5 beauty products

Today for my Friday Five I am sharing the beauty products I would take if I was stranded on a deserted island and was only allowed to bring 5 things. Am I the only one who thinks about crazy scenarios like this?? Also, if I only have a few minutes to get ready in the morning these are usually the products I put on!

ONE | Aquaphor is my all-time favorite "beauty" product. I carry it around everywhere I go because it has so many uses. This stuff works magic on chapped lips. My dermatologist recommended it for chapped lips and since then I have been hooked. It is also great for make-up removal, dry skin, diaper rashes, you name it.

TWO | Bobbi Brown blush and if I could only choose one color I'd go with Peony. I use this color year round. It's a gorgeous bright pink so a little bit goes a long way.

THREE | It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer. Because I have a baby and the dark circles under my eyes are impressive. I've had the same tube for almost 2 years. All you need is a tiny bit and you can fool people into thinking your baby slept through the night.

FOUR | Bobbi Brown Sheer-Finish Loose Powder. I swear by this stuff. This is all I put on my face, no foundation or anything! It is light but provides good coverage and doesn't feel cakey and thick like liquid foundations feel to me. I wear the color Soft Sand.

FIVE | Maybelline Volum' Express The Colossal Mascara. I've tried so many different mascaras and this one is hands down my favorite. For $7, it is better than any expensive mascara out there. And I'm totally team non-waterproof.

So tell me, if you were stranded on a deserted island, what 5 beauty products would you bring? Are you team waterproof mascara or non-waterproof?

Vivian Kate | 5 months

Sweet Vivi,

5 months have absolutely flown by. Each day that passes I love you more and more. Your personality is starting to show and you are so interested in everything. You love being comforted by your momma and you smile so big at your daddy. You were absolutely worth the wait.

Weight

We didn't go to the doctor this month so I have no idea! If I had to guess I'd say at least 17 lbs. She's a chunk and has some serious rolls!

Sleep

She started sleeping through the night a while ago but she doesn't let us get used to it. She will sleep through the night maybe 3 nights in a row then wake up a few times the next night for no reason. Last week she was waking up 3-4 times a night which was just torture after we had gotten used to 8 hours of semi-uninterrupted sleep. I'm not sure if she is going through a growth spurt or what.

As for naps, she is usually a great napper. That girl LOVES her crib and basically begs for you to put her down when she's sleepy. She usually wakes up at 6:30, goes down for a nap around 8 and sleeps for an hour. Then a nap around lunch time, usually 11-12:30ish. Then an early afternoon nap, usually 2:30-4:30 then she will doze off in her swing from 6:30-7:30 and goes to bed around 8.

Eat

She is drinking 5oz every 3ish hours which is usually closer to every 2.5 hours. She drinks around 30-35oz a day. I can't wait to start feeding her solids next month!

Clothes

In 6 month clothes and some 6-12 month. She is growing out of most of her summer clothes so I got a few more things to get us through the next few months but mostly I have just been buying fall/winter clothes, which she has NONE of!

Likes

Eating, her play mat, jumparoo, going on walks, any toys that play music or light up, the pool, bath time, her cousin Ella James

Dislikes
Being hungry, being bored (drama queen), changing clothes

Milestones

No huge milestones this month. She did celebrate her first 4th of July but she slept through all the fireworks! She is sooo close to rolling over on her own. She rolls to the side but can't figure out how to get over her arm. She is becoming so interactive and is reaching for everything. She holds her toys and puts them straight in her mouth.

More Vivi posts:

Vivian's birth story

1 month update

Nursery reveal

2 month update

3 month update

4 month update

Weekending: girls beach weekend

Happy Monday friends! Always sad to see the weekend go. We spent the weekend at the beach. Garrett had work training all weekend so instead of sitting home alone with Vivi, we decided to make  it a girls beach weekend. I enjoyed spending the weekend with my mom and little sister.

Thursday I headed straight to the beach from work and my mom and sister brought Vivian and we met at one of our favorite restaurants at the beach, Amos Mosquitoes. I beat them by about 30 minutes so I enjoyed a cosmo at the bar allllll by myself which was #bliss.

Bella is still not adjusting well to her new human sister so I've been trying to do special things for her. Both Friday and Saturday mornings while Vivi was napping I took Bella out on the beach which is her absolute favorite thing to do. She would swim and chase birds until she dropped dead if we let her. Friday night we stayed in and cooked and I was in bed with my book at 8:30pm. It was heaven!

We had the best weather! This was the first weekend where the pool was warm enough for Vivian to really enjoy the water. She absolutely loved it!! She splashed and smiled. So so cute!

Saturday night we went to one of our other favorite beach restaurants, Front Street at Stillwater. I was so nervous about bringing Vivi because she usually goes to bed around 7:30pm and when girlfriend gets tired, she is not pleasant to be around. Much to my surprise she was an angel. I got to enjoy my drinks and dinner and she stole the hearts of everyone in the restaurant. We had a table on the dock right on the water and it was the perfect night... until the babe had a major blowout all over her brand new outfit and #momfail I didn't bring her a change of clothes.

Sunday we got up and headed home early. Garrett was waiting for us and we were SO happy to see him! Single parenting is tough and I was exhausted from a weekend without him!

FoF: baby food and eye masks

Happy Friday! I am waking up at the beach today and I couldn't be happier! Unfortunately Garrett is traveling for work so we are having a girls weekend. Here are 5 super random things from this week!

[O N E]

I recently got this cold shoulder top from Loft during their 40% off sale. I loved it so much that I got it in two colors. Such a simple top that's perfect to throw on for a day of running errands and the cold shoulder detail gives it a fun touch.

[T W O]

I have been talking to my aunt a lot lately about baby food making. She keeps her grandson and makes all his baby food. A few days later a package was delivered to my home full of goodies for when I start making Vivi's food! How sweet is that?! Three baby food cookbooks, a bowl with a masher for food prep while traveling, some trays for freezing, and little containers for storage. I can't wait to start using it!

[T H R E E]

I got a lot of questions about the gold eye masks that I was wearing in a previous post. They are so great for under eye bags and puffiness aka life with a baby. I put them on for about 20 minutes in the morning while Vivi naps and they make your skin feel awake and hydrated.

[F O U R]

Barnes and Noble is one of my favorite places to stop in when I have some time to kill. I just realized how awesome their baby toys section is. They have the cutest, most unique toys... who would have thought?! I got Vivi a few toys and a new book.

[F I V E]

My cousin has a baby that is 3.5 months older than Vivi. It is so fun walking through this stage of life with her and I know these girls will be the best of friends. We saw them last weekend and attempted to get a decent picture of the girls together. These are the best we could get... hilarious!

Linking up with Amanda and April

My favorite shops for baby girls

I get so many questions about where I get Vivian's clothes so I thought I'd compile a list for all you girl mommas and soon-to-be girl mommas out there! Shopping for her has been so much more fun than I ever imagined. I have to hold myself back from buying new clothes for her every single day. There are just sooo many cute things everywhere!

++

Wunderkin Co. is my favorite bow shop. The only thing that I don't like is how hard it is to get your hands on the bows. They usually release new bows every Monday morning but they sell out in like 5 minutes flat. Such a pain! I was able to snag a few because I was sitting on my computer and ready to go the second they released. Watch their Instagram [@wunderkin_co] for new release dates.

Gap surprised me with how cute their baby things are. Vivian has this adorable bubble and I just recently got her two of these knit bear hats in both cream and pink for winter which are currently on sale for $9.99!

Cecil & Lou is my go-to for all the southern smocked things. The prices are SO good for smocked outfits. I recently got her these Christmas pjs which I am just absolutely dying over. I also just got her this bubble for Thanksgiving. Follow their Instagram [@cecilandlou] for new releases and you can buy straight from there.

River & Jax is probably the store I get the most questions on when I dress Vivi in their rompers. So darn cute and look perfect with Willow Crowns lace headbands. The only thing I don't like about this shop is that products sell out quickly and take a while to be shipped to you because they are handmade. Follow their Instagram [@riverandjax] for new releases. I literally set my alarm one night so that I could buy a few rompers before they sold out. And prepare for it to take 6ish weeks to get to you... so size up!

Willow Crowns is my favorite for lace headbands. It's no secret that I'm a frequent shopper here! Some of our favorites are this blush bow, the sloan lace headband, the blake lace headband, and the laurel gold leaf headband which was perfect for newborn pictures.

Shrimp & Grits is southern perfection. A little pricier than Cecil & Lou but such good quality. I just got Vivian this Christmas tree dress and this smocked Santa dress and I.seriously.die. There is nothing sweeter than a baby girl in classic southern pieces. They are currently having a sale on all their summer clothing so stock up for next summer!

Old Navy has also surprised me with how cute some of their baby clothes are. I won't put her in super trendy things like jeans, leggings, etc. but their bubbles are perfect and so cheap! We have gotten our money's worth out of these things: this cream bubble with ruffled trim, this bubble in multiple colors, and this onesie in multiple colors that she sleeps in. I also just got this swimsuit for our trip to the Cayman Islands which is currently on sale for $13! Stock up for next summer!

Beaufort Bonnet Company is expensive but the absolute most adorable southern clothes ever. We were gifted this bonnet and this bubble which are both such classic pieces. I am beyond obsessed with their pjs. Their summer clothes are on sale so now would be the time so purchase a few!

Hanna Andersson is my go-to for pajamas. There is nothing cuter than their zip up sleeper pajamas. Vivian has so many of these! How cute are these unicorn pajamas? She needs them! I am patiently awaiting their Christmas pajamas to be released so I can grab a few for the holidays.

Matilda Jane has super cute clothes for babies all the way up to teens, and I even love their clothes for myself! Vivi has a few adorable bubbles that she has worn the heck out of. I got her this lemon romper and this colorful romper for next year. They release new clothes on the 1st of every month. Let me know if you'd like more info... my sister is a trunk keeper!

Kissy Kissy convertible gowns were what Vivian wore 24/7 when she was a newborn. The gowns make diaper changing SO much easier and they can convert to legs for when you put them in their carseat. She had this ballet slipper gown and this rose print gown and so many others like them. This is basically all she wore for the first 2ish months of life. Nothing sweeter than a tiny newborn in a soft gown.

Magnolia Baby has the softest clothes for newborns, hands down. We had so many of their gowns and footies. One of my very favorite outfits Vivi has worn is this striped footie. I am about to order it for her in a bigger size for this winter.

Candy Kirby Designs has the cutest knotted gowns. Vivian had a few that I just loved on her. They are so soft. The only problem is they can only wear them when you're planning on staying home because obviously you can't put them in their carseat with the knotted bottom. Kind of a pain but super cute!

KicKee Pants has the softest pajamas that are thin and stretchy and look so dang precious on babies. Vivi had this striped outfit and she wore it until it was bursting at the seams. I am going to get this turtle outfit and a few others for her for the fall/winter.

Girl mommas, what shops am I missing?

Coffee talk + a few confessions

If we were having coffee together I may tell you... 

-My daughter inherited my high strung personality. She isn't the most laid back baby ever... not even close. She will entertain herself for maybe 10 minutes tops on her play mat or jumparoo then she's ready to move on to the next activity. I was hoping she'd be super laid back like her daddy but NOPE, girlfriend has a temper and is very impatient! Love her to death though.

-My eyelashes have always been super thick and long but during pregnancy/postpartum they got thin and fell out like crazy. However, I just cannot justify spending $150 on R&F lash boost. April told me about Rapidlash and said it worked wonders for her. Has anyone used either of these products?

-It makes me sad that people no longer send handwritten thank you notes. Snail mail makes me so happy and our generation has just completely stopped sending it thanks to electronics and cell phones. I make a point to write thank you notes for everything and I wish others would too.

-Speaking of thank you notes, it also makes me sad when people aren't thankful when you do something for them. It's like our generation feels entitled. I expect nothing in return when I do things for people but a simple "thank you" text after I take you a home cooked meal would be nice.

-Am I crazy to already want another baby?! I mean, you might as well have all the babies before you get used to sleeping through the night, right?! Remind me that I am saying this tonight during witching hour ;)

-Yesterday I went to David's Bridal to get fitted for my bridesmaid's dress for my best friend's wedding in November and let's just say their sizing does not give you a boost of confidence. Nothing like a dress fitting at 4 months postpartum #thingslookdifferent

-I attempted to go to the gym yesterday and I left Vivi in the nursery. They had to come get me twice in 30 minutes because she was crying so I packed up and left. At least I tried, right?

-Real mom talk: Vivi is dealing with some constipation issues. We give her an ounce or so of prune juice a few times a day when she starts to get constipated and that seems to work but I hate that it's a constant cycle. Any tips for this issue?

That's all I've got today. If we were having coffee, what would you tell me?

Weekending: baby shower edition!

This weekend was a busy one! Friday we spent the day with my mom while Garrett was working and I died when I walked in her house and realized she and Vivi were twinning!

After Garrett got home from work we headed to his parent's house. They live about 45 minutes from us and live on a huge farm. I absolutely love going there because it's so peaceful and such a great escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

 Saturday Garrett and I were up early to head 3 hours west to celebrate our best friends who are having a baby in September. Greg played baseball with Garrett at UNC and through them Morgan and I have become best friends. I helped host a baby shower for Morgan while the guys played golf. It was a long day and we didn't get back to my in-laws until 11pm or so, but it was so great to see our friends.

Meanwhile, Vivian was in good hands and getting totally spoiled with her grandparents and great grandma Nana ;)

The shower turned out perfectly. We had lots of good food, yummy desserts and mimosas. The mommy-to-be was spoiled and got so many nice gifts! It was a great weekend indeed!

FoF: baby showers and work bags

[O N E]

I have been printing so many pictures lately with Mpix.com. It is cheap, fast, and great quality! Not a sponsored post, just a product I love. I used to print at Walgreens and they were chopping the heads off all my pics, not good.

[T W O]

I got this cute top last week during Loft's 40% off sale. It ended up being $36, that is such a steal! I have worn it with both these denim shorts and these white jeans and love it both ways!

[T H R E E]

I feel like our bath towels smell so grungy and honestly I've been considering getting rid of them and getting a completely new set. But then I remembered Annie's tips on how to make your towels smell fresh again and it really did work! I will be doing it more often!

[F O U R]

My work bag had seen it's better days. It was falling apart and I had spilled at least 20 mugs of coffee in it. It needed a serious upgrade! I couldn't resist this pretty blush bag from Target this week. It's big, the straps are the perfect length to throw over your shoulder, and it can be wiped out easily for all the coffee that will without a doubt get spilled all over it. I'm in love!

[F I V E]

This weekend we are heading 3 hours west to celebrate our best friends' and their baby girl who is due in September. I am helping host a shower for my friend Morgan while the husbands play golf. We were bridesmaids in each others' weddings and now our baby girls will be 6 months apart. Friendships like this are invaluable!

Linking up with Amanda and April

Why do I hate running so much?

I mentioned in a previous post that I was doing the Couch to 5k running program. I am currently on week 3 and this is huge because I hate running. I love being active and consider myself to be in decent shape. Let me cycle, lift weights, take boot camp classes but ask me to run a mile? I'd rather die. Even in high school when I was in the best shape of my life and winning a volleyball state championship, running still felt like punishment to me. 

So why am I doing Couch to 5k then?? Good question. The first reason is that the 2nd annual Anchor Run 5k is on September 10th and I'd like to attempt to run my first 5k. Last year I was pregnant and walked it. The second reason is that I've had trouble getting back into the gym and leaving Vivi in the nursery. Mom guilt in full force. I figured if I could convince myself that I enjoy running [still working on this] then it would allow me to exercise with Vivian and never have to get in my car and leave home. A super convenient way to both get outside with baby and get some exercise.

Here's how it works... 

Week 1: Five minute warmup walk followed by 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. End with a 5 minute cool down walk.

Week 2: Five minute warmup walk followed by 90 seconds of running and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. End with a 5 minute cool down walk.

Week 3: Five minute warmup walk followed by two repetitions of running for 90 seconds, walking for 90 seconds, running for 3 minutes, walking for 3 minutes. End with a 5 minute cool down walk.

Pros of Couch to 5k: It gives me an objective goal to meet every day. If I were to head out my front door with no timer or app to keep me accountable, I would run about 10 seconds then call it quits. Looking at the app and watching the timer forces me to keep going when my legs feel like they have weights in them and my lungs feel like they are on fire.

Cons of Couch to 5k: It only "requires" 3 days of running each week before it bumps you up to the next step of longer running intervals. That's bogus. 3 days of each exercise a week is not enough to train a non-runner to become a runner. I think it needs to be at least 5 days a week or either two weeks spent on each step before progressing to the next "round".

So... how is the Couch to 5k program going overall? I have kept up with it and done all my runs surprisingly. Every week so far I have been able to run 5 days so I just repeat the run for that week then go to the next week every Sunday. I have 5 weeks to go before I should be able to run an entire 3.1 miles... that ain't happening. I don't think it is realistic to believe that a non-runner is going to download this app and 8 weeks later be able to run an entire 5k. But you have to start somewhere! 

All you runners out there... how can I get better at running? How can I trick my body into liking it? 

I will leave you guys with an embarrassing picture of me about to die post-run. You're welcome, ha!