Megan here today to talk about the ever important diaper bag. I don’t know if any of you guys are in the same boat but I’m in a new stage of life. That mom of not an infant but not a full blown toddler phase. Our diaper bags become smaller, but we still need them in our lives. So, what do you pack? So many times, I’ve packed things I never actually pull out of my bag, but still lug around anyway. Annoying. So, I got realistic and tried to start packing the minimum to see if we could still survive. And guess what? We did! That’s why I’m here to share what I can’t leave home without, in hopes that it will inspire you to pack that perfect bag for you.
1. Diapers: This one is an obvious choice, I know. But leaving this item at home can cost me greatly. We’ve all had those moments with our kids where we think we can just head to the store really quick without baby needs in tow….Big mistake! Huge! Fast forward to parking your car, only to find out baby went poop on the way over. It only takes one of those moments to never forget a diaper again. My favorite brand currently is the Huggies Little Movers, which are perfect for my newly walking toddler.
2. Wipes: Yet another complete and total essential for moms of littles. These magical cloths are the lifeline for all things toddler and baby related. I tend to use the Water Wipes brand, because it’s made from 99.9% water and my littlest has sensitive skin. When packing a pack of wipes in my bag, I tend to look around the house for a pack about half way full, so It doesn’t bulk up my bag too much. I use baby wipes for EVERYTHING… A napkin, a snot rag, makeup remover, sticky hands solution, etc. I don’t see baby wipes leaving my bag anytime soon. They understand my messy life. They get me.
3. Sunscreen: Considering how hot it’s been, this is something I’ve been carrying around with me all Summer. Babies and toddlers have such sensitive skin, and we want to do everything to protect it. My oldest has the most beautiful tan skin, thanks to her Dad’s side of the family. But my youngest, she got blessed with my burns easily pale complexion, so I must protect her. For babies and toddlers, I don’t recommend applying anything that doesn’t have an SPF of at least 50. I use Coppertone Water Babies or Sun Bum brand.
4. Snacks: also known as bribery tools. I can’t go five minutes without being asked for a snack from my 18 month old. It’s her favorite word to say. Being how often she likes to snack, I like to carry around healthy to go options. She is currently going through an Elmo phase, and luckily Earth’s Best brand makes Sesame Street focused snacks. Her favorites are the Sunny Days organic snack bars. She also is really into fruit snacks lately, and my favorite option is Plum Organics Teensy Snacks. Bringing snacks around helps me with those meltdowns at Target and is a big money saver when were out and about. Snacks for the win.
5. Water or Juice: The Teething stage can really suck. Thank goodness for ice cold beverages. A sippy cup that is durable is essential for this essential. She’s in that faze where throwing her cup overboard is straight comedy gold, so it has to withstand some dropping. I always have a sippy cup with water or juice in tow to keep her hydrated and happy. I fill it with ice and it keeps her pretty happy. Hydrate those toddlers! It’s a super hot one out there.
6. Toddler Shoes: We’re at that awkward stage where we love to walk ( it’s a new thing) but we also love to not where shoes or socks..ever. If I put her shoes on in the car, she’ll take them off and throw them before we reach our destination. So, I keep them in my purse for safe keeping until we get where we need to be. Feeling a bit of a winner knowing I’ve outsmarted her need to ruin my hard work of getting her dressed in the morning.
7. Lip Balm: I cant keep enough tubes of lip balm in my life to satisfy both me and my kids need for it. The weather has been so hot and dry this Summer, lip balm has been a tiny hero for us. I like the Sun Bum lip balm because it has sunscreen protectant built in, and it smells like pineapple, which is AMAZING.
8. Aquaphor: This stuff is a gift from the Gods. It helps with everything from chapped lips to diaper rash, and I’m obsessed. I love how it comes in small to go sizing, and I can’t help but put it on everything in life. Aquaphor is just a mom staple in general, but I personally can’t go anywhere without it. That’s why it will always be in my bag, at least until she reaches preschool.
Bottom line, this stage is a weird stage. You so badly want to use your cute little purses collecting dust in the closet, but you’re just not there yet. You need things. Your little needs things. I just like to whittle it down to the minimum essentials at this point, so you still have room for your personal essentials without having too much bulk. Enjoy the little stage while it’s here, because it never lasts long enough. Conquer your world in style and leave all the extra bulk at home. XOXO
We have been reviewing Pantone’s Fall colors and the next one up is Nebulas Blue. I actually really like this one and already own quite a few pieces in this color partly because jewel tones favor my skin color. I think blondes look good in primary colors and as much as I aesthetically like the soft blushy neutrals, my dark under eye circles and blotchy skin prefers the jewel tones like this rich sapphire hue.
If you’ve never been to Malibu Wine Safari, it’s basically a tour of the Selman family’s private ranch and winery where you get to taste wines made from their 27 varieties of grapes, see some of their exotic animals and take in views of their beautiful 1,100 acre property. It’s really an extraordinary place- many of their animals are retired from TV and movie acting including their most famous resident, Stanley the giraffe. You may have seen him in movies such as Hangover 3. They offer many different tour packages, most lasting about an hour and a half. We saw alpacas, donkeys, horses, zebras, water buffalos, a camel, cave paintings from the local Chumash Native Americans, and of course, Stanley.
If you’re from the LA area, this is a great thing to do when you have guests visiting from out of town. It’s also a great add on activity to a day spent in Malibu or Santa Monica. We did the 10 am Vineyard lunch. I was expecting maybe more of a picnic lunch spread, it ended up being so hot we ate in the “lakehouse” which was a manufactured home on the property although the views of the small lake were quite lovely. I think we could have skipped the lunch portion and had an equally enjoyable experience with a lower priced package. The highlight was 100% meeting Stanley and hand feeding him! It was well worth any extra expense to have that once in a lifetime chance to feed a giraffe up close and personal. I’ve seen other “giraffe feeding” experiences at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and places like that and nowhere lets you get this close and pet the giraffe and take so much time one on one.
I think I will definitely come back to Malibu Wine Safari, it’s a great option for a bachelorette party, birthday celebration, girls trip, or for out of town guests to see the beautiful Malibu hills. I will be writing a separate review of the ranch we stayed at in Malibu as well, it’s not to be missed. As a tip if you’re planning on a wine safari in the summer- take note it’s HOT and the Jurassic Park style trucks are open air and uncovered. I wish I had paid attention to that on the website photos or if it had been stressed in their FAQs as I would have brought a hat or umbrella. I am fair skinned and got a bit too much sun during the 90 minute tour. Also ladies, leave the heels and tight clothes at home. I know we want to take cute pics but you’re climbing in and out of a giant truck and walking on gravel and grass all day. It’s not a heel type of a place. Especially after all the unlimited wine they give you. That being said, our guides Kyle and Christiana were funny and sweet and the whole thing couldn’t have been more fun! If you’re wanting more info, their website is right 
We all know we are supposed to be drinking a ton of water when it’s this hot out. That dehydration is the real enemy when you”re out all day in the sun at the beach or pool. But besides sipping water throughout the day, what else should we be doing to nourish our bodies in this summer heat? I don’t know about y’all, but my skin has been dry, my hair has been brittle, and this weather has been beating my overall beauty routine to shit.