Using Babylegs After Infancy.. For Boys.

I feel like after the title of this post should be a dun. dun. dun......
Like boys and legwarmers. No way right?

So I love them. I make them with target knee socks. I buy them from Babylegs and they were amazing for that 0-12 month stage for a baby. We cloth diapered and there is a stage where leaks are a part of your life. They saved my laundry a ton. I have a lot of them and I am saving them for that one day when we have another child. I never really put them away because they are a useful part of Sammy's wardrobe.


Here I list some ways that we are getting every dollar we can out of those babylegs. I am sure my husband appreciates this as I have probably 30 pairs. To be fair I made a lot of those pairs. Lots of men think that they are silly for a boy, but I am so glad my husband viewed them as cool and functional. He's been behind me all of the way- be it cloth diapering or fashion choices for Sammy. So here are the ways we have made these work after they are basically pants.

1) Under pants. This is just another layer that helps the warm stay in. It also helps that sitting-pants ride up exposed ankle problem. I try to stick on a looser pair of pants so he's not constricted.

2) Under shorts. April, May or even some of the later Summer/Early Fall months it can be very cool in the morning but much warmer after lunch. I tend to put Sammy in a pair of shorts and put the babylegs on. They go to the knee and are a nice solution. Then he is not hot and can strip them down.

3) Make short sleeved shirts fall appropriate. You can layer them on arms. I find the newborn size are better for this. Sammy is only three so I am sure we have a long time of being able to do this one.

4) Get ahold of your PJs and make those shorts go into Fall this way. They are pretty comfy. I think they are really great for this because often you get that Carters 4 pack of jammies that is short sleeves and shorts. Well... now you have another set of long sleeves and long pants if need be. It can help you pack more minimally on a vacation or help you get fewer pieces for nightwear.

5) Potty Training. This is probably my favorite way. While Sammy is learning to use the potty- he needs to be able to undress himself. This just makes it easier. He puts on his big boy Thomas the Train undies and then some babylegs. He can pull down the undies and not worry about his pants. Also its Winter and cold out so this helps us keep him warm while he is trying to make it all work. I love how silly he looks around the house.

6)And lastly a really weird way to use them... As a sock bun for Mama!

Week of Clothing Wednesday!

Monday- I am still pretty obsessed with this Gap sweater. Just some layering to help keep Sammy warm. Cute jeans. I wanted him to have special outfit for a dreary Monday. Sadly those hunter boots are a pipe dream.  They're $50 which is pretty much going to be spent on other things. So... I can dream and put them here so you all can decide if they are worth the money. Which they are- just I have so many items on my wish list I have to make the cut somewhere.

Tuesday- We stayed home and Sammy stayed in his jammies! :) They were the super cute space ones from Carters. I know he was warm and snuggly because there was a LOT of couch time while we watched Milo & Otis on repeat.

Wednesday- Layers- always layers with this polar vortex crap. Kinda reminds me of El Nino when everything was blamed on that. So a nice Genuine Kids zip up over a cute shirt. He was bundled in a coat and hat with a scarf. Poor little dude probably could barely walk.

Thursday-Its cold. I have him in lined camo pants from Carters. He has a nice warm cotton tee on under his Genuine Kids sweater. This is pretty thick so he should be warm. The Boden shirts this year are really hilarious. They have this British Tee line that is just so perfect. Boden to me is the perfect amount of whimsy that I feel like boys can get away with!

Friday! OMG I cannot wait until Friday. Who is with me? Seriously longest week ever already. I am sticking him in some lined pants from Carters. I need a break from the grey sweater phase I am in! I will put him in a nice plaid (too bad I don't have that amazing one from Tea Collection yet) and a nice fleece vest. These from Carters are so cute. And they have nice pop of Aztec pattern which is working for me!

Tea Collection- Review Spring 2014

I was blown away by the Tea Collection catalog I received recently. 

These are the items I will buy. The first being a great bright sweatshirt that will look great with Sammy's complexion. They also have it in a wonderful grey. I love the quality of their clothing. Great handmedown quality. 

The second- amazing plaid. Just a cute spin on the traditional. It makes it fresh and bright. Just really amazed by the attention to detail and color pallet. Thirdly, a great print on this cute shirt. They typically have a geographical location they select and this is Marrakesh. I love the colors- I could easily pair some colored jean or khakis and make this shirt pop.

The elephant shirt is really cool. I love the sporty stripe take as a chevron. Nice way to bring a popular trend into boy's clothing. I love the green that is bright but not that standard green that I see so much of nearer to this time of year. 

Lastly is something a bit outside of my comfort zone. I think I would put this with just khakis or really go for it with Sammy's mustard jeans. The print is really cool and I think it would translate well in family pictures.

Word to the wise on Tea Collection- it can run small. My tip is to get their tops and get shorts and jeans from less expensive places. The prices aren't insane but they're not cheap. But the quality is there so you'll be able to get a lot of use out of each item. 

Garnett Hill Kids- Catalog Review

Well.. No boys clothing. Thanks for nothing. I think it is totally silly to have "Kids" be in the title of your catalog but no clothing for 50% of kids.

The clothes were not note worthy. Didn't even glance at the pricing. Next.

Little Dude... Has Great Mornings!

So for the last few months- mornings have been chaotic and unhappy. I have been the cause. I have been doing things wrong in the morning. So.. Here I will let you in on the secrets that have turned my mornings into blissful time with my three year old son.

So background. My husband leaves at the crack of dawn for his work. I need to get myself and my son ready every morning and care for the cat. I have really long hair. I am a chronic oversleeper and hate getting up. I also am a timewaster on my iPad pretty much every morning.

So... Here are the things we're doing to get us happy and going in the mornings.

1) When I wake up I give myself x amount of minutes to play on my iPad and wake up. I have to plan for success and part of that is just admitting to myself that I need that me time first thing. If I were to cut this out completely I would totally rebel against myself and be even more chaotic.
2) I usually shower the night before or I don't let myself hit the snooze button. The hair takes a while to work on. I let myself hit the snooze button if I have showered the night before. As soon as I gave myself a time I needed to have everything done by, I can adjust a little here and there to add stuff in or take stuff out.
3) I give myself a "drop dead time" that I need to be completely dressed and everything assembled by. That time is when I get Sammy out of bed. I usually have in hand when I get him up a diaper, socks and shoes, and his complete outfit. That cuts down on time looking for something to match. I often pick this out the night before and have it outside his door. Less in the morning to figure out is best.
4) I have a plan for breakfast the night before. I really have a plan for everything. I may not lay out my clothes but I know for sure what I am wearing. I also ask my husband what he is wearing so I have that done too. We pack lunches the night before as well.
5) I give Sammy at least 30 mins to play and eat breakfast before we have to get out of the house. He needs time in the morning just like I do - he needs to play and watch some Thomas or Milo. Just time where he feels like someone is not in his face asking him to move quickly.
6) Breakfast is usually waffles. The husband usually makes waffles once every week or so and we make a bunch of extras and stick them in the freezer. I toast them and that's Sammy's breakfast. I also have time to make pancakes quickly or eggs. Just something fast but I have a plan for it. That's my secret. I have a plan. While Sammy eats his breakfast, I eat mine. We sit together and talk and enjoy the morning. Who knew.

Before last week I was in to work every day about 8:30ish. Now I am there about 8:00 and we aren't rushing and before it was chaos. I am loving life! This is really working for us!

Hope this helps you to make mornings a bit more calm and have that little time you have together before the busy day starts be quality and great time!

Saturday

We're taking it easy. Perfect outfit and total bliss! Saw Papa and Grandma. Gap sweater. Genuine kids button down and mustard Gap jeans. Warm and so adorable. After napping and snuggling. 

BRRR!

It is so so so cold here! We're freezing. Have you gotten the drift that it's cold? I am ok as long as it is closer to 25-30 degrees. I like the snow. This is getting to be too much.

I started my car three times before I left because Sammy can't wear his coat in the car. One windshield wiper was frozen solid after that and didn't warm up even on our 30 min drive. Whoops.

Sammy was bundled up like his life depended on it. Babylegs, socks, lined pants, shirt, and sweatshirt with his coat. I just cannot stomach the idea of him being cold on the way to school.

That was basically our morning. I will try to get a pic of him today to show off his adorabless. (not a word - it is now!!!) He's at school and working on transitioning up towards the preschool class which I am not super thrilled about. He loves his teacher and friends. So there's Thursday so far.

Little Skye Review

I get a ton of kids clothing catalogs - mostly because I buy a lot of kids clothes. But more than that- I am a fashion blogger and I am sure that puts me on a lot of mailings. A lot of these are only for girl clothes and that doesn't help me. The only person getting children's clothing in our home is Sammy.

The one I am reviewing today did have more of a boho- cool feel that got me excited. The cover drew me in. The fonts were promising and the graphics were something that looked like our style. The layout of the catalog is frankly lame. I thought at first this was only a girls catalog when I flipped through and every page I saw was girls. I decided to bring with me so I could check it out when I had some free time just in case. They do have boys clothing but everything is thrown together and not clearly marked so finding what you're looking for is pretty rough. I have limited time- I need to know what you have quickly.

Review is as follows, First-they mixed boys and girls clothing so you have a hard time finding your "section". Secondly- there aren't many boys looks. The ones that are there are cute but extremely overpriced. We adored the Swift Arrow shirt and the Waves shirt but at $30+ that is really an expensive shirt.Yipes. I would love to see if it looked great on Sammy because the brand has a fresh look and colors do look like they would compliment his skin tone. Third, the girls stuff is way cuter than the boys. The girls clothing have fun, fresh patterns and really mix it up. The boys doesn't have that kind of time spent from what I have seen. Lastly, I didn't really see where it paid to shop with them. No rewards program?

Shipping wasn't free even for a first time buyer and no obligatory 20% off if this is your first time. Even with 20% off that shirt is way overpriced for a simple slub cotton looking tee. The best thing I saw was that they accepted paypal which is pretty much mommy currency. I think more places should accept that - it makes sense.

I have no idea if the clothes are worth that money- I am not willing to pay over $30 to find out if I should recommend this brand to my readers. The paypal part kind of makes me think they may be worth a second look because accepting paypal is a great way to make your brand accessible to moms who often buy and sell items online using paypal and that is the most readily available form of payment they have.

They can be found online here.

Week of Clothing Wednesday!

Monday- It has been freezing. I did a warm sweater with an undershirt and thick pants. I wanted him to have some color. I put his little red chucks on and voila!

Tuesday- Still wanting a pop of color so I did mustard jeans with a nice navy pullover. His shirt was graphic and cute.

Wednesday- Layers. Cold here! Really cold. Just a nice layered outfit to wear for play.

Thursday- Warm pants and a cute pullover that adds warmth. A little bit of color to stand out against the grey of winter.

Friday- A little unexpected- Red with camo. With his brown stride rite shoes. 

Tons of hats, mitten and snow boots. We sure love winter!

Grocery Budget Warrior! And Homecooked Meals!

Now I don't really intend this to be a money saving blog. I mean other than how it directly relates to toddler savings. But that being said- more money saved in groceries means more fun money to dress up that munchkin.

I am really serious about groceries. I buy mainly organics. We eat very cleanly and I try to never make us anything from a box. I feel that one of the best things I can do for Sammy and my entire family is to prepare healthful & varied meals that taste pretty darn good.

My tools for this undertaking are generally pinterest and a notebook. I open my pinterest to my food board and list out each day I need to plan a menu for. I shop in two week sections so that I only need to do this bi-weekly. This cuts down on some of the extra prep time it takes to prepare meal ideas and surf. Then I save that time back by only couponing once and only shopping once.

So after I have looked on pinterest and gotten meals written down for every dinner meal- I fill in what would generate leftovers for two adult lunch portions. I try to line up the meals in a way that generally I have meals that make leftovers from Sunday-Thursday. I don't worry about those on Friday & Saturday. I tend to make lunches on Saturday and Sunday anyway so it gives me a little bit of leeway.

Now I am not perfect. I tend to buy a loaf of French bread or something that we can use to make a lunch not involving leftovers. I try to add in four of those servings into my meal plan and that gives me some wiggle room as tastes may change and the husband wants a break. We try to only eat out once a month so I really don't have any wiggle room other than switching up what each meal may contain.

While I am deciding what to make, I generally list ingredients on a second page in a "grocery list" page for each recipe I will make. I need to know what ingredients I need to prepare meals. I don't shop at the grocery store for meals- I shop for ingredients to make meals. That is an attitude change that will save you a lot of money. You want to make sure you get enough milk, eggs, vanilla- whatever to make your meals.

I also have a list of items that are staples we need each week- Organic Milk, Stoneycreek Yogurt for Sammy. Their entire dairy section for Sammy. See a pattern. Is Sammy actually bovine...?

After I have all of that listed- I try to group by sections in my grocery store. I write freezer items on the top, next dairy, then cleaning stuff. So I don't have to backtrack very often. It helps! And it helps me do coupons. I print coupons from Target.com and Southernsavers.com. Then I pop onto Target's savings app- Cartwheel and then fill that up with items on my list. I pay with my target debit card and save an added 5%. Generally we spend about $180 for two weeks of groceries. That also includes any toiletry type items and hair care products.

So there you have it. I have a grocery budget of $240 per two weeks so every month I am able to put back about $120 into my family's savings. It feels amazing to be in control of what we eat and what we spend. It takes some time and forward thinking- but it is worth it and I cannot imagine going back to just getting whatever sounded good at the grocery store.

Just a final note: I know a lot of moms are really busy. I totally get that. Hopefully you're able to take something away or see a way something else would benefit you after thinking outside of the box. I will say after doing something for a while- you just get better at it. I do cook everything from scratch but I really don't think of it as a time waster. I am able to wash a few dishes while I cook- have a conversation with my husband and a rare glass of wine or tea. I can tickle Sammy and feed the dogs. This is not down time- I turn it into productive time. I work and get home around 6pm and know that sometimes after work seems like a mad dash. Hopefully you see something that can assist your family in having more money and feeling better about the foods you consume!

Winter Playdate Tips- and fashion!

How to make your playdates go better!

Sammy is on a playdate all time high! We're really enjoying getting out there with other moms and exploring the world of playdates. Some tips I've accumulated quickly.

* Put on cute socks. On everyone. You end up shoeless so often.
* Nothing fussy for clothes. You look kinda silly if you are really dressed up. I try to limit Sammy to something fashionable and one basic so we don't look like we are trying way too hard!
* All weather shoes that they can run in are best. I use Sammy's Stride Rite shoes - they are waterproof, and have good support.
* Layers are your friend! They get hot. Its cold out. In summer I would suggest putting on something you can layer onto if it is colder inside. Maybe bring babylegs or a light jacket? Museums can be chilly.
* Fix their hair. You will probably have time to obsess about this.
* Come prepared. Pack that diaper bag with a change of clothes, a diaper or two and an emergency snack. Make sure that snack can feed everyone there. Granola bars, goldfish crackers. Some cash. Just plan ahead.
* If you are hosting make sure you have something to eat and drink handy so the kids don't get over hungry and you're panicky.


I usually send out a quick "Thank you" on facebook after the playdate if I was not hosting. Everyone is happy. The snow isn't impacting our ability to socialize too much lately and that's a win in my book!

Week of Clothing Wednesday!

Monday- Just simple pants and a sweater. I love the Genuine Kids sweaters. Definitely a staple!

Tuesday- Layers because it was warmer in the morning and colder as the day went on. Just color and fun for this outfit.

Wednesday-Cold so a sweater over a brown shirt and a pair of jeans. Little red shoes to set it off.

Thursday- Tomorrow will be layers for warmth and just a bit of color. Probably brown shoes to tone it down a notch.

Friday- Just easy chinos and a sweatshirt. Something soft an easy. I love this one from Carters!

Hope everyone is having a nice week now that the Polar Vortex is over!

Mom Tip- Stock Up for Size Up!

Now is a great time to get into the stores you love for basics and get the next size up!

Target has a bunch of their Genuine Kids (OshKosh) on sale. The pants are insane right now. Super cute! Carters and OshKosh both have great sales and Gap & Old Navy have like 30% off.

Here are some easy tips to use:
1) 2-3 Pairs of jeans and 1-2 pairs of colored pants. Khakis and some colored jeans sound great!
2) We're in prime coat sale time.
3) Staple the receipt to the tags and store in the back of the closet. A lot of places will do a return later if it does not fit.
4) Promptly try the item on your kiddo to make sure it is actually a full size larger.
5) Bring a well fitting T shirt and pair of pants to the store to make sure the sizing is consistent. I usually just make sure I have one solid inch of room all around and buy if it meets that criteria.
6) Do not buy anything trendy. Chevron is starting to get stale and you don't want to hate that shirt next year. Its not a great deal if it's never worn.

Hope this helps you save some $$$!

Easy Ways to Make an Outfit Pop

Boy clothing is so much fun. No one ever tells you that because all people are worked up about telling you that "there are just no cute things for little boys" OR "girl clothing is such so much cuter".

Well to that I say- No way jack. First of all- boy clothing is amazing. With creativity and imagination boy clothing is just as fun a girl's clothing and there is a multitude of great clothing for all children. That is really my underlying reason for this blog. To show that boy fashion is rewarding and just as awesome as girl fashion.

That being said- I think the main difference is that boy clothing you sometimes need to think outside of the box and use little tricks to make the outfits pop. There are a couple of tricks we like to make outfits pop- color, shoes, and accessories. Boy's clothing is very versatile and using little tricks you can get a lot of mileage out of your pieces.

Color- find out what colors look great on your child. My son is a red-head so I am really careful about putting red on him. It has to be the perfect hue for it to look great. Yellow and orange can also be hit or miss. Brown and Blue always look amazing. I try to get basic pieces with a little bit of a twist or color. It just adds a little something extra to his outfits. For example- I love a bright undershirt or a jacket in a bold blue color to set off his hair. Just little changes to really make his coloring stand out.

Pattern- Stipes, Aztec, and tribal inspired prints are really trendy right now. I think it makes a great statement to get something that has some of those elements without being too gimmicky. Carters right now has some vests with that in the lining and just a bit shows through. Then it really is an updated basic item. Make each piece of clothing work for you. Basics with some flare.

Shoes- To me shoes are one of the best items to change up a wardrobe. Sammy's red chucks really change a t shirt and jeans into a great look while a pair of plain sneakers the outfit would go into a different direction entirely. For boys shoes really make the outfit since their clothing is less flashy. His stride rite boots really make all of his outfits have more of an outdoorsy/adventure look without being over the top North Face. They are a great investment.

Accessories- hats, scarves, socks, vests- little  things that add another layer to their outfit really help. It can also help them not look as mature- a bear hat still says toddler after a fresh haircut! We all have those moments where toddlers get a haircut or put on a new shirt and you stand back and see a little boy instead of a baby. Put that hat on! Its like a little bandaid for your heart.

Don't be afraid to grab an outfit totally out of your norm. Mix it up a bit and if you don't love it- send it to someone who you think may.

Hope this helps get you in the mood to mix up your kiddos winter wardrobe with fun basics. 

My Funny Little Valentine

Yesterday I had a wisdom tooth removed. Because I only had one tooth removed insurance pretty much covered the local anesthetic only. It went great but recovery sucks. My face is swollen and the pain meds make me feel sea sick. Probably not taking them tomorrow. 

My sister came over to hang out. Sammy and she used the stand mixer to make some fancy icing for a project she's working on. 

Sammy has just been adorable today. He was really tired and kind of cranky. It's these days where I get the most hugs and kisses and I love that. Here's a snapshot of Sammy playing. 

Winter Picture Outfit Idea

Week of Clothing Wednesday!

Week of Clothing Wednesday. 

Monday- Super Cold here. A nice sweater from Gap. I am basically obsessed with this shirt. Some easy jeans. Just some layering so he's warm but can move. 

Tuesday- We actually wore fleece jammies all day. But I hated the look when it was put together. Sammy calls my dad Papa so I loved this easy outfit. 

Wednesday- Boden has some adorable shirts this season. This one is cute with some jeans to have an easy to play in outfit. I will probably get some different pants that do something more for this shirt next time. Probably the blue next time really. It needs something.

Thursday- Colored jeans and this Gap sweater. I really feel like the quality of their sweaters is amazing. And for me to say that about Gap is pretty shocking. 

Friday- I love this Boden hoodie. Kind of Harry Potter. Boden is going to cost me a fortune this year. Gap mustard skinnny jeans and a Boden British look tee. Really great. 

Footwear has been basic. It's cold and snowy. Bogs are still fitting the bill and are great.

Mom Tip- Buying Kid Gear

I've been at this mom gig for a few years now. I also am a pretty avid researcher when it comes to products I like to buy for our family. It can be daunting and exciting how many wonderful products are out there to make this whole job a little easier. I wanted to share some tips I have learned along the way.

1) Don't be afraid to spend money on something you think is the right product for you. Often we second guess ourselves in an attempt to save some money and end up outspending what we would have if we just bit the bullet and got what was best. After a couple of failed attempts- I can say that I truly prefer a luxury brand of most products and save for those items.
ex. High chair drama for Sammy. We bought several less expensive high chairs because we needed something safe and practical. What I knew would be wonderful was the Stokke Tripp Trapp. After a few missed attempts- we own the Stokke and it works beautifully.

2) Test Drive. I think BuyBuyBaby is the best infant gear shop around. If you can go there then I would. Even if this is a couple of hour drive I really think it helps to physically push the stroller around yourself, lift the carseat onto the frame yourself, collapse the stroller, ect. See how those products work for you. There are a ton of options and often what makes the difference is small and personal. Is your husband taller than you? You probably need to both push that stroller to see how it works and if the handle adjusts enough.

I recommend that store because they carry such a wide range of products and also carry more high end products. They have the less expensive too so you can get a true side by side comparison of some lower end strollers and some of the less expensive ones as well. Sometimes the Graco version will suit your needs just as well as the Bugaboo. Other times you need that Uppababy.

3) Don't get stuck in infant mode. A lot of products you buy can last past the infant years. Stroller and high chair spring to mind. Don't get stuck in the "this is for the baby mode" if this is something that lasts for a few years. One thing I did with the stroller is that I just got sidetracked into infant mode with the stroller/carseat combo. I purchased the Chicco one. I love that carseat but the stroller was not for me. If I would have just gotten the smaller carseat and gotten a stroller I loved, I probably would have been happier. We ended up selling it on craigslist and buying a Britax B Agile Same with the highchair. I got the Fisher Price Space Saver high chair and really needed a longer lasting solution that accounted for problems that we encountered along the way.

4) Be honest about your lifestyle. I live in the burbs. It is not freakishly cold here too often. I do not need extra heavy duty products that may be all terrain or very warm because they are a waste of money. Just avoid buying too many things that are "for this one extreme example of my life" type of products.

5) Your friends need different products. If you see something you love make a note- but don't get sold on the product because another mom has it and loves it. Diaper bags are notorious for this.

6) Think about things in terms of a life cycle of being a parent of small children instead of a life cycle of your child being small. For example- when you are buying a stroller- if you know you plan on spacing your children you really don't need that Phil and Teds double inline stroller. You can probably get away with a normal stroller and buy a skateboard for the back of it - saving hundreds of dollars. If you are having two very close together you probably would really love that Britax B Ready with the extra seat. When you have a third they have an adaptable skateboard making it perfect for three. Same with highchairs- ours will fit until he is an adult in some capacity. Just don't get narrow minded when you are buying.

7) Really see what is out there. Go to the store- shop around. Do some thinking. Let your coupons pile up. Take some time to really let things process and you will probably make a great decision. Don't be swayed by this product is safer than this product... most of the time that is just advertising. Just buy what works for you and works for your family in the long run.

8) Lastly - read the reviews. I can tell you with every single product I have purchased and hated... I could have easily popped on Amazon and read the reviews and steered clear. I bought a First Year's Ignite Stroller I think it was. It was so cute. I LOVED this thing. Pushed like crap and we had to warranty it out. After searching the heavens to get it in the first place. Ended up taking it back and getting the B Agile. If I would have read those reviews I would have seen those issues easily. Amazon is  the best place to do research. Baby Gizmo and BabyGuyNYC are also amazing. Babies R Us is also a good review place. Youtube is also a great place to go- often you can find a mom's review of the product and see it in action.

I hope this has helped a little bit. After seeing what we did use and what we did not use or had to replace I can tell you buying baby/kid stuff is my favorite (behind boy clothes of course!)

Inside Winter Essentials

 

 

Here are some things that have been fun to have around this week as we've been homebound with the roads too icy to travel. Sammy has been holding up remarkably well. He's currently napping so I thought I would do a quick update on our winter storm. 

 

We've had a lot of snow. The roads are solid ice. Usually with snow it isn't too cold so things don't really shut down. The ice melt won't help so here we are - at home. It has been pretty fun overall. 

 

 

1) Bubbles! If it is freezing out, you can blow them and they freeze. Cool science experiment and fun outside activity. It is good to get out for a little bit when you've been inside for days. 

2) Robe! Sammy and I wear robes inside because we just get cold. Target has great mom and kiddo ones ones on sale. It really helps as my husband doesn't love it very warm.

3) Thomas movies. I use netflix and prime mostly. Its nice to have a spare and a portable DVD in case you lose power or need to entertain the kids for a bit. 

4) Good reading material. I like to read Sammy a lot of books to help with his vocab. I try to get a new book on my bi-weekly shopping trips.

5) Good fleece jammies. I love the ones from Carters. I do not size up- these fit very true to size for us. Its nice to put snow boots over and he is a little warmer. He can't really stay outside long but just a few minutes here and there to break up the cabin fever. 

6) Glass Water Bottle. These are so handy. They do not leak and hold a good deal of water. I noticed we have a hard time keeping hydrated when we're basically confined to smaller spaces. 

7) "New" toys. I generally keep back several of his birthday and Christmas toys to reintroduce when we're stuck indoors. It keeps him better at playing with what he has and its nice not to have as much floating around. 

Spring Collection -Carters

This is probably what I will get from Carters. There are a couple of sets that are not pictured I am debating on. I have already purchased the Most Eligible Bachelor shirt and a whale shirt with two sets of socks yesterday. The Little Dude shirt is so adorable I will probably get that in every size they have. They have some shirts in store not pictured I liked- and their jammies are pretty cute. I am well stocked on jammies so I am getting the sets I like in a 5T here and at Gap and just holding onto them. 

Their sets are really my favorite - and they do have 2-3 cute ones for Spring. The rain jacket I think will look really cute. I may try to find just a yellow one to match Sammy's bogs. They were having a buy one get one free sock sale so I stocked up. I have gotten probably 10 pairs of socks lately but we lose them and I detest a sock hunt!