Babywearing Mama

Attention all my babywearing mama's and papa's out there! I am in the market for a new carrier. I loved my BABYBJÖRN while it lasted, but my nugget is out growing it 😢 and I need something a little more supportive for my back and something more versatile - helloooo Ergobaby Omni 360!

                                                                   Ergobaby Blog

I've been doing my research for a little while now, and asking around about all these fancy shmancy wraps and carriers that I've seen. But this one seems like a winner for this mama.

Ergobaby Blog

Koa loves her baby carrier and especially loves to face out - she always has. Its hard to find one that offers the facing-out position as your babe gets bigger, so I was excited to learn that the Ergobaby Omni 360 was one of the few that had more options. Pricey (for sure! Ughhh) but I love how many ways you can wear it.

Ergobaby Blog

The reviews are awesome, and it has a longer life (7-45 Ibs) than my beloved first carrier which was 25 Ibs MAX. You do not need an infant insert with the Ergo Omni 360 AND for all you nursing mama's out there, you can breast feed your baby in both the Ergo 360 and Ergo Omni 360, talk about multipurpose! I've tried the Baby K'tan but wasn't a fan. Below are some other carriers that I've looked into that have great reviews, but the Ergobaby Omni 360 sounds like the right one for me :)!

Ergobaby Omni 360
$180

     

Ergobaby Omni 360

This has the 4 different position options for your baby (facing in, facing out, hip carry and back carry - see here.)  and all the other perks I have mentioned above. 

Ergobaby 360

$160 - $180 (depending on style infant insert NOT included)
     

This is incredibly similar to the Omni 360, however you need the infant insert which is sold separately. I've read that it is hot and also, a pain to use. You can also breast feed in this one.

360° Ergonomic Baby & Child Carrier by LILLEbaby

$140

This one also looks like an incredible option! It has great reviews on Amazon, and it too does not need an insert. It has more options for the facing-in position geared towards newborns. It just seems a little more bulky to me around the waist. Total perk - it's a lot cheaper coming in at $140 on Amazon. 

Tula

$160 + (depending on style)

I have a few friends with the Tula and they love it! I have been told you can also nurse your baby in this one as well. I'm not a fan of the pattern options, and I don't like that they don't have a facing out option for babies. So that was an easy no for me. 

BABYBJÖRN

$55 - 189 (depending on style) 

I was given an older version of this as a hand-me-down and I have used it for the entire first year of Koa's life. We've loved it. My big complaint is how hard it is on my back - because I had an older version, I'm not a great judge on this one, but it certainly isn't as multifaceted as the Ergobaby's Omni 360.

xo,

Malina 

Engagement Session | Ayla + Greg

You've seen these two cuties before... 🙂

This was a stylized shoot for Ayla and Greg's Save the Dates. We had a lot of fun! We knew we wanted to include a bicycle by the water and lots of greenery. We would have preferred the ocean, but we wanted the woods too, so it was easier for us to head on out to the bay to snap the bicycle shots instead. The bay is not as pretty as the ocean, because there are no waves, but it worked!

It was incredibly hot and humid outside, but they were absolute troopers!

We were going for a laid back boho style, staying true to their theme. The tasseled necklace and loosely fitted sea foam green top I felt was a great fit for the water shot - as they resembled sea glass colors with a hippie flare. 

We were able to rent a beach cruiser on the bay which was perfect. And the adorable sun hat Ayla wore, was given to me by a friend who didn't want it anymore. We kept Greg's style very beach neutral - khakis and a breezy white collared shirt for the water shots, and a sky blue for a POC in the greenery shots.

We were strapped for time because Ayla and Greg had to get home, and unfortunately we had to shoot during the busiest time of day at the beach 😑AND also the worst for the sun - around noon. The sun was directly above us, but we made do with what we had.

We found this awesome looking tree back in the woods, and grabbed some pictures by it.

Ayla found this beautiful dress at Marshalls, that actually was shorts for only $16.99 - total steal! It was light, airy and flowed perfectly with the tone we were after.

Greg literally swept Ayla off her feet 😉 after walking up this sweet little pathway. 

Love these two... ❤

xo

Candid Engagement Session | My Sister and Her Beau

Ayla + Greg

We were all excited when we found out this proposal was about to take place. Greg has been apart of our family for years, we love him, and we were ecstatic knowing he was getting ready to pop the question to our sis.

Greg had arranged for everything to be a surprise for Ayla. So we showed up around 10:30pm on a Friday night, banging on the front door of their home. Ayla was filled with excitement, but little did she know, that was not the only surprise Greg prepared - he was about to shock her to tears with the biggest surprise of all - his proposal on the beach, at sunrise. 

Greg had asked me in advance to capture this special moment on camera, and I was beyond honored. I am no professional when it comes to photography, but I do love taking pictures, styling shoots and capturing beautiful moments for my friends and family. This however, was my very first real "in the moment" type of photography experience - lots of pressure, but super fun!

 The waves were so crisp!

The dogs were just as excited as all of us!

I've captured quite a few moments with these two love birds. Stay tuned for more....they tie the knot together this upcoming June.

Love,

Malina 

xo

Rain Boots - Not JUST for Rain and Riches

I have never been a big winter boot buyer. Rain boots are my thang! In the winter time when it snows, I live in them. True story - you definitely need a thick warm pair of socks with them, as the rubber causes the cold snow to freeze your feet. But with a thick warm pair of socks, you are golden! They are more flattering then winter boots in my opinion too.

                                               (I miss you green grass! Hurry up spring!)

When I buy rain boots, super stylish is a must, and they absolutely have to be affordable. I realize Hunter boots are THE hot thing right now and have been for years, but in my pocket book, they really just aren't affordable. 

These babies are my sweet little crush as of late (Lauren by Ralph Lauren Rossalyn Rain Boot). They fit like a sleek riding boot, and I love that. 

Amazon

I've worn them through mud, rain and snow, so they need a little polish as you can see in the picture of me above, but I love them. And total score, they are 67 bucks on Amazon! They come in some other cute styles, but I was after black. I can dress them up and dress them down - perfect for any occasion when weather gets in the way.

Here are some other rain boots on my crush list for under 50 bucks! 

1. Sam Edelman Women's Tinsley Rain Boot

A Rain boot ankle boot??? Yes please! They come in a ton of different color options and all of them super cute. At Zappos you can find them for $37.95 and on Amazon same price!

  

                        Zappos                                                          Urban Outfitters            

2. Womens Original Tall Gloss Winter Waterproof Wellies Rain Wellington Boots

If you are after some fun bright colors these are a great option! $30 on Amazon (depending on your size), and a great selection of colors.

   

                         Dark Fushia                                                Yellow                                                        Opttrade                                                       

3. Chooka Women's Tall Rain Boot

Once again, so many adorable color and pattern options! These are a little pricier then the two above, (depending on your size), but still all under $50, and so cute. Also slim fitting like the ones above.

   

         Dark Teal                                Spicy Orange                                 Black / Shiny

Hope this gives you some options for affordable rain boots that are also just as stylish as the more expensive alternatives!

Love,

Malina xo