Happy Third Birthday Ethan!



Ethan turned three this past Friday, June 26th and it's hard to believe our little baby is now a wild and crazy toddler...or threenager, as I more affectionately refer to him as.  Ethan is pretty much all boy at this point...he loves tractors, playing outside in the dirt, and rough housing with daddy.  He does have a sweet side though--especially first thing in the morning and at night {when he is sweet talking us!}.  He loves the movie Frozen..."Let it Go" is his song and there was a period where we watched that movie every.single.day.  Luckily, it's a good one!  He has the curliest sun-kissed hair and the brownest eyes...he's quite the charmer.  My heart absolutely melts when he says "layou mama" and gives me a big, wet kiss.  At night, when he's delaying bedtime for the 18734564th time, he'll tell me to lay with him and then he says, "Mama, I keep you"...from Frozen.  Those moments make up for all the screaming tantrums that we often put up with.  Boy were the two's a doozy!

I tried to take sporadic notes over the last year of Ethan's progress and what he's been up to.  Some of these are outdated now, but still worth noting:

Loves kissing boo-boos and if you say "ouch" he'll say "Owie?"  And come running over to kiss whatever you hurt.  We can always trick him into giving kisses if you say you have an owie on your cheek.  And now at three, if we get an owie, he'll kiss it  and say "All better?" but he's not really asking as much as he's telling you.  Of course the reverse does not work for him...he'll be sure to cry it out until you know good and well that he is hurt and a simple kiss will not make it all better.  ;)


Still uses a pacifier, but we're trying to ween him.  He'll come over to us and say "Boopy is" (boopy is what he calls a pacifier) and I'll say, I don't know?  And he'll respond, "Daddy have it?"  He's getting so smart...he won't take no for an answer and is very inquisitive.  And now at three, he's all but weened.  He still asks for a cut one at night, but it's definitely more for comfort than function.

He loves and I mean LOVES tractors.  He points them out on the road and would prefer to sleep with them every night if he could.  And at three, this is still the case!

He also loves his "kikies" (blankies).

Right now, he prefer to shower with one of us and will give us pressed hams on the steamed up door when he's done--thanks to Dad's influence.  ;)

He loves baseball and golf.  He has a really good arm and can throw a ball clear across the room.  He also loves hitting the ball with either a baseball or a golf club.  His grandma thinks he could also be a hockey player in the future.  We shall see!

Still sleeping in his crib and he can crawl in on his own.  But he won't dare crawl out...yet!  And now at three he is in a twin bed and gets out all the time!  Bedtime is just exhausting!

Books he loves: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, From Head to Toe, The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse (really, any Eric Carle book, he loves making the animal noises), Dear Zoo, Runaway Bunny, Goodnight Moon, and Big Red Barn, Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site, Llama Llama Red Pajama...among many others.  We must read him 2-3 books before he'll accept going to bed at night.


He's not the best eater and is starting to show it.  He's our skinny little guy.  He still takes a sippy cup of warm milk in the morning and at night and I guess we justify it so he gets those extra calories!  Now at three, we've got him down to 1-2 babas per day of 2% milk and his appetite seems to have picked up.  He loves chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, guacamole, yogurt, PB&J sandwiches, pizza...you know, all the healthy stuff!  He does he some fruit on occasion but usually prefers his fruit by way of lollipops and gummi bears.  

He's becoming really good at playing on his own and will make tractor/car noises and make us pretend meals in his play kitchen.  At three, he also mimics the construction worker's voices in this deep voice.  It's pretty darn cute.

This kid loves being outdoors...the winter was tough!  But now that the summer is here, he is in heaven!

Throws tantrums like no one's business.  He knows that if he screams, it will get our attention, particularly if we're out at a restaurant or in a public space.

We're able to bribe him with gummies (his favorite!)...luckily we happily give him the vitamin kind.  And lollipops.  And this is definitely still the case.


He LOVES his cuzzies, Reese & Riley.  And they love him too, which is really sweet.  Ethan likes to say that he's "Eece's Boy".

Ethan also loves harassing the cat, whether it's to smother her or chase her.

Wears size 7 in shoes and 18-24 or 2T months in pants.  Mostly 3T in tops.

Potty trained around 33 months or so.  Still wears diapers but has been doing really great!

Great little traveler...drove down to So Cal for my brother's wedding with no problem.

Still naps once a day.

Started sleeping in his big boy bed at 32 months...Feb 2015.

He's a little chatterbox and will talk and say hi to most anyone.  But if someone says hi to him, he gets super shy.

Started a new pre-school in June 2015--Jubilee.  Ms Tosha is his teacher who he loves and his buddy Beckett goes there too.


Loves his grandma and papa...we're lucky to be near Ryan's family.

All in all,  Ethan is our bright, handsome, feisty, funny, and sweet little guy!  He keeps us on our toes and surprises us everyday with his questions and observations {he just entered the "why" phase}. He is the best big brother...honestly, his sweet nature with Wyatt makes our heart swell.  He such a great big brother.  I'm really looking forward to this next year and seeing him blossom by the day.

xo natasha

A Three Year Old Gift Guide





Ethan's birthday is THIS Friday!  I honestly cannot believe he's turning three years old...time is just flying by!  I had a request to put together a three year old gift guide, so here it is!

Strider Bike- One of Ethan's best friends is now four and rides a two-wheeler bike with no training wheels, thanks to the strider bike.  How amazing is that?!  Ethan needs to get to practicing this summer!

Pool Floats- Ethan loves this beach so far this summer and had a blast hanging out on a inflatable tube.  I figured we can up the ante by getting him a fun pool float.  I especially love the stingray and donut!

Books- My philosophy is that you can never have enough books.  I want to add this and this to his collection.

Boxer briefs- I mean, how cute are these?  They seem like a great alternative to tighty whities!

Trains and tractors- As a girl growing up with all brothers, I loved playing with my brother's train set.  AND I really love the look of this retro tractor...it's metal!

Mini Power Loader- I think Ethan would literally die and go to heaven if he got this.  A loader that he could actually drive around and create rock piles, all by himself?  He might explode!

Do you have any fun gift ideas for a three year old?

xo natasha

Summer Staples // Recent Buys




Summer is literally around the corner...and I have no idea where the time has gone!  But I am very excited to wear easy breezy dresses with cute sandals.  And big beach totes are every moms best friend, am I right?  Yes ma'am!

I recently bought this, this and this {and love this for the 4th of July!}.  In July, we have the annual celebrity golf tournament and this year JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE will be there!  I am so excited!

Of course the best part of summer are the long days...we're trying to take advantage of going to the beach a ton on the weekends, take evening strolls, garden and dine al fresco.  

How are you enjoying the summer?

xo natasha

PS...the winner of the Mrs. Patel's package was announced...was it you?

Happy 5 Months Wyatt!




Five whole months!  Wyatt is blossoming by the day and is really such a delight!  He lights up anytime he sees or hears us...he LOVES his big brother...and he's still, our tiny little peanut.  His four month appointment showed us that he had only put two pounds on since his two month appointment, and his weight had dropped to the 5th percentile.  The crazy thing is that he's been getting big volumes of milk in his bottles, so I knew it wasn't a volume problem {like I feared with Ethan}, so when the doctor suggested supplementing one bottle with formula, I didn't freak out.  So, we've been supplementing one bottle, usually before bedtime, with formula and he seems to be just thriving.

Wyatt's eye color is still a super cool grey, with a touch of brown.  His hair is dark with gold flecks and is growing in like crazy--except for the back, which has a bald spot!  He's wearing 3-6 month clothes, though he fits great in his 3 month onesies.  He's in size 2 diapers.  

He still wakes up every 3-4 hours at night, which is a pain.  We tried putting him in his crib, but got tired of getting out of bed to get him throughout the night, so he's staying in his bassinet for now.  PLUS, Ethan is in potty training mode, which means he'll wake up at random hours throughout the night to go potty.  Basically, we're getting no sleep around here!  We've transitioned Wyatt out of the swaddle and he's now in a sleep sack.  I'm thinking we need to get him an Aden + Anais sleeping bag that's cooler since the weather is heating up.

Wyatt loves his jumperoo and is this close to sitting up on his own.  Can't wait for the beach with him this summer!  He's also rolling over from front to back!

Here's a recap on the last month:

Starting sleeping in his crib at 19 weeks...but now he's back in his bassinet.
Weighed 12 lbs 6 oz at 4 month check up...5th percentile
Started supplementing with formula at 19 weeks
Mama was away from him for the first time at 18 weeks--for two nights
First wedding at 19 weeks
First trip to the beach at 20 weeks
Loves his jumperoo and standing...he can even stand supported!
Ethan potty trained this past month---read: no sleep!
Super close to sitting on his own and he's rolling.
Grabs and hold toys--mostly to put them to his mouth
Discovered his feet this last month
Laughs in response to our laughs, but not uncontrollable laughs yet
Loves bathtime!  He kicks around a ton and is just super content in there.

xo natasha

Gift Guide for the Dads




In case you're struggling with gift ideas for Father's Day...I thought I would highlight some fun options.  I personally love that Hawaiian shirts are making a comeback...and how fun are all the pool float options out there?  I think Dad would love to kick back on that pretzel float with his favorite beer!  Another fun item is that tie box...genius!  Of course, you can never go wrong with baseball tickets!

What are you getting the dads in your life this Father's Day?

xo natasha 

Weekend Update


This weekend was one for the books...we were in town with no plans, but surprisingly did a lot!


God, I love these two.  Ethan continues to be super sweet with Wyatt and Wyatt basically thinks Ethan is the best.  He lights up every time he sees him.


We tried out some new wines this weekend...I'm really into rosé at the moment!  This one was really good and under $10!


This little guy gets stronger by the day!


Ethan and Daddy building a lego tower...and have I mentioned that Ethan is pretty much potty trained?  He started showing more and more interest and we finally got him to poop on the toilet and the rest has been history.  Yes he has accidents and yes he still wears a diaper at night, but hey, we'll take it!


Daddy got us donuts in honor of #natinaldonutday, so we made a backyard picnic out of it!


Ethan, of course, went for the sprinkles!


We also discovered a robin's nest in our backyard...isn't that blue just so pretty?


Someone who is not potty trained...this one!  And aren't those buns just to die for!?


This weekend was supposed to rain but we actually got two nice days.  On Saturday we went to the park and got my favorite shrimp tacos...with fresh mango + mint pico de gallo too!  Yum!


On Sunday, we met friends at the beach!


It was Wyatt's first day out at the beach!


Aren't they cute?  We are loving our Lulujo turkish towels and JJ Cole Blanket...highly recommend both!


Of course, no beach day is complete without soft serve!


Someone was very excited to have his own!  And pretty tired too...we've stopped forcing naps, which results in a very cranky tired toddler!


Super random, but our bunnies have been out of control this season...they're everywhere!


We ended the weekend with a cold beer, watering the lawn...and of course, Game of Thrones!

How was your weekend?

xo natasha

Ethan's Turning THREE // Pool Party Ideas


Did I read that right...THREE?!  How is possible that my little baby is turning THREE?!  So nuts!  

Being a little summer baby, we love hosting a party in our backyard {you can check out his FIRST and SECOND party here}.  After last year's party...when most of the toddlers ended up in the "fishing hole" pool, I knew I wanted to do a pool party theme for his third birthday!

Now, of course, California has been going through a major drought, so it doesn't quite seem right {even if Tahoe is a Nevada watershed}, so I may be making some tweaks, but overall, I still think a backyard party will be fun...and probably one of the last years we can get away with it since I'm guessing the majority of his parties will be at the beach in the future.



My original vision had kiddie pools galore, sprinkler toys, slip 'n slides and more!  Now, I think I'll limit the kid pool to one, have a sand box, bubbles and maybe even have some water guns.  But it should still be a fun time!  I found more ideas on Pinterest...check out my birthday board for more ideas!






Can't wait!

xo natasha

PS...don't forget to check out my current giveaway!

Breastfeeding // How to Keep Up Your Supply


I'm really not an expert on this topic but it is one that is of particular interest to me, especially since I'm currently breastfeeding.  I've found that this time around, my supply has been much higher than with Ethan and I will contribute it to a couple things:

1. Stay hydrated


I try to drink a lot of water throughout the day and I know it makes a difference.  I find that I especially drink a lot at night--for some reason I wake up feeling beyond parched and so downing water definitely makes a difference.

2. Eat lots of good fats


I typically start my day with a piece of sprouted toast with almond butter.  Lately, I've been sprinkling some ground flax seed on top or munch crunch...which not only aids milk production but also digestion!  I also try to eat my fair share of avocado, whether in a salad or as guacamole and last--these cookies are amazing!

3. Pump
I have the Medela Pump in Style Advance and would definitely recommend it.  To build up my supply, I pump an hour after Wyatt's first feeding in the morning and that has allowed me to have a nice backup, especially now that I'm back at work.  At work--I try to pump at least twice throughout the day.  It's a lot of work, but I know it's worth it!

4. Drink Tea


I really like Mother's Milk Tea but I'm also looking forward to trying this chai spice variety.

5. Fenugreek Bars


Last, I was contacted by Mrs. Patel's about trying some of their products and while I have yet to try to the tea, and I enjoy the munch crunch...I genuinely loved the fenugreek bars and really feel like they made a difference in my supply.  We've been traveling a ton lately and that always seems to take a toll on my supply.  But I was consistently eating these bars in the morning--and even found myself craving them--and I swear it kept my supply on par!  The peanut butter is my favorite...the bar itself is kind of spicy, which is strangely addicting!  They even make a gluten-free and vegan kind!

If you're interested in trying, you can receive 20% off your first order by entering FIRSTORDER at checkout.  

OR...enter below for a chance to win your very own package of goodies--including the tea, munch crunch and fenugeek bars!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!  The winner will be announced next Thursday!

xo natasha