DELILAH DIOR DOMINICA

Now that our sweet Kaya girl is three months old, I officially feel like I'm out of the postpartum phase. Obviously I won't be completely back to normal for about six-nine more months but I am so much more my usual self. I have been pregnant or nursing since the Spring of 2014 so it's been a long time since I haven't had to think about how what I do, wear or apply affects my babies. Those first few weeks postpartum are such a crazy, overwhelming, blissful, beautiful and hideous time. Learning how to care for a new baby while learning how to care for your new body is a challenge like none other. Couple that with the unpredictable hormone high and lows and you've got a recipe for potential disaster. I was fortunate to have a much quicker recovery with baby number two than I had with my firstborn and I attribute the ease and joy of this postpartum period to these items (...and no third degree tear. and Jesus.) 1. Hydroflask Water is so essential for postpartum...

When Warby Parker, a brand renowned for changing the glasses game, inspired me to review their new Winter collection, I was thrilled. I have been a long-time fan of the brand and somehow never knew they came out with season collections tied to current trends. I am more than impressed with their new specs and can’t wait to get my hand on a few, namely the ‘Louise’ ‘Percey’ and ‘Goodney’ styles. As someone who has been wearing glasses since the Second Grade, I view them as an accessory rather than just necessity. I wear glasses at least three days out of the week so I need them to make a statement but to also be practical.    If there is one out of the box it-color this season, it’s pink. Shades ranging from nude to dusty rose are popping up everywhere and it’s the trend I most look forward to trying. The Louise glasses fit everything I look for in a pair of glasses.  Neutral two-toned styles are perfect for Winter and the Percey style fit right in. The ...

Keogena Na'Airah Lynelle Atogwe 7lb  20 1/2" September 12 2016 one day old Hi, friends! Our sweet Keogena (Kay-oh-geh-nuh with a hard "g") is one month old and we feel like we've known her for a lifetime. She is the perfect addition to our family and we can't get enough of her newborn snuggles. Now that I know just how fast it goes, I'm savoring every moment of her being this small, snuggly and sleepy. In both of my pregnancies, the thing that most helped me prepare for natural labor was reading positive natural birth stories. I wanted to share mine while it's still fresh to encourage anyone who had a first birth that didn't go as planned that there is hope for the birth of your dreams. A few days before Oshiolema's first birthday, I stood in my bathroom holding a Clear Blue pregnancy test that read "Pregnant." We were absolutely thrilled, especially since just one week before my husband and I had both just gotten a ...

For a huge chunk of my life, people used to look at my legs and say "you must be an athlete." If you were to find a photo of me at age five you would see there is a hint of she-hulk in my blood. I was strong from the start with a six pack rippling through my pink leotard and biceps completely ruining my chances with that third grade crush. Even from a young age I wanted to hide certain body parts, very aware that I didn't look like the girls in the Limited Too catalog. These legs, however, always gave me away. I never got used to them-all sharp angles and bulky muscles and a calf muscle that was one part genetics and two parts hard work. They were the product of years upon years of go.  Sprinting and dead lifting and squatting and ladder jumping and bleacher running and blocking and on your mark, get set, go. They stood strong and powerful-yet never quite graceful-through dance and cheerleading. These legs happily put muscle to use in soccer, lacrosse and basketball. ...

W ell, I had great intentions to update you all frequently this pregnancy. Clearly that didn't go as planned as we are currently 7 weeks out from my due date! People warned me how different this pregnancy would be. They said the constant bump photo snapping, baby book reading and rest would be a thing of the past-they were right. We didn't find out the gender so we're looking forward to the surprise of a lifetime very soon. Oshiolema was born two weeks early so I'm prepared for the fact that we could potentially meet our new baby in five weeks or even less!  How far along:  33 Weeks. Total weight gain:  30 pounds. Maternity clothes: T here are upsides and downsides to being pregnant in the summer. One of the upsides has to be the clothing options. Since I gave birth in the dead of winter with Oshiolema, getting dressed is just so much easier than it was this stage in the pregnancy last time around! The only actual maternity clothing I've worn...

Newborn gifts have a sweet way of pulling at heart strings (of both the gift-giver and gift-receiver) and I wanted to share a few of my favorites for blessing the new baby. I have to say, putting this baby girl mood board together has me itching for a little lady in my life! Oshiolema will be a fantastic big brother either way and we're so excited to find out just who this baby is very soon. Fashion Book: I have been a huge fan of all the new fashion infused books for little girls being written lately. This Little Piggy Went to Prada seems like a precious addition to any little girl library.  The Laundress ‘Just for Baby’ kit: Though sometimes you just can’t beat the classics when it comes to laundering baby clothes, this new brand “The Laundress” Is something I can really get behind. All products are all natural, gentle and non-toxic, which surprisingly isn’t true for the detergent I swore by up until now. The packaging is pretty enough to elevate any laundry room and t...

I was fortunate enough to have my first baby at the same time as some of my dear friends entered motherhood as well. Though traditionally newborn gifts have been reserved exclusively for the expected bundle, one of my favorite things to do was surprise the new mama with a little something special for herself rather than just a baby blanket or stuffed animal. Of course I think it's important to respect the registry provided, but I also believe if you love someone and they have just brought a life into this world I say why not gift them with something that says "you're amazing!" It's such a tender time for a woman-we're sleep deprived, not really feeling ourselves, in full on sacrifice-and-serve mode and our normal routines are completely out the window. I've found a little elevated special something can really brighten our days in that newborn haze. Bubble Bath : This is my favorite bubble bath. The glass container elevates the whole experience fro...

The last time I wrote on my beloved blog, I was 8 months postpartum, knee deep in sleep training and carefully tiptoeing into parenthood. As I write this, my son-now nearly fifteen months old-is running around and I am resting my hand on my four month baby bump. (To those of you confused at the science of the months-along/baby bump size ratio...yea. this bump isn't messing around.) Looking back on all that I have gone through as a woman and wife and mother in the past few months I know I have had so much to share, but for what seems like the first time in my life, I wasn't compelled to . It truly was a special time. I have learned and laughed and cried in the past few months more than I have at any other time chunk of my life and yet all those defining moments are tucked away in my heart (and external hard drives) just for me. Just for us. My family. I've decided the best way to return to writing would be to share something incredibly personal that is long overdue; O...