Baby

Baby, Lifestyle, Motherhood
My Baby Girl Turns One: Let’s Eat Smash Cake!
- 7:53 pm
- 0 comments
- by Adanna Dill
Yesterday, on 11/11 my baby girl turned 1! If you’ve been following me since I announced my pregnancy you’re probably in disbelief too. This is easily the fastest a year has flown by. I can’t believe I’ve changed that many diapers and breastfed again for another entire year. Anyway, her birthday was quiet and beautiful. First birthdays are special, they’re symbolic of getting through the first year and in this case my first year as a mom of three. As you can tell from the photos we didn’t have a birthday party for her (although I flirted with the idea) but we did a small celebration at home with family. We made her confetti pancakes for breakfast, played with her new toys, went to her swimming class, and her siblings baked her smash cake while she napped. I thought having her siblings bake her a cake would be much more special than buying one, although I probably would have bought one if we were having a party or photo shoot.

She did not smash her cake!

About the smash cake though, she didn’t do any smashing! Actually, this is my third go-round with this smash cake business and none of my kids really seemed to want to ruin the cake the way I wanted them to. I kept encouraging her, trying to act out what she should do to the cake. She ignored me, dipped her fingers in a few tips and licked the frosting off. The little holes in the cake were the cutest though and we cut right around those and ate it. #NoShame

My favorite part of her birthday was watching her dance and try to sing along as we sang the Happy Birthday song. It’s so cute to see her little personality emerging and how she interacts with her siblings. Anyway, this week we will do the not-so-fun but equally important 12-month check-ups.

Did your babies smash their smash cakes?
Activities, Baby, Lifestyle, Motherhood, New Mom, Sponsored, Toddler
My Baby’s Swimming Lessons at Goldfish Swim School {Update}
- 1:23 am
- 0 comments
- by Adanna Dill
This post is in partnership with Goldfish Swim School. As usual, all opinions are my own.

Back in the spring, I shared that my baby, who was five months old at the time started taking swimming lessons at Goldfish Swim School, Garden City where my older two kids are enrolled. It’s a full seven months since she started and I wanted to share an update on what the experience has been like if you’re considering enrolling your baby in swimming lessons. I started her much earlier than my older kids because I regretted waiting so long with them, I felt like I did them a disservice and while they’ve come a really long way and can both swim now they’re still working on becoming more confident swimmers.

[Tweet “An Update on My Baby’s Swimming Lessons at Goldfish Swim School”]

When we first started her lessons she really enjoyed splashing in the pool, she would light up during that part of her lesson, and I have to admit that seeing how happy it made her, made it my favorite time too. As she approaches her first birthday and is a bit more aware of her surroundings, she’s very excited about the toys and floaters used in the class. She loves when the puppet sings to her at the end and waving to her siblings sitting in the gallery area looking at her.

She’s not swimming yet, this class takes a very gentle approach, and the focus is to help little ones feel comfortable in the water. When she first started, they started with getting her used to water on her face and now she also does underwater dips. Over the time, she’s getting more comfortable with both of these.

We love bonding with her during class!

When she first started because of the timing of the lessons my husband didn’t get to get into the pool with her so although we absolutely loved her first instructor we switched her time so she could rotate and her new instructor is just as impressive.

We’re huge fans of Goldfish Swim School, and I share clips from each class on my Instagram. You can watch them here. A few of you have also joined our location or messaged me that a location opened up close to you and you joined too. If you have also joined, please shoot me a message. <3
Baby, Family Travel, Lifestyle, Motherhood, New Born, New Mom, Pregnancy, Product Reviews, Sponsored
3 Tips for a Comfortable Road Trip with Kids
- 8:09 pm
- 0 comments
- by Adanna Dill
Thank you Maxi-Cosi for sponsoring this post. Keep your little adventurers comfy, safe & stylish with the Maxi-Cosi Magellan™ Max 5-in-1 Convertible Car Seat!

One of the many things I love about my son is his desire for adventure! Whether we’re sailing the Caribbean, traveling through Europe, or exploring our city, any change of scenery gets him really excited. Lately, it’s been a season of changes for him and I’ve watched in awe as he embraced them all with the same marvel in his eyes. He turned 5 and started Kindergarten within the last 6 weeks and he’s embraced these big changes with so much confidence that I am truly impressed. Now, with fall on the way, I’m excited to travel new roads with him and his siblings. As our family makes new memories on the road trips we have planned for the fall, I wanted to share 3 tips for a comfortable road trip with kids:

Prepare for rest stop restrooms.

I love adventures with my children, but I HATE public bathrooms! Unfortunately, there is no way to escape them on the road. Years ago, I went on a road trip while I was still potty training my son. While you shake your head and judge me, let me tell you what I learned from that trip besides the fact that my husband and I are very patient people. Toilet seat covers are lifesavers! At almost every stop, I saw the other moms with their antibacterial wipes to clean the seats for their kids but me, I had a big box of toilet seat covers in my trunk and I was in and out of those gross rest stop bathrooms in no time with my two-year-old. The trick is to use disposable waterproof covers, so your child stays dry.

Don’t allow your kids to get overstimulated.

Most of us allow our kids to use their tablets, watch movies, or play games on road trips. After all, those are easy ways to distract them, but it’s important to take them off before they become overstimulated. That time frame will be different for every child, so study your child to know when it a good time for him/her. While you may think that turning off the tablets may cause a meltdown and make the drive a less pleasant one, it would actually work the opposite way. If they become overstimulated, look out for a bigger meltdown. I’ve found that the best way to approach this is to tell them the plan, kids love plans. When I get into the car with the kids, I tell them they can watch a movie/play games on their tablets for 90 minutes and then they turn it off for another 90 minutes to play I Spy or read.

Ensure your child is riding in the right seat.

I’m blown away by how tall my little adventurer got this summer! Of course, this meant new pants and shoes, but more importantly, he needed a new car seat as grew out of his previous one. He’d been all over the East coast and even the Midwest in that seat over the past 4 years. I’ve purchased so many car seats for my older daughter that I wanted to get him one more that he could use for the rest of his childhood and backseat adventures. I got exactly what I had in mind with the Maxi-Cosi Magellan™ Max 5-in-1 Convertible Car Seat that he could use until he is 10 years old – yes, that’s 5 years. I wish, this seat was around when he was born because it can be used from birth to age 10 (5 lbs. to 120 lbs.) so it would have been the only seat I had to purchase for him — ever. One of my mom friends sold me on Maxi-Cosi when she pointed out the brand’s patented Adjustable Side Impact Protection that can be adjusted based on your child’s growth stage and keeps them safe and protected when the seat is positioned correctly. She’s a big fan of the brand and her baby is one of the 50 million babies that went home from the hospital in a Maxi-Cosi car seat.

He’s been riding in this car seat for about 3 weeks and my favorite features are the Magellan™ Max EZ Out harness system and the ClipQuik auto-magnetic chest clip.

Since I have three children, I know that it’s really important to have a machine washable fabric on car seats. You just never know what would happen in the car, especially when you take a road trip. I’ve had to wash seats covered in vomit, food, ink – just about everything messy since I became a mother and with the Maxi-Cosi Magellan™ Max 5-in-1 Convertible Car Seat premium fabrics you wouldn’t have to worry about it losing its modern trendy look.

Anyway, I hope these three tips are helpful! You can find the Maxi-Cosi Magellan™ Max 5-in-1 Convertible Car Seat (ARV $399.99ea) in Nomad Blue, Nomad Sand, Nomad Purple, Nomad Black, Nomad Grey for your child at Albee Baby, Nordstrom, and Buy Buy Baby as well as other stores.

What are your tips for a comfortable road trip with kids?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Baby, Lifestyle, Motherhood, Sponsored
4 Ways to Support Your Baby to Take Their First Step
- 11:18 am
- 0 comments
- by Adanna Dill
This post is sponsored by BJ’s Wholesale Club. As always, all opinions are my own.

One of the most exciting milestones for a baby is taking his or her first step, as a mom it’s incredible to watch the build-up to the big day. First, learning to crawl, then walking while holding on and then standing. That’s the point where my baby is, she started to stand by herself a few weeks ago. I’ve watched as her stand and clap for herself – her little face filled with determination. I’ve watched her legs get stronger and I’ve made it my mission to encourage her and boost her self-confidence by giving her everything she needs to take her very first step. I wanted to share a few ways that I’m supporting her to take her first step:

Make sure baby wears supportive shoes.

This was a lesson I learned the hard way with my firstborn. I bought her shoes that were trendy but they weren’t supportive for early walkers. Once I got advice from other moms, I switched to a shoe designed specifically for her needs, she was able to balance better and eventually walk.

Switch to diapers designed for movement.

She’s no longer at the stage where she takes continuous naps during the day, these days she’s on the move so she needs diapers that are flexible for her to move in. She wears Huggies Little Moversdiapers especially for trips to play at the park. Luckily, I can use my BJ’s membership to buy them in bulk and this month, BJ’s will be offering extra savings with $3.00 off coupon in The Little Book of Big Savings Coupons valid 10/25 – 11/21/18. This coupon can be used for Huggies Little Snugglers, and OR Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers as well.

Healthy Snacks to give her energy.

Since she’s moving around more, she needs more energy and I always pack healthy snacks in my diaper bag to keep her energized. Most of you know by now that Happy Family is my go-to brand for her baby food. The Happy Tots Pouches, Happy Baby Superfood Puffsand Happy Family Variety Packsare great because they taste great for and are organic and made from really good ingredients that helps her to development. This month in BJ’s Wholesale Club’s The Little Book of Big Savings Coupons there will also be coupons for these products, $2.00 off each and the deal will be from 10/25 – 11/14/18. I love that I can digitally select and save coupons to my membership card with BJ’s Add-to-Card featureon BJs.com and the BJ’s mobile app too.

Be patient and supportive.

I’m a mom of three so I can say from experience that my children walk when they’re ready and there is no set age when this will happen. My oldest didn’t take her first step until she was 13 months old and my second child was only 9 months. I don’t compare my children, I just congratulate and encourage their progress every step of the way. I remain as patient as possible with them and never push or pressure them.

I’m happy that I have time to focus on my baby girl as she gets stronger daily to take her first step and I’m excited to share that moment. Spending more time letting her explore the big world around her means that I’m spending less time shopping. Instead, I’ve been taking advantage of BJ’s convenient shopping options. Depending on what’s going on, I use either BJs.comwhere I get free shipping on diapers, wipes and training pants, I use Shop BJs.com – Pick Up in Club service or the BJ’s mobile app.

Ps: In addition to the sales above, I wanted to also share that Berkley Jensen Baby Formula will have a $5.00 off coupon from 10/25 – 11/21/18 as well in the book. This will be a great time to try this formula at a discounted price and if your baby doesn’t like it, BJ’s offers 100% money back guarantee on Berkley Jensen products. as well as $3.00 off PULL-UPS Training PantsOR GOODNITES Underwear.

How did you support your baby to learn to walk?
Baby, Caribbean, Family Travel, Motherhood, Sponsored
Our Experience Cruising Carnival Horizon with Kids and a Baby
- 10:26 am
- 0 comments
- by Adanna Dill
We partnered with Carnival Cruise Line to share our family’s experience cruising Carnival Horizon with kids.

My kids have been fascinated by cruise ships for a while now. I remember the first time my daughter saw one, she asked: “Is it like a hotel on water? I want to go on one.” I agreed that it might be fun but since I had never been on a cruise and have heard both good and bad stories, I wasn’t sure what it would be like to cruise especially with children. My daughter kept pressing me though and she got her brother to join in too. I finally got on board to go on a cruise with them this summer (see what I did there) and we had such a good time that I’m mad it took me such a long time to do it. We were fortunate enough to sail on the new Carnival Horizon ship for our first cruise. The Carnival Horizon sails with up to 3,960 guests, it’s like a fun city on water, much more than a hotel.

We went on an 8-day cruise and docked at Grand Turk, San Juan, and Amber Cove. I shared a lot of our experience cruising on Carnival Horizon in my Instagram stories, you can watch the highlights here. I received lots of questions about our experience cruising on Carnival Horizon with kids so I wanted to share this post with all of the details.

What activities did your family participate in onboard?

Listen, there was never a dull moment for my children on the Carnival Horizon and even with 8 days of which 4 entire days were out at sea we didn’t have the chance to do everything that was offered. There were fun activities for the entire family. Not once did my kids have the chance to complain of boredom. These were our favorites:

Dr. Seuss Waterworks

We did the virtual tour of the ship about a week before we left and when the kids saw the Dr. Seuss WaterWorks that’s all they could talk about. This waterpark did not disappoint.

[Tweet “Our Experience Cruising Carnival Horizon with Kids and a Baby”]

Whenever the kids came down the water slides they had the biggest smile on their faces. This waterpark was as fun as it looked and the kids played there every day. It was the first thing they asked to do when they woke up. Since the baby is in diapers, she couldn’t get in on the fun so my husband played with the big kids while I hung out with her. I did go down the Cat in the Hat slide one day. Don’t judge me but I’m not big on heights especially on a ship so I went up to the top and changed my mind about the slide on two occasions before actually going down the slide. One time, a family was actually cheering “Do it! Do it!” and I still wasn’t brave enough to go down. I’m happy I did go down the third time though, it was fun and I wasn’t as scared as I imagined I would be.

Camp Ocean

This is Carnival’s camp for kids and I wasn’t sure if my kids would be fans. I took them while their baby sister napped for about 30 minutes on the second day and they were hooked.

The camp is separated by age groups so my kids were in two different groups which I was initially worried about but they had a blast nonetheless. They’re still in the same space and were able to see each other but they did age appropriate activities which were great. They made jewelry, played video games, read, did artwork, performances etc. Most times when we picked them up from Camp Ocean they did not want to leave. The staff there was incredible, they were very thoughtful and they got to know the kids by name really quickly. Kids must be 2-11 to go to Camp Ocean and it’s included in the cost of the cruise.

Camp Ocean came in really handy for our family during the cruise. Since my husband and I weren’t traveling with other adult family members taking the kids to Ocean Camp gave us some time to enjoy each other (albeit with the baby). Camp Ocean ended at 10 pm so we took the kids after they had their dinner a few nights.

Groove For St. Jude

As a St. Jude Children’s Hospital Ambassador, Groove for St. Jude was one of my favorite onboard activities and I loved watching my little ones see that they could have fun all while giving back. It’s also not just on the Horizon but on all Carnival Cruise ships.

Dive-In Movies

There is nothing quite as magical as watching movies under the stars in the middle of the ocean. My kids loved the Dive In movies and with Black Panther as one of the showings, it was a memorable experience. Carnival made it a comfy experience with blankets and popcorn and some guests even watched from the pool.

SkyRide

One of the coolest offerings on Carnival Horizon was the Skyride. My son and I cheered on as my daughter and husband raced each other on the Skyride. It’s like a combination of a zip line and a bike, very cool.

SportSquare

We discovered the SportSquare during our second day at sea when we decided to play minigolf as a family. The SportSquare has lots of games like ping-pong, a jogging area. plus an obstacle course called SkyCourse

Dr. Seuss Breakfast

I think this was one of the kids fondest memory of the trip! The attention to details and them having the opportunity to see so many of their favorite Dr. Seuss characters was fantastic. There is so much to share about the Dr. Seuss Breakfast that it deserves its own blog post so stay tuned for that.

Dr. Seuss Bookville

One of our family’s happy places on the Carnival Horizon was Dr. Seuss Bookville. This is a library/playspace where we were able to read books and play games. As most of you know, reading is really important to our family so this was a much-appreciated space. There are lots of books and games available and the space is fun, modern and beautiful. Even the baby loved crawling around Dr. Seuss Bookville and climbing on me to read books.

Was Embarkment/Disembarkment Stressful?

While most of my friends who’ve done cruises have chosen to sail from South Florida, I thought it would be best for my family to embark in New York City. Since we were going from a local port, it was easier for us to pack everything we needed (especially for the baby) without having to worry about TSA rules or the logistics of traveling.

Our experience was really good and went smoothly, we had priority check-in and I printed our boarding passes at home. We arrived at our assigned arrival time 3:00 pm and we were onboard within minutes. With a baby in tow, I was really happy we had such a stress free experience. We also had priority disembarkment and that was also a smooth experience.

What was our room like?

We had two staterooms on the Carnival Horizon. Our rooms were next to each other and one of them was a balcony room. One room had a king size bed with a sofabed while the other had two twin beds. This worked well for our family as we were able to spread out. Having a balcony was a good respite, it gave us time to enjoy the ocean views privately especially at night.

It seems like there is a lot onboard how did you keep up?

The Carnival Hub app was my husband and I key to everything going on onboard. We were able to check to time of restaurants, make reservations, use the internet, see what activities were going on, look at photos etc. I can’t imagine what our cruise would be like without it since it’s a big ship. We downloaded it since we home and connected as soon as we got onboard.

How was the baby on the cruise?

The baby seemed really happy on the cruise and we never had any issues with her. Since she was only 8 months old when we sailed and I’m still nursing her, brought her snacks, we didn’t have to worry about feeding her much. The restaurant chefs were nice enough to get her avocado when we asked, which she loves. Overall, it was a good experience sailing with a baby and would totally do it again.

Did anyone in your family ever feel seasick?

Surprisingly no, we did feel the boat rocking at times but that was usually during docking. None of the big kids ever complained of feeling ill or nauseous and the baby never got ill.

I hope this post covers everything you need to know about cruising on Carnival Horizon with kids. We had such a wonderful experience that I plan to share a few more posts. Our family made memories that would stay with us forever and I hope your family can do the same.

Have you ever been on a Carnival Cruise?
Baby, Europe, Family Travel
Tips for Traveling on the Eurostar with Children and Babies
- 1:29 pm
- 0 comments
- by Adanna Dill
I just got back from in Europe with my children, and we had quite an adventure. We spent most of our time in London but we also visited Paris for a few days. There are a few options for traveling between London and Paris, but I chose to go by the Eurostar train. The Eurostar has service between London’s St. Pancras International station, and Paris Gare du Nord station. Our Eurostar experience was overall a positive one, but it would have been easier if I knew a few things before the trip. That’s why I wanted to share a few tips based on our experiences for other parents who may be planning on traveling on the Eurostar with children.

Purchase Tickets in Advance

I went back on forth on whether I was going to go to Paris or if I wanted to go to another European city for such a long time that by the time I decided on Paris, the cost of the tickets had increased significantly. Next time, I will purchase the tickets as early as possible.

Arrive Early for Train

We were advised to arrive 40- 60 minutes ahead of our train’s departure time. Since we had an early morning train, I got a hotel room only 5 minutes walking from London’s St. Pancreas station for that night. We arrived about 1 hour and 10 minutes ahead of our train, and it took us a full hour between our arrival and boarding our train in London. The security and passport control lines were long. Since I was traveling with a baby, we were able to use a priority line, but that didn’t speed up the process much. Just like at the airport, you must first go through security checks. You will have to fold your stroller and put it through the scanner as well. It was really intense especially as we left London for Paris. When we returned the staff at Gare du Nord station were much more helpful with the baby.

Family Seating

I had no idea how the Eurostar trains were designed so when my friend asked if I had gotten family seating I had no idea what she was talking about. When we boarded our train it was clear which seats were family seats and I was happy that we had automatically gotten family seating. This was perfect as we had a shared table and faced each other. This made sharing food easier and helped the kids to feel secure.

Must fold strollers for train

Getting on any train with a baby in a stroller can tricky so be sure to travel with a lightweight stroller that’s very easy to fold. On the Eurostar, you will have to fold your child’s stroller to enter the train or leave it in the luggage area when you board the train. I was lucky enough to get help from other passengers as well as train crew. If you’re traveling with another adult, this wouldn’t be an issue. There is also an additional luggage space that you can ask to have it placed especially if you have a bigger stroller like a double.

Change your baby before getting on the train

Both times I changed my baby right before getting on the Eurostar and didn’t have to change her after. These were diaper changing rooms on both trains and we were in the cars with them both times which I was informed of but didn’t use. I can’t imagine it’s any better than changing a baby on a plane, but it’s good to know that they’re the option if you need to change your baby.

Prepare for Delays

Delays are inevitable while traveling and the Eurostar is no different. As we were pulling into Paris Nord station, our train was delayed due to a suspicious unattended package that was found on the train platform. This led to us waiting an additional 30 minutes before pulling into the train station. If you’re purchasing timed tickets like The Louvre, be sure to keep this in mind when you’re planning your itinerary.

Don’t depend on the train’s WiFi

Yes, the Eurostar website says that the trains have wifi service, but not all of their trains. There are vintage trains from the 1990s that run along this route as well, and we got one of those trains from London to Paris. That was disappointing as I was looking forward to taking advantage of the WiFi.

Do you have tips for traveling on Eurostar with children or babies?
Baby, Motherhood, New Born, New Mom, Sponsored
5 Hacks for Shopping for Baby on a Budget
- 2:28 pm
- 0 comments
- by Adanna Dill
This post is sponsored by BJ’s Wholesale Club. As always, all opinions are my own.

I am a regular mom with three kids living in my beloved New York City. I love raising my kids here, but it’s no secret that it’s also one of the most expensive cities in the country. With my first child, I overspent on everything like most new moms, but during my second pregnancy, I started to look for ways to save money and now that I have three, I am conscious of how I spend my money. I wanted to share a few hacks for shopping for babies that I’ve discovered over my past eight years of parenting. I know these would helpful, whether you’re a new mom or you’re looking to tighten up your budget.

Hack #1: Buy in Bulk

This is my top hack because I can hold on to my money and just as importantly my time. I would rather buy almost 200 diapers at once instead of making several trips to the store purchasing small packets with only 25. I’ve found that those small packets are much more expensive, and my baby uses them in just a few days.

As most of you know by now, I am a BJ’s Wholesale Club shopper, and that’s my preferred store for getting all of my baby’s products from baby food to detergent, to diapers and wipes. I joined BJ’s when I was pregnant with my second baby five years ago. My first child was still in training pants, so I knew that I would be buying diapers for two children. It’s not just diapers though, baby food, lotion, and formula are more economical to buy at BJ’s. For my older two children, I purchase their fruits, snacks and juice boxes. All at much better prices than the regular supermarket.

If you’re not a BJ’s member yet, you can sign up here for only $25 for a limited time, I’ve paid $55 for my membership for the past five years, and it’s been worth every dollar.

Hack #2: Shop online to save time.

My cousin told me last week that she can’t seem to find a moment to go to the store with her 5-week old baby. I told her that she needs to shop online if she can’t get to the store. We both laughed because we hate paying shipping fees, but I let her know that’s one of the reasons I shop for my baby at BJ’s Wholesale Club. They offer free online shipping so many products including diapers, training pants and wipes. Other retailers charge up to four times the cost of BJ’s annual membership fee for this service.

Hack #3: Use coupons.

I am no coupon queen; I have friends who have stockpiles that they could use to open a store. I’m your regular girl who wants to save a few dollars on products I purchase frequently. I use the BJ’s app to find coupons and save them while I shop. BJ’s also take manufacturers coupons so that you can double up on savings.

Hack #4: Use a pick-up in club service.

This is my go-to during the school week or if I am running errands. I place my BJ’s order online, and I receive an alert when it’s ready to pick it up. I’m able to get everything I need and get everything else on my to-do list done.

Hack #5: Shop for everything at one store.

There was a time when I would spend hours going to different stores to get everything I needed. Groceries, baby items, new pajamas for the kids, books, etc. Now, I shop at one store, BJ’s Wholesale Club. It’s less stressful for me, and I get all of our favorite brands and products usually at a better price. Groceries are 25% less than supermarkets, and I can find organic food, fresh fruits, and vegetables to keep my family healthy.

I hope these baby shopping hacks help you save money and spend more time with your baby. If you’ve read to this point, you’ve probably decided if a BJ’s membership will be worthwhile for your family. If you decided that it is, use my unique link to get your membership for only $25 for a limited time.

What is your hack for baby shopping on a budget?
Baby, Motherhood
Three Kids Easier Than Two Kids for Me
- 3:59 pm
- 0 comments
- by Adanna Dill
People always ask me what it was like going from two to three kids! The assumption is usually that it’s hard, but for me, this transition while challenging wasn’t as hard as going from one to two kids. I heard friends say this before but didn’t understand it until now. On face value, it doesn’t make sense. Going from two to three kids is more little humans to care for but here are the reasons I think three kids easier than two kids for me:

The age gap is wider.

I always wanted my kids to be in close in age so they could grow up together. My first two kids are two years and ten months apart. When my son was first born my daughter was a toddler, she had been my baby used to all of my attention and it’s hard to get a toddler to understand having to split that time, but as I shared in this post back at the time, we made it through that stage. They both needed me at that stage for everything, and so it was a physically grueling time for me. This time around, both of them can do just about everything for themselves. My daughter is seven years older than her sister, and my son is four years older. They were both enrolled in school and with their own lives. More importantly, they were old enough to understand that the baby needed a bit more attention and while they let me know when they needed me, I didn’t have the same struggles I had with my oldest when her brother was born. That said, I don’t regret having my first two so close together because being so close in age makes it easy for them to be friends and to have a good time together. But they’re still close enough in age with their sister to enjoy playing with her.

More hands and eyes to help.

My husband is very hands on so I’ve always had help from him but when I had my third child my older two kids sprung into action helping all the time. I can always depend on them for a little help with the baby. When we got home from the hospital, my son appointed himself my little diaper changing helper. He loves to get my diaper and supplies to change his sister. He holds her hand while I change her or make her laugh with his silly faces. You know what, this led to a natural bond, and now the baby looks around for him whenever there is a diaper change. They have a sweet bond, and it’s beautiful to watch. It’s been tough to stop him from trying to carry her, one day I caught him struggling to carry her in the hallway. My older daughter is big enough to carry her, so that’s their thing, she loves to cuddle with her, and that’s their sisters magic. My older daughter usually holds or keeps an eye on her in her crib if I have to take a quick shower or so. I don’t ask her to do this regularly because I’ve sensed that it can be a bit much for her at times if the baby starts crying for me. I try to be very mindful, and I appreciate whenever she can help.

It’s OUR baby.

While my older kids felt like my husband’s baby and me. This baby feels like the family’s baby. We all waited for her to get here and we’re all happy and excited to have her ad part of our family.

What was it like adding a new baby to your family?
Baby, Breastfeeding, Motherhood, New Born, Sponsored, Toddler
Tips for Weaning Your Baby and Picking a Formula
- 3:10 am
- 0 comments
- by Adanna Dill
This post is sponsored by BJ’s Wholesale Club. As usual, all opinions are my own.

Everything that I thought would be easy about motherhood turned out to be more complicated than it seemed. Weaning a baby was hands down one of the toughest things I did. For me, my first time was even harder than potty training. There I was pregnant and weaning a baby, and it took me all of three weeks to wean her off breastmilk, but I managed to learn enough that it was much easier with my son. Now that I have a third baby, I know exactly how I will be approaching weaning her. She isn’t very interested in nursing during the day because she’s distracted crawling and playing with her siblings, so I think that might make weaning her simpler. In the meanwhile, I wanted to share a few things that I learned while weaning my older kids for those of you going through this experience for the first time:

Be patient.

I know this might not be what you want to hear but weaning a baby can take time, while it can happen quickly it’s important not to set a timeline. Keep an open mind, so you’re not disappointed or worse get frustrated. It can be even tougher if you’re the one initiating the weaning so be patient with your child.

Take a gradual approach.

Instead of going cold turkey, try replacing a nursing session with a bottle. I’ve found that this works better when we’re not in the same environment so instead of giving your baby a bottle in the rocker where you usually nurse her change the location. I take my kids out to play most mornings now that it’s summer, so the baby is getting used to having a bottle while we’re out. Creating a new routine in a different environment will help your baby adjust.

Continue to enjoy bonding time.

Whether you’re weaning a 3-month-old or 1-year old baby, what you’re both going to miss most is the bonding time. Honestly, my older kids and I still enjoy so many sweet moments, and I never eased up on the cuddles even when I stopped nursing them. Find ways to continue to give your baby your undivided attention, so your baby continues to feel connected to you and secure.

Picking a formula that’s right for your child is the first step. Here are few things to consider when picking a formula:
- Baby’s age
- Food allergies
- Budget
- Baby’s needs (colic etc.)
Formula for baby 0-12 months

I’m not sure if I will wean my baby before she’s one or after but I’ve already started to look into my options for both age groups. Like diapers and wipes, formula is something we can’t afford to run out of as moms. So as a BJ’s Wholesale Club member, I plan to take advantage of those savings on formula. Considering the needs of a busy baby like my daughter, BJ’s exclusive Berkley Jensen’s non-GMO infant formula, which is one of the closest formulas to breast milk and supports brain development is one of the best options. I’m a big fan of the quality of Berkley Jensen products especially their wipes and diapers which I switched to earlier this year. I’ve been recommending them to all the moms I know. If you’re on the fence about trying Berkley Jensen infant formula, keep in mind BJ’s offers a 100% money back policy on Berkley Jensen products, so if this formula isn’t a good fit you can return it.

Formula for toddlers 1-3 years

For older toddlers, a few of the moms in our music class swear by Enfagrow Toddler Next Step. What I know is most toddlers still do not eat enough to get all of their nutrients from food, so getting additional nutrients like DHA which is essential for their little rapidly growing brains. So, Enfagrow Toddler Next Step which also has probiotics can provide the nutrients that are lacking in their diet. If you want to save on formula, keep in mind that that buying wholesale is more cost-effective, and BJ’s accepts manufacturers coupons so you can combine them with their coupons for additional savings for all-around winning. Since I always lose my coupons, I started to select and save my coupons to my membership card digitally with BJ’s Add-to-Card feature. If you still do not have a BJ’s membership take advantage of this promotion and sign up for one here and you will receive a $25 BJ’s gift card. If you’re busy you can take advantage of several shopping options including free shipping on diapers and wipes online and shop BJs.com – Pick Up in Club.

Sign up for BJ’s for only $25 until 9/29.

What are your tips for weaning your baby?
Baby, Events, Motherhood, New Mom, Pregnancy, Sponsored
The Ergobaby 180 Reversible Stroller Fits the Urban Lifestyle
- 5:02 pm
- 0 comments
- by Adanna Dill
This post is sponsored by Ergobaby. All opinions are my own.

It’s summer, and our strolls are getting longer and more regular, so when I received the Ergobaby 180 Reversible Stroller a few weeks ago, the timing couldn’t be more perfect for my 7-month-old. We’ve strolled all over with this stroller and last week we were invited to hang out with a few mom friends in Brooklyn at a stroller meet-up which I shared on my social media last week. I wanted to share a few of the things that I love about the Ergobaby 180 Reversible Stroller for the city lifestyle:

The Ergobaby 180 Reversible stroller Moves Sideways.

I have to mention that this stroller moves sideways first because this is my favorite feature of the Ergobaby 180 Reversible Stroller, especially as a New York City mom. I learned how to do this at the meet-up, and it’s made getting around with the baby very easy for me. I’ve used it at just about every narrow aisle or situation to move the stroller sideways quickly. It’s very convenient and a feature that I haven’t seen in any other stroller.

Spacious basket and a zipped pocket.

Since I am a city mom, my stroller is multipurpose. Almost every time we go out; I use it for storage for groceries, toys, library books, etc. The Ergobaby 180 Reversible stroller basket is spacious and holds everything we need. In addition to the basket, there is a zipped pocket behind the seat where I keep my wallet, mail, phone, and keys securely. It’s also much easier for me to access them when I need them than in the basket.

Easy to Assemble.

Since we have three kids, this isn’t our first stroller, but it’s the easiest assembly so far. I was able to do it with my kids in only a few minutes. The instructions were straightforward and easy to follow.

The option of baby facing mom or the world.

I am a big fan of strollers that give my babies the option to face me, so that was the number one thing that attracted me to the 180 Reversible Stroller. Just like with her siblings, I can talk to her show her things, and she feels secure when she can see me. There are studies that support that facing baby helps their development. This baby loves to keep her eyes on her siblings too so if they’re walking ahead of us or on their scooters she likes facing them but when she needs me, I can reverse the handlebar (without switching the seat), and she’s happy again.

One hand fold.

In the past, I’ve had to take a stroller apart into two pieces to fold. Not the Ergobaby 180 Reversible Stroller, I can just fold the stroller by pulling the handle. This also makes it easy to carry and store the stroller. It’s equally comfortable to unfold it while holding your baby in the other hand. Check out the video demonstrations here.

Sun Canopy

In the past, I’ve had to purchase a sun canopy for the baby in the summer. I love that the Ergobaby 180 Reversible Stroller comes with a giant sun canopy that protects my little girl from the elements.

Car seat compatible.

If you have an infant and would like to use an infant car seat with the stroller, the Ergobaby 180 Reversible Stroller is compatible with Graco, Chicco, Britax, Nuna & Cybex Car Seats.

Ergobaby is currently offering a promotional bundle where if you buy the 180 Reversible Stroller in June, you will receive an Egobaby Omni 360 Carrier for FREE. Get the bundle here.

This post was sponsored by Ergobaby.
Baby, Motherhood, New Born, New Mom, Sponsored
Simple Tips for Feeding Your Baby | Newborn to Toddler
- 11:23 pm
- 0 comments
- by Adanna Dill
This post is sponsored by BJ’s Wholesale Club. As usual, all opinions are my own.

Gosh! Who knew feeding a baby is complicated. Determining what to feed my kids and when to feed them has led to some of the most stressful moments on this motherhood journey. I drove myself crazy with the first child fussing about everything but I discovered simple is better for them and their bodies. So I wanted to share some things that worked for me because we’re all in survival mode during our baby’s first year, whether this is your first or third like me. Here are a few simple tips for feeding your baby through all the stages of the first year:

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding isn’t easy! Nursing can be complicated but to simplify things, I will tell you that getting the right latch is the most important thing. Focus on getting it right by getting informed, ask for help if you need to and keep at it. I always tell my girlfriends that if it hurts when you feed the baby that’s an indicator that the baby isn’t latched on correctly. Call a lactation consultant to get help, and if you can’t nurse your baby, please don’t be hard on yourself.

Paced bottle feeding

I breastfed all three of my children, and I always pumped so my husband would be able to bond with them by feeding them too. It seemed important to him to feed them, but I was scared that they would prefer bottle feeding. So, I researched and found the paced bottle-feeding technique which has worked well for us.

Paced feeding forces the baby to drink milk in her bottle similarly to when I nurse her. We alternate the position of the bottle (never removing it from her mouth) so that she doesn’t drink too much at once, so the feeding is paced. We let her lead, so she usually pushes the bottle away when she’s full.

The right bottle makes all the difference, and we love the Avent Classic + Baby Bottles. These not only work, but they’re also very easy to clean and they never leak. We got our bottles at BJ’s Wholesale Club; it’s such a great deal because the box included five bottles plus a brush. My baby doesn’t have colic, but these bottles are designed to reduce gassiness and colic.

Introduce solids only when your baby is ready.

It’s simple, don’t introduce solids before they’re ready. All three of my children were ready to try solids at different times in their first year. My oldest was interested much later than my younger two. This baby started showing interest by reaching for food and opening her mouth as we ate dinner when she was only four months old. To be safe, I usually wait at least three days before introducing a new food to her diet to monitor for allergic reactions.

Last month, when I took her in for her 6-month checkup, her pediatrician told me that this is a good time to get her started on yogurt so last weekend I got her Stonyfield Yobaby yogurt at BJ’s. It’s déjà vu because I used to buy this yogurt for the older kids too and I always got it at BJ’s because it’s the best price. Yobaby is my favorite for babies’ little tummies because it has probiotics. So far, she seems to be a fan of the vanilla flavor.

Get baby on a schedule.

This is most important for feeding your little ones because babies aren’t fans of surprises, they love structure. They like to know when to expect their meals and where they will eat them. If you’ve found that your baby wants to skip a meal or two, it may be because you’re off schedule. Consistency is key. During the warmer months, I usually take the kids outside after breakfast, so these days the baby expects a bottle around 11 am while we’re at the park before we head back home for her nap.

Keep Snacks Handy.

The next stage for us will be snacking. She only crawled a few times in the past few days, but mainly army crawls. As I shared before, I’m already prepared for when she starts crawling so she can snack on her Happy Baby Superfood Puffs. I even got her cute Skip Hop Zoo Snack Cups. My preschooler loves to borrow for his snacks, and I love that the cup is designed so snacks don’t easily spill but it’s easy to open and close. BJ’s sells the two pack so she can share one with her brother.

I hope you found these simple tips for feeding your baby during every stage of the first year helpful. As you can tell, shopping at BJ’s makes feeding my baby simpler for me. I save time too because I make these purchases while I shop for our groceries and other household necessities, so it’s a one-stop shop. I can even digitally clip coupons from the BJ’s mobile app and add them directly to my membership card with BJ’s Add-to-Card feature. Click here to sign up for your BJs Wholesale Club membership and you will receive a free $25 gift card from BJ’s.
Baby, Family Travel, Motherhood, Sponsored
Baby Summer Travel Essentials You Might Forget to Pack
- 11:01 am
- 0 comments
- by Adanna Dill
This post is sponsored by BJ’s Wholesale Club. All opinions shared are my own.

I love summer, and I’m overjoyed that it’s almost here! The big kids have roughly about two more weeks at school, and then we’re free to start our summer adventures. This year, our plans include a local bucket list to pretend we’re tourists around NYC, a Caribbean cruise and a trip to London that we’ve been planning for years. Since it’s the baby’s first summer, we’re excited to take on these adventures for the first time as a family of five. Having a baby in tow requires a bit more preparation than the big kids, I always joke that the smaller the child the bigger the bag of necessities. I’ve been traveling with kids for the past seven years; I’ve made all the mistakes already. I’ve overpacked in the past and packed too little, and forgot to pack some essentials. I think those experiences taught me what babies need while traveling. So earlier this week, I took a quick trip to BJ’s Wholesale Club and stocked up on baby summer travel essentials. It’s a relief to have everything she will need so we can focus on family time and not time stressing and shopping. Here are four baby summer travel essentials you might forget to pack:
1. The right clothes.
I’m sure you’re not going to forget to pack clothing for your baby but you might forget to look up the weather and pack for the weather while you’re there. For instance, we went to Orlando during the rainy season last summer, it rained during our trip and of course, we didn’t have enough appropriate clothing. You don’t want your baby to be too hot, cold or wet so pack clothes for the weather. This means sun hats, sleepers, swimwear, etc. – all of which you can find in BJ’s apparel section. Also, always pack extra socks, I got her cute socks at BJ’s too.
1. Snacks for baby.
Most of us will grab breastfeeding necessities and formula because we want to ensure our baby is fed but snacks are also important especially when traveling. I like to stick to brands that I trust like Happy Baby Superfood Puffs and Happy Tot Fiber and Protein pouches. When I leave home, I’m not sure if I will find them on the road so I prefer to buy them before my trip.
1. Swim Diapers
I’m sure there is a trip to the pool, water park, sprinklers or beach on your summer list. You’re going to need swim diapers for your baby to enjoy any of these. As most parents focus on packing regular diapers, swim diapers are likely to be forgotten at home so add it to the bag you plan to travel with now. I bought Huggies Little Swimmers diapers for the baby at BJ’s Wholesale Club, their pricing is great compared to other stores and we have enough for our summer travels.
1. An Inflatable tub
Trying to give your baby a bath without a tub while traveling can be stressful. So this summer, I will be packing the Ginsey Licensed Inflatable Tubs from BJ’s so we can comfortably bathe her and we can keep her routine going.
1. Lots of Washcloths
You could never have too many washcloths for cleaning your little one’s hands, face and for bath time. They’re an essential you might forget to pack for summer travel but important to keep the baby fresh and clean. I bought the Piccolo Bambino Baby Washcloths because they’re soft enough for her delicate skin and they’re good quality plus I can get them for an incredible value.

It’s such a relief to have everything the baby will need for our family’s summer travel around town and internationally. I’m excited about making her first summer an extra special summer, and of course, I will take you all along with us for the ride. If you need to stock up for summer travel with your little ones, head to BJ’s to quickly find everything in a convenient one-stop shop and to save money in the process. While checking out last week the lady ahead of me used manufacturers’ coupons and BJ’s coupons, and she was winning with the savings. Let me know all about your summer travels in the comment section and click here to join BJ’s today and you’ll receive a $25 gift card for signing up!