Every time I open my Instagram or Facebook I am greeted with moms who seemingly look like they have it all together. Art projects, perfect schedules, and at home work outs fill up my feed.
Most of me is thinking “Yay you! Get it girl!”, but there is that part of me who gets sucked into feeling less than. Cue the mom guilt.
Navigating 2020 hasn’t been easy for me. I’ve been riding a roller coaster of emotions- for every few “I got this” days, I have a “NO you don’t” day.
Some days everything works. The house gets cleaned, the schedule is followed, the fights are minimal, and we might even squeeze in a fun activity. But those days of simply surviving are VERY real too and that’s okay.
If you’re feeling less than, remember that those kids don’t care if you are perfect. You might not be thriving, but you showed up and that’s what matters.
That voice inside my head that’s always telling me “You can’t wear tight fitted clothing. You have to hide that mom belly!” has been getting a lot quieter lately. I’m more in a “I’ll wear whatever the hell I want” place now.
Just because that belly has been stretched to the max not once, but THREE times, does not mean I should hide it away. Do I prefer it safely tucked inside my high waisted jeggings? You bet. But I’m no longer shying away from those adorable bodysuits and tighter tops because of that little voice that society has planted in my head.
To the new mom whose body feels foreign. To the mom who thought she’d loose the baby weight by now. To the mom strategically covering her “problem areas”- You are seen. You are beautiful. Your body is bangin’.
Every body is different and worth celebrating. I challenge you to embrace that body- the things you like AND the things you consider “flaws”. Embrace the body that has changed and grown with you. It deserves your love. ❤️
With Max’s second birthday fast approaching, I have been on the hunt for practical gifts for him. With his birthday being only a month before Christmas, I found a lot of things I’ll be saving for then, too!
We try to be a little more intentional with toys in our home. We’ve done the overload of stuff more times than I count, and more often then not we have found our kids were only playing with a couple toys. The last few years we have done a few gifts and then done an experience for each child. Usually it involves a weekend trip away and the birthday child gets to pick the activites we do. We have really enjoyed this change and they have too!
This gift guide is compiled of some great Little family tried and true items, and also some new items that I think will be fast favorites!
**Note- This post contains affiliate links that earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I personally use and love, or think that my readers will enjoy.
The first item on our list was a balance bike. Max is obsessed with anything he can ride on, and we knew it was time for a well made bike that he could use for a long time. I love the idea of balance bikes over things like tricycles because they introduce kids to the concept of two wheels at an early age.
I did my research on different brands and came across Woom bikes. They have a variety of great bikes, starting with a balance bike for little ones as young as one and a half. They were kind enough to gift us a woom 1 classic bike in yellow for Max’s main gift. Upon receiving I was genuinely impressed with the ease of putting it together and the overall design. The seat adjusts nicely and the bike itself is lightweight enough for him to use on his own.
They also have a bunch of awesome accessories to go with their bikes. I’m super impressed with this company, and will be coming back for new bikes for the older two as well. Head here to browse their full selection!
Next on the list is art and craft geared gifts. At 2, little ones are beginning to explore their creativity even more, and having easy, less mess things for them to do is key for us. Below are some items we have tried and loved with our older kids, and a few new items that I have heard great things about too! Note- the age recommended for most of these items is 3+, but we are always there to supervise littler ones with them!
All of these options are virtually mess free-HALLELUJAH.
This next item is a FAMILY FAVORITE. It is honestly a wonderful gift for any age! We love it for little ones because it gives them a soft, safe place to play. The Nugget. It is kids furniture that can transform into a fort, jungle gym, you name it. I promise you need it. And you’ll love it. You can thank me later. 😉 OH. It comes in some great color options, and they’re always adding new ones!
Click the image to shop!
We don’t have many traditional toys that we kept to hand down, but our LEGO duplo and Little People collections stuck. They’ve been loved and played with countless times. They both are wonderful toys for kids to use their imaginations, and they provide endless play possibilities. These Tegu blocks are a new find for our house, but we have some good friends that SWEAR by them, so they’re on our list! They’re magnetic and safer for younger kids then the magnetic tiles. Below our some of favorite sets of each!
Last but most definitely not least is educational toys. Montessori style items that help encourage self directed and hands on learning are great for little growing minds!
I am so excited to have another two year old in our home, and for all the things that means. This age is so much fun and full of learning. I hope this list helps you find some gift inspiration for the 2 year old in your life!
We were recently gifted a box from Kids on 45th, and they have really stepped up the pre-loved shopping game! With three kids, clothes shopping can get expensive, especially if you love shopping as much as I do. I have always been a fan of shopping secondhand and finding great deals.
All I had to do was answer a few questions about my children’s sizes, likes/dislikes, and things we needed and they curated a box especially for us. I was a little worried about not knowing what we were receiving, but they have a Happiness Policy in place- if you don’t love something in your box, it’s a quick two taps on your device to get a credit for the item.
All three kids received 8 items- including a brand new thick jackets for all of them! I was impressed by the quality and variety of everything we received. There was quite a few items that were new with tags, and everything else was in excellent condition!
My favorite thing about this experience was that I didn’t spend any time searching for the items. I am pretty picky when it comes to clothes, but Kids on 45th did a amazing job listening to our likes and dislikes.
Kids on 45th was kind enough to provide my followers with a discount to save $10 off your first box! Head here and use the code “aladyandherlittles“! I promise you’ll be happy you checked them out.
A Lady and Her Littles 