The Christmas countdown is on – who’s counting?!? THIS GIRL. At the top of the list of cool sh*t I lovelovelove and monthly favorites is CHRISTMAS. Lessssgo.
This month has just been a whirlwind of emotions for us, mostly – and a whirlwind of driving, since our hospital commute to see Miss Liv got upped quite a bit with her being transferred to another NICU. BUT, we’re just keepin’ on keepin’ on and keep praying that she progresses ASAP. My hope is that by this time next month, she’s hanging out under the tree with me. Until then, Moose will have to suffice. 😉
Mama pulled a TREAT YO’SELF this month to some new jammies! Woo! My drawer is constantly *overflowing*, but girlfriend needed some nursing/pumping-friendly PJ’s. SO, I pulled the trigger on two pairs from Victoria’s Secret, also because I figured if I’m gonna be up at all hours, dealing with poop + spit up…I’m gonna look cute doing it. 😉 Ha! I grabbed which I lovelovelove because it’s not too heavy a flannel. And then this knit pair here – it’s a super lightweight, breathable cotton/polyester blend. A totally worthwhile #TreatYoself, especially if you’re still grabbing oversized tees from college or mismatched comfy separates to call it a night.
These are also ON SALE right now + come with the cutest slippers FO’ FREE in the sale!
Are ya sick of hearing about Tula yet??? Ha! I can’t help it, tho – they’ve been a favorite from the get go, and I don’t see it stopping anytime soon! Seriously, the BEST skincare line as a whole. I’ve said it before (and I’ll undoubtedly say it again), but if/when I’m having any sorta problem skin or reaction, I switch to all-Tula and it’s cleared up in no time. All Tula products are packed with probiotics, which work wonders on your skin the same way they work wonders on your gut! Everything is about creating + restoring + maintaining ~balance~ on your face, so that everyday can be a good skin day instead of spot-treating different issues and having them turn into other issues (like treating acne, but then having everything be too dry, etc). I’ve mentioned before, too, that their is my all-time fave; I also use their nightly (I explain why slash how glycolic acid works wonders in this post!), as well as , AND their is an absolute must. And regardless of your skin type, is one to add to your routine, since it’s super hydrating without being greasy in the slightest.
They’ve got quite a few kits out right now that’re perfect for the holidays – both to gift your girlfriends, and yourself. 😉 The kits are fabulous since you can pick one with products that suit your skin needs, and/or just use it as a way to test out any products you’ve been debating trying!
[My Tula discount code is COMINGUPROSES, which will get ya 20% off whatever ya want! I’ve met with their team before and they know how much I just personally loveloveLOVE their products + brand, so they were nice enough to set up something for you guys to try ’em out at a discount #bless]
My lovelovelove for Barefoot Dreams knows no bounds, folks. My mama gifted me their most popular blanket for my baby shower, and I don’t think it has left my body since. HA. But really tho, it’s the best. My cats also think so, as does my husband. It’s a big fight for the Barefoot Dreams in the Gwynn household. 😉 It’s so great, tho, for more than just how squishy soft it is. This thing is legit WARM. But, it looks thinner/isn’t as bulky as some blankets. So, on particularly chillier nights, if/when we don’t want the heat cranked but still need something, we put this on the bed and it takes off any chill! If you need a gift idea for your mom, sister, bestie…this’ll do.
[more Barefoot Dreams here]
4.) Sparkly UGG Dakota slippers
Girlfriend lost her UGG virginity! Woo! I had always wanted a pair, but couldn’t really justify the price in my head before this year. But in basically living at the NICU for the past month and then some, I’ve been finding myself reaching for mocassins most often. My old pair from Target wore out from the constant runs back and forth, so I pulled a #TreatYoSelf to this fun sparkly pair as soon as they launched. And GOD BLESS, yo. They’re perfect.
They’re absurdly cute (also come in silver sparkles, and in non-sparkly varieties ). They’re water resistant. And they’ve got a flexible rubber sole, so they work both indoors AND outdoors – which was exactly what I was looking for, since I’d be living in my poochies but then forget to switch to “real shoes,” just run out the door, and end up in the grocery store in unicorn bedroom slippers – ha!
I had been told to size UP in UGGS – that they’d be snug at first, but then would wear in perfectly once the fur was pushed in a bit and molded in with your foot. And SURE ENOUGH. That’s exactly right. Size up, and don’t fret if/when they feel tighter when you first get ’em – they’ll stretch ever so slightly and fit perfectly soon enough!
Also another great giftable option. 😉
5.) Pumping bra
WHOA NOW, this is exciting. Most notably for any nursing mamas or soon-to-be mamas in da house. Or I guess for anyone wanting to look like Katy Perry or Madonna this Christmas? HA. 😉 When I first started pumping, I’d be sitting there for 15 minutes holding the pump to my boobs, wrists sore by the end. NO MORE, friends. This easy lil’ contraption is every multi-tasking mamas dream. It frees your hands so that you can at least attempt some other tasks while doing your daily milking, AND it gets more milk for your money, I think, since it ensures even pressure and pumping throughout. 100% recommend for any new moms!
6.) Revlon Cheek Draping Palette (002 Sunset on Mars)
OK OK, obvi I’ve worn mine a bit to the bone, seeing as I broke the highlighter. 😉 But I lovelovelove it FAR too much to throw it away, so it’s just staying like this for the time being! This Revlon trio is a great, glowy palette, especially if you’ve got a bit of a tan. The bulsh shade reminds me of NARS’ Orgasm blush, and the highlight is almost reminiscent of Champagne Pop. Phenomenal drugstore option, and SO GOOD value for less than 15 bucks.
Would make a great stocking stuffer for any beauty babe on your list! 😉 (Here’s this year’s beauty gift guide, too, as well as stocking stuffers for more ideas!)
7.) Boom Chicka Pop holiday popcorn
YOU GUYS, IT’S BACK. This stuff is no joke. I scoured the shelves of Walmart the second Thanksgiving wrapped up – and when mine didn’t have it, I had my mom look in hers and buy 3 bags. HA. It was a sad day inthe Gwynn house when we finished up last year’s stock – so this year, I’m clearing out the shelf and getting #serious about storage to ration this ish out. I lovelovelove since they’re the perfect blend of salty and sweet, without being too much in either. Does that make sense? Ha! The dark chocolate drizzle is my personal fave; I hadn’t really given white chocolate peppermint a prior thought since I’m not a white chocolate gal at all, but my girlfriend swears by it so I picked that one up, too…and I’m sold. This is one thing I’ll be going a bit nutso with in online shopping since it can be hit or miss whether or not they’re in stock in store, since everyone buys them out so fast! (Check your seasonal aisle, if you ARE in store).
Here it is in dark chocolate drizzle, and here in white chocolate peppermint!
8.) The Princess Switch
When it comes to Netflix slash Hallmark Christmas movies, we all know how the story ends before it begins. I’ve taken it upon myself to find the *best* Christmas flicks currently on Netflix (more on that coming soon… 😉 ), and this one jumped straight to the top the second it began. It stars Vanessa Hudgens and feels a bit like if the Princess Diaries met The Parent Trap. And I could not lovelovelove it more. In doing my “research” on the best movies, it’s taken ALL of my energy to not just watch this one again already. It’s cute without being overly cheesy (albeit predictable – aren’t they all??). Add to your watch list!
9.)
If you’ve been following along with Olivia’s story, especially via my Instastories (@ericaligenza), you might already know that a large part of why she’s still in the NICU is because of these bradycardia episodes that she keeps battling, where her heart rate decelerates + her oxygen level desaturates (so, no bueno). She’s on a monitor at the hospital 24/7. And while they’re getting a bit better and she won’t be allowed to come home until they’re gone for good, we’ve still been SO nervous about what happens if/when she has an episode at home. Right now, her monitors go off the second she starts dropping, so the nurses can see exactly what’s happening, as well as if they need to intervene in any way. At home…not the case.
Enter, Owlet. The Owlet is a little “smart” sock that tracks your baby’s heart rate + oxygen levels while he/she sleeps. If anything goes outside of a preset range, it alerts you via the corresponding app on your phone. It sends all data in real-time, so you know exactly if/when anything changes. And it has a base station, too, that glows green so that at a quick glance, you’ve got the reassurance that everything is AOK.
You also get weekly updates with your baby’s trends, milestones, etc.
So, basically this is a total game changer that we’re SO stoked to use for Miss Liv, if for nothing besides a bit more peace of mind. Obvi you can’t rely on any one device and need to know signs of distress by just looking at your baby, but it definitely helps lessen anxiety knowing that you have a pretty darn reliable piece of technology to help in the monitoring process.
AWESOME NEWS: The Owlet is and you can pre-order the new Owlet Cam!
10.) philosophy fragrance in Fresh Cream Warm Cashmere
I first heard about this gem from my girlfriend Amanda, and she raved about it so I added it to my Ulta cart. I’ve reached for it daily since! It’s a very pretty, light, warm scent – if you’re a vanilla fan, you’ll lovelovelove this. Normally I stray away from any “eau de toilette” and stick to parfums since the scent lasts longer that way (“toilet water” versus “perfume”…seems like a no brainer to me. Ha!). But this one actually lasts very well! It smells like something that makes ya wanna snuggle up in a big cozy sweater.
Another great giftable option, especially if you’re on the hunt for an affordable fragrance!
Have you tried any of my Monthly Favorites yet?
And what have been YOUR Monthly Favorites? Anything noteworthy that you’d recommend?
P.S. ICYMI and wanna get caught up on Weekend Reading and/or last month’s favorites, just click here!