The Sprinkle on Top

It's been almost two months since my little wiggler joined our family. I won't sugar coat it - the first week was really hard, the next three were even harder. By the end of the first month, I thought I'd had some things figured out... and then more trials appeared. But that's life, right? Before Evie joined our family, I got a lot of really good advice from family, friends, and even random acquaintances of what would help my transition into parenthood be as smooth as possible. A lot of it worked... And a lot of it didn't. Based on my experience as a new mother, here are the absolute must-haves, nice-to-haves, and non-essential items that you may wonder if you need before you turn the page into the parenthood chapter of your life. Baby Must-Haves White Noise Machine: If you don't get one of these for a shower, buy it yourself. When your baby cries inconsolably, you don't want to have to then go find one. I love this one from Bed, Bath, ...

When entering the unknown landscape of your first pregnancy, it can be hard to know what you should and should not eat (goodbye hot dogs and sausage), what you should and should not feel (hello morning sickness), and what you should and should not do. From the end of my first trimester until now (week 38) I have participated in a prenatal Pilates series that is safe for moms to do throughout all three trimesters. Of course, before beginning any exercise routine you should consult your doctor especially if you did not previously participate in that type of exercise prior to your pregnancy. The Pilates series I participated in came from The Balanced Life with Robin Long . Review:  I've participated in Pilates for 5 years now and have gone through a number of Pilates instructors (in person and online) and Robin has been one of my favorites so far. Each exercise program walks you through exactly how to get yourself into the shown position and offers alternatives if the ...