Beach Essentials for Older Babies

Hey mommas,

Are you ready to hit the beach this summer?!  We are!  Especially now that Luna is toddling around.  I'm already imagining her squealing as she runs from the waves and tossing sand in the air ... probably right on top of me!

I don't want anything to ruin our summer fun ... like accidentally forgetting something we really need.  That's where this list comes in handy.  You already know the everyday things to pack (diapers, wipes, bottles) but here are 8 extra beach essentials for older babies:

A CUTE SWIMSUIT

Here are two reasons for your baby to suit up this summer:  First, it helps protect baby's sensitive skin from the harsh summer sun.  Second, babies in bathing suits are just really cute. 

swim diapers

I've been known to take Luna into the water in a regular diaper ... and it always ends with little bits of gel all over the place!  That's why I use swim diapers now.  They're specially designed to go in the water and you'll be thankful you have them when it's time to leave!

A BEACH TENT

A classic umbrella is great but a beach tent offers even more shade.  It's a good "home base" where your baby can enjoy a snack, take a nap, or have a few minutes of quiet play time.

SUNSCREEN

Most doctors don't recommend sunscreen for babies under 6 months.  After that, your little one should be wearing it on a daily basis - and especially at the beach!  To make things easy, skip the lotion and go straight for the spray.  Just be sure to cover your little one's eyes and reapply every 30 minutes or so!

A MINI FAN

Your sweet babe will probably get cranky from the heat at some point.  A battery-operated mini fan will help cool her down ... and you, too!

SAND TOYS

Pick up a small pail and shovel before heading to the beach.  Even if your little one isn't building castles yet, she'll probably have fun banging on the pail and throwing sand inside!

A TOWEL

Bring an extra towel just for baby.  Use it to dry her off, cover her shoulders while she plays, and bundle her up when it's nap time!

A WOVEN TOTE

Mommas, this one is for you.  Because if you have to lug your baby's things around anyway, you might as well look good doing it!

Swimsuit | Swim Diapers | Beach Tent | Mini Fan | Sunscreen | Sand Toys | Beach Towel | Tote | Swim Trunks

Who else is heading to the beach with your babes this summer?  Do you pack anything special that I haven't thought of? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments below!

Happy Beaching!

Lace

Father's Day: The Perfect Gift for First-Time Dads

Hey guys!

Father's Day is just around the corner.  Around here, we celebrated a little early since Kris will be out of town for the weekend.  But I didn't mind - I was dying for him to open his gift anyway! 

I bought his gift from a company called The Night Sky.  Have you heard of them??  They create custom star maps that capture the night sky on your special day and it's so. freaking. cool!  As soon as I saw it, I knew it would be the perfect way to immortalize the night that Kris became a dad.

And it was so easy!  All I did was type in Luna's birthday and the city she was born in.  Then they took care of the rest!

Oh - you can also add a caption if you want!  Here's what ours says:

I love so many things about these maps.  Like ... they go with everything!  We've been looking for something to hang in our living room for a while so that's a double win.  Plus it's not just going to sit in a drawer somewhere until I throw it away (like some of my past gifts).  And at $60 plus FREE SHIPPING they're super affordable!

The last year of parenthood has been such an adventure with Kris and it was so fun to recreate the night sky on the day it all started.  Now I just have to figure out what to buy for my own dad(s).  Wish me luck!  Or even better, send me some ideas in the comments below :)

Happy (Almost) Father's Day!

Lace

3 Reasons to Send Personal Thank You Notes

Hi friends,

It's been over a week since Luna's party and I'm finally done with all the thank you notes!  With over 40 guests, we received so many thoughtful gifts and books and fun toys.  And I want to make sure each person knows how much it meant to us! 

It wasn't just about the gifts, either - it was the fact that so many people chose to spend their day celebrating Luna and all the goodness she brings to the world.  Each person took the effort to be there or send their love and I wanted to return the favor!

If you're not a thank-you-note kind of person, that's okay!  We all find our own ways to express gratitude and that's what's important.  But here are three reasons why I think they should still be a thing:

1.  IT SHOWS HOW MUCH IT REALLY MEANT.

You said thank you in the moment and that should be enough, right?  Sure!  But sending a card shows that you thought about it afterwards, too.  Their gift or gesture or support meant the world to you and hasn't been forgotten.

2. IT COVERS ALL YOUR BASES.

Most people appreciate a thank you note - but some people expect it!  Sending one ensures that everyone is satisfied, even the hard-to-please people in your life.

3. IT WILL PUT A SMILE ON SOMEONE'S FACE.

This is the real reason I send thank you notes.  It's not just because it's nice or polite or because people expect it.  It's because it feels good knowing I made someone's day a little brighter - just like they did for me!

What are your thoughts on thank you notes?  Are they in or out?  Is a text just as good?  I want to know what you think in the comments!

With love,

Lace

DIY Photo Display

Hi all!

For Luna's first birthday, I created a photo display with pictures from her first year.  It was a fun way to share our memories and so easy to make!  Here's how I did it:

Hobby Lobby is my favorite place to shop for DIY supplies.  I bought this 16 x 20 inch Barnwood Open Frame from there for about $14.00.  It was originally $35.99 but it was on sale and I used a 40% off coupon which you can find here. 

I also picked up a pack of Flea Market Fancy Stained Clothespins (Medium) which were $3.99 for a 30 pack.  I couldn't find the exact product on their website so I recommend just checking in the store :)  I used the clothespins to hang the photos from hemp string that I already had on hand.  Twine also works if you have any lying around!

Once I had everything together, I glued one end of the string to the back of the frame on the right side.

Next, I wound the string all the way around the frame 5 times.  I didn't do any measuring for this - I just held the ball of string while I wrapped it around.  When I got the the bottom, I cut the string and glued the end to the back of the frame.  Then I readjusted as needed.  Don't worry about making it perfect - the variation adds to the charm!  As long as there's room to fit photos between the strings, you're good to go :)

Speaking of the photos, I used 4 x 4 prints from Wal-Mart.   I originally planned to use Social Print Studio because I really like the quality and feel of their product.  Their photos are pretty resilient as well - perfect if you're using them for an outdoor event like ours!  Unfortunately, I didn't have time to wait for shipping.   So I went with Wal-Mart and I'm actually really happy with how they turned out! 

What I love most about this display is the flowering garland along the top left corner.  It's such a pretty detail and really makes the whole thing look more put together!  The piece was a bit long so I trimmed it using wire cutters.  Then I tied it to the frame in several places to keep it secure.

And that's it!  This project was so much fun to make and a great way to preserve our memories.  Plus, it'll be easy to swap out the photos when we're ready!

If you have any questions about how to make this photo display, let me know in the comments below!  And be sure to share your creations on Instagram using #laceandlu :)

Good luck!

Lace

Luna's 1st Birthday Party

Hi everyone!

On Sunday, we hosted Luna's first birthday party at a local park.  Friends and family came from all over to celebrate our sweet girl's big day and I was so happy with how it all turned out!

For the last few months, I've been planning all the little details for the party. I wanted it to be simple and sweet .... a white tablecloth, pale pink plates, white porcelain platters, and a sparkly gold unicorn cake topper.  Even though I knew exactly what I wanted, it took a lot of effort (and trips to Hobby Lobby) to bring all the elements together.

It also took a lot of people to make it happen!  I'm so thankful for all the help we received from so many different people.  Like ... see those beautiful floral arrangements?  My mother-in-law made them just for the party!

Another thing that was a group effort?  The cake!  It was my first time making a tiered cake and it was so. much. fun!  My mom mixed all the batter while I was greasing the pans.  Then I baked, stacked, and iced the layers.  My friend Caroline made the unicorn cake topper and my mother-in-law added the final touches with the florals.  If you love this cake as much as I do, let me know in the comments and I can post instructions for how to make it!

Did I mention that this was my first time EVER hosting a party and it was for 40+ people?!  So intimidating!  Even with all my planning, things were a little chaotic on the actual day of the party.  Luckily, several people showed up early to get everything in place while my husband watched Lu back at the house!  We also added a few finishing touches, like hanging the photo display (my friend Skyler's idea) and adding simple high chair decorations (courtesy of Caroline):

This was actually my husband's high chair when he was little.  All these years later, my mother-in-law was still holding onto it.  I was so glad we were able to incorporate it into the party - it was perfect for Luna's (cup)cake smash!

Speaking of, is it bad that I was a little bit happy that Luna was mostly disinterested in the cupcake?!  I was so anxious that she would LOVE it and never want to eat anything else ever again - but that wasn't the case at all!  She was actually way more interested in the fresh strawberries than anything else.  Still, I owe my mom a huge thank you for picking up a dairy-free cupcake just for Lu on her big day!  Otherwise, we might've needed to hang a Don't Feed the Baby sign around her neck to keep well-intentioned guests from giving her the full-dairy version everyone else was eating!

All in all, the party was so much fun ... although it did require a little damage control afterwards. There are a lot of things you CAN control when you're hosting a party and a few things you can't.  As much as I love our friends and family, there are some big personalities in the mix that resulted in a few hurt feelings.   But in the end, I hope that the good outweighed the few tense moments and everyone had fun.  I know I did!

With Love,

Lace

P.S. How gorgeous are these unicorn and rainbow cookies?!  My friend Skyler made them from scratch as favors for our guests!  I'll be interviewing her about her home-based cookie business in the next few months so stay posted for more mouthwatering cookie snaps!