Hey!
So after a week and a half of dealing with congestion headaches, I finally decided I just need to push through to get some content out to you all. Having a pounding headache seems to keep me back from any remote level of creativity or critical thinking, so I'm unfortunately doing a rather low-level blog topic, but I've convinced myself it's better than nothing.
Back when I was a teen I was a connoisseur of Seventeen Magazine and Teen Vogue, and it was common to have an "edit" of the editor or an author's favorite things, collecting random beauty products, activities, and pastimes into a small feature. So today, I'm going to bring you the early Spring "favorites" edit, featuring what I've been loving since being stuck inside and SICK! lol
Firstly, press-on nails
I discussed in my postpartum journey video that I've been dieting since August. When I do this, I notice my nails tend to take a hit, breaking off easier and just not growing as nicely as they do when I'm pounding plates of food while pregnant (lol) so I've been enjoying $4 press-on nail sets from the brand Kiss. They look really elegant and do the job similar to a french dip powder manicure, so I'm super chuffed!
Poshmark
I don't know how I've slept on Poshmark for so long. About a month ago I began looking for some vintage purses to add to my collection and noticed that most of what I was finding was coming from Poshmark.com. I'm officially a mother of 2 AND in my late twenties, and recently something has clicked for me and I suddenly have the overwhelming urge to get my nails done, carry a nice bag, and wear earrings. I think that's always been the image I've had of put-together women in their thirties, and I'm ready to embrace it. So alas, I've bought some purses and I'm beyond happy with them. They go with my nails quite well LOL. But Poshmark has been really reasonable for prices and I've found some adorable Dooney & Bourkes there.
Afternoon tea
So my best friend from Canada came over to help me with the boys and also visit, and it was such a haven of peace and happiness for me. I barely posted, but I needed that time to just soak in all the moments with her because it had been over two years AND two babies since I'd seen her last. A habit I have since adopted from her since she left is afternoon tea between 2pm and 4pm. I kind of forgot about this Canadian classic, but getting a little bit of a black tea or earl grey right around 3pm is the perfect boost for coasting into bedtime as a mother. I love it and haven't missed a single one since she's been gone.
Simple walking-based aerobics
So I began doing these workouts almost every day and I'm shocked at how effective they seem to be for a simple workout. I do Yana Official walking workouts depending on how much time I have and I find them so freeing and simple, I actually find myself looking forward to them. It's ESSENTIAL for me to avoid stressful workouts like HIIT because those increase my cortisol levels, and Yana Official's workouts are anything but stressful, giving me allllll the endorphins. Love!
The Eras Tour
Oh how I have been loving scrolling through reels and content from Taylor Swift's new tour. I was a MASSIVE Taylor Swift fan up until 1989 but fell off around Reputation when I was in college and going through a TON of personal problems in my life. I tended to favor dark Indie artists at the time. Then, when she released Folklore and Evermore, I was pregnant and it just wasn't the vibe I wanted at the time, favoring relaxed lofi or cafe jazz instead. I've only come back to her since she released Midnights, and I am totally loving fangirling and getting involved with the outfits and lyrics again. It's just fun and I really think that moms should indulge in a lot of healthy and simple fun. :)
Local Art Museum...
We did this while Cathryn was here and I can't wait to go back. The exhibit had some incredible pieces from Rembrandt, but I was pleasantly surprised by some other exhibits like one from Golden Books, and just the general ambiance of the museum, transporting me to a really lovely headspace. I grew up going to the theatre and museums quite often, and I'm happy that I'm bringing my new life here in West Michigan into congruence with some of my loves like the ballet and the art museum. I want my boys to grow up balanced with an awareness of arts and culture, so it feels good to start scratching that itch for myself.
Cuddling & Books with the babies
Things have been so much more low-key since the sicknesses have been pummeling the house for the past month or so. I've found myself spending a lot of time just sitting with the babies, reading books, and cuddling, and it's been nice to just take the pressure off myself and push through this time. They seem to be bonding a lot lately too and that's made my heart so happy. When we're healthy it will be time to launch back into play dates and outings, but this time at home has been cozy, especially with the awful snow and defrost we've been dealing with outside.
Slow Spring Cleaning
So I've approached cleaning differently than I used to. As a mom now I can't just dedicate 6-8 hours to pull apart a closet or an entire room to purge and clean everything. I need to do it in bite-sized portions instead, which has dragged out the process but the house has been getting into order slowly, one cabinet at a time. This is really nice because things have been kind of out of control since Troy became really active around 6 months. He's a total velcro baby and it limits my chores, but with this method, I feel like the house is way less chaotic.
Alright my loves! I think that wraps up my current edit of things I'm enjoying. I apologize for the lack of content lately, but I promise to be back. Early motherhood is just BUSY lol.
xoxo,
Cait