Hey everyone! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We had a nice one here at home again and Kai turned 2 months old on Saturday! Some friends came over for a movie day on Saturday and yesterday we had dinner with my parents at their place. They need their weekly Kai fix! Our little one had his 2 month doctors appointment today and he had to get his vaccinations at it. It was seriously awful, guys. He cried so hard and it broke my heart in half. Now we're battling a slight fever but it seems to be improving after giving him some baby Tylenol. We're just going to be snuggling and watching Toy Story the rest of the night. Anyways, it's time for another Little Kai Bear date! Happy 2 Months, little one!

Weight: 12.4 lbs
Height: 22 in

These last 4 weeks have honestly been so fun. We've really started to click with you. We understand you so much better and you're also getting use to the outside world. You smile so big now and I swear you're going to laugh soon! Sometimes you cackle/grunt when you smile, too, so I have a feeling it will be coming sooner rather than later. You're also cooing now and you have the cutest voice ever!

A big thing that's happened this month is you've finally noticed Wrigley. You actually look at him now and smile. You smile so big and it makes you so happy when Wrigley gives you kisses, too. There are times when Wrigley walks out of view and you actually start crying until he comes back. Now that my little one, makes my heart literally burst out of my chest.

You're really starting to grow! You've actually grown out of some of your clothes, which means mom gets to go shopping again! ;) You're able to hold your head up so well now, but sometimes you get tired and you head butt me and Dad. You really enjoy sitting up in our laps so you can see everything around you. ​

Your feeding and sleep schedule are really improving! You slept all the way through the night last night for the first time, too! A full 7 hours! Babywise is really working for us, little one! You love to take naps and you sure do love to eat. You still do your little snarl when you go to eat and it still makes me laugh every time.

You are such a happy baby. You really only cry when you're really tired or hungry. You recognize me and Dad and the sight of us seems to always calm you down when you're upset. You really look at us now and whenever we lay you down to change your diaper you always put the biggest smile on your face when you're looking at us. You love when we hold you, and I love our snuggle time more than anything else. We've started having snuggle in bed Wednesdays, which I can tell you love so much, too. We hang out in Mom and Dad's bed almost all day just snuggling and watching Netflix. I really look forward to this day together all week!

You are pure magic, Kai. You've brought more love and joy in to my life these past 2 months than I ever thought was possible. I love you always, my little bub.

Hooray for Friday, guys! I've been looking forward to this weekend all week because tomorrow Kai will be 2 months old! I've really been loving this newborn stage of us just staying cuddled up at home, but I'm also itching to get out. We haven't really taken Kai anywhere besides my parent's house to minimize the risk of him getting sick. The flu season is finally dying down and Kai's 2 month doctor's appointment is Monday. So, while I'm not looking forward to him actually getting his shots, I'm so happy he is going to have them now and be safe guarded from some terrible illnesses. We'll finally be ready to go on some adventures! Ever since I got pregnant I've been dreaming about how I want to make Saturdays be our "family day" where we all go out and do something fun together. I can't wait to go the museums, have picnics, go to the beach, hit up the farmers market, and so much more!

Speaking of Kai...I've got another Little Kai Bear post for you all today! Caleb and I (mostly Caleb ha!) worked so hard on making Kai's nursery perfect. We repainted the walls blue, replaced the doors, and Caleb put up the wainscoting. The theme for his room is Disney's Up + more Disney. We added some "Disney Easter eggs" as Disney themselves like to call them. If you don't know what I'm talking about, if you watch Disney movies (especially Pixar) you'll see little objects from other Disney movies within the movie you're watching. Well we did the same thing in Kai's room! I absolutely love spending time here with him playing and snuggling all day long!

Crib - Wayfair
Blanket ladder - Caleb
Shelves - Caleb
​Stuffed animal basket - Michael's (similar)
Dog bed - Target
White teepee - Me (DIY post coming soon)
Adventure is Out There decal - Etsy
Cloud decals - Amazon
Automobile blanket - Minky Couture
White furry rugs - Ikea
​Aviator helmet + goggles - Etsy
​Mickey hot air balloon picture - Art of Disney at Epcot
Mini blue globe - Anthropologie
​Toy Story toys - Disney Store
BB-8 action figure - this is actually a drink cup! Available at the drink cart outside of Launch Bay at Disney's Hollywood Studios
Elephant bookends - HomeGoods
Colorful flags - Me (DIY w/ felt, twine, and clips from Michael's)
Propeller - Amazon
Changing pad - Target
​Changing pad cover - Target
Changing pad holder - Caleb
House/balloons wall lights - Ikea
Maui hook - Caleb
Glider - Target
Ottoman - Target
Up pillow - Etsy
Curtains - Target
Curtain rod - Target
Moses basket - Dua Design
​Clouds crib sheet - Target
Letter blocks - Amazon
Diaper genie - Target
​Dresser - Walmart
Diaper cart - Ikea
Wrigley - Not for sale ;)

Anything that isn't listed above was gifted to us, and I'm not sure where it was purchased. However, if you see something that you're dying to know where it is from and I don't have it listed here, please leave me a comment and I will try my best to track it down for you! The Up quilt was handmade by my best friend and the white bookcase was built by my grandpa. He actually made it for my dad and then my dad painted it white for me when I was a little girl. We currently have it switched out with this though, which we are using to keep Kai's burp cloths, bibs, and some small toys in it. Check out my Instagram stories for a walking room tour of his nursery with anything like that, that we've updated since shooting these photos!

Thank you to Brandie from Bourbon Oak Tree Photography for shooting some of these photos for us during our newborn shoot!

Outfit Details:
Button-Front Top: Urban Outfitters | Jeans: Gap | Bar Necklace: LuvLaceJewels | Disc Necklace: LuvLaceJewels

Kai's Outfit Details:
Flannel Button Down: Monica + Andy | Pants: Carters

Happy Friday or Friyay as I like to call it! I'm really looking forward to this weekend because Caleb and I are going on our first date night tomorrow since Kai was born! Today is actually our 8 year anniversary of us being together, so we're going to go out to celebrate tomorrow with a dinner date! Hopefully you all are doing something fun for St. Patty's Day!

So, I've definitely developed a mom uniform as of late. I'm so happy to be out of maternity clothes and getting back in to all of my regular clothes that I've been longing to wear again for so long. However, my newest challenge has been finding clothes that are comfortable and good for nursing. Well this top from Urban Outfitters has been my answer. I basically have it in every color, ha! It is so soft and comfy, and it's so easy to nurse Kai in. I recently bought these jeans from Gap, too, that I'm seriously loving. Even though I don't need to wear my maternity jeans anymore, I still don't fit in to my old jeans. Honestly, I needed new jeans before I got pregnant but it was just something I didn't want to accept and spend money on. Gap has been having some awesome sales lately, so I took full advantage of one of them and snatched up this pair that I'm wearing here as well as these. They are both so comfortable! Their new stretch technology they put in to their jeans is amazing. I don't mind wearing these jeans around the house and am able to maneuver around super easy in them to take care of Kai!

What has your uniform been lately? Leave me a comment and share your favorite picks for this season with me!

Caleb and I went to Italy a couple years ago for our honeymoon and one of the places we visited was the Cinque Terre. The Cinque Terre is a very special part of Italy located on the northwestern coast of the country. We had the best time visiting and can't wait to go back some day and spend a few days there just relaxing on the beach, drinking wine, and enjoying the views! I want to share with you though some of the wonderful places we did get a chance to visit while we were there in a little quick guide. For reference, Cinque Terre means "five villages," and the five villages are Riomaggoire, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. 

There are a few options for getting to the Cinque Terre from other parts of Italy. You can take a bus, a train, or you can drive. Driving is not recommended as parking is very limited in the area.

The best major city to travel to the Cinque Terre from by bus or train is Florence. You can take the Italia Rail from Florence to Riomaggorie and it takes around 2 1/2 hours. If you prefer a guided tour and getting there by bus, you can book a day tour from Florence. We personally chose this day tour through Florence Tasting when we visited the Cinque Terre. It was priced at €110 per person and lasts about 12 hours.

​There are 3 options for getting around to the 5 villages of the Cinque Terre which are by foot, by train, or by boat.

Walking/Hiking
One of the most breath taking ways to see the Cinque Terre is by hiking through the area. The best way to do this is to hike along Trail #2, which is the Sentiero Azzuro or Blue Trail. The trail runs along the coast and it will take you around 6 hours to get from start to finish. You can start either in Monterosso and head south or you can start in Riomaggoire and head north. You can take your breaks from hiking while exploring each of the towns.

Train
The easiest way to get from town to town is by train. The train stops in all 5 towns as well as a town called La Spezia, which is just outside of the Cinque Terre and is known as the main hub. This is where any trains you take from outside the area like Florence would stop for you if you are wanting to visit the Cinque Terre. La Spezia is about a 10 minute train ride to Riomaggoire and each of the other towns are only 5 minutes apart. It is recommended that you get a Cinque Terre Card for €10 for a day because it will get you unlimited rides on the line that goes to all 5 towns as well as access to the hiking trails and some museums. If you buy a 1 time train ticket for €1.80, make sure you validate your ticket at the station just before you get on the train. This shows that you're using the ticket for this ride and it wasn't previously used on a different ride. If you don't validate the ticket before you get on the train though, the conductor will charge you a lot of money to do it on the train.

Boat
The last way to get from town to town is by boat. There are a few different options, too, when it comes to getting around by boat. You can take a ferry, a boat tour from Manarola or Riomaggoire, or rent a private boat. You can catch the ferry from Monterosso and La Spezia and it will drop you off at every town except Corniglia. 

Riomaggoire
​The village of Riomaggoire is known for the beautiful colorful houses you always see in photos of the Cinque Terre. The best views of them are from Trail 531 and Trail 2. The town has some lovely shops and places to grab a bite to eat, as well. We recommend stopping in to Giammi Cafe and having a cappuccino and croissants first thing in the morning. This is also the best place to take a boat tour from!

​Manarola
This is the Cinque Terre's most romantic village. It's on top of a hill and has great views of the water. If you take a boat tour from Riomaggoire, you will be dropped off in Manarola. It is a wonderful experience that we highly recommend! We loved doing the boat tour and exploring this little village on our honeymoon. Our favorite part of this village was just relaxing up on a high cliff and watching the sea. Another cool stop to check out in this village is the Chiesa di San Lorenzo, which is a beautiful church.

​Corniglia
Head over to the lookout called the Bar Terza Terra for some amazing views in Corniglia. This is also a great place to grab some drinks and food to relax with while enjoying the views of the sea. Another great place for some beautiful views is the Borgo Storico di Corniglia. Bring your walking shoes though because this is a hiking trail and will require some walking up and down hills.

Vernazza
My personal favorite village, Vernazza is where you can get in some amazing beach time. A great place to grab some lunch is Belforte and if you're up for some gelato (who isn't!?) stop by Gelateria Vernazza. For some history, you can check out the Castello Doria, which is a watchtower that use to belong to a much larger castle. It costs €1.50 to enter and climb the tower.

Monterosso
To view some fine art, tombs, and a beautiful church, visit the Church of San Francesco and Monastery. The church sits up on a hill, so it provides for some great views, too. It's a bit of a climb to get to, but the Monumento a San Francesco is worth it. It is a beautiful statue and once you get to it you'll be provided with a breathtaking panoramic view. Bring your swimsuit and towel with you to Monterosso, too, so you can relax at Spiaggia di Fegina. It is supposedly one of the 25 sexiest beaches in the world.

• Hotel Villa Adriana - Via Quattro Novembre 23 (Monterosso)
• Luna di Marzo - Montello 387 Volastra (Riomaggoire)
• Hotel Ca D'Andrean - Via a. Discovolo 101 (Manarola)​

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Happiest of Mondays to you all! We had a nice weekend relaxing and spending time with family. Kai is becoming more and more fun by the day! He's so much more alert and smiles so big when he looks at Caleb and I. He's started cooing and sometimes has a little cackle when he smiles. I know we still have some time before he laughs but I can't help but get so excited when he makes noises when he's smiling. We can tell he wants to laugh so bad, but we're not quite there yet. Soon enough though, right!?

So I read a couple of great books last month that I want to share with you all! I've really been enjoying non-fiction books lately, especially parenting books. I find them to be fascinating because the ones I've been diving in to are heavily psychology based. If you didn't know this about me, I actually have a BS degree in Psychology! I'm big on cognitive development and behavioral patterns, which I've got to say, has really worked in my favor with becoming a mom! Anyways, on to the books I read...

This parenting book is about an American mom's experience of raising her children in Paris, France. She decided to write this book because she was fascinated with how well behaved Parisian children always are. She did a lot of research on French parenting and how and why it works so well. The book follows along mostly with her first daughter growing up and how French parents incorporate their techniques based on the child's age.

This book isn't a straight forward parenting guide, it's written like a French parenting book actually. French parenting books aren't designed to tell you exactly what to do every step of the way. They give theories and ideas for French parents to put to the test and figure out how they work best for you children. One of the biggest things this book promotes though is treating your children as functioning people. Even babies can comprehend what you're saying to them, so they are owed to be talked to like a human being. It's suggested to steer clear of lots of baby talk and treat them with respect. French children know that adults are in charge but when they feel respected they are more willing to cooperate for you. I really like this point in the book and 100% agree. Just because Kai can't speak to me, doesn't mean he isn't trying his best to listen to what I have to say. I've been trying to calmly talk to him, and I've really noticed, especially when he's crying really hard, that after a few seconds he starts to calm down and listen. He might not understand what I'm saying but because I'm talking to him like a human and not a cute puppy, he tends to settle and listen better. The book also dives in to a lot about self soothing and how it's important to start on that technique as early as possible, allowing children to play and use their imagination on their own without parent intervention, and helping your babies sleep through the night, all of which I find extremely important. I also really enjoyed how it touched on mom guilt and how French mothers are not ashamed of taking time to care for themselves. We all struggle with that mom guilt of wanting to take care of ourselves but not take time away from our kids, so to be told that it's ok to take time out of your day for you is really nice to read.

The downside to this book though is it obviously really favors Parisian culture. Unfortunately, the US government doesn't subsidize state run daycares that every parent wants their children to attend like the Paris government does. As awesome as this sounds, it's just not how things work here in America. It also talks about the difference in interaction between parent and child of French parents versus American parents. You can try all you want to be like the French parents at the playground but in the end we live in the US, and the way parents interact with their kids here is just how they interact. You can try to change how you do it, but you can't change everyone else.

I definitely recommend this book to all moms but with the point of keeping in mind that it doesn't all work here in the US. The author lives in Paris, we don't.

You can buy Bringing Up Bébé on Amazon.

The Little Book of Hygge is a book all about the hygge way of life in Denmark. Denmark is repeatedly ranked as having the happiest people in the world, so they must be doing something right! Hygge is definitely the answer to why they are so happy. The author works for the Happiness Institute in Copenhagen and touches on all the different aspects of hygge. There isn't a clear cut translation for what hygge is in English, but the closet you can get is "a cozy lifestyle." The book goes in to the best way to achieve hygge with the importance of candles, togetherness, sweets & good food, and more. Each aspect is broken down in different chapters to thoroughly explain the importance of them to having hygge.

I absolutely loved this book. It is one of my favorite books ever. It made me so happy every morning to read it while sipping my coffee, having Kai in his baby wrap on me, and having some candles going with our fireplace lit. I looked forward to this ritual every morning and just by having this ritual made me feel like I was achieving hygge myself. I really liked how there are some recipes in the book for great food to make with friends and family that bring happiness as well as fun ideas of things to do to really enjoy that closeness with the important people in your life. They are all so simple, too. Hygge isn't about being extravagant and spending a lot of money. If anything, it's about being simple and enjoying what you have. If you are in need of a pick me up, I can't recommend this book enough. Like I said before, just reading it made me feel happier. I try to implement hygge in to my life every day now and I've got to say, I can feel the happiness inside me, which I hope to pass on to all those around me.

You can buy The Little Book of Hygge on Amazon.

I just started reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte! Have any of you read this classic? I can't wait to get further in to it. What are you all currently reading? Leave me a comment below and let me know!