Thinking Fall

Yes, I'm thinking about fall on these 90+ degree days. I love, love summer, but this one has been brutal. And totting a baby, car seat, and diaper bag has left me a sweaty mess most days.

Fall and slightly cooler days, I'm ready for you.

I'm ready for crisp lake walks, pumpkin everything, crunchy leaves, and all the fall candles.

While I've been wishing for cooler temps, I've also been looking at fall fashion. I'm excited about pulling out old clothes that I couldn't wear last year and adding some new ones. My mom uniform for summer has been flowy tops and shorts. Easy access to the boobs is key for nursing. My fall wardrobe will definitely have to incorporate that aspect.

Ok, so I need some help. I don't want to be that frumpy mom who doesn't shower, has greasy hair, and wears gym clothes all day long without working out. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely those days around here too, but I'd prefer it not be every day. In preparing for fall, I've been scouring blogs for inspiration. I'm sure you've seen them, but I love Caroline's capsule wardrobes and am thinking about creating my own. I'm a frugal shopper and love the idea of purchasing everything at the beginning of a season and then saving the rest of the months.

Guilty Target shopper?

Yes, that's me.
I chronically pick one or two pieces up almost every trip. In thinking through my fall wardrobe purchases, I would rather have fewer, high quality pieces than a closet stocked full of mediocre pieces.

I'd say my style is fairly classic and neutral. So, where should I shop for reasonable, cute, new pieces?

Traveling with Bebe

If you've ever flown with a baby, you know it's quite the task. There is so. much. stuff.

Here are my top picks for packing and traveling with a baby:

Packing cubes. They will save your sanity while you're packing and once you've reached your destination. 

Baby Carrier. I wore CHP in her Baby Bjorn through both airports to have my hands free for luggage. 

Diapers and wipes. Unless, you're going somewhere that you can easily purchase these, it's best to pack them. 

Clothes. Pack a couple extra onesies, jammies, and outfits for those unexpected poop explosions. They'll happen. 

Car seat. This was a huge first-time-parent fail. We rented a car and car seat; however, they did not install it due to liability. After flying with a baby, strapping her to my chest, getting my bags, and shuttling to the car rental, installing a car seat was the last thing I wanted to do. So my advice is, bring and check your car seat. Even if you have to pay for it, it's cheaper than renting it from a car rental. 

Stroller and travel bag. I loved having our stroller in Chicago. CHP took a few naps in it, and while I love baby carriers, it was too hot to walk around the city with her on my chest. Before leaving, I purchased the travel bag for our stroller, and it guarantees our stroller if it's damaged during the flight. We were also allowed to gate check it for free. 

Covered Goods. This is essential for breastfeeding while traveling. I nursed CHP on both flights, at restaurants, and on our boat ride.

Toys. I packed a few of CHP's favorites to keep in my diaper bag for the flights, at dinner, and in the hotel room.

Happy baby traveling! 

City Love

J and I, both love the urban lifestyle and love to travel. Traveling may look a little different these days with CHP, but we want her to see and experience new places with us. In five short months, we've flown to NYC and now Chicago.

I hope she always loves to travel with us. 

We loved...

Beatrix for brunch. The brunch hour is relative when you have a five month old in tow. Ours happened to be at 8:30am on Saturday morning. But brunch on the weekends is just the best, so it doesn't matter what time you actually eat it right?
I highly recommend the chicken tinga and a latte. 

The Architecture boat tour is a must. We chose the Wendella because infants are free and was slightly shorter than other lines. 

Walking the city streets. We all loved the sights of Michigan Avenue. But Saturday, I grabbed an iced Intelligentsia coffee and the largest chocolate chip cookie and shopped while CHP napped, and J caught up on golf. 

Eating deep dish Chicago pizza. Although, that will be a one and done for us. Can you have too much cheese, sauce, and crust? We say, yes. 

We couldn't miss taking Bean pictures. I think, J rolled his eyes at how many photos I made us take together. 

The Publican. Our breakfast was tasty, but Beatrix was better. 

We're loyal Marriott stayers, and the Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile did not disappoint. The added touch was sending bath soaps, lotion, and a rubber ducky for babes. 

View from our upgraded suite. CHP is a charmer.

I'm hoping J can find a reason to go back, so we can have another Chicago weekend. Here are a few things on my list for next time: 

Lincoln Park Zoo

Children's Museum

Sky deck at the Willis Tower 

shop, shop, shop. 

Monthly Posts

Lately, I've been struggling with whether or not to post monthly updates about CHP. I have written two that are ready to be published, but I can't bring myself to post them. I keep thinking about her privacy and protecting her. It's another reason why I haven't shared her name and hope to keep it private on social media. So, if you are friends with us, I'd kindly ask that you refer to her as CHP.

For now, I'm going to keep those posts as drafts. I love writing and posting about her and being a mom. This is such an incredible time of life, but I need to be careful how it is shared. Who knows, there may actually be more posts around here now that I've decided to keep her monthly updates private.