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defining a sense of home

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Raised Real: #realisperfect

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Before Margot at food, I vowed that I was going to make the majority of her food and she would primarily eat organic. "I'm a stay-at-home-mom," I thought, "I have no excuses." Oh how I was wrong. I made her baby food a couple of times. Then she ate a lot of pouches and whatever food we made for ourselves. I don't hate how I did it. But I really did want to make Margot's food. She was a decent eater and ate a variety of foods. After her first birthday, I became pregnant and she got strange with food and textures. For almost a year she primarily are, yogurt and trader joe's O's,  bars and cheese sticks and whatever fruit was around, but then she stopped eating fruit for a while because one of them gives her a rash for weeks and to this day, I still have no idea what fruit it is. This weeks guess is Apple, because she has a rash again after not having one for months.  Being pregnant did a number on my an my ability to keep it all together but it also did a number on Margot. Did she complain about the food she was eating? No. Has she become an annoying creature of habit? Yes. Is it my fault? Partially. The other part is toddlerhood. All I know is Margot needed a reset. 

I recently discovered 2 new things. 1.) Raised Real and 2.) The Béaba Babycook®. Had I known about these the last year, I feel like I could have conquered motherhood and feeding a toddler. It's seriously so easy. Every two weeks, a new box arrives with healthy meals each meal contains roughly 5 ingredients that are organically sourced, plant-based, big 8 allergen-free and flash frozen to lock in nutrients.

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And the Beaba Babycook. Friends, these things are AMAZING. I've been using mine for everything. It steams, it purees, etc. It's the best and so easy. If I had this when Margot was starting out, I would have made all her baby food, no questions asked. I definitely feel confident with feeding Selah when the time comes. 

As mentioned earlier Margot needed/needs a food reset. I was burnt out on thinking. And I really didn't know where to start again. Raised Real has been a life-safer and is helping me think more creatively with the foods I want to implement more in her diet. And honestly, the meals don't suck. It's yummy, real food. Has the process to healthier eating been seamless. Not even close. She actually won't eat most of it. face palm. But it's new and different for her. Do I hate wasting food? Absolutely. 

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To combat food waste I've been doing 4 things. I steam her meals and give it to her at face value. if that doesn't work, I puree it and give it to her in that form, if that doesn't work, I opt to give it to her in a pouch, homegirl will eat almost anything in a pouch or I freeze the puree for a later date. I also have been making it a point to show her what her food is before she eats and gain confidence in what she's eating. With the Babycook, it makes it easy to let Margot help me prepare her food. She can just put all the ingredients in the Babycook and turn a button. It's fun for Margot and it's not a huge mess at all. 

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Like I said, it's been a process. 

For anyone with a baby who is about to start eating solids or even for expanding a toddler's palette, I highly recommend Raised Real. I wish I would have found out about this sooner. 

I'm excited to be able to offer my friends (that's you) a discount code for $25 off your first box. You can use code SAMANTHA1203 at check out or you can click here. 

#realisperfect

Tell me, what do you feed your kids and family? I need all the ideas. 

 

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tags: raised real, review, baby, #realisthenewperft, beaba babycook, baby-led weaning, healthy eating, raised real promo code
categories: food and drink, Baby, photography, products
Friday 04.06.18
Posted by Samantha May
 

My Little Valentine

Here we are and this girl is almost 10 months old. She's exactly how I imagined her to be after the first 24 hours with her. She's stubborn and strong. She's joyful and doesn't want to miss out on a single thing which is both frustrating and endearing. She slept for the first time last month in her crib. It was easy putting her down for naps and bedtime. But now, that she can stand and scoot and move around. She doesn't want to miss anything. So now it's like we are back to the beginning of no sleeping but this time Margot moves and can injure herself.  Cheers to never sleeping again. 

Margot Candy and Flowers
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little toes

Our weekly photos are getting harder and harder to take. Staged photos are a nightmare. Friends, I felt like the worst mom after this one. The majority of the photos are blurry because this little one can't sit still. Margot ate process sugar and dyes for the first time EVER. I couldn't keep these conversation hearts out of her reach quick enough. I would find a handful in her mouth and she would scream every time I took them out of her little mouth. This girl is crazy. Ah, but I love her. 

What Margot is wearing: Leggings- l'oved baby organics, Turban- Vannusco, Knitted Top- Maruma Kids

tags: mornings with margot, Letters to Margot, photography, lifestyle, styled photography, momtogs, gathre mats, vannusco turbans, maruma kids, l'oved baby organics
categories: Letters to Margot, Baby, Margot, Mornings with Margot, photography, products, Styled Shoots
Monday 02.13.17
Posted by Samantha May
 

Chaotically Perfect

ikea bar cart

Most days lately I've been feeling rather disheveled. A trend that is seemingly to be a more permanent feeling of life. As most things in life are unorganized, it's a given that my house isn't the most organized at the moment. But I can't help but really enjoy this space. I love that ikea Bar cart that was a wedding gift from some best friends. I love that it's going to serve a million little purposes for years to come. I love that picture of "us" from his first trip to the United States. I love that frame that I bought from a thrift store and then repainted it (way back when I had the time to repaint anything and everything). There are lots more memories on that one part of the shelf but I'll spare you the details. In my opinion, it's a chaotically perfect space.

tags: home, in the home, ikea, turquoise, diy, libations, stuff
categories: nesting, products, Beauty
Wednesday 01.27.16
Posted by Samantha May
 

It's that time of the year again

I've been using Shutterfly for years now. It started with printing hundreds of pictures from my travels and their competitve pricing couldn't be beat. Every year, they add to their product list. They're building a lifestyle brand, I've made now made iPhone covers, address labels, cards, postcards, So naturally, we make our Christmas cards through Shutterfly. This has been our second year and every year I love the results. 

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Also, every year I think I'm going to be on the ball, make my own cards, have a professional photographer and do our cards but let's be honest. I'm not that put together. I love that the card selections expand every year and I find that I can always find one to fit our families personality. Sometimes I notice that the printing might be a bit off from different batches but if you contact them, I've had friends that have had stand out customer service and speedy reprinting. I've never contacted them for this reason, mainly because I'm already a little behind the times on sending out cards. But none the less, people have loved our Christmas cards so much that if I run into someone at a coffee shop or supermarket they ask if they are on our Christmas card list for the year. So I think we're at a winning advantage. 

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shutteryfly address labels

All these opinions are my own. I love having photos printing. I love that photographs reach far more than a frame on the wall. If you want an amazing example of some lifestyle shutterfly examples. Check out one of my favorite blogs, The Jungalow. 

PS. Did you catch the secret? 

tags: diy, photography, shutterfly, justina blakeney, the jungalow, lifestyle, christmas cards, christmas, holidays, pregnancy
categories: photography, nesting, buhle suikerbossie, the dog., Vibes, products
Friday 12.18.15
Posted by Samantha May
Comments: 1
 

theportofcall. 2018