Hello from our snow globe!!
I know we all joked on Instagram yesterday that the Chicago weather report often sounds like: “you may get 20 inches of snow or it may be spring, who knows?”
Well–the snow has officially arrived. Neal spent an HOUR this morning out shoveling the sidewalk, and we both bundled up to walk June to daycare because walking was a safer bet than trying to brave the unplowed streets with the car. We even shot some updated photos for my “What to Do and Wear in Chicago in the Winter” blog post that I’m in the process of updating. (Will probably go up tomorrow, stay tuned–will be finalizing that later today hopefully!)
It seemed like a good morning for a “10 random things” blog post. You know the drill–the first 10 random things to come to mind–ready, here we go!
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10 Random Things on a Snow Day
Random household item spotlight: Do you own a de-piller yet?
It’s one of my favorite little tools ever. Where did that random thought come from, you ask? Someone just DM’ed me asking if I had any tips for de-pilling the J.Crew Cocoon Coat. To which my answer was A DE-PILLER! Makes everything look brand new! Pilling is inevitable in areas of your garments where there is a lot of friction (which is why there’s often piling on the thighs of your yoga pants, on the arms of your fleeces, and the arms/sides of your coat where your arms frequently rub against it while walking! And also why things pill when you dry them in the dryer!) This doesn’t mean it isn’t a quality garment, it just needs a little bit of attention every once in a while! (And proper laundering/care–see this post for those tips!)
I have this little mini depiller–the size is great and it has great reviews, but this one comes in a rechargeable version (vs battery powered) which is nice–and it looks like it has MORE great reviews and seems like it’s better on a wider variety of fabrics. (I had one instance where mine made a hole in really thin delicate material so be really careful that whatever you’re using it on is on a flat surface, otherwise it can snag!) Just depends on your preferences, but if I had to re-purchase, I might go with the latter version. Regardless, definitely a must-have in your clothing care arsenal! And I use this on everything from my jersey Babybjorn to coats to leggings to sweaters and more!
I recently purchased this Olaplex hair oil with my last Sephora order and I LOVE it!
I feel like a lot of hair oils make my hair greasy and dispense way too much product–but this one doesn’t! And I LOVE the packaging/dispenser. Instead of a pump, you just turn it over and it dispenses a tiny drop at a time–almost like eye drops, so you can use as little as you need, so you never get too much! Highly recommend if you’ve been looking for a new de-frizz oil/serum! You can use it on damp or dry hair.
June is starting to eat like a real human, and it’s pretty hilarious.
I have received a lot of questions on June starting solids (as I know many of you have babies around her age!) so I will try to (succinctly) elaborate (and also I have a funny story to share about it).
“They say” you can start feeding babies solids between 4 to 6 months. We waited until 6 months because A. She didn’t seem that interested and B. WE were not ready for that. It’s exhausting! It’s SO much more work than just popping a bottle in her mouth. (I wasn’t too concerned about the timing as I’ve never met an adult that only drinks baby formula.)
At 6 months, she still wasn’t super into food, but we started trying some purees, greek yogurt, and gave her big pieces of things that she can hold herself and start gnawing on (she LOVES tomato–also would give her steamed green beans, strips of whole milk mozzarella, strips of omelette, etc–a la Baby Led Weaning). There is a lot of gagging in the beginning–this is normal and a GOOD THING. It means their bodies are working correctly to protect them from choking! (This video is really helpful!)
Daycare also feeds the babies (once they’re ready for solids) modified versions of what the Toddler room eats, so I think that’s really helped expose her to lots of different foods and helped get her used to more “real food.” (One more reason daycare is amazing!)
Well, last night Neal gave her a chicken leg off of a rotisserie chicken to gnaw on and she LOVED IT.
Like took BITES out of it and ATE THEM. We were both like, “I’M SORRY…WHAT?” Clearly eating at daycare has been paying off even more than we realized! I then gave her a strip of whole grain bread with smashed avocado and she ate actual bites of that too. (Despite me trying to give her avocado a million times before and her snubbing her nose at it.)
I guess the moral of the story is, don’t stress over it, offer lots of new things, but be consistent about it, and one day, they will magically take off! I can’t wait to start giving her more “real” food now that she’s finally interested in it. The end goal is definitely for her to start eating modified versions of whatever we’re cooking at home (minus the added salt and/or sugar, but still with as much flavor as possible!)
If you’re curious about Baby Led Weaning and this philosophy, follow @SolidStarts! It’s super helpful.
We’re going to Napa next weekend!
I can’t believe it snuck up on us so fast! We bid on a Napa trip/stay at a fundraising event for LIFT two years ago and needed to redeem it this year–so we decided to go for Neal’s birthday/Valentine’s Day weekend.
(Also, I can’t miss an opportunity here to plug LIFT–Leading India’s Future Today–an incredible organization that is near and dear to the Loftus crew. LIFT provides high quality schooling as well as a supportive home environment to students in Tamil Nadu, India, who would typically be denied education due to limited access to resources. One of the founders, Father Jamels, is a longtime friend of the Loftus family! We’re really hoping to be able to get there to volunteer one day soon!)
Neither of us had ever been to Napa before, and the money was obviously for an amazing cause–so it was a win-win! To Napa we go! It’ll be a quick trip, Friday through Monday, but we’re so excited. (June will be staying home with Sissy and Nani–my SIL and MIL!) I will, of course, compile a Napa guide when I return–so stay tuned.
Have you watched “The Great” on Hulu yet?
I love it! It’s a comedic, satirical drama about Catherine the Great. It’s hilarious, and the costumes/set design are beautiful. Elle Fanning plays Catherine the Great and she’s so good in it. If you’re looking for a new series that isn’t dark and depressing (why are they all like that now?) I definitely recommend checking this out!
One of the most surprising parts of motherhood:
“How is it possible to feel nostalgic for a moment before it’s even passed?”
This is a question my friend Bailey, who had a baby last weekend, posted on Instagram this morning. It was like she took the thoughts out of my own brain. The hardest part of motherhood for me so far has been how fast it’s going. Every day she gets so much older, every day a little piece of my little baby is gone, and as much as I love each age and stage even more than the last, it breaks my heart a little bit every day. I miss “today June” before the day is even over, because I know tomorrow she’ll be a little bit different. On one hand, I’m so grateful that I’m able to live in the moment and realize how lucky I am, but on another, it’s bittersweet. Okay moving on to a less emotional note…
The excited DM reviews are rolling in about this Amazon jumpsuit!
I love the week after I post a big try-on on Instagram because I start getting DM’s about the items you’ve purchased/received! The star of last week’s try-on has certainly been this super soft Amazon jumpsuit. I’m so glad you all are loving it as much as I am! It’s the perfect work-from-home outfit. Comfy, but you feel put-together! You can see my review over here if you missed it!
If you’re looking for a new soup recipe, this turkey meatball soup is a favorite.
I’ve also made it with ground chicken and thrown in whatever random veggies I had on hand, and it’s so, so good. I didn’t make it in the Instant Pot. (I hate the Instant Pot) and it was just as easy to make on the stove! The perfect thing to make tonight if you’re also under several inches of snow like we are here in Chicago!
Two old lady things I’ve been loving lately:
these fuzzy socks with grips on the bottom (bought them to wear in the hospital with June, but now they’re nice to be able to chase after her and not slip on the hard wood!) and my heating pad. I don’t know why I didn’t own a heating pad before I was pregnant. But I kind of forgot about them. I don’t think I can ever go through winter without a heating pad again. I put it under the covers and turn it on while I’m getting ready for bed, and by the time I crawl in, it’s SO toasty warm. Crawling into warm sheets and reading a good book? HEAVEN. I am 85 years old.
A cozy snow day playlist:
I’m currently listening to this playlist In the background while I write this post from the kitchen table (and admire the snow outside!) If you’re looking for a mellow, cozy playlist, I highly recommend!
Next up on my to-do list:
Get Blair the deliverables she’s been waiting on forever for my site re-design. (I’M THE WORST CLIENT EVER BLAIR I’M SO SORRY!!)
