BABY BOY ESSENTIALS

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I'm thankful that I have been able to experience being a mom to both a boy and a girl. When we found out the news that we were having  a boy we were so excited, but I quickly realized that I didn't have any clothes for a boy and many of the toys and books we had collected over the years for Elle were fairly feminine. I am of the mindset that there isn't a color or a toy or a book that is for just one gender by any means, but I also didn't want Levi to only have hand-me-downs that are pink and purple. The little guy definitely deserved to have some shiny, new gifts just for him in an array of colors.

Today, I'm sharing with you a list of things that I have been given or have purchased since having baby number two that I have really loved and would recommend to any other mom. 

1. Freshly Picked moccasins - There's no real need for babies to wear shoes when they are first born, but having these mocs starting around 5 months has been wonderful. Levi loves to plant his feet on the ground and jump in his jumper. These shoes are stretchy and easy to get on and off, which is nice when they have those pudgy baby feet. One mistake I made with Elle was never getting her used to having shoes on, so when it came time for her to wear them all she did was sit on the floor and cry. Haha! The poor kid didn't understand why she had to wear shoes.

2. Your Baby's First Word Will Be Dada - This is the funniest and cutest baby book out there right now. Jimmy Fallon really did a wonderful job creating it, and I think it's a great gift for any mom.

3. Special Nursery Decor - There are toys that are meant to be played with and then there are toys that are so cute you want to display them. Every mom and dad wants these as gifts too. The Land of Nod has a ton of these toys, and I especially love this gray hippo. I'm going to save it for Levi forever and one day give it to his kids.

4. A cool hat - If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen a couple posts about Levi getting the worst case of cradle cap. We are STILL dealing with it, and having a cool, cute hat for him to wear through this process has been critical. I adore this winter hat by 7AM Enfant. It's probably cutest, and coolest winter accessory there is for babies.

5. Zipadee-Zip - This MIRACLE product isn't pictured in the photo, but every single mom needs this flying squirrel-ish swaddle. After 3 months you are supposed to stop swaddling your baby, but Levi would still wake himself up if we didn't keep his hands away from his face. Enter in our saving grace the Zipadee-Zip. It was featured on Shark Tank, and it has blown up since then because moms across the U.S. know what I know...This thing works! Levi loves sleeping in it, and it keeps him warm without having to put on heavy jammies.

6. Bandana Drool Bibs - Forget the cheesy, "My First Christmas," bibs for eating and drooling. Go get these incredibly cool bandana drool bibs by Copper Pearl. They come in all sorts of designs for girls and boys.

7. Cute boy clothes - This is a whole topic for another blog post, but all I have to say is that I have searched high and low for cute boy clothes, and the line of affordable clothes I like for Levi that is by Burt's Bees. Yes, the chapstick company makes flippin' adorable baby clothes, and you need to check them out. I didn't want to constantly have to buy things on Etsy and wait for them to ship or spend a fortune at Baby Gap. You can grab these cute clothes at Buy Buy Baby.

Photos by Rennai Hoefer

LAST MINUTE VALENTINE'S DAY GIFTS

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I'm not the best at giving gifts, I must admit. The way I show love the most is through words of encouragement and quality time. When I'm shopping for a gift I want to go to one place to by it all. For gifts for my girl friends, I love all of the little trinkets that Idieh Design has to offer. It's my one stop V-Day place for sure!

Heidi Barlett is the boss lady behind the company, and she is also a fellow Phoenician. She has such great style and taste, and I love that she has created her own line of t-shirts, accessories and prints. Some of my favorite things from her shop and gifts for Valentine's Day are her t-shirts, iPhone cases and prints. 

iPhone cases are always a good gift if you know what size to get. You can easily add a personal touch, and it's a fun accessory everyone enjoys switching out from time to time. This one with lipstick marks all over it is my personal favorite.

Graphic prints are like a better version of a greeting card. It's something that people can hang, and often times the best prints are encouraging and up-lifting. I love thinking that I gift I give can keep on giving for years to come, and that's exactly what a framed print like this one can do.

Lastly, graphic t-shirts are still popular. Maybe your friend doesn't wear them on a daily basis, but these shirts are cute to workout it on even sleep in. I love this "dance it out" one because my family has a dance party in our living room almost every night. The lipstick mark t-shirt is also great too, especially if you're nervous your friend won't resonate with the sentiments on the other t-shirt.

Photos by Rennai Hoefer

Father's Day Gifts for the City Guy

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Father's Day is just around the corner and you may or may not have figured out what to get your hubby or dad. This is Ryan's first "Father's Day." Granted, our bundle of joy isn't quite here to hold in our arms, but in my opinion we're already playing the role of parents doing as much as we can to prepare and protect this baby girl that is growing in my tummy. But here's the deal...Even though I personal shop for people on a regular basis, I ALWAYS struggle with what to get  a guy for a gift (birthday, Father's Day, Christmas, etc.). Why? Well, most of the suggested gifts tend to play off of "manly man" stereotypes, and my guy doesn't fit into that category. He could care less about sports, and instead loves great micro brews, bourbons and hip restaurants. He's a city guy. So, I thought I would make a gift guide featuring items that fit with that lifestyle. Some of them might be a bit pricey, but use them as inspiration to find something similar at an affordable price.

Collar Stiffiners - Chances are the men in your life are bound to wear a button-up shirt from time to time or even daily. Ryan mainly wears these types of shirts or polos. One of the downsides to this style of shirt is that the collar points tends to get worn. Can't have that! So, make sure they have plenty of collar stiffiners. You can buy plastic ones or nice silver or even gold ones and engrave them with something like, "I love you," or the names of your kiddos.

Unique Bottle Openers - Like I mentioned earlier, my guy loves a great Pale Ale. So, a cool bottle opener and a six pack of their favorite specialty beer would be just the ticket.  This opener that is made out of a 50 Caliber bullet is as pretty unique as they get.

Tie Clip - There aren't too many accessories men feel comfortable sporting, but one that is not only a-okay, but is also incredibly stylish is a nice tie clip (see example above). You can also personalize this gift with their initials, the date of your child's birth or your wedding date. It's something that they will have forever and use daily or on special occasions. Take the gift to another level by buying a tie to go with it too. =)

The Man Bag - For some reason my husband loves a good backpack, satchel, briefcase...Any type of man bag. haha. I don't know why, but he always has. I mean, the man is really excited his own diaper bag right now. Who knew?! So, if the special dad in your life is anything like mine, a weekender or a Sketchbook backpack might be just the ticket. To go the extra mile, maybe you can stick a card in the bag with a receipt for a one night stay at a cool hotel.

Watch - Who doesn't love a great watch. For something that always tell the time, it's ironically a timeless accessory. Right now the trend in watches is back to a chronograph face and a simple leather band. Clean and classic. I adore the watches that Uniform Wares offers. They are a bit pricey starting around $200, but they sure are gorgeous.

Sun Glasses - In Arizona you can't live without them. Well, I guess you can if you want to go blind early, but I seriously cannot drive anywhere without eye protection. These unique, wooden sunglasses are head turners for sure! SHWood makes them in all types of styles, so you're bound find a pair that fits his face perfectly.

iPhone Case - Whether they are a full fledged nerd or a hipster with an mac obsession, you can't go wrong with accessories for your computer or cell phone. I love this wooden iphone skin so much. It's modern and masculine in one.

Good luck shopping! Need more menswear inspiration? Don't forget to follow my menswear pinterest board.

Image Sources (photo 1, photo 2, photo 3, photo 4, photo 5, photo 6, photo 7)

An Etsy Christmas Guide

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Ever since Thanksgiving Day, I have been getting on average about 35 emails a day from big chain stores such as GAP, West Elm and Barnes & Noble with free shipping deals, coupons and other enticements. Have I cashed in on some of those bargains? Definitely. But, did you know that you can find equally amazing things on Etsy like vase a for your mother-in-law, a locket for your best friend, and iPhone cases for your spouse for much cheaper than big box store prices?! Plus, you're helping local businesses survive with every purchase you make. It's a win, win if you ask me. Check out some of my cool finds. Everything you see is under $100.00, and personally something that I would like to own.

A glass locket - $62.00 I think this necklace is awesome. It's one of those one-of-a-kind special treasures, and something that you can personalize for someone you love with a photo. Although, I think it looks cool without one.

NYC Brass Cuff - $38.00 Who doesn't love funky pieces of jewelry? Brass cuffs are a great accessory all year round, and this one in particular is perfect for anyone that loves NYC.

Bud Vase - $12.00 How cute is this bud vase?! It's handmade and would fit in any style of home or would be perfect on an office desk.

Chevron Pillow - $14.95 I've been in love with this pillow forever, and anyone that has been awake the past year knows that chevron is the big print of the year. Plus, black and white goes with just about anything.

Rose & Chamomile Face Scrub - $14.00 Most women I know love beauty products. They are a gift of luxury, and the fact that this face scrub is all organic is over the top awesome.

Perfume solids - $70.00 Perfume and cologne are good, common Christmas gifts. I just wish that I had more portable scents like this solid perfume. This one is the one perfect gift because it's also in the most beautiful box and is all natural.

iPhone case - $50.00 I actually don't have an iPhone, but if I did I would have this case. Again, you can't go wrong with chevron.

iPad sleeve - $52.00 I also WISH I had an iPad, and an awesome looking sleeve to go with it. The cherry red and mixture of fabrics is killer!

Coaster set - $32.00 Coasters are the perfect gift for someone that you don't know all that well because everyone uses them AND you can find SUPER cool designs that match their style or personality.

Doormat - $65.00 I know a doormat is kind of a weird item to have on this list, but seriously how cool is this handmade rug?! It's made out of recycled boat rope and it's yellow. Yep, this one is definitely on my personal wishlist too.

Have fun shopping!!!