Our 2020 Gift Guide for everyone on your list! We know sometimes finding the perfect gift can be a challenge so we are taking the stress out of shopping and sharing some favorite things that are sure to bring joy and happiness this season. From gifts we've received and love, recent discoveries and new finds ---You can listen to the latest episode of Momhood anywhere you listen to podcasts!

Product Links below-

BRANDI'S LIST:

The Happy Planner Guided Gratitude Journal https://rstyle.me/+reQka_rvhoyWjxotNgi-yQ

Ruby Crystal Exfoliator https://rstyle.me/+2E6Y0ftznBC2XRPFRlDG4g

Positive Parenting Courses https://courses.simplyonpurpose.org/4-parenting-principles-that-make-a-difference-in-a-day/kmtdh https://courses.simplyonpurpose.org/4-parenting-principles-that-make-a-difference-in-a-day-bonus/kmtdh https://courses.simplyonpurpose.org/parenting-audio-course-coaching-calls-bundle/kmtdh

Global Sisters Diversity Dolls https://rstyle.me/+2SaUNh7khewFsDZClEXNVQ

Projector https://rstyle.me/+Yoy4F4YROHEV01oSO4Gy0Q

Lipgloss Set https://www.beautycounter.com/megangilley

Pasta Maker https://rstyle.me/+Cwq4fuTj1xHsBafxczhrlA

Slippers https://rstyle.me/+9ZBrvZ4gQcsPL8mMGkDm0g

Luxury Candle https://bodewellliving.com

Diffuser & Essential Oils @SeaTheWellness

ORLY'S LIST: Bon Belli Trimester Boxes (code MOMHOOD15 -15% off) https://www.bonbelli.com

Hinged Vasehttps://www.burkedecor.com/products/set-of-10-hinged-flower-vases-design-by-tozai

Mike’s slim wallet -https://www.ridgewallet.com/collections/all-wallets

Robehttps://www.lunya.co/products/the-robe-1?variant=31349640724523&sscid=b1k4_h26zu&utm_campaign=affiliate&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_source=ShareASale

Target Robe -https://bit.ly/3kYdFFb

SHOPTAGR https://www.clkmg.com/shoptagr_inc/orlyshani11

DIY Tie Dye Hats https://amzn.to/3fIaalz

Brave&Love Collection - https://braveandlove.com

UGG slip on logo sandals -https://bit.ly/36Ds44s

Necklace detangler -https://www.etsy.com/listing/281211064/layered-necklace-detangler-multi-strand

DYPTIQUE EXFOLIATING SOAPhttps://bit.ly/3nBOLwK

Tapper Ear Buds Chains -https://www.gettapper.com

Brixton Hats Straw -https://bit.ly/3ncmsG7

Like many of you I’m running out of activities and ideas for my kiddos and desperately need them to independently play more and more. I try and rotate toys and books but also layer in fun homemade sensory activities every week or so. This one is super easy to do and most likely everyone reading this has the ingredients in their pantry right now. My kiddos love playing at the beach and at our last home Mr. A had made a sand box that Milly used daily. Until we decide if we are going to build a sandbox again or possibly a swing set playhouse with one built in, making some homemade moon sand is about as close to a sand box as it gets. This stuff is soft and comes together like damp sand so it’s fun to build and play with. I add a little essential oils to the mix to make it even more sensory with calming oils like lemongrass and lavender. If you have a shallow plastic bin or an activity table like this one I’d double the recipe but I like putting it in a tray and letting Milly play with it at her outdoor table. If you play with it inside I’d suggest putting an outdoor blanket or shower curtain or mat down underneath it to make clean up a breeze. I’d love to know if you make this moon sand for you kids and see the pics. If you make this recipe post it on social and tag me on instagram @BrandiMilloy!

Homemade Moon Sand

by Brandi Milloy

Ingredients

• 8 cups flour

• 1 cup vegetable oil

• 8 drops essential oils

Directions

1. Mix ingredients together until combined. Pour into tray and add scoops, shovels, wooden & plastic toys and let your children explore!

This activity is so much fun to do. It’s one the entire family can make together. You really only need bubbles (or dishwashing liquid), paint and a straw! Milly and me did a whole batch of construction paper covered in bubble art and then I cut them in half and folded them to keep on hand when we send cards to family and friends. It really makes the most gorgeous watercolor looking art. For the full tutorial go here.

Go to my IGTV channel to watch my Spring Edition of What I’m Crushing On here

Every month I’m brining you a run down of what I’m loving, using, gifting, talking about and crushing on! Let me know if you love any of these products too and be sure to follow me on Instagram @BrandiMilloy for more.

SPRING EDITION PRODUCTS

Taja Candle -these are 100% soy candles made here in the US. My absolute favorite scent is Do Not Disturb. It smells citrusy and inviting and really lux.

Spanx Leather Leggings -total must have for anyone! They suck and squeeze you in in all the right spots! I love how you can dress them up or down. Literally I wear them with kicks and a sweatshirt and still look put together.

Child Smoothie Cup -great for little hands for smoothies! Love the silicone straw and I have one for both Milly & Sonny.

Pixie Beauty Matte Lip -this Really Rose color is so good for any skin tone. It’s matte which is a little different for me but I’m really into it.

Skin Owl Beauty Drops -these are so luxurious and great to use in place of a moisturizer. All of their products are 100% natural and clean (use code MOMHOOD for 15% off)

The Happy Planner Recipe Book -this is how you finally eternalize recipes for your family. You will have this forever, just keep in your kitchen and jot all those meaningful recipes and notes down!

Sketch Design -busy books will save you! This is such a great gift idea cause you can personalize it to your child’s name and interests. These are great for their fine motor skills and last forever!

📣 Welcome to MOMHOOD!!! Thrilled to announce our new podcast @momhoodshow that I developed with the insanely smart & talented @orlyshani. We are on a mission to change the conversation about what it means to be a Mom and I’m telling you-this podcast is going to change lives. We have amazing guests who have incredible stories and are brilliant, fascinating and provide so much value to our conversations.. I hope you’ll take a listen, subscribe and even give us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ratting and write a review. I’m always forever grateful for your support. You can find us on instagram @MOMHOODSHOW and on Facebook by searching MOMHOOD.

We’ve done our fair share of traveling. In fact, by the time Milly turned 2, she had been on nearly 40 flights! People always assume she’s a great traveler. And I think she is. But, I also think I set us up for success by planning ahead. Here are my favorite travel activities for children no matter the age!

I love to pack the following items in activity bags and have one for each child. These are basically bags filled with anything to keep your little one busy and occupied on the plane or in the car! From toys to little crafts, you want to make sure they are items that you don’t care TOO much about since the are more likely to get lost during travels. Sad but true. Leading up to a trip I’ll put a ziplock bag aside and anytime I think of something I’ll toss it in there. I swear the most successful activity bags have the most random things in there. The more simple, the better. You can also use a jewelry organizer or little tackle box for these items depending on how much space you have.

• post its (they can peel each one off and stick it all the over the plane and it’s easy cleanup)

• sticker books (these are great for playing eye spy or to stick onto a paper to tell a story)

• peel & stick stickers/window clings (these stick to the window, the front of the seat and you can even tear them in half and play a matching game)

• wrap $1 store toys (wrap in wrapping paper OR foil is easy too!)

• figurines, matchox cars (small figurines are great for lining up or playing with)

• Predownload videos, games or music and don't forget the headphones (rules about screen time don’t apply on planes! You have my permission, Mama. You’re still a good mama.)

• Threading/lacing toys (Now that Milly is 2.5 she can spend up to 40 minutes threading!)

• dot stickers, construction paper & black marker for mom to draw for tracing work or to make a race track for the matchbox cars (possibilities are endless with this one!)

• scratch art books (Colorful and more creative than a standard coloring book)

• colored tape (great for crafting)

Thank you to the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council for sponsoring this post

Breakfast cookies are basically my excuse to eat cookies for breakfast! Ha, actually they are the easiest make ahead meal for mornings when we have zero time to sit down and have breakfast together. They are so simple to throw together-you literally just toss all of the ingredients in a bowl, mix, top with blueberries and bake!

I keep these on hand for snacks and they are in high rotation for playdates and meet ups. This is one of those recipes I love to make with Milly. She enjoys mashing up the banana, adding the oats, measuring the ingredients, topping the mounds with blueberries (if she hasn’t eaten all the bluebs by then!) and scooping the batter onto the baking sheet. You can make this recipe using fresh or frozen blueberries but just keep in mind that if you use frozen always thaw and rinse them beforehand. I hope you enjoy making this recipe with your family and when you do, I’d love to see your photos so post them on Instagram and tag me @BrandiMilloy. You can also watch me make these with Little A on my IGTV Channel. Enjoy!

Blueberry Almond Oat Breakfast Cookies

by Brandi Milloy

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats

• 1 ripe banana, mashed

• 1/2 cup almond butter

• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

• 1/2 cup blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Into a bowl mix the oats, banana, almond butter and vanilla. Fold in half of the blueberries. Scoop batter onto baking sheet forming 1 1/2” mounds. Top each mound with remaining blueberries.

2. Bake for about 15 minutes. Serve warm or keep in refrigerator up to 3 days and enjoy!
   
   

Photo by @JennyQuicksall

It still feels so surreal to me that we have a little boy! It’s one thing to think you’re carrying a boy but it’s another to actually have it happen. We decided to wait to find out the sex of baby #2, @LittlerAmazing (just like with Milly) but the anticipation was so much higher this time around. Part of me wanted a little boy because that meant Milly would be our princess forever. Another big part of me thought we were having a boy simply because Mr. A and I thought we’d have one girl and one boy even before we were married. Then there was a huge part of me that knows the incredible value and bond of a sister and how unbelievable that would be to have two girls. All I know is I am so grateful we have two healthy children and I was so blessed to have two swift and gentle births. However, my pregnancy journey and their birth stories couldn’t be more different. Even in utero these siblings were total opposites!

When I was pregnant with Milly not only did I have an easy pregnancy but when she moved around it felt 100% magical. I loved, loved being pregnant with her. It was everything you could dream of. She did give me normal symptoms like back labor the last month of pregnancy and I had braxton hicks for about 6 weeks but it wasn’t too bad. Sonny, on the other hand and I had an adventure of a time! It’s hard to tell if pregnancy was harder because I was chasing a toddler or because I’m two years older but there were a few things that were challenging.

When Sonny moved inside my belly sometimes it was legit uncomfortable. Like now I understand when Mamas jump when their babies kick them. He would move around and I’d kick my leg or jolt up because it felt so uncomfortable. The boy was always hiccuping which is super telling now because he does it still. He also tried coming into this world very early at 34 weeks so that was scary and I had to be put on bed rest and then before I knew it we made it full term and he still wasn’t there. I guess there’s something to be said about Leo’s (I’m one of them)-they are very very determined and strong willed! I went from stressing about him making his appearance too early and him being in the NICU to wondering if I’d have to have any interventions because he was overdue! Fortunately for both of us, he decided to come Earthside 40 weeks and 3 days and this is where his birth story begins…

On Sunday July 28th, we had plans to go to Music in the Park in our town. I was so excited because a few weeks prior we wanted to go but I had to work and we hosted a get together in the backyard so we were exhausted from all of the hosting. That morning we went to church and while we were there I kept thinking “I wonder if this is the last time we’ll be a family of three.” Truthfully, we hadn’t been going to church consistently and it really made me sad. Part of me wondered if I needed to have a real heart to heart with God in His home before this baby was ready to join us. Sure enough, the Priest blessed my belly after mass and that night Sonny was born!

So back to Music in the Park -Milly had been napping since 1:30pm and it was 4:30pm. While she was sleeping, Mr. A had packed the most amazing picnic basket of cheese, meats, crackers, sparkling water (my favorite) and chocolates. Everything was ready. We had the outdoor blanket packed in the stroller and we were dressed and ready to go. I had been having contractions off and on the last week so when I started having stronger contractions while he was packing the bags I didn’t really think anything of it. Then they started getting more intense and consistent. I remember texting our friends that we weren’t going to make Music in the Park and I was legit annoyed thinking that if this isn’t it, I’m missing something really fun! We’re ready for you, baby! Let’s do this.

From 5:00-7:00pm contractions were about 10 minutes apart. We decided to wake Milly up around 5:30pm. Meanwhile, they ate dinner and I just kept walking around the house and then pausing and leaning over the kitchen island anytime I had a contraction. Around 8:00pm contractions were around 3 minutes apart and were intense. Mr. A had reached out to our midwife to give her a heads up and she immediately told us to come to the birth center. I just kept thinking, “I really hope this is it!”

As Mr. A loaded Milly into the car and grabbed our bags I looked at the sky and realized it was super misty and overcast. Anytime I visualized my birth to @LittlerAmazing it looked exactly like that. I knew right away we were going to meet our baby very soon.

It took about an hour to get to the birth center so when we arrived it was around 9:00pm. Our midwife and the midwife student (who delivered Milly) greeted us and brought me into the exam room. When they checked me they said I was 4 centimeters. I was so upset. I knew it wasn’t time yet and the last thing I wanted was to have to labor at the birth center instead of my house. But they all reassured me that the reason I was there was to have a baby at the birth center and not in the car like what almost happened with Milly. Then our midwife asked me if I wanted her to break my water. With Milly my water broke in the middle of the night at home so I just assumed my water would break with this baby. I decided to let her do it since there is zero harm in it and if anything-it would help encourage the baby to make their way down to meet me.

As soon as she broke my water, I felt a warm rush of liquid. It was bananas! Immediately I started contracting and the feeling was getting intense. I started to get focused because I knew I wanted to be in labor as short as possible and meet my baby. The anticipation of being so close to knowing what we were having was getting me pumped up! My contractions felt even stronger than when I was in labor with Milly. Some people say labor is easier your second time around. Other people, like my midwife said it can be more intense because your body remembers since your uterus has done it before so it can be tighter and stronger. For me, I definitely had sensations this time that I didn’t have with Milly so I would say this labor was definitely more challenging.

For the next two hours I labored in the living room of the birthing center. The way it is set up I have my own birth room with a living room, bedroom with the large tub and bathroom. I stood in the doorway connecting the living room to the bedroom the entire time. I couldn’t sit. I didn’t want to lay down. I just wanted to stand and rotate my hips a bit and lean on the doorway. Mr. A was behind me 99.9% of the time giving me counter pressure massages on my lower back and hips encouraging me with affirmations and reminding me to breathe. I could not do it without him 100%. He was my rock. I just kept surrendering to my body contracting and moving the baby down. My hips felt so tight and the sharp pains from the back labor were nonstop but I just kept breathing and imagining my baby rotating down with every contraction.

Meanwhile, I would look over at Milly as she hung out on the couch playing with her toys, eating snacks and watching nursery rhymes . She was so good. I remember just being so proud of her and knowing that we were so blessed to have our daughter there with us. I mean, for a 2 year old, she was absolutely incredible. We had always planned on her being with us when I went into labor but so many people couldn’t believe it including our friends and family. Mr. A and I on the other hand, couldn’t imagine not having Milly with us. It wouldn’t have felt right without her there. She joined me at every appointment and would help listen to the baby’s heartbeat, help check my blood pressure, hold the doppler, etc. We even did a few rehearsal run throughs in the birth room and walked through what it would be like when Mommy has the baby. At home, I practiced my birth breathing and she even would practice doing skin-to-skin with her baby doll. We talked about her little sibling’s birth day all the time. We prepared her as much as we possibly could of the 10 months I was pregnant and guess what? It really worked. She was calm, interested and acting like my little doula when I was actually pushing the baby out! Around 11:00pm our midwife came in to check on me and said I was fully dilated. Hallelujah! I was THRILLED. It’s game time baby! I couldn’t wait. The last two hours were brutal and super intense but I got through each wave with the help of Mr. A and Milly. The girls started to fill the birthing tub and I prepared my mind with all the powerful thoughts and affirmations I had wrote about this delivery.

When I got into the tub my body relaxed and my contractions slowed down. Part of me got worried that maybe I was too relaxed and that meant I was slowing down labor. I ignored that thought and waiting for the next contraction. I wanted to make sure I really made the most of each push and worked with my body. Chris called Milly over and she held my arm and gave me the sweetest look. By the way-I couldn’t believe she was even awake! She usually goes to bed between 7:30pm and 8:00pm but I could tell she was so excited. I was too! We’re ready to meet you baby. A few powerful pushes later and I helped pull the baby onto my chest. I couldn’t help it and I immediately looked down and yelled “there’s a penis!” Then the midwife helped me turn the baby around and Chris said, “it’s a boy!” I was so happy to meet him. I was so grateful! He was so tiny and looked so much like Milly. My tiny twin babies! I couldn’t believe it. I had just delivered another beautiful, healthy baby without any interventions, medication etc.. I screamed with excitement I was so proud of myself and happy! Welcome to the world Sonny Cole Simon! He weighed 6lbs. 15 oz. and was 19.5” long.

If you go to my instagram and click on Birth Story under my highlights you can actually see this moment happen and if you look closely Milly is reaching for her brother and he’s reaching for her. It took my breath away the first time I saw it. After I got to hold him and we cuddled for a bit, Dad cut the cord and they placed him on his chest. Next it was Milly’s turn. Poor thing couldn’t take her shirt off quick enough to hold her brother. I will never forget the moment she held him and the way they looked at each other. It was magic.

We all hung out together on the bed for an hour and I fed baby boy. Then Mr. A’s family came by to meet him. When grandma held him he smiled up at her and she told us he had dimples on both sides. Yes!!! Oh my goodness little dimples! The staff had ordered some pizza so we had some pizza and I had brought some yummy banana muffins so I forced everyone to try one and then we packed up and headed home. The beauty of having the baby in the birth center is being able to go home and sleep in our own bed. We got home before 2:30am. I have the cutest photo of both of them passed out in their carseats. I looked over at Mr. A and told him “We have two kids! Can you believe it?” It’s the best and I’m so grateful.

For Milly’s birth story go to Part One and Part Two.

Packing a birth center bag is slightly different than packing a hospital bag. When I had Milly, I was at the birth center barely 3 hours total. I delivered her, we nursed, they weighed her, we cuddled, etc and then we were in the car on our way home. One of the best parts of having your baby at the birth center is the convenience of leaving and going back to the comfort of your home when you’re ready. Therefore, my birth center bag doesn’t need to have nearly as many goodies packed as for a traditional birth/hospital bag but since you always want to be prepared should you need to be transferred to a hospital we had another bag in the car just in case.. Check out my Amazon store and find Birth Center Bag for all of my favorite things.

In the meantime, here’s my checklist:

For Mama

• weekender bag or suitcase

• clothes for coming home

• grippy socks

• robe

• a few large towels (especially if planning on a water birth)

• toiletries

• nipple butter

• nipple shields

• disposable undies (ex. Poise Pads)

• camera

• phone charger

• vision board or affirmation cards

• labor ball

• essential oils & diffuser

• electric candles

• snacks & beverages for staying hydrated

For Baby

• diaper bag

• 2-3 footed onesies

• 2-3 onesies

• newborn diapers

• a few swaddles

• a blanket

• carseat installed in car

Thank you to our friend Jenny of Jenny Quicksall Photography for capturing this special time in our lives.

What a gift to go back to the same spot we took maternity photos when I was pregnant with Milly. El Matador Beach in Malibu, CA will always hold such a special place in my heart but it was even more magical being there this time around knowing we are about to be a family of four very soon. Seeing Milly run into the water and kissing “her baby” gave me all the feels . It’s no secret I love being pregnant but being pregnant the second time around is even better. I think it’s mostly because you know how much your heart will burst open and the intoxicating way a baby makes the entire home feel like heaven. It’s also the pure anticipation of seeing Milly thrive as a big sister. I’m just so grateful we are bringing new life into this world.

What’s great about experiencing these big moments like being pregnant with baby #2 is it encourages you to capture this chapter with photos. I used to have to drag Mr. A to do these with me but now he totally gets it and understands the value in having professional family photos. Every time we get photos back he says to me, “I’m so glad we did this.” So if you’re reading this and realize it’s been forever since you’ve taken real family photos (not on an iPhone) together, book something immediately. They are such a priceless gift you’ll cherish forever! We really did nothing for these photos to come together. I mean we posed for a second here and there but it was all Jenny’s God given talents that made these photos so amazing! Milly was constantly running into the water, eating snacks, ignoring us and wanting to do her own thing. The wind was obnoxiously strong and my hair was flat the minute we walked out of the car. I mean it was really hard to get any photos of us three actually looking the same direction but she pulled it off despite an energetic toddler!!! I’m so happy with how these turned out. It makes my heart sing to have these photos and I can’t believe one day I’ll say I can’t imagine life before baby #2. Ok, I’m gonna go cry now. Bye.

You might think there’s not a lot that Mamas need if they are having their second baby (and I thought the same thing before becoming a mother) but goodness was I wrong! Here’s some of the things I registered for that I think all Mamas could use! Would love to know what else was helpful to you or if you have any other ideas for expectant mamas of two. Leave your ideas in the comments below! xoxo, Brandi

Registry for Baby #2

Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine, Night Light and Time to Rise

Solly Baby Wrap

Cloud Island Sheets

Personalized Baby Blanket and Swaddle by Bee Boutique NC

Knotted Sleeper by Indie Claire Boutique

Baby Mori Clothing (big sibling and little sibling matching sets)

Brica Car Mirror

FridaBaby Nose Frida Snot Sucker

California Baby Massage Oil

The First Forty Days Postpartum Book

MotherBee’s Healing Broths and Teas

Gift Card for Meal Delivery

Big Sisters are the Best Book

I can’t believe this is my second Mother’s Day! I get so emotional just thinking about how much of an impact being a mother has made on my life. Milly is such a gift from God. Mr. A and I say all the time that if we knew how wonderful being parents was going to be we’d find each other sooner and have all the babies! Last year’s Mother’s Day was just perfect. Mr. A took me to brunch at 189 by Dominique Ansel where they serve food dim sum style so servers walk around with food on boards and you choose what you want. It was SO much fun! Not sure what his plans are this year but all I know is mothers should be celebrated everyday and especially on Mother’s Day! And while gifts are never the goal here-we all cherish those hand written notes 100X more than any monetary thing, those thoughtful gifts are special as well. I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite things I think any Mama would appreciate. Head to my instagram IGTV Channel to watch my gift guide or scroll down to read about each of them.

THE MILLY PENDANT BY EDWARD AVEDIS

I designed this necklace with my good friend, Avo of Edward Avedis with my daughter, Milly in mind. I love having her initial around my neck and it’s a piece of jewelry I never take off. You can choose any initial you like in this beautiful delicate font. The Milly Pendant is available in 14 KT yellow, white or rose gold and sterling silver, too it’s something Mom will cherish forever. Use code BRANDI for 20% OFF

PHOTO ALBUM

Mom would love it if you just put all of her pictures into an album. There are so many apps available that make it super easy to choose the photos from your phone and have it printed into a book. I decided to start doing this every quarter so that Milly has photos she can look through and we can start documenting our lives better. We don’t do screen time in our home or let Milly play on our phones but I realized she really enjoys looking at photos on my phone! So after my parents and sister and nephews visited us from AZ I decided to compile all of the photos we took into a book for her and it’s now one of our favorite things to look through!

GIRL WASH YOUR FACE by Rachel Hollis

This book is such a powerful read you won’t be able to stop turning the pages. Rachel Hollis has such an authentic, relatable, inspiring sense of energy you’ll feel like the badass Mama you are when you’re done reading it. It’s one of my go to gifts and one any woman would appreciate!

IBI at MEETIBI.COM

If your Mom takes a ton of photos or has boxes of old photos, hard drives and laptops this is the gift for her. Ibi is a smart photo manager that comes with a companion app so you can sync all of your social media accounts, , cloud accounts etc with this device and have all of your photos in one place organized by date and location. It collects, organizes and saves all of your photos in one place! We take so many photos but never know where any of them are! This has been a lifesaver for me! The device holds 2TB (that’s about 500,000 images) so she could even share the space on the Ibi with you!

SAJE ESSENTIAL OIL DIFFUSER BLENDS

I swear by essential oils and have been using them for a few decades. We diffuse them in Milly’s room at night or when she is resting/napping to create a calm relaxing environment. I love the natural blends Saje carries and enjoy so many of their products including their diffusers and essential oil rollers. You can choose the individual oils for Mom or get her a collection of them. I especially love their Peaceful and Blend Collection.

MARA UNIVERSAL FACE OIL

I have been using this oil for almost a year and I can’t live without it! So many of my friends started using it too and swear by it! It’s really the only face oil you need for bouncy, glowing skin. MARA Universal Face Oil is for all skin types and is loaded with age-defying algae, plankton extract and four superfood plant oils to replenish and hydrate tired, dry skin. It feels SO good on the skin. You can use it day and night but I definitely I don’t go to sleep without putting my MARA on!

GIFT CARDS

Gift cards should never be considered impersonal or unemotional because I think it’s so thoughtful when someone finds out your favorite restaurant/spa/nail salon etc and gives you a gift card to that place! A handwritten card with a gift card inside is absolutely a wonderful gift. The best way for Mama to feel pampered is for her to be treated!

MARBLE & WOOD BOARD

This board is not only functional but beautiful! Just leaning against the backsplash in her kitchen is sure to make Mom smile. This is the gift for the mom that loves entertaining and having people over. It doesn’t matter what she puts on the board (cheese & meats, desserts, fruit, crackers) it will make her the hostess with the mostest!

MY HOMEMADE BLUEBERRY LAYERED CAKE

Making something for Mom homemade is so sweet and a much appreciated gift! My blueberry layered cake is one of those desserts that looks impressive but isn’t difficult to make! Layers of butter cake, juicy blueberry filling and creamy buttercream frosting make up this showstopper that will have Mom gasping, smiling and crying all at once. It’s that good! The full recipe can be found here.

Be sure to tag me on instagram letting me know what you did for your Mom on Mother’s Day! And if you gave here one of these gifts, I’d love to know her reaction! Hope everyone has a beautiful day celebrating our everyday superheros, Mothers!

Check out my IGTV to watch me reveal Milly’s First Easter basket featuring non-candy ideas. I loved putting this together for her! There are so many wonderful items to give your children that encourage learning, fuel fun and inspire imagination! I hope this sparks your own ideas for your little one’s Easter basket. Check out the full list of items below and then I’d love to know what other ideas you have down in the comments below! Happy Easter! xo, Brandi

Yoobi Glitter Chalk

Roly Poly Dog

Hair Accessories

Wooden Bug Catching Puzzle

We Are the Gardeners Book

Reusable Sticker Book

Bubble Wand

As any parent of a toddler knows, snacks are life! Truly lifesavers. I don’t leave the house without them and you best bet I take more care in packing Milly’s snacks for a trip than I do her clothes! If you think your husband/boyfriend/significant other gets HANGRY when they don’t eat, try being around a toddler when they want food. It’s not pretty. Save yourself from your sweet LO getting upset and/or maybe having a full on meltdown by always having your diaper bag/purse/car/stroller stocked with snacks for little fingers.

And as much as I enjoy making homemade snacks for Milly, these are my go to store bought snacks we buy regularly and highly recommend. This post is not sponsored but even if it was-please always remember I only work with companies I use and love. You can scroll down for the full shopping list or keep reading to hear why I love each one of these snacks.

I keep bowls of these Sunkist Delite® mandarins on hand. They are so juicy and delicious. They end up in my purse, the diaper bag, stroller and our car cup holders. They are always a win and Milly loves peeling them herself. This is one of those snacks I keep a few of with me cause one is just never enough! Plus these little citrus gems pack a nutritious punch.

At the end of the day, those popular puffs treat containers are bulky and are really just cereal in my opinion. I allow Milly to pick out her own cereal and then pour it into her snack cups for on the go crunchies. I don’t know what it is about little cereal with holes in it that makes kiddos lose their mind but Milly enjoys Trader Joe’s Strawberry Yogurt O’s .

Many of these snacks are ones I enjoy too just to be honest. And these Tillamook Sharp White Cheddar slices are so good for a little afternoon pick me up. Add a few crackers in your purse and some fruit and it’s a make-your-own cheeseboard. Haha! These are individually wrapped which make it so convenient to just grab and go and each slice has 5g of protein!

This next treat should get its own post because Happy Baby Organic Yogis Freeze-Dried Yogurt & Fruit Snacks make Milly do whatever I need her to do. It’s like a dog to a bone! If she’s squirming when I’m trying to put her in her carseat, if she’s losing patience in the line at the post office…anytime she’s absolutely “over it” I take a little Yogi out and she’s all smiles. I only use these for those necessary moments so these are not for snacking but my little secret mama weapon. I think if I ever let her snack on them they’d lose their power so they live in a special container in my purse and car and I always make sure I’m never out.

The first time I discovered these Once Upon a Farm Fruit and Veggie Blends we were at the grocery store and I let Milly pick one out to snack on while we shopped. Her favorite flavor is Peter Banana Pumpkin Eater. All organic with 3 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber, they’re like cold pressed smoothies for kids. I also put them in her whole milk yogurt popsicles.

Just like her father, Milly loves peanut butter. I keep these Lance Whole Grain Wheat Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches around for both of them, really! She usually only eats two at a time so it takes a while to go through 1 pack but they’re always a sure thing with her. These are classic cracker sandwiches made with whole wheat flour.

Another whole wheat flour snack we like are Annie’s Organic Cheddar Bunnies. We purchase a lot of Annie’s Organic products including their macaroni and cheese and graham crackers. I prefer to buy the big box and portion it out myself and sometimes I’ll make my own snack mix with a few of these other dry treats for a little something different.

Great for grab and go with no work are Blueberries. If you follow me on Instagram you know that this is Milly’s favorite! Available year round, I buy these by the box full. I especially like bringing these when we go out to eat incase the food takes too long I know Milly will enjoy some bluebs without spoiling her appetite. When she was teething I liked keeping them in the freezer for relief from those swollen gums. They’re also great to add into her oatmeal and smoothies.

Speaking of oatmeal, Milly just got on an oatmeal kick so especially for an on the go snack, I like Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal Cups. Just add hot water and you’re set. I add fruit for extra yumminess too. This oatmeal is sweet enough for it to feel like dessert and it’s been a good in between meal for when our schedules are wonky. It’s also a great food to practice self-feeding and using a spoon.

We don’t buy that many snack packs but these Mama Chia Squeeze are a fun little find I spotted by the applesauce. High in omega 3’s, protein and fiber this is also a wonderful vegan and gluten free snack. You can serve them refrigerated or room temp. Usually Milly only drinks half of a pouch so I also mix these into her yogurt popsicles and smoothies.

Maybe it’s cause she’s a Cali girl but Milly loves avocados! She has avocado toast at least 5 x week so it’s no surprise she loves Wholly Guacamole Classic Minis. I pack these in her lunchbox with cucumbers or crackers for dipping and she gobbles it up!

Last summer when we were in NYC shooting my Food Network show, “Let’s Eat!” these Nature Valley Breakfast Biscuits with Almond Butter were in my dressing room. I brought them back to the hotel for Mr. A and Little A to have and they both immediately liked them. Slightly sweet with creamy almond butter between the granola biscuits, each pack comes with two which is perfect. We’ve been rotating them in our snack pantry ever since.

I’ve talked about this a lot on Instagram but often times when I go to Starbucks to get myself a grown up drink, I will ask for a tall water with freeze dried strawberries for Milly. She only drinks water and we do not offer her juice at this time so this kid friendly pink drink makes her feel like she’s a big girl. I like to have Simple Truth Freeze Dried Strawberries on hand for homemade versions or I will mix them into her snack mixes I create.

Milly has never been a huge fan of cow’s milk and this is probably because she was breastfed 18 months and Mama’s milk is much sweeter than cow’s milk but we also don’t drink cow’s milk in our home. I try to use it in my cooking and baking but we also started incorporating Stonyfield Organic Whole Milk Yogurt Pouches into her snacks. Sometimes Milly isn’t into the whole pouch thing (as I mentioned already the only pouches we buy are the Once Upon a Farm and Mama Chia) so I’ll squeeze these into a smoothie or her tumbler and she’ll guzzle it down. I think there is something to be said about being able to see what she’s eating.

I know you can buy Boiled Eggs already boiled and peeled but I prefer doing them myself. I’ve tried a ton of different brands and I really think they taste better when I make them. Heehee. They also don’t get that weird slime on them they get when you buy from the bags at the store. I keep my eggs unpeeled for on the go and usually bring a fun dip for them like hummus or Everything But the Bagel seasoning.

I grew up eating Mini Babybel Cheese so naturally I buy them for Milly. They taste so good and they’re softer than the sharp white cheddar ones so we like to keep options on hand!

Any snack that involves an activity or action is more exciting for a toddler. Justin’s Classic Almond Butter Snack Pack with Pretzels accomplishes just that. Reminds me of those dipping snacks I loved when I was a kid but these are so much better for you!

I buy these for me but Little Amazing loves them too. This Bar Saves Lives are our favorite since I’m not a fan of most traditional bars or energy bars. The kid ones have been out of stock at Target lately but we will share the grown up versions. The chocolate can be a little messy and anything with chocolate is considered a treat in our home so they are for special moments only.

I hope this list sparks some new ideas for snacks to incorporate into your pantry for your toddler. If there’s one you didn’t see on here that you love, please share in the comments below! I’d love to know your go to snacks incase they are ones we haven’t tried yet! And don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for daily updates. xoxo

SHOPPING LIST

Sunkist Delite® mandarins

Trader Joe’s Strawberry Yogurt O’s

Tillamook Sharp White Cheddar

Happy Baby Organic Yogis Freeze-Dried Yogurt & Fruit Snacks

Once Upon a Farm Fruit and Veggie Blends

Lance Whole Grain Wheat Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches

Annie’s Organic Cheddar Bunnies

Blueberries

Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal Cups

Mama Chia Squeeze

Wholly Guacamole Classic Minis

Nature Valley Breakfast Biscuits with Almond Butter

Simple Truth Freeze Dried Strawberries

Stonyfield Organic Whole Milk Yogurt Pouch

Boiled Eggs

Mini Babybel Cheese

Justin’s Classic Almond Butter Snack Pack with Pretzels

This Bar Saves Lives

Five words. Keep calm and carry on! Seriously. Travel becomes so much easier and less stressful when you simplify all the stuff you don’t need and pack only what you will actually use. I hate checking bags. I have anxiety just thinking about all the extra time it takes to check them and then wait for them at baggage claim (if they don’t get lost-which is another thing I have anxiety about)! I’ve also done my fair share of traveling with Milly solo and the less crap, the better! I’ve never felt more like a badass than when I traveled with her by myself and didn’t need anyone to help me with my bags. It’s feels so good to do it all on your own! Watch below for my tips for traveling with a toddler and how to get away with just bringing a carry on!

Here’s what I carry on:

• my carry on sized suitcase with spinner wheels (you can’t use a bag with regular wheels ever again!)

• diaper bag back pack (again, you can’t travel with anything else! I mean you need your hands as free as possible.)

• baby carrier (this is our favorite for so many reasons!)

• And if you need a travel carseat and/or stroller or both (I know some folks borrow them from friends & family once they arrive at their destination), this is an investment but we are obsessed with it. Especially with the amount of travel we’ve done, this convertible carseat stroller combo is a must have!!! We have it in grey but there are so many beautiful colors and they are alway sold out!

A few tips but scroll down to watch the full video where I cover everything:

• Plan outfits for your babe ahead of time and take photos of each ensemble. It might seem silly and stuff only fashionistas would do but it’s super helpful and makes getting ready each day easy peasy.

• Pack toddler’s outfits in gallon size zip bags. It’s like the poor man’s version of vacuum seal bags but work just as well! It’s great for keeping worn or soiled laundry contained too!

• Two shoe rule. This kind of applies to adults too. I usually only bring the shoes I wear and another pair. IF I absolutely need to bring one other option, I try to look through my closet one more time at any options that are versatile enough to work. If not, I figure it out.

• Pack only the things you use on a daily basis (diapers, wipes, cream) with the exception of a small “Just in Case” bag. For us, it’s Milly’s toiletry bag where we keep a thermometer, toothbrush, medicine, essential oil rollers, Nose Frida, etc.

• The diaper bag is really the most important thing you pack. You should have everything you need for at least 1 day of travel in there. You never know when you’ll face a delay, etc.

And for ideas on what to pack to entertain your toddler age 12-18 months, watch this video on how to assembly a “busy bag!”

I live for travel tips and hacks so if you have any more, spill! Leave me a comment with all the advice and then share this post with a mama friend. And if you haven’t subscribed to my YouTube Channel, you can do that here. I appreciate the support from my Mama Tribe! Thanks, xo Brandi

A few other travel related posts:

My Favorite Products for Traveling with a Baby

How to Survive a Trip with a Newborn

My latest vlog where we traveled to Seattle.

First of all, the photo above has nothing to do with this recipe except it’s a pic of Milly holding our favorite Momofuku Milk Bar birthday cake truffles from her first birthday. I haven’t had a chance to take pics of these protein balls so there you go! Hope I didn’t trick you.

If you tuned in to my IG LIVE yesterday with Dini Klein of Prep and Rally, you saw we made up a recipe based on our favorite no bake balls. These are super simple snacks we make for our babes (Dini’s daughters are 5 and 3, Milly just turned 16 months). All you need is dates, nuts and fruit (dried or freeze dried fruit). I like to keep these cold in the fridge and then take them out for a snack throughout the day. You can really have fun with what you put in them. Here’s my favorite combo but the sky is the limit. You can swap out the almond butter for peanut butter. I also love adding rolled outs. You can also use different nuts depending on your preference! The key is mixing it in the food processor until it starts to come together. The below is a guide more than a recipe because it just depends on how sticky your fruit is or how many dates you add. I’d love to know what you end up creating and if you make these, take a pic with your little one enjoying them and tag me on instagram @BrandiMilloy

Enjoy!

Protein Balls

By Brandi Milloy

• 1 cup roasted, unsalted almonds

• 3/4 cup madjool dates

• 1/4 cup almond butter

• 1/3 cup freeze dried strawberries

• 1/3 cup freeze dried blueberries

Directions

1. Into a food processor, add nuts, dates and almond butter and process. Add fruit and process some more until mixture comes together enough to form ball. If mixture is too “wet” add more fruit and nuts by the tablespoon. If mixture is too dry, add a tablespoon of almond butter or a few dates until desired consistency.

2. Roll into balls and place in fridge to firm up and enjoy within 10 days!

Photography Credit: AshtonStan.com

These are one of my go to snacks for Milly. Obviously they are great for breakfast but she enjoys them anytime. It’s a great way to sneak in a ton of veggies and you can make a dozen at a time. I use whatever I have on hand and there’s something about food shaped like a cupcake that makes toddlers love them! It’s the perfect size for their little hands.

Photography Credit: AshtonStan.com

These are also great for when you’re hosting a ton of people or when family is in town staying over. They’re great brunch foods! To make them even more decadent, sometimes I’ll add a little pie crust to the bottom so it’s almost like mini quiches. I love quiche. People don’t give quiche enough love. Scroll down for the recipe and then let me know what other variations you come up with. If you post the photo on instagram, be sure to use the hashtag #BrandisBites.

Photography Credit: AshtonStan.com

Green Eggs & Ham Breakfast Cuppies

By Brandi Milloy

Ingredients:

• 12 large eggs

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1 heaping cup fresh spinach, chopped

• 1 cup veggies or choice, chopped (like broccoli or mushroom)

• 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt

• 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

• 1 1/2 cups ham, sliced and chopped

• 1 cup swiss cheese, shredded

• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

• 2 teaspoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped (optional)

  Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F and spray muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, veggies, salt and pepper and nutmeg. Fill muffin tins equally with ham and cheese and then carefully cover each with the egg mixture, about ¾ of the way full.

3. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until eggs are set cups are golden. Let cool for 5 minutes before enjoying! 

Photography Credit: AshtonStan.com

We’ve been reading books to Milly since she was in my belly. In addition to this being great for bonding (especially for Daddy and baby), it can also help stimulate baby’s senses and brain development. Once she was born we continued reading to her throughout the day and before bed. Over time we’ve seen huge growth in her language skills, her connection to pictures, recognizing things and imitating sounds. Her thirst for knowledge and learning is amazing! I will spend hours on the floor with her reading just to watch the excitement and joy she gets from each story. We have our favorite classics of course like Dr. Seuss’s ABC and The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle but as Milly has gotten older she has her own favorites. And while we love going to the library each week to check out books and have different ones in rotation (I especially love checking out holiday or theme books out instead of buying them), these are the books I’m so glad we own and will cherish for years to come. The added bonus for a one year old is these are all hard back books which is key when your LO just wants to put every page in their mouth.

Little Blue Truck

Little Blue Truck

We love the theme of this story which focuses on helping and togetherness all while learning the sounds of our favorite animals on the farm and of course, the little blue truck’s signature beep!

We’re Going On a Bear Hunt

We’re Going On a Bear Hunt

I just adore this story so much. I could listen to Mr. A read it to Milly all night long. The adventure of going on a bear hunt and all the challenges they overcome along the way are great lessons for teaching courage and bravery!

The Pout-Pout Fish

The Pout-Pout Fish

This was the first book Milly ever kissed! Heehee. This story teaches you that it’s all about how you look at things and that sometimes all it takes is one person to make a big difference. It’s a very “cup half full” story and has wonderful repetition and rhyming.

Giraffes Can’t Dance

Giraffes Can’t Dance

Similar to the theme of the Pout-Pout Fish, I love that this story teaches the beauty of differences and the unique qualities we each have. Such a powerful lesson to teach all of our children early on!

Little Blessings for Little Children

Little Blessings for Little Children

What we love about this book is that you discover something new every time you read it. The images are beautiful and the blessings featured are simple and pure. It’s a great book to reflect on all of the small things in our life that bring us joy and encourages a thankful heart.

Wherever You Are My Love Will Find You

Wherever You Are My Love Will Find You

This is one of those books that will make Mamas cry. It’s an opportunity to tell your children how loved they are and a daily read for our family. We adore several of her books.

Daddy and Me

Daddy and Me

All of Karen Katz’ books are great! She does lift-the-flap books really well. Milly loves the surprise element and getting to participate in the story. These can get torn by eager hands so be careful when leaving them out without grown up supervision.

`Baby Animals

`Baby Animals

These Indestructibles books are awesome! They can be chewed and pulled and won’t rip or tear. I like bringing these on trips or keeping in the diaper bag. Milly is such an animal lover and this book features a great variety of them!

Sophie la girafe: Colors

Sophie la girafe: Colors

This flap book is super simple with a combination of colors, animals and everyday objects. Milly loves to lift the flaps to reveal the story and I really like that the author included unique names like Josephine, Margot and Gabin.

If You’re Happy and You Know It

If You’re Happy and You Know It

This is a multi-cultural version of the traditional song which means it’s also an interactive music activity for us. Milly loves reading this book, clapping her hands and stomping her feet, etc. Featuring 36 different cultures it’s diverse, worldly and is truly a wonderful book.