The DelloStritto Family - Lifestyle Session

Few things make me happier than my friends having babies. Even more special is when we’ve known each other since we were practically babies ourselves. Sharing this season of life with friends is so fun and so exciting. 

          

       

I’ve known Kate for over 15 years, and I’ve known Jack for almost as long. We've been through so many seasons together. The awkward middle school years, sleepovers, youth group mission trips - we even got married only a week apart from each other. Each one has its own set of special memories, but I think this one is my favorite. Sharing this experience is a new kind of special. 

We got to take a trip to Pittsburgh a couple of weekends ago, and of course I jumped at the opportunity to take photos of this brand new, beautiful family. The weekend was FULL of wonderful friends and fellowship, and it really did my heart good. We so needed that weekend away. Wedding season has been crazy, Ethan’s been busy at work, and we just needed that reminder that it’s okay to take a step back for a few days and relax, and enjoy our current stage of life with a rapidly growing infant (who thinks every milestone should be hit within 3 weeks of each other). 

Seeing Jack and Kate with their perfect little boy, Ezra, reminded me of just a few short months ago when Oaklyn was brand new. I don’t think I realized how big she’d gotten in such a short period of time. Babies have a way of seeming like they’re not changing at all, then you suddenly wake up one day and realize all the things they couldn’t do a week ago. They’re magical like that. 

             

Kate and I have a new bond; we’ve become each other’s shoulder to lean on as we stumble through every “Is this normal?” and “how do I even?” that comes along with learning to care for a tiny human. It’s a blast, even from 300 miles away. I love the new connection we have as parents, and I love that our babes will grow up knowing each other, having someone to look forward to seeing when we make our (not often enough) trips to Western PA. 

Keep the babes comin', friends. 

Trust me, it’s so fun. 

(PS: Kate is a blogger, too! you can follow her here!)

10 Baby Must-Haves For the First Time Mom

When I was pregnant, I scoured the internet for tips and tricks and do's and don'ts, and I tried to absorb way more information than I could actually store in my brain about how to prepare for baby. Once our baby girl was born, half that stuff went out the window, and I figured out on my own reeeeeal quick what would and wouldn't work for me (sorry for all the returns, Target). So, I went ahead and compiled a quick list of things I've found that I couldn't go without, and I hope it helps you when deciding what you (really) need for your own babes! 

Backpack Diaper Bag

This is an absolute lifesaver/ back saver. I am totally that person who always has way too much stuff in my diaper bag, so having a backpack is perfect. It balances me out so i’m not juggling a baby in one hand and a bag in the other, and it has stroller clips on it so I can always easily access it right in front of me while we’re out and about. Below is a photo of the one we have, and it’s a super flexible and sturdy material, and the side pockets are insulated! It’s been great for summer to just throw on my back when I’m also juggling pool stuff, the babe, the dog, and whatever else I almost forgot to grab on my way out the door. 

A Travel System

I had no idea how many stroller options there were out there. I mean really, how is the market that saturated with strollers in such an insanely large range of prices. It’s truly ridiculous. At the time we were ordering ours, I really went with a travel system based off of friends recommendations and the fact that it was easier to just order it all in one place. But now I’m finding that I am SO happy we went with it because it’s truly all-in-one. We won’t have to buy another stroller until we eventually have to upgrade to a double in the future, and it’s so great to have a three-wheeled one for easy steering, especially when I have the dog in tow. It even has a sun shade that covers her whole carseat, so I don’t have to worry about her skin getting too much sun if I’m out for a walk or we’re out and about all day. 

Solly Baby Wrap

A very kind soul gifted this wonderful invention to us, and it’s seriously amazing. The fabric is incredibly lightweight so I don’t ever worry about the baby overheating on hot days. It’s also easy to tie and not as bulky as other carriers, so I can tie it before we leave and even wear it in the car, saving time once we’re out! It was especially wonderful when Oaklyn was a newborn, it was so nice because she was still a little small for the regular carriers like the Infantino and Baby Bjorn ones. She slept SO well in it, and I could bundle her all in just like she was back in the womb. She digs it. 

     

Baby Beach Tent  

Did you know that babies can get sun burn from the reflection off of the sand at the beach? Yeah, me either. But they can. So when we were prepping for vacation, the first purchase I made was a UV-protective tent. Poor babe has my fair skin, so I’m not taking any chances this summer while she’s still too little for sunscreen. I’ve found that it’s so great for every day outside use as well, and she’ll just hang out in it by the pool or while I'm outside gardening. It’s been a major help for keeping the bugs away, too! This one has an awesome bug net, so it’s perfect for any time of day! There’s also a toddler/multi-kid sized one here. 

   

Aveeno Baby Lotion

I LOOOOVE this lotion. It is so moisturizing on baby’s skin, but doesn’t leave it feeling sticky (which is a major plus when you’re trying to get a wiggly 4 month old in her jammies after bath time). I also love that it’s got oatmeal in it, which is really great for soothing dry, itchy skin or even sunburn. I worry about how sensitive my baby’s skin is right now, so having a lotion with such amazing ingredients in it is a must. I use Aveeno products myself, so it’s great to use a name I can trust for my whole family! 

This amazing swaddle!

I got this one FOR FREE just by doing a baby registry through Amazon! I take it everywhere. It’s thicker than a lot of muslin swaddles, so now that we are out of the actual swaddling phase, I find that it’s a perfect blanket to have on hand for if it gets chilly in the evening, if I want to lay her down somewhere, if I need a more breathable nursing cover for hot days, or if I just need a backup spit cloth. It’s super lightweight and easy to fit in my diaper bag, and I never leave home without it! 

Dock a Tot 

Since the day we brought Oaklyn home from the hospital, she has slept in her Dock a Tot. We liked the idea of co-sleeping, but felt nervous after reading so many warnings against it. The Dock was a perfect solution so that we could have Oaklyn in our bed with us, but did’t have to worry about rolling over on to her, or the dog laying on her while we were sleeping. It also made transitions to new sleeping environments much easier. We have taken it to Massachusetts, Pittsburgh, and it’s where she’ll sleep when we go on vacation in a couple of weeks. It’s easy to travel with, and the pillow inserts zip out so you can toss the whole cover in the wash! It’s been a total lifesaver, and it’s so great to know that no matter where we are, she’ll sleep well if we have it! I also love that they have 2 sizes, so if you decide you just can’t live without it as you baby grows, it’s easy to upgrade for the toddler years. 

   

Sofie La Giraffe 

We’ve just started entering into the pre-teething phase, so Sophie has been around A LOT lately. She is Oaklyn’s constant carseat companion, and really keeps her occupied on longer trips. But even before teething, I liked that she was rubbery, so as Oaklyn is learning to hold and grasp things, she can hold on really easily. She is made of a non toxic rubber and painted with food grade paint, so I don’t have to worry about her chewing away all day, and the rubber is so easy to clean off at the end of the day! You can find Sophie here or here. 

The Wonder Weeks app 

This app is AMAZING. Ethan and I are constantly googling when Oaklyn will do this and that, and this has completely changed the game. With breakdowns by the week of when to expect changes in behavior, new skills, and how to know if we’re on track, I don’t find myself ever worrying that she isn’t developing normally or isn't learning things at the place I think she should be. You can also add multiple children in the app, which I think is a really nice touch. 

They have a book, too! You can find it here. 

                                             

Honest Company Hand Sanitizer spray 

I was never weird about germs until I had a baby. Now I find myself constantly washing or sanitizing my hands. This spray is AMAZING. I have the lavender one, and it’s one of the only scented hand sanitizers I’ve found to not leave my hands feeling coated in sticky film and not actually clean. It’s so light and fresh smelling, and it’s always in my diaper bag for constant use. I really love that it's a spray, so I feel like I don't need to use as much product at once and it lasts much longer! I snagged mine at Target for only a few bucks! 

If you're a new or expecting mama, are any of these on your list? 

If you're an experienced mama, what's a must-have item you can share with the rest of us? 

Drop a comment below! 

Until next time, friends! 

-Bethany 

Oaklyn Mae: 4 Month Update

  

It’s been 4 months (woah) since we welcomed our perfect Oaklyn Mae into the world. The past few months have gone by insanely fast, and I’m loving soaking up every milestone and every moment with her. Watching Ethan become a father has been a magical time in itself, but now that Oaklyn is learning to do things and interacts with us, it’s even more fun to watch him with her. Ladies, if you think you love your husband now, just WAIT until he fathers your children. It’s really amazing how instinctual becoming a parent is, and going through this process together has proven to be both challenging and incredible all at once. 

  

Oaklyn is doing SO many new things this month! 

She loves her playmat, and grabs at the toys on the mobile, and since she’s found her feet, she loves to kick at them too! She has rolled over a few times (although it’s not consistent, so i don’t think she really knows how to roll yet.) She also started laughing, which is basically our favorite thing ever. She’s become incredibly vocal and constantly makes noises and talks to us (and herself). We started going to the park a few times a week, and she loves to lay on a blanket and look at the trees and people. 

She is insanely squirmy and strong! She loves to stand up and move her legs around. We’re currently working on getting her to sit up, since she loves to look around at everything. She LOVES when daddy comes home from work, and she giggles at him all the time. Nala is finally warming up to her, and spends a lot of time sniffing at her.  

We take photos of her all the time (duh), and are more and more smitten with her every single day. 

This month, She took her first trips to Massachusetts and Pittsburgh, and at the end of this month, she’s have her first trip to the beach! We can’t wait to see how she likes it, since being outside is one of her favorite things to do.

Oaklyn Mae Ballantyne, you are so loved by so many people. We love adventuring with you, and can’t imagine our lives without you. 

My Favorite Zoodles Recipe

Zoodles, y’all. 

I’m new to the Zoodles craze. I have a thing about squash. I don’t know if its the soapy taste or spongy, weird texture, but that’s generally a big N O from me. 

So I had this stinkin’ Veggie strip maker from Pampered Chef that’s been collecting dust for a year. Or more. So one night, after seeing about a dozen friends go bananas over these stringy little things, I did it. I made Spaghetti with little strips of zucchini (or Zoodles, if you will). And LET ME TELL YOU, my friends. Worth. the. hype. My slightly veggie-phobic husband approves. So that’s a major win. 

So after my initial shock of falling in love with a vegetable wore off, I decided it was time to branch out, and mix it up with my all time favorite thing. Avocado Pesto. 

That’s right. It’s amazing. And you’ll agree once you try it. 

Major pluses include: it’s gluten free, low carb, and vegan. And picky husband approved. Yum. 

So, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Here it is. 

And for those of you newbies (like myself) who thought it was hard to cook Zoodles, here is the basic recipe I used to heat them.  

Also, you don't have to have a veggie strip maker, but if you want one, here's the link for the one I have, and here's the link for the spiralizer from Target!

Ingredients: 

2 Avocados (ripe)

1/2 cup Fresh Basil

1 cup tomatoes (i prefer cherry tomatoes sliced in half)

2-3 cloves of Garlic 

Juice off 1/2 Lemon 

1/3 Cup Olive Oil 

Salt and Pepper to taste 

2 large or 3 medium Zucchini 

[Serves 4]

Directions: 

1. Combine avocado, basil, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Add Salt and Pepper. Add oil in a slow stream until emulsified. 

2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; stir in zucchini and cook for 1 minute. 

3. Combine sauce with noodles. Sprinkle with sliced tomato. Serve hot. 

It’s so easy. It takes less time to make than it took me to type all of that. 

Enjoy! 

-Bethany

Recap: Peach Fest at Spring Gate Vineyard

Good Morning, friends! I hope you all had a great weekend! 

I went to the Peach Fest this weekend in Harrisburg, and it was such a wonderful, relaxing time with my beautiful, dear friend Jenessa. We decided to go sans babies, and it was one of those things I didn’t realize I needed so much until we were there. Man, I haven't felt so relaxed in months. It was so, so needed, and I'm so incredibly thankful to have a friend and fellow momma to enjoy those moments with. 

For me, it’s been hard to remember to do things for myself since Oaklyn was born. I’ve only been away from her a few times, and every time I’ve felt guilty, like I shouldn't need or enjoy time away from my perfect, incredibly well-behaved new babe. I find myself constantly worrying about her, not letting myself relax if she’s not in my care. But my husband is totally smitten with his little girl, and he practically booted me out the door on Saturday because he was so excited to have a few hours with just her. So, I threw my stuff in a purse (which felt so weird, since all I carry around these days is a diaper bag), and we headed off for a few hours of baby-less bliss. And it. was. amazing. 

We got there right after it opened, (pro tip: DO THIS. We totally avoided the crazy long lines later in the day!) and headed right for the wine tasting. It was free, and they even handed out peaches, which was a cute little touch. The samples were a sweet Honey Peach wine and a Bubbly Peach Mello. We weren’t into the sweetness of the Honey Peach, so we grabbed a bottle of the bubbly and headed to the lawn to relax. It was a perfect day, especially for the end of July, and we just sat and enjoyed food from a few different trucks, and drank every last drop of that bottle. It was SO refreshing on a summer day. 

                 

The vineyard had a few other drink features for the festival, including a Peach Belgian Blonde Ale (a little too hoppy for my taste), Peach Mello wine slushies, and a Peach Mojito that was incredibly delicious. There were also tons of food trucks on site; my favorite was the Peach pulled Chicken sandwich with pineapple coleslaw from Piper Belle’s BBQ. It really surprised me how well the fruit complemented the barbecue! 

We took a few laps around to check out all the sights, and in the end were satisfied with the 3 hours we spent there. I really enjoyed the space at Spring Gate, it was a rustic atmosphere with pretty, white barns and an open air bar. I checked out the website and it looks like they are always offering specials and events, so I am already planning on a return trip in the future! 

If you’re local to the area or love traveling for a good winery, I highly recommend checking out Spring Gate Vineyards! They really did a great job organizing this event. I know I’ll definitely be on the lookout for it year. With free admission, you really can’t go wrong with all the choices they offered. It was a very family-friendly atmosphere as well, so if you find yourself here in the future, don’t be afraid to bring the kids along! 

So, friends, what are your favorite wineries/breweries? My husband and I are totally on a winery kick right now. I just love the relaxing atmosphere, and we’re always looking to try new places! 

Happy Monday! 

-Bethany 

4 Things I Miss About Being Pregnant

It’s the weekend, everyone! What are you all up to? I’m excited to head to the Peach Festival in Harrisburg tomorrow for some much needed girl time with a beautiful friend. I’m hoping to get some good photos for a new post next week! I’m really enjoying the beginning stages of blogging, and I’m excited for what’s to come.

I’ve spent hours compiling lists and writing out a schedule for this blog, yet somehow I kept leaving my first few weeks open and unscheduled. Maybe i’m planning for a time that I feel my blog will really “take off” or saving the really good posts for when I feel like the website is perfect. Then I realized, that’s just plain silly. I’m making this for me. For all I know, no one will ever read this, and I’ll have saved these posts for nothing. 

So i’m just diving right in. 

Pregnancy is hard. It feels like living in a constant state of marathon-running with a weight strapped to the front of you, while trying to suck down a double chocolate milkshake and eat a basket of curly fries all at once. I literally felt winded from washing my hands somewhere around week 36. 

 But it’s also the most wonderful, magical time. I’ve told my husband quite a few times that I’d stay pregnant forever, as long as I didn’t have to keep delivering and caring for more babies. Yeah, right. One’s good for now.

I have friends who absolutely hated being pregnant. And if that’s you, it’s ok to move on to the next post. I"m not offended. 

But let me tell you 4 reasons why I loved being pregnant and why I miss it (already).

1: Feeling little kicks and jabs.

Pregnancy can be so scary and overwhelming. When all you do is research and read and (try to) prepare for a baby for 9 months, it’s hard not to freak yourself out. There’s entirely too much information out there about things that can go wrong, making you doubt it’s even possible for everything too go right. I spent so much of the first half of my pregnancy in panic mode, thinking that I was going to bend the wrong way or cough too hard (hello severe paranoia. #firsttimemomprobs). Once I felt kicks, I also felt a sudden peace. Those movements were how I relaxed myself. When i wasn't sure if she was ok in there, I drank some juice and she woke right up, giving me a little nudge and telling me she was alright.

2: Loving my body. 

There was nothing more exciting than putting on an outfit, and really looking pregnant. Not full of breakfast burrito; actually pregnant. For me, it was right around 20 weeks that I looked at myself in the mirror and loved the new belly I was sporting. All of a sudden I was all about the fitted clothes and taking weekly bump photos. I loved this new body, and I loved watching it grow a little person. Some of my absolute favorite photos of myself are from when i was pregnant. Pregnancy gave me such a confidence in myself that I never knew I could feel.  

3: Having that little secret between my husband and me for a few weeks.

We didn't tell anyone we were trying to get pregnant, so it was fun to be the only ones who knew for a little while. We loved sharing little looks between each other when it would come up, and enjoyed planning put how we’d tell friends and family. From the day we found out, we loved planning for and dreaming about the future. It was such an incredibly special time that I can’t wait to have again some day. 

4: Decorating the Nursery

I absolutely loved painting and preparing the nursery. It gave me an excuse to shop, and spend hours searching online for paint colors, decor, and any inspiration I could find on Pinterest. I enjoyed perusing the stores and buying cute little decorations for her nursery (sorry bank account), and once it was done, I loved just standing in the doorway, dreaming of what our baby girl would be like. Many tears were shed. Because, hormones. 

Fellow moms, what do you miss (or not miss) about being pregnant? 

Drop me a comment! 

-Bethany 

I'm New Here.

I've tried to start a blog. I mean, like really tried. And every time, I get super pumped and write like 3 really good posts, and then realize that my life isn't that exciting. Not exciting enough to fill a blog.
But here I am a couple of years, a husband, and one adorable daughter later, and I feel like it's officially my time. Right?

Who knows. I'm making it my time.

I've never considered myself, a writer. But maybe that's not a bad thing, since half the blogs I read these days are all about being personable instead of formal. Phew. I can do this. I can write about things that I like, don't like, or just want to remember to cook for dinner this week.

So here I am. I want to write about stuff. I want to document my baby growing. I want to share my life, and connect with others. I want to share about all the Pinterest recipes I fail or fall in love with. I want to share about the joys and woes of being a mom. I want to write down all those things I keep telling myself I want to remember.

I also want to learn. I have some really great blogger friends who have really inspired me, and I want to keep learning from them (and others!) about how to be a successful and consistent blogger. Because let's be honest: It's one thing to start something new - it's a whole other thing to keep it going. I've not so great with the keeping-it-going part in the past.

Please bare with me; I'm trying. Again. It's probably going to start off a little rough. So if you're reading this now, know I have so many goals and ideas. I can't wait to watch this blog improve over time (mental note- Goals is a good future post idea!) <- see, I'm already working on it.


So, Hi. I'm new here. If i don't know you (or if i do!), drop a comment and introduce yourself!


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