Hey friends!
It's been busy around here being postpartum with my second baby, so I never really had an opportunity to talk about what I got for Christmas! I gave birth to Troy the day after Christmas, so all of my Christmas presents kind of felt like "push presents!"
Now, I am definitely a person who likes to get a bunch of smaller gifts instead of one or two large gifts. Quantity over quality I guess? So this year for Christmas I made an Amazon wishlist to keep things simple for hubby AND for me as I was beyond exhausted from pregnancy. I hoped to get two or three things off the list and didn't think too much about it until Christmas morning when I started opening up gift after gift, after gift, and I realized that Husbear had straight up just bought my ENTIRE Christmas list!
WHAT!?
He told me that he wanted to spoil me this year because I was dealing with back-to-back pregnancies and things hadn't been easy for me lately. (No exaggeration, I couldn't walk downstairs by the end of my third trimester.) So opening up so many gifts... it felt like I was being spoiled beyond belief.
I wouldn't typically share my Christmas gifts with you all as I kind of feel like gifting is personal, but I decided to write this post because every single thing on the list ended up being a SMASH HIT. Of course, everything on the list was originally chosen by me after extensive research (I love reading Amazon product reviews for products in my downtime... don't ask lol) but I was still surprised that there wasn't one lemon on the list. From the pajamas to the skincare... it's all been absolutely delightful!
Striped pajamas
These pajamas are SO classic. The style is honestly timeless and I believe the pink tone would be flattering on just about anyone. The material is 100% cotton and extremely breathable. I had postpartum sweats again after Troy, and these pajamas really got me through LOL! I went for a size Large because I like a little looser of a fit, and I was actually able to button them up over my pregnancy belly the day before I gave birth! Love!
White rainboots
My hack recently for looking "expensive" without spending tons of money has been to buy wear a lot of whites and neutrals in clean lines. These rainboots look really chic paired with a long winter puffer coat and just about any outfit. I get compliments on them all the time and I barely leave the house! They are so easy to slip on when I'm holding a baby and even fit my gigantic calf muscles. Wins all around!
Revlon rainbow blowdryer brush
This thing gives me a gorgeous blowout look and I am obsessed with it. I even used it in the hospital after giving birth to Troy and taking my first shower LOL. It has over 270 THOUSAND five-star reviews and is all over social media with influencers recommending it. After using it for a few more months since Christmas, I think it's one of my favorite hair tools. The rainbow is currently out of stock, but if you can get your hands on one, I highly recommend it!
LilySilk pillowcase
Lilysilk is a company that does a ton of collaborations with influencers, so I had heard about them forever. I wanted a 100% silk pillowcase for my skin and hair as I felt like my current pillowcase was exacerbating the tangle problems I have with my hair in the Winter and I constantly see influencers recommending silk pillowcases if you are wanting your hair to grow long. I've been using it for a couple of months now and it is the softest thing and I ABSOLUTELY notice a difference in my hair on the nights I sleep without it.
First Aid Beauty Keratin Pilaris wash
So I don't know if you have bumpy chicken skin on the back of your thighs and upper arms like I do, but it's called Keratin Pilaris. It can be a really frustrating condition as normal exfoliation and moisturization don't seem to cut it. Enter First Aid Beauty: this stuff WORKS. Wow, I cannot explain to you how well this works: you just have to read the reviews for yourself. It's pricey for a wash, but if you only have a couple of areas where you want to deal with some bumps, this is ideal.
Mo'Maggie Magnesium Lotion
I can't take oral magnesium supplements without getting an upset stomach and digestive issues. I had read that taking magnesium through a lotion was a better option, and sure enough, this is lovely. But what I didn't realize is that magnesium lotion can also help with sleep and pain relief! After using for over two months, I can tell you that it delivers on both these fronts, albeit in a mild way. It's not like a numbing cream or anything, but you can definitely feel the effects after application. I used this on my breasts after a horrible mastitis infection postpartum, and it made me feel so much better. It's great to get all the magnesium I need AND a couple other benefits.
Long Winter Coat
So I have a bunch of winter coats but I wanted one that was as long as possible to keep warm on my walks (I'm kind of tall!) and I wanted one that was more of a neutral color. It's nice to have colorful coats, but sometimes you just want to blend in with the crowds. I didn't want a black coat as that was too dark for me and my coloring, so I found this beige/brown coat as a happy medium and I couldn't be happier with it! It is SO warm and not too tight around my hips and thighs, which can be a problem for me when buying coats. It's kind of A-line shaped and allows for more movement in the legs too!
Microfibre hair towels
This was one of the last things added to my list out of sheer practicality, but wow I think these are my most-used item since Christmas. They are extremely gentle on my hair and really practical too because there is an elastic that fastens the bottom of the towel to the back, so I can leave this in my hair for extended periods of time if I can't get to my hairdryer due to baby care.
Kate Spade Initial Necklaces
Hubby bought me these necklaces with Bodie and Troy's initials and they are really high quality for being so affordable! I looked at a ton of options on Etsy and Amazon for this particular gift (I kind of viewed these as a mini push-present,) but I found that the Kate Spade ones were the highest quality within my price range. I didn't realize it until I got them on Christmas day, but the backside of the pendant says "one in a million" which I think is so so cute in reference to the babies.
Thanks for reading my dears!
Happy gifting!
xoxo,
Cait