Guest Post! Natalie from Designer Bags and Dirty Diapers!

Hello blogger friends! I am Natalie from Designer Bags and Dirty Diapers.

I am so excited to be guest posting for the sweet Alicia! I can't get enough of her blog and I am so excited about the new addition to her family. Since Alicia is about to have her baby boy anyday (or by the time this posts she may have had him already), I thought I would share some of my favorite baby things! Now, I am no expert, I only have one 15 month old baby boy but these are things that I loved and used all the time!
AIDEN AND ANAIS SWADDLE BLANKETS AND SLEEPSACKS
I love the whole Aiden and Anais line. The blankets are the perfect weight for swaddling and the sleepsacks are wonderful for when you can't put a blanket over your baby and you don't want them to get chilly at night.

KISSY KISSY BABY CLOTHES
This was by far my favorite brand of baby clothes when my son was little. Sadly he can longer fit in them! They make the softest clothes with adorable prints. I loved the converter nightgowns for when he was really young.

MUSTELA BABY PRODUCTS
I am obsessed with this line of baby products. I use their shampoo and baby wipes all the time. It all smells so heavenly. I highly recommmend this line of baby products. They also make great face wipes for on the go and a no-wash cleanser that is perfect for cleaning up after meals.

THE BOPPY
I used this all the time while nursing and before my son could sit up on his own. It is perfect to let the baby sit in while you do things!

SQUEEZABLE BABY FOOD
This stuff is amazing. I still feed my son it everyday because it assures me he is at least eating a veggie. I love the Ella's Kitchen brand because they use such great veggies like broccoli and spinach that my son would normally never eat. These are perfect for being on the go with a little one. You just throw them in your purse and then can fed your little one out anywhere.

SOPHIE THE GIRAFFE
This baby toy, which is kind of a glorified dog toy (I mean really it looks and sounds like a dog toy) is amazing. At $22 it is not cheap but trust me all little ones love this thing! It is perfect for teething and the perfect size for them to grasp when they are young. We lost one Sophie at a restaurant and quickly bought another because it kept my son so entertained!

WINE
Last but not least, wine! After 9 long months of no drinking a glass of wine (or 3!) at night was my saving grace. It was so nice to be able to unwind and enjoy an adult beverage again after a long day with a baby!

Thanks for having me Alicia! I am so happy for you and hope you get to enjoy a glass of wine soon! xoxo

Hey Ladies!  I am Trina from Baby Shopaholic! 

I am guest posting for Alicia while she is on maternity leave!  I
pray that her and her baby are doing well!  Since she is a new
Mom I thought I will talk about HOT Mamas!

Just because you have a baby doesn't mean you will never be considered

HOT again!  These HOT mamas keep me inspired! 

The Super Fly Halle Berry on mommy duty...

HOT! and Shutting it down!

The always FAB Gwyneth with her kids...

Gwynnie hurting them on the red carpet!

J Lo wrangling twins...

What....  HOT!

I know these Fly ladies have a glam squad behind them but we just

have to do our own version.  Try something new with your hair,
buy some funky nail polish, wear platform heels, invest in a
dress that looks HOT on your new mama body and practice makeup
application during nap times if you have nothing else to do :
).

After having a baby you can get your Swagger back!  These ladies

did!  What make you feel like a HOT mama?

Alicia, thanks for having me!  I hope you enjoyed and check me

out on the Baby
Shopaholic!

Guest Post! Bud & Leo!

We're so excited that Alicia is hosting our guest post today and we're even more excited for her little one's arrival!  Congratulations and many blessings to the happy family!
Today we're loving the tribal frenzy we're seeing everywhere these days...

Nanette Lepore, Lela Rose, Whitney Eve



Emmy Rossum, Jessica Szohr, Carey Mulligan

Tommy Hilfiger, Christian Siriano, Lela Rose

Tribal gear:

1) CO-OP Barneys New York Tribal Bikini
2) Joanna Laura Constantine Tribal Turquoise Pendant Necklace
3) MARC by Marc Jacobs Frida Flag Scarf
4) Kendra Scott Stone Cuff
5) Rebecca Minkoff Navajo Studded Chain Clutch
6) In-The-Round Placemat


Now go get your tribal on!  And thanks again for having us, Alicia!
xoxo Kelli & Lisa

Guest Post! Alecia from Hoobing Family Adventures!

It's funny how those things that will transform your life the most are perhaps the most difficult to picture beforehand.  

As a single person in love with the man I would eventually marry, I often asked myself how marriage would really change anything.  I don't know if it was the actual tying of the knot, but ten years later, things certainly feel different than the life of singles in love.  The absolute certainty that your husband has your back and will be there to experience life with you is the aspect of marriage I never would have been able to picture in my mind beforehand and yet now it is something one might say I even take for granted.

I remember when my husband came home from work and asked me if I wanted to move to China for two years.  Always game for an adventure, I quickly replied "Yes, I think so..." without any clue what I was getting myself into.  Little did I know, within a few months we would be packing up and renting our house, boarding a plane with a small fraction of our belongings, moving into an apartment on the 35th floor overlooking the Huangpu River in Shanghai and starting a brand new life.  Life was so different in Shanghai.  Every assumption I carried, which I did not even realize was a basic assumption rather than a universal truth, was questioned, uprooted and often changed.  After weeks of constant assumption challenges, I was able to sum it up by a single experience walking around the office endlessly looking for a three-hole punch device.  Finally I asked the admin where the hole punch was and she effortlessly picked up a very small TWO-hole punch sitting right in front of me.  For the rest of the day I repeated to myself, "Of COURSE it's a two-hole punch.  Why would it possibly be the same way we do it in the west?"

Having a child is obviously another life changing transition.  Before your child is born, along with their own or their wife's labor story, everyone tells you how they were unprepared for how much they immediately fell in love with their child.  I, once again, underestimated this aspect of the transition and was completely blown away by how in love I was with our child from the minute she was born.  Her tiny features, baby noises, newborn smell, rooting reflex, I had never seen anything more perfect in my entire life.  While I knew it would be life changing, I had no idea how emotionally tied I would become to such a tiny being.  The level of responsibility a baby creates in new parents was an aspect I had not fully considered as well.  A stuffy nose in tiny nasal packages suddenly had the power to create worry in myself I had never known. 

One common aspect of transitions is an element of fear going into them.  Since it is difficult to accurately picture yourself on the other side of precipice, the leap may seem daunting and filled with doubt about if it is really the right move.  Luckily, a common result of transitions is they all leave you changed in such a way that you have grown as a person.  

From my marriage, I now know unconditional love and security.  From our stints living abroad, my values, assumptions, beliefs and expectations have been challenged and my mind opened.  From the birth of my two beautiful girls, my capacity to love has been significantly increased and I have grown an ability to completely take care of and be responsible for another human being.  

Whenever someone I know is struggling with a transition, my response is always to GO FOR IT! There is no better way to grow as a person and welcome some new awesome part of yourself.   

Guest Post! Katherine from Little Miss Rylee!

First of all, thanks to Alicia for letting come hang out at her place today! Congrats on your little fresh baked baby! 

Secondly, before we get started, let’s all take a moment for a collective deep breath of said fresh baked baby… And…GO…

Because, truly, is there a better smell in this world? I think not. Now, moving on…

Hi! I’m Katherine. Wife to Andy and mama to a sweet little 3-year-old monster. 

When we found out we were having a girl, we knew instantly what her name would be. It was all too easy. In fact, we’d had her named picked out for years. You know the “we’re-so-in-love-I-know-we’re-going-to-get-married-but-we’re-not-yet-engaged” stage of the relationship where you talk about the future and make all sorts of promises and big plans…well that’s when we’d decided if we ever had a daughter her name would be Rylee. Rylee Rice. Kinda feisty. (at the time) totally different for a little girl, but not too far out there. We both loved it. It was settled.

And you know what? It’s a good thing because choosing a name for your kid is tough work. Especially if you’re married to a middle school teacher. Trust me.

We have plans for another wee one in the not so distant future, so from time to time, we’ll {ok, I’ll} bring up a name suggestion. Our conversations are short and tend to go a little something like this…

Me: I kinda like the name Bryce for a little girl.

Him: Bryce? Babe…Bryce Rice? Really?

Me: What about the name Harley for a girl.

Him: I can just see it when she hits high school “Oh yea…I’d like to ride that Harley.” NO.

Me: Alexander?

Him: I had a student named that once…he was a jerk.

Me: I like the name Benjamin.

Him: Are you joking? Benjamin? Ben? Uncle Ben’s Rice? You’re killing me.

Me: I love the name Ryann for a girl.

Him: Ryann? So we’d have Rylee Rice and Ryann Rice…don’t you think that’s a little too much of the Ry-Ri Ry-Ri?

Me: What about the name Dyllan for a girl?

Him: We can’t do that. We have friends with that last name.

Me: Ok FINE, what names do you like?

Him: ::BLANK STARE::

Moral of the story is this: naming a kid is hard. Exponentially harder if you are, or are married to, a teacher. Parents agonize over this stuff.  If a friend tells you their baby’s name and it makes you shudder? Chances are they spent hours over the course of months choosing just the right name so shut the hell up and smile. 

Introducing.....

My baby!!!

Owen M. Orbeta was born July 6, 2011 at 6:22 pm, weighing 8lbs 2oz and 20.5 inches long.

I am so in love with my little boy. I never knew a love like this even existed. I am beyond happy. I am so blessed to have him as my son. I am the luckiest girl in the world.

An hour after Owen was born, I was finally able to hold him. He was born via last minute c-section. His heart rate was erratic and he never did "drop". My OB was concerned something was wrong and the next thing I knew I was being taken to the OR for a c-section. Thank God I had such a good doctor and he decided a c-section is what was best for the baby. The cord ended up being wrapped around Owen. Very scary.....

My sweet baby!

Happy happy family!!

My mom holding sweet Owen!

My mom and dad with Owen. They made the 6 hour drive in under 5 1/2 hours!

My parents made it just in time to see me before I was wheeled into the OR for my c-section. I am so happy they were there to see their first grandchild minutes after he was born!

My sweet mother in law, with baby Owen! She is one happy grandma!

Sleepy baby!

My baby brother meeting his nephew for the first time!

Me and my baby! I am over the moon happy!!!

Going home!!!

And this is how I spend my days now! With my precious baby!!! A little tired, but so happy!

Thank you all for your support and kind words and following me throughout my pregnancy! You have no idea how much it meant to me to read your comments. They always brought a smile to my face.I am so sorry I have been MIA, I was incredibly exhausted the last couple weeks of my pregnancy and had no energy. Thank you for sticking with me and being such loyal readers! Your comments and words  of encouragement meant the world to me. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!

Alicia

Guest Post!!! Jill from A Beautiful LIfe!

Hi everyone, this is Jill from A Beautiful Life, Alicia has asked me to guest post for her while she takes some time off to be with her new baby boy!! Before I begin, a big congratulations to Alicia, this is truly one of the most special times in your life. I am so happy for you, enjoy every single second and savor every moment. Well, with a new baby, I thought for todays post I would share some of my favorite baby items...

1. Mustela Baby Products.

I cannot say enough, how incredible these bath products smell. This is truly the most amazing scent. I fell in love with this line when my first baby was born, he is now 11 and still uses the shampoo, along with my girls. I love the smell of a baby right out of a Mustela bath.

2. A super hip diaper bag.

I've had 3 children and with each pregnancy I treated myself to a new diaper bag. I was always on the hunt for something that did not scream "new mom coming" and also a bag that I could use for something other than toting diapers.

Petunia Pickle Bottom. I got this bag with my third and last baby. I fell in love with this particular diaper bag because I think it looks like a vintage handbag. My youngest is now 2 but I still cart this around, but instead of bottles and formula I carry my ipad.

The Fleurville mothership. This was the bag I treated myself to when my second child was born. I love that this bag has a water resistant covering, so spills can wipe right off. Now that my second child is 8, this bag is the perfect carry on or just the right size for a quick night away!!

The Burberry Tote.

This is my original diaper bag. A timeless classic in my opinion. This bag has been through it all and still looks amazing, you really do get what you pay for. This bag saw me through the first 3 years of my son's life, and now it is my gym bag. I carry my ipod, change of clothes, and bath products in this bag, everyday.

3. Stylish babies. I admit I spend way too much money of clothes for my children especially given the fact that kids grow so quickly and what fits them today will most likely not fit in 2 months. Anyway, I just love a little girl in a smocked dress....

and a little boy in short/long alls. (or john johns to many) My son is 11, so clearly I cannot dress him like this anymore, but when he was a baby he wore john johns almost daily.
I am also smitten with patterned tights for my girls. I love seeing a little girl running around in a striped dress with polka dot tights. I bought some of the most amazing tights for my girls about a year and a half ago when I was in Paris. I have a pair of tights with the story of Cinderellaon them!! If you can't make it to Paris you can find some cute tights locally at The Gap, Hanna Andersson, and Oilily.

4. The Rolls Royce of strollers.

Missoni has teamed up with top notch bugaboo to create an exclusive to Neiman Marcus collection. In addition to the instantly recognizable fabric of the stroller, you will also receive a knitted Missoni blanket to keep your most prized possession toasty warm. These strollers will be available July 2011, if I had a newborn I think I might just be tempted to invest in this gem!

I hope you all enjoyed my favorite baby things today, I had fun sharing. Thanks Alicia!!

Guest Post! Aubrey from All Things Bright and Beautiful!

Hidey-ho, neighbors! Aubrey from All Things Bright and Beautiful here while cute Miss Alicia gets to be with her new little bundle of joy! I'm positive that there is nothing better than cuddling with a brand new baby...but we are going to try and get a close second in celebrating...

The Golden Days of Summer!!!

Anybody else ready for some fun in the sun??? Well, technically we are just focusing on the golden part...hehehe...

A little golden glamour to get you started:

Ellie Saab

Summer Shopping...

...my favorite part...(c;

Amazon

and Zappos

Kate Spade

J Crew

J Crew

BR

Target...but don't get too attached, because it's SOLD OUT )c:

J Crew

Summer bargains!

Even better than the fantasy shopping (c:

If you are obsessed with that Kate Spade bag like I am, this has the same amazing straw and glitz combo for a *fraction* of the cost:

Target

And I let's be frank here...I'm probably not going to drop 135 buckaroos on those adorable J crew flats (as much as I would *LOVE* to), but again good ol' Tar-jay has these little cuties for $12.99, a total steal! Such a steal that I totally just ordered a pair for myself (c:

Tar-jay

Seriously, Target needs to start paying me for all this free advertising...(c:

Thanks for letting me ramble on like your crazy uncle at Thanksgiving...I just adore Alicia and her cute blog so it's defintely been fun for me!!!



Guest Post!!! The Capital Barbie!!!

Hey Shaken not Blurred readers! I'm Kelsey from The Capital Barbie and I share something in common I have with you: I love Alicia's blog!  She has been nice enough to let me guest post for you lovebugs today while she is getting her mommy on.

I wanted to write something that would be helpful for Alicia so I decided on tunics for summer.  This is a great piece to add to your wardrobe whether you're a size 2 or a maternity size of 9 months pregnant! They're also a great piece when transitioning from being pregnant to getting back to normal.  Here are some of my faves.

Nordstrom, Michael Kors tunic, $53

I love this saturated color and the sleeves are beautiful.

Macy's, Charter Club beaded tunic, $45

I really like the kimono type neck on this and it is such a pretty crisp white.

Old Navy, Metallic tunic, $18

Loving this print and the price!

Tunics are a great way to camouflage any areas you may not be loving right now, but they are also perfect for summer.  

Be fabulous today!