefully in her cot and Devon gently holding her tiny little hand while they both slept. Pure joy bursting through my heart. WE DID IT! We were parents to the most beautiful baby on the planet. Our perfect masterpiece... What an amazing accomplishment. All the way from the first positive pregnancy test that we had waited so long for, to now holding our sweetness in our arms... Planting kisses on the chunky cheeks we had waited so long to see in-person. 

It felt like the hospital stay ended as quickly as it began and we were on our way HOME! The first two weeks, Penelope slept so peacefully, only waking to eat. We even joked that we would never know what her eyes looked like because she would keep them closed, even when she was awake. It was a grab-your-phone-QUICK-and-take-a-picture moment when her eyes would open for a brief minute or two. Those quiet moments quickly turned into a 6 month old crawling around, getting into e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. You have kept us on our toes, my love! But despite your curiosity, your hardest part of this year has been getting those pesky teeth in... A small feat for such a strong little girl :) 

 

     Before I was a mom and I would hear people say "time flies when you have a child", I couldn't wrap my head around the thought. I didn't understand. Now, I do. I completely get it. Time flies when you're having fun and this year has been the most fun of our lives. We have done more, felt more, experienced more than we could have ever done if it were just Devon and me. I used to think that when Devon and I were able to travel the world for his racing, that we had "done it all". Amazing how wrong I was... In the best way to be wrong that's possible.

I couldn't imagine life any other way. We've been able to expand our team... We've been blessed to start a family.... Doing and experiencing life together. I am so thankful for all of it and thank you to my husband for picking up my emotional-self this entire week as we've prepared for P's big day. I couldn't keep it together without you. Of course I want our baby to stay little but thank you for letting me see the glass half-full and reminding me how thankful I should be that we have a happy baby girl that's growing up healthy and loved.

      So, as I lay here in bed, finishing up this blog, I can't believe that's it been a year... And it's really sinking in how crazy it is that a single year can change your life. 

Dream big my baby girl! This world is YOURS!! We love you, Penelope Elaine. Always have, always will. xo

Mama lifesavers | 9 Months

I haven't done one of these posts in a while so I figured I'm due for an update of things we're currently loving at 9 months -

Bath time is a whole new experience now that we've ditched the infant bath. The 4Moms tub was so worth it while we used it but now the big tub is how we do bath time these days and these little bubble bath packs by Aura Cacia with essentials oils are THE. BEST!!! They smell amazing and I looove essential oils as-is and truly believe that they have calming and healing properties so these are a win-win for us.

      I let P bathe in the Eucalyptus when she was sick and it made her breath so much easier and cleared her out so she could sleep soundly during the night. We also love using the Lavender packet, which I would have taken a picture of if I hadn't thrown it away two nights ago but nonetheless, those two are definitely our favorite scents! There's also a citrus one that I'll try but that would be used for energy etc and usually we do bath time at night so I prefer the Eucalyptus and Lavender in order to help Penelope wind down for the night.

 For starters, Penelope has only been sick ONCE so far - woooo! I am so happy about that!! I got sick first and shortly after, P caught the little flu thing that was going around but thankfully, I had bought some Zarbees cough + cold medicine way beforehand just for this moment, and trust me, I am seriously beyond happy that I did because she went to bed fine and of course woke up with a terrible cough and was completely miserable. This stuff works miracles because she bounced back so fast after I gave her just one dose of the medicine - thank goodness for miracle products!!

Who knew anyone could fall in love with wipes?! I guess babies will make you notice the little things HA.

   I get these wipes from Whole Foods by the case. Literally. I buy them for $16 for a box of 6! They're probably the best wipes I've used and of course they're safe and natural so it's win-win. I also have to be completely honest and say that I actually have fallen in love with them mainly because they double as the perfect face wipe for removing my makeup.... I don't even really bother with traditional face wipes anymore. I'll probably be the person that's still buying wipes even after my kid is out of diapers because I've become accustomed to needing one for every single thing - #momlife.

So, I was in Whole Foods, checking out the baby stuff, P was hungry and I saw these bad boys and thought why not..... Turns out, these are the greatest things ON. THE. ENTIRE. EARTH. I just want to start off by saying that before I had Penelope, I had an entire list of stuff I wasn't going to give my child. These pouches made the list. But after realizing that I need more than 2 arms and hands and sometimes you have to appreciate the convenience of someone else's EXTREMELY smart idea, you learn really fast to NOT knock it before you try it. I always spoon-feed Penelope these pouches, check the expiration date and I ALWAYS taste-test these before I give them to her. I would do that for myself so obviously it doesn't take any extra time to do it for her. These pouches are the best thing OUT! And of course they're organic.... I'm still a psycho about that - somethings never change. Now, don't get me wrong, we BLW and she eats mainly soild foods - basically whatever we eat, she eats - but these are super convenient for when we're out and the picture shows her faves!

      I had mentioned on another blog that we were thinking about switching to a convertible car seat.... She's 9 months and can sit in a highchair and in a cart with absolutely no help from me so we ended up ordering the Maxi Cosi Pria 85 from Nordstrom right before Christmas. If a car seat could be a dream come true, THIS IS IT. Installation was the EASIEST thing ever and every part can easily be taken off in order to be washed without un-installing the car seat - hallelujah! Taking apart her Maxi Cosi Mico infant seat was a nightmare so this new car seat was almost the best thing we've bought - too bad she doesn't spit up any more because I actually wouldn't mind it with this one ;)

I ALWAYS have people ask where I get Penelope's bows from and the ones she's been wearing lately are from Ruby Blue Inc. Check out their instagram [HERE] to get a feel for what they offer. They're the BEST quality and unlike other bows I've bought, these stretch enough to last more than a month. I bought the cream lace one when she was like 5 months and she can still wear it and trust me, her little head has grown. We love em'.

And speaking of fashion, H&M has the cutest baby clothes. Like, ever. If you have a little babe, go check out their stuff. Adult clothes made for small people. Dying at the cuteness!

Products Mentioned:

| 4Moms Infant Bath Tub $50 | 

| Aura Cacia Bubble Bath: Purchased at Whole Foods |

| 365 Baby Wipes: Purchased at Whole Foods |

| Ella's Kitchen Wakey Wakey Baby Cereal &

Organic Food Pouches: Purchased at Whole Foods but

Target carries them as well along with a ton of other grocery stores |

| Maxi Cosi Pria 85 in Black $299 @ Nordstrom |

| RubyBlueInc Bows from Etsy |

ig: @taylorpilk

Classic, Everyday bag! | Diaper bag edition

     So after going through airports, riding in rentals and hauling an unimaginable amount of stuff, this bag helped us out the most through our travels! This is the [Classic Diaper Bag] from Pottery Barn Kids that I've had my eye on for FOREVER, even before I was pregnant with P but last Christmas, Devon surprised me with another diaper bag for so I was able to check that necessity off of my list - WELL.... I still ended up with it and I am soooooo glad I have it. This bag is gigantic. I mean, HUGE. Ginormous. You get the point. I thought my diaper bag held a lot? So wrong. But the best part?? This isn't JUST a diaper bag... This is literally an everything bag. From blankets, swaddles, bottles, formula, water bottles, shoes, outfits, magazines, P's iPad, and seriously, if we needed to carry it, it went straight into this piece of 'luggage'. And I use that term because it doubles as an overnight bag as well but it isn't insanely obnoxious. I've carried bigger style bags ever since I've carried a bag so this fit right into my life.

So Mamas, if you're in the diaper bag/overnight bag market and are looking for a really good, durable bag, THIS it is. You'll even get a changing pad with it that's really good size and matches with the color exterior. 

Oh, and rolling around Disney for the ENTIRE day with this thing loaded up to the MAX, I can say with confidence that this bag is really durable and made really, really well! I don't see this falling apart anytime soon and it's so far, been money well spent!

My, carrying around the Grey Classic Diaper Bag

• Life Essentials: Laundry Detergent •

 This obviously isn't a conversation starter and no one really thinks to inquire about what brand of detergent you recently picked up from Target over the weekend as it's one of the last things you'd think about switching but you probably should. Especially if you have little ones!

I had been using (and still do at times) The Honest Brand for all of our laundry... Way before I was even pregnant with Penelope so I had my fair share of testing before spit-up happened in my life. And for our daily clothing wear, it worked perfectly. It had all of the things I was looking for as far as laundry was concerned: No fragrance, meant for a high-efficiency washer, and of course, cleaning power. But after P came along, and for nearly 6 months of her life, she had horrible acid-reflux, The Honest Brand wasn't working to get out the stains. I always tried my best not to use Clorox or OxiClean but sometimes there was nothing else I could use in order to save her Aden + Anais blankets or cute white onesies that she got to rock for a minute before they became stained... Sigh. UNTIL I began searching for a good brand that was a brightener, spot-treater and detergent all in one AND of course to my green-fashion, it had to be hypoallergenic and safe for newborns and I finaaaally found it: [Molly's Suds].

I have been happily doing laundry for the last 2 months with this stuff - something you definitely don't think of saying about doing all things such as laundry! 

I first purchased the [ Molly's Suds Starter Package ] to test everything out and see if it was something that would work so I definitely suggest this package first.. Even the wool dryer balls are a really cool thing for us because it's become the norm to wash a few things at a time rather than waiting to wash when you have a big load so when I go to dry the clothes, the balls help everything dry evenly so they don't get stuck on one side and go an entire dry-cycle, still wet at the end. They are also amazing for big loads, like washing sheets and towels - always mixing everything up so they are sure to get dry, even with a slammed-full dryer!

We also use the dog shampoo for our dogs and it works really well for them. We have a German Shepherd and Golden Retriever and both of them have crazy sensitive skin... So much so, that they're on special food that we have to order from Texas - Crazy, right!? so when they need a bath, we were always prepared for them to be itching like crazzzzzzy afterwards but since we started using this, we haven't noticed any irritation on them at all. Even though it works like a charm, I wouldn't be being honest if I didn't mention that it doesn't really suds up the way a normal soap would and that takes some time getting used to but it cleans them effectively nonetheless and leaves them smelling just like the product in the bottle and they NEVER itch afterwards which is a HUGE deal for our little guys.

Don't forget to use code DISCOVER for 20% through today on your entire order!!

This is a really good deal and you won't be disappointed xo 

This works sooo well with Devon's hunting clothes and my workout gear

For our everyday wash and spot-cleaner

For our pups

This goes above and beyond when cleaning whites that spit-up has messed up

Current Stroller MUST-HAVE!

These little adjustable tether straps have seriously been SUCH a lifesaver for bottles and toys when we're rolling around with our stroller! These speak for themselves if you have a little one that loves to throw their bottles or accidentally loses grip of their toy and it goes bouncing on the dirty floor or ground. We had that happen one too many times so I went on the hunt for something to fix the problem and [HERE IT IS]! These things can hold anything as it has a tightening clasp so it will hold small items such as a [WubbaNub] or even larger items like a bottle AND it hooks straight to the frame of your stroller or car seat handle so it's always right there and convenient for use.
I found these on Etsy and they are amazing quality and they also have super cute colors for boys and girls, along with gender-neutral patters as well!

Get yours [HERE] xx

We keep her Sophie and WubbaNub attached at ALL times!

If you love Aden+Anais.....

....Then you'll LOVE this post!!!! 

Need reasons why this is a big deal?

A. These blankets are amazing quality 

and

B. They're SUPER soft

And isn't that the most important part when buying blankets for the little babes!?

BUT! here's the thing: they actually aren't A+A..... 

I found these little gems at CARTER'S!!!! Shocked yet!??? I literally screamed when I saw them! OH, and here's the other big deal about this find: These muslin blankets are normally $28 at Carter's but with all of their current discounts they're only $15.75! 

P has enough A+A blankets for everyone so I have PLENTY of blankets to compare these with and I have to say that they are the same blanket but just with a different print. You DO NOT want miss out on this deal! 

Click [here] to get your Carter's 25% off coupon and [here] to purchase yours that completely resembles A+A's very own muslin blankets! You will NOT be disappointed - this is some serious adorableness going on here. #imobsessed.

|| Favorite Pregnancy Apps ||

It's seriously sooo exciting seeing someone pregnant that's preparing to take on THEE most amazing journey of their life! I get such chills thinking how absolutely amazing it is that God chooses us to be apart of creation.... It's magic and such a personal experience and I'm so thankful I had the chance to be apart of that! I think it's totally worth sharing my own list of the TOP 10 Prgnancy apps that I think anyone that's expecting should have! These apps helped me tremendously and I highly recommend them and of course you'll be obsessed with following your growing little babe through the weeks so these are a definite MUST for you too! 

These are listed from the start of determining your estimated due date and finishing with a feeding log once your perfect angel arrives!

| TRYING TO CONCEIVE |

1) Ovia 

This app is GOLD if you're trying to conceive! It will help you determine every factor during this time of sit-and-wait and we all know how grueling those two weeks can be and this app really takes the guess work out of it all and gives you a near-perfect timeline of when you would expect to become pregnant AND determining the birthdate of your little babe!

| YOU'RE PREGNANT! |

2) BabyBump Pregnancy

3) What To Expect

4) Pregnancy +

5) BabyCenter

6) Sprout

7) The Bump

| CONTRACTION TIMER |

8) Full Term - Labor and Contraction Timer

I didn't get to use this app because I was admitted to the hospital after my water broke and I had absolutely NO signs of contractions at that time, but once I was put on pictocin and my contractions started picking up, I wanted to use this app at least once so I could "get the full experience" and it was super accurate and beneficial, plus it's easy to use! I will have this app on my phone and ready to go when we have Pilk baby #2! (not preg, in case you're wondering ;))

| FEEDING |

9) Baby Nursing / Breastfeeding

You will love this app from the moment you have your little one and especially when the nurses are coming in your room just about ever two hours requesting your baby's eating patterns for the previous two hours and while you're struggling to remember all of the details of your little ones last meal and diaper business, don't overwhelm yourself, just download this app and it will take care of the minor details for you ;)

| NEWBORNS, INFANTS, TODDLERS |

10) Wonder Weeks App

Babies go through MAJOR changes in the first year of life... So much so, that a major change can occur in a little as a few days. It's all so exciting for us but for your newborn, sometimes it can be overwhelming so this app helps you along the way with your baby's big leaps that usually require extra, EXTRA cuddles and love to help soothe and comfort him or her through a tough growth spurt.!

19 weeks to go!!!

I'm so excited to share that our BIG 20 week checkup for our princess went PERFECTLY! Penelope is measuring right on mark and already weighs 12oz - That's just about 2oz more than the average, so she's definitely a healthy lil baby <3 It's beyond amazing seeing her transformation and beautiful little features. Seriously, growing a baby is the most rewarding and amazing experience I've ever had in my entire life!!!! There's no way for me to describe how amazing her little kicks feel or how my belly literally grows OVERNIGHT - But feeling her tumble around and getting woken up in the early mornings by her kicks is the absolute BEST feeling. We are already so in love with the smallest little human and we haven't even got to hold her yet - pregnancy can simply be summed up in one word: amazing. If any woman asked me how I felt about pregnancy, I wouldn't have a single bad thing to say. I was so blessed not to have any morning sickness and I actually lasted in my regular jeans up until last week when I had to give-in and buy some maternity jeans; which are better than yoga pants in case you're wondering - classy but still just like sweats.... Genius! Above all, I can't forget to thank my amazing husband for countless nights I've made him go out super later to buy me mozzarella sticks and unsweet tea, or the mornings he brought me coffee in bed with breakfast - thank you <3 You have made this the most memorable experience of my life and it's been nothing short of joy and bliss growing our daughter. iloveyou. Thank you for all of the decaf Caramel Brulee Lattes that I could dream of and thank you for putting up with my indecisiveness about which craving to indulge in when one minute I want pickles and the next minute I have to have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 

But here's Penelope's first big-debut with her 20 week pictures from last Thursday - we are so proud of our perfect masterpiece! Xxo

Little arm & hand

Our perfect little girl <3

Sweet Girl with her hand in her mouth! Although slight,
this picture is different from the one above :)

Baby Foot! It's Loooooove!!!!!!

xo taylor