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Countdown to Cuteness: Getting Ready for Baby #2 (Insider)
Hey there! This second pregnancy has been a bit of a rollercoaster, but I’m grateful to be past a tough first trimester. I’m now in my sixth month and super excited about our new addition to the family. I’ll be sharing quite a bit of baby and pregnancy updates, including a special gender reveal. If you’re as eager as I am to find out who will be joining the Buchanan family and how prep is going for their arrival, keep scrolling for more baby cuteness and beautiful surprises!
The countdown to cuteness continues below.
DISCLAIMER: Just a heads up! Some of my posts contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of those links, you won’t have to pay extra, but I’ll receive a small commission. Your purchase helps to support the work I do. Thank you!
Getting Ready for Baby Cuteness During the Second Trimester
Similar to my first pregnancy, I’ve been feeling a sudden surge of energy and productivity during this second trimester. It’s been easier to stay healthy and active in the fourth and fifth months by sticking to a balanced diet, getting some exercise, and staying hydrated. Doing this has allowed me to focus on getting ready for the baby in other ways. Some things, like finalizing my birthing plans, arranging maternity leave, and preparing the baby’s older sibling for the new addition require a lot of planning and organization. And setting up the baby’s nursery has been a bit overwhelming, however, it’s an essential part of getting ready for baby #2. Converting my office into a nursery and decluttering the space has been an intense project!
See Related: My Life Lately: The Sequel
Getting the Nursery Ready: Painting Baby’s Room
I’m super excited to share that the nursery is almost 90% decluttered! When I learned I was pregnant, I couldn’t wait to start working on the nursery. After discovering I was having a girl, I picked four adorable paint colors and let my family vote. We all agreed on the color “Lotus Flower” for my little girl’s room. This color was cuteness overload! The only thing I needed to do next was grab the paint and accessories and start painting!
Products Used to Achieve Baby Room Cuteness:
Baby Girl’s Room is Cute and Almost Ready!
Painting the nursery was a super fun family project. It was a wonderful bonding experience and a great way to share our growing excitement about welcoming our baby girl into the family and her new room. It took an entire weekend to paint the nursery. You can watch us paint her room and get everything ready for our baby girl in this cute little video I shared on Instagram to announce her gender. Now that the nursery’s painted, I can focus on decorating her room with furniture, bedding, decor, etc.
Cute Painting Gender Reveal Ideas
If you enjoyed reading this post and learning about how my family and I decided to reveal the gender of our baby, you may also find it helpful to explore other paint gender-reveal ideas. Most gender reveals can be grandiose, awe-inspiring, and elaborate. But if you are looking for something simple and cost-effective, below are a few ideas that make even the smallest gender reveal just as magnificent as those over-the-top special occasions. This compiled list of Gender Reveal Ideas (for painting) is creative, unique, and super cute for anyone preparing for their newborn.
- Paint Photoshoot – Keep it classic and simple with pink or blue handprints on a white shirt during the family photoshoot
- Paint Toss on Canvas – Reveal the gender in a one-of-a-kind way and create a keepsake that can displayed as art in the baby’s nursery
- Umbrella Paint Pour – Grab an unmarked paint can and a see-through umbrella for an epic reveal (super fun activity to do with the baby’s siblings)
- Super Soakers Filled w/ Paint – Fun for clothes or canvases; fill the Soakers up with pink or blue paint and make a splash
- Paint the Nursery – Pick a color of your choice to announce the gender
The Countdown Continues: Preparing for Childbirth
As of this latest life and baby update, things continue to be underway in preparation for my sweet little girl. My focus remains on staying calm, relaxed, and enjoying my pregnancy. I am so grateful to be surrounded by a supportive family. The next update will be what life has been like in the third and final trimester as I inch closer to my due date. Make sure you’re following me on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter for more pregnancy annoucements and updates!
Celebrating 50: 10 Bonafide Favorites
It’s time to raise our glasses and cheer because it’s a celebration! I am very excited about this accomplishment that I’m getting ready to announce, and I couldn’t wait to share the news with you, my friends, so that we can celebrate together. Its The LEWK is celebrating 50 published blog posts! Subsequently, I’ve officially shared 50 lifestyle blog posts with you, and I could not be any happier and prouder of this achievement. In short, for the past two years, I have shared content on my blog with the intention to help and entertain women and provide valuable advice, tips, information, and solutions.
I must say thank you to you, the readers, for reading and your support! I am grateful for every single comment, read, share, and view. In honor of you, my friends, let’s take a look back at some of your favorite posts on the blog so far.
CONGRATS ON REACHING 50!
We’re celebrating 50 published posts on the site! Will you celebrate with me? Then, help me celebrate by joining the LEWK community by subscribing to the blog. Firstly, enter your email address below to subscribe and become a part of the Members Only community. Then, you will need to confirm your subscription to the blog. Members receive exclusive monthly newsletters, freebies, and discount code offers. In conclusion, members receive special notifications and alerts when new posts become available on the blog.
Celebrating 50: Popular Blog Posts
Building Backdrops for High-Quality Content
This post is an easy how-to guide to building a backdrop to enhance digital images and videos. Backdrops are a cute and fun way to bring aesthetic value to your digital content.
Influenster Product Reviews
If you enjoy product reviews, you’ll love Influenster. Influenster is a product discovery app that allows consumers and influencers to review and discover new products. In addition, this app also sends free products to consumers and influencers to review and post on social media. In short, this post serves as a product review of my first ever Influenster voxbox, the reviewer platform, and how it works.
Self-Care and Stress Management Strategies
If you are looking for suggestions on ways to unwind, manage, and let go of everyday stresses, give this post a read. Most importantly, you will learn how to identify signs of burnout, when to find time to care for yourself, and ways to self-care and feel better in stressful situations.
Reach New People and Make an Income on Instagram
In the world of social media, Instagram is one of the most popular platforms out there. Users post pictures and videos daily for personal enjoyment, exposure, and business opportunities. For example, entrepreneurs and business owners use Instagram to reach their target audience, client, or customer for their business. If you are a business owner/entrepreneur, I recommend making a business or creator account to help you grow your business. There are over 1 billion monthly active users defining their audience.
Life-saving Habits and Practices
The road to self-improvement can be a long journey that requires routine maintenance. Learn how to stop and redirect negative energy, healthily express thoughts and emotions, and give yourself grace.
Manifest and Attract the Life You Want
People use affirmations daily to attract confidence, abundance, love, success, and happiness. To clarify, affirmations are short and powerful statements that people can use to promote positive thinking. They allow us to be in control of our thoughts and shape our realities. Individuals can repeat affirmation statements until they become new beliefs. This blog post will provide insight into what affirmations are, what the laws of attraction mean, and how to incorporate these things together when motivating ourselves through self-care practices.
Create an Income With Affiliate Marketing
Companies are looking to work with content creators daily to reach consumers through sponsored advertising. In addition, many Bloggers and Influencers use sponsored posts to generate more traffic and get link clicks to their website or social media. To sum up, sponsored posts are just one of many ways you can create additional income online and monetize your blog. If you aren’t using sponsored posts as a way to reach bigger audiences, drive website traffic, and increase your engagement on your website or social media, you are missing out!
Discover At-Home Body Waxing Techniques
A product review about Veet’s 3-in-1 at-home waxing kit. I had quite the experience with body waxing and having to do it myself during the pandemic.
How to Set Goals and Get Organized
Here are three great resources to help anyone looking to buckle down and get serious about executing their goals, consistency, and organization.
Discovering Friendships & Sister Circles
This featured post from guest writer BuckleWithJo is about maintaining friendships and sisterhoods. Read about her experience in sister circles and how she made genuine connections, identified red flags in friendship behavior, and stayed clear of the drama.
Celebrate With More Posts!
Thank you for celebrating 50 published posts with me! Are you enjoying reading the content on the site? Then, make sure you visit lifestylewithkris.com every Friday for new blog posts! In the same vein, you can check back daily to catch up on previous posts and reviews.
Please comment on which post has been your favorite to read on Its the LEWK. Let’s celebrate together! I’ll be following everyone who leaves a comment below.
Which Gingerbread House Kit Is The Best?
I hope the holiday season has brought peace and joy to you and your family. I know that the season has not been ideal for my family and me, but we have managed to create new traditions this year, with a little help from Walmart and their Gingerbread House Kit. Well, more like their brownie kit. I have never made gingerbread houses or men before.
I’m finding new ways to spread Christmas cheer by starting new family traditions. When I saw these holiday baking projects on Pinterest, I was excited to introduce the idea to my family. Next, after they got on board, we chose our family baking project together. Additionally, I asked a few of my followers on social media for their votes on each project and the brownies WON! I picked up our easy-to-use brownie kit from Wal-Mart and brought it home to bring lots of warmth, love, and laughter to our home.
Gingerbread House Kit from Wal- Mart
Great Value Gingerbread Man Brownie Kit, 15.68 oz:
- Makes about 8 brownies
- Includes all of the dry ingredients and decorations needed to make gingerbread man brownies
- Easy to follow instructions provided on the box
- Create delicious, rich brownies that friends and family are sure to love
Contains wheat. May contain traces of milk, eggs, cod, salmon, and coconut.
My son Landon and I enjoyed baking these brownies together. I must admit that I was a little nervous about how “into this” he was going to be. Being a boy mom you never know what you will get when it comes to the things that boys like and dislike to do. I recorded a video of us baking our wonderful gingerbread brownies and you can watch it below. The Gingerbread Brownie Kit from Wal-Mart can be purchased in-store or online and includes a gingerbread cookie cutter, icing, and sprinkles.
Merry Christmas!
Thank you for joining us in creating our first mother and son holiday tradition. We are wishing you a jolly Christmas and a prosperous New Year! Be sure to keep following us for more content in 2021!
What holiday traditions did you create this year? What traditions did you manage to keep or modify? How will you be keeping your season bright? Let us know in the comments below.
Check out more baking recipes:
HOW TO MAKE FUN CRAFT TURKEYS
Everyone is looking for safe ways to spend quality time with loved ones during this holiday season. One way that I found a way to bond with my son, Landon, was to make craft turkeys! Who remembers making little projects like this when you were younger? This was simple to do and fun to make.
Making ‘Craft Turkeys’ Tutorial
What you will need:
- Brown Cardstock
- Construction Paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Sticky Tape
- Stapler/Staples
- Popsicle Sticks
- Pencil
- Googly Eyes
Instructions
Using a pencil, outline your hand on a piece of construction paper. Cut the outline of your hand with scissors. Save yourself some time by cutting multiple sheets of construction paper at once. I used six different pieces of construction paper for the feathers of my turkey.
After you’ve cut all of your feather hands, you will want to spread them out in a fan-like shape. Fold back the bottom pieces of the hands and staple them together. Next, cut two circles (one small, one large) out of the brown cardstock that you will need. These circles will represent the body of your turkey. Glue them in the middle of your stapled feather hands.
Reuse a piece of construction paper to cut the two strips that you’ll need to make the turkey’s legs. Once you have your strips, fold them back and forth (accordion style). You’ll also want to reuse other pieces to cut out a beak, feet, and snood. Then, glue the pieces to the body, and glue the eyes as the final feature of your turkey.
Use some sticky tape to hold your popsicle stick to the turkey.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Making these paper turkeys brought back wonderful memories. I was happy to know that Landon enjoys simple crafts like these. How did we do? Let me know if you decide to make your own turkey project! Tag me in your holiday craft posts on social media. Follow me on YouTube for more reviews and tutorials!
Check out more Arts and Crafts posts:
Spooky Halloween: Here For All The Boos!
Halloween 2020 was super fun and creative. We decided against trick or treating this year, but we still got Landon a costume to wear around the house. I didn’t feel comfortable attending harvest parties, festivals, or haunted houses because we are still practicing social distancing guidelines and rules. COVID is ruining things as we once knew them to be, but I could tell that Landon enjoyed cosplay and trick-or-treating Quarantine Style.
(more…)You’ll Want These: Simple Veet 3-In-1 Wax Strips
On Instagram, I talked in my stories about wanting to try body waxing at home. I am still uncomfortable and apprehensive about going out. COVID-19 is like that guest that can’t seem to take a hint when they are on the verge of overstaying their welcome. Even though Mississippi has deemed it “safe” for residents to get back to some sort of normalcy, I will still be hosting Self Spa Nights at my home until further notice. My friends recommended I try Veet 3-in-1 Wax Strips.
Disclaimer: Heads up! My posts contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of those links, you won’t pay a penny more, but I’ll get a small commission, which helps keep the lights on. Thanks!
My followers on Instagram agreed that I should try body waxing and recommended that I try Veet’s 3-in-1 Wax Strips or Sensitive Precision Beauty Styler (an electric trimmer for facial hair). I decided to conduct a poll because I didn’t know which one I wanted to try out first. Both products seemed like a great fit for what I wanted to accomplish. The people voted and decided that the 3-in-1 Wax Kit was what they were so eager for me to try. A lot of you had positive feedback about what you liked about it and what it was able to do for you.
Scroll on to read more about Veet 3-in- 1 Wax Strips & the Waxing Body Kit
About Veet
Veet has made waxing super fun, quick, and easy with their latest body waxing strips. I was able to wax in under 25 mins & now I love body waxing at home!
Veet 3-in-1 waxing strips effectively removes hair close to the root in just a few minutes! The formula with cold wax strips quickly removes 95% of your hair at the first application while leaving your skin moisturized. It is best suited for sensitive skin as it is enriched with Shea Butter and Acai Berries fragrance that help nourish your skin and leaves behind salon-like glowing smooth skin with results lasting up to 28 days for a refreshing experience. The pre-cut body hair removal strips are for ready-to-apply action in seconds and perfect finish wipes will help clean up any remaining wax residue.
I purchased my wax kit from Amazon. You can easily get yours from Wal-Mart or Target while you’re out, but if you’re like me and shop online for convenience, I got you. Grab yours here.
One Veet 3-in- 1 Wax Strips Kit includes:
- 40-count wax strips
- 4 Perfect Finish Wipes
I did not realize that I ordered a two-pack until it arrived, so I have (80) wax strips total. I knew that since it’s been six weeks since the last shave I needed to make sure I had enough. FYI: one box is enough.
Take a look at the 3-in-1 Waxing Kit contents below.
The use of the gel wax strips was simple and easy. I decided to wax my underarms and legs and you can watch as I review my experience in the video below.
How to use Veet 3-in-1 Wax Strips
There are just four easy steps. Gently peel the double-sided wax strips apart using the grip tabs. Next, apply the strip to the skin, and grip the tab side facing downwards. Rub several times in the hair growth direction your hair grows.
Pro Tip: Always pull back the strip against the direction of hair growth, keeping the strip close to the skin as you pull.
Hold your skin tightly stretched, grasp the tab, and pull the strip back on itself as quickly as you can! The faster you pull, the more hair you remove! After waxing, clean away any wax left on your skin with the Perfect Finish Wipe.
Veet 3-in-1 Wax Strips Review
Very easy! I was so pleased and happy with the end result. I did have to clean up mid-waxing because I waxed the same area more than once. It became TOO much gel TOO fast. LOL! The instructions for use do recommend to wax in a consistent pattern to make sure you don’t miss hairs.
However, DO NOT wax over the same area more than once. My leg hairs did not show well in pics or on film due to lack of hair. Veet has made waxing at home super fun, quick, and easy. I was able to wax in under 25 mins! That was super convenient for me because Landon (my son) was ready for me to spend some time with him.
Let me know your experience with using Veet’s 3-in-1 Wax Strip Kit in the comments below. If you are looking to do more self-care things like this when you’re at home, give this a try. I have decided that I just might not ever return to a spa for waxing services ever again! Oh and if you’re not already, make sure you’re following me on Instagram and YouTube so that you can catch my posts and videos.
Check out more self-care posts:
35 Things I Want To Do Before Turning 35
With everything that is happening in the world right now, I can’t help but sit and reflect on the things I want to do. Life has a funny way of slowing you down. It’s been forcing me to really sit down and put some long thought into what I reaaallly need to be coming to terms with. What’s that? So glad that you asked. Life is short and if you let it, it can pass you by.
Time waits for no one.
I know you know the sayings, just like I know the sayings. We’ve heard them quite a few times throughout our lives, but is it just a saying or is it really that real? While I have been choosing to isolate myself at home by way of social distancing, I’ve been thinking of all the things that I should be doing. That I have been putting off or simply making excuses as to reasons why they can’t be done. I’ve let myself get distracted from meeting my goals, guys!! I’m thirty-one years old and there’s still so much that I want to do. The younger me thought that I would’ve been “settled” and boyyyy was I wrong.
Hold up! Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been enjoying life but I’ve realized that there are things that I have not had the chance to do yet; that I thought I would have by this stage in life. I haven’t and will not give up on them, as there are other things I want to experience again because it makes me happy. Who doesn’t want to experience something that made them once happy over and over?
So, I’ve decided to come up with a list.
A list of things that I would like to do before reaching the next “major milestone” in my life. I did the math. I’m thirty-one now. In four years, I will be thirty-five. Four years should be enough time to knock off a few goals, right? Did I come up with realistic ideas that can be achieved? How much can one achieve in four years? It’ll at least give me some things to look forward to doing. As long as I am manifesting my goals, I can keep being the driving force in actually accomplishing whatever it is I want! I’ve attached my list below and included a few that I’m working on already, to give myself a head start.
List of 35 Things I Want To Do Before 35
- Become a successful blogger
- Travel or vacation in Miami, Florida
- Buy or build a House
- Travel or vacation outside of the U.S.
- Renew my vows
- Relocate to a new state
- Take online courses or go back to college
- Go on a cruise
- Increase my net worth
- Upgrade my car
- Lower my debt/ increase my credit score
- Partner with a major corporate brand
- Travel or vacation to Los Angeles, California
- Attend a concert or festival
- Successfully own a business
- Become a member of a church
- Own a creative space
- Redecorate/ Interior decorate my home
- Learn a new skill
- Spend more time with family and friends
- BE HAPPIER!
- Support a hobby or extracurricular activity of my son’s
- Attend a Paint ‘N Sip Party
- BE HEALTHIER!
- Take my mother on a shopping spree
- Splurge on a shopping spree for myself
- Go to therapy
- Create a meditation schedule
- Chase my dreams
- Gain 25 pounds
- Establish a tribe
- Read 10 different books
- Make/ create a new project
- Exercise two times a day
- Go to a ball/ gala
Check out more goals/ inspiration posts:
- Getting To Know Me: Shocking Secrets Revealed
- 3 Tools For Goal Setting and Excellent Planning
- 5 Proven Tips For Starting Your Online Store
Have a bucket list of your own? Maybe you’re inspired and want to make your own list now. I want to hear about all the things that you have yet to do/ want to do. Let’s motivate each other. Leave me a comment below so that I can follow along with you!
10 Favorite Date Ideas for Valentine’s Day Love
Valentine’s Day is around the corner and you may be looking for ideas on ways to celebrate your significant other. Romance is a wide spectrum of how people find ways to express love and gratitude to those they love. Roses and chocolate ain’t for everybody! Here’s a list of ten of my favorite ideas for Valentine’s Day. Additionally, these romantic date night ideas will highlight a memorable experience with your special love.
Artsy Ideas for Valentine’s Day: Paint and Sip
Photo Credit: Painting With a Twist A good way to bond with your partner could be to take a painting class together. Sharing an evening of wine and art in a relaxed setting offers an experience that you would never forget. Most Paint and Sip classes are inexpensive and are found to be very popular. Check locally for any studios that could be hosting a party near you.
Note: Painting With a Twist has several locations throughout the U.S., see if there are any near you!
Entertainment Ideas for Valentine’s Day: Dinner and Movie at Home
Let’s face it, filling your belly up while watching a good flick always sounds like a good idea. Valentine’s Day falls on a weekday this year, and after a long day at work, the two of you might not be feeling like leaving the house or finding a babysitter to do anything. Watching a new or your favorite movie that the two of you picked out, paired with a home-cooked meal could be a fun way to talk to each other about the other’s day. Cooking together will allow the two of you to relax after a stressful day and focus on the things you love; the comfort of each other and your home.
Your favorite artist/musician may have a show coming up near you. Additionally, this idea is another option where you will need to plan in advance for, having to purchase tickets.
Culinary Ideas for Valentine’s Day: Couples Cooking Class
All of the restaurants can book up quickly on Valentine’s Day and it’s quite possible that you may be tired of having to choose from the same restaurants for reservations. A cooking class will give you the opportunity to learn how to make each other’s favorite meals! See if you’re able to sign up for a local cooking class that will either allow you to create your own menus or create full-course meals from a delectable menu prepared for you. Pricing on cooking classes is usually per couple, not individually, but it isn’t exactly the cheapest option on this list. It’s best to plan ahead if this is something that you know you and your partner would be into doing.
Ice Cream Date
Who said that chocolate has to be the preferred sweet treat for Valentine’s Day? This can be a great idea to incorporate the kids and make it a “family date night”. Bring your loves to the nearest Marble Slab Creamery or Dippin’ Dots for a sweet inexpensive treat. I scream you scream, everybody will scream for ice cream!
Relaxation Ideas for Valentine’s Day: Day at the Spa
The two of you deserve a relaxing day, free of all of your day-to-day routine. It may be time to escape and what better way to do it than to visit the spa? Most spas have Valentine’s Day deals and packages that you can look into to take advantage of before it’s too late. Keep in mind that other couples may have this same idea in mind and you may need to schedule your appointments as soon as you know that you and your partner would like to make it a day of relaxation.
Book a Hotel Room for the Night
Can’t afford to take time off of work and/or a getaway for the weekend due to no one to watch the kids? Open up your browser tab and log in to your Expedia or Priceline to see what last-minute, one-night-only deals you can find. This can also be a family date night idea! As much as you could use a break, the kids may enjoy this time away from home too.
Social Ideas for Valentine’s Day: Fun Date Night w/ Another Couple
A couples’ retreat with your friends could be fun. Whether it is a vacation that you guys decide to plan out together or a group outing in town, it will prove to be a fun, interactive way to hang out with your partner and friends!
Recreate Your First Date
This could be a super romantic gesture if you have a great memory. Plan to travel to all of the spots where you shared your firsts. Your first meals, your first kiss, the first time you bought each other something in the mall. If you’re creative enough, this might be a really emotional idea that could remind you of all the moments you’ve shared together.
Go Dancing!
Like to dance? Not just at the club! Learning how to salsa could be a fun experience. Go have some drinks together and find a local salsa, samba, or tango class you can sign up for, and cut a rug! Taking a dancing class (whether you’re a great dancer or a terrible dancer) is guaranteed to be a joyous time out of the house. You’ll be surprised at all the moves you and your partner will make.
Whatever you decide to do this Valentine’s Day, make sure your heart is in it. You don’t have to do any of the typical things that people normally do on this day. Your partner is with you because you make them feel like the happiest person alive! Any gesture from you will be one that they will embrace the most, regardless of whatever ideas you decide to come up with.
Enjoying reading this post? Get more ideas for Valentine’s Day: