When Chloe was born, we used our Doona stroller, and that was basically all she used until after she turned one. Once we knew she needed something bigger, I did a little research and found that the Zoe XL1 was a fan favorite. I mentioned it to my parents, and they ordered it for Chloe as a gift for her first birthday. 

While Chloe was in her infant seat, Caleb never asked to sit in the stroller. But the minute we switched over to the Zoe, every time we sat Chloe in the stroller, Caleb would tell us he was tired. We ended up carrying Chloe and pushing Caleb in the stroller - not exactly convenient, nor the point of having a stroller for her. 

Since we loved the Zoe XL1 so much, I reached out to them to find out if we could work together. They ended up sending us the XL2 double stroller in exchange for my honest review, and I'm so happy they did! Having a double stroller has been so much easier - I don't know why I fought getting a double stroller so much at the beginning! I think it might be because I feared I wouldn't fit through a lot of spaces with it, but after using it for the last couple of weeks, I have been able to fit through doorways that I definitely never would have anticipated fitting through (including the ones at home!). 

A lot of the things I loved about the Zoe XL1 are still relevant with the XL2. Living in the sunshine state, one of my absolute favorite things about these strollers is the canopy. Of every single compact stroller I have seen, the Zoe is the only one whose canopy extends so far down. It has a basic two panel canopy, but it can be expanded as it has two hidden panels - one that's folded in, and another that can be zipped up when it's not in use - totaling FOUR canopies with UPF 50. The canopies are independent of one another, so if one of the kids is napping and the other is paying attention to whatever we are doing, one canopy can be up and one can be down. 

A couple of other things I love are how maneuverable it is, and how easy it is to open and close. The XL1 I can open and close one-handed. The double requires both hands, but it is still very easy to open and close. It is a Disney-approved double stroller, and it comes in at 19 pounds, so it can be gate checked with most major airlines. 

I also love that each seat reclines, has a 5 point harness, and has an adjustable footrest. ​The stroller comes with a parent cupholder, child cup and snack holders, and a double belly bar.​ Have more than two kids? The XL2 can be turned into a triple or a quad stroller with the purchase of their tandems! ​

I also worried that with the kids size differences, the ride would be "off," but I haven't found that at all. Caleb has napped in there, which means it's comfortable enough for him, and when he does decide he wants to walk, I'm okay pushing Chloe by herself, too. There is tons of storage space underneath, and it made our trip to the zoo last week so much more tolerable since I was able to keep them contained when I needed to! 

They also have some accessories that you can purchase, including a half belly bar, an organizer console, rain cover, and a storage bag/backpack for traveling. 

The awesome people at Zoe were kind enough to set us up with a 10% off promo code, too! Use "jenise10" for your 10% discount, through June 30, 2019! 

When I say that this double stroller has everything I was looking for in a double, I'm not kidding. I have a video review up on my stories highlights on Instagram, so you can check it all out in action on there. 

One thing you might consider a drawback if your babies are tiny - you cannot put an infant seat on this. I figure it's worth mentioning! 

Let me know what you think! And if you end up with a Zoe stroller, tag me when you post pictures of your kids in it, I'd love to see! 

xoxo, 

​Jenise

I have always been very forthcoming about my journey with breastfeeding and how hard it can be at first. 

Not too long ago, I was out with some friends, and the topic of extended breastfeeding came up. I am someone who has breastfed for an extended amount of time with both of my children. With Caleb, I went to 21 months, and Chloe is 15 months and still nursing. I came into the conversation late, so I didn't really have time to interject or give my two cents. But when I started paying attention to the conversation, they were basically making fun of another mom for breastfeeding her almost two-year-old child. 

Aside from coming in to the conversation late, I was too floored to interject. It's 2019, and we are STILL criticizing other moms for choices that they are making for their family? I honestly wanted to say "What the actual f**k is happening here?"

Who is that mom hurting by feeding her almost 2 year old? Honestly, nobody. Plus, there is no set age for when a mom needs to stop nursing her child. Again, HER child. Not yours, not mine. If a mom wants to breastfeed for two weeks, two months, twelve months, or two years, it's NONE OF OUR BUSINESS. 

But the more I thought about it, the more upset I got. Finally I realized that getting upset wouldn't get me anywhere, but educating others about extended breastfeeding might. Anytime I mention to anyone that Chloe still nurses at 15 months, I get a variation of comments, ranging from, "Wow, what a sacrifice," to "Oh my goodness you're my hero." I honestly don't even think about it most days, it's just something we do. You go to your refrigerator in the morning and pour your kids a cup of cow's milk or almond milk or oat milk, and I nurse mine (only Chloe - even I would admit that Caleb, at 4.5 years old, is a little too old to nurse for my taste). 

But considering that fewer than 35% of infants in the US in 2018 were breastfed to 12 months (according to the CDC), there are a large majority of women out there who have no idea what an extended nursing relationship looks like. 

Breastfeeding at 15 months looks VERY different than it does 6 months. So if you're one of the women who nursed up until 6 months, then you are probably imagining that the nursing relationship looks the same at 15 months as it did at 4 or 5 or 6 months. But that couldn't be further from the truth! The same way that babies consume less formula once they start eating solids, they begin to consume less breastmilk, too.

​Up until 6 months, breastmilk is still their only source of nutrition, and Chloe, for example, nursed every two hours during the day until we introduced solids. After 6 months, solids are introduced, and by the time a baby turns one, they should be getting the majority of their nutrition from solid foods. When she was 12 months, Chloe's feeding schedule looked something like this: 
​

• 6 am - Nurse
• 9 am - Breakfast 
• 12 pm - Lunch
• 3 pm - Snack
• 5 pm - Dinner
• 7 pm - Nurse

This is still what it looks like today. She nurses as soon as she wakes and right before she goes down for bed. I rarely have to nurse in public anymore, and she has been introduced to cow's milk and she takes it just fine. In the event that Eddie and I have a date night or I have an event, she just gets a cup of regular milk. I don't pump anymore (although I might express if I miss a night feeding and a morning feeding), I don't get engorged, and I don't leak anymore. 

Some other myths include that I must get bitten often, because Chloe has a mouth full of teeth. Well, she's had teeth for a while, and has she tried to bite, yes. But I pull her off the breast and cut her off for the session, and she knows better. It doesn't happen as often as people seem to think it might. 

Why do I still nurse? Easy - because it's still convenient, and she still asks for it. When it stops being beneficial for either or both of us, that is when we will stop. With Caleb it was 21 months, and while I do have a cutoff of 2 years in mind, I wouldn't be upset if she chose to wean earlier. The nursing relationship is something that is so special, so personal, and so dynamic. It looks so different for everyone. 

​Whether you choose to pursue an extended breastfeeding relationship or not is nobody's decision but your own. And ladies, again - it's 2019. Lay off the criticism of other moms for doing what they feel is right for their families. Just because it's not the way you did it, doesn't mean it's wrong. 

Seriously, with all the love in the world, 
xoxo, 

​Jenise

P.S. This is not to make you feel bad if you didn't nurse at all, or if you nursed for 2 weeks, or a month, or 6 months, or however long you did or did not nurse. The amount of time you nurse does not make you a good mom. Feeding your child, and being the best mom YOU can be, makes you a good mom. 

Check out some of the links below!

Resources: 

• https://www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/length-of-time/
• https://www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/biting/
• https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/breastfeeding/Pages/default.aspx
• https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/breastfeeding/Pages/When-Your-Baby-Gets-Teeth.aspx
  

Summer is here, whether you're ready or not! Memorial Day weekend is behind us, kids are wrapping up the school year, the days are getting longer, and the beach is calling your name, right? But before you hit the beach, there are a couple of things you should make sure you have with you. I've compiled my top 5 items for a day at the beach. These work whether you have kids or not - they're really just essential beach items to keep you comfortable and safe in the sun! 

If you take nothing else with you to the beach, take sunscreen. Melanoma is becoming more and more prevalent, and it's so scary. There's a big debate going on about chemical vs. physical sunscreens, and what you need to know is that chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays and then release them from the skin, while physical sunscreen literally acts as a physical barrier to UV rays. This article has a good breakdown, and it says that at the end of the day, as long as you are using something that protects against both UVA and UVB rays and use the product correctly (which means reapplying often), then you should be fine. For the kids, I really love using Blue Lizard sunscreen, and I actually use it on myself, too. My skin is really sensitive to the sun and I have found it to be what protects my skin the best. 

Any towel will do, but Tesalate sent me this sand-free towel for a review and it has come in so handy! First of all, this "Mojito" design is gorgeous. Secondly, Tesalate towels are made with AbsorbLite™ fabric. They rapidly dry compared to regular ones, while still being able to absorb a lot of water. It's also compact and light, and folds to about a quarter of the size of a regular beach towel. It's perfect not just for the beach, but also for yoga, picnics, and any outdoor activities. And even when it's wet, the sand comes right off of it. 

I have been through dozens of beach bags, and this is the first one that I can say is truly functional and does everything I need it to do. The Tingueli beach bag was also sent to me in exchange for my review. It is large and the main compartment comfortably holds 2 full sized beach towels and multiple hats, a book or magazine, baby wipes, and diapers for Chloe. The bottom of the bag is a leak-proof cooler compartment, where you can store drinks and snacks along with ice or ice packs to keep everything cold. It has several pockets on the outside, as well as an inner compartment and a zippered pocket on the outside for things like cell phones and keys. It's truly such a functional beach bag, and at a really great price point! 

Your skin needs protection, but so do your eyes! Sunglasses are a necessity for me - otherwise I'm squinting, which in turn creates wrinkles. So bring sunglasses along. We've got really cute ones for Caleb that the kind people from Toucca Kids sent for him. They've got UVA and UVB protection, they are polarized, and they're shatter and scratch resistant. Plus they look really cute, too! 

We all bring hats to the beach in our family, but it's especially important to me for the littlest ones. Chloe won't leave sunglasses on, so the hats helps shield her eyes from the sun, as well as protecting her head, her face, her ears, and her neck. The one Chloe is wearing here was a gift and I'm not sure where it's from, but I've linked another great option here. 

Those are my top 5 items to take to the beach, but we definitely don't JUST take five items with us. What else do we take? Here's an extended list... 

1. Water!
2. Snacks - fruit, crackers, chips, etc. 
3. Dry clothes for the kids 
4. Swim diapers for Chloe
5. Baby powder (for brushing off sand)
6. Reading material 
7. Sand toys for the kids
8. A beach umbrella 
9. Beach chairs
10. Bluetooth speaker

What did I miss? What are your must-have beach items? Let me know! 

And get ready to enjoy the sunshine! 

xoxo, 

​Jenise

I often get asked how I do everything that I do, and the truth is that while it may seem like I do a lot, I have developed some pretty decent time management skills in the last few years. I like to produce, but I also like to be able to enjoy myself and my family. I have also learned that there are things I should put importance on, and there are others that I’m not really all that concerned about. Here are some of the things that I don’t do as a mother that allow me to seem like I “do it all.”

Whether it’s my husband, my parents, my in-laws, a babysitter, or housekeeper, I use the resources that are available to me so that I don’t get overwhelmed. It’s really easy to get caught up in saying, “I have to be the one to keep my house perfectly clean,” and “I have to be with the kids 24/7.” But in coming to the realization that I CANNOT physically do it all, I learned to ask for help.  Sometimes that means it’s asking my husband to take care of dinner, or asking our parents to watch the kids so that I can go get some errands done.  ​

I don’t really stress over what my kids eat. In the first year of life with both of my kids, I stressed over them consuming enough milk and gaining enough weight. But past that, I stopped stressing. Suer, I try to limit sugar, and I don’t give them sugary drinks at home, and I definitely try to push the healthier stuff, but I don’t stress it if they do or don’t have something. Some days that means that they snack and graze all day; other days that means that they have three really hearty well-balanced meals. And still other days, that looks like the drive-through of Pollo Tropical or some frozen meals heated up in the oven. I’ve come to understand the kids go through phases, and that not every day is going to be full of perfectly balanced nutritious meals. If Caleb wants microwaveable macaroni and cheese, then guess what? That’s what’s for dinner. If Chloe tosses her lunch on the floor and feeds it to the dog, then she might just be getting a pouch for lunch. And again, I’m not going to stress it. One of our friends, whose mom has three kids told us one time, “By the time they turn 18, they’ll have eaten a well-balanced diet.” So Eddie and I try to remember that whenever the kids are giving us a hard time over what we’re feeding them. At the end of the day, they’re just like us, and some days they might just not be hungry. Other days, they may really just want a certain kind of food, and that’s OK, too! They’re allowed to have likes and dislikes just like we do.

There are a lot of sources out there telling us that we need ALL THE THINGS for our kids. More toys, more clothes, more gadgets, more STUFF. But I have become a big believer in the fact that kids don’t need as many things as we think they do. For the most part, they’re happy with a couple of toys that they really like. The best thing for them is going outside, playing, using their imaginations, and being kids. I will not be on the hunt for the most popular toy this Christmas, because I know that is not what is going to make my kid happy. One perfect example was for Caleb’s birthday this year. We decided that since we were surprising him with the Disney Cruise, and his birthday is so close to Christmas, that we were going to forgo buying him a gift. The day of his birthday, I woke up with a little guilt that he had nothing to open. But you know what? He never asked for anything except for the waiters to sing him Happy Birthday. And the day we got off the ship, he THANKED us for taking him on the cruise. 

I also get dressed every morning, and do my hair when I need to. I take care of myself, because I need to be able to take care of them. If that means that they are strapped into the high chair or watching TV for an extra five minutes in the morning so I can drink my coffee hot, then so be it. But I make the time in the morning to do that one thing for myself. 

I sit on the floor and play with Chloe for a little bit each day - time I dedicate just to her. Or I spend some time with Caleb outside or coloring or reading. But I’m a huge proponent of independent play. I want my kids to be able to entertain themselves and each other. They have a pretty free range of the main area of the house, and there are toys for them to play with, so there’s no reason why they should need to be entertained constantly. I’ve always got an eye or ear on them, but if I’m making dinner, or replying to e-mails, or folding laundry, you can bet that they are playing independently. 

 No explanation needed, no guilt. Sometimes I’ll have twinges of guilt over something, but for the most part, I don’t feel guilty about any of the above. ​

So there you go. Next time you find yourself wanting to ask, "How does she do it all?" Know that I really, truly don't. There are a lot of things I don't do, and that is what gives me the ability to do what I want to do. And always always always remember that social media can be deceiving! Anyone who looks like they do it all more than likely has a team/village/small army helping them appear that way!

xoxo, 
Jenise

A little over a year ago, I posted about how excited I was to use certain products. Well, after nearly a year of use, I can certainly say that the Doona was worth the hype. It has been the single most useful item we have had for Chloe. 

If you’re not familiar with the Doona, it is a car seat that converts to a stroller. Instead of a travel system where you pop the infant seat into a stroller with an attachment, this is all one piece. The handle bar moves and extends, wheels pop out of the bottom part of the car seat, and it becomes a very handy stroller. 

It’s safe, it’s convenient, it saves precious real estate in your trunk. Need I say more? Chloe just turned one and we are still using it. We actually JUST got a new lightweight stroller for her because I feel like she would enjoy sitting up more. But really, we could keep using it for a while and she would still be fine. As a matter of fact, the height limit is 32” and the weight limit is 35 lbs. Chloe will outgrow it lengthwise before she does weight-wise (she is just over 29 inches and 19 pounds), but she still has a couple of inches before that happens. 

Let’s talk pros and cons. 

Pros: 

1. Compact. You don’t need an additional piece after taking the seat out of your car, which means no bulky items in your trunk while you are using this exclusively. It’s also smaller than a regular stroller when open, so you fit through tight spaces really well. 
2. Maneuverability. I could steer it with one hand, which is a necessity when you have a toddler, too. 
3. Lightweight. It clocks in at just about 16 pounds. It’s not the lightest, but definitely not the worst out there. 
4. Travels well. If you purchase a seat for your infant on a flight (or get lucky enough to have an empty seat for them), you can take it on and use the Doona in the seat as it is an aircraft approved seat. It is also easy to buckle it into a car without the base attached, so it’s great for taxis, rental cars, or even the grandparents’ cars!
5. Secure. With the headrest, I never felt like Chloe’s head was flopping to the side, which used to make me crazy with Caleb when he was an infant. It also has an infant insert that helps keep their bodies perfectly in place  As she got a little bigger and we removed the insert, she was still comfortable in there, and I never felt like she was in an awkward position. Even now, her feet hang over the side, but she is not uncomfortable. 
6. Sightline. Obviously in the car, baby is rear-facing. But when you have the seat in stroller mode, you are looking right at baby, which means you can make all the silly faces you want and keep your paranoid parent watchful eye on standby 24/7 (or as long as they are in the stroller). 
7. Simplicity. You open and close with minimal effort and steps. When you’ve got a toddler running around, the last thing you want to be stressing over is that you need to complete twenty steps to get the baby in or out of the car. The cover and sunshade are also really easy to take off and wash.  
8. Quality. The fabric never looks dirty. The plastic is SO sturdy. You can tell that quality material is used to make this product.
9. Safety features. The Doona has three layers of side impact protection (memory foam headrest, eps foam beneath the textiles, and a honeycomb design in the legs designed to absorb impact), and the handlebar doubles as an anti-rebound bar. It is as safe as any other infant seat you can purchase on the market. 

Cons: 

1. Small sun shade - I wish it covered a little more, but it does the job. They do sell an extension for this, as well as a sun and insect protection layer. 
2. No storage - although you can purchase a bag that you can attach to the back of the Doona (while it is open) and a diaper bag that attaches to the handle. 

Price: The Doona rings in at $500.00. I know many would list this as a con, but I think it is well worth the price tag. Odds are, if you are considering this, you’re considering a travel system that clocks in at just as much or double this. Since we haven’t used anything else for Chloe up until now, I can tell you that the investment is well worth it. 

Overall, way more pros than cons - and I can tell you that when I was in a rush at morning drop-off with Caleb, it was nice to just release the seat and go. Not having to take the extra step of opening the trunk was so helpful. Caleb only uses a stroller when we are doing something like Disney or something with really heavy walking, which is why this worked so well for us (we ended up just taking two strollers with us when we went to places like that, and it worked for us). 

Clearly, this is a product I love. I will continue to recommend this product, and I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to use it! 

Questions? Ask away in the comments below! 

Xoxo, 

Jenise