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August 3, 2020

JUDE’S 18 Month Update: Our favorite toys, books, and more

Whoa, it’s been a little bit since I’ve blogged. Between being a mom, trying to manage a job as an event planner during a pandemic, and oh yeah… just dealing with a pandemic, life has gotten pretty crazy. I plan to share a life update very soon, as well as getting back to a regular blogging schedule.

I can’t believe I’m sharing an 18-month update on Jude! It feels like just yesterday I shared my birthing story and the struggles of being a new mom. Every month I always say is my favorite month, and though time is flying by, there’s nothing better than seeing your child’s personality develop in front of your eyes. Jude is such a sweet boy. He loves, loves, LOVES animals (especially dogs), prefers veggies over chicken nuggets (we got lucky on that one), will dance to every song, and isn’t stingy about giving hugs. He wakes up every day with a smile on his face and a determination to make us laugh. He’s curious about everything, loves to explore new places, and never met a structure he isn’t afraid of climbing. We count our lucky stars every day for him!

Although we’re no longer doing the month-by-month photos (which I highly suggest for new moms to do the first year because they’re so fun to look back on), I wanted to do a little photoshoot with Jude to celebrate 18 months. He’s grown so much since turning 1! I shot these in our neighborhood courtyard and they capture his fun and curious personality perfectly. I also will take any excuse to put him in a bubble romper. This one is actually from Amazon! Jude also has been living in his Native shoes, which are so easy to slip on and clean when they get dirty. I highly recommend them.

He’s always been a pretty great sleeper, thanks to the Taking Cara Babies courses. Right now he goes to bed around 7-7:30 PM and wakes around 7/7:30 AM. He takes one nap a day from around 12:30-3:00 PM (this changes depending on what time he woke up that morning). He is a very flexible child and goes with the flow, so things change daily depending on what we’re doing.

Keeping a toddler occupied can be tough, so doing it during a pandemic can be very challenging some days. Pre-COVID we loved going to Bubbles Academy. They such a great indoor play space along with fun art classes. If you’re in Chicago, I highly suggest checking them out (they’re doing some social-distancing classes along with virtual offerings!). When we’re indoors, Jude plays the most with his Pikler Triangle. I was hesitant to buy one thinking we wouldn’t get much use out of it, but I was completely wrong. It is by far the most used toy and worth the space it takes up in the living room (which isn’t even that bad). We purchased this one from Etsy and can’t say enough great things about the product and seller! Jude also loves to be involved in everything that we’re doing, so my husband built him a learning tower for the kitchen. It’s also another one of our most used toddler products right now. It’s a great place to put him in while we cook, so he can “help out” and watch what we’re doing. If you’re not up for making your own, Etsy has a ton! Some other toys we get a lot of use out of are this play kitchen,this water table., and this piano. We still use and love our Uppa Baby Cruz stroller but have also been using the City Mini by Baby Jogger for our trips to the park and to trails. It’s a great stroller to take outdoors!


We’ve been working on building Jude’s vocabulary, so there’s been a lot of book reading in our house. Thankfully he loves to curl up with a book, “read along”, and turn the pages. Some of his favorite books are Goodnight, Gorilla, Kitten’s First Full Moon, I am Martin Luther King Jr, Spider-Man, Spider-Man!, I Love You Through and Through, and Fiona The Hippo (among many others).

Some other products we’re loving in toddlerhood:
Bath products: Burt’s Bee’s Shampoo and Wash, and Vanicream lotion – Jude has very sensitive skin and this combo works great. I also use this lotion for myself!
Clothing: These shorts from Amazon – they’re so cheap, light, and perfect for summer! And again, these Native shoes.
Other products: Crayola 48ct Washable Chalk – I may appreciate these pastel colors more than Jude, but we’ve been enjoying spending our mornings drawing outside. Even if Jude still tries putting the chalk in his mouth. We’re also still getting a lot of use out of our Baby Bjorn One carrier. It goes from newborn to three-years-old!

And that’s a little update on Jude! I’m not going to lie, I was a little worried about toddlerhood, especially since Jude was a very easy baby, but we’ve been enjoying it so much. Of course, it comes with its challenges (it’s crazy when your baby all of a sudden has an opinion!) and I’m not looking forward to having to curb my cursing because he’s starting to imitate us, but it’s great how interactive and fun he is. We’ve really been enjoying summer days outdoors (thank God for warm weather during this pandemic) and afternoons on our patio, and I’m so happy that we were able to take a trip to Florida before COVID hit. Jude was a dream to fly with and absolutely loved the experience… hoping it stays that way when it’s safe to travel again.

Next update, he will be two! Crazy to think he’s now closer to being two than he is to being one. Here’s to hoping he still hasn’t picked up on any of my cursing by then.

x Jill

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(I'll go first...)

 

FOLLOW ALONG @jillbadlotto
Happy weekend. 🖤 Made it to the Van Gogh exhibi Happy weekend. 🖤 Made it to the Van Gogh exhibit in Miami yesterday. If it’s in your city, I highly recommend! #miami #darlingweekend #imaginevangogh #vangoghexperience
When I brought up driving to Florida with our two When I brought up driving to Florida with our two kids and two dogs to my husband, I was half kidding and half hoping he would say yes, because MY GOD did we need a change of scenery. We knew flying wasn’t an option, and we wanted to drive straight through in order to avoid people. Here are some things to make the journey easier on us:

- Organizing EVERYTHING with Amazon packing cubes. We packed things by category (one cube for small toys, one for snacks, one for pumping parts) so everything was easy to grab.

- We kept a ball in the car so when we stopped at rest stops, Jude could let out some energy and stretch his legs (Also, stopping at rest stops vs gas stations is ideal. There’s rarely any people and usually there’s outdoor space to run)

- We tried sticking to nap schedules by playing white noise via Spotify through the car. This helped the boys sleep!

- Investing in a good cooler was a MUST. Our @yeti cooler kept all the bottles cold, along with snacks like fruit and sandwiches. 

- To keep Jude busy, we raided the @target dollar section for new toys. I also binded flash cards together so they didn’t get lost in the car, and magic marker color books kept him entertained for awhile. 

And when all else failed, we used the trusty iPad for some screen time. All screen time limits go out the window on a road trip. Just make sure you download an app beforehand that locks the screen so you don’t have to fix it 100 times in an hour. 🤪 You can check out my recent blog post on more tips/tricks, and some photos from out time here so far. 🚗🌴#linkinbio #heyjudeharrison
Yesterday we celebrated Heathie boy’s 6 month bi Yesterday we celebrated Heathie boy’s 6 month birthday. ❤️ Can not believe it’s been half a year but also can’t believe there was a time where he wasn’t a part of our family. Heath has such a peaceful presence and calming nature. I love the way he takes the world in, a little skeptical and curious but still always smiling. He is so happy to be out on adventures and admires everything that Jude does. He’s constantly laughing, rarely gets upset, loves when we play music, and is turning into a little water baby. But nothing makes him happier than putting him in his sleep sack and taking a nap (just like his mama 😂). He is truly an angel on earth and we are so lucky he is ours. ❤️ #heyheathjoseph #6monthsold #babyboy #childhoodunplugged
Foolishly thought because I felt fine after my fir Foolishly thought because I felt fine after my first shot that the second #covidvacccine would be fine. Yeah... 😂😂. Had body aches and a bad headache all day yesterday that kept me in bed, with a fever last night and chills. Feeling so much better today, especially sitting outside in this beautiful weather we’re having. So excited to be fully vaccinated and hopefully pass along some antibodies to my children! #ᴠᴀᴄᴄɪɴᴇssᴀᴠᴇʟɪᴠᴇs #florida #darlingescapes
YAY for science! And vaccines! 💉 Received my 2n YAY for science! And vaccines! 💉 Received my 2nd dose of the #covidvaccine and it feels like Christmas in April. I know we still have a bit to go and it’s crucial to follow CDC guidelines, but this shot in the arm felt like that light at the end of the tunnel actually exists. This time last year I was sad that my job was put on hold (and eventually eliminated), we had all of our weddings for our coordination business postponed, and I had no idea when I’d see my family again. And now I can almost taste an overpriced glass of wine in a crowded bar with my friends. So grateful for science, doctors, nurses, essential workers, and all those who continue to carry our society through this pandemic. #WillSelfieForVaccines #covid_19 #ᴠᴀᴄᴄɪɴᴇssᴀᴠᴇʟɪᴠᴇs
Sharing some photos from our time in Florida so fa Sharing some photos from our time in Florida so far and some tips for road tripping with two kids on the blog today! 🚗 🌴 #linkinbio

FOLLOW ALONG! @JILLBADLOTTO

Happy weekend. 🖤 Made it to the Van Gogh exhibi Happy weekend. 🖤 Made it to the Van Gogh exhibit in Miami yesterday. If it’s in your city, I highly recommend! #miami #darlingweekend #imaginevangogh #vangoghexperience
When I brought up driving to Florida with our two When I brought up driving to Florida with our two kids and two dogs to my husband, I was half kidding and half hoping he would say yes, because MY GOD did we need a change of scenery. We knew flying wasn’t an option, and we wanted to drive straight through in order to avoid people. Here are some things to make the journey easier on us:

- Organizing EVERYTHING with Amazon packing cubes. We packed things by category (one cube for small toys, one for snacks, one for pumping parts) so everything was easy to grab.

- We kept a ball in the car so when we stopped at rest stops, Jude could let out some energy and stretch his legs (Also, stopping at rest stops vs gas stations is ideal. There’s rarely any people and usually there’s outdoor space to run)

- We tried sticking to nap schedules by playing white noise via Spotify through the car. This helped the boys sleep!

- Investing in a good cooler was a MUST. Our @yeti cooler kept all the bottles cold, along with snacks like fruit and sandwiches. 

- To keep Jude busy, we raided the @target dollar section for new toys. I also binded flash cards together so they didn’t get lost in the car, and magic marker color books kept him entertained for awhile. 

And when all else failed, we used the trusty iPad for some screen time. All screen time limits go out the window on a road trip. Just make sure you download an app beforehand that locks the screen so you don’t have to fix it 100 times in an hour. 🤪 You can check out my recent blog post on more tips/tricks, and some photos from out time here so far. 🚗🌴#linkinbio #heyjudeharrison
Yesterday we celebrated Heathie boy’s 6 month bi Yesterday we celebrated Heathie boy’s 6 month birthday. ❤️ Can not believe it’s been half a year but also can’t believe there was a time where he wasn’t a part of our family. Heath has such a peaceful presence and calming nature. I love the way he takes the world in, a little skeptical and curious but still always smiling. He is so happy to be out on adventures and admires everything that Jude does. He’s constantly laughing, rarely gets upset, loves when we play music, and is turning into a little water baby. But nothing makes him happier than putting him in his sleep sack and taking a nap (just like his mama 😂). He is truly an angel on earth and we are so lucky he is ours. ❤️ #heyheathjoseph #6monthsold #babyboy #childhoodunplugged
Foolishly thought because I felt fine after my fir Foolishly thought because I felt fine after my first shot that the second #covidvacccine would be fine. Yeah... 😂😂. Had body aches and a bad headache all day yesterday that kept me in bed, with a fever last night and chills. Feeling so much better today, especially sitting outside in this beautiful weather we’re having. So excited to be fully vaccinated and hopefully pass along some antibodies to my children! #ᴠᴀᴄᴄɪɴᴇssᴀᴠᴇʟɪᴠᴇs #florida #darlingescapes
YAY for science! And vaccines! 💉 Received my 2n YAY for science! And vaccines! 💉 Received my 2nd dose of the #covidvaccine and it feels like Christmas in April. I know we still have a bit to go and it’s crucial to follow CDC guidelines, but this shot in the arm felt like that light at the end of the tunnel actually exists. This time last year I was sad that my job was put on hold (and eventually eliminated), we had all of our weddings for our coordination business postponed, and I had no idea when I’d see my family again. And now I can almost taste an overpriced glass of wine in a crowded bar with my friends. So grateful for science, doctors, nurses, essential workers, and all those who continue to carry our society through this pandemic. #WillSelfieForVaccines #covid_19 #ᴠᴀᴄᴄɪɴᴇssᴀᴠᴇʟɪᴠᴇs
Sharing some photos from our time in Florida so fa Sharing some photos from our time in Florida so far and some tips for road tripping with two kids on the blog today! 🚗 🌴 #linkinbio

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