Gift Guide {For Pregnant/New Mamas}

• Bump Nest Pregnancy Pillow, I've talked about my love for this thing before. Like, I'm excited to get pregnant again someday just so I can use this again!
• Hospital Gown, wish I would have had one of these pretties!
• Nursing Bra, I haven't tried this one yet, but I've heard amazing things about this brand!
• Natural Curve Nursing Pillow, save her poor back for her!
• The Moon is Going to Addy's House, prettiest illustration ever!
• Flowers--always a good idea (especially when accompanied by a massage gift certificate!)
• Maison du Soir chambray sleep shirt makes for easy breast feeding and makes her feel pretty when all the visitors come knockin'
• Cute socks from Woven Pear for the hospital bag
• Happy Turtle backseat baby mirror--we love this mirror! We had one from target before and it was so lame compared to this one.
• Ergobaby 360 carrier--the 360 design is a game changer, simon loves it!
• 4mom Breeze play yard--just watch the video on their site, then you will know why it is so amazing
• Ergobaby Swaddlers--lifesavers for the first few months! Calms baby right down.
• Shopping Cart Hammock--this thing is so amazing for the first few months--no heavy carseat taking up all the cart space!
• Nursing friendly dresses (striped here, oxblood here) because who wants to give up wearing dresses just because they're breast feeding, especially those first few weeks when pants sound really scary!
• The cutest diaper bag ever by Fawn Design
• High-waisted leggings, great for during and after pregnancy and not see-through!
• Non-Cheesy baby book, I have this and it really is so cute!
• The Attachment Parenting Book for good measure :)

Hashtag Momiform

If you don't find me in my trusty madewell high-risers + black and white striped tee combo, then you'll likely find me in a variety of this--a knotted tee, jersey stretch pencil skirt and my fawn design diaper bag. I like to wear this on days when I know I'm going to be running a lot of errands, so I want to stay as cool as possible and don't have to worry about crawling around on the ground all day (because pencil skirts aren't very conducive to ground crawling--believe me, i've been there and done that). Being in a skirt and a fun pair of shoes makes me feel like i've got it more together than i do--and faking it is the first step to making it, right? ha!

The fawn bag is, of course, awesome because it can have a corss over strap, but the backpack mode is really where it's at! I have one in brown and in black and they're just fab!

What's your Momiform?!

grey tee//forever21

initial necklace//barberry + lace

curls//nume wand

stretch pencil skirt//gap (on sale!)

laced booties//forever21 (sold out, similar here, here & here)

black and white organic blanket//modern burlap

wooded croissant teether//lexy pexy

diaper bag//fawn design bag

The Bagley Family Anti Milk Skimming Alliance...

oh what a trip up the mountains to a cabin full of all your favorite kinfolk can do for you.
it refreshes your soul and lightens your heart.

what a blessing a family is--makes me want to form a family compound.

what are you doing for your family reunion this year?

today was weird, but not the cat-morphing-dolphin dream kind of weird.

Well, they're gone.

We spent the whole day packing up and now my parents are headed to their mission to 

The Middle Of Nowhere, Wyoming.

(aka The Sixth Crossing Pioneer Mission)

skirt c/o Modcloth 

I won't see them for 6 months, (maybe longer if we end up moving somewhere far away while their gone.)

I thought it wouldn't be that bad. After all, it's only six months and I'm grown and moved out of the house anyways, right?

But when the time came to say good bye, the fact hit me that I'm not going to be able to drive home in an emergency and get help from my mom. And my dad's not going to surprise me with a car wash or a tune-up when I come over. 

Golly, it sure sounds silly, and maybe I'm about to start my period or I just really miss Marcus, but goodness gracious, just writing this i have tears streaming down my face. 

My parents have their quirks, and sometimes they drive slightly crazy, but they're mine and i love them.

And gosh dang it, turns out i'm really going to miss them or something.

But I'm sure they'll be awesome missionaries and I wish them the best!

Jazzercise? You Betcha...

For those of you who don't know. I am the youngest of 8 children. 

My mother was 44 when she had me. I was born on my oldest brother's birthday. 

He was 20. 

My mom is older than my best friends grandmother. 

My brother is older than her mom.

I had a most interesting upbringing, and I loved it.

Once, I got home from elementary school and my mother wasn't in the front room. I started calling for her throughout the house.

 No answer. 

Then I heard something strange from the back-room. The TV was making racket of all kinds. 

I turned the corner to see my mother in something akin to this:

But with a hairdo more like this:

watching something similar to this:

I was slightly traumatized. 

I mean, what if I would have brought home a friend?

Why couldn't my mom just run on a treadmill or watch Tae-Bo like other moms? 

Why couldn't she just wear oversized Gap sweatshirts and black yoga pants? 

Why was her hair always ratted high and perfectly motionless (even when she exercised); what's wrong with a ponytail, anyway?

Well, because my mom isn't other moms. 

She doesn't wash off her make-up when she goes to bed because then my dad would see her at "less than [her] best." 

She can make anything she's ever eaten at a restaurant (only hers will contain more butter, sugar, or salt) and it will, of course, be "better." 

She wouldn't sleep the entire week before a big dance because she's up sewing me a couture gown. 

She's crafty, and she's crazy, and she's mine. 

And although it took me a little while to realize it, I wouldn't trade (hardly any of) her quirks for anything. 

And I'm even glad I caught a few of them.

What's Great About Your Mom?

Did You Pee-Your-Pants

When You Watched That Video?