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Mother’s Day Gift Guide 2021

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I’m pretty sure I can get an “amen!” When I say that all Mom’s want this Mother’s Day after surviving over 15 months in a pandemic (and now two mother’s days worth) is some ALONE TIME. Am I right? 

But, alas…some people, including myself would also like to treat themselves whether it be some yummy treats and chocolate, or replenishing their favourite shampoo (mine being Aveda). 
 
To be honest this last year I’ve been treating myself (and my boys) a little too much lately. Perhaps making up for the lack of seeing anyone in the last year. Seeing our regular delivery drivers is the only social interactions we’ve had. 🤣 Opening up a new Amazon Prime order that we got….the little joys it brings. 
 
Let’s get to it. Here are a few things that you can spoil any mom with this May 9th. Remember that date this year! 
 
I love this Minted weekender bag. It’s been in my shopping cart for ages. 
 
Anything by Le Creuset, am I right? I just bought my first piece this week, can’t wait for it to arrive. 
 
I’ve had the body lotion and now I want the perfume version – I want to smell like Bobbi Brown Beach during the summers. 
 
I’ve been wanting a vase for my pampas grass. This one from Target is perfect. 
 
Aveda is always my go-to, and I haven’t strayed from their hair products in over 15 years. If ya wanna know what I smell like, it’s this. Fave products include Shampure shampoo + conditioner, Anti-humectant, Thickening Tonic, Shampure body oil. 
 
Color My Cookie – bebs and I had a blast painting (and eating) these shortbread cookies together a few days ago. They come pre-iced with edible watercolors and sprinkles. Also comes with a link to an online cookie decorating tutorial taught by a real pastry chef!
 
The Idle Free Box is a subscription box full of activities for those mundane days. DIY painting and embroidery kits to puzzles and workout plans.
 
 
Got a crafty Mom? Gift her some photopolymer stamps and dies to use (and paint over top) with Stamp Chimp.
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Lovevery Subscription Box review

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I’m not sure I’ve ever written a post about Lovevery Playkit subscription boxes before, but here we are! If you’re unfamiliar with the brand, they sell subscription based playkits for babies, toddlers and beyond.

A disclaimer to let you know – my boys have received these boxes as PR samples/gifts from the brand. However, they do not know I’m writing on my blog about them (the requirements were to post on IG). 

Lovevery is a stage-based play for your child’s developing brain and helps facilitate development and motor skills. Hence why there are many age appropriate, fun and educational toys sorted into two to three months age groups based on your child’s age.

Currently it’s only offered as a subscription box, and I hope eventually they can sell just a box at a time if one wants to gift another person a Lovevery box (subscription starts at $36 a month and solo kits start at $80). They’re truly fantastic little presents. The items bebs got in his box are unreal. Well made, thought-out, and are structurally sound for toddlers…if you know what I mean. Bebs can hammer away at his little hammer/nail set he got and it’s pretty much indestructible.

There’s no doubt that the Lovevery montessori style subscriptions are carefully curated including beautifully crafted pieces for your children to play with.

Here are a few examples of their playkits in action.

Bebs playing with one of his favourite  stand-out Lovevery gifts from the Free Spirit Play Kit, geared towards toddlers aged 34, 35, 36 mths old. It’s a camper van like his friend (except his friends is a real one..that his parents drive.. obviously lol). It comes with some wooden people, tiny sleeping bags, a fold-up tent, and a set of keys to lock the doors on the camper van! Incredible right? The designers who come up with these toys at Lovevery are just fantastic. Everything is so well done and thoughtfully curated, especially for those tiny toddler hands. 

These toys are designed to keep your child’s attention and learn while they’re at it. Grabbing tiny pieces of paper, dipping a little brush in some glue and stamping it down? Fine motor skills right there. Finding out how to make the toy balance and what happens when you add his toy cars to the bucket? He calls it a see saw ….I mean you’re not wrong buddy.

Another top contender for the most-played with item. The Super Sustainable Sink With Bio-Based Cups and Plates – “They can run the water for hours without it going down the drain”. He requests to play with this one multiple times a week.  

If your budget allows, Lovevery is a great gift for children. Considering the toys are high quality and a lot of them are made of wood so they’re made to last for multiple children, or give as hand-me-downs to neighbour kids when your child is done with them.

Thanks for making exceptional play kits.

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Baby 2 is here!

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Well hello again friends. I’m officially a Mom of 2 now. So wild to me. Starting this blog a good 20 years ago (do you remember when we first heard the word “blog” and thinking it was the strangest name ever? Who came up with the name BLOG anyway?). Who has been a longtime reader of mine? Raise your hand in the comment section.

I’ll admit, I was a bit spooked at first, thinking about adding a second child into our family. I knew I always wanted bebs to have a sibling. I am so much more confident this time around. Especially more comfortable wearing my baby (this is the Nesting Days carrier). I think with bebs (my first boy) I was so anxious with him. I was always nervous he’d stop breathing at any moment, and sleep deprived because: first time Momma. Not going to lie, wasn’t looking forward to the newborn stage this time since I thought I knew what to expect. Going from 0-1 kid is HARD, and I thought 1-2 would be nutso. It’s not! This time I’m so much more relaxed, and also not as nervous meaning more sleep & more energy which is making everyone pretty happy in general lol. I’m in a little slice of heaven here, wearing baby boy – this pic (below)he was 6 days old. He’s almost 3 weeks old now.

So a quick little story about the carrier I’m wearing. Nesting Days carriers are made locally in San Francisco, California. Sure just right up the street b’y, wha?

It’s not your typical baby wrap where it’s a ton of fabric and you need to figure out how tie everything together to get your baby to sit in the wrap. This one is “pre-made” so-to-speak. You literally wear it like a t-shirt (stepping into it is the easiest way, actually), and it’s made 

As much as I’d love to sit down for hours on end staring at this newborns face, I have a toddler who needs me too (Scott is back at work [from home] as of last week), so I truly do need my two hands free to tend to an infant, a toddler, and make meals. It’s super comfortable, and easy to use. I am wearing either this polka dot one or my marine blue one most of the day so I can pop in the babes at any given moment. The material is an activewear type of material, and washes well (even on the hot cycle when baby spits up on my carrier). I don’t put it in the dryer for very long, about 10 mins. So far, so good!

I’m fully embracing baby-wearing this time around and I’m so happy about it! Thanks to Nesting Days for gifting me (not sponsored – but gifted!) the carrier to try out. 

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